Thunder cracked the sky. Like a meteor, Shaxx came down, his fist connecting with the ground and incinerating the Vandals scrambling to avoid him.
"Okay, everyone. This way. This way," Frea beckoned the workers inside the fort, the rain cascading down her visor made it difficult to see and the whirling winds stifled any noise except for the storm.
"I'll lead them to the safe room!" Yelled Faelan over the comm. He placed a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her back toward the edge of the wall. "You go help Lord Shaxx!"
"Got it!" Kicking up water behind her, she placed a hand on the tip of the railing and leapt over the edge. Her stomach dropped as she plummeted to the ground and hopped once to soften her landing in the middle of the Fallen attack. She counted at least three Captains and even more Vandals, the first time the House of Devils ever brought in snipers for a scouting mission. Spotting a Dreg heading for Shaxx's unguarded flank, she pounced upon the Eliksni and plunged her knife into its neck, using the momentum to propel herself forward and land with her back up against the Titan's. "You look like you could use a little backup!" She hollered over the rain with a wide grin.
He took a step back, pressing closer to her. "Are you offering?"
"Depends." Frea deflected a Dreg's spear with her gauntlet and shot a single bullet directly into its head. "Do I get a reward?"
She thought she felt a resounding laugh against her back for a second, but that could have just been the thunder. "We'll see," he said.
He ducked down to a knee and taking the cue, the huntress rolled over his shoulder, smacking an unsuspecting Captain across the face with her heel. He reeled with a snarl, four hands grasping for her, but Shaxx connected a punch into the Fallen's carapace and sent him flying across the field.
"We've been out here for ages. There's no end to these guys!" Frea gasped, knocking a Vandal away with her hand cannon. For every Fallen that fell, it seemed like two more to their place.
"They must be hiding in the mist."
"Is this a real attack this time?" Sidestepping to avoid a Captain's fire, she slipping for a moment in the mud. He caught her by the arm and hefted her behind the decrepit remains of a car.
"I don't think so. If it was then we'd be seeing higher ranked Fallen," he replied, reloading his rifle.
She peeked out of the top of their cover, trying to memorize every position taken by the Eliksni. Two of the Captains still remained, one with a scorch cannon and the other with a sword, both wryly coming closer to their hiding spot with each second that ticked by. Killing both would be incredibly hard with the Vandals hidden in the rain, their snipers having the potential to kill in one shot. If she could take them out quickly enough...
"If you summon your staff here then Shaxx will know you're not a bladedancer," her Ghost spoke up in her head.
"I know," she said, hesitating. Bringing out her arc staff now would no doubt confirm Shaxx's suspicions and crush any form of trust she had built up with the Titan in the last two weeks of being here. She didn't want to risk that. Her gaze darted over to him next to her. He wasn't staring at the Fallen, but instead his visor was turned to the breach in the wall. Just beyond it where homes and families. They were the last defense for the people of the City. If this group got past them, she didn't even want to imagine the causalities. She gripped his furred pauldren, drawing his attention to her. "Stay low."
"Wha-"
Jumping over their cover, bright arc energy sizzled to life over her skin. Frea glided around the Captains, her staff forming into her hands with a hum as she sliced it across their abdomens and then charged the Vandals. She slammed it down and vaporized them instantly, the lightening scattering across the wet ground. Smiling with gratification at her quick work of the group, she turned back to the rock and saw Shaxx's tall form standing in the rain, he was oddly still as if entranced. His gun hung slack at his side. Her eyes automatically shifted to movement behind him and she reached out a hand in warning, but everything happened too fast for her to call out. The sword-wielding Captain, the last to survive her attack, raised his massive weapon and brought it down upon the Titan. Her heart clenched when she saw the blood mix with rain and Shaxx's Ghost materialize, hovering above the grass. Its blinking eye looked up and grew wide when the shadow of the blade arced over it next.
Willing her feet to move faster, uncontrolled Light danced at Frea's boots from the effort. She dropped to a knee, skimming over the slick mud and under the blade, and plucked the Ghost out of the air just the sword slashed down. She didn't feel the pain at first as she twirled the staff over her shoulder and lacerated the Captain in two. His final scream lost to her fury. It wasn't until she took a moment to breathe, that she even realized she was bleeding profusely.
"Frea!" Her Ghost appeared before her, alarmed.
Falling against the wall with a groan, her staff blinked out of existence, the energy spent. She clutched her side, triggering more spasms of pain up her abdomen. "I'm fine. Rez Shaxx first," she waved off the bots with the command.
Once the Ghosts were out of her sight, she let herself slide down the base of metal wall to rest. Adrenaline still pumped through her veins at a rapid pace and it felt like her ribs was on fire despite her soaked armor. Her breathing was too shallow, she practically gasped for air, and it made the bleeding worse. The rain falling on her suddenly stopped and she lazily looked up to meet Shaxx's painted visor, her vision blurred and unfocused.
