Ravenous

by Sherri L. King

  “Let’s go, Cady,” Obsidian called. She rushed to his side, just as the roof caved in around him. She screamed and clenched her eyes shut.

  And opened them outside in the yard.

  “I am so glad you can Travel,” Cady said fervently.

  “Me too,” he agreed, watching the flames licking at the house. It gave a loud groan as more of the ceiling collapsed. “I wonder what caused this.”

  Now that the adrenaline had started to leave her, Cady’s Daemon hunting senses awakened.

  “Look out!” she cried in warning. Dropping the pillowcase she whirled to face the Daemons that emerged from behind the house. They charged at Cady and Obsidian like crazed bulls.

  One monster hit her like a freight train, tackling her to the ground. Obsidian moved to pull the foul beast off of her, but was waylaid by the second Daemon. Not one to waste time waiting to be saved, Cady quickly struck out, sinking her fist into the squishy chest cavity. As strong as she was now, it was a simple matter to grasp the creature’s heart and tear it clean from the ribcage. Striking out with her feet, she launched the creature off of her and into the air.

  In the meantime, Obsidian had engaged one of the Daemons, using his foils to impale the beast repeatedly. One clean swipe of his foiled arm took the creature’s head from its body. Slicing downward he cut the creature’s body in two, at the last reaching out and taking the still beating heart before the halves fell to the ground.

  Still holding the heart of her fallen foe, Cady’s hands were shaking from the adrenaline surge that had washed through her during the fight. With effort she regained control, and realized the heart was still beating. She needed to burn it before the other Daemons found them. She could sense them, and they were very close. It wouldn’t do to have the monster she’d just felled rise back up to join the fray.

  “Carajo, why is it so hard to kill you guys?” she muttered darkly, searching the tiny pockets of her suit. “Obsidian, I can’t find any matches.”

  No sooner did the words leave her mouth than three more Daemons came out of the darkness. They snarled and howled in their guttural language, fanning out to try and surround Cady and Obsidian. Their eyes were bulging and gummy, yellow like a Shikar’s but very bloodshot. Skin as black and slimy as an oil slick graced their hulking, brutish forms. Their hands were larger than a basketball and sported wicked, ten-inch claws.

  Cady knew from experience that their claws were razor sharp.

  One of the beasts closest to Cady drew nearer and roared in her face. Growing angry she roared right back, startling the creature. The Daemon crouched, balancing lightly on the balls of its clawed feet. The creature seemed to grin, displaying its long, dripping fangs.

  “Man that’s nasty. Invest in a toothbrush for crying out loud,” Cady quipped and drew her Glock 28 handgun. She fired it straight into the Daemon’s face. Cartilage and bone sprayed in a mist as the creature fell back with the force of the shot.

  Obsidian sprang at the other two Daemons, as Cady fell upon the other. The monster’s claws came up to rake themselves down her back, but fortunately the bodysuit prevented major injury. She would be bruised but her flesh wouldn’t even bear a scratch.

  Still holding a Daemon heart in one hand and her gun in the other, she beat the monster’s face with the butt of her gun. “You like that don’t ya, bitch?” she raged down at him. Knowing the Daemons’ groins were as susceptible to pain as any other male, she drove her knee into the unprotected area. The monster screamed and tried to buck her off.

  With a growl of frustration, she freed one hand by tossing the heart to the ground beside them. It was a simple matter for her to sink her fist into its chest and remove that heart as well. It took effort, but she pulled away from the grasping hold the Daemon still had on her and went to help Obsidian.

  Not that he needed it. She could only watch on in fascination as Obsidian whirled and danced between the two creatures attacking him. His foils winked from his arms and legs as he twirled and leapt, slicing his opponents to ribbons. A moment more and Obsidian came to a graceful stop. The Daemons’ bodies fell to gooey pieces around him.

  “That was totally gross,” she said, though she couldn’t prevent a stab of green-eyed jealousy over his seemingly effortless skill.

