Zylan Rebellion

by Ravyn Wilde

  “Of course. What is it?” Raj looked uncomfortable and Shalan tried to decide what could be bothering him and if she should interfere. She didn’t like to use her powers as seer to intrude on others emotions unless it was needed. Sighing she kept her mind blocked.

  “I know how you’ve studied and tried to replicate my abilities with soul trails and I haven’t talked with you in a while about your progress. Have you found anyone else who has this ability?”

  “No. No one else has been able to see any more than a person’s aura, and the person has to be right in front of them when they see even that much. We haven’t had any luck replicating your gift. Why do you ask?”

  “No reason. You’d let me know if you ever made any progress with this, right?”

  “Absolutely, Raj. Has something happened?”

  Raj frowned. “Not something I’m willing to share yet. Mostly because I am not sure what is happening. I will let you know if I find something out.” Raj wasn’t quite ready to share the experience he’d had with Ahnika’s soul trails. It was just too personal.

  Shalan shook her head in exasperation. Something was going on with him. But if he wouldn’t confide in her, she couldn’t pull the information out of him. Well…she could, but she would respect his privacy. She didn’t spend too much time worrying about Raj as her thoughts were spiraling madly around the problem of the Nubes and whether the Nej could be the answer she’d been searching for.

  The Selven had been in charge of the care of five Nubes for over a hundred life cycles. They were men who had no discernible mind or emotions and no one knew where they came from. Or what had happened to make them lifeless shells. The five did nothing on their own—the Selven told them to eat, to drink, and to bathe. The Nubes didn’t talk or react to any stimuli other than a direct order. Much of her life with the Selven had been spent trying to find a way to heal their minds and she felt driven to find a cure for them.

  Even when she knew what she really wanted was a cure for him. The Golden One. A perfect shell of a man she’d lusted after and then cared for and protected for many life cycles. Sometimes she wondered if her life would ever feel complete until he could smile at her, talk to her. Sighing, she pushed the possibilities away for the minon. Raj’s earlier comment about being up to speed broke through her thoughts. The potion.

  Shaking her head in annoyance with herself, Shalan rolled her eyes. “I remember why I really wanted to talk to you. I know it can be dangerous for you while you are hunting if you deplete your psychic powers and are unable to find a woman to feed from. Not to mention the fact that one woman is rarely enough for you. I have been working on an herbal potion, one that should increase sensitivity and sexual response in your partner. I thought it would be useful to you, especially when you are away from the Selven. If you only have a single woman to feed from, this potion should increase the potency of her orgasms, allowing you to gain more power. It’s taken me awhile, the problem has been finding the correct form…it couldn’t be in a lotion, because you might be affected as well and it would hamper your innate Vampen abilities to control your response.”

  Thinking of how much control he would have to exert to be with several women at a time…never having his own climax, she paused. Shaking her head to stop that train of thought, she went on. “This tincture needs to be taken internally by each of your partners and I believe only a small amount will be sufficient. I haven’t been able to think of a way to test it but, if you want, you can take the potion with you and see if some of the Selven will try it for you. The amount of psychic energy released from a single orgasm should be multiplied. In theory, it will only take a drop or two of the potion for each participant. There will be plenty left in this batch for you to take with you on this hunt. If it doesn’t work…well, the ingredients won’t harm anyone and I’ll keep working to find something else to help you.”

  Raj was stunned. For the first time his smile reflected a shadow of the man he’d been. Looking at Shalan, he wondered if she knew what she had done for him. He would welcome anything that allowed him some respite from the multiple seductions he required. “Thank you, Shalan, I’d love to give it a try. It would definitely be handy while I am away from the resources here at the Refuge.”

  Shalan was taken aback by Raj’s delight over her gift, she had never realized feeding his Vampen nature might be a chore for him. Shaking her head she turned down the hall mumbling under her breath, “Resources? More sex than most men could handle. Resources indeed.”

