Page 1 of Apricity (Devil Dogs of the Apocalypse)

Alessandra

Rain continues to pour down, pummeling the tin roof of the small one room cabin in rural North Carolina. The sharp taps echo throughout the space creating a loud cacophony of chaos. If it was a regular rain shower, it would be nice to listen to. Relaxing. Therapeutic.

Not so much during a hurricane.

“We’ve got hail!” Hawk calls out as he keeps watch at the front window.

Raising the mug in his hand, he takes a sip, shaking his head at what he sees outside.

He’s been standing there monitoring the storm’s progress for over two hours.

Instead of letting up, the deluge has only gotten worse as the minutes pass.

I’ve experienced the sheer power of a hurricane before.

In what feels like almost a lifetime ago with completely different company, I used to live in coastal Carolina.

Minutes from the ocean. I didn’t stay long enough to get used to it but I learned quickly that the routine never really changed unless there was an evacuation.

In any other case, you got the alert and you hunkered down.

Bought enough bread, milk and other supplies to last at least a week and filled up your bathtubs to have enough water in case the power went out.

You brought out the flashlights and lanterns, board games and cards, and simply waited until it was all over.

Until the powerline crews could get to work and bring everyone back online.

I think it’s safe to say it’s going to be a bit different this time around.

Hawk turns from the window, singing under his breath about something biting dust while bobbing his head to the tune.

Not seeming the least bit bothered by the storm, he lets the gauzy curtain fall back into place before coming to sit by me at the kitchen table.

He kisses the crown of my head and rubs his calloused fingers along my jaw and cheek before taking his seat.

I smile back at him and take another sip from my cup of coffee just as Jax scowls maddingly out the back window.

“And there goes the solar panels. Son of a bitch,” he huffs loudly, raising his outstretched hand to the window, clearly agitated with the storm’s progression. Typically, the hurricanes don’t really do any damage this far inland, but every once in a blue moon, they tear it up.

Jax spent years preparing his estate to be fully self-sufficient.

It was an off-grid paradise complete with solar panels, a wind turbine, generators, a cute little garden, plucky chickens, and a big ass security fence.

He had it all. His home at the northern end of the lake was state of the art in comparison to the bungalow, but this place still has its capabilities, albeit limited. Or at least it did.

Jax’s estate burned down a month ago during the fight with Earl’s brother and his crew.

From what the guys tell me, it’s probably nothing but a pile of wood and cement now, which is why we’ve been staying at the cabin, otherwise known as the “bug-out-bungalow.” It’s not nearly as impressive but it still came with running water, a wood-burning stove, gas-powered appliances, a generator and even solar panels.

At least we still have the generator…

One by one the lights slowly flicker out, leaving us in the shadow of the storm.

It’s only three o’clock in the afternoon so the sun is still out but the clouds’ overcast prevents any ray from giving us reprieve.

I expect to see Jax go to the electrical panel to relay the power to the generator but instead I see him pull out dozens of candles.

Cole’s right there, helping him light the wicks before placing the tiny tea lights all around the small cabin.

“What’s wrong with the generator?” I yell over to Jax, curious as to why we aren’t using that. We have the fuel. It’s hardwired into the power box. What gives?

Jax simply shakes his head in response, refusing to answer my lingering question. His jawline exposes his frustration as he clamps his teeth together tight enough to make the muscle protrude. Cole takes pity on me, however, and puts the matches down before turning in my direction.

“Hail, beautiful!” he shouts over the sharp pangs battering the roof, nodding to the window in front of me. I tilt my head to the side, confused for a second.

How big is this freaking hail ?

Standing, I take my coffee with me as I head towards the front window, pulling the curtain to the side.

The wind is blowing furiously, making the loblolly pines bend almost all the way over and touch the ground before springing back up in the opposite direction.

I can’t understand in the least how they’re not breaking but that’s not what has my jaw dropping.

It’s the size of the hail Cole alluded to.

