by Bonnie Bliss
Chancing a glance in his direction, she watched Tethur stalk forward slowly. His hulking form stood tall and proud. Slowly, Sorscha lowered her arms. The Earth heard her silent call and slowly settled. The flowing rivers of bright orange lava cooled around the charred and dead bodies. Each one registered in her soul. The orc’s gaze darted between the two of them. Tethur came forward, his body blocking hers.
She let him.
The battle was his to win.
Taking a few steps back, she gave herself room to view the mighty orc. He was no more powerful than the huge blade he held in his hand. She had the power of nature.
The orc threw his head back, screaming to the heavens as if they would come to his aide. Faster than Sorscha could blink, she watched Tethur’s arm move. His claws were primed and out; the gouges sprayed blood as he hit his target. The orc fell to his knees, his chest ripped open as rivers of red bled from him. Sorscha felt the tickle of warm stickiness on her cheeks. She nudged her chin in the direction of the maniacal creature. With a gutted sound, he got to his feet and took off towards the tree line.
Chapter Eighteen
A hush settled over the Realm.
The bad had been shown its due.
Sorscha lifted her chin to look up at Tethur. His body swung around and her breath caught. As the man—boy, he was epic. Yet, as the bear...
Yeah, she felt like a kinky pervert being attracted to the bear. Something about the beast brought out wild fantasies and desires not allowed in normal society. Her tongue flicked, dampening her parched lips. A snarling snort came from Tethur and steam spilled from his nostrils.
God, that was hot.
She pressed her thighs together as a fresh rush of liquid spilled from her cunt. Battle, war, the fight, the bear... she was so turned on she might cream her leathers right here on an orgasm.
Tethur must have thought the same thing because he charged. As he moved like a freight train towards her he shifted. The fur melted into his flesh, his body shrank to human size, which for Tethur, let’s face it, was quite huge. Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she braced her body for impact but it didn’t come. His steel arms wrapped around her body and he shifted around, taking the brunt of the collision with the moist ground.
He didn’t wait for her to move. Quickly he rolled them, pinning her under his body. Looking down at her, his eyes like fingers lingered over the rise and fall of her chest, the way her thighs spread willingly for him.
Sweet baby, Jesus, he is going to fuck my brains out.
“Do it,” she demanded.
He needed no further coaxing. Within moments her pants were ribbons around her body. Already nude from the shift, he rose up on his knees. Sorscha sucked in a breath. Her mouth went dry as she looked at his huge cock standing straight and proud, ready for her. Watching a sexy bead of pre-cum seep from the tip, she rose up on her elbows, only to be shoved back to the ground roughly.
“HEY!”
Sorscha glared up at him, but his expression gave nothing away. Grabbing hold of his dick, he started to stroke, using the precum to lube up his girth.
“I need to fuck you now, Sorscha. We could have both died, and I need to fuck you now,” he growled.
Nodding, she lay back, spreading her legs wide for him. He didn’t guide his cock like he had the night before. Gripping her legs, he yanked her up his thighs, and shoved his dick home. The pain and pleasure shot through her and she screamed his name. He wasn’t easy on her. This was fucking in its rawest form. Pumping his cock, he bottomed out as she felt his balls slap against her virgin asshole. All she could do was wrap her legs around his waist and ride with him. Her hips ground and swirled, finding that place that brought her to finish quickly. The walls of her cunt stretched and met him pump for fucking pump.
Roaring, he ripped open her leather vest and went after her swollen nipples. He pulled with each pump. The pain wrapped around the pleasure so the lines were blurred. With his face buried in her tits, she wrapped her arms around his back and with each hard thrust she scoured her nails down his back.
Her heels dug into his hard ass and she forced him to move faster without words. Speaking was out of the question at this point. They both needed this so fucking bad it was insane. Battle had brought out the beasts in them both and they were venting on each other—fucking out all the adrenaline. She felt him swell inside her. His cock pulsed as he pumped her good and hard. Her pussy fluttered around him. The sounds of their wet sex only heightened the pleasure.
Tethur’s tongue dragged up her body slowly, totally belying the beastly rutting he was giving her. Sorscha could feel them both growing closer. Her body grew hot and tingled, the sensation of her lower belly getting tense as her womb convulsed, nearly mading her orgasm.
“Fuck, holy fuck, fuck harder, harder. I’m there...” She screamed as she came. Her body convulsed in his arms as he continued to fuck into her. Sorscha threw her head back, his mouth hovered over her neck before his long teeth sank home, owning her all over again. She felt liquid heat under her fingers and knew she was