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When darkness began to fill the carriage this time, I sobbed aloud with relief.
The Mistress didn’t so much appear as she collapsed into her seat, her horns slowly sinking into her skull. As she swayed forward, a larger nightmare creature than before materialized to prop her up. Ignoring me completely, the creature went to work mending her rent clothing and skin. I wasn’t surprised to see that the ruffled white shirt and skin-tight pants had done little to nothing to protect her from the large claws that had left gashes across her arms and legs. Despite being relieved that I wouldn’t die here, I hated watching her being brought back to health while I was helpless to end her life. When the last of the wounds were knit with shadow, her eyes slid open. No longer golden, but glowing rubies.
I gasped, and those eyes met my own.
“Slayer,” she spoke in a husky tone. “If we’re going to make it back, I’ll need a drink.”
I looked at the stitched wounds. They were in no danger of bleeding out now so withholding my blood would do little to bring her closer to the grave. But with an unknown hoard of enemies around us, it could certainly spell my end.
If I had my weapons I might be able to fight my way out of a smaller hoard, to defensible ground if there was any nearby. But I did not, nor did I have any way of escaping this death box, or evading her and the creature. I could hope we’d both fall, but then her ashes would be scattered and I needed them to end the curse. Another roar sounded in the distance and with no other ideas of how to survive and break the curse, I nodded my consent quickly.
In a spurt of speed I couldn’t follow, she’d hauled me up and over her lap before sinking her fangs into my neck.
The anxiety I’d felt for the last few hours disappeared, replaced by a rush of euphoria so strong I wilted into her hold. With each pull, I found my thoughts transforming, my body reacting in ways I’d never felt before. As she groaned into my neck, I felt my hands winding through the silky strands of her hair. I tightened my grip on the strands as my head grew lighter. Her tongue lapped leisurely. I squirmed in her hold, causing her to pull me closer. The friction had me stiffening with a gasp against the dizzying pleasure.
Releasing me, she tilted my head back to look into her eyes. They were gold again. The change captivated me, my tense muscles loosening as I felt… peace. I’d not felt that since awaking to the curse. But it was peace, not hatred, that I found looking into her eyes, like there was an answer there, hidden between the flecks of green and brown. If only I could ask the right question. I had moved closer, my hands now resting on her scalp. I realized the insanity of the situation at the same time she did. A look of horror skirted across her features, causing me to stumble off her lap and back to my seat. By the time I looked back, the horror was gone, replaced by a coquettish grin.
“It would seem having you along has its benefits, little slayer.” She licked her blood-red lips with a smile before placing her hand on the side of the carriage. Shadows pulsed before the carriage was in movement once more.
“No blessing comes without cost.” I spoke slowly, trying to banish the pleasure that lingered. I had heard of men being blinded by lust, but never before had I felt such dizzying pleasure. I’d stolen an innocent kiss, yes. But, due to my royal status and my preference for women I hadn’t had many opportunities to experience more. The real problem wasn’t that she was a woman. The issue was of all the women I’d feel something for. It was the one who cursed me. The one person I wanted and needed to kill more than any other. Perhaps this was simply misdirected blood lust?
Despite increasing the distance between us, it seemed every cell in my body was screaming at me to get nearer to her, to do any and all of the things I’d read about in the books I’d hidden beneath my bed. How could I feel this way toward my mortal enemy? Was it simply an enchantment? Or was I broken? I clenched my eyes shut, massaging them to try to ease the pounding in my head.
She continued talking, blissfully ignorant of my dilemma.
“Don’t undersell yourself, I’m sure to the right bidder the last Slayer is worth at least a kingdom… and by my estimation, I’ve saved it three times. I believe that pays for more than one feeding, don’t you?” I wracked my mind for how she’d gotten to that number. The first could be sparing my life. The second was most likely to do with whatever she’d just fought off as it was no ally of mine… but how did she get to three? Perhaps she was bad at math. Most people were in my experience. However, not everyone had a fascination with counting cards and calculating speed. Either way it grated on my nerves. I was the warrior; I looked the way I did because I trained endlessly to be the warrior. Yet here I was, the not so dainty damsel in distress.
She brought me back to the present when she stroked the bite mark fondly, as if it were a bit of jewelry she admired rather than a sign of weakness. I took a steadying breath, ignoring the vulnerability of my bare neck, taking comfort in my still-beating heart. As long as I had a heartbeat, I had hope.
