Blood Bride (Aarabassa World)

by Vickers, Catherine L

  The cleric bustled away tutting to himself at such changes to the regular routine. Heimarl dismissed the problem from his mind immediately and marched towards the dining halls. It was time for refreshment before he went to plan for the start of the Lightland Council at the next moonwake.

  20 First Kiss

  The Lord Vamplin looked upon the weeping female vamplin with gentle curiosity. She was not yet aware of his presence. He could feel the pounding beat of his own heart pulsating fast. What was it about this female that stirred such an excitement within him? Her tears saddened him, he had no desire to see her so distressed. Should he intrude on her privacy in this way? Should he let her know of his arrival or should he slip quietly out again? When he was in her company, he did not want to be parted from her. He wanted to touch her, gently take her into his arms and comfort her. Never before had he experienced such feelings for any female. He had mated with the best of vamplin females so why should she this human be any different? But, she was. She moved his heart and she aroused his groin.

  His eagerness to protect her caused him to tread heavily, she heard his movement and turned her tear stained features to look upon him sadly. Surprisingly, she did not stop weeping. Making no attempt to cease her tears, she simply wept some more.

  On her part she felt she could trust him. He would care for her. He gently held her within his hardened muscular arms. This felt so right, it felt just. She belonged in this place, in his arms. She did not know how to tell him of her loneliness, of her worry for her own people. Heather nestled closer to Fiendrac. He smelled comforting, as if she had known him all of her life. Her tears trickled onto his chest as he tightened his hold and pulled her closer to his body. He hushed her sadness.

  She peered up at his face for assurance. His pale features appeared handsome to her. Gentle eyes with thick strong lashes. His nostrils opened like a bulls as he breathed a quick sigh. She stared at his kissable shapely lips. He had a strong jawline, hinting at his warrior strength.

  His head bent and he brushed those lips over her soft vamplin silky forehead. She tried to speak but sadness stuck in her throat. He shushed her with a low hushing sound and stroked his long pale fingers on her soft pale cheek.

  Lifting her delicate chin, he gently touched her pale pink lips with his own. The force of that first gentle kiss increased to a passion that neither could control. Each stroked the others skin. Neither wanted the touching to end. The vibration of passion was felt through the loving touches of each others body. This was no magic trickery, only the magic of love. He never wanted to let her go again. His loins throbbed with a longing ache. Yet he did not wish to violate her without her consent.

  She stroked her delicate feminine fingers down over his broadened shoulders. Unable to resist scratching his chest in her passion to reach down to his belly. She bent her head and wildly kissed and licked his salted chest. His skin was delicious. The aroma of a lusting male emanated from his sweat. He wanted her, of this she was sure. She desired to give her virginal honour to this stranger. She could not help herself.

  How had they become so entwined. So easily vulnerable to each other.

  ‘My Lord,’ she tried to whisper.

  She knew she must escape this entrapment. It was all a set up by the Emperor. Yet how? How could she quench these flames of desire. The more she tried to drowned them, the higher her urge to pull him closer, to touch, to feel his manliness.

  ‘Fiendrac,’ she tried again to communicate and break the spell.

  ‘Heather, I have never loved as I feel for you now,’ he breathed in her ear. His voice low and husky.

  ‘We must stop this Fiendrac,’ she moaned in response, but still unable to pull away.

  His hand stroked the top of her inside leg. All her nerves twitched at this touch.

  ‘No, don’t make me stop,’ he moaned, ‘I want you forever, my love.’

  ‘How, Fiendrac?’ she managed to ask as he kissed her naked breast and stroked her hard nipples with his fingertips. She writhed in reaction to the touch. A wetness pooled between her legs.

  ‘I can’t answer that Heather. I only know that your very being is something I must have. Please Heather. Promise me you will stay by my side from now to eternity.’

  ‘Why, Lord, why do you wish this of me?’

  They had managed to part their sweating bodies.

  ‘I only know that if you left me I would be alone, utterly alone without you,’ he said with such fretfulness that she pulled his head to embrace him in assurance.

