Cleaning the last of the dishes she silently slipped outside with a bucket of scraps. Walking across the quiet yard, she stopped in front of the fence that bordered the pigpen. Snuffling and snorting the fat beast crowded at the fence expectantly as she poured the contents of her bucket into the trough. Pulling her apron off she looked up to the quiet night sky as she walked towards the well. Placing her dirtied apron on the stone ledge of the well she began pulling up the bucket of water when she heard the footsteps.
Startled she turned to see two soldiers standing a few yards away from her. Blinking a few times, the soldiers gave her curious stares before one cleared his throat and spoke. “You will need to go back inside it isn’t safe out here.”
Nervous by his gruff command she grabbed her apron and let the bucket drop back down into the well with a splash. Beginning to hurry past the men she paused when they stiffened suddenly, looking over her head. Standing straighter they lowered their heads in unison.
“I’m sorry my Lord, we did not see you.”
Turning back around her breath caught in her throat, the red eyes were the first thing she saw gleaming from the darkness. Stepping forward from the blanket of shadows the figure of the demon King materialized. With a flick of one clawed hand, the two men were dismissed. Watching them walk away with growing nervousness she reluctantly turned back to the silent King.
“I… I should be going as well, my Lord.” It was something about the way he looked at her that made her body freeze motionless in fear. Gripping the apron with both fists she nervously waited for him to dismiss her.
Stepping further into the torchlight of the monastery Suros stopped in front of her giving her an unreadable look on his emotionless face.
“How long have you lived here Ishtar?” His deep voice seemed to resonate with power.
“Since I was a child, my Lord,” she answered quickly and honestly, keeping her eyes at the level of his chest.
Focusing on the beautiful scrollwork embellished into his leather armor she startled when she realized it was coming closer, looking up she realized he was standing only a foot away. Reflexively she looked up and met his bright gaze. Fear and panic began to set in as she realized how vulnerable she was alone in the dark with this demon. Her instincts screamed for her to run.
“Do not run Ishtar,” the sheer power and authority in his voice commanded her body to stay put as he seemingly read her mind despite her overwhelming urge to do just that—run.
“Do you know what you are?” He asked, taking one step forward forcing her to realize her back was only inches away from the stone wall of the monastery.
Not sure what he was talking about she shook her head.
“You are a very rare type of demon,” he answered flatly as if that should be sufficient information.
Her eyebrows drew together as she frowned in deeper confusion.
With what she could have sworn was a ghost of a smile he tilted his head slightly, staring at her for a moment before explaining. “Not only are you rare little one, but you are highly sought after—evident by today’s attack.”
Horrified she stepped back shocked by his words, bumping into the stone wall behind her. “What?! Why me? I have nothing!” What was he talking about, she did not incite that attack.
“You have everything,” the sudden rumble of his words sounded like a growl. Ishtar stared at his brightening red gaze, trapped by it. “A beauty that I was not expecting and a softness that is dangerous.” Though his tone betrayed no emotion his eyes were bright with undisguised hunger, she wasn’t sure how to respond.
“I still do not understand my Lord,” shaking her head. “How did I cause the attack? Why would I be sought after?”
He blinked a couple of times as if deciding what to say next. “Your kind has the ability to bear pure blooded demons that match the sire.” His gaze, primal and unfeeling, matched his words. “Half-blooded demons are shunned by most demons however your children will not suffer that fate.”
Frozen to the spot Ishtar felt her blood drain from her body causing her hands to go clammy and a hum in her ears.
“No that can’t be,” shaking her head she refused to believe him, he had to be lying.
But his expression didn’t waver as he continued to stare at her with those emotionless eyes. The nuns told her once of the horrors some men would do to women against their will, it was too terrible to even listen to, and now he was telling her that was all demons would ever see her as.
A thought suddenly struck her.
“Is that what you came here for, to force me to bear your children?” So, sickened by the prospect, just for a moment she forgot who she was speaking to.
A silver eyebrow lifted in response to her direct tone. “I simply came here to find you—before another does.”
She wasn’t sure if she should believe the innocuous answer by the emotionless demon. He gave her no reason to doubt him, but she had no reason to trust him either. Looking back up at him she eyed him warily, she felt very nervous in his presence, she needed to get away.
“I will speak to the head priest in the morning for his counsel,” she said firmly, bowing her head she prepared to hurry away with or without his dismissal.
“I would like for you to answer one question before you go,” his words stilled her.
Reluctantly she met his gaze again feeling her stomach tighten when it did.
“Yes, my Lord?” She waited.
“Do you know what I am?” He asked, his voice low and rough.
Fear trickled down her spine making her feel weak in the knees. Yes, she knew what he was. From the moment his animalistic gaze meet hers that morning, she knew instinctively what kind of predator he was.
