Ancient Blood: The Fallen

by Renea Taylor

  Then with eyes still spitting unholy fire, he glanced down at the small assortment of items scattered on the ground at our feet and growled, “and stop acting like a sniveling brat, just tell someone when you want a bath!"

  Staring at him I snarled, “try and make me” then turning, I made to crawl back inside my tent.

  From behind me I heard a low grunt, and suddenly was again being jerked back through the flaps, only this time I found myself being tossed in the air as Dante threw me over his shoulder, and giving an incensed hiss, I growled, "put me down, now!"

  In response Dante sneered, “try and make me” before turning, and with me precariously balanced on his shoulder, he began making his way out of camp, and into the thick growth of the jungle.

  Clamping my jaws tight, I ground my teeth in an effort to hold back the words that fought to come forth.

  However, it seemed the effort was in vain for nothing could stop the flow that blasted forth when, standing before a small creek hidden within the abundance of trees, Dante suddenly came to a stop, and in one swift motion leaned forward, deliberately dropping me like I was nothing more than a sack of feed towards the ground.

  Sucking in a breath as my rear-end impacted the jungle floor I screamed, "you …you…slimy sleaze ball, gutter rat…"

  However, my rant extinguished into non-existence, when the trees around us began to quiver, the leaves and branches setting up a cacophony of noise that had me sucking in a startled breath of alarm before it came whooshing back out in stunned shock as Arreon came bursting through the trees.

  His features projected a menacing threat of violence. His eyes avidly searching the area for whoever was threatening our well-being.

  Then, seeing the area devoid of anyone but Dante and I, he skidded to a stop, jerked his eyes in Dante’s direction, quickly summing up the situation, and with features darkening further he glared at Dante, his thoughts clear in his snarling voice as he barked "what the hell did you do to her Dante!"

  Dante visibly stiffened, before eyes narrowing he snapped, "excuse me?"

  Ignoring the low warning tone of Dante's voice, Arreon continued shooting a look at him that, aimed at a lesser man, would have brought him to his knees in fear.

  Then slowly returning his gaze to me, he reached out and helped me to my feet before hissing, "hell Dante, can't you just lay off her for one second!"

  Glowering in Arreon's and my direction, Dante snorted, then turned and walked several feet away, peering out into the darkness of the jungle, then voice carrying to us like a whiplash he snarled, “I'd advise you Arreon to get the hell out of my sight!”

  Glaring at Dante’s back, a snarl curling up the edges of his lips, and without removing his eyes from Dante’s back Arreon hissed, “and why pray tell should I do that brother!”

  Before I could comprehend what had happened, Dante was standing before Arreon, his shirtfront wrapped within his fist, as having lifted Arreon off the ground he snarled at him, “really? You really wanna go there?”

  Arreon's chest visibly puffed in a defensive manner. Then face turning nearly molten red in his anger, he doubled his fist and swung in Dante's direction.

  However, contact between flesh and fist never came about, as suddenly Arreon was flying backwards through the air. Landing some ten yards away, he skidded backwards on his haunches for several seconds before he came to a stop, then making to surge to his feet he stilled, motionless as Dante snarled, “I wouldn't if I were you!”

  For several seconds longer Arreon glared up at Dante, the tension between them rapidly escalating with each second that passed into something that was going South in a hurry. Then shaking his head, Arreon gained his feet, and without a word or a backward glance at either of us, turned and stalked off in the direction of the camp.

  Feeling indignation on Arreon's behalf, I hissed at Dante, “what's the matter with you!”

  Dante, having been following his brothers departure turned, and with brows drawn tightly above his eyes, shifted his gaze in my direction, then penning me beneath his blue regard snarled, "if you hadn't been acting like a bitch, and done as I'd told you to begin with, what just went down wouldn't have! "

  Reaching out I slapped him, then turned and ran, ignoring him as he shouted my name, never aware of the paling of his features as I disappeared deeper into the jungle.

