Dagger of the Assassins

by Cat Wilder

  "But first, let's see what other treasures they offer," Daccor said, eyes filled with mercenary glee. "Elky. Obey me, and empty your inventory."

  The Amazon warrior hesitated, struggled a second, but lost the fight. The entire contents of her inventory appeared on the floor before her. It was mostly weapons, but she gave up a small fortune in coins and Gold Notes. My jaw dropped. She never told us she had Gold Notes!

  The brothers practically giggled in delight. Then they had Kahlan empty her inventory, which consisted almost entirely of food and medicinal herbs. They immediately snatched up the food and began gorging themselves. Those pigs devoured a week's worth of food in a few minutes!

  "Sorceress, give up your inventory," Groak commanded.

  I clenched my jaw, struggling to defy them. My hands curled into fists, and my body tensed, but I proved too weak. The collar's compulsion won, and my inventory emptied onto the floor. All of my hard won talismans, weapons, and treasure lost in an instant.

  I spent the next hour trying to explain what each talisman did, and how to activate their magic. The brothers struggled to comprehend even the most basic of talismans. Didn't matter, any caster would know how to use them, and would pay them handsomely. Everything I owned went into a chest across the room, along with all of our combined monies.

  Humiliating! Enraging!

  Even the Red Knights didn't rob me blind when they collared me. Yes, they took all of my coin, but allowed me to keep my talismans. Of course, I used those talismans in their enslaved service.

  Daccor stepped up before us, leveling a hostile glare down at us. "Tomorrow, after we sell your butts into slavery, my brothers and I are going to hunt down your boyfriend. We're going to kill him, but first make sure he knows that we captured and sold you as slaves."

  Chapter 11

  Cormac

  A scuffing sound woke me. I found myself in a pile of hay, and tried to remember how I got there. Bounty hunters! They caught me at the inn, and dragged me through the dark streets to that stable. The collar of obedience around my neck explained why I wasn't bound.

  The memory of being thrown into the hay, followed by Yank commanding me to remain there until told otherwise, flashed through my mind. I tried, but couldn't stand. The collar forced me to obey. Honestly, I didn't really want to get up.

  At least my ladies are free and safe, I thought, relaxing a little.

  Maybe the Red Knights would revoke the standing bounty for the three women once they got their hands on me. They couldn't kill me, but there were worse fates than death. Eternal slavery in the salt mines came to mind. Or locked in their dungeons and tortured to death over and over again.

  Or they can use me as bait to lure Elky, Kahlan, and Meike into a trap.

  I couldn't allow the bounty hunters to turn me in for the reward. Somehow, I either had to escape or trick them into killing me.

  I spotted Yank and the catman, Furman, arguing quietly across the hayloft. I didn't see Jrac, their half-goblin caster. And then my eyes locked with Smokey's.

  The catgirl froze, an incredulous look spreading across her furry feline face. She broke eye contact, looked confused, and then glanced back at me. I caught her eyes again, and her jaw dropped. Smokey's eyes suddenly darted both ways, before she rolled to all fours and gave me such a sultry look.

  Smokey started crawling sensuously toward me. I maintained eye contact, afraid I'd lose her and she'd come to her senses. I just needed her to remove the collar. How into me did she have to be to betray her friends? Could I pull that off without sex?

  The closer she came, the more beautiful she looked. I understood it could be the magic influencing me just as it did her. It also occurred to me that I'd never had a catgirl, and they had the most raunchy reputation. Wild, wicked possibilities flittered in and out of my head as she reached my foot, and started crawling over me.

  She had me panting, crazy horny, by the time she came to a stop, straddling me, face inches above mine. Her hot breath came in pants, feline eyes full of lust, and firm breasts pressed against my chest.

  "You are very handsome, for a human," she purred softly. And then she nuzzled my neck and started to purr like a real cat. "You smell so good."

  The catgirl actually rubbed herself all over me. And then she started licking. Her rough tongue surprised me. Did cat people lick their fur clean like real cats?

  My mind went blank when her hand snaked up under my loincloth, and wrapped around my erection. And began stroking me. She licked and sucked on my nipples at the same time, waves of pleasure spiraling into my core from both activities.

