9. Kara
9
KARA
K ara looked around as Fort Haven buzzed with excitement. The community festival brought the people together under an old battered canopy of twinkling lights.
“This looks wonderful,” Sam cried out, laughing. “Have you done this sort of thing before here?”
“Yes,” replied Kara. “We try to do it every year. It’s a great idea and really brings us together. The captain started it. She aims to foster community spirit and all that jazz.”
Children ran through the open square, their laughter mingling with the melodies of a roughly put-together folk band. The band consisted of a female singer and two guitarists, each with only four strings on their instruments. They didn’t have much in the way of quality, but it didn’t stop them from trying.
“Hey!” said Sam, looking surprised as she moved closer to the musicians. “They sound pretty good, seeing as they haven’t got a decent guitar between them.”
“I know. Actually, I may pick up some strings for them on my next mission to town. I’ll bet the music shops weren’t raided. Who looks for spare picks during the zombie apocalypse?”
While the tables weren’t exactly brimming with food, there was enough to go around, with fresh vegetables and berries from the settlement’s gardens. Kara stood on the edge of the gathering, watching as Fort Haven’s people— her people—gathered in celebration. She wasn’t quite sure what they were celebrating, but who needed an excuse when life gave you cards like these, right?
Beside her, Sam’s arm brushed Kara’s as they both took in the scene. Sam had always been a little aloof, unsure of her place in the community, but tonight there was a difference. For the first time since they'd arrived, it felt as if Sam belonged.
“So, are you feeling better since the captain got back to you?” Kara asked, nudging her lightly in the ribs with her elbow. “It’s great news that she’s taken on what you said. Onward and upward, right? What do you think, babe?”
“Yeah, I guess it looks as if they finally warmed up to me,” Sam said, glancing up at Kara with a playful smile. She then chuckled, the deep hum of her voice sending a pleasant shiver down Kara’s spine. “I think it’s because of you, though,” she continued. “You vouched for me. You made them listen. And it feels great that we’re putting plans in place.”
Kara shook her head. “No, you’ve earned it. Your ideas, your strength—they see you now, Sam. For whom you are. That’s why things are changing around here. And you’re right. It feels so much better to be proactive, and not just be sitting ducks behind a big, high wall. Have I convinced you to stay for good?”
A slight smile tugged at Sam’s lips, and her eyes shone. “You’re right. I’m feeling pumped! But I think they see me as part of us, not just me alone. And I’m okay with that. Sam and Kara. Or Kara and Sam. I don’t know which way sounds best. And yeah, maybe I will. For now anyway.”
“Ha! I don’t know. We’ll have to work it out, and I’ll have to make that a certain yes,” Kara giggled, and she brushed her hand against Sam’s.
This is it. This is as close to peace as I’ll ever get.
A familiar voice called out to them, disrupting the moment. “Kara! Sam! Over here!”
Kara turned to see Joanna, one of the teachers who helped school the kids, waving them over to a circle of people gathered around one of the fire pits. The flames cast an orange glow across everyone’s faces as they passed around cups of fermented mead, which Kara had joked with Sam earlier tasted like ass, but she accepted a cup anyway.
Kara hesitated for a moment before passing a cup to Sam.
“Am I really ready for this?” Sam joked, her nose screwed up and eyebrows raised in mock horror.
“Absolutely not. You don’t know what you’re letting yourself in for, but it’s the most fun you can have outside of our cabin, so get it down you,” Kara replied with a wink.
They found seats on a weathered plastic bench, Kara leaning into Sam as the group welcomed them into the fold. As the evening wore on, the stories they shared grew more lighthearted, tales of childhood mischief and near-misses with the undead that were somehow funny in hindsight. Kara found herself laughing more than she had in a long time. She couldn’t remember when she had last felt this relaxed.
At one point, Joanna leaned over, her eyes sparkling with mischief, and pulled Kara close to her. “I want to tell you a little secret. You two make such a cute couple,” she said, her voice warm with affection (and mead).Isn’t it such a great story that you found each other in the way you did? I mean, what are the odds? I think even Captain likes Sam now.”
Kara blushed, glancing at Sam, who returned Joanna’s smile with a nod. “You’re not wrong. I hear you,” Sam said, her voice low and sincere. “I could have picked up anyone that day. But no! Who do I rescue? The West Coast’s last surviving cutest lesbian, that’s who!”
The tempo of the music changed, and the trio played a slow, lilting melody. Couples began to move to the center of the communal space, swaying together under the open sky. Kara felt a tug in her chest, and she couldn’t resist asking the question.