  Chapter 16

  The heavy darkness of the jungle closed in on me, trapping me in a world of terror as the trees suddenly came alive, reaching out and grabbing me with relentless and bony fingers, wrapping around my arms and legs, tripping me and throwing me to the moist and decaying vegetation that lay in wait.

  Clamoring to my feet time and again with each assault, I changed direction, running away from my assailants, only to find another group just as intent and ferocious about entrapping me within their clutches.

  They poked and prodded, digging into my tender flesh, causing me to cry out, the dense thickness quickly absorbing the sound before I was again seized and tossed to the ground, where finally, my face bruised and battered from yet another impact with the jungle floor I stilled, ceasing my struggles all together, exhausted.

  Closing my eyes, I felt moisture slip from behind my lids, I was in trouble, lost within the depths of the jungle, and as I lay thinking of all the stupid things I'd done in my life, this had to be the stupidest of them all.

  Way off in the distance came what sounded like my name, yet I lay unmoving, ignoring what it could mean, for I'd heard the same thing many times through out the endless hours, yet none had brought anyone any closer to me, and just as before, when the sound didn't come again, I curled into a ball, knowing that it was just an hallucination brought on from dehydration and exhaustion, and with a hopeless whimper, and unable to push myself any further, I gave into the fatigue that claimed my body.

  Several hours later when I awoke, I stared into the face of the most God awful, ugly person I’d ever seen, however as the sleep faded from my eyes, and awareness righted itself within my mind, I realized I’d been wrong, for in fact, what I was looking at was the most beautiful, and welcome sight I'd ever witnessed!

  Jerking into a sitting position, I cried out Sirrus’s name, though it came out more of a croak, and clutching at him desperately, I barely noticed the hesitancy of the arms that slid around me, as with a rather sharp tone to his voice Sirrus muttered "what the fuck you doin' out here little one?"

  Pushing out of his arms, I husked in the dry, throaty whisper that was currently my voice, “never mind that, just please tell me you have something to drink, and know the way to camp!”

  With an oath, Sirrus placed a bottle of water from his backpack into my hand and, as I downed the liquid nectar like a baby starved for its bottle, he gathered me in his arms and lifted me off the ground.

  Then, making certain I was comfortable, he gestured towards a group the men of who surrounded us, and they began to immediately chop and hack at the thick growth, clearing a path to go forward.

  Fourteen hours later, I came too in bits and spurts. The strong smell of antiseptic assaulted my senses and I frowned. God what a smell, and silently grumbling to myself about its offensive odor, I floated for several more minutes, breathing in and out the awful scent.

  Jeez, I thought sourly, somebody must have dumped a whole freaking bottle on themselves.

  Suddenly I jackknifed into a sitting position, fear strong and unabated swimming through my system before my brain had, had the chance to recall that I was no longer lost within the jungle.

  Sirrus had found me, and as my eyes darted about the tent, they fell upon unfamiliar walls of a tent other than that of my own, an unfamiliar pair of hiking boots, a rather large pair at that, and I wondered just where Sirrus had brought me!

  Whose tent was this anyway, Goliath's! Had we somehow been transported to the land of the Giants?

  Shoving aside the sheet draped across my legs, I found myself struck by an even stronger scent of antiseptic, almost gagg
ing I wrinkled my nose at the overwhelming odor.

  Peering at my arms, I noted the multitude of scratches that decorated their surface, and with a shrug, I pushed myself off the sleeping bag that was trying to portray itself as a mattress, and doing a poor imitation of it.

  As I stood, I began making my way over to where my own hiking boots sat near the entrance, then after turning them upside down and shaking them to assure myself that they were clear of any creepy crawlies, I slipped my feet into the boots, and pulling in a breath, I pushed back the flap of the tent.

  Stepping out, I glanced around and found I didn't recognize any of my surroundings. Though it was obvious we were still deep within the jungle due to the abundant growth of the trees and vines, I found the camp of yesterday gone.

  I glanced around, recognizing many of the men that had accompanied Sirrus milling about, however I could see nothing of Dante, or of Arreon.