  One hand went straight to her sweetly rounded butt, and the other to her breasts. Her purring became louder as my hands squeezed and caressed, and then she started licking her way up my neck, to my lips. And she kissed me, rough tongue exploring my mouth.

  Pure catgirl heaven.

  Her claws unsheathed, and raked five red lines across my chest. I gasped, and yet felt my body change and that rush to climax start. My eyes closed, while I basked in the glory of it.

  "Yeeeoooww!" Smokey cried, yanked away. Gone before I finished.

  "Stay away from my woman, human!" Furman shouted, kicking me in the ribs. "I don't want your foul stench all over her!"

  Smokey landed on his back and sank her long, sharp fangs into Furman's shoulder. He howled, before ripping her off and throwing her across the loft. The catgirl landed on her feet, and charged back into the fray. Yank stepped between them and caught her in midair.

  "Enough!" the big bounty hunter said. "Control yourself, you stupid alley cat."

  "He's my prisoner," she said. "I can have him if I want."

  "He's our prisoner," Yank snapped, eyes narrowing. "We all have equal shares."

  "Fine," she said. Smokey circled Yank once, then circled Furman twice. "My share is one quarter, so I'll be careful to not touch your portions."

  Jrac started laughing. He stood behind me somewhere.

  "Let her have him," the half-goblin said. "I like watching her fuck. She's crazy."

  Furman growled at him, pulling one of his swords. I heard the half-goblin's blade zzziiipp out in answer. Yank backhanded the catman, and then forced Jrac to sheath his weapon.

  "I warned you this bitch would cause trouble," Yank said to Furman. "If you can't control her, then both of you are out after this job is completed."

  Smokey just rolled her eyes. She scowled at her boyfriend and Yank, before winking at Jrac. Yeah, she was crazy, but she might be my only hope.

  "Now get him up and moving. The gate will open in a few," Yank continued. He looked at Smokey. "We're looking at a good month on the road before we can be rid of him, so you keep your hands off of him. I don't want trouble."

  She scowled at the bounty hunter. "Funny, you don't mind when I get nasty with you or Jrac, but the prisoner is off-bounds."

  "Are you serious?" Furman cried. He pulled a sword on Yank. "You and the goblin are sleeping with my woman behind my back?"

  "No," Smokey said, grinning ear-to-ear. "None of us did any sleeping."

  Okay, she might be a lot crazier than I imagined. I knew cat people, especially mobs, were wildly promiscuous and mentally unstable, but I never imagined she'd say something like that to her boyfriend. I seriously thought Furman was good as dead at that point. Smokey would be the death of him.

  "Did I not warn you about her?" Yank said with deadly quietness.

  Smokey snorted contemptuously at the big human. "That's the attitude that keeps me from being your woman, jerkoff."

  She sauntered over to Furman, pulled his sword from his hand, and sheathed it, before she began licking and nibbling his chest. I watched the catman melt and wrap her up in his arms. Yank shook his head and turned toward me.

  "You better behave yourself, Cormac," Yank said. He gave me a hostile look. "Since you're a player, we have to turn you in to Lord Quinton alive to collect the reward. But there's nothing saying how alive you have to be."

  "An
d since you're trapped in the game, there's no hope for you," Jrac said, finally entering my field of vision. "Stand up."

  I stood up without hesitation. That was neither the time nor place to test how much I could defy their commands. Jrac ordered me down the ladder, and to stand outside the stable. Furman, Smokey, and Jrac took up positions around me.

  Yank remained inside the stable for quite a while, before joining us. A massive centaur followed him out. Hoss stood six foot tall at the withers! Or about seventy-two hands. He had dark brown fur, with black hair, mane, and tail. His upper body looked more orc than human, complete with ritual scaring, tattoos, and small tusks jutting up from his lower jaw. His hair and mane were braided all the way down. A silver collar encircled his thick neck.

  "Is he another bounty?" I asked.

  "Naw, he loves serving us," Smokey said, leaping effortlessly onto his back. She nuzzled his ear, before dragging her claws across his naked chest. I noticed other, half-healed scratches all over his upper body. "Ain't that right, Hoss? You love me, right?"

