by Lena Austin
“I’ll ask one of our flyers to keep you on track. The rest of us will fan out to try and find water around there.” Kella blessed his organizational skills.
“Be careful of the shield, Jem. I’ve never been outside the Valley, but I’m told impacting the shield would be the equivalent of flying into a brick wall, if you aren’t a denizen.” Kella worried a fingernail in agitation. “Without me to open the veil, you can’t get in.” Then she noticed her dirty hands. She yanked her hands behind her back. What a fright she must look.
Jem grinned. “Then I’ll take the southern quadrant. If I find the shield, all the better. I’ll know what I hit.” He turned on his heel and left. The other adults left with him, undoubtedly his scouts.
Marget sighed. “Kella, tell me truly. Is there a possibility he’ll find a mate in the Valley? He’s my favorite nephew, and the only one of my relations who chose to come.” She aimed a sly glance at Kella and winked. “I can tell you’re already mated.”
The bat scouts took off from the trees, and fanned out in several directions.
Kella raised an eyebrow. “He’ll find a mate. There’s no dearth of unmated bitches to fawn all over him. He may even acquire a harem of them, we’ve so few males in the Valley.”
Marget nodded, and waited.
Under her patient stare, Kella finally capitulated. “Yes, I’m mated.” She clamped her jaw. She’d be damned if she’d explain why she loved outside her species.
“And not to a Vampire, I’ll wager. I listened to your answers in the meeting. The Valley is populated with beings of all kinds, including Unicorns, once worshiped as gods by my people.”
“‘Once’ worshiped?” Kella clasped her acolyte’s medallion under her shirt, and felt her face pale.
“At one time. Without having seen one for hundreds of years, they faded into legend. Ah, you’re shocked. I suppose with living manifestations of the gods so nearby, your village still worships them? Well, I’m anxious to see if the legends are true.” Marget maintained her gimlet stare. “Oh, wait. I see. You are mated to a Unicorn, aren’t you? No wonder you hide your status. You’d be outcast as a heretic.”
Kella couldn’t hide the bitterness in her voice. “Unless I’m useful.” A sour thought to know that, no matter how much she succeeded this day, she would remain unwelcome in the village, except by the newcomers. They, at least, might see her as a friend.
Marget’s smile was ironic. “So that’s the way of things, hmm? Well, they are about to get a pack of heretics in their midst who don’t worship Unicorns as gods, merely upon occasion as the instrument of the gods. We ought to shake their parochial ways.” She pondered for a moment, and then snorted. “Things ought to be interesting.”
“To say the least.” She literally was perpetuating her heresy by bringing in a pack of non-believers, as well as unspoiled, handsome princes, to her home village. Her lips twitched with the need to laugh.
Marget’s face remained bland. “Isn’t there some sort of curse? Ah, yes. ‘May you live in interesting times to tell your grandchildren about.’ I must assume I’ll be getting plenty of story fodder soon.” Her amused tone held a hint of resignation Kella understood.
In the meantime, the others had shaken themselves awake, arranged packs, and transformed into whatever shapes they were using. The young mothers stood respectfully back, cuddling their bat-shaped younglings, waiting for Kella to get ready.
Marget nodded and marched off to pick up the saddlebags, blanket, and ropes. Kella transformed and was outfitted for the day. Her young rider made his way over and used a stump to clamber up, agile as a monkey. He helped arrange the baby bats comfortably, without a word.
His mother admonished softly, “Shan, you be good for Kella. Take care of the babies.”
His answer was as sober as a priest. “Yes, Mama.”
Marget shifted to lupine and led the pack down the slope and into the forest. Kella and the mothers chose a more sedate pace in silence. The devotion of the young bitches to all their babes touched Kella’s heart.
Just before they arrived at the appointed rocky meeting place, a bat circled overhead, squeaking. They halted with hope in their hearts.
The bat transformed and grinned. “We found water. When we get there, take out whatever vessels you have. What’s more, some of the lupines caught a deer. We’ll have meat soon!”