  “Perhaps, though still effective. Are there any more nearby?” His foils retracted back beneath his skin.

  “No. I think they were just an ambush. How did they find where I live? They’ve never been smart enough to hunt me down before.”

  “I don’t know. But we must inform Tryton. You are no longer safe in the mortal world. The Horde knows you for what you are now. Even if you could pass through the daylight, you can’t go back to your former life. It’s too dangerous.”

  “I know you’re right. Mierda! I hate this. They’re getting more organized in their attacks. Smarter. I don’t like it, not one bit.”

  “Neither do I. Come on, let’s burn the hearts in the flames around the house.” Just then one of the creatures stirred. It launched itself at Obsidian, taking him to the ground. It was the first monster Cady had felled, and even wounded as it was, it managed to draw blood with a blow from its claws. Blood welled from deep furrows in Obsidian’s arm.

  Cady rushed to pull the creature off. She heard Obsidian’s arm break as the beast struck out at him again. Obsidian didn’t make a sound, but Cady knew it was bad. The sound of the crunching bone had been loud, even amidst her hollering and flailing at the beast.

  Crunching…munching…chewing. The sounds ran together in her head as she remembered the sounds her brother’s body had made when the beasts had gnawed on his bones. The noises echoed in her memory, like a horrible chant from hell.

  Her vision turned red. Her eyes burned in her skull like red-hot coals, and with her newfound anguish serving as fuel she found the strength to pull the Daemon away from Obsidian’s body. She fell back, with the Daemon in her arms and let the anger ride her like a tide of flame.

  Flame…fire…a roaring heat suffused her whole body. She couldn’t physically contain the wash of pure energy and instinctively pushed at it, muscles going taut. With a sweet gush of relief the power surged out of her, sending the monster flying from her grasp.

  A roaring wave of flame washed down the Daemon’s body, completely engulfing it. The creature screamed, thrashing about trying to beat out the fire. All of its desperate efforts were futile. In less than a minute the body was reduced to ash upon the ground.

  “Did you see that? Oh my God, did you see? I totally whaled on that guy’s ass! Woo hoo!” She made to give Obsidian a high five, but he only looked at her upraised hand with puzzlement.

  “You are an Incinerator. I had heard the rumors, but didn’t believe them.”

  “Believe it, buddy,” she laughed. “Though, I’m sorry to say, I can’t just do that on command. That’s only the second time I’ve ever been able to do that.”

  “That’s not an issue. You have the gift. Cinder can teach you. He teaches some of the younger members of his Caste. I’m just shocked to know you can do it. You’re not like any other human I’ve ever met.”

  “Former human,” she laughed. “And don’t you forget it. C’mon. Let’s get these other guys thrown into the fire. I’m hungry and we still have to find Squaker.”

  “Former humans are an odd race. How can you think of food at a time like this?” He bent and despite his injured arm easily lifted two of the bodies that still littered the ground.

  Cady moved to grab a piece of burning timber, using it to set fire to the bits of Obsidian’s Cuisinart victims. No way was she carrying that filth to the fire. “Well what do you expect? Most people, including me, would normally barf at the thought of eating right now. But I’m too hungry to let it get me down. The last meal I ate was at lunchtime yesterday.”

  “Why didn’t you say something earlier? You came out here without seeing to your needs first?”

  “Quit swinging your arms like that or you’re going
to hurt yourself worse,” she warned.

  “My arm will heal, faster than you after the spanking I’m going to give you. Are you completely without sense? What if your hunger had made you too weak to fight? You don’t take good enough care of yourself.” His voice rose over the last in his frustration.

  “Put a lid on it, Sid. Help me find my kitty and then get us outta here. I don’t want to have to look at my home burning any longer. I’m going to miss it. I had some really good times here,” she sniffed. Tears filled her eyes and she blinked them furiously away. “At least no one got hurt. Well, besides your arm, sorry. You can lecture me later. I’m learning it’s one of your favorite things to do, and who am I to begrudge you your happiness?” With a cheeky grin that warred with her swimming eyes she jaunted off, calling for her cat.

