Hive Knight: A Dark Fantasy LitRPG (Trinity of the Hive Book 1)

by Grayson Sinclair

  “I’m glad,” I said, and we stood there for a few more minutes in comfortable silence, though even with her next to me, the cold and damp was working its way into my lungs, and I was ready to leave. “All right, I think that's enough waiting. Let’s head up.”

  Eris nodded. “Yes, let’s. I can’t stand this place.”

  We exited the basement and headed up to the bedrooms on the third floor. Eris trailed behind me, staring at the decorations on the walls as we wound through the halls. We didn’t run into anyone else out at this time of night, so it made the trip up the floors quick.

  I walked past my room as we exited the stairs and to the very end of the hallway. We had a few unused rooms that were designated guest rooms, even though we never actually had guests over.

  The door was unlocked, so I opened it and motioned her inside. “There's a small bath in the far corner of the room with hot water, and there should be plenty of clean clothes in the dresser. The restroom is down the hall, and if anyone challenges you, give them the phrase: ‘to the king who walks in shadow,’ and no one will bother you.”

  “Okay…”

  “I’m in the first door before you reach the stairs. Just come get me if you need anything,” I said and turned, leaving.

  Before I got out of the room, I turned back and wished her a good night.

  “Night,” she said and shut the door.

  Back in my room, the oil in the lantern had nearly burned out, so I doused it, refilled it, and lit it again. Before I went to bed, I washed my face and brushed my teeth, barely managing to stumble out of my shirt before I crashed onto the bed and passed out.

  It seemed I was going to continue to be denied a decent night’s sleep as I was awoken by intense heat. It was sweltering in the room, and I was sweating bullets. The light from the lantern was out, but it was out of my reach, forcing me to get up and light it. I went to throw the comforter off me, but it was at the edge of the bed. Why is it so hot?

  I found my answer when I moved to sit up. Scorching arms were wrapped around my neck. I tilted my head to find Eris asleep next to me, nearly nuzzling into my throat. Her hair fell across her face and smelled faintly of peppermint and lavender. She’d also discarded her ragged clothes in favor of a cream-colored cotton shirt. It fell past her hips, which was good, as she wasn’t wearing pants.

  The hell is she in here for? I sat up as gingerly as I could, just managing to pry her loose. She sighed and hugged my pillow close to her as she tossed in her sleep. It was too hot in the room even though the window was open, the wind whistling softly outside. I got out of bed and poured a glass of whiskey, walking out to the balcony. The sun had yet to rise, and the moon hung fat in the sky.

  I opened my interface to glance at the time. Just past four in the morning. I took a sip of my drink and stared at the moon. What a day, I thought and wished my neat whiskey was on the rocks.

  Tomorrow is going to be just as long, though. I still had so much to do when the sun rose. The guild needed to know what my would-be assassin had told me, and we had to discuss a plan. Someone is after us, and we need to understand why.

  A quick trip to the Compass Kingdom should give us all the information we need. With how expansive our network of informants is, one of them should know something. Evelyn and Wilson paid them well enough. Might have to rely on Evelyn this time. I doubt Wilson has forgiven me quite yet.

  I was interrupted from my thoughts by a swish of cloth. Turning, I found Eris behind me, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She looked at me with one eye closed and the other half open. I took another sip while she roused herself enough to speak, though it came out thick and heavy with sleep.

  “Morning,” she said.

  I grunted back a non-reply. Finishing my drink in one large gulp and savoring the fire that drenched my throat, I went back and poured another glass before returning to the balcony. “Mind telling me what you’re doing in my room?”

  She mumbled something, but it was drowned out by the wind. “What was that?” I asked.

  “Um,” she said and fumbled with her hands, picking at her nails. “I…didn’t want to be alone. The room was far too empty and dark, even with the oil lamp. It reminded me of being back in the void.”

  Oh. I didn’t think about that. I wouldn’t want to be alone in her shoes either.

  “All right, that's fine, I guess. You can stay here tonight.”