“You are a wolf, my Lord,” she whispered fearfully.
A slow carnal smile spread across his usually impassive lips, wrapping her body in true fear in response to the predator standing before her. “I am indeed.”
The brief glimpse of sharp canine teeth was the last thing she saw before he turned and walked away.
“I will see you in the morning.” The gentle night breeze carried the ominous promise to her ears. Releasing a pent-up exhale, she wondered on how she could possibly survive another encounter with this demon.
Chapter 4
Resting her head against the soft pillow and closing her eyes Ishtar could just feel the soft tendril of needed sleep beginning to entwine itself around her when she felt herself shaken awake. Blinking in confusion, she turned over to see the worried expression of one of the younger nuns, Vesta.
Vesta had only been at the temple for a couple of years, but she and Ishtar quickly bonded.
Vesta didn’t wait for her to clear her hazy mind as she opened Ishtar’s trunk by the bed and began stuffing all of her things in a satchel.
Alarmed Ishtar sat up alert in her bed. “What is going on?”
With all of Ishtar’s worldly possessions stuffed in the bag, Vesta thrust Ishtar her temple robes.
“Hurry and change I’ll explain once you’re done.”
Nervous Ishtar hurriedly slipped on the long billowing pants she only wore for temple prayer and special occasions. The pants were loose with lots of pleats making the dark blue material look like a long-pleated skirt when she stood straight. Wrapping and tucking the plain white cotton top into the hem of the pants around her waist she waited expectantly for Vesta to answer. What was going on? Were they going to perform a surprise baptism in the middle the night, was that why she needed to change? Biting her lip at the thought, Ishtar wasn’t sure if that was something she wanted. A life of servitude was never what she envisioned for herself.
“Come on,” Vesta whispered taking her hand, forcing Ishtar to follow.
Silently they rounded the corner where Ishtar’s bed was and crept past the other sleeping nuns lining the walls of the long room. Everyone was asleep, it could not be a baptism ceremony she thought.
Creeping down to the end of the deserted corridor Ve
sta led her into the library.
“What’s going on?” Ishtar could feel her pulse thumping as her anxiety rose.
Turning to look at her Vesta finally met her gaze, there were tears in her eyes.
“I overheard the head priest Karty speaking with young Valdus earlier,” Ishtar held her breath as Vesta spoke fearing to hear the rest. It was not unusual for Valdus to be speaking to the head priest. Karty never went anywhere without his personal counsel, and one of those men was Valdus. Arriving a few years ago the young priest seemed determined to “improve” the temple in the image he saw fit, using the head priest’s ear to his advantage. The younger man’s grand ambitions only served to ostracize him with the nuns. Valdus had little concern over the opinion of nuns, he viewed them as little more than maids. “They were saying that the demon King will take you with him in the morning.”
The heat in her body seemed to fade away leaving her cold and shaken. Disbelieving she shook her head as she pressed the palms of her suddenly clammy hands against her temple robes. “No,” she whispered. “that can’t be I have lived here my whole life.”
Wiping away some of her tears Vesta pulled Ishtar close hugging her tightly. “I know but Valdus does not care, he says we simply cannot afford another attack on account of you.” Ishtar could hear the anger in Vesta’s voice as she recounted the hated priest’s words. “Karty said that the King assured him you would be well taken care of.”
Jerking back Ishtar stared at Vesta in shocked anger. How could Karty do this to her? Did he even know what that demon wolf wanted her for? The wolf’s callous words replayed themselves in her head, and her body grew colder as fear crept along her nerves like Ivy.
“That is why I brought you here,” Vesta whispered as she went to the far end of the library lighting a candle. “You must escape before that demon gets you.” Pulling back the thick wall tapestry revealed a small wooden door. It was the same door she showed Vesta when she came to the temple, the hidden tunnels Ishtar discovered playing by herself when she was little.
Angry Ishtar stepped back defiantly. “I do not want to leave,” she argued in a low whisper. “This is my home.”
Coming back to her side Vesta grasped Ishtar’s hands in hers and gave her pleading look, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
“I know Ishtar, I don’t want you to leave either,” a tear rolled down her face as she held her hands tighter. “But you need to hide. We don’t know what that demon wants with you.”
Ishtar’s heart froze, she knew the truth.
“If you follow the tunnel you can slip out undetected. Go to the old temple ruins and wait for me to come get you once the King and his army leaves.”
Nodding Ishtar dug her fingernails into her palms to keep from crying. Hugging Vesta, she took her satchel Vesta was holding. “I put some food in there,” Vesta sniffed through her tears. “Just wait for me to come get you to tell you it’s okay.”
