Captured Collection: Books 1, 2 & 3 (Monster erotica bundle)

by Jayme Knight

  She stepped quietly out of the royal hut and could see the sun was beginning to wane. It would be dark soon, and she must have been asleep longer than she thought. She quickly made her way to the baths, this time of day it would be highly unusual to find anyone there. She knew this was also the best time of day to sneak past the guard in the spire lookout as the lizard people had poor vision in the low light levels of dusk and dawn. Her scent was a different matter, they might smell her leaving she did not know what to do about that yet. Moira came up to the bath area at the bottom of the spire and a thought came to her of how her father and brothers would rub their clothing with pine boughs, mosses, and other plants from the forest where they were hunting in. He told her it was important or else the creatures of the forest would smell you coming a mile away. She walked around the base of the spire and found herself at the edge of the swamp. She plunged her hands into the thick moss at the edge of the bog and pulled up handfuls of muddy moss and began squeezing liquid out if it letting it drip all over her head, shoulders, breasts, stomach, arms and legs. She rubbed it in and curled her nose as it had a strong earthy smell of decaying plants that was displeasing to her. Moira jumped as a voice came from behind startling her, her heart almost jumped out of her chest, and white hot pain coursed through her making her want to run.

  “I would not be able to smell you, if that is what your goal is,” Kalchia’s said with a hint of sadness. “You look like you are getting ready to leave, and based on the steps you are taking to cover your scent, I would say you do not want to be found.”

  “I am leaving,” Moira said not turning to look at her. She could not let Kalchia know what she was doing, if she did she would fail. Dammit why did she have to wake up so quickly, and why did she have to find me.

  “I told you when you first came here that we would not stop you,” Kalchia said in a low voice.

  “I know,” Moira said with shame. She cared deeply for Kalchia and did not want to hurt her. “I am going to go now. Please don’t ask me where, or why. Just know that I will come back when I can.”

  “Let me at least give you some things to help you,” Kalchia pleaded just wanting Moira to be safe, she knew the dangers of the swamp.

  “No,” Moira said as she began walking away. “I will return when I can. If you care for me please don’t follow me, or send anyone for me.”

  “I…I will do as you ask,” Kalchia said with hurt apparent in her voice.

  Moira did not look back she started walking away into the swamp toward the path that she seen from the top of the rock spire in her vision. The ground became spongier as she walked further from the settlement, the smell of decaying plants and other swamp gasses began to fill her senses. The sun was going down and fear began to fill her mind as she walked on into the swamp. She almost turned back several times but stayed the course down the path into the bowels of the swamp. It was soon too dark to move safely, and she was tripping over exposed roots and any manner of obstacles in her path. She was not the sharpest axe in the wood shed but she knew she had to get up off of the ground, far more predators lurked on the ground than in the trees. She climbed high up into a tree, and winced as she skinned her delicate flesh in several spots for her efforts. She almost forgot she was naked, and it had been weeks since she had last worn clothing of any sort. She did not have scaled skin to protect her, so in the morning she would have to figure something out to protect her on her journey. After eating a small meal from her satchel she secured it on a branch several feet away from where she was going to lay for the evening. If any tree dwelling predators came hopefully they would go after it before her, hopefully. Then she picked a nice set of sturdy branches that had grown larger and become intertwined and moss covered to lay on for the night. The area she picked was not large by any means so this was one of those rare times that she was glad to be little and petite. She looked to the ground far below her and it was a long way down. She feared falling in her sleep, and from this height it could be deadly, so she used the rope she took to loop around the tree and then around herself. She double checked the knots she tied to make sure they were secure. Moira laid her head down on the branches nearest the trunk of the tree and could see her warm breath in the dim moonlight, it was cold maybe close to freezing but she had her ring to keep her warm. She thought of Kalchia and her King as she watched her breath billow forth and dissipate into the night air and knew she was doing the right thing. The images of her breath billowing out into the night sky were the last thing she remembered before she dropped off into a heavy slumber.

  ***

  That night she had another vision. She opened her eyes and found she was not alone on the tree branches, she could see a tall stately woman standing only a few feet from her. She blinked and tried to sharpen her vision in the night air and could see the unmistakable features of the earth mother. Moira stood up and watched as the goddess raised her hand pointed out into the swamp. She followed the woman’s hand to where she was pointing and again it led to a path that wound and snaked through the swamp.

  “You will go through there,” the earth mother said in a wispy almost hollow voice that sounded like wind through tree branches in a storm.

  “Kalchia did not deserve how I treated her goddess,” Moira said with sorrow in her heart. “She may not accept me back.”

  “Do not worry child,” the earth mother said as a kindness overtook her features. “Like I provided for you in the past, so too shall I provide for you in the future.”

  “I will follow your commands,” Moira said knowing she had to trust that she was doing the right thing, after all this was a goddess.

  “Your first trial is passed,” the goddess said in a joyful tone.

  “Trial?” Moira asked with a bit of confusion in her voice. “I beg your forgiveness goddess but I performed no trial.”