“Dance with me?”
Sam didn’t hesitate. “Why not?”
They joined the others, Kara’s arms winding around Sam’s neck as Sam’s hands rested on her waist. The music was soft, and the connection between them was electric. Kara could feel the steady thrum of Sam’s heartbeat against her chest, and it made her feel alive in a way that nothing else could.
“I wanted to tell you something. It’s not the mead talking, and It’s not just a way to keep you here for good. It’s just the truth of how I feel.”
Fuck, am I really going to say this?
“What’s that?” Sam asked innocently.
“I—I think I love you,” Kara whispered, her voice almost lost in the night air.
Sam’s eyes darkened, her hands pulling Kara even closer. “Oh, that’s okay because I think I love you, too. What’s the point in waiting around to say these things, right?”
They danced until the song ended, the world around them fading into the background as their love took center stage. When the final note played, Sam leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to Kara’s lips, a promise of more to come.
“Let’s go back to the cabin,” Sam murmured, her voice low and full of intent.
Kara nodded, desire pooling in her belly at the look in Sam’s eyes.
When they reached their cabin, Sam wasted no time, pressing Kara against the door as soon as it closed behind them. Her lips were on Kara’s in an instant, the kiss deep and hungry, a release of all the pent-up tension from the night. Kara moaned into Sam’s mouth, her hands pulling open Sam’s shirt as she pulled her closer.
Sam’s fingers worked their way under Kara’s bra, tracing the sensitive skin of her breasts before venturing down over her belly, and then lower. Kara gasped as Sam’s fingers slid between her legs, the slickness there betraying just how much she had wanted this all night.
“Sam…” Kara breathed, her voice shaky with need.
Sam didn’t respond with words. Instead, she sank to her knees, her fingers finding Kara’s clitoris and rubbing in slow, torturous circles. Kara’s head fell back against the door, and she moaned with pleasure as Sam continued to work her. The pleasure built inside her, spreading through her body like wildfire until all she could feel was Sam.
Her beloved Sam.
“Please…” Kara whimpered, her hips bucking against Sam’s hand. “Keep going…just like that…”
Sam’s response was to increase the pressure, her movements steady and sure, pushing Kara closer and closer to the edge. When Kara finally came, it was with a muted scream, her body shaking uncontrollably as waves of pleasure rippled through her.
Before Kara could even catch her breath, Sam was on her feet again, pulling Kara’s shirt off her body and guiding her toward the bed. Kara’s body was still buzzing with the aftershocks of her orgasm, but they both knew this wasn’t over yet.
Ah! I know…
“I found something the other day when I was trying to clean up in here. You know what, Sam? I can’t believe how messy you are, but we’ll talk about that some other time. Anyway, look what I found…”
She reached for the strap-on dildo in her bedside drawer, quickly fastening it in place with ease before turning her attention to Sam. Sam’s head tilted to one side as she watched Kara, desire and love shining in her gaze. Her mouth slightly open in surprise.
“Oh, fuck. I didn’t expect that…but I’m not against it.” Sam bit her lip.
Kara pressed Sam down onto the bed, her hands running over Sam’s body. She positioned herself between Sam’s legs, guiding the strap-on to the entrance of her dripping-wet vagina. Sam let out a long sigh as Kara pushed inside, her body arching upward as Kara filled her. Wasting no time, she fucked her deep and hard, pressing her body into Sam’s with every thrust.
They moved together in a rhythm they had both quickly perfected, their bodies in perfect sync. They knew each other in every sense of the word. Kara’s thrusts became slow and deep, each one drawing soft gasps of delight from Sam’s lips. The heat between them was unbearable, and the connection wasundeniable. Kara loved seeing Sam like this—so open, so vulnerable, so wholly hers.
“I love you,” Kara whispered again, her voice thick with emotion as she moved faster, her clitoris throbbing under the strap-on as she chased their shared release.
“Fuck me, Kara. Fuck me harder!”
“Oh, God, Sam! Don’t say that. I’m going to come. It’s as if I can feel being inside of you. You’re so fucking hot!”
Sam’s hands gripped Kara’s hips, her body trembling with the intensity of their sex.
“I’m coming. I’m going to come right now,” she gasped, her voice raw with passion.
“Me, too. I’m coming now. Oh, God, fuck… Yes!”
They came together, their bodies collapsing into each other as they rode out the waves of pleasure. Kara stayed inside Sam, their bodies still connected, their breathing heavy as they lay together in the aftermath of their love.