"Iuf, please."
"No. They'll kill her."
"The next time Corbienne feeds, you're going die. Don't you want to live?"
"I'm nearly fifty, Amiri. I'm old."
"This is suicide..."
"A mon gets old fast in this business. My eyes aren't what they were. My reflexes have been going for a while. And I love her. If my death is the only gift I can give her, then I want it."
"You could let her turn you."
"No. I'm human. If I were twenty years younger, I'd take her gift. But I don't want it."
"Iuf, are you aware of what Isranon will do to Corbienne when she kills you? Amiri's eyes narrowed into hard black points. At my urging, Isranon established his own set of laws concerning the non-humans."
"Yah, I know about that. Iuf squirmed.
"Then you know that he'll execute her?"
"She'll run, Amiri. He won't catch her."
Amiri closed her eyes and lowered her head with a reluctant sigh. If you're determined to let her do this, then it would be better if you left now. Don't wait."
"Amiri, we plan on it. Next town. We're leaving."
"I'm sorry, Iuf."
"Yeah, me too."
* * * *
Captain Travis Potshard still considered himself to be a member of Gryphonheart's Rowdies, even though they had expanded into an army and now called themselves the Army of the Renunciate. Nans had drawn the majority of her officers from the ranks of her Rowdies. As he walked, Travis whistled a melody that he had heard Isranon play a few days past. Nothing Isranon played was familiar to him. He guessed that was because Isranon came from Waejontor, and Travis had never been there. He wondered what Waejontor looked like, imagining it as a dark place where the sun never shone.
Different colored tents and banners marked off the units and groups. The non-humans had the forward and center places in the camp, with the command tent in the precise middle of it all. The paths through the camp were arranged in spirals to hinder an attacking enemy from simply to riding right through and wreaking havoc.
The lycan battle-clan's section had a black banner with a silver wolf's head flying above their tents. The weather did not bother them as much as the humans and there were several of them about in their transitional form. Seeing them snouted and furry in their efforts to deal with the unpleasant weather gave Travis an odd flutter in his stomach. His love of dogs had extended itself to the lycans; a perception that gave him a twinge of discomfort over the fact that his lover, and first real relationship, was with a lycan.
"At least I've stopped trying to pet them, he muttered.
Gordain lurked near Nevin's tent, staring at the flap as if waiting to pounce, and that made him curious. The scout seemed to be hanging about Nevin's tent with suspicious frequency since the day they hit Linder's Meadow. An idle thought ran through Travis head, and he tried to remember if he had ever seen Gordain come out of the Scarlet Tent. However, Travis decided not to investigate. He wanted to reach the blood-slaves compound and walk his lover, Darianna Donahue, to their tent as he did most days.
'Daree was one of only three bitches serving with their lycan scouts. She also did guard duty at the blood slaves compound on a regular rotation. Most lycans did not approve of his relationship with Daree. They tolerated it because he had saved the life of their chieftain, Nevin Igguiden, and nearly lost his own doing it.
The next section of the camp belonged to the Ymraudes. The all-female vampires of Ishla the Tinkerer had a green banner with a bold black squiggle that was the rune of their god. The five Lemyari camped beside them with no banner of their own.
An enclosed wagon like a house on wheels and painted green with the distinctive squiggly rune of Dynanna on the side drew Travis attention. Beside it spread a large tent dyed the same colors and marked in the same way as the wagon. The weather prevented the bio-alchemists from cooking potions, so the usual sight of boiling cauldrons was absent. Disharyl Scathwick stood in the doorway of the tent. Anksha allowed only a few of her blood-slaves to move freely to any degree, and Disharyl was one of them because she had been Liuthan Loosestrife's principal bio-alchemist and Amiri used her skills a lot.
Travis cornflower eyes narrowed in his square-jawed face. That one gave him the creeps; yet he could not put his finger upon why. Iuf emerged from the tent, pushing past Disharyl. Travis gaze flinched away from Iuf. The mon was in his units, but had been released from duty due to illness. Iuf's face had become gaunt to the point of skeletal, dark circles beneath his eyes, and a blue tinge to his lower lip.
