“Feh, then I will be on my way.” Barushka tried his best not to start in a gallop, feeling the urge Cedric was implying to stay calm.
“See you again! Soon, I hope!” She waved as her impish laugh began to take hold.
Barushka was traveling faster across the field, his concentration focused on gaining as much distance as possible and more importantly, into the woods. He no longer was concern about whether or not his hooves were stepping on bodily contents. Angeline was almost panting, sweat crawling across her body as she clutched onto Cedric’s back. Cedric’s muscles were still taut under his shirt and the rhythm of the horse was not helping relieve her of her troubling feeling. It was a sensation flowing from him that had her worked up. Never had she felt the yearning that haunted her entire body like the one she was feeling now. It was embarrassing and atrocious yet in a strange way enjoyable.
They were in the shade of the trees, but she dare not move a muscle. It was hard to say how long they rode through the woods before he brought Barushka to a stop. Aching in her chest did nothing to still the throbbing sensation that was taking hold elsewhere. Cedric reached back, gripping her thigh. She moaned with excitement at the touch, but it ended as a quick jerk pulled her off the horse. Landing on the ground, she yelped as a stick cut across her arm. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked up at him, confused from the sudden toss. Cedric was enraged as he sat on Barushka, who neighed and stifled in protest.
“Is it necessary to pant and moan like a whore on the whole ride?” His eyes were wild, degrading her in every way they could. “What was so arousing about a battlefield of rotting flesh? If my nose wasn’t so insulted I’d give you a royal fucking in hopes this virgin nonsense quits.”
Holding her arm, she sat there crying, confused, and relieved that she felt normal again. Climbing off the fidgeting horse, he stood over her with his arms crossed. Staring at the ground, she had given up on the idea of fighting him as warm blood trickled between her fingers where she held the cut. It was still unclear to her what she was doing, though the sensation was exciting, it was misplaced. All she could tell was that it was something that had leaked out of him and she was merely reacting to it. Kneeling beside her, he tried to grab her hurt arm, and she jerked away. Grabbing it up, she cried out in pain as he jerked her sleeve up. Eyeing it for a moment, he simply covered it back up, releasing his hold. I don’t think she realizes what was happening. Good.
“Just leave me alone.” Wailing as the horse nuzzled her, she held her arm close to her.
“You’ll live.” Standing, he walked towards the woods. “Set camp. I have no desire to ride with you anymore today.”
Cedric had a lot to think about. Wylleam had been clever at letting it slip that the girl’s ancestors revealed his mother was a moroi, and not a vampire like they had originally thought. Now it was confirmed that Boto was the one used for his creation, like many of Morrighan’s other favorite creations.
Nemaine started in on me and Angeline’s magic mingled with the untamed incubine senses. I could feel it tug at me, hell, I had a hard on for the whole ride with how worked up she was getting. Shocked she didn’t start humping me like a dog in heat. There is no doubt I have an incubine touch that would rival the King of Incubus, but I am going to have to keep it under control. I wonder if this is why Boto takes so many virgins? My instincts crave for it. My skin crawls with excitement at the idea of taking a virgin and being close to her makes it worse. Dammit, why did it have to be Boto?
All of his offspring are Chimera these days, loyal to Morrighan. He’s killed all of his bastards, that is if the creature he mounts lives from his desire to inflict pain on them. Morrighan had bound herself to him so she could take advantage of a black magic technique that would allow any seed to take. Somehow, she managed to get a moroi to be fertile on top of it all. I wonder how something like me managed to escape her fortress. Did my mother find a way to escape?
The muscles in his abdomen tightened and he stopped. There was something wrong. Turning around, he ran for Angeline’s direction. She said see you again… soon. Flying out of the woods into the clearing where Barushka and Angeline were, he halted. Startled, the two of them stared at Cedric with looks of bewilderment. After a moment, Angeline retorted back to dismay and she finished wrapping the cut. Barushka shook his head and went back to nibbling at the patches of grass at his feet. Cedric sucked on his cheek, trying to place the sensation of danger that was boiling his instincts into a frenzy. Nemaine was up to no good, but there were no signs of anything happening. I hate magic. I can’t always tell what it’s doing and where. With a sigh, he began breaking branches off a dying tree for the fire.