  I continued to let my eyes wonder, half curious of those I found myself to be in the company of, as well as in my continued search for Dante and Arreon, however I was quickly distracted by the air around me, as it was virtually saturated with a heavenly aroma I hadn't smelled since entering the jungle.

  One that caused a low throaty groan of pleasure and longing to slip from between my lips, nothing could start a day like the essence of freshly brewed coffee.

  With hurried steps, I made my way over to the metal pot that was resting on a grate above a low flickering fire, and inhaling appreciatively as the edges of my lips curled in happiness, I reached for the small stack of Styrofoam cups that sat nearby.

  Dislodging one from the others, I picked up the pot, using the bottom edge of my shirt as a pot holder, and lifting the pot, I placed the cup near its spout and poured.

  When a portion of the pots contents filled the cup, I put it back on the grate, then carried the dark brew filled cup to my lips and sipped, my eyes closing in guilty pleasure as it blasted in a sear of flame across my taste buds.

  I was carrying the cup once again to my lips, observing the awakening of a new day as the sun reached its sleepy head above the horizon, and splashed the sky between the overhang of the trees in purple, pink and orange glory when my gaze fell on an unexpected sight.

  A small, yet hushed cry of pleasure at the sight emerged from between my lips, then hurrying over to where I was just a breath away from Heather as she bent over a box, I exclaimed, "God aren’t you a sight for sore eyes!"

  Heather jumped, jerking her head out of the box of supplies, obviously startled, and clasping a package of pop tarts to her breast she hissed, "Lord, you just scared ten years off me Kira Trousseau !"

  Lowering the pastries to her side, she peered intently into my face, then grinned, "well, you certainly look better than you did last night!”

  With a sheepish expression, I muttered “gee thanks,” then waving my hands in the air, encompassing the jungle within my action I laughed, “what the hell you you doing out here?”

  However, before Heather could answer, I found myself jerking forward and bumping against her, spilling coffee over the both of us, startled to hear a voice laced with a hint of something I couldn't put a finger on whisper near my ear "I need to speak with you…now” as I hadn't been aware Dante was even anywhere near this camp.

  The request was then followed by a pair of vice like fingers encircling my elbow, enforcing within me the knowledge that I either follow willingly or be drug, as Dante steered me away from the camp.

  His long legs ate up the ground beneath our feet, causing me to trot just to keep up with him, and though I knew he was aware I was having trouble following, he never slowed his pace.

  Eventually though, he did come to a stop, and dropped his hold on my elbow, as placing a small distance between us he kept his back to me as he gazed out into the trees, then shaking his head, he turned and made his way back to where he was once again standing directly before me and roared, “I’m about at my wits end with you, don’t you ever take off like that again…do you hear me?”

  For the count of a heartbeat I glared at him then hissed “yes I hear you” followed with a snapped “and I imagine the whole blasted camp did too, as they'd have to be deaf not to!”

  Stepping around him, I then headed back towards the camp, my temper running high and tears shimmering in my eyes.

  A few minutes later, when I’d reached the outer edge of the clearing I paused, drawing a deep breath, I did the best I could to calm my emotions, then stepped within the interior of the camp, where Heather, obviously having been watching for my return, immediately honed in on me and motioned in my direction.

  Offering up a resigned sigh, as I’d hoped to have at least a few more minutes to get my anger fully under control, as I was fairly certain it was still glaringly obvious, I could, however, do nothing but change my direction of travel, and make my way to where she stood.

  As I came to a stop beside her, she glanced up again, taking in the petulant look that was still residing within my eyes and ask, “you okay?”

  At the slight affirmative nod of my head, she gazed at me several more seconds, then dropped her own back towards the task she was performing as, obviously agitated, she crammed something into her back-pack, muttering under her breath, “stupid buffoon.”

  After consuming a scanty breakfast of trail mix and granola bars amid the dissatisfied grumbles of those around the camp, the tents came down, and the miscellaneous items packed up.

  Then we were once again on the move, the rest of the day passing in a blur as I trudged along, lost in thought of the conversation I'd had early on in the days journey with Heather.