"He's dying ... has to be. Travis quickened his stride, unable to deal with the knowledge.
All that remained to do was pass the nibari herd and the big Scarlet Tent. The nibari quarters were marked off by green tents and a blank green banner. A single Scarlet Tent stood at the edge of the nibari section. The tent had an entrance on both the non-humans side where Travis stood at that moment and another entrance on the far side that opened on the humans tents beyond it.
Travis could never resist passing close to the Scarlet Tent. The sounds of sex coming from it reminded him of the brothels he had frequented before becoming involved with Darianna. Guilt flickered through him, although he knew that neither the lycans nor Isranon regarded sex with nibari to be equivalent to adultery.
The black tents of the blood-slaves came into view. Their compound was roped off and heavily patrolled. The four guards nodded to Travis as he passed them. Travis still had nightmares about the day when Anksha rampaged through Ocealay, the night after Isranon had been taken captive by Captain Tamric. She had acquired fifty sa'necari blood-slaves as she uncovered Liuthan's planned coup against the city-state. As much as Travis hated sa'necari, with the exception of Isranon, Anksha's ferocity against them had unsettled Travis; and left him uncomfortable in her presence ever since.
Two had died before they left Ocealay, one of them Stygean's mother Chinisi, and three more had perished in the first weeks of their march. Chinisi had been too weakened by the ferocity of Anksha's initial attack to survive the march. So the demon-eater had put her down like an injured horse; which further disturbed Travis. Only a rare mon could kill in cold bloodand Travis was not one of them.
Six foot and brown-haired, his tanned and weathered skin the texture of smooth saddle leather; the only thing imposing about Travis was his height. His hands were broad and heavy, calloused and hard, but his touch was gentle.
He found Darianna standing by the central fire. She had haired over, but not gone snouted, to better deal with the cold. The lycans were a passionate race, freely expressing their emotions. At first that had made Travis a mite uncomfortable. Then Darianna had explained that her people preferred to let their emotions out, because when repressed feelings built up it could throw them into the change hard and fastespecially rage. Darianna tended to hair over at the first touch of anger, as instinct drove her into the hybrid state that her people fought best in. In her hybrid form, Darianna could lift Travis off his feet despite his far larger size.
Their hair color frequently reflected the color of their coats. Darianna's hair was silver with a red streak.
"Thought I'd walk to the tent, Daree."
Darianna slipped her arm around his waist and put her head on his shoulder. Travis loins hardened the moment she touched him. His cheeks brightened.
"You still taking those herbs? Travis whispered as they walked through the camp.
"You still have some eelskins?"
Travis inhaled sharply and shook his head. I ran out."
"I won't be dishonest with you. Doing this the human way is getting annoying. She tilted her head in annoyance. I'm taking care of this matter tonight the way my own people do it. Then you can stop asking me about herbs."
Travis sucked in another deep breath. What's that?"
"I'm trysting with Olin tonight in wolf form."
Travis stopped in his tracks and stared at her. What have I done wrong?"
"You've annoyed
me."
"You're throwing me over for Olin?"
Daree flicked a long strand of hair back. Throwing you over?"
"You're gonna let him wag his staff into you. What the hell am I supposed to think? A frown deepened in Travis face. Humans not good enough for you now?"
"Travis! I'm only doing it once."
"Bloody hell..."
Daree giggled and Travis flushed. She cocked her head and made a moue. You're starting to sound like us, Old Dog. I'm doing this for you."
"For me? Now this is getting down right queer."
"Once I mate in wolf form, I can't get pregnant in human form."
The anger faded from Travis face. Really?"
"Really."
"Why didn't you do that to begin with?"
"I had a lot of reasons. I wanted to be human for you. I didn't like the idea of having some strange wolf's stick inside me. I wanted you and only you. She kissed him deeply. A lot of my people use herbs and eelskins. There are drawbacks to doing it the old fashioned way."
"Such as?"
"If we ever did decide to have children...."