"Hold still. You're hurt pretty badly so this might take awhile," her Ghost murmured as it scanned a beam over her body, kickstarting her internal healing process.
Frea watched the Titan standing before her and noticed his helmet gradually move from her wound to her face. His weight shifted from one foot to another. She guessed his Ghost must have filled him in on what happened after reviving him and judging by his stance, he wasn't too happy about it.
"That wasn't necessary," he finally said.
Anger flashed in her eyes. "Not necessary? Are you serious?" She spat and got to her unsteady feet, ignoring the complaints of her Ghost. With two shaky steps forward, she poked a firm finger against the middle of Shaxx's chestplate. "When someone risks their ass to save you then you should thank them, not..." The world before her swirled dreadfully and she went along with it. He caught her by the waist before she could fall into the muck and easily lifted her up to carry her back to camp.
"You can lecture me after you're done healing," he sighed.
She couldn't feel pain from the wound on her side anymore but the blood loss was still getting to her brain. The warmth of his arms, however, was so inviting that she unwittingly snuggled her head into his furred mantle. It smelled like pine. At least that was still the same. "I hope you're ready for a long talking to later," she grumbled.
Before blacking out, Frea almost thought she heard the slightest of chuckles above her head.
"Shaxx," she looked over at him from her seat on top the railing, her head tilting slightly. "Tell me about Twilight Gap."
The Titan's eyes moved downwards, to the slim view of the white and gold cape adorned with Ana Bray's wolf emblem hanging off her back. "I figured the Speaker already told you the grisly details when he gave you that cloak."
She shrugged. "He told me the basics but not about what happened after the fort was overtaken."
"Ah," he started, his tone changing to amusement. "You want to know what happened between Saladin and me? Why I disobeyed orders and lead the counterattack?" When she nodded down at him, he smiled sadly and leaned his elbows against the railing. "Before that battle I would have never dreamed of going against the Iron Lords."
"If you hadn't then the Fallen would have taken the City."
"True. But I had no idea at the time that my plan would actually work." He gazed over the Last City, the night lights glinted like stars in the moonlight.
"Then why did you do it?" She asked.
Chuckling, he snuck a glance at the little huntress. "I was inspired."
Frea awoke with a start, her head throbbing intensely. She bolted upright, only to be stopped by a large hand on her shoulder.
"Relax. You're safe."
Her gaze met Shaxx's and found him sitting next to her cot, a stern expression across his face, his helmet off. Without thinking, she sprang into his arms and buried her face into his mantle.
"Thank the Traveler. I had this crazy dream about getting trapped through a Vex gate and..." Her voice caught when her eyes landed on the corner of her tent. Her armor, still waterlogged from the storm, was laid out to dry and with it was his helmet, the horns unbroken and perfect. She inhaled a sharp breath and pulled away, falling back into her bed.
The hands Shaxx reached out to catch her dropped back into his lap, clenching into tight fists. "Remember where you are now?"
"Yeah." She wrapped the blanket around her closer. The thin shirt she wore did nothing against the cold breeze drifting into her tent form the rain still pattering outside. "What happened?"
"You passed out before you healed fully. The blood loss mixed with your lack of sleep didn't do you any favors."
The huntress rolled her eyes. They both went silence for some time, listening to the distant sound of thunder. "Are you not going to ask any questions?"
His eyes locked with hers. "Not at the moment. You saved my life, so you deserve at least some peace and quiet." Getting up from the small chair, he bent and picked up his helmet, rolling it in his hands. "Try to get some rest tonight. The library can wait."
"You're going out in this rain again? Aren't you cold?" She asked, staring at his soaked armor. The maroon fabric hanging off his belt still dripped water occasionally.
Shaxx's brow lifted inquisitively. "Is that an invite?"
"No! I mean..." Frea looked down at her hands, cursing herself. Her heart throbbed loudly in her ear until the cot shifted as he sat down next to her, his shoulder brushing against hers. Her eyes roamed over to meet his, the color in them still as vivid as she remembered. He suddenly broke his gaze away with a chuckle. "What?"
"I guess I really do owe you a reward now," he said.
"Bring coffee to the library next time and we'll call it even."
He laughed again, a small smile eased over his features. "Deal." She watched him twine his fingers together tightly, a sign that he had something on his mind. "Listen, I wanted to apologize for the way I treated you when we first met."
"You had reason to not trust me."
"Perhaps. But I was harsher than usual, I tend to get protective when matters of the Vanguard are involved. Especially Saint."
"Are you two close?"
The Titan shrugged. "I wouldn't say that. We've fought side to side many times and he's proven just how capable he is as our Commander. It's admirable."
Frea smiled. "You look up to him."
His eyes darted over to her. "Why does that sound like an accusation?"
"It's not, it's just cute."
"Cute," he practically choked on the word. "That's funny." Placing his palms on the soft blanket, he let himself relax as he leaned back. "So. I've answered a question for you. How about one for me?"
"Again with this game?" Frea huffed with exasperation.