  "I live for the day I break your body with my bare hands," he said. "I will take my time killing you."

  "Aww, see? He loves me bestest of all!"

  Her antics didn't faze the others. They had to be numb to her antics, but she shocked me. Smokey was crazy even by cat people standards. That didn't bode well for me.

  She patted the spot behind her. "Get up here, Cormac. You'll ride with me until we're out of the gate. After that, I don't share my Hoss with anyone."

  Apparently, any one of them could order me. The collar's magic didn't allow me time to consider the dangers of being so close to her. Furman glared a warning at me, but didn't try to stop me from mounting the centaur behind his girlfriend. Jrac shook his head and chuckled quietly, taking up a position behind us. Furman led the way through the streets. I got the impression he was their scout. Yank plowed through the crowd after him, opening a path for the even larger and meaner looking centaur. Everyone gave the centaur a wide berth.

  I looked around, expecting to find my ladies pacing us, if not setup in an ambush. I wondered if the collar would allow me to savagely kick the centaur, forcing him to run over Yank. Hell, I wondered if I could throw Smokey off before someone gave me an order to stop, but the more disruption I caused the better for my ladies' ambush.

  Smokey quickly pulled my arms around her, and snuggled back against me. My hands rested on her thighs, so I began to stroke her leather-sheathed legs. She purred softly and didn't stop me, so my hands got closer and closer to her crotch. Heart racing, I started stroking the spot over her pussy with my fingertips. Her leather pants were nice and tight even there, so I knew she could feel my efforts intensely. It didn't take long before her hips began to thrust, grinding against my hand.

  I think I can be halfway to claiming her as one of my ladies by the time we reach the gate.

  As we passed through an intersection, I glanced to the left and gasped.

  I spotted a pigman leading Elky on a leash. Then I realized he was one of the three pigmen from the inn. That's when I spotted Kahlan and Meike also being led through the crowd at the end of leashes.

  And we passed out of the intersection, cutting me off from seeing my women.

  My heart thundered, head spinning. There was no rescue attempt coming, because those pigman bastards captured and enslaved my women.

  I'm going to kill them! I'll beat them to death! I'll.. I'll…

  "Don't stop," Smokey commanded, wiggling within my arms. The warmth of magic flowed out of the collar when I fought the compulsion, and quickly straightened me out. My fingertips returned to rubbing circles above her most sensitive spot. She started purring again. "Good boy. Press harder."

  My mind attempted to return to my captured women, but Smokey's commands pulled me back to her needs over and over, until I couldn't turn away. I kissed and nibbled her neck, while one hand came up to fondle her high, firm boobs.

  "Uggggh," Smokey cried out as we passed through the town gate. Jrac barked a laugh, and Yank glanced back at us. The catgirl continued to squirm within the throes of orgasm. He did not look happy, but at least Furman was too far ahead to hear. "Oooh, do it again."

  I returned to kissing, fondling, and rubbing the catgirl, thinking, I'm in deep shit now.

  Chapter 12

  Elky

  Daccor laughed when I tried to jerk free of his leash. Hands tied behind my back, legs shackled with a hobble chain, I couldn't put up any more fight than that. I just wanted to claw out his good eye, rip off his balls, and then beat him to the death with something blunt.

  I'd never hated anyone so much.

  Spotting a human on the crowded street. Human. Warrior (Lvl 34).

  "Help me! This bastard has kidnapped me and my friends for no reason but to sell us into slavery."

  The warrior glanced above my head, barked a laugh, and continued on his merry way. All I could do was scream my frustration. None of the locals cared what happened to us either.

  "I'm going to burn this whole town down!"

  "That's not helping," Kahlan said.

  Groak held her leash. Groak and Uath didn't constantly jerk their leashes, so the healer and sorceress never fell to the hard ground. How'd I get so lucky?

  "It can't get worse than this," I replied. I tried to kick Daccor, but…hobble chain. "I'm going to cut your head off and fry it in hot grease."

  "Is that a bacon joke?" the pigman asked. "I love bacon jokes, but your punch line sucks."

  "I'm going to punch you in the – Oooff."