  ‘I can’t tell if someone has managed to manipulate us by magic,’ she tried to make sense of the sudden love she felt. ‘Do you think we should stop this madness?’

  ‘I cannot stop Heather, but I will, if you ask this of me. I would not hurt you ever. My only desire is to cherish you.’

  ‘I too feel this longing, but the very nature of my quest tells me that you are my enemy,’ she pulled away a little from his body.

  ‘I am a leader of many. I have been lover of many. But, I have never been in love with any. Your innocence is your strength. You need no protection of a man. Yet I feel I want to take care of you for ever.’ Fiendrac was truly won over by this little human girl.

  Heather giggled at such humble words, only to realise that Fiendrac was not comfortable with her reaction.

  ‘Why do I feel like you mock me, human? He asked, his brows furrowed and his feelings quite hurt.

  ‘No, no my Lord,’ Heather smiled as she spoke. ‘I could never mock you. I feel like we are meant to be together but I can’t fathom out why. You are a good leader and I can see that you care for your people. I want to help you keep them safe from this Emperor. I think together we may be strong enough to outwit his plans.’

  ‘So,’ Fiendrac looked at her pleading soft eyes. ‘We shall unite in our strength and in our hearts. Now let me taste your lips before I loose all my courage.’

  Their clothing was dropped to the floor. Heather’s fingers scratched red welts into his naked broad shoulders. He stroked her perfectly rounded breasts and felt the longing of her passion in her sensitive nipples. Slowly he bent his head and licked at her skin, working his way to her delicious cherry nipple. She writhed with the sensation of pleasure on her breasts. His hands cupped her closer to him. Her hands tugged at his hair. She felt so wild with her passion. Gently he lain on top of her naked body, parting her thighs with his large hands. She felt like pure silk, so soft, so delicate. His fingers felt the wetness between her legs. Her aroma was the most tempting scent he had ever inhaled.

  Like a lock and key they slotted into their love making. His member filled her insides. His thrusting pulsated as she returned the rhythm of his movements. Every part of her body yearned for him to move in and out of her. Slowly he started, building up his momentum until she could take no more. Increasing their rhythm together, their body fluids finally burst forth in a mixture of sticky wetness. The wildness of their movements calmed.

  He stayed on top of her, not wanting to let her go. She held on to him tightly, knowing her love for him was real. This was no spell. Her tears flowed again.

  ‘Aaahhh, my sweet,’ he whispered gently in her ear. ‘I hope those are tears of joy because that’s what I’m feeling right now.’

  Heather laughed gently. He made her feel happy. He made everything seem right.

  Their love making continued on until they both fell into a fitful slumber. Their bodies entwined within each others embrace.

  The monshaad Emperor smiled to himself. He had achieved all that he had planned. The seed of the vamplin Lord was now set in its rightful place. Time was of no consequence. Soon the Emperor would have the child of this union. A vampire who could withstand the Lightlands and do his bidding.

  It was time to capture this Changeling. She had her role to play in his game.

  21 Sea Monsters

  Lady Vatara felt truly pleased with herself after meeting with her commanding leaders. Their eagerness in supporting her to becom
e the overall leader of the vamplin race was a boost to her ego. Nothing could possibly stop her. Indeed the Emperor himself had assured her that he would assist her in gaining the power that she sought.

  Sipping from a chilled glass of the Great Bear’s blood, she curled up her lips.

  ‘I must arrange to have a session of feeding direct from one of those wretched bears. Some warm fresh blood would give me the strength I need just now.’

  ‘Yes, my Lady,’ Commander Sherat replied, pampering to her every whim whilst he spied for the Emperor. It would not do to have her supporting her brother. So far, she was playing the role of puppet perfectly.

  A loud booming thud caused the walls of the ichale to vibrate and the ground trembled. Lady Vatara looked expectantly at the Commander, waiting for him to dash outside with urgency. He, in his turn, looked at the Lady and decided to act in the role of subservience, for now.

  ‘That, my Lady, will be the gharang arriving. The Emperor begins to merge his armies.'

