Dagger of the Assassins

by Cat Wilder

  "We know you are a player," their leader said. "As is the Amazon, Elky. The elven sorceress and Pure Heart healer are not."

  I watched Davita warily, as she approached us. Really, she concentrated on Tahki. I tried to catch her eyes to no avail. She only had eyes for Tahki, but the look on her face was ugly.

  "Come with me, Tahki," Davita said.

  The dragon didn't move. They just stared at each other a long moment, during which the assassin's eyes widened. Davita then gave me a quick, accusing look, before turning to their leader.

  "He's done something to Tahki, Valissa," Davita said. "She won't listen to me anymore."

  "Your dragon is siding with him?" Valissa said.

  That revelation gave me the warm fuzzies. Surely fire-breathing dragon trumped five assassins. Hell, I'd rather have a dragon than an army.

  "Yes. Tahki says she loves him."

  "What?" Valissa cried. She looked at Davita, the dragon, and then at me. "Then we have no choice but to kill the dragon, too."

  Could the dragon understand the assassins? If so, she didn't react in any manner I could see. Then I noticed Davita glaring daggers at me. She was flushed, shaking with barely suppressed rage.

  "Yeah, I stole your dragon," I sneered. "Eat it, bitch."

  All I had to figure out was how to ride Tahki, and then get the hell out of there. I wanted to check out the black saddle, but couldn't take my eyes off my foes. Those assassins were fast.

  Of course, the more dangerous option was getting into a fight with the killer nuns so I could find ways of touching them. There wouldn't be much physical contact, and I didn't think I'd win them over before they killed me.

  What if I surrender? They will have to touch me to tie me up, I thought.

  That option made my heart race a mile a minute. Since they already understood I had some kind of power to influence, then they might find ways to control me that didn't involve physical contact.

  "Leave us alone," I said. I looked them up and down, displaying disgust. Okay, they looked damned hot in their black leather outfits. "Take your BDSM party and go home, girls."

  Valissa stepped closer, a cruel sneer twisting her face. "We know your harem is over in the middle of those goblins. After we capture you, we'll go collect the heads of Kahlan and Meike. We'll take you to Lord Quinton, before hunting down Elky." She smiled. "We might keep her as a forever young and beautiful sex slave."

  Okay, that shocked me. First of all, I didn't like the way she said "harem." Secondly, my girls did not like being called a harem. Third of all, she reminded me that Kahlan, Meike, and Elky were at that very moment in dire straits and needed me.

  Davita snarled, pulling her crossbow from inventory. "Release Tahki or I'll put a bolt in her family jewels."

  My sword vanished into inventory, even as the bow appeared in my hand. Turning to present just my side to her, I took aim and released an arrow before she pulled the trigger. My arrow stuck right between her boobs, bisecting her heart. Davita looked shocked, then embarrassed, and finally died.

  The other four assassins cried out and charged me. I managed to put an arrow in Valissa's shoulder, but they were too close to get another shot off. I prayed they killed me, for that was a way to escape them. Except, they knew my respawn site.

  DIE!

  That single word wasn't spoken. It filled my head, staggering me with its intensity. A second later, Tahki sent a thick torrent of dragon-fire into the charging assassins. I stumbled back in shock as I watched four women completely incinerated within seconds. They dropped all of their weapons, with the hilts burning up, too. The dragonfire even consumed the crossbows they dropped upon death.

  I looked around. Only Davita's body remained, untouched by fire. Tahki nudged it with her nose, stared down at the unmoving woman. I worried the dragon might turn on me.

  "I'm sorry," I said. "But it was her or us."

  The dragon glanced at me, and then sniffed the air. Then she turned toward me, and nudged me with her nose.

  Tahki likes you, filled my head. It was a deep, raspy, but definitely feminine voice. Tahki loves you.

  I stared up into her huge, yellow eyes and felt the connection. She started to rumble, and I realized she was purring.

  Wow, she can speak into my mind, I thought.

  And I can hear you speak like that, too, Tahki replied. I am yours, Cormac, and you are mine.

  "Um, you know I have three other women, right?"

  Hmmmmm.