  “Thank you.” Eris smiled and walked back inside. When I didn’t follow her immediately, she poked her head out to stare at me.

  “All right, all right. I’m coming,” I grumbled and downed my nearly full drink, heading inside out of the wind.

  She’d already crawled into bed. I placed my glass back next to the decanter and settled on the bed, laying on my side, facing the wall. Eris scooted close to me, her body heat seeping into my back. I hope I get used to the heat, or I’m going to be miserable.

  Eris placed a hand on my arm and curled up on the pillow next to me. I wasn’t entirely comfortable with how close she was, but it wasn’t worth mentioning.

  I tried to fall back asleep, but I was all too aware of how close she was to me. It’d been years since I’d slept in the same bed with a woman. The occasional drunken one-night stand with Evelyn didn’t count. She never lingered, always going back to her own room when we finished.

  Eris was…different.

  I shifted, rolling onto my back, careful not to brush against her. I mean, she's beautiful, but that's beside the point. She’s essentially a slave, and that isn’t okay. However, she seemed fine with invading my personal space, because as soon as I turned over, she came even closer, propping her head onto my chest. Her cheek burning against my heart. I shut my eyes and willed myself asleep to no avail. I groaned softly and stared at the top of the bed.

  “Can’t sleep?”

  Eris was awake, staring at me. Her compounded eyes reflecting my face a hundred times. “Just a bit.”

  She crawled toward me, draping half of her body over me and laying her chin on her hands. “Because of me?”

  “Sorry, I’m not used to sleeping with someone else in bed with me.”

  “It’s a new experience for me as well, but after so many years alone, it's wonderful. Thank you for suffering for my sake.”

  I cracked a smile. “I wouldn't call it suffering exactly.”

  She leaned up and kissed me, nothing more than a quick peck, but her warm lips lingered on mine for just a second. “Still, thank you.”

  Her lips were soft, and like a jolt of electricity and a sleeping draught rolled into one. “Yeah, anything for you.” Why did I just say that? And why do I really want her to kiss me again?

  Eris looked up at me. “Anything?”

  “I don’t like the look in your eye. What do you want?”

  “Nothing much, well, nothing much to you, but it would mean a lot to me—” she started to ramble.

  “Look, just tell me what it is, and if it’s within reason, I’ll agree,” I said.

  “Well, I know you’re not happy with being my master, and I’m not happy with it either, I mean, you’re not going to take advantage of me, but I still don’t like it—”

  “Which is why I’m going to find a way to break the curse on you and free us both from this.”

  Eris smiled. “That's what I expected you to say, but it’s an impossibility. As far as I’m aware, nothing can dispel the curse…except maybe one of the divine, but I’m not sure.”

  “And asking anything of the gods is a terrible idea,” I replied.

  “I agree. The Morrigan would be the god to ask, but she won't help. My goddess enjoys the chaos of mortals.”

  “So that leaves us screwed.”

  Eris eyed me, shifting on her hands, the heat from her body soaking into my bare chest. “Not exactly. There is one way, not a cure for the curse, and it wouldn’t get rid of the master-servant bond, but it would lessen it.”

  Still dancing around the topic, I don’t like this. Wher
e is she going? I motioned for her to continue, waiting to hear her plan.

  “Well…we could…bond together.”

  “Bond?”

  “It’s what entomancers call our pairings. We bind ourselves together through magic.”

  “Are you asking me to marry you?”

  Eris cocked her head, this time at an angle no human head could manage. “I don’t know what that means.”

  “It’s when two humans who love each other, vow to spend the rest of their lives together.”

  Her eyes glinted even in the darkness. “That's more or less what bonding is, though my people rarely did it for love. So, yes. I guess I am asking you to marry me.”

  I shook my head. No, I can’t. I couldn’t then, and I can’t now. Even if it would help her, I couldn’t agree to her request. Anything else, and I’d have been okay with, but not that.

  I’d be a poor partner. I can’t protect anyone. Not Micah or Sophia; they deserved better, and so does Eris.