  “Woman, you will never bore me,” Obsidian chuckled before following her.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “So you’re saying that this cavern, this backdoor, isn’t really a cavern at all. It’s an underground lair as large as the entire town at least?” Cady was stunned.

  “Essentially yes. Somewhere in this lair, though we haven’t pinpointed it yet, is a gateway into the world of the Horde. When we find it, we can seal it off. That should reduce the number of Daemons making it to the surface, if not ending the threat entirely,” Tryton informed the group.

  The six of them—Cady, Obsidian, Cinder, Edge, Tryton and Grimm—stood gathered around the fireplace in the great stone drawing room. Cady tried not to notice how each man’s eyes lingered over her breasts and lower belly. It was too embarrassing to dwell on.

  She vowed to start work on designing a new suit first thing tomorrow. How hard could it be, really?

  “How will we find this gateway?” Obsidian asked.

  “I’ve assigned a dozen Travelers to map out the area. We should have some clue about its location in a week. Maybe less, it’s hard to guess.”

  “How did it get there? There aren’t many caves in this area, and what very few you can find are really small. Too small to even stand up in.”

  “We think it’s been dug out by the Daemons. Probably a storm came through and made the job go faster by uprooting the tree at its entrance,” Cinder said.

  “There was a tornado, a really big one, actually. The first night I saw one of the Daemons it tore through the town, leveling most of the houses in my neighborhood. That was just over fifteen years ago.” Cady shuddered.

  “We must find and destroy this gateway. There’s no telling how many Horde minions have already escaped through it. I won’t allow any more.” Tryton was every bit the noble leader as he spoke. For the first time Cady could truly see the fearsome Shikar warrior beneath his proud façade. If she hadn’t known him better, the unforgiving sight would have chilled her to the bone.

  Everyone bowed respectfully to Tryton’s command before withdrawing to their chambers. Dawn had broken on the surface. Their duties would wait until the next nightfall.

  “I had your belongings taken to my chambers. Squaker is awaiting you there as well, and I had one of the wives feed him when we brought him in. You have been given your own apartments, but I would prefer you move in with me,” Obsidian said, placing his hand lightly on her back.

  Cady snorted, thinking of the traitorous tomcat’s instant liking for Obsidian. The cat hadn’t even come to her call when she’d spotted him in the woods beyond her property. He’d sent her a sly look of calculation before launching himself straight into Obsidian’s arms. Cady’s only consolation at the desertion of her dear pet was the look of shock and discomfort on Sid’s face when the cat had settled in his arms and gone to sleep.

  Cady snorted. “You don’t sound like you’re asking me. You sound like you’ve just decided that’s how things are going to be.”

  “Do you have a problem with that? I thought you would prefer having easy access to my body all hours of the day and night. I would hate to think you were in need and suffering all alone in your bed,” he teased.

  “You are one egotistical Shikar, Sid. What makes you assume I would even think about you while all alone in my bed?” she quipped.

  “Oh I just know you would. You would think of my hands running over your body. Of my mouth tasting all your secret places. Of how my cock stretches your pussy tight when I thrust into you. How my body dominates yours.” He bent low, murmuring his words into her ear as they walked through the great stone halls.

  Damn, he excited her! Hoping he wouldn’t take note of it, she started to walk faster.

  “Your hand would reach down and stroke the wetness between your legs, imagining it was my hand. You would rub your hard little clit but you would find no real satisfaction. Your breasts and cunt would tingle with frustration, no matter how you tried to ease the ache. As much as you would hate to admit it you would crave the taste and feel of me.

  “Nothing can substitute the reality of how thoroughly I can claim you. You’re so stubborn you would deny yourself rather than come to me for relief. I’m only thinking of your welfare, my love.”

  They reached his rooms. The door clicked shut behind them and Cady launched herself into his arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist and held on for dear life, before planting her lips on his.

  “You make me so hot,” she groaned into his mouth.