  I’d found shock rippling through me upon learning Sirrus was Heather’s older brother, causing me to wonder how it was that I’d never met him until just recently, and how I'd missed the obvious similarity in certain traits they both carried, then with shrug and a smile, I recalled as well how she’d managed to be out here, walking along side the others, with a backpack slung over one shoulder.

  It turned out Heather could be quite devious when she wanted to be, for she'd overheard Sirrus calling Dante a damned fool for taking this journey without help, and realizing what her brother was about, as he'd already begun making plans to follow, she had, with a few tears and finally outright blackmail, managed to get Sirrus to agree to bring her along.

  Though he’d done so grudgingly she'd said, as he’d growled that she could barely fight her way out of a paper bag, however, she might be useful in some manner.

  My thoughts kept me occupied through out the grueling hours of trekking through the jungle until, at last, we came to a stop. The hour was late, and I was hot, sweaty and dusty, as well hungry to bathe.

  I was no longer under the lock and key of having to report my every move, that was I was aware of, and felt no qualms about gathering a towel and bar of soap.

  However, I soon found myself glued to the spot where my feet had come to rest as I stared at the man before me, bathed within moonbeams.

  A sense of deja vu washed over me, for I found myself in very much the same situation as I'd been in just a few weeks earlier.

  However, this time Dante stood at the banks of a shallow creek, instead of in an open field, yet my eyes preformed very much the same actions as before, automatically drawn to the broad shoulders glistening in the moonlight as they followed the path of glimmering drops of water that cruised their way down the same well developed chest.

  From there the drops trickled their way over the same flat abs as the last time, only the destination this time was different, for there was no waistband for the moisture to be absorbed into.

  Instead, the drops continued downward over bare flesh before coming to rest in the hair around Dante’s dick, and though I found the action damn near impossible, I somehow managed to raise my eyes back to his upper body as, shaking his head, a rainbow of water droplets flew into the air as he bent over at the waist.

  The muscles in his legs flexed as he picked up the j
eans and t-shirt that rested on the ground near his feet, and straightening, he carried the shirt to his chest and begun to rub, wiping away the remaining moisture that clung to his skin.

  Then, tossing the dampened shirt across a shoulder, he lifted a foot and pushed it into the leg of his jeans as he worked the pant leg up until his foot popped through the opening at the bottom, then set about preforming the same action with the other leg and foot.

  Why was it I wondered, my eyes glued to his movements, did he leave me breathless every time I looked at him.

  Hell, even as a teenager he’d affected me!

  Now, with his jeans pooled around his ankles, Dante paused, and raising his head he peered in my direction, his eyes reflecting his awareness of my every thought, and stilling the breath from within my lungs as, overly warm from the arousal pumping threw my system, and not trusting myself not to act upon it, I sucked in a breath and bolted, the smell of cookies chasing me.

  The towel and bar of soap I held dropped somewhere along the way in my flight, yet I didn’t pause to re-gather them for, in what seemed a mere matter of seconds, Dante was on my heels.

  Stumbling over the uneven ground in my haste, I lost my balance and, with the venomous bite of the brush stabbing and poking at my tender flesh like the fangs of a viper, I tumbled headlong into the undergrowth.

  Immediately I began to struggle in an effort to loosen my clothes from the small limbs and twigs, however, my head snapped up in frustration and disquiet, my actions stilling as the sound of an amused chuckle reached my ears.

  Renewing my efforts to be free of the brush, I felt tears of shame and humiliation smart the back of my eyes, and I found myself lashing out with teeth and claws at Dante’s hands and arms when they appeared before me, as he made to assist me in my endeavor to be free.

  His sharp order of, "hold still dammit," barely fazed me as I continued to bite, snap, claw and snarl.

  Then, with a mixture of mortification at being in such a discomforting position in the first place, and anger at myself for allowing the sight of his naked body, as well as the mouth watering aroma he was emitting, to arouse me into to such a state, I snapped, "I'd like to see you hold still with a limb stabbing you in the ass!"