  “No, I can’t. I’m sorry,” I said, or well, it’s what I attempted to say. What actually came out of my mouth was. “Yes, if that's what you want.”

  What the hell? What just happened? Another headache pulsed in my head, bringing a wave of nausea over me. My stomach was in knots, and my mouth tasted metallic, like copper. What’s going on with me?

  Those weren’t my words. Something had twisted them. My first thought was to blame Eris, but one look assured me that it wasn’t her. She was very conflicted, her eyes held happiness that I’d said yes, but I don’t think she was happy about being bonded. I tried to take back my words, but I couldn’t.

  “Is that not what you wanted to hear?” I asked, instead.

  “Yes, and no. This would help the both of us, I think, but I’ve seemed to fall into the same pit as the rest of my race. Bonding myself away for power, rather than love. I’m no different.”

  I sat up, pushing my back to the headboard. The wood was cool and soothing after being so close to Eris. I wasn’t happy being forced to bond with her, but the more I tried to fight, the worse my headache became.

  Something or someone was forcing me down this path. Pushing me into a role and making it clear that pain waited for me if I kept refusing.

  I want to fight, to rail and scream with all my might, but what good would it do? And at the end of it, I don’t think I have a choice here. The thought turned my stomach, but looking at her…Maybe I don’t mind so much? If it's her?

  “Well, if it helps you, then what does it matter?”

  She smiled sadly. “You’re right, but still…I thought I’d be different.”

  “So how does this work? Is there a ceremony or what?”

  Eris nodded. “Well, typically, there is. It usually needs to be held by the monarch of the Hive, but that’s me, so I think it can work.”

  “Then, let’s get started.”

  Her hands pushed on my chest as she sat up. I brought my legs in to allow her room to sit. Eris sat on her knees and seemed lost in thought, humming to herself. I waited patiently for her to sort through her thoughts.

  She sat still for a few minutes, eyes closed until she finished. Eris rolled her shoulders and neck side to side and back and forth.

  “Where’d you go?” I asked.

  “Sorry, I was sorting through the Hive Mind. Trying to recall the ceremony for bonding.”

  “Hive Mind?”

  “It's hard to explain, as I doubt you have a frame of reference for it. It's like an archive of sorts, filled with memories, spells, and history, all scattered around and in complete chaos. It takes time to navigate, and I barely have the strength to manage it.”

  “Did you find what you needed?”

  “I did, and it was buried deep, as if it didn’t want to be found. But I know what I have to do.”

  “What do you need from me?”

  “Your blood.”

  “Come again?”

  I backed away without thinking about it, while Eris just giggled.

  “It's not as bad as it seems.” She held out a hand. “Don’t be a child about it and come here.”

  Though I was hesitant, I let her take my hand and pull me toward her. She pulled me close to her and crawled into my lap.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Trust me.”

  “Why should I do that?”

  “Because I will never abuse it. I promise.”

  I didn’t want to trust her. Everything I’d gone through in this life and before told me that putting my trust in anyone would only lead to disappointment. But staring into her eyes as they pleaded with me, I could only nod.

  Eris placed her hands on my shoulders and opened her mouth wide. Far too wide. Her tongue flicked out to lick her lips, and it was long, nearly double the length of a humans. She bent over my neck and ran her tongue over my neck.

  Her hot breath was sweet to my nose, and her tongue was strong. The muscle sent pressure through my flesh as she licked to and fro. Her saliva sunk into my skin and sent a tingly, numbing sensation through me. It wasn’t entirely unpleasant; however, my tone changed as she drew back for a second.

  Eris’s canines had elongated. All eight of them looked wicked sharp and menacing.

  I gulped, and she winked at me.

  “Again, trust me.”

  My words fled me, and my heart sped up as Eris bent low and sank her teeth into my neck.

  Chapter 11 - Until Eternity

  I expected to be wracked with pain, but there was nothing but slight pressure as she bit through my skin to lap at my blood and shredded flesh. She slurped loudly as she ate even deeper into me, allowing more blood to flow, but not a single drop spilled from her mouth.