To the accompaniment of a few whispered cheers, he returned to bat form and led them to where they found a deer roasting on a spit, with wild garlic carefully inserted into slits cut in the meat. The afternoon sun warmed the rocks delightfully after the chill of the mountains, making a pleasant space indeed to get much-needed drinks. The venison was split equally among everyone, while all rested weary feet.
Kella waited anxiously for Jem to come back, with Marget at her side. At dusk, a bat flew erratically back in and landed at Marget’s feet. Jem shifted to human, holding a bleeding nose. “I fowd ur shield, I tink.”
Without a sign of regret, Marget stemmed the flow from his nose with an embroidered cloth yanked from her pack. “Well, she warned you.”
“It doesn’t echo back.”
“We’ll see such a sight as a magical veil in the morning, then. You’ll sport a fine pair of black eyes, but you’ll live to fly another day.” Marget handed him his dinner.
He took the large leaf with his portion of meat, and a bowl of water with a sigh. “I suppose I won’t be impressing the ladies anytime soon.”
Kella kept her laughter purely internal and her face serene. Jem was in for a large and well-deserved surprise. She just hoped he had the stamina to appease all the young bitches who would happily coo over his bruises before they raped him into unconsciousness.
* * * * *
Tanne fidgeted beside Sedna, who stood facing the veil to the outside as calmly as a statue.
He’d not been pleased to find a hastily scrawled note when he returned home yesterday afternoon. There’s a Vampire village Outside which needs rescue. I’m going. Ask Sedna. I will always love you. Kella.
He had asked Sedna, and rather impolitely. The grand old lady forgave him when he’d calmed enough to apologize, and now stood with him at the appointed place, at the time agreed upon. Dawn had broken two hours before.
Sedna spared him a glance. “May I make a suggestion, Tanne?” She turned back to where carts stood ready to carry any injured, and a normally placid donkey brayed loudly. “Shut up!” She cast a silence spell over the obnoxious creature.
“What is your advice, dear lady? For putting up with me, I owe you great deal of courtesy.” Tanne scrubbed his weary eyes. He hadn’t slept since he’d come home and found Kella gone.
“Put an illusion of health and well-being on yourself. You look haunted with worry. Kella will be insulted. She’s an independent soul, and as full of pride as an egg’s full of meat.” She sighed. “If Kella pulls this off, she’ll expect you to be standing there, proud and elegant. Nothing more.”
Tanne nodded, and cast a glamour on himself. He pasted a cool smile on his face, and grounded into the earth for energy.
A bitch standing near the veil turned and shouted, “I see movement! Yes! Bats, wolves, and a hornless brown Unicorn being ridden by a small boy!”
“I’ll be damned to the Nine Cold Hells. She rescued them.” Sedna whispered, awed.
The veil opened, and weary wolves padded through the opening, followed by a cloud of bats. All dropped to the ground, and Sedna’s coterie of friends rushed to attend them. Tanne was impressed with their efficiency, taking away those who could still move under their own power, and seeing to the needs of those too weary to go on. He couldn’t help but remember that the first immigration had been similar, but he’d been alone then.
Kella’s horse form plodded through the opening, carrying a young boy and closely attended by several wolves, who stumbled determinedly beside her. As soon as the veil closed, the wolves transformed into young females, all of whom reached up to grab small forms o
ff the blanket. One woman came forward to help the boy down.
Tanne couldn’t wait any longer, and Sedna seemed to be of the same mind. They charged forward as the last little bat was lifted off and transformed into a small baby.
“We did it, Mama! Mistress Kella brought us to a very pretty place!” The small boy who’d ridden on Kella’s back was dancing with excitement. He was the only one who seemed to have one iota of energy left. His mother nodded her head and took him off, following the others.
Tanne was fascinated for a moment. They spoke the Vampire language, but with a beautifully musical lilt.
Kella transformed, the ropes and blankets dropping to her feet. She smiled wearily after the crowd now being escorted to the village. One young man with impressive black eyes had two females on each arm. “You’re welcome,” she said softly to their backs. Her head bent, and she chuckled.
One of the newcomers remained, a regal and proud look on her face. “They’ll thank you later, my dear. Right now, all they can think of is their tired limbs and empty bellies.”
