Page 15 of Her Shadow

“I think that’s easier said than done, and it makes me wonder if I should really stay? I am going to cause you more trouble than it’s worth?” Sam mumbled as her gaze drifted to the floor.

Kara reached out, gently lifting Sam’s chin so their eyes met. “You can’t tell me you don’t feel the same way I do. You do feel it?”

“Yes,” Sam breathed, her answer barely audible but filled with longing.

The world seemed to vanish as their lips touched. The kiss was soft at first, almost hesitant—a delicate brush that sent a ripple through Kara. Sam's lips were warm and full, slightly parted, inviting Kara to explore further. As the kiss deepened, Kara’s mouth molded against Sam's with urgency.

Their tongues met in a slow, sensual dance, sliding together in a rhythm that felt instinctual. It was as if they were made to fit. Kara could taste the faint hint of salt on Sam’s lips, mixed with a slight sweetness. This made her crave more. The warmth of Sam's tongue against hers sent a jolt through her body. Her pulse quickened. Every flick and caress brought a new surge of heat as slick saliva mingled between them, adding to the intoxicating sensation.

Kara’s skin prickled as her breasts pressed against Sam’s in the bed they shared. Her heart raced in time with the kiss, and every nerve seemed to light up under Sam's touch. It wasn’t just a kiss—it was like an electric current running through her,spreading warmth from her lips down her spine and pooling low in her belly. Sam's soft moan vibrated against Kara’s mouth, and it took everything in Kara not to lose herself entirely in the sensation.

“You’re really good at this,” Kara remarked as she pulled back.

Sam gave her a small smile. “You’re really good at making me crave you.”

Kara’s hands slid up Sam’s sides, her fingers pressing into the warmth of her skin, feeling the muscles tense under her touch. Sam let out a soft sigh.

Sam’s hands were no longer tentative. They gripped Kara’s waist, pulling her closer, their bodies pressed hard together. Kara could feel the heat radiating off Sam, the thrum of her heart beating fast in sync with her own.

As their kiss grew more heated, Kara’s hand dipped lower, sliding under the waistband of Sam’s panties. Sam gasped against her mouth, her breath coming in short bursts. The sound sent a pulse of desire straight through Kara, her fingers moving without hesitation now, seeking the wet heat between Sam’s legs. Sam moaned softly, her body arching into Kara's touch, urging her on.

Kara's fingers found their mark, sliding through Sam's slick folds, and the shiver that ran through Sam’s body made Kara’s heart palpitate. She could feel Sam’s fingers fumbling at her own waistband, slipping past the fabric to return the favor, and when their fingers found each other at the exact same moment, both of them gasped.

Kara’s breath caught as she felt Sam’s fingers press inside of her, sliding deep and slow, matching the rhythm Kara had set between Sam’s legs. They moved together, their fingers working confidently, every motion sending waves of pleasure that left them both trembling.

Their bodies moved together, each thrust of their fingers more urgent than the last, the wet sounds of their fingers sliding into each other filling the room. Kara’s free hand gripped Sam’s waist, holding her close as the pressure built inside her, tightening her core until she thought she might snap.

When the climax hit, it was like a flood—wave after wave of pleasure crashing over them, leaving them both gasping, trembling, their bodies entwined. They stayed like that for a moment, fingers still inside each other, catching their breath as the last tremors of their release faded.

“I never thought I’d find this again,” Sam said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Neither did I,” Kara admitted, “but I want more. Take everything off and let me taste you. Let me make you stay a little longer here with me. I never want you to go.”

Sam kept her eyes fixed on Kara’s as she laid herself on her back, removing the remaining clothing that covered her hot flesh.

“Right now, you can have anything you want. I’m all yours,” Sam whispered as the world around them disappeared.

6

SAM

Sam tugged at the collar of her jacket and pulled it higher against her neck, the texture of the worn leather pressing against her throat. In the faint dawn light, she listened to the gentle rustling noises coming from the cabins and yurts scattered within the walls of Fort Haven.

She was deep in thought. Much of what was playing through her mind was the idea she’d formed of her current whereabouts. She’d started to believe the place seemed as much a prison as it was a sanctuary. The exterior walls loomed high above her, jagged and uneven, marked by patches of moss and dried vines, but even these signs of life seemed to cling desperately to the decaying remnants of a once vibrant civilization. Sam held her breath slightly as she looked up. It wasn’t just the physical walls—it was the eyes. The endless pairs of eyes followed her wherever she went.

What do these guards want with me? I don’t get it.

She closed her own for a moment, trying to regain focus, but she could still sense that she was being observed. And closely. The people here weren’t like the nomads she’d gotten used to. They seemed to cling to their past lives, to what the world hadbeen before it all fell apart. None of them had a clue what it meant to live outside these walls.

But here? Here, it was like they were still trying to claw back the world they had lost, and they were suspicious of anything—or anyone—that didn’t fit into what Sam thought of as their narrow vision.

Is this really living? I feel as if I'm on trial.

She heard the familiar creaking of Kara’s boots before she turned around. Kara had a distinct way of moving. She only had a slight frame but was heavier-footed than was perhaps advisable in a zombie apocalypse. It was a comforting sound, though…and about the only thing in this place that didn’t make Sam feel homesick. Kara knew Fort Haven much better than Sam did. She was used to the ways here. Kara carried herself around these people with ease. And they trusted her.

“Hey, babe. What’s up? You sleep okay?” Kara had such a soft way of speaking, but her voice also had a subtle strength that always grounded Sam somehow.

Sam shrugged, her eyes not meeting Kara’s. “I really needed some air. It was kinda stuffy in the cabin when I woke up.”

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