  After a few seconds of tensing up, I relaxed as the roughness and heat of her tongue danced over my neck. Eris straddled atop me, pushing me to the bed. Only a comfortable pillow saved me from banging my head on the wooden headboard.

  Some minutes later, the blood loss caught up to me, and my vision swam with spots. Just as I was about to speak up, she finished with one last flick of her tongue and sat up. She wore the look of a glutton, lazy contentment glazed her eyes.

  A slight drop of blood welled at the corner of her mouth. It should have been disgusting, but while macabre, I found it kind of cute. Like cherry syrup.

  “You have some there,” I said, pointing at her mouth. With a grin, she ran her tongue over her lips, licking up the final drop.

  “That was fantastic.”

  Even if it had been painless, my neck must be a mess right now. I'll need a health potion and quick before I scar. I ran my fingers over what surely must be my ruined throat, but it was whole and perfect, nothing out of place. Did her saliva heal me?

  I smiled down at her. “Glad you enjoyed your meal, little vampire.”

  She scowled at me. “I am not one of the nocturnals. Do not call me such.”

  “Sorry,” I apologized but wore a smirk. “Not a fan of vampires?”

  “They’re nothing but savages masquerading as high society, and their blood magic is revolting.”

  “But you both feed on blood?”

  Eris poked my chest. “We are not even close to the same. While I gain a few nutrients from blood, it’s not my primary food source. And at least when I feed, I don’t kill anyone.”

  I ran my fingers through my beard, a few wiry hairs poked at me. “So, you can’t use blood magic, and you don’t subsist off the blood. What's the point, then?”

  “When an entomancer consumes blood, we get a glimpse of the life of whoever’s blood we drink. We enter a dreamscape called the Mnemosyne. It’s a powerful and very intimate thing for my kind and acts as a sign of trust. As such, it's used in many of our ceremonies and rituals.”

  I froze, barely hearing the rest of her sentence. “What did you see from my blood?”

  Her face held sadness and pity; I knew I wasn’t going to like her answer. “I saw a strange place, strange buildings and machines, all broken and empty. I
saw you and your brother…”

  She left her words hanging as if she were afraid to continue. I didn’t want to hear anymore, knowing precisely what memory she saw. It was already playing through my mind.

  The ghoul was occupied devouring what remained of our mother, leaving the two of us alone. Quick as I could, I raced over to Micah and yanked him by the arm. He was sobbing and half frantic with fear, but I pulled him along as fast as our feet could carry us. The gravel road crunched with every step, announcing our presence to anything nearby. I ignored it and ran, trying to outrun the monsters.

  Half a mile later, we reached the main road; broken glass littered the streets from dozens of wrecked and looted vehicles, while busted out streetlights loomed overhead. We ran to the nearest car and huddled behind it, leaning against the shredded remains of the tire to catch our breath. I pulled Micah into me, trying to get him to stop crying, but he was scared out of his mind and wouldn’t stop shaking, so I held him close and let him cry while my heart rate settled.

  A high-pitched screech came from ahead of us, sending my pulse back into a frenzy. One of them was close. I laid down flat, the rough concrete scraping into my palms as I looked towards the front of the car. The ghoul was a dozen yards in front of me, low to the ground.

  Its pale, angular face was upturned, sniffing the air. It was only then that I noticed a wetness dripping down my arm. A thin line of blood snaked from my bicep down to my hand, a tear in my shirt told me I’d snagged my arm on something.

  My heart froze in my chest. The ghoul could smell the fresh blood. It knew we were here and was taking its time hunting us. Micah was unaware of this, still crying into his hands, but I knew it was only a matter of time, and I had to make a move. Sitting here would get us both killed.

  I was the one injured, and it would follow my scent. I had to get away from Micah, or he would die along with me.

  “Micah, listen to me,” I said, shaking him to get his attention. “There's a ghoul up ahead.”

  He looked up at me with tears streaming down his face. “Sammy, I’m scared.”