A mischievous flicker flashed in his gaze. "You're a mysterious Guardian brought back after one of Saint's bouts in the Infinite Forest. Your Light is one of arc, but the power you wielded against that Captain was not Bladedancer. Your gear is more advanced than anything I've seen before. And-" He picked up one of the heavy Osiris tombs stacked next to her cot and dropped it back with a loud bang. "Every night you've been sneaking around the Tower to study the writings of a man obsessed with the Forest. If you know how that wouldn't incite curiosity, please, tell me."
"Okay, I get your point. You can ask me a question but not about my Light or the Forest."
Barely taking a second to think, Shaxx asked. "Where are you from?"
"Here," she replied. When he shot her a sharp look, she laughed. "Alright, I awakened in Old Russia, right outside the Cosmodrome four..." she caught herself, clearing her throat. "Awhile ago."
"If it's something that simple, then why lie about it?"
Frea tilted her head coyly, a smirk appearing on her lips. "Isn't it my turn to ask a question now?" He met her eyes in silence, which only made her smile grow wider. "Why are you leading the construction project on the wall?"
"Saladin's orders. Though I suspect it's to keep me out of trouble," Shaxx said with a sigh. "I occasionally train new Guardians when I can, but the old man is determined to keep me away from the Tower and out of City politics. He says Iron Lords should be above such matters."
"What you told me about becoming an Iron Lord at the library last week...sounds like you two don't get along very well."
"We don't. Our opinions on the future of the Lords differ too much. Saladin wants to distance the Iron Temple from the Last City, I think we should be more involved. If you asked him who his favorite pupil was then he'd tell you Zavala without hesitation. I'm too..." He paused, considering his words. "Intense."
"You? Intense? No." The huntress stifled a giggle. "I don't see how he got that idea."
Chuckling softly, Shaxx playfully nudged her on the shoulder, his hand lingering for longer than normal. It was a surprisingly casual touch, one that sent a tremor aching down her spine. Her smile melted away as she looked down. He noticed. "You okay?"
"I'm fine," she said, feeling a pang of sadness rise in her chest. She was letting herself get too close to the Titan. Acting like strangers everyday left her missing him more. And each time she let him in, she risked everything in her future. Her warring thoughts vanished when he suddenly hooked his index finger under her chin and lifted her face to meet his eyes.
"Did you know," he whispered, his thumb slowly stoking over her bottom lip. "That your lip quivers when you lie?" At a loss of words and drawn in by the tenderness in his gaze, she laid an inviting hand on the center of his chestpiece. His eyes traveled down at her touch then back up. "Frea." He almost growled her name, his voice thick with lust as his fingers gripped her thigh and guided her into his lap. Her blanket fell off her shoulders as she straddled him, revealing her transparent shirt, now dampened by the water droplets sticking to his armor. His stare flitted downward to her bare body underneath before he leaned his face up to hers. "I have another question for you."
Frea slowly sighed when his lips teasingly brushed against hers, but didn't give her what she hoped for. "And what is that?"
"How do you want it?" Shaxx's hand inched under the hem of her shirt and traced up her back, making her shiver. "Gentle?" He then skirted his teeth along her jaw, nipping at the soft skin at her throat. "Or rough?"
"I want..." Any doubts flowing through her mind were immediately taken over by him, by his touch, she couldn't help herself. She didn't want to. Cupping his cheek, she brought his face back up to hers. "Just you, Shaxx. I don't care how you give it to me."
His eyes widened for a brief moment before he closed the distance between them, mouths coming together in a fervent kiss. He moaned deeply when her tongue twined with his and her small hands started to unfasten the couplings to his armor. She had him out of his gear and naked in almost no time, her trained fingers having no problem finding his buckles. At last, the last piece of his gauntlet hit the ground and he had her pressed up against the cot, her back sinking into the mattress. "You're wearing far too much for the occasion." His head dipped low as he pushed her shirt up her body and kissed the skin it exposed. The huntress quivered beneath him, crying out as his lips covered one of her breasts, his tongue swirling in tantalizing circles. She felt his chest rumble with a satisfied chuckle at her reaction.
Fire raging inside her, she bucked her hips into his, earning a groan from the Titan. "Please," she begged and wrapped her arms around his neck so she could press soft kisses to his jaw. "No more teasing."
Their mouthes crushed together again as he spread her knees to him, the heat coming off her like a furnace. He moved forward and she gasped as he entered her. Stopping about halfway, he met her eyes with a curious glint in his gaze, then snapped his pelvis against hers suddenly. Dots erupted behind Frea's eyelids as her orgasm flowed over her body, her nails dragging across his biceps. He ran his palms over her thighs and relished in how they trembled. "You don't like to be teased," he grinned slightly. "But your body says otherwise."
The huntress buried her fingers in his hair and pulled him down against her. "Less talking. More kissing," she demanded.
Shaxx's smile only grew wider as he braced his arms over her head. "Gladly."