Chapter 1: Breath of Champions

The morning air in Cottonwood Cove smelled of victory and power. As I stepped off the raft and onto the docks with a creak of the old wood, I took a deep breath. It was a moment I would remember for the rest of my life. It was the break of dawn. The start of the first day of my empire.

The camp was quiet and seemed abandoned. I looked around desperately for any signs of Sennia... and Lucius. The barracks looked uninhabited for the most part. Fires had died down to burning embers and ashes.

I knocked on the door to the main office of Aurelius of Phoenix with my machete drawn. I couldn't take chances if NCR was still in the area. Quiet footsteps sounded near the door.

"Who is it?" Sennia's voice was nervous.

I let out a deep breath I was holding. I holstered my weapon. "Vulpes, love. I was so worried."

The door swung open and she flew herself out the door. Her arms wrapped around my neck and she buried her face into my chest.

"I was so scared. I didn't know when you'd come back. Or if you'd come back. I haven't seen you in over a week." Sennia cried into my chest.

I lifted her face by the chin and wiped her cheek gently. I kissed her deeply. "I'm here now."

"You are." She smiled and nodded, tears streaming down her face.

"Where is Lucius?"

"He's in the barracks over with Lucullus. I saw the gecko. He's so cute."

"He woke me up during a nap a while back and he wanted food. What should we name it?"

"I've been reading some of the books around here and I've been picking up some Latin here and there. I think 'Malum' is pretty good. He really likes apples."

Hearing her speaking the Legion's tongue had been more of a turn on than I ever could have imagined. I shuddered with lust.

"You okay?" She asked concerned.

"I've missed you so much." I pulled her by the hips to my body.

"I have, too." She kissed my neck tenderly.

"Lucius isn't awake yet." I whispered into her ear.

"Let's make up for some lost time." She grinned. She pulled me up the stairs and into the bedroom. The door closed with a loud clunk.

I stepped outside for fresh air. I hadn't bothered putting my tunic back on. I stood in the camp in only my black shorts. I stretched my back and inhaled deeply. Still smelled like victory.

The door opened behind me and Sennia's arms wrapped around my waist. She rested her cheek on my back as she left small kisses on my spine.

"Someone has been quite lonely in my absence." I grinned.

"Of course, my love was gone on a mission. What is a girl to do?"

"Not my best friend, I hope." The words slipped out before I could stop them.

Sennia's arms withdrew from my body. I turned around to apologize but the words didn't make it out before she slapped me across the cheek.

"Is that what you think of me? That I fucked Lucius while you were gone?" Her eyes were on fire.

"I'm sorry. It was a tasteless joke. I didn't even think before I said it." I pressed my hand to my face. It stung from the deserved hit. "I don't think that you would do that. I'm very sorry."

"You're damn right it was tasteless. I have been worried shitless since you left. When the securitrons took over and Lucius told me to get out of there, I was terrified that I would never see you again. I cried the entire fucking trip here." Tears streamed down her chin again. This time was not happy tears rather than angry tears.

"I'm sorry, Sennia. I didn't mean it. I would have gotten back sooner but I was crippled from missiles." The images of the vision flashed into my mind. Sennia being defiled by her husband and we standing over him with blood on my hands.

"Nice fucking excuse." She scoffed.

"I was on crutches for days. I had to click everywhere." Anger welled inside of me as the image of her husband was burned into my eyes.

"Fine." She threw her arms up. "Whatever you say."

"While I was unconscious, I had the strangest dream. You know, you had a husband and everything. He really liked getting rough with you. Boy, was that a really weird dream."

She looked like she was about to get hit by a train and couldn't do a damned thing about it. She immediately returned to her cold facade. "Yeah, what a strange fucking dream."

"Now that I think about it," I thumped my finger on my chin and looked up, "it was awfully real. Like a vision from Mars himself. I also recall you trying to avoid the question about how you know about that kind of thing. Almost as if there was a husband you never told me about."

She screamed in anger and stomped into the room. She slammed the door and it was followed with the clunk of the lock. "Go fuck yourself, love!"

Another door opened across the camp. Lucullus cautiously poked his head out. He waved.

"What was that about, Vulpes?"

I stormed down the stairs with as much force as I could. Swearing under my breath the whole way, I stomped into the barracks.

Malum greeted me happily and I slumped in the nearest chair. Lucius stirred from his rest and turned over. He opened his eyes slowly. He caught a glimpse of me and shot up. "You're alive, you lucky bastard," he laughed.

I slid my hand down my face. Malum climbed his way up into my lap and nudged his head under my other hand.

"What happened?" Lucius asked nervously.

"Sennia. I had a vision from Mars while I was on the Boomers mission. She was married to an asshole. I killed him."

"Oh shit. Is that what that was all about?" Lucullus pried.

"Yeah." I muttered under my breath.

"Well, enough about now. What happened at Hoover Dam?"

A smile tugged at my lips. "I'm Caesar. We've won the Mojave."

They cheered loudly and clapped hands over my back. "Congratulations, asshole!"

"We have a lot of work that needs to be done." My face returned to the seriousness of the situation.

"How did you win it? Did you kill that treacherous bitch?" Lucius asked eagerly.

"We talked it out like civil people. We have made a new Treaty of Hoover Dam."

"Should have just killed her." Lucius scoffed.

"Can we read it?" Lucullus was bouncing in his seat even more than Malum.

I produced the treaty and they looked over it in anticipation. Their faces changed from eager, to confused, to shocked.

"Vulpes, you are asking a lot of this army." Lucius warned.

"I'm Caesar. They will listen."

"You aren't the Son of Mars." Lucullus shook his head.

I cleared my throat. "Neither was Edward. I am favored by Mars."

They were both confused. "Edward?"

"You didn't really think he was the son of Mars, did you?" I chuckled.

Sudden realization washed over them. "What do you mean?"

"He was from The Followers of the Apocalypse. Edward was his original name."

"This is a lot to take in this early."

I smiled wickedly. "We have some work to do."