  Chapter 22

  Elky

  "I'll defend the 12 o'clock position. Meike, take 6 o'clock," I cried as the branches in the fallen trees began shaking. Goblins and direwolves worked their way through that tangled mess. "Kahlan, stay between us and be our lookout. Call out their clock position when you see them."

  "Right," Meike replied. "I have everything from 3 o'clock to 9 o'clock."

  I was so glad they had clocks in Battle for Glory. I didn't have time to explain it. I spotted a riderless direwolf break out of the barrier. I drew the arrow, waiting for him to begin his attack. He didn't make me wait long, and I put an arrow through his heart. The evil beast still managed another ten or so strides before he dropped dead.

  "Direwolves are as hard to kill as a lion," I shouted, adrenaline juicing me up big time.

  "Goblin 5 o'clock! Anther at 8 o'clock," Kahlan cried. Her voice became more strident. "Wolf at 6 o'clock, 7 o'clock, 4 o'clock!"

  I heard Meike releasing arrow after arrow. Were there more of them coming in from her side? I considered shifting our position to 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock so I could share the load, but then a dozen goblins suddenly charged out of the leafy barrier before me.

  "12 o'clock!" Kahlan shouted needlessly. My fault.

  "Keep an eye on our flanks," I said.

  I nocked arrows, aimed, and released as fast as I could. My Archery Skill was really paying off. I only missed a few times, and killed scores of goblins and direwolves. And then I ran out of arrows.

  "Fuck me," I muttered, inventorying my bow. My sword and the Shield of Isis reappeared on my arm. Dropping into a defensive stance, I steeled myself and prepared to take a terrible toll for the honor of killing me. "Kahlan, I'm sorry I failed you."

  "You didn't fail me," she said. "Take good care of Cormac."

  My eyes began to burn, tears rolling down my face. Regret and shame washed through me. I should've been stronger. I should've been better prepared.

  "I'm out of arrows, too," Meike said. "And no mana."

  I heard the sorrow in her voice. I would respawn, but they would just die. Worse, the goblins and direwolves would eat their corpses. The thought sickened me.

  "Look at them," Kahlan said. "The smug bastards know we're out of arrows, know their victory is assured. Now they are going to take their time."

  It was worse than that. Without the threat of arrows, the goblins started building up an unbeatable force on our side of the barrier. A cold lump formed in my stomach as I watched their numbers increase to a ten to one advantage. And that wasn't counting the direwolves.

  "Where is Cormac? Did the dragon kill him?" Meike asked.

  I smiled. Even facing death, her main concern remained Cormac. Kahlan's main concern was that bastard, too. Well, I worried about him as well, so I pulled up my map.

  "He's not on the hill anymore," I said. "Neither are the other red dots, or the dragon."

  "Where are they?" Kahlan asked.

  That's when I realized. The map showed him standing with us. What the hell?

  "The map shows him right here," I said, and then heard the whomp whomp whomp above us. I looked straight up. "What the fuck!"

  "Dragon!" Kahlan screamed.

  The healer lifted her long goblin spear straight up, but the dragon flew a good fifty feet above us. It was dropping fast. I lifted my sword straight up to impale it, too. And then Cormac leaned over and looked down at us over the dragon's shoulder.

  "Cormac!" I cried.

  My heart leapt into
my throat, and I might've started crying again. Kahlan and Meike started shouting in joy. Then I heard Cormac speaking.

  "Tahki, burn the goblins!" he commanded.

  Tahki? Then the dragon's descent slowed, as his wingbeat changed. He hovered, opened his mouth wide, and…

  Goblins and direwolves alike turned and ran for their lives. A thick torrent of dragonfire swept across their ranks from 10 o'clock to 1 o'clock, and I don't think a single one of them survived. The dragon took off flying in a great circle, flaming the fleeing goblins and direwolves. He burned away our barrier of threes within a few minutes, and continued in ever widening circles.

  "Watch out for stragglers returning," I said.

  We found ourselves trapped atop that hill by raging fires. Those fires began to creep closer and closer.

  "Is it irony if we die in the fire that saved us from the goblins?" I asked.

  "No, it's tragic," Meike said. "Damn. If I only had twenty-five mana points! I have a spell to kill fire."

