Nightlord: Sunset

by Garon Whited

  “So what does that make me, Raeth?” I demanded. “I’m just a knight, not a lord.”

  “You’re a knight with a retinue,” Tamara answered. “That makes you a lord. Is that such a bad thing?”

  “Well, no,” I admitted, “but it’s a lot more responsibility than I had in mind right now.”

  She smiled. She took my hand and placed it over her belly, then looked me in the eye.

  “You wish to found a manor—a manor of schooling, is it?—and have pledged yourself to aid me in this,” she said, patting my hand. “Shall you not profit and learn from these who would follow you?”

  I listened with only half an ear; my right shoulder was still hurting and she’d taken my right hand. But there was something strange I felt…

  “Shh,” I said, and knelt down, pressing my head to her belly.

  “What—” she began, and I shushed her again, listening. I could hear her heartbeat and breathing… tune that out, tune out the sounds of the wind in the trees, the sound of thirty people snoring and sleeping, the crackle of a campfire… and listen within her…

  Heartbeats. Tiny things, smaller than the sound of snowflakes falling on water. Two of them.

  I stood up.

  “Twins,” I said. “You’re going to have twins.”

  She broke into a radiant smile. And I mean that; light glowed from her, faintly, like she had glow-in-the-dark skin. Raeth and Bouger both congratulated us. I got the impression they already knew about her having a baby.

  “Why, of course,” Bouger answered, after I asked. “Did you think she would not tell us? We are traveling far and we are taking all the care of her we may. It would not do to keep such a thing a secret.”

  “I guess you’re right,” I admitted.

  “Although, she didn’t say who the father of the child—the children—is.” Bouger grinned at me and nudged me in the ribs. “But I think you just did, eh?”

  “Oh shut up,” I mumbled. I’m glad I can’t blush at night. “We’ve got a long road in the morning; let’s turn in.”

  “Anxious to get to bed?” Bouger added. I growled at him softly and he smirked. Raeth kicked him in an ankle and gestured; the two of them retreated to a tent to sack out. Tamara took my hand and led me to a tent. Her tent.

  “Unless you intend to spend the night in the cold?” she asked.

  I allowed myself to be led.

  Inside the tent, she lay down on a pad of blankets and drew another over her, then looked at me expectantly. I sighed theatrically and undressed.

  “You’re hurt,” she said, upon seeing my shoulder.

  “Not to speak of; it’s getting better.”

  “But you should have healed, should you not? It is night.”

  “Yeah, but it was a demon what done it,” I answered. “It’s dead now. I’ll be fine in a day or two.”

  “Let me see,” she demanded, sitting up. I sat down beside her and let her examine me. The bite was still there, the mark of fangs driven through flesh and bone until they met inside. It was much shallower now; the flesh was healing from the inside up toward the surface.

  “Did you wash these?” she asked.

  “Yes, with blood.”

  “Good. Now tell me how this happened.”

  So I explained what happened—coming across the gata, greeting Utai, making a sort of pact, killing the demonic thing, recovering for a day, feeding on their gifts, then coming here. When I spoke of the demon, her eyes grew wide, but she did not interrupt. When I was done, she touched my wounds and bit her lip, thinking.

  “What you killed was something fouler than you know,” she said, softly. “It is a thing that eats other demons.”

  “Then I’m sorry I killed it.”

  “No, do not be. It is an unclean thing. It was seeking you, I will swear to it; it favors the flesh of all things of darkness over any mortal meat.”

  I felt cold chills that had nothing to do with the weather.

  “So it was looking for me?”

  Tamara nodded. “I fear so.”

  I thought about it. Utai used to be with me a lot, and I’d cloaked her in a shielding spell. But I hadn’t maintained it in a long time—doubtless, it had gone down by now. Anyone looking for me—okay, let’s face it: one or more of Tobias’ mages, if he still trusted them; possibly even Tobias himself through the agency of the Devourer—might put something terrible on her trail to wait for me. Something nasty and dangerous that might even kill me.