  Raj went to the group of willing goddesses waiting in the large chamber hall. He explained how he wanted to do an experiment and that he was looking for volunteers to help him try the new elixir Shalan had made for him. He chose three women who were more than willing to take the test. They had partnered him before and were aware of his special needs. The first volunteer, Natanala, was a small, dark-haired woman with very large breasts. The second woman was tall and muscular, her hair was very short and curly, and her name was Inat. The third woman, a favorite called Lania, was dark-skinned with beautiful blue, almond-shaped eyes and wavy black hair.

  After entering a small private room, each goddess removed her clothing and knelt on the floor cushions. Raj shook the bottle and put drops of the clear potion on the tips of three of his fingers. One at a time, each goddess moved to lick the fragrant drops from a single digit.

  Holding Lania in his arms and running his hands over her soft skin, Raj began kissing each of them in turn and caressing their bodies. Usually the soft variations of velvet skin would enthrall him and he could get lost for long minons in a woman’s unique contours and flavors. This time he touched, but didn’t feel. Kissed, but didn’t taste.

  He’d left his pants on and these three did not question his actions, they knew from prior experience that, occasionally, he didn’t fully disrobe. When he was really drained, remaining covered kept him focused on nothing but the feeding. Having just spent a setnon healing from the Nej’s bite, he was as weak as he’d ever been. With the added psychological residual of still feeling used, circumstances induced him to choose goddesses who were familiar and known to be undemanding, he hoped feeding in this way would make the situation easier for him.

  Soon all four of them were sprawled among the floor cushions, kissing, stroking, and licking their way along each other’s bodies. Raj kissed and suckled Lania’s breasts, he’d positioned her on her back on the cushions with Natanala and Inat lying in similar postures on either side of them. While his mouth worked over Lania’s body, his hands similarly caressed a woman on each side.

  Often when with the Selven, he would have them play and tease him, he would submit to and enjoy their ministrations as the goddesses leaned over him and ran their hands slowly along his sides and chest where they could fondle and tease his nipples. Eventually silken hands would slide down his body until they became entangled in the nest of hair surrounding his penis. With a talented few strokes, his erection would increase and pulse with life. He would enter them and enjoy the feeling of being surrounded by their orgasmic vibrations. But not this bi-non. Not…yet. He needed more time to heal from his experience in Jandai.

  Moving slowly down Lania’s body, he moved his mouth along her rib cage, playing with his tongue in the small dip of her belly button. His hands mimicked his actions on Natanala and Inat. Positioning his mouth over Lania’s center, she helped him by moving her hands down to hold the folds of her labia open for him, exposing the hard nubbin and the sweet softness of her clit. She was already creaming for him. His fingers found the other women open and wet for him as well.

  The women panted and groaned with their hips thrusting high in the air as he used his tongue and fingers to drive them to release. If his tongue stroked, his fingers did the same, if he nibbled Lania’s hard little nubbin, he pinched the clits of Inat and Natanala. Raj went through the motions, knowing what reaction each trace of his lips or hands would elicit. He could feel the anticipation and sensual heat building in the small ch
amber, yet he held himself separate from the women and their responses.

  Within only a few minons, he pushed the women over the edge and they exploded with fierce orgasms. Stretching over the mingled bodies, Raj bent to place his palms in contact with their heated flesh. Absorbing the energy from their mutual climaxes, as a sponge would absorb water, he became flooded with their psychic discharge.

  Raj sat back on his heels and glanced around him. Realizing the women were completely drained and falling into sleep, he stood up and extended his muscular frame into a long stretch to work the kinks out of his lean body. It was done. The potion had worked. The psychic power released with the moans and shouts of satisfaction was—at the very least—quadrupled.

  The experiment worked so well that Raj’s psychic energy had been restored to a new level. Walking slowly to the door, leaving the slumbering goddesses without a backward glance, he knew it was time to resume the hunt for Ahnika.