  I hadn't felt such intense heat since the last bonfire I attended at Texas A&M. Of course then, I could back away when it became too much. And I had been stoked by the joy of my Aggies playing the Texas Longhorns. The dragonfire was minutes from roasting me alive.

  "Anyone have marshmallows?" Cormac shouted above us.

  Kahlan and Meike looked at me.

  "What's a marsh melon?" Kahlan asked. "And what does that have to do with anything?"

  I started to reply, but shook my head. "It's a bad joke."

  The dragon landed next to us. I gawked at it, while Kahlan hid behind me. Meike walked up to the beast and stroked its right front leg.

  "He's beautiful," the elfmaid said.

  "It's a she, and she's joined our team," Cormac said. "Ladies, meet Tahki. Tahki, these are my beloved girlfriends."

  My jaw dropped. Did that mean he…

  "Don't ask," Cormac said, and laughed. "Climb up."

  The dragon dropped to her belly, and we scrambled up behind Cormac, straddling the monster's spiky spine. Each of us had to sit between wicked looking spikes. I wrapped my arms around my spike and held on for dear life when the dragon leapt into the air and starting rising higher and higher.

  "I love flying!" Meike cried. "Go, Tahki, go!"

  "Meike, you're crazier than a drunken dwarf!"

  "I love you, too, Elky," she said.

  I shook my head and hung on for dear life. I spotted the goblin horde below, and Cormac had Tahki swoop down on them a few times, but he didn't flame them. I would've had the dragon burn them all to a crisp.

  Chapter 23

  Cormac

  I guided Tahki back to the road, and had her land on the other side of the hill from my horse. In part, I worried the dragon might eat the horse. I noticed the dragon eyeballing the horse. Mostly, though, I worried the horse would run away if he saw the dragon.

  Don't eat my horse, I commanded her. Yeah, commanded. Who was I kidding? I still worried she'd eat me. We need that horse. He's a good horse.

  Humans taste terrible, Tahki said. Not that I've ever eaten one, mind you. I've been told.

  I really had to be careful with my thoughts.

  Horses, on the other hand, are delicious. I prefer them unsaddled. Cured leather doesn't digest well. Gives me heartburn.

  "Okay," I said.

  Minotaurs and centaurs taste great, as do…

  "Enough," I said. "You're making me sick."

  I heard her chuckling in my head. Sicko dragon.

  "Are you talking to yourself again?" Kahlan asked. She sat directly behind me, with Meike between her and Elky. "That's annoying. You should stop."

  I held her eyes, loving the electricity between us, and winked at her. "I can't stop talking to myself anymore than I can stop loving you, baby."

  "Awww."

  "Oh, shut up," Elky said.

  Meike and I laughed. Kahlan was the easiest of my women. She lived for love. Everything she did was for love. Love for me. Love for Meike and Elky. Love for all living creatures, even the ones who didn't deserve any love. Like goblins.

  I don't think she loves goblins as much as you think, Tahki said. She's afraid of me. As she should be.

  "We're all friends here," I said. "Tahki, please lay down so we can dismount."

  "The dragon understands what we say?" Elky asked.

  "Yes," Meike said. "Dragons are quite intelligent. They can speak, too, but they use mindspeak."

  "Mindspeak?" Elky asked.

  "Telepathy," I said. "I'm not talking to myself, but to Tahki."

  "You can hear her?" the Amazon asked.

  "Yes," I said. "In my head."

  The Amazon looked incredulous, but I could see the machinery working behind her eyes.

  "That's amazing. Can she teach the rest of us to do that? Can you imagine the advantage we'd have if we all spoke telepathically?"

  No, Tahki said. Well, not exactly.

  "I'll get back to you on that," I said. "Dismount."

  "Why are we stopping here?" Elky asked. Why was it always her questioning me? "Your dragon doesn't appear tired, and we should get as far from the goblins as possible."

  "I have a horse on the other side of that hill."

  "Just one?"

  I gave her my most exasperated look. Elky stared back unfazed.

  "I erred on the side of speed, so I could catch up with you," I said. "I have enough to buy you all a horse in the next town."

  Do I get a horse, too? Tahki asked. Mmmmm.

  No! Horses are NOT food.

  I disagree.

