Grimmlord 2.14 (Patreon)

The remaining members of The Justice Collective closed in on Apex’ fortress. Sitting on a flat, icy plain far from the nearest human presence and shielded by severe cold few could muster the resources to manage, the great spire rose into the sky, like a salute to the edge of the world. Pronto, Marksman and Danger Cat rode in the CatCar, while Spellbinder flew under her own power, leaving a trail of mystic smoke behind her.

Apex and Grimmlord, who lay nuzzling in the warm glow of their consummated love, heard the alarm as the group approached. “What is it?” Grimmlord asked, tensing up, instinctively putting wrapping his hands around Apex’ muscle roped arm.

“It’s okay,” Apex said, giving Grimmlord a quick kiss and then patting him on his smooth, soft cheek. “I’ll take care of it. Stay here.”

“Be careful,” Grimmlord said in a cottony voice, full of feminine concern. He let his fingertips brush against Apex’ stiff bristling morning stubble. Seeing his that way, unshaven, somehow gave Grimmlord chills he’d never felt before. He’s so protective, Grimmlord thought as Apex quickly through on his costume. So strong. He knew what a lucky girl he was to have a man like Apex.

Apex went to his security room— monitors, blinking lights, tech. Seeing The Justice Collective on the monitors, his temper flared. They want to take away the woman he loved! The woman he needed!

He would not stand for that. Turning on communications, he grabbed the microphone. “Desist! Do not continue to approach, or I will be forced to take defensive measures.”

“You’re not in your right mind,” DangerCat answered. “Neither of you are. Let us help you.”

‘I’ve never been more sane.” Apex tapped out a few commands. A forcefield rose around his fortress. “I will do whatever it takes to protect my Kitten,” he said. “I will use lethal force.”

Grimmlord, who’d gotten up and, wrapped in a blanket, followed Apex to see what was happening, gasp. “Apex, no. They are our friends.”

“Listen to her,” Spellbinder said. “Do you hear yourself? Threatening to kill us? Your team? The team you put together?”

“You turned against me! You betrayed me. I told you to stay away.”

Spellbinder hurled a concentrated beam of mystical energy against the forcefield, joined by a blast of your typical super high-tech energy beam from DangerCat. Marksman, who’d climbed up onto the top of the CatCar, launched a barrage of arrows at the same spot, which shimmered, began to crackle and spark as a breach opened in the shield.

“Hold on!” DangerCat shouted as she fired thrusters and bolted through the gap, followed by Spellbinder.

“Whoa!” Marksman shouted, just managing to grab a turret before he was swept off the car and sent tumbling to the frozen tundra. “Do I have to pay extra for the near death experience?”

“Comes free with the suicide mission!” DangerCat shouted back.

The group closed in on the fortress.

Apex flipped a plastic protector from a red button.

“What does that do?” Grimmlord asked.

“It will release a drone swarm,” Apex said. “Deadly robots numbering in the thousands. They will not stand a chance. It will be like being eaten by pirahnas.”

“Please, don’t,” Grimmlord whispered, his heart aching that it had come to this. “If you love me, do not do this.”

“It is because I love you that I do this,” Apex said, pushing the button. The drone swarm rose around the spire, buzzing and whizzing in massive cloud toward the Spellbinder and the CatCar, which vanished beneath the dark cloud of death.

Tears flooded Grimmlord’s eyes as he buried his face in Apex chest. Apex held him tight, his eyes glued to the screen. They had forced his hand. Nothing was more important to him than this little woman in his arms. Nothing. He would not let them take her away.

The screen began to flash. “Enemy Not Found. Engagement Negative.”

“What?” Apex said, letting Grimmlord go, turning to the screens, checking the readings. “Impossible!”

“Possible,” DangerCat said from behind him, just as Grimmlord screamed.

Apex spun to see the team there, arrayed in a ragged semicircle around the room. DangerCat had grabbed Grimmlord and held him now as he struggled weakly in her arms. Marksman had his bow at ready. Spellbinder emanated eldritch power, spells seething.

“Let her go!” Apex bellowed. He started to launch himself through the air, but his super speed assault was met by a bolt from Spellbinder’s hands that bashed into him, sending him crashing into a computer bank, sending sparks and components flying.

“Him! He. This is Grimmlord, a man, and you have no right to take over his life and turn him into your sextoy!”

“Sex toy? Grimmlord said.

“SHE wants to be with me. It’s her choice!” Apex said as he got to his feet and prepared for another attack. Marksman unleashed an arrow that wrapped him in bolos. He snapped them, even as Pronto raced around him, creating a vortex, sending him spinning into shelving, crashing among his collection of alien artifacts.

This time, Apex recovered faster, flashing like a blur across the room, capturing Pronto, taking him by the neck, holding him up in the air as he gasped for breath, legs kicking.

“Let Kitten go,” Apex said, not even needing to spell out his threat.

“Apex,” Spellbinder said. “Please listen. This is not you. You know your “Kitten” gives off a powerful scent that makes men crazy. You know this.”

“It’s more than that,” Apex said, though there was now some uncertainty in his voice.

“And Kitten, please. You know the way your costume changed you, the way it altered not just your body but your mind. Ask yourself, is this me? Or is this what someone else made of me?”

Grimmlord looked to Apex. It was all so confusing! ‘I— I don’t know anymore.”

“So let’s figure it out. Together. No one is going to take anyone. Please.”

Apex lowered Pronto, set him on his feet. “I am sorry,” he said.

“I get it,” Pronto said, hunched over massaging his aching neck, punch drunk from having come so close to death. “I want to bang her, too.”

“Excuse me?” Apex said, his eyes glowing red. “Did you just say you want to bang the woman I love?”

“Okay, hold up. I was just joking around.”

“There are things you don’t joke about.” Apex’ eyes flared as his heat vision intensified.

“Okay. Okay. Let’s all calm down,” Spellbinder said.

“Apex!” Grimmlord called, finally wrestling free of Danger Cat, running to him, throwing himself at Apex, wrapping his arms around one on the mans’s legs.

“You all want her! You want to take her from me!”

Spellbinder’s hands crackled as she summoned all her power. Marksman noticed his three most powerful arrows. Danger Cat’s suit hummed and whined as she powered up to maximum force.

“This ends now. This ends forever.” Apex said.

“Bro, seriously,” Pronto said, backing away, one hand up defensively. “I mean—“

Apex eyes flared. “Goodbye.”

“STOP!” A voice shouted as the air seemed to break, a portal forming. A figure stepped through the portal. All eyes went to her. “Listen to me,” he said. “I am the one who turned Grimmlord into a woman.”

“You?” They all said in unison.