  ‘Has the Emperor gone mad!’ she cried alarmed. ‘Those creatures are our enemies. They cannot camp with us. You must get them to leave or our people will arm themselves for battle.’ Forcing her way past him, she charged through the exit to see for herself as the huge flying reptiles landed on her doorstep.

  The gharang dwell in the ocean and come upon the lands only to feed. Lady Vatara looked upon the giant reptile. He, in his turn, looked down at her with glinting ruby red eyes and a snarl to his sinister smile. Here stood bitter enemies. The gharang would think nothing of tearing a vamplin apart for its next meal. Yet all was eerily silent. The vamplin males had not armed themselves in protection. The solitary gharang had landed in the middle of the camp, a high risk for one of his kind to go alone amongst his enemy.

  ‘What are you doing invading my camp gharang?’ she yelled at the monster, unsettled that her people remained so calm. ‘You are not welcome here. Take your stinking carcass and flee, while you still can.’

  ‘Silence vamplin,’ his deep voice gurgled. ‘I am sent here by the Emperor. My kind have no longing to be here amongst our fodder. We are to settle next to the female vamplin leader. The Emperor commands this.’

  He gave her no opportunity to reply. Taking flight, he joined others high in the air where they had been silently circling the camp below. They bellowed shrieking calls to each other and flew to the distant edges of the vamplin camp. The silently gathered vamplins, who had watched with dismay, slowly returned to their tasks accepting all that was transpiring.

  ‘How can this be Commander Sherat’? Lady Vatara was not impressed with this plan, even if it was the command of the Emperor.

  She marched towards her ichale, determination shining in her eyes.

  ‘Surely the Emperor knows we cannot abide these creatures?’

  The Emperor knows all Lady Vatara a monshaad Lord spoke in her mind as he slowly materialised above her head.

  ‘Where is your Emperor?’ she yelled to the yellowed stinking haze hovering above her.

  Nay Lady, he is OUR Emperor, yours and mine. He is the Ruler of all.

  ‘My brother will not fall for this you fools. He will never forgive me if I allow the vamplins to fight alongside the gharang.’

  It is not for Lord Fiendrac to decide who will be in the Emperor’s army my Lady. Do not concern yourself with the thoughts or actions your brother may take.

  ‘My Lady,’ Commander Sherat interrupted the communication. ‘These are powerful creatures to have on our side. You will have a strong army to lead.’

  ‘What!’ shrieking at the top of her voice she turned to her leading commander. ‘How can we be sure they won’t turn around and kill us?’

  The Emperor will vouch for your safety in this matter my Lady, the monshaad Lord assured her.

  Your Commander speaks the truth in this. All manner of creatures will be gathering at the borders. Show your strength, if you are to lead them, Lady Vatara.

  ‘Tell the Emperor that Lady Vatara awaits only his command and she will lead his armies to the Light Side. There we will defeat every creature that is the Emperor’s enemy,’ she shouted.

  The monshaad bowed his shadowed head and faded away, leaving behind an obnoxious aroma of foul smelling gasses.

  ‘Commander Sherat we must gather our leaders. It is time to move on with our planned strategies. The Wall will soon be destroyed and we must be ready. We will make our race strong on the sweet blood of humans. I have a plan to assist us in our efforts so we can adjust to the brightness of this sun on the other side. Come, I wish to discuss the Changeling.’

  Commander Sherat followed her as she addressed him. At last, she was playing the game again. He knew the plan well, it only needed deploying and all would be as his Emperor had ordered. The Changeling must now be captured.

  22 Reunion

  It was a fine moonwake for a dragon to be soaring through the light blue skies overlooking the mid-mountains of Ginnung. Or, it would have been if one was alone, but this little turquoise dragon was doing his utmost to fly upside down, inside out and every which way he could possibly twist his reptilian body.