  I slipped out of the saddle, since my ladies appeared uncertain. They didn't look particularly comfortable squeezed between those spikes either.

  I helped Kahlan down first, who immediately threw her arms around my neck. She hugged and kissed me until Elky cleared her throat. Then I helped Elky down, who also took the opportunity to hug and kiss me, but only briefly. Meike came down last and wrapped her arms and legs around me, smothering my face in kisses. Then she released me and walked around the dragon.

  "Greetings, noble Tahki," Meike said. She spoke and acted quite formal, both hands placed over her heart. "I am Meike, daughter of Petra and Fredric. Child of the Mayence Tribe."

  I didn't hear Tahki's response, but the elfmaid nodded a few times, and bowed to her. When Meike looked back at me, I saw tears in her eyes.

  "She's so beautiful."

  "Well, Meike likes your pet dragon," Elky said. "Figures."

  Kahlan pressed up to me, acting all hot and bothered. She always got that way after defying death, but my map showed some goblins still in the area. None of them had turned our way, but prudence demanded we vacate the area as quickly as possible.

  "Meike can have the dragon," Kahlan purred. She kissed me. "I'll take Cormac."

  The healer's clothes vanished into her inventory.

  "What the hell?" I asked. I looked all around, expecting to see shocked faces on the others. Nope. They smiled at us, and even Elky looked eager to play. "We're in the middle of the road, and some goblins are still around."

  That didn't diminish her ardor at all. She started unbuttoning my shirt, kissing my chest, making my head spin as something stirred within. I struggled with my own passions, my needs and desires. Even telling myself it was the Heart of Aphrodite's influencing me didn't help.

  "Kahlan, we have to be strong," I gasped out, even as my hands kneaded her beautiful, firm breasts and I stared at her full lips. My throat tightened as my desire to taste her lips spiked. "Not safe here."

  Go ahead and bonk your lovers, sweetie, Tahki said. I'll stand watch. No stinking goblin or direwolf can get past me.

  I froze. I'd forgotten about the dragon's mindreading ability.

  Are you sure?

  Honestly, as soon as she offered to stand guard my resistance evaporated.

  Yes, go play breed to your heart's content.

  "Okay, but only for medicinal purposes," I said.

  "That jo
ke is getting old," Elky said.

  "Sorry, it's the best I can do when my brain is so muddled by arousal."

  I kissed Kahlan. She pushed back into the kiss, opening my mouth with hers. Our tongues met halfway and started to wrestle.

  "Lose the clothes," she gasped out.

  My clothing vanished into inventory a second later. I took her by the hand and headed for the trees. We couldn't do it in the middle of that dusty road. The woods provided some privacy. Decades of fallen leaves actually gave us a very nice bit of cushion to lie upon.

  I kissed Kahlan long and passionately. She molded herself to me, while our hands roamed and explored. Kissing my way down her neck, I smothered her boobs with kisses before sucking and nibbling her sensitive nipples. She moaned and groaned, writhing within my arms. Her every sound and movement stoked my libido until I couldn't take it any longer.

  Pushing the gorgeous brunette to the ground, I spread her legs.

  "You are so beautiful," I whispered, kissing and nibbling her inner thigh from knee to sex. The healer's back bowed, her head rocking back and forth, when I nuzzled, nibbled, and ate her out. Yeah, she was ready to receive, but I made her wait.

  A finger, then two, slipping into her pussy. I pumped in and out, faster and faster. I loved the incredulous look on her face, and how her nips got hard and erect. And then I started on her clit, sucking that little nub in and out just the way she loved it.

  "Yes! Just like that!" she screamed. "Oooooooh."

  Kahlan wiggled and bucked. She tangled her fingers in my hair, holding my mouth in place. I redoubled my efforts, of both fingers and lips. Her thighs clamped down on my head a moment later, she went stiff, and a wanton groan bubbled out of her lips. I felt her body trembling, before it settled into a sweet quiver in her belly.

  That's when I started kissing and nibbling my way up her body. I might've spent a little extra time playing with her boobs. In my defense, her breasts were perfect: high, firm, with perfectly defined pink nipples. She had a playmate body, without any airbrushing or photo-manipulation. Yeah, some horny geek designed her perfectly.