“Wise,” he admitted. The thought of failure sobered him up from being drunk on Vaspara’s essence.
Mattis jerked his chin to the next nearest cooking fire. “Here comes the mistress now.”
He turned to look over his shoulder in the direction the elder gazed. As promised, Vaspara was striding toward them. From what he could tell over the distance, she was fully recovered, almost glowing with new life.
Dressed in full armor, she was a sight to inspire fear in a mortal.
Good thing he wasn’t mortal.
Vaspara had a word with Mattis, and then the elder nodded and headed off to attend to whatever errand she’d asked of him.
“You look better. Good.” Vaspara’s statement lacked any kind of warmth. “We need to discuss plans. We can’t stay this close to the Battle Goddess’s kingdom. As soon as you’re flight worthy again, we need to scout for a place to settle, even if it’s just temporary.”
He had expected nothing romantic to come out of Vaspara’s mouth, since their situation was precarious. Talk about their relationship would have to wait. “The farther away, the better. Perhaps even another world, once the war is over. If we try to perform a great weaving now, the Battle Goddess will sense it and send hunters after us. But if we hide somewhere on this world, perhaps near one of our less lethal enemies and don’t call upon any great drawings of power, we should be able to remain invisible until after the war has decimated both armies.”
Vaspara made a sound of agreement. “Afterward, all three realms will be a safer place for a while.”
“Yes. While I expect the Lord of the Underworld to win this war, the price will be high. His gargoyle army will be greatly depleted and take eons to rebuild. In the meantime, we should be able to live in relative peace if we can get far enough away from the Battle Goddess’s kingdom.”
Pacing in a half circle, she came to a stop next to him and leaned a hip against a tree trunk. “I think we must find our new home and take the servants there before we double back to rescue your brood. Once we rescue them, we won’t have time to dally and hunt for a place to hole up.”
As much as his instincts were telling him to rush back and collect his eggs, that would be a poorly thought out plan. It was doubtful the Battle Goddess would even think about his nest, having greater concerns to deal with after the most recent raid gone bad. His clutch should be safe where they were for now. At least for a little while. “I’ll begin the hunt this afternoon.”
“You should wait a day. Rest. You can’t be fully recovered yet.” Concern entered her voice and little wrinkles formed around her eyes.
“It barely even aches.” He stomped the ground to prove his point. “It won’t affect my speed. Plus, with the dense tree cover, there won’t be any running. Once I reach the ocean, I’ll wait for night and take to the air once I’ve scouted the area to be certain no one is near enough to see me. Discovery is our greatest danger.”
“I’m coming with you in case you run into a scout. If there is a fight, the two of us will have a better chance of killing him or her before they can get out a warning.”
“I concur.” Sorac fought back a grin. It would likely take days to find a suitable, uninhabited island somewhere out in the ocean. If there were no other males available, she’d turn to him for another feeding. Again, it might not lead to romance, but he wouldn’t find providing what she needed a chore either.
Eventually, he’d win over the succubus and convince her to be the mother to his brood.
“Fine. We’ll leave as soon as I gather supplies.”
“How are our servants for food?” Sorac asked. “I’ll hunt them up fresh meat before we leave if needed.”
“Mattis says the valley is rich in game and an abundance of berry bushes grow along the river. They’ve already gathered a good stockpile of supplies for the winter. We can take some of that with us and then later help with the hunting and gathering to increase the winter stores.”
Sorac shuddered at the mention of winter. He hated winter. Firedrakes loved heat. The hotter, the better. “Maybe we should scout in a southernly direction first. We might luck out and find an island chain rich in plant and animal life.”
Vaspara grinned at him. “I think I detect an ulterior motive that involves warm sands.”
He shrugged. “That is a possibility.”
Chapter 6
THE SCOUTING EXPEDITION took longer than Vaspara thought it would. Sorac headed south immediately, his massive wings eating up the distance. Three days later, they were in much warmer climates.
That was the easy part.
Finding an island that didn’t already have nesting firedrakes was more difficult.
While Sorac was big and powerful, and Vaspara could easily handle herself in a magical fight, they needed to avoid significant expenditures of magic, or they risked drawing unwanted attention. Since giving up was not an option, they continued south and east without complaint. On their ninth day of travel, they spotted a likely-looking island.
“That looks promising,” Vaspara said as she took in the sight of the island in the distance. “I see no flying firedrakes, and we must almost be on the opposite side of the planet from the Lord of the Underworld’s island and far south of the Battle Goddess’s kingdom.”
“This might be it.” He agreed as he winged his way closer.
As much as she enjoyed flying with the big drake, she was also looking forward to exploring the island on foot. She missed Sorac in his man form. Though, she admitted with chagrin, that might be because it had been three days since she last fed and even after only two feedings, she’d developed quite the taste for his magical essence.
And he was plenty skilled enough to leave her physically satisfied and magically replenished. Sorac, too, had grown in strength after each feeding.
He drifted lower and circled the island, seeking signs of docks or boats or other large predators. When they spotted nothing more dangerous than a few large cats and a host of snakes, Sorac winged his way deeper into the island.
“That peak,” Vaspara pointed. “It looks like an extinct volcano.”