Travis tensed at the mention of children, but remained silent.
"The only way would be for me to first have a child with a lycan from a wolf form mating."
His eyes saucered, he inhaled loudly, and then relaxed. I can deal with that. A naughty boy smile crossed his face and a blush followed it. Uhm, tit for tat, since you're gonna be ... well... Travis lowered his hand palm up and wiggled his middle finger With Olin ... if you object I won't do it."
"Won't do what?"
"The Scarlet Tent."
"Why would I object? They're just nibari."
Travis hugged her and they continued walking. As they reached the lycan section, Travis spied the very last mon he wanted to deal with coming toward them. Nevin strode down the path with Gordain at his heels. Travis shifted to the other side of Darianna and ducked his head so that it would seem he did not see Nevin; and therefore did not have to greet him.
Darianna caught the movement. What's with you and Nevin?"
"He's corsach."
"So?"
"Olin said he was in love with someone he could not have...."
Darianna stared at him incredulously. Oh, Travis. You think it's you?"
"Could be."
Darianna burst out laughing.
"What's so funny, Daree? It must be someone who's... Travis squirmed. Well someone who's not ... corsach. I saved his life. Stands to reason."
Darianna stopped laughing with a tremendous effort. It's Isranon. He's in love with Isranon."
"No kidding? Travis relaxed, heaving a great sigh. But he's married."
"Yes, I know. Darianna looked bemused.
Travis blushed, pulled her closer to him, and started walking again.
A distressed noise drew Travis attention and he glanced between two of the wagons. Stygean and Jingen had Jun's thirteen year old nibari, Nolly, cornered. She had her back against one of the wagons, shaking her head vigorously, her eyes wide with fright.
Travis strolled closer to see what was happening, his movements casual so that he did not draw their notice. Daree held back, hands planted on her hips, and frowning.
Nolly's light blonde hair veiled the curve of her long neck, which sa'necari and Lemyari breeders considered appealing. She wore her blouse opened, just enough to reveal the tops of her breasts and the base of her throat. The ruddy cast of her fair skin and a hint of swelling in her neck suggested to Travis that she was far into a bad case of blood-bloat. A dangerous condition for nibari. He felt a flash of anger at Jun for having waited so long to blood her. Then his attention focused upon the boys.
Travis siezed them by their collars and yanked them off their feet. Go on, Nolly. Get home."
Nolly fled.
Travis shook the two boys hard and then released them. You leave her alone."
Stygean eyed him sulkily. We weren't doing anything."
"I don't give a shit. You will stay away from Nolly. Furthermore, I don't like you just running loose about camp. When you get your chores done, I want you in your tents fast. Travis raised his hand to stop Stygean's next words. That's an order and Lord Isranon will back me up when I tell him what you two little shits were doing. Now get to that tent."
Daree came up behind Travis and shifted into her hybrid form with a growl. I caught them twice at the compound. Nolly's scared to go there now."
Travis shook his finger in the direction of their tent. Get out of here."
The boys ran.
She put her arm around him, slipping back into her human form, and nibbled his ear. Well, are we going to play Jack in the Orchard or not?
"We are. They moved on.
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CHAPTER SIX
PUNISHMENT
The Army of the Renunciate struck the brick and mortar Lusatranden Highway that ran north as far as the Fords of Hillora and south to the Carasonè Sea. The people who had built this road had vanished into the mists of the past and even their names had been forgotten; although the name for the road had not been. The journey would go faster and easier now with less chance of the wagons bogging down on dirt roads. They made camp late in the afternoon beneath a spreading stand of ancient beeches that framed the road in shadows.
While everyone moved to their tasks, Jun and Garin gathered a group of Anksha's slave children and herded them to the nearby stream with buckets for water. The youngest children had begun to respond to Anksha's overtures of friendship characterized by gifts of candy and a willingness to play games with them. She even allowed them to touch her tightly curled tail, something she refused to tolerate from anyone except Isranon.