“What are you doing?” Pausing, he looked over his shoulder at the sound of her broken voice. “What’s wrong?”
“Gathering wood for the fire,” Scoffing he went back to popping a few more large pieces off. “Something wrong with that, pet?”
“It’s just a cut. I can handle this on my own.” Biting her lip, she was hoping he would go away. “Plus, it’s not like you to be kind to me. We weren’t going to run off without you if that’s what you thought.”
“It doesn’t have anything to do with being kind to you or fear of being left in the woods.” Dropping the wood next to her, he flopped down on a grassy patch. “Do you even realize who that was back there?”
“Nemaine, the Venomous Sorceress.” Angeline piled the wood in a way so she could get a strong fire. “Sister of the Dark Sorceress Morrighan and Battle Goddess Badbh. It has been said she travels on the back of a monstrous spider and keeps the company of snakes who can swallow a man whole.”
“At least you’re not completely daft.” Watching the last of the sun fall behind the forest trees, he groaned. “It’s hard to say if she is going to try anything tonight.”
“I’ll pray that she gives me a quick death then.” Bitterness was in her voice as she motioned for Barushka to come over, and with a snort, he started the campfire for her. “Don’t worry about any food. I’m not hungry.”
“I wouldn’t recommend eating anything near here. She’s notorious for poisoning local animals and water sources.” He watched her unroll her bed pack and go through her routine. She took off her boots, pulling her feet free of the woolen socks and began rubbing ointment on the blisters that covered them. “How long have you gone with your feet like that?”
“What does it matter?” Exasperated she looked his way as he lay on his side, watching her from the other side of the fire. “I haven’t travelled like this in a very long time. You get soft living the life of a Lady of the Court and wearing silk lined slippers. You’re a Lord, you should know this.”
“Yes, I am a Lord. That much about me is true.” A smirk met his face as he observed her growing frustration when she looked at her torn sleeve. “I am from the House of Romulus.”
“But you are a demon and they are far from that.” Digging through her pack, she managed to find a small field-dressing knife. “The House of Romulus is the oldest House in the land. How on earth would a demon find a way to not just claim he is from their House, but prove it?”
“I was the previous Lord’s adoptive son. His wife fell ill and passed before his son could be properly born. On one of his many travels he came across me and took me under his wing.” She wasted no time cutting the torn sleeve off the main part of the shirt and doing the same with the remaining sleeve. “I like your new look.”
“It’s only temporary. I’ll need these scraps to make more bandages. So, the last Lord of Romulus adopted you. How long ago was that?” She shredded the good sleeve into two pieces. “How long ago did that House die off then?”
“I think it’s been over a hundred years ago now.” Pausing from her task, she caught a glazed look in his eyes as he glared into the fire’s flames. “I wish he had died in battle.”
“How did he die then?” His tone was downhearted and it had her full attention.
“I rather not bring up the past.” His
eyes came back to the present and caught her curious brown ones in their green glow. “That is none of your business.”
“Well excuse me for holding a less hostile conversation.” Scoffing she threw her blanket over her shoulder and laid with her back to him. “It was a welcomed change, but I won’t push my luck any further.”
Barushka screamed, sending both of them to their feet. His flames exploded from his mane and hooves as he reared up, stomping at something in the grass not far from them. Cedric glared at the ground about them, hoping to catch a glimpse of what was coming. Shuffling backwards, Angeline’s feet bumped into something hard, sending her falling on her back hard. Hissing erupted and, as she looked up, a large cobra stood tall. The snake was large enough to eat a man, just like all the stories she had ever heard whispered over the tables in the castle.