“It does.” He changed direction in the air and darted toward the volcanic mountain with its softly rounded peaks and mantle of greenery. There was a lake in the center.
“The walls might provide natural protection against the powerful winds of tropical storms.”
“We could carve out dwellings in the walls and reinforce them with magic,” Sorac said, warming to the idea.
“And if that monster,” Vaspara pointed at the dormant volcano, “ever wakes up, you’d warn us, right? I’m not such a lover of heat as you are.”
Sorac laughed. “Yes, I would sense its waking months in advance. We can even build a second village at the opposite end of the island as a precaution. Two homes. One here, for the storm season, another along the ocean for the calm time when we’ll do most of our fishing, hunting, and gathering.”
Vaspara stroked a hand down his smooth, warm scales. “Thank you for finding this place. I think we can make a home here.”
“As do I,” he agreed. “Shall I land so we can look around?”
“Yes,” Vaspara called out, her voice ringing with foreign joy.
It had been so long since she’d felt true happiness, she almost didn’t recognize the sensation bubbling up inside her.
Sorac came in for a landing along the beach. Once on the ground, Vaspara removed the travel bags from his harness and then slid down from the firedrake’s high back to land in the sand. She immediately knew she was overdressed for the heat. Even the ocean breeze felt warm here at sea level. It would take some getting used to, she supposed, but it was better than facing yet another pointless war.
Pulling out a waterskin from one pack, she took a long drink before glancing over at Sorac. He’d wandered a short distance away and was pawing at the sand. A moment later he circled and before she could shout for him to stop, he flopped down on his belly, kicking and twisting and
rolling in delight.
Waves of sand flew in all directions. Including at her, coating her skin and hair. It quickly found its way into every gap in her armor and under her clothing.
“Damn it, Lizardman! Stop that.”
The waves of sand stopped flying and a deep rumbling apology vibrated in the air just above her head.
“Sorry. I couldn’t resist.”
Vaspara continued to spit sand and then carefully shook her hair, keeping her eyes scrunched tightly shut to save them from getting scoured with sand like the rest of her body. “Damn sand will be gritting between my teeth for the next moon cycle.”
“Rinse your mouth with water,” he added helpfully.
She kicked sand at his face. It didn’t get into his eyes; the tiny grains just rolled off his scales.
With an altogether too happy sounding grunt, he rolled on his back, presenting his underbelly to the sky, head upside down. He just lay like that, looking like a silly ass.
Vaspara said as much, and the firedrake grinned, steam and little flicks of fire seeping from between his sharp teeth. She scowled back at him, trying her damnedest not to laugh.
Eventually, she admitted defeat and chuckled at his antics. Deciding a swim to cool off sounded like a delightful idea, she walked toward the water’s edge, unbuckling and discarding her armor as she moved. Her boots were next to go, followed by her leather pants and vest. She pulled her shirt over her head and dropped it on the ground. Next, she shoved her undergarments down, and then walked naked along the shoreline, letting the waves wash over her feet.
She couldn’t remember ever feeling so free.
Sorac had stopped rolling, his gaze locked on her instead. She ran her eyes over him and smirked.
“I’m going for a swim. You’re welcome to come, too. But if you want me to help you do something about that extra leg you’re sporting, better shift back to a man first. I might be a succubus, but even we have limitations.”
Not waiting for a reply, she continued in a jaunty little walk that would jiggle certain body parts enough to stop most males in their tracks. Sorac was far from indifferent to her charms.
Besides, she thought to herself with a little smile, I am overdue for a good feeding.
By the sound of the big splash, the firedrake had darted into the water.
She was forging her way into deeper water by the time Sorac, now wearing his man form, joined her.
“Someone is eager,” she said breezily, even though she was feeling the exact same.
“Always.” Sorac took her in his arms and kissed her shoulder.
THE SUN HAD SUNK BELOW the horizon quite some time ago and the first moon to rise was already making its way across a field of stars. The second would rise soon, and Sorac should likely be sleeping, but his mind refused to rest.
Which was strange. Vaspara had relaxed his body enough that wakefulness shouldn’t be a problem. But instead, he was staring up at the sky, dreaming about a future Vaspara hadn’t agreed to yet.
Even after he rescued his brood, they still wouldn’t hatch until they sensed the presence of two adults ready and willing to rear them. It was a firedrake survival trait, since it took two parents to share the required magic the young drakelings would need growing up.
Vaspara enjoyed his body. She made no secret of that, and she loved him, had admitted that, but she still hadn’t said she wanted to advance their relationship. Actually, he was rather confident the thought of helping to raise his little ones terrified the succubus.
“How do I make you want me for more than my body?” Sorac whispered softly to a sleeping Vaspara.
At the sound of his voice, she snuggled close and crooned something against his shoulder. Grinning, he realized perhaps she already wanted far more than his body. As for his clutch, maybe all he needed to do was place one egg in Vaspara’s arms and wait for the little one to sing to her.
Grinning, Sorac pulled his lovely succubus closer to his side and watched the stars spin across the sky.
Yes, he thought in the moments before his mind surrendered to sleep, this island will be a good place for Vaspara and me to raise our family.