With no choice, she nodded and opened the door, the cool, moist air from the dark tunnel spilled out. Giving Vesta one last hug Ishtar took the lantern Vesta offered and stepped inside. Though she told herself this was only temporary and all a part of their plan Ishtar turned back with a sense of deep dread. No matter what she told herself, she felt as if this was the last time she would set foot inside this temple.
*~*~*
Huddled against the wall of the chapel the nuns and the monks clutched at each other as they stared at the demon in wide-eyed fear. With each step the demon King took towards the shivering priest cowering against the altar, the whimpers of the nuns increased. With one hand casually resting on the hilt of his sword hanging off his belt, Rodis shifted from one foot to the other as he watched his King. Earlier the King informed them that they would be taking the young demoness back with them to Tige, but when they went to get her, she was nowhere to be found.
The King’s reaction to her disappearance was unfathomable.
Rodis and his men steeled themselves against the cold-blooded fury. Even in the bright morning light that streamed through the chapel windows the demon King’s eyes glowed bright, bleeding over and washing away his pupils until the whites of his eyes were gone, and there was only the inhuman red glow left. Since childhood, every soldier was trained directly under the King’s command and could clearly remember being ruthlessly bested in combat training by the emotionless demon. But never once did the King lose his calm disposition, whether it be training our actual battle, the demon had always kept a cool if not bored demeanor. They were not fools though, they knew very well the potential savagery of the King’s anger they just never had an opportunity to witness it—until now.
Faster than anyone could blink the King grabbed the portly priest Karty by the neck easily holding him until only the tips of the priest’s shoes scraped the ground.
“Where is she?” The savage growl echoed through the still chapel.
Clutching at the King’s clawed grip around his sweaty neck the terrified man rasped. “I don’t know… This isn’t like her my Lord… She is normally so obedient.”
The King’s eyes narrowed to red slits at that remark, tightening his grip he lifted the priest higher off the ground until they were face-to-face.
“Please,” the priest begged. “We did exactly as you requested, we told her nothing…”
Rodis flinched at the deep frustrated growl his King let off as he let the priest fall to a heap on the floor beneath him. The cries from the huddled nuns and monks rang out as the demon King turned his glowing gaze in their direction.
“My Lord,” the yell echoed down the stone hall, seconds before Fenak appeared with a spark of discovery in his eyes. “We found a tunnel.”
Turning back to his King to receive his orders Rodis stared wide-eyed at the empty spot.
*~*~*
Ishtar waited at the tunnel’s end until the first sign of morning’s light. It was unsafe to travel alone and unarmed through the forest, but it was doubly so if one attempted at night. Pushing open the old metal door she crawled out of the tunnel. Stretching her back she winced at the pain the prolonged crouched position in the tunnel caused. Closing the door, she looked around the ravine where the tunnel was hidden. It looked exactly the same from when she used to play here when she was younger. Who would ever guess she would actually be using the tunnel to escape? Tightening her grip on her satchel, she easily climbed the steep ravine and started toward the old temple ruins. Walking quickly Ishtar kept her eyes alert for any possible movement in the trees. The path she was on was a natural break in the forest tree line, leaving the treetops less dense than the rest of the forest allowing plenty of sunlight to guide her path. If she kept up her quick pace, she should be able to reach the ruins within the hour.
And though she told herself not to, her mind traveled back to Suros. Clutching her satchel tighter she angrily thought of his words. No, she refused to believe that wolf! It simply just wasn’t true, nothing ever happened until he showed up. Just thinking of his expressionless face and ever watching eyes made her angry, she hoped she would never see him again.
Hearing a crack behind her Ishtar jumped and turned around. The path behind her was clear. Nervous she turned back around increasing her pace. She made it two steps before her foot was pulled out from beneath her, with a cry she hit the ground hard taking her breath away.
A rough grip grabbed her by her shoulder and turned her over. Paralyzed by fear Ishtar stared up at a giant ogre standing over her. With greenish gray hide covered in sparse, coarse white hair, the foul-smelling beast bared its thick teeth at her. Finally finding her voice, she let out a piercing scream as she tried to scramble away. The heavy pressure of his hand coming down over her upper arm holding it in place caused her to cry out in pain.
“They killed the others,” its scratchy rumbling voice shook her to her bones. Leaning down closer to her Ishtar’s heart felt as if it would explode when she felt the monster kneel one knee between her legs. Turning her head away from his hot ranc
id breath she reached over with her other free arm and struggled to remove his thick hand from her arm. But no matter how hard she clawed at the thick flesh his grip did not budge. Ignoring her, he continued. “But I wait. Knew there was a chance.”
“Get off of me!” She screamed still clawing uselessly at his large hand.
The King's Karma: A Short Fantasy Romance Page 2