  “It was a trial of sacrifice,” the goddess said in a low voice. “Were you serious enough to give up all that you knew to follow my path? I know now that you are.”

  “Will I be able to go back?” Moira asked solemnly.

  “It is not for me to say child,” the earth mother replied and turned her sparkling eyes to meet Moira’s. “Look forward, not back for now child, and you will be rewarded.”

  Moira’s vision blurred and the world seemed to fade to black all around her.

  ***

  Moira woke up to the dim light of the sun trying to poke its way through the early morning mist that blanketed the swamp. A thin layer of moisture covered her and beads of water dripped in dozens of places as she stirred and sat up. She did not seem to be disturbed during the night, and she undid the rope the secured her in the tree and stood, stretching tall as she could to get some of the night kinks out. She was not sure how far she had traveled last night but Kalchia’s words echoed in her head. ‘If you have any ideas about running away know that we will not stop you, but the creatures of the swamps would kill you before you got more than half a mile from here.’ It made Moira shiver at the thought of some creature eating her, and dying alone in a dark dismal swamp. She shook her head and dismissed the thoughts as she retrieved her satchel off of the branch she secured it to and sparingly ate just enough food to sate her hunger.

  She climbed down the tree and again skinned up her legs even worse than they already were. She looked around for a few minutes and found a cottony moss that grows on rocks and trees, Kalchia had shown her that it is useful in preventing infection. She took two wads of it and stuffed it in her mouth chewing it until it started to release a bitter taste, then she spat it into her hand and used the moss to dab her wounds causing them to sting. She gritted her teeth and waited for the stinging to stop and repeated it until the moss did not sting her wounds any further. She gathered more moss and packed it into her satchel so she could repeat the process before she went to sleep for the night.

  Moira set off down the path that she was told to follow by the earth mother, and all along the way she was keeping her eyes open for any
thing that could be used for some sort of protection. About half way through the day her feet started aching so she sat on a pile of boulders with her back to one so nothing could sneak up on her too readily. She examined her feet, and even though she was used to walking on cobbled paths and the paths in town, the swamp was much different. The soft spongy ground was abrasive on her feet and causing them to be irritated, the constant wetness was making the skin soft and prone to injury from even small sticks or twigs. She had a sudden idea that maybe she could use a swath of tree bark and some rope to implement something like a sandal. She took the long dagger from her satchel and was about to start to cut into the bark of a tree when a smallish female voice came from behind her startling her slightly.

  “What did that tree ever do to you?” the girl asked.

  Moira turned abruptly brandishing the dagger the way her father taught her. She was expecting something menacing and possibly evil to be there but instead she found a Halfling female standing about ten paces away on a downed tree trunk, staring at her with a sling and stone readied. The Halfling was slight of build standing only a little over half as tall as Moira but wiry looking and bundled in heavy clothing that was fitting for the cold weather. She had her hood pulled back allowing her face to be seen, she had pretty girlish features making it difficult to place her age, long black hair pulled back into a braided top knot, and stunning big blue eyes. She could see that the Halfling was afraid of her, so she lowered the dagger and waved.

  “Hello,” Moira said calming herself and hoping the Halfling was friendly. “I’m Moira”

  “I’m Kinnia,” she replied and stepped up to the edge of the log she was standing on, not quite sure what to make of what she was looking at. The girl was also talking to her in Halfling speak, which was difficult for most to master.

  Moira seen that lowering her weapon did not seem to put the girl at ease. “I’m quite harmless, I was just going to make some sandals from this trees bark, as my feet were starting to hurt. You don’t have to be wary of me.”

  “Are you sure?” Kinnia asked narrowing her eyes slightly as if in thought. “I don’t quite know what to make of a naked human, brandishing weapons while running around a swamp in close to freezing weather. Usually, it’s a pretty clear sign of madness.”

  Moira looked down at her pregnant, naked body and flushed as she realized the Halfling was right, she must look stark raving mad. She took a deep breath as she said. “You forgot pregnant.”

  Kinnia paused a moment and then threw her head back and laughed out loud at the statement. She had never heard anything like that from anyone let alone a human. The human girl was clever and this amused her greatly.

  Moira smiled seeing she had broken the ice with the Halfling, she looked on as Kinnia eventually composed herself enough to talk.

  “I could give you some boots Moira,” Kinnia said as the last bout of laughter settled in her. She wondered what marvelous enchantment the girl had placed on her to allow her to survive the freezing weather with no ill consequences. Her eyes scanned the girl and picked out the only two things she wore, an interesting looking necklace, and a ring that looked like it could be of worth. Either item could be enchanted. “I have some that I acquired from…well we don’t have to go into all of that. Let’s just say I have some spare boots you could have. I also have an extra cloak that would help to keep you warm. Though you don’t seem to be bothered in the slightest by the cold.”

  “The boots would suffice,” Moira said with a smile, she felt odd thinking of putting clothing on now. “Where I came from there is no need for clothing, but my poor feet will thank you for the boots.”