The individual pieces look to be bigger than a golf ball.

Maybe even as large a baseball. The chunks of ice screaming down to us are literally tearing through the earth and everything else in their path.

No wonder it’s so loud in here. I can barely hear my own thoughts let alone any of the guys speaking to me.

The tin roof isn’t doing us any favors today but, strangely enough, the weather is .

Apart from the horde, there've only been minor handfuls of infected bodies to deal with lately.

More of a nuisance than anything else. Today, however, it seems we don't have to deal with them at all as another ball of ice crashes down into one of their skulls, splattering grey and white matter around like confetti.

I look over to where the generator is staged outside to see it dented all to hell. The metal housing looks like the Hulk went apeshit on it. For all we know, it could be completely beyond repair at this point. I can’t help but sigh sorrowfully at the sight.

Why couldn’t winters in North Carolina be like those in New York?

Wait, what the hell am I thinking? New York winters are God awful. Especially those in western New York. Gnarly blizzards and five feet of snow accumulating overnight? Ice storms? Lake effect nonsense complete with uninvited polar vortexes? No, I’m good. Spank you very much.

Honestly, I’m not sure which one I’d take over the other. They both suck.

But, now that I think about it, I would take a Californian winter.

I’ve never been there personally but from what I hear, it’s paradise.

Sunshine and seventy-degree days on the regular.

I could be completely wrong but that sounds marvelous.

Count me in wherever that weather is. What we have here on the east coast is fucking bullshit.

I feel the wet, loving licks of Sadie at my side, her small whimpers pulling me to come to her level and reassure her.

“Don’t think it’s a good idea to go outside anytime soon, cutie.

Sorry.” I grimace but she’ll be ok. Luckily, Jax took her out on a long walk before the bottom fell out earlier so, hopefully, she’ll be able to hold it at least a little while longer.

I can’t imagine the storm will keep up like this all night.

At least I hope not…

When I turn back around and face the room, my jaw drops at how beautiful it is in here despite the ugliness taking place outside.

Hundreds of little tealight candles are staged around the cozy space.

The intimate setting instantly calms my worries, allowing me to release the tension that seemed to fill my shoulders.

“Come here, sweetheart,” Hawk calls, sitting on the floor near the wood burning stove with his arms outstretched as if waiting for me to fall into them, which I do, causing us both to crumple into a heap of limbs in front of the roaring fire .

It’s gotten much colder here in the past month. Not as crazy as anything I’ve experienced up north but chilly and damp enough that a sweater is definitely needed. A nice fire doesn’t hurt either.

Hawk surrounds me with love and affection, kissing every inch of available skin on me. I laugh as he peppers them along my cheek and neck, sliding down my collarbone as Cole and Jax join us on the floor, draping blankets over us.

I turn away from Hawk’s runaway lips to take in the rest of my guys and sigh with contentment. My guys . All mine. I couldn’t be happier. What more could I need when they already give me everything I’d ever want? Even with what little we have, they fill my world with life, love and happiness.

The thought makes my heart pause, my muscles stiffening as I remember.

The guys had it all. Everything at their fingertips.

Safety, security, reliability, renewable resources.

Everything a person would need to survive…

they had it. Then, I showed up and threw a monkey wrench into their pastoral paradise.

We’re fighting a zombie apocalypse, trying our best to survive and live each day.

There are certain things a person needs in order to do so.

They had everything readily available to them. They had it made.

And then I came along.

Hawk wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me into his chest as he bumps his nose against the back of my neck, nuzzling there for a second.

“It’ll be ok, sweetness. We’ve been through worse.

” His hold tightens around me in a cocoon of warmth and reassurance.

I doubt he can diagnose the cause of the turmoil running through me, probably thinking it’s all from the storm, but I’ll take his affection regardless.

At his gentleness, my body sags into his, my neck craning back to rest on his shoulder.

“Mmmmm, I just love it when you melt for us,” Hawk groans.