“Let’s get that fragile neck somewhere a bit more secure hmm, maybe get you freshened up?” She smiled familiarly, causing me to frown. Instinctively I’d like to reject any help from the woman I needed to murder, but remembering Celia’s lessons I decided now was the time to play along. I may have lost the first hand or two, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t pull out a win in the end. I just had to let her get comfortable. Tallying my body’s physical reactions to her in as detached a mindset as I could manage, I wondered whether I could make them into a sort of bluff.
I squirmed, unused to the increased circulation her bite had inspired. Unable to speak without betraying my emotions I went in favor of heated silence. Staring at the ceiling I prayed that this refuge was nearby, and that there would be food, and possibly spirits.
Six
The rattling of carriage wheels on stone was my only signal that we’d left the forest. Not long after I heard the deep timbre of a man’s laugh and saw the answering spark of joy in her golden eyes before I was blindfolded again.
The subtle clinks of hinged mechanisms brought in air that didn’t smell of sweat and blood which I gulped down greedily. The damp air smelled cruelly similar to home. It had the same musk and freshly cut herbs, the only noticeable difference being the lack of Heidi’s cooking. Just as I was questioning the reality of the moment, a warm hand grabbed my own, causing me to jump. I hissed and clung to the warm hand as feeling rushed back to my feet.
My silent helper led me further into the space, taking turn after turn before several pairs of feet faded away. Hushed voices murmuring too quiet for my human ears to understand filled the echoing space. After a while of standing awkwardly in the dark my blindfold lifted. We were in a castle, an old one at that. The aged stone was a startling black rather than the soft grays and whites of my own. I took in the flags lining the hall, all in shades of red, blue, yellow, or green. Violet banners alone hung from the aged timber overhead. The patterns depicting houses and clans I’d never heard of. Odd. My mother had been particularly meticulous in my knowledge of houses spanning across the continent even covering the many isles at sea.
Looking down I saw an inlaid marble map of our mainland, Catalencia interrupted the grey flagstones. Rather than its current kingdoms, it was divided equally into five, the center the same purple as the banners above while the corners matched those on the walls all bearing a crest in gold. The Northeast corner was green with a golden arch, the Northwest blue with a golden mermaid, the Southeast red with a golden dragon breathing fire, and the Southwest was yellow with the image of a Griffin, and then in the center was an ancient tree crowned by stars. It felt important, and I tried to burn the map into my mind in hopes it might be something I could use.
The Mistress sent out shadows to attach to my throat, creating a leash to tug me closer to her and her large companion.
“Who’s the pet, Mara?” The man asked, gesturing at me with an overly large ax. I felt a spike of heat go through me as he gestured to my leash and collar. A mix of anger, shame, and something else I couldn’t quite name. He towered over the Mistress, at least a hand over six feet while she was only a few inches shy. For a moment I had the distinct realization that should we all stand in a line we’d resemble the nesting dolls one of my suitors had gifted me.
This man’s long mahogany hair was partially braided back into a bun while the rest fell down his broad shoulders. As he turned to the Mistress for an answer, I saw he’d threaded bits of gold, jewels, and bones through the braids which brought out the golden browns of his skin.
Despite his informal addressing he looked at her like she was his God. I’d have no luck at finding an ally in him. He looked like the type to chop his own head off if she asked. If she found worshippers so boring, why was he the first to greet her? Or did she only find devotees of other faiths boring because they were harder to persuade to worship her? I was relieved at the wave of familiar disgust toward her and her giant minion. Perhaps I wasn’t broken, and the previous feelings were just an enchantment after all.
“A mystery at the moment, Captain.” She stated, laying a gloved hand on his muscled arm affectionately. Heat flashed in their locked brown and gold gaze. Something I recognized from the many couples I’d seen in taverns and around the city. Were they a couple? Or just physical? The distinction felt important for a reason I couldn’t quite grasp.
He laughed, his long dark waves shaking. “Oh, is she to be a gift for me then? You know I love a good mystery.” His dark eyes met hers with barely concealed glee. My heart dropped. Was I to be used as entertainment between mental assaults? Or did the mistress mean to have me tortured? So long as it did not kill me her promise would be kept. I narrowed my eyes in suspicion at the man, adding a mental note to kill him after the Mistress if I survived long enough.
“No, I’m afraid I have recruits I need you to focus on right now, Ravensford.” She patted his chest in consolation and he put his hand over hers in what looked to be a sign of affection and understanding.
“Well come on then, are we keeping her with the others?” He asked. Motioning behind him with a shrug. The Others? Did they keep humans as slaves? Was I to be used as a blood slave? Or something worse? My breathing quickened, and I looked around frantically for an exit, no longer caring about being subtle. My footing was weak, I realized I’d never trained hungry.