Jun and Garin oversaw and guarded the children as they struggled with buckets of water to be brought back from the stream near the camp. Stygean and Jingen, the oldest boys, had the easiest time of it, walking ahead of the rest. Some of the smallest children paired off to carry the buckets between them and share the weight. They were all sa'necari except for Nolly.
True humans were never assigned to supervise the sa'necari children, because as innocent and harmless as most of them seemed on the surface, they were all innate necromancers who would develop fangs and a craving for blood at puberty. The two oldest, Stygean and Jingen, already had theirs.
Jun kept Nolly close to him as much as possible after hearing from Travis; which was why Jun included her when he had to guard the sa'necari children. His petition to blood her had been approved by Isranon and Anksha more than two months ago, and then in a surprise he had never expected, Isranon had signed her ownership papers over to him. Nolly wore a collar that read: Nolly, property of Jun Goriah. Yet he had hesitated over when to blood her, wanting it to be special, private, and not in the tent he shared with Garin. Jun had never owned a nibari before, although he had always had access to the herds of his employers and friends whenever he needed to feed. This caused him to feel intensely fond and protective of his Nolly, taking great joy in her smiles.
Nainee, Haig's lead nibari mare, had assured him that the girl was instructed in the first three positions of submission, but she had yet to learn the othersthose were for her master to teach. He would be expected to teach her those over the next few months. Jun thought longingly of the old estate in Minnoras where he had served as a mon-at-arms, which had fallen to the hellgod Gylorean Galee. There they would have taken her to special rooms for blooding and afterward released her to the general herd, which fed the hemovores in the little alcoves of the Great Hall or in their chambers. Jun knew he should not keep postponing Nolly's blooding. Already he could see the first signs of Blood-Bloat, a dangerous condition that affected nibari if they were not fed upon regularly once they entered puberty. Nolly's complexion, normally fair as fresh milk, had turned ruddy, her face puffy, and the glands in her long neck swollen. If Blood-Bloat was allowed to continue too long, death resulted from it as the nibari's body became clogged with a surfeit of bl
ood.
Jun could tell from the way that Nolly moved and breathed that she had begun to suffer. He had to blood her today before she became any worse. Travis had given him a tongue-lashing over it three days ago. Furthermore, the other Lemyari expected to see her marked soon, making it shameful to let her go and appear unworthy before her peers and the masters.
Nolly lingered at the stream, filling her bucket. Jun had noticed her pour the water back into the stream and refill the bucket three times in an effort to find herself alone with him. He knew she did it as an invitation to him. It made him hungry for her.
It's time.
"Get the rest of the children back, Garin. I need time alone with Nolly."
Garin grinned. Mark her well."
"I will. Jun smiled back. Then he returned to the stream. Nolly dragged another bucket full from the water and hoisted it up. Jun took it from her hands and set it down on the banks.
"Later. Come with me. It's time."
Nolly stared up at the vampire's bulk, a nervous smile flickering on her lips. Yes, Master Jun."
Jun lifted her buckets, carrying them as he led her around to a thicket of elms. He set the buckets aside, and spread his cloak on the ground. Undress and assume first position upon my cloak."
Nolly disrobed and settled on her knees with her hands behind her, her head tilted to expose her enticing neck. Jun nodded approvingly. She had it perfect. Her budding breasts were sweet to his eyes, as was the thatch between her loins, and the throbbing vein in her neck. She would be worth breeding when she was older. The Loosestrife herds had had some fine bloodlines in them.
Isranon had not yet allowed a culling of the captured studsthey would not kill them, merely burn their fertility out, and make them mules to keep the females happy. That would need to be gotten to or else they would end up with more pregnant nibari than they could cope with. The studs had, perforce, been moved in with all the others and their instincts were honed for breeding over countless generations. It was always best to keep the number of studs down to two or three at most. Perhaps when they prepared for the culling, Isranon would allow him to purchase a fine stud to mate to Nolly. It was time he had his own herd, and he wanted only the most special and desirable stud he could afford to be ready when the time came to breed Nolly.
Janrae Frank Dark - [Dark Brothers of the Light 08] - Blood Hope Page 7