  They couldn’t be sure of that. So what would be the backup? Something to follow me, maybe, to keep an eye on me…

  I pulled Tamara close to me and whispered my thoughts to her. She nodded, silently.

  “I’m going to step outside and look around, see if I can find anything watching.”

  “I will wait here,” she whispered. “If you need any aid…”

  I kissed her cheek. “I’ll yell.” I got up, dressed, went outside, and headed for Bronze as though I were leaving. As I mounted, I started spreading out tendrils to check for unpleasant Things. I remembered to search higher than ground level, too. I also looked into the sky, in case some Thing was flying. Nothing.

  Relieved, I went back into the tent and to Tamara.

  “Nothing to be seen,” I reported, smiling. “Not a sign of anything.”

  She looked pensive. “That may be well,” she said, still frowning slightly, “or any watchers may have already departed to report.”

  My cheerful feeling subsided rather rapidly.

  “Thanks. I feel ever so much better, now.”

  She smiled a little. “But much more forewarned.”

  “True enough. It looks like I’ll be up all night, keeping eyes and ears open.”

  She settled down and curled into the blanket. “Then I shall sleep soundly.”

  I smiled at her. “You do that.” I settled down to listen and be paranoid for a while.

  Nothing happened for the rest of the night. If the intent had been to follow me, the tail had come and gone. If it had been calculated to make me wonder and worry, it was highly successful. If someone had only set a Thing on Utai to ambush me, it was only a partial success; I lived.

  It was a long night.

  I got a trio of blankets from one wagon when the sky started to lighten; the tents were canvas and not all that thick. Tamara was nice enough to warm me up beforehand.

  Sunrise smote me like a flaming fist. Then it grabbed me and squeezed. I locked my teeth together and tried not to scream. It was worse, far worse, than any I’d previously experienced. In seconds, I was dripping with a foul, reeking sweat; my heart hammered slow and hard, gradually building speed. Every inch of my skin had its own pitchfork-wielding demon—and the tines went deep, through muscle and bone.

  And my shoulder! Some sadist with a chemistry set had been at it with his newest and most refined compounds. I thought the whole shoulder and arm was going to come off. Then I started to wish it would.

  When the sun finished its horizon-clearing, I didn’t have the strength to unroll.

  That was a bad one. Right, boss?

  I couldn’t come up with a wisecrack answer, either. “Yes,” I whispered.

  Tamara hauled on a blanket edge and unrolled me. She waved a hand in front of her face. “Phew! What happened?”

  “I don’t know,” I croaked. My voice was rough. “It shouldn’t have been that bad.”

  “You’re bleeding,” she noted, reaching down to touch my shoulder. The holes from the fangs were indeed bleeding freely; they weren’t as bad as the morning after the bite, but I still needed a bandage. She laid her hand over the ones in front and her hair did that firefall trick again; living flame poured out of her hand and into my shoulder.

  There was a terrible moment of blinding pain and then blackness.

  SUNDAY, JANUARY 8TH

  I woke in a bed. Again. This whole passing-out thing is getting old.

  The first thing I noticed was that my shoulder was stiff and aching, but o
therwise fine. The second thing I noticed was Tamara had her head on it. Her unbound hair was spilled all over my chest and shoulder and seemed to be flickering.

  Well, okay, yes. It was, in fact, flickering.

  She was snuggled up next to me under the covers and apparently had no qualms about being naked in bed. Not that I could say anything; I was peeled down as well. Maybe it was my imagination, but she seemed was a bit wider around the middle. Her belly was hard to the touch—harder than I recalled. I suppose it could have been from a lot of sit-ups… but it wasn’t.

  A lot of incredible things have happened to me. More than I like to really think about. But waking up with a beautiful woman half-wrapped around me beats the hell out of all of them. There’s nothing supernatural about it—one might say it’s entirely natural. I like it better than the rush of power or the taste of blood.

  Pity it happens so seldom. I could get used to this. Or rather, I don’t think I could ever get used to it. Especially when I think about her having my baby—babies!—in her belly. My children. It makes my head spin to think about it. Hell, it scares me, too.