  The bastard had a knack for yanking my leash to cut me off. So I slowed and jerked my head left and right. All to no avail. He continued up the street, forcing me to follow.

  Maybe I should docilely follow him like Kahlan and Meike? I looked around at all of the pigmen looking us over like prime cuts of steak. A chill crawled up my spine. Bad idea.

  I fought him all the way to the town square. They forced the three of us to kneel in line while prospective buyers looked us over. I scowled and growled, and even threatened death and destruction to a few. So you know most of the interest went to Kahlan and Meike. Hell, everyone wanted a healer who used sex to generate healing mana. Well, all of the males did.

  "Are you okay, Meike?" I asked.

  "I'm fine," she said.

  She was definitely not fine. Since the brothers didn't know squat about magic and casters, they left the obedience collar on her. Kahlan couldn't use her healing magic to escape, and I had no magic, so they took our collars away. They didn't say, but I had the impression they borrowed the collars. At any rate, Uath took the two unused collars away at first light, and came back empty-handed.

  We knelt there for hours. By the time the auction started, the pain in my knees was indescribable. I wanted to be sold just to get off my damned knees for five minutes. So you know they auctioned me off last.

  Groak lifted Kahlan up onto a flatbed wagon where Daccor took control of her. He held the healer erect by her hair as he took bids. Several wealthy looking pigmen battled to own the beautiful healer. I could see the lust in the eyes of the closest bidder. The highest bidder ended up a rotund, middle-aged pigman with a massive gold necklace and medallion.

  I watched him pay Groak five gold and ten silver crowns.

  "Bought, and now paid for," Daccor called. "Enjoy your healer, Lord Mayor Riccar"

  "She's not just for me," the Lord Mayor said, but staring at Kahlan's chest. "I purchased her so the town would finally have a healer. She's for everyone's use. I mean, she'll heal anyone, for a small fee."

  I'd learned Kahlan had been enslaved four previous times, and the Order of the Pure Heart had agents who traveled around to buy them out of slavery. Her longest slavery had been six weeks. So she, at least, had hope of freedom in the near future.

  They hauled Meike up onto the wagon next. Dread started to fill me as I watched the Lord Mayor leading Kahlan away. She looked as miserable as I felt. As the warrior among us,
it fell on me to protect her. I failed miserably.

  "This one's a jewel," Daccor called. "She's an elfmaid, so will remain young and beautiful for many generations. On top of that, she's a sorceress. The obedience collar doesn't come with her, so you'll have to take care of that problem yourself. What am I bid?"

  The bidding pool proved much smaller. Few could afford both a slave and an obedience collar. So, three pigmen in fine robes battled each other. Despite their wealth, the bidding rose in tiny increments.

  "Sold, to Master Xarcarius for 9 gold, three silver, and nineteen copper crowns."

  That surprised me. That was almost twice what Kahlan sold for.

  Master Xarcarius motioned to a younger pigman, who had an open metal collar in hand. The young pigman went straight to Meike, while the merchant paid Groak for his new slave girl. I watched the assistant on the collar exchange. Most collars wouldn't allow a second obedience item on the same person. That meant Meike would have a short window of opportunity to use her magic.

  I watched Daccor pass Meike down to Uath, and the younger brother started to unlatch the collar. The assistant had his master's collar ready, just inches away from her throat. Was she fast enough? The look of confidence in Meike's eyes had my heart racing. If she won free, then the two of us could go rescue Kahlan before escaping the town.

  I cried out when Uath slapped a hand around the elfmaid's mouth, a split second before pulling off the collar. He surprised Meike, who failed to recover in time. The merchant's collar snapped around her neck a second later, and I saw her eyes glaze over.

  From her expression, I guessed Meike found herself trapped by an even stronger collar.

  Her eyes held zero defiance. Hell, she had a look of bliss that scared the crap out of me.

  "Come, slave," the assistant commanded, yanking her leash. "Tend your master."

  The merchant took control of her leash, pausing to look her over with satisfaction.

  "You can defend me and my house, slave?"

  Meike's hand burst into flames, as fireballs formed. "Yes, master. I will defend you and yours with my life."