  He wanted to head for Tanar, the Ruling Place where his brother served as High Priest and spend time with his family. Mica and his new mate, Tala, were waiting for him to join them but he knew he needed to find Ahnika soon.

  Raj shook his head. Tala. Who would have thought that the pesky little tagalong would end up linked to his brother? Mica had evidently known for many life cycles that she was his link mate, his Life Companion, and Tala had almost given up everything and joined the Selven goddesses when she couldn’t imagine being linked with anyone but Mica. Their lack of communication had almost kept them separated for eternity.

  His brush with death, while tracking Ahnika, had added to their problems.

  Running his hands through his long, dark brown hair, Raj paused before opening the door to exit the chamber. Assessing his body and inner being, he couldn’t believe how he was at full psychic ability after only one feeding. With a thought, he used some of that energy to cleanse the smell of sex from his body and changed his clothes as he opened the heavy door, grimacing when he saw another group of goddesses waiting for him. They were every size, shape and color imaginable.

  The gathering place had always been a necessary haunt for him, the women knew what he needed and would willingly provide it and he didn’t want to displease them. Linked women—women with a mate could not service him, as it was physically impossible for them to do so. Un-linked women outside the Refuge were generally off-limits for his needs as well—their fathers and brothers saw to that. There were very few unattached women outside the Refuge that he could feed from, and one had never been enough in the past.

  But he would have to tell these goddesses that Shalan’s potion had worked so well he wouldn’t need them now. He’d let them down gently, without leaving hurt feelings, as there would always be a next time.

  As a Vampen Hunter, not having psychic strength could mean his death. He always had to have enough time and enough women to build the reserve between assignments or he put his life at risk. Lately his needs left him feeling cold and lonelier than he’d thought possible. After this job was finished, he promised himself the necessary time and concentration to try and find his mate. He knew his brother would help him search, as Mica had helped Tar to find his Life Companion.

  Shrugging his shoulders philosophically, he moved toward the waiting women. Might as well get it over with. His power was now fully charged and he could leave here.

  While packing his belongings, he thought about this job. His Hunter psychic powers enabled him to track people or things by a slim psychic thread. Now that he was refreshed, he should be able to pick up Ahnika’s trail fairly easily. He knew Brac hadn’t waited for him to heal before hiring other Hunters. No, Brac had probably sent them out even before Raj was injured. Fearing the new Hunters would have little or no moral character, as many in his profession were little more than thieves or had reputations for brutality, he’d made a few subtle inquiries this bi-non, and been relieved to discover no one had been successful in locating the girl.

  Raj prayed to the moons that he could find her before the new Hunters discovered her location. The trail would be cold…but not impossible.

  It didn’t take long to gather his few possessions, as one of his more developed psychic powers was the ability to call or create objects he needed. He would depart as soon as he told Shalan how extremely well her potion worked.

  * * * * *

  Ahnika knelt in the soil of the garden, oblivious to everything but the glaring heat of the suns and the feel of the rich dirt in her hands. She was pleased with her situation for the short term. She’d been able to remain free and none of the Hunters she’d sensed over the last setnon managed to get close to her.

  Her awakening senses gave her plenty of warning and she’d known someone was looking for her and she’d easily coped with avoiding them. The only real fright had come when one Hunter got close and then lost her when she left JANDAI.

  Funny…she almost always thought of the village in capital letters. She’d found shelter and protection with the women for a short time and she would always be grateful to them. But when she’d felt those vague whispers in her mind, she’d known it was her signal to move on. The last time she ignored those soft voices, she’d been taken from her home in Zmar. This time she refused to overlook their warning…even if she didn’t understand everything they were trying to impart.

  So she’d fled and, watching from a far hill, she’d seen the tall silhouette of a man as he’d walked toward the village. Thank the Goddess she’d listened that time.

  Yes, she’d been glad of an excuse to leave. But she felt sorry for the unknown man. The women were ardently militant, a strange group of psychics and healers with a palatable hate of men. They had some severely scary plans to breed a bunch of children by capturing unwary men.