“I know, Marget.”
Marget lifted her eyes to see Tanne and Sedna bearing down on them. Her slow smile was appreciative. “Well, well! If I could find a Unicorn as handsome as yours, I might just become a full heretic, too.”
Kella raised her head, and her tired face broke into a smile. Tanne opened his arms in time for her to leap at him with joy written all over her face.
Sedna smiled indulgently and walked over to Marget. “Since they are too occupied to introduce us, we must take matters into our own hands. I’m Sedna.”
Marget grinned and bowed. “I’m Marget, as I’m sure you heard. I am, or rather, I was the Guildmistress for the Embroiderers’ Guild. Would you be so kind as to show me where I might bespeak a bath and a decent meal? I’d like to look and feel more reasonable before I present myself to the local Guildmistress.”
Sedna chuckled and linked arms with Marget. Tanne realized that they liked one another, and looked upon each other as kindred spirits. “All you need to do is look in the mirror to find the Guildmistress. We haven’t had one before! I can see we’ll have much to talk about!” Sedna said.
Kella watched them stroll away, from the security of Tanne’s arms. “I should see the new immigrants settled.” She wanted to say more, but the world turned gray and her knees buckled.
Tanne picked her up. “I think not. You are nearly out on your feet; you probably want a bath, a decent meal, and some sleep.” He smiled tenderly down at her. “Besides all the above reasons, if I don’t see to your care, I may find myself being chased by a Vampire in bloodlust.”
She groaned and widened her eyes to keep them open. “You’re probably right.” Her attempt at simulating full alertness fooled him not at all.
“I know I am. The need for blood is not the sort of lust I want you to feel right now.”
He teleported them straight to their bedroom, and put her gently on the bed. She was deeply asleep before he could remove his clothes and join her.
Tanne stroked her hair and used a spell to make sure she was oblivious to the world. “I never thought I’d fall in love with you, but I did. I never thought I’d miss a female in my life, but you made me miss you.” He kissed her upturned nose. “Where you go, trouble follows. What will I do when the Herd Stallion learns what you’ve done?”
Chapter Nineteen
Kella awoke all at once, in total darkness. Tanne lay beside her, sleeping peacefully. She could feel the beginnings of the bloodlust urges. Because of them, Tanne looked less like a lover and more like a tasty snack outlined in a red haze. She inhaled deeply the scent of warm-blooded prey and fought the need with the will he had trained into her.
She swallowed hard, and eased her way out of bed, careful not to disturb Tanne. No matter that he knew what Vampire bloodlust looked like, he did not need to see it in her. He was sensitive enough to magic that she dared not teleport so near, so she tiptoed carefully out the door.
Transforming to bat, she flew out into the night, where dawn’s rosy glow barely showed. There would be little competition at this hour, and it was not long before she found a small herd of deer, sleeping peacefully. As a bat, she didn’t need much to satisfy her urges, and it was easy to get a meal without disturbing her victim. A tiny flow of mage energy healed the small wound even as she flew off, replete.
Now, I may indulge in a bath. She shifted to human and sneaked into the bathing chamber. The effort taken to scrub three days of grime off was well worth the pink skin. Her scalp itched and her hair felt greasy, so that got the same rough treatment.
She was debating whether to be lazy and soak, or go fix a hearty and more conventional meal, when Tanne popped into the tub, causing a huge splash. Her sponge went flying, to impact the wall with a wet plop.
Her small shriek of “Tanne!” only amused him, and he grabbed for her.
She eluded his grasp with a wicked grin. “Do you want something, handsome?”
“Indeed I do, my fire-haired heroine. Before, if I know you, you take yourself off to the Vampires to see if your friends are settled.”
Kella giggled and sidestepped another grab. She climbed out of the tub, wet hair dripping, and wearing only a smile of pure devilment. “Really, now? Is that so? Well, then, you must catch me!”
She took off running, knowing her pale buttocks flashing beneath streaming hair would act as an enticement. A splash and the sound of pounding feet let her know he was after her, and the game began.