  Of course, there’s something not quite right about her hair being on fire—yes, all of it; eyebrows included—like that. But if she can cope with my tendency to sprout fangs and bite people, I’ll live with it and count myself lucky. She’s a keeper.

  I wondered what time it was. It was definitely daytime but I couldn’t place the hour; the windows were shuttered and covered. The room was also quite small; I was willing to bet it was an inn. I didn’t see anything for heating the room, but the place was quite toasty.

  I glanced at the still-flickering hair spread over me. Okay, so, there were no mundane heaters in the room.

  I noticed ropes hanging from the rafters, one in each corner of the room. I wondered what those were for. Did we take a room in a bondage bordello?

  The next question was in regard to the day—what day? How long was I napping? And why?

  Ah, well. When she woke up, doubtless she’d tell me. So I sighed pleasantly and settled in to nap and wait.

  I woke up when she tried to get out of bed.

  “Morning,” I offered, without regard for the actual time, whatever it was.

  She burst into smiles and kissed me. Hard. I had to remember to breathe.

  “You’re alive!” she whispered, once she let my mouth go. I hugged her and she buried her face in my neck.

  “Of course I’m alive,” I answered. “I’m hard to kill. Plus, I have you to help.”

  “I am not sure what was wrong with you,” she said, muffled. “I was afraid you would not wake.”

  “I feel fine,” I replied, hugging her some more. “I’m glad I’m awake to get kissed like that and enjoy it. What happened?”

  “I… I am not entirely sure,” she said, still holding me. “Something in your blood reacted to the Flame… You had convulsions. It… was difficult to keep you alive.”

  “Well done,” I replied, absently. Convulsions? At night? That could be bad for anyone in arm’s reach.

  It was, boss.

  Oh, thanks, I thought back. What happened?

  Raeth got a broken arm, Bouger a broken leg, and the ropes are hanging in the corners. They bought a small shack, shored it up a bit, and they’ve been hanging you by wrists and ankles from the roof beams so you could twist and buck all you like without breaking the furniture or walls. Just at night, of course.

  No convulsions during the day?

  Nope. Not a twitch. And Tammy’s been washing you in a firebath every morning to put you back together. A lot of crap apparently burned out of your system that first time she flamed you. Good thing, too, or she wouldn’t have been able to keep roasting you to life.

  Tammy? I thought, questioningly.

  You know. The redheaded piece that’s pretending to be welded to you?

  Her name, I thought carefully, is Tamara.

  There was a long pause.

  Um… right. I shouldn’t call her “Tammy”?

  Not unless she says you can.

  Um. And I’ve pissed you off.

  Right.

  I’m sorry, and I won’t do it again? Firebrand ventured.

  I smiled. I’m sure you will, but I’ll forgive you. Probably. Just… be nice to Tamara, okay?

  Got it, boss. She’s the one?

  I don’t know. I certainly like her a lot. Plus, she’s growing kids. My kids. That’s a lot of bonus points in her favor.

  Check, boss. Can’t wait to see the hatchlings!

  I ignored that and turned my attention back to Tamara.

  “You are getting better,” she went on. “This is the first day you have woken.”

  “I’m pleased I did. Especially with you.” She blushed; I could feel the heat from her face.

  “I too am glad. Now, are you hungry?”

  “Famished.”

  “Then I will bring you food. After, if you feel strong enough, there are many who wish to know that you live.”

  “Many? What do you mean, ‘many’?”

  “All in our company,” she answered, rising and reaching for a gown. “Your knights, of course, and Hellas most especially.”

  “She’s not sleeping in front of the door, is she?” I asked, concerned.

  “No,” Tamara replied, eyes twinkling, “but she would if it had not snowed so. She follows you like a lost puppy, my lord.”

  I repressed a flinch. “So she does. Any thoughts on how to get her to stop?”

  “Not really,” she replied, sitting on the bed to pull on boots. “You are kind to her.”

  “Yeah, well, I guess someone ought to be,” I muttered. “Am I well?”