Chapter Ten: A Cure
Mesmerized by the size of the cobra, Angeline laid there, shocked and unmoving. Once more, the snake hissed at her and she caught sight of the fangs wet with venom. Another head stood up out of the grass and she was facing two identical beasts, their eyes aimed for her. One lunged forward, she flinched, and they withdrew, as if enjoying teasing her. They coiled themselves in their spots, showing that they were long and lean with scales bigger than her hand. The second snake raised himself taller, flared his cobra crown and went for a strike. Closing her eyes tight, she waited for the pain that was coming.
A thud and vibration from the ground met her hands. Jerked to her feet before she could register what had landed so close, she struggled with remembering to breathe. Cedric had managed to get between her and the snakes, freeing the striking snake of its head. Stepping back, her feet bumped something hard again, making her hair stand on end. Forcing herself to eye her feet, she was relieved. It was the bow that Wylleam had given her. She wasted no time to snatch it up and frantically searched the ground for her quiver of arrows. A clash of metal and fang jumped her heart to her throat as Cedric put his full focus on matching speed with the strikes. Everything was going fast and her movements felt slow. A strap under her thrown blanket called her attention to it. Her swift dive for it was matched with another bang as the snake attempted to strike in her direction and Cedric blocked once more.
“Stop moving!” He was furious sounding, and she was glad that his back was to her. “She sent them after you! I can’t focus on killing it if you keep changing where it’s striking!”
“I’ve got my bow!” Her shaking hands dropped the first arrow, and she pulled another from the quiver. “I can help!”
“Are you kidding me?” He threw his hands up, making the snake bring its attention back to him again. “An arrow won’t do you any good on its scales. I’m going to need a new sword after I kill this one!”
Biting her lip hard, urging her nerves to stay still just long enough, she let the arrow fly. Whizzing past Cedric’s left cheek, it landed on target with the snake’s eye. It let out a hissing screech, enraged by the attack. Cedric looked impressed as he shot a glance over his shoulder. That was his mistake. The angered cobra lunged forward in that moment and landed a blind strike across Cedric’s right arm. The force of it shoved him backwards smashing him into Angeline, taking them both to the ground. Her hand landed square on the arrow she had dropped. Without a second to spare and with all her strength, she rammed the arrow’s point in the snake’s remaining eye. It released its grip from Cedric’s arm and fled from their sight.
“You distracting bitch!” The sound of sizzling flesh caught her attention and she looked at the venom that had made its home in Cedric’s arm. “Damn you! I had this and you-”
His eyes grew wide as he gripped his arm and sweat poured over him, his tanned skin paling with alarming speed. He attempted to stand, but stumbled to the side and fell to his knees. It became very clear that he was not bouncing back from this encounter. Angeline looked around, there were no signs of any more snakes, but Barushka was missing. Jerking the bandages from her pack, she attempted to tie off the poisoned limb. He tried to shove her away, but engulfed in the pain, he struggled to keep himself sitting. Satisfied that she managed to get it tight enough, and the wounds covered, she whistled several times. Her only hope was that Barushka was still alive and close enough to hear it. The sound of something splattering the ground brought her back to Cedric as he began to puke. The smell was unnatural, and it was a sickening black color.
A light came from the trees and was approaching them fast; Barushka had heard her whistles. The sight of a flaming horse headed across the small break in the woods was a blessing for a change. Bopping his head up and down, he dropped two arrows on the ground at her feet as he snorted steam from his nostrils. It was clear that on his way back he had come across the snake that had taken Cedric down. Barushka nuzzled Cedric who fought to get himself standing enough to lean on the horse’s tall shoulder. Angeline could hear the rattling in his breath and his eyes were dilated like nothing she had ever seen before. Gathering what items were necessary, she snuffed out the fire. Barushka had knelt himself down to his knees and hocks, and somehow Cedric had managed to pull himself on. There was no time to throw her shoes back on; tossing them in her bag she leapt up behind Cedric’s shivering body. Barushka jumped to a full gallop.