Giggling wasted breath, but she couldn’t help herself as she darted out the cavern entrance and sprinted down the path to the meadow. The point was to be caught, eventually, but make him earn the right to cover her. If she truly wanted escape, she might shift form, but she didn’t want that at all. No, indeed.
He tackled her just as they reached the edge of the meadow, and they fell together into the grasses and plants that lined the edge.
Tanne’s laughter rang out over the meadow, startling birds into flight. “Why did you think you could outrun a Unicorn?”
Kella bared fangs in a mock snarl while pretending to fight. “I didn’t! But you had to earn your rights, or I might be considered wanton!”
Tanne captured her wrists with one hand, then caressed her naked body from neck to knees and made her tremble with lust. “You’re not?”
“Well, only with you.” She gasped as Tanne’s hand tenderly cupped the curls below. “Oh, please don’t stop!”
He bent down, pinning her to the ground with his own nude body. “I don’t intend to.”
She felt the hardness of his cock pressing into her thigh and relished it. The prickling of the grasses beneath her only increased her awareness of all sensations. “Who wouldn’t want to be made love to in a sweet-smelling meadow?”
His blue eyes widened. “‘Made love to’? Oh, no, Kella. You demanded a chase and capture. It logically follows that this means you also, in the manner of predators, must be conquered.” His silvery eyebrows twitched once. “I think a stallion can handle that easily enough.” He twitched his fingers, still lodged in her curls, and made her gasp.
“Oh!” was all she got out before her mouth was captured with the same strength as her body.
The tingle of magic lashed out, pinning her wrists to the ground above her head. Kella realized he’d never shown her how to break a magical bond, but wriggled for form’s sake until he released her mouth to nibble on her earlobe. “That’s cheating. I don’t know how to free myself.” Even to her own ears, her protest was weak and breathless.
Tanne laughed like a rascal. “That’s the idea, my beautiful captive. I’ll leave your legs free, for my own pleasure ‑‑ at least for now.”
He slid down her body, leaving a hot, wet trail with his tongue until he nibbled at her neck where the big vein resided. It nearly drove her mad, knowing he could, if he chose, make needle-teeth like her own and bite. The slight sucking on her neck was enough to make her wet and ready for
anything he might do.
Tanne teased her neck until Kella’s panting turned to wordless pleas, and then moved down to suck one nipple into his mouth. It hardened under his ministrations, and he repeated the treatment on the other, finishing with a nip.
Her hands flexed, straining in the implacable grip of magic. “Oh, gods, Tanne. Please, please cover me! I need you to!”
“No.” He moved to lick just under her breasts.
“No? Please don’t leave me like this. I beg it.” Her hands were stuck firmly to the grass, but her lower body lifted itself in invitation.
Tanne pushed her firmly back down and captured her ankles in another whip of power, planting them firmly in the earth next to her buttocks. “Who said I’d leave you in such a state? Not I.”
Exposed to the air, the slight breeze nearly had her screaming for mercy as it caressed her most intimate regions with coolness.
Tanne snatched a feathery plant from its stalk and showed it to her. “What is the name of this plant? Do you know it?”
Kella focused her eyes on the creamy top of the plant. “Horsetail. It is used for …”
Tanne interrupted by caressing her breasts with the soft plant’s fronds. “I have another use for it.” The long strands of the plant resembled hair, and he stroked her body with it as if it were indeed his own tail, lingering and dragging over her sensitized skin.
Kella managed to control her cries, at least until the soft fibers stroked the insides of her thighs.
Tanne stopped his torture and laid the horsetail aside. “Noisy, noisy. You’ll disturb the others that might linger about.” He manifested a square of cloth the same color as his natural coat.
Kella eyed the shimmering blue silk. “What’s that for?” Tanne demonstrated by stuffing it into her mouth, ignoring her muffled squeaks.
“It serves two purposes, my darling. It will keep you quiet while I thoroughly ravish your body. Second, it prevents you from biting my flesh. You won’t even have that small victory of wounding me in the slightest.” He leered with good humor. “Now, if I bite you, that’s a different thing altogether, of course.”