  “I’ve been looking at your luscious ass in that outfit ever since you first put it on. I’ve been hard all night, wanting you.” His hands squeezed and kneaded her posterior. He lifted her and rubbed his erection against the juncture of her thighs. It was more than easy to feel him through the thin material of her suit.

  “Help me get this thing off.” It was all she could do to keep from screaming in her rising excitement.

  “I’m going to make you come so many times you can’t walk straight. You’re going to be so hot and wet that you will soak the sheets. And then I’m going to lick and suck you until you’re even wetter.”

  “Oh yes. Yes!” she squealed into his mouth.

  Somehow they managed to unzip her suit and peel it from her shoulders. Underneath she sported a black lace bra, and Obsidian licked her nipples through the flimsy barrier. “You have the sexiest body I’ve ever seen. So soft and curvy. I could feast on you for years and never grow used to the effect you have on me.”

  “Please hurry,” she begged shamelessly.

  “I’ll hurry this first time, baby, to ease you a little. Then I want to ride you slow and deep for the rest of the day. I want you to be a useless puddle by nightfall.”

  Oh lord, she was a useless puddle now. She loved it when he talked to her like this. The rest of her suit was removed and Obsidian unfastened his trousers. He carelessly let them fall to the floor around his ankles. His fingers reached down between them, tugged aside her black lace thong, and positioned her wet cunt over his erection.

  With a long, hard thrust he rammed himself home. Cady felt his balls bounce beneath her as he came to rest. The force of his invasion left her breathless and stunned. He filled her so deeply! She was stretched so tightly that she burned.

  “Oh yes. Use your muscles to squeeze me just like that, baby. Oh you’re so tight and wet.” He groaned and began bouncing her up and down on his hard pole.

  “Oooo, ooooo…” was all she could manage, moaning and keening as she was impaled over and over. His hands squeezed and parted the cheeks of her ass, and she felt one of his fingers stroking the flesh between. She wailed and thrust her breast up to his seeking mouth.

  He sucked on her nipple through her bra, and turned them. With barely restrained violence he shoved her back against the door and pounded into her. “You’re so wet and hot, Cady. Can you hear the sounds our bodies make when we fuck? That’s one of the things I love about you, your cunt never wants to let me go. It clings to me, slurping out loud when I pull back. And your skin slaps against mine whenever we move. It’s like music to my ears.” His words were growing harsh as he fought for his control.

  She m
oaned and thrashed her head. Tightening her legs around him she tried to move even harder against him. The angle at which he penetrated her brought her clit into grinding, exquisite contact with his pubic hair. Her fingers dug into the heavy muscles of his shoulders and back, as she held on for dear life.

  The door behind them was a thick, heavy wood. But it shuddered on its hinges nonetheless with the force of their mating. Within seconds her body shuddered, the deliciously deep thrusts forcing her to the brink of orgasm. “Me estoy viniendo. I’m coming,” she cried.

  “Oh yes, baby, just like that. Milk me with your hot pussy. You’re so tight, so perfect.” He moaned, slamming into her as she shuddered over him. “Scream for me, baby, yes just like that. I love it when you’re wild and loud, scratching my back and snarling at me when you come.”

  Cady could feel Obsidian’s tight ass flexing against her legs as he pumped into her over and over again. He was so virile. So very masculine. It was like making loving to a tireless stallion, and heaven only knew he was hung like one too. She grinned at the thought, coming down from the exquisite precipice of pleasure.

  Obsidian was growling. His balls were growing tighter and tighter against her every time he moved. She decided two could play at the whole naughty sex talk game. Languidly, she leaned down and whispered into his mouth. “Fuck me harder, Sid. Come inside and fill me up with your cream. I love how your cock throbs and pulses in me when you come.”

  His eyes met hers dead on. “I’m going to make you pregnant now, Cady.” It was a vow. A pulse beat later he roared his release, shooting his come straight into the heart of her womb.

  Feeling the hot wet essence of him fill her up, Cady instinctively knew he’d made good on his promise and wept with joy.