Chapter 7
THE ISLAND PARADISE seemed like a dream though really it had only been a handful of days since they’d left their new home to return to the valley where they’d stashed their servants. The wind off the mountains felt cold enough to chill her soul. Or perhaps that was caused by looking upon the Battle Goddess’s fortress again.
That also seemed like something from another life.
Have I changed so much in so short of time? she wondered. Or was the chill caused by fear? Fear of what would happen to her dreams if she and Sorac were caught sneaking into the fortress.
“We need a plan in case they catch us,” Sorac said, echoing her thoughts so closely she wondered if she’d let down her shields and invited him into her mind without even realizing it.
Vaspara glanced from him and then back to the black stone of the fortress. “Actually, I think I might have a plan. If we get caught, we can claim we believe there’s a traitor in the fortress and that unknown person informed Lord Death of our coming. We’re just sneaking in to keep the rumor of our demise circulating so we can hunt the traitor without them growing suspicious.”
His teeth flashed white in the darkness. “I like the plan. It’s partly true. There will be traitors within once we enter.”
“Lies are always easier when they’re partly true,” Vaspara agreed.
“Who do we hate enough to claim is the traitor? The Battle Goddess might torture them before she realizes we lied to escape with my brood.”
Grinning, Vaspara crawled higher up the slope so she could better visually scout the terrain below them for patrols. “Honestly, I don’t care which captain we finger as long as it isn’t Bervicta. The others are either cruel, ambitious, or as likely to stab someone in the back as hold a conversation with them.”
“How about the first one we see who isn’t Bervicta then?”
Vaspara shrugged. “Works for me.”
“Good. It’s settled then. Let’s go collect my brood.”
Nodding her agreement, she started back down the hill they’d crawled up to study the activity at the front gate. There was no way to sneak in through one of the gates, but they were both long-serving captains and knew of other ways into the well-guarded structure.
VASPARA FOLLOWED SORAC as he made his way down the spillway. The underground tunnels were dark, but at least they were dry, no storm had dumped rain on the mountains for a few days. As a half-succubus, she could see in the dark with no trouble and Sorac’s firedrake heritage gifted him with the ability to see variances in temperature. He’d said firedrakes had developed that ability to aid them in hunting prey and judging thermal currents in the air during flight.
Navigating the darkened tunnels was relatively easy. So was dispatching the four guards on duty at the entrance of the tunnels. Between them, they had rendered the soldiers unconscious without alerting the rest of the keep. Killing them would have been even faster, but these were warriors she and Sorac had trained.
They couldn’t just kill them because it would make their own lives easier.
But after that first hurdle, the rest of the tunnels were empty. Since they had waited until just after shift change, they had many hours to get in, pack the eggs in the travel bags, and then make their escape.
They would be long gone before the guards at the tunnel’s entrance regained consciousness.
The journey up didn’t take long. Soon they emerged into a spacious chamber. It was dark except for the soft glow of the dome spell surrounding the nest. Beyond the transparent shimmer, Vaspara could make out the slightly pointed top of each egg.
“Is the dome going to be a problem?” Vaspara asked as she circled the stone ring around the nest, hunting for other traps.
“No,” Sorac said as he joined her. “The dome is mine. I sense no other magic upon it or near it.”
/> He reached out and touched the dome. Lines of glowing power appeared, and Sorac chanted softly as he drew a counterspell. With a shiver and a burst of light, the top of the dome folded down upon itself until it vanished into bright runes carved into the stone floor.
Vaspara had her first clear look at the fourteen eggs, each one about the length between her wrist and elbow. Years ago, she’d seen one of his eggs when Brakaya brought it to her. That one had been a pale green with darker diamond shape markings. Two of the other eggs shared a similar color and pattern, but the rest ranged from blue to dark reddish purple.
She hadn’t expected them to be so pretty, but then again, firedrakes came in a myriad of jewel tones.
“The colors of the shells reflect the shade the drakelings will turn upon reaching maturity. They’ll all be a muddy olive green at first.”
“How did you discover that bit about the colors?”
“Like everything else. I asked the herb witches or read it in an ancient book or scroll.” He shrugged. “So far, everything has proven correct. I imagine this will as well.”
“The herb witches are correct. I wonder how many died to gather that information?” The new voice came from somewhere in the darkness to the left of the nest. “If given a chance, your offspring will grow into prime specimens.”
Vaspara turned to face the unseen threat, her sword already naked in her hand. Strangely, her sight couldn’t pierce the darkness. There wasn’t much besides a gargoyle that could hide from her, and she was sure no gargoyles hid within these walls.
“Who’s there?” Sorac growled in threat.
His power spiked enough Vaspara could feel its heat against her skin, although, he hadn’t shifted forms yet. Shifting would prevent a quick escape through tunnels too small for his large firedrake form.
A rippling stirred the air and unexpected color and light spilled into the chamber as a fissure split the air and darkness. A being of pure power took several strides into the room and halted. His shimmering, power-shrouded form dimmed enough Vaspara could see him a little more clearly.
The Complete Gargoyle and Sorceress Boxset (Books 1-9) Page 153