  Ahnika shuddered, suddenly cold. She was really afraid they had already started. The Hunter who had been so close on her trail would have stumbled into the village unaware of their plans for any man they got their hands on.

  Ahnika wasn’t very happy with males right now either, but she was sane enough to realize she didn’t hate all of them. She loved her father and brothers and hated the idea that someone would hurt another person as the women on Jandai planned.

  As always, thinking of her family made her sad. She wanted to go home, back to her own planet and see if her family was still alive. They probably thought she was dead or lost to them forever and she didn’t want them to worry for her. She wanted to see for herself if Janey and the boys were okay. Don’t worry…I’ve made it this far. I can do the rest, she told herself.

  Maybe even find her way home. She turned her thoughts away from the painful remembrances of Zmar and back to the task at hand. Gardening. And figuring out what to do next, she knew she couldn’t stay here forever.

  For now, she felt safe, well-hidden in the mountain city of Vidar. She enjoyed the cold at night and warmth during the suns rise in this high retreat. The small city was large enough to hide her and, because it served as a crossroads for many roadways, there were lots of strangers in the town…she was just one of many.

  She’d been lucky to find an older couple who required someone to help take care of their home and garden in return for room and board. Working on blending and staying hidden, she’d survive until she could figure out how to get home.

  Her bi-nons were spent doing housework, working in the garden or going to the market. She liked Nebet and Gardeil, the elders who had taken her in. She smiled as the woman, Nebet, slowly walked toward her. Ahnika was kneeling in the garden weeding the small patch of land.

  “Namilla, you work too hard. You should come in and have something cool to drink and rest while the two suns are at their peak.”

  “I am almost finished, Nebet. I would like to get this done as next bi-non I will be going to market. You know how those women like to haggle over every little thing and it will take me nearly all suns rise to make our purchases.” Looking up, she grinned fondly at the petite woman, Nebet’s hair was almost completely w
hite and it was always piled on top of her head in a wispy bun. Ahnika hadn’t asked the couple, but she realized they had to be well over two hundred life cycles old. A Zylan’s hair didn’t usually turn fully white until the person reached the two-century mark.

  “You should definitely go into the house, Nebet. You know you tire quickly in this heat. I will join you in just a few minons once I have finished this small section.”

  “All right, you bossy little thing. I will let you work out in this hot sun while I go rest these old bones in the coolness of the house. I will send my mate out to fetch you, however, if you take overlong,” Nebet told her in no uncertain terms.

  Ahnika smiled and paused to watch Nebet as she walked slowly back to the little, dark green, five-roomed house she’d called home this setnon The house had a common room with cooking, eating and gathering facilities, a bathing chamber, two sleeping chambers and an herbal room where Nebet mixed her healing potions.

  Behind the small wooden structure was a small shed, also dark green, where Gardeil worked on his manuscripts. Books overflowed from the shed and littered the house. Ahnika spent many hours looking at the tomes Gardeil still painstakingly illustrated. He was currently working on updating the history of Zylar’s Rulers. Ahnika poured over the writings and hadn’t found anything that would make her think the Ruler, Tar, had been involved in her captivity.

  When she casually mentioned the name Brac to Gardeil, saying she had heard his name in her travels, he frowned and told her that he knew little about the man. Gardeil only knew Brac as one of the Ruling Council of Ten and a Zylan traditionalist. When pressed, Gardeil did say he’d heard how Brac often argued with both the Ruler and the High Priest about the shifting status of women in Zylar. That revelation caused chills to run up and down Ahnika’s spine.

  Gardeil did know a lot about the Ruler. It seemed Tar had linked with an Earth woman and she’d caused quite a stir when she discovered women could use the companion links. The Earth woman made public statements about changing the status of women on Zylar and Brac was vehemently opposed to both her involvement and her plans.