Chapter 46 — "Queen of the Highway"
(Act 2 — The Basilisk Ride)
The Basilisk loomed like a steel beast under the Aldecaldo tarp. Massive. Deadly. Meant for war.
Panam ran a hand over its armored flank.
"Beautiful, huh?"
Alaric smirked, stepping behind her, hands settling on her hips.
"Not as beautiful as the woman stealing it."
She elbowed him — light, playful.
"Flatter me later. We've got a convoy to stop."
---
Inside the cockpit, space was tight. The pilot seats forced them close — thigh against thigh, shoulder to shoulder.
Panam powered up systems, voice low.
"Ready?"
Alaric leaned in, lips brushing the shell of her ear.
"Born ready. But if you keep pressing that tight ass against me… we might need five more minutes before we roll."
Panam's breath caught — a soft hitch before she gave him a sharp side glance.
"Asshole."
"Yours."
Her lips parted slightly — like she wanted to retort… or kiss him again.
Instead, she jammed the throttle forward.
"Let's ride."
---
The Basilisk thundered across the desert.
Missiles screamed past. Fire erupted. Nomads fought on either side.
Alaric manned the plasma cannon, cutting down drones with deadly precision. Panam handled the drive like a woman possessed.
The mindlink kicked in.
Panam's voice in his head — raw, real.
"You feel that…? Us… together?"
Alaric grinned, gripping the controls tight.
"Yeah. Like we're wired for this."
"Like we're wired for each other."
A heated pulse raced between them — stronger than any neural link should've allowed. Thoughts blurred. Desire bled over instinct.
---
After the dust settled, the convoy trashed, the Basilisk came to a stop outside camp.
Inside the cockpit… neither moved.
Panam's breath heaved, chest rising and falling.
"Alaric…"
He reached out, brushed her cheek.
"No more holding back, Panam."
She surged forward — lips crashing to his. A kiss that felt like claiming… and surrender.
---
[System Feedback — Emotional Metrics Updated]
Panam Palmer
[Affection +30] — Shared battle high, shared kiss after
[Trust +25] — Mutual control of the Basilisk
[Attraction +20] — Mindlink turned desire
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Footnote — Total Emotional Points (as of Ch 46):
Panam: Affection +160 / Trust +110 / Attraction +120