I press further into his chest. His attempt at distracting me from what’s going on around us makes my heart flutter and my belly erupt with butterflies.

Jax, sitting to the left of me, leans forward at his words.

Lifting his hand to my cheek, he soothes the backs of his knuckles down my face, my attention fully on him now.

He smiles softly before dropping his hand to wrap around mine in my lap.

He still seems a bit frustrated with the situation, but he’s at least attempting to move past it for the moment, so I give him a little smile and lean into his bulking frame while remaining in Hawk’s lap.

Closing the distance between us, Jax connects his lips with mine. Softly. Slowly. Hypnotically. He envelopes my senses with the kiss, drowning out the noise around us, before easing back and placing a small peck to the tip of my nose.

Once Jax is satisfied and moves back, Cole takes his turn and shuffles closer in our little huddle.

His toned muscular form blocks some of the light from the fire as he leans in and cups my face in his hands.

Shadows dance across his skin, while fire and heat erupt in his eyes.

He stares deeply into mine as the corner of his mouth tilts up in to a sly smirk.

“I know we have no more power for the foreseeable future but I think I know of something to keep our spirits up.” His thumbs caress my cheeks as he looks devilishly to Hawk and Jax.

Oh yeah, this ought to be good.

∞∞ ∞

“Alright, beautiful, stretch for me. Get that leg over here. I know you can do it.”

I twist my body, contorting it in a way that shouldn’t be possible. My leg, sprawled to my right, is shaking with exertion, but I hold the position as best as I can.

“Look at you. So fucking perfect.”

The praise I receive from Cole is enough to have me preening at his encouragement and praying I can hold out just a little while longer in hopes that he might gift me with another compliment.

“Damn! How is that even possible?” Hawk’s jaw drops in astonishment. To be honest, I’m a little surprised I was even able to lift my leg that high but needs had to be met and dammit if I wasn’t going to push myself to fulfill them.

“Alright, let me get under you. Lift your ass up. There you go. Just like that,” Cole whispers into my ear as he positions himself underneath me, against my back.

“Now sit that pretty ass right on me. No hovering. I’ve got you.

” I can feel every inch of him as he maneuvers himself beneath my body.

Every. Inch. And it’s taking everything within me not to explode.

“Nope, that’s cheating! You can’t touch!” Jax calls out, throwing a proverbial yellow flag down on Cole’s play while Cole simply smirks in his direction .

Knowing he has him beaten, Cole slides his free hand up my side, caressing and squeezing in encouragement as he tilts his hips up slightly, a confident smile upon his lips as I turn to face him. My own face flushes with need.

“Aww, don't you remember the rules? Aly and I are on the same team. You could always cozy up to Hawk, you know,” Cole suggests causing Jax to gape and look at Hawk directly behind him.

“You know my ass is too big for him to hold up. I’ve got to be twice the size of him, no offense, bro,” Jax says to Hawk who only shrugs in return.

“No offense taken. And that’s only in weight.

We all know who’s twice the size of who where it matters.

” Hawk smirks in Cole’s direction, causing him to tilt his hips up once again, pressing his hard length into my ass.

I can’t help it as I rock back into him.

With my legs splayed out the way they are, Cole rocking his dick against my ass and Hawk and Jax looking delicious in front of me, this deck of cards is going to fall sooner rather than later.

Jax, closer now but still not touching me, brings his lips to my ear.

His hot breath whispers over my sensitive skin creating goosebumps across the entire expanse of my flesh.

“Fuck yeah, baby. God, I bet you feel so good.

Your ass pressed up against his cock, practically begging him to thrust up into you.

You know how he feels about you begging.

How hot it gets him. How hot it gets all of us…

How hot it makes you when you do." He groans as his lips ghost over my cheek, seething in passionate fury as he continues to tease me.

"You love begging us. For us. For our cocks. For our cum…. To allow you to come….”

Oh yeah… that’ll do it.