  She looked me over critically. It reminded me of being x-rayed.

  “I think so. For today, at least. Whatever was wrong with you—or is wrong with you—is magical in its nature; you have no illness in your body. There was something dark and evil that coursed in your blood; I have burned away all that can be. What remains may well be part of you forever.”

  “I see. Or, rather, I don’t.” I sat up in the bed, carefully. “I recall I was bleeding again…”

  “I tried to heal you. That darkness that hid within your flesh—perhaps a venom from that demon-eater—reacted to the touch of Fire. Most of it has burned away with the touch of the Goddess. In your deathly state, it would have been most painful. Since you were mortal when the Fire touched you… it nearly killed you,” she finished, whispering.

  “Ah.” I don’t like coming within a hairsbreadth of dying. Coming that close and only finding out about it later makes it worse. I should have kept my yap shut and not asked. Curiosity can be a curse. “So, what part of it is left?”

  “I cannot say. It has… the darkness in your blood seems blacker than before, but no deeper.”

  “I’m not following.”

  She bit her lip and rose to pace a little.

  “The darkness in your blood can be seen by a priestess if she looks deep enough. I have seen it. I know it well. Darkness calls to darkness, and the poison of that demon—if that is what it is—has made that darkness deeper, but has not spread it any. It has grown more powerful with the addition of more dark force, but has not spread farther. Does that make any sense?”

  “Sort of. The river has gone from dark water to black paint, but it isn’t any wider, deeper, or faster?”

  “That is a good way to view it. Yes.”

  “Can I get up?”

  “I cannot keep you in bed,” she replied. Then she smiled impishly. “At least, not without exerting you unduly. Do try to be restful. I know not what sort of exertions may prove to be your undoing.”

  “Take it easy. Got it.” I got up and went to the washstand; I miss taking a hot shower. Tamara came over, kissed the back of my neck, and then slipped outside. The glimpse I caught through the doorway showed snow. Definitely a shack, not an inn. Ah, well.

  Once I cleaned myself up I hunted around for clothes. They’d brought in all
my stuff, including Firebrand.

  I thought it would be a good thing to stick near you, boss; besides, I don’t mind it when Tamara picks me up; she understands fire.

  “Good thinking.”

  I noticed my good outfit had already been replaced. I decided on something plainer for the day; no telling when I’d get flaming bits of demon exploded all over me again. Then I waited for Tamara.

  She came back with a large tray and Raeth; he had one arm in a sling. After she set the tray down on the foot of the bed she seated herself in the only chair. Raeth appropriated a stool. I sat on the bed and ate.

  Between mouthfuls—scrambled eggs, toasted black bread, some sort of fish, cracker-like things, some winter vegetables, and a cereal-based broth—I apologized to Raeth about the arm.

  “Think nothing of it,” he said, waving the other dismissively. “It is an occupational hazard when one swears fealty to such as you. Your lady is most helpful in setting and mending bones. She tells me I will be wielding a sword again within a day or two.”

  I blinked. “What’s the holdup? Shouldn’t you be well by now?”

  “Ah, but her attentions have been summat reserved for a most special patient. I agree with her in that regard. Besides, bone takes much more time and effort than a bit of torn flesh.”

  Which reminded me he was one of those who helped to tie me up while I was thrashing around. I found my appetite was gone. Then what he’d said played back in my brain: when one swears fealty to such as you.

  “Raeth…” I began. I stopped because I wasn’t at all sure what to follow it with. I still don’t think there’s a good way to ask people if they know I’m an undead creature of the night.

  He just nodded.

  I stared at him for a minute. “You know?” It’s not fancy, but I guess that works.

  “I know,” he agreed.

  “Who else?”

  “Bouger. Hellas. And her ladyship,” he added, nodding to Tamara.

  I sighed. A hell of a secret. Like being a little bit pregnant. What was that saying? Three can keep a secret if two are dead? I wondered who else might know or suspect. If this kept up, the whole world would know.

  “How do you feel about this, Raeth?”