  “Where did you come from?” Kinnia asked knowing the answer but not letting on.

  “I came from the lizard people’s village,” Moira said not feeling like the truth could harm anything.

  “What were you doing there?” Kinnia said also knowing the answer, as she had been spying on the village for weeks. Candice’s father had hired her to assess the village and determine if his daughter could be saved. Her father was a man of money, power and influence that wanted his daughter back.

  Moira did not know how much truth she should share with her new diminutive friend. She thought it over for a second and decided the girl had done her a kindness so she should not repay it with lies. “I am one of their Queen’s.”

  Kinnia could not keep the surprise from her features. She had seen the girls roaming about the village not bound or held in any way, and had seen lizard women bringing them things and tending to their needs, but would never have guessed anything close to what was just told to her. “Surely, you jest?”

  “I am afraid not, friend Halfling” Moira assured her. “To make a long story short. I violated the treaty between the lizard people and man when I ventured past the barrier wall in the forest. I was captured by the lizard people, trained to be the concubine to their King, and then he made me his Queen.”

  “How did you get away?” Kinnia asked.

  “They told me I could leave at any time,” Moira said truthfully as she made her way within arm’s reach of the Halfling. “They warned though that the dangerous creatures in the swamp would surely kill me before I was too far from their village.”

  “You poor thing,” Kinnia said truly feeling for the girl.

  “In truth it was not bad, not at all” Moira said thinking of her time and experiences in the village. “I was treated well and have no regrets of being there. I had so many splendid times.”

  “Why did you leave then?” Kinnia said a bit surprised by Moira’s words.

  “My path lies elsewhere,” Moira said with a smile. “I am on a journey, but do not ask where or why because I cannot answer.”

  Kinnia just nodded her head in response. She would have to get close to Candice and see if she even wanted to leave. If she was like this one she may not even want or need help. Kinnia searched through her travel pack and pulled out a pair of boots, a couple of cloths, and cloak, and handed them to Moira as she said. “It has been excellent meeting you Moira. However, I too have a path I must follow, and should take my leave of you. Take the cloak just in case.”

  “I am so rude, I have prattled on all about myself,” Moira said as she flushed and feared she had come off as self-absorbed.

  “I was the one asking all of the questions Moira,” Kinnia said as she pulled her hood over her head casting her face into shadow. “Our paths will cross again, that I am sure of.”

  Moira did not know what to think of her last comment, but she took it as a good thing. She watched the Halfling as she walked away down the path Moira had just come from, in fact she watched until the Halfling could not be seen any more. She was alone again. She took some time to dry her feet and wrap them in the cloths and then slipped on her new boots, she thought hard and then decided wearing the cloak was probably best. She wrapped the heavy cloth around her, clasped the brass pendant that held it in place at the neck line and pulled the hood up. At least now she would not look like a crazy person walking naked through the swamp. She looked around at the swamp and gentle snowflakes cascaded down around her and melted as they hit the ground. So far it had not gotten cold enough to freeze the ground of the swamp or ice over the deeper water, but winter was young and the colder months were yet to come.

  Moira stood and felt the fit of the boots, they were not a good fit, a bit too big, but the cloth that she wrapped her feet in helped and they would do the job she needed them to do. She was off again walking down the path she had seen in her vision the night before. She walked all day only stopping for food, and then late into the night using the lamp she had taken to guide her. She felt fear creeping up in her mind as she began to see night shines from the light of her lamp reflecting off of creatures eyes far off in the darkness. She stopped dead in her tracks as a growl came from somewhere nearby. Moira knew this was going to happen, she had been warned by Kalchia there were creatures that roamed the swamp. She pulled the long dagger from her sat
chel and let the satchel drop to the ground as she shone the lamp light in the direction where she thought she heard the growl coming from. She gripped the pommel of the dagger tightly as the light of the lamp reflected off of a set of eyes very close to her. The creature just seemed to be watching her, growling low and deep as she watched it. She felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up, and it sent a chill down her spine as the creature watched her.

  Moira did not know why it was not attacking, it was just staring at her. As her eyes adjusted she began to be able to pick out the outline of the creature’s form in the moonlight, it was reminiscent of the mountain lions that roamed the forests and mountains near her parents’ home. She began to carefully step to the side wanting to put some distance between her and it. The satchel that Moira carelessly dropped to the ground tangled between her feet and she lost her balance sending her head long to the ground. Moira dropped the lamp and reached with her left hand just in time to stop herself from hitting the ground hard, her right hand gripped the dagger tight but flailed in the air trying to balance her in some way. Something large and dark strafed past from behind her missing by only inches, if she had not fell it would have hit her squarely. Her right arm was wrenched forward and the dagger felt like it was going to be pulled from her hand, but she found the strength to keep her grip on it. She pulled it back hard feeling it tear loose and a splash of hot fluid rained down on her as she struggled for balance. A wild roar of pain filled her ears as the creature landed only feet from her.