They must have looked like a rider straight out of the fires of hell as the horse’s heavy hooves thrusted them with great speed through the forest. She had no idea where they were going, but Barushka’s flames were high as he took to the unseen path. Cedric was soaked now in his own sweat and losing body heat. If it were not for his constant shivering and gagging, she would have thought he was dead. Green and black lines were steadily growing out from under the bandages where the fangs had punctured his flesh. Nemaine’s venoms were magically altered, there was no telling what this version was designed to do. Only one thing was certain, no one really lives after an encounter with her toxins.
Neighing woke her from her sleep. At some point she had passed out, and found herself laying up against Cedric’s back, his beating heart was dull and his chest rattled more so. He was knocked out, unmoving. Looking around, they had reached a very dense and ancient part of the forest. The trees creaked and let little sunlight through. The barren forest floor was speckled with dots of light as Barushka walked over the gnarled roots. Sitting up straight, she wiped his sweat from her cheek and marveled over the massive size of the trunks that surrounded them.
“Where are we?” They stopped and Barushka laid down, looking back at her and curling his lips. “I suppose we get off here.”
Slipping off, she took a better look at Cedric. His lips were white and cracked and his eye sockets were dark and sunken. He was near death. They had stopped close to one of the bigger trees, and she looked up at it with great awe. It was as big as a castle tower, if not wider. Roots from the enormous plant snaked and zigzagged in and out of the ground twice the height of Barushka. Ice latched firmly on her injured arm and she yelped. It echoed endlessly as she turned to see Cedric’s half-opened eyes.
“Help me off.” The pupils of his eyes were so wide that she could see just a green outline about them. “Help me to the tree.”
“Ok.” It made her sick to her stomach to feel how cold and weak he was as she struggled to help him off the horse and over to the tree. “Is this, is this where you intend to die?”
“No.” He managed a small fiery glare. “She owes me a favor.”
“Yes I do.” A voice made of wind, water, and rattling of leaves came from the tree, sending Angeline’s heart sprinting. “Lord Cedric, I see you have fallen victim to Nemaine’s Sorcery.”
“He was bitten by one of her giant cobras.” Angeline’s shaken voice did not help the unnerving sensation in her joints and Cedric had faded back to his coma. “We rode as fast as we could.”
“Let me see the bite.” The bark in front of them shifted and a wooden figure of a woman leaned out of the tree for a closer look. Angeline stared with amazement as she observed the exposed bust
that used its vine-like hair and arms to keep her attached to the trunk. Her face was like that of a wooden figure from a throne room, but lacked any signs of a mouth. Cedric was now wheezing in his unconscious state. “I must see it to know what enchantments to add to the ointment or elixir.”
“Ok.” Angeline uncovered the puncture wounds, wincing as flesh pulled away with the last part of the bandages and her nose met a smell more foul than the corpses from the field. “Oh no, it’s infected already!”
“Worry not child of Eve.” Roots snaked from under Cedric and dug into the wounds. He did not react, though she had to look away and cover her mouth. “This is most foul. The sorceress has out done herself this time. Fortunately, I have something I can make for this.”
“Will he live?” Barushka nuzzled her and she hugged his giant head in response.
“Yes, if you take him to Wylleam from here.” Looking back, she watched as a bottle of glowing blue pulled free of the ground and poured over the wounds. “This will stop the poison and relieve him of some of the symptoms. As for the healing process, the Shaman will know what would best suit Cedric’s needs.”
“Barushka can take us there. He got us this far somehow.” Cedric was tossing in a fitful sleep as the elixir boiled and mixed with the streaks that had worked its way as far as his chest and neck. “I did promise him if anything happened to Cedric I would come back to his place. I suppose this would be what he was talking about when he said Cedric was reckless with his life.”
“He should be stable now.” Her roots held Cedric up and placed him back on Barushka’s back with great care. “My favor is now paid in full. Let him know, he is not allowed back into the Black Forest unless otherwise summoned. The same goes for you, child. This is not a place for mortals.”
Cedric the Demonic Knight Page 8