  His mission, to shake off the human that clung to his back laughing and yelling as the dragon failed to rid himself of this leach. The dragon swirled himself upright and dived with all his might towards a dark bottomless crevice wedged between two tall black towers of granite. He soared passed the sharp cutting tops in his attempt to stamp fear into his passenger’s heart. Even the bright sun could find no way of entering this dark crevice. They penetrated a dark abyss, a sharp chill cut through the air where the shadows could find no warmth. The mouth gaped open as the tiny spec of a dragon and his fare plummeted into its obscure depths.

  The human did indeed tremble for a moment, as the speed of flight took him spiraling downwards so fast that the skin on his cheeks quivered with the force. He closed his mind to what he could see and entered into a deep concentration of meditation, as he had been taught. Hovering slightly above the dragons body, he followed every twist and turn that the dragon attempted in his fury to rid himself of this human parasite. Abruptly the dragon swiftly turned around returning to the sunlight above. Soft human skin and shiny dragon scales collided as the human jostled upwards then settled back down upon the dragon’s body. Finally, the dragon gave up and landed with a thump that must surely have been uncomfortable, for his human passenger anyway.

  ‘I told you I was ready,’ shouted a young male voice. ‘I told you, I told you,’ the voice yelled repeating the words in the dragon’s ears.

  ‘Well, young Master, you have proved me wrong and I must congratulate you in being so attentive in your lessons,’ the dragon praised the boy. He then Changed back into his human form.

  ‘I believed you to be inattentive when all along you were absorbing my teachings. You have learned well, how to use your will of balance. Well done Raphael.’

  ‘This calls for celebration Saurlton. Can we practice the force of movement? I am sure I have almost mastered this,’ the boy’s eagerness made the old man smile.

  ‘I tried this whilst you were gone and I moved a small rock across a table. If I can succeed at this then I can protect myself from almost anything and surely return to my kin.’

  As they walked together, the Ancient Mage proudly placed his arm across the young man’s shoulders. His free arm grappled with his staff that gave him balance as he hobbled on the uneven rocky ground.

  ‘Raphael, we have spoken of this many times. You cannot yet return to your folk and this will remain the way of things for a time yet. They cannot know that you live. This will inform the world that you are in training and I don’t wish the Emperor to know our true strengths.’

  Changes are to come and you are the one to be my apprentice. I am weakening in my age and one as young as you will protect the creatures of the Lightlands from the evil that is upon our doorstep’

  Raphael was silent. He stooped as he limped next to the mage. The news of his Father’s deat
h had saddened him, causing him to miss his brothers dearly. Since becoming Saurlton’s apprentice, it had meant he had chosen the path of magic and could not return to the life of a Prince. Saurlton worked him hard as he trained him for battle. He knew he could never return to the soft life of a royal noble. He was content with his new life but longed to tell his kin that not only was he still alive but he had learned the skills of magic and he was quickly becoming fitter.

  He respected the advice of his teacher, and remained hidden deep within the caves. He studied hard and practiced even harder at becoming a skilled mage. Still a scrawny lad he practiced long and hard to rid his body of the kink in his spine, which could never have been repaired in his normal life. He still limped but the stoop was becoming less prominent. His Master’s healthy broth strengthened his bones and toughened his muscles but his ability at mind over matter was the key to becoming a powerful mage. He was not going to be a nipper much longer. Already he believed he would reach his brother’s shoulders in height. Amos and Leon would be so proud of him if only they could see him not only walking upright, but also capable of running, although be it slowly, and able to ride on the back of a dragon.

  ‘I know these things you tell me Saurlton but I love my brothers sorely and miss them in my heart.’

  ‘Fear not little one, soon you shall be united for a time. I did not say that you would never see your brothers again, only that you could never return to the role of a human Prince. That is behind you now Raphael.’

  Saurlton paused to look up at a flight of dragons shadowing them as they passed overhead. This was the sign he had been waiting for.

  ‘Come on boy. Let’s take flight again, I have somewhere to take you.’

  ‘Can’t you admit defeat? You cannot shake me loose when we are in flight.’

  ‘No, no boy. This will be a smooth ride. I know when I am beat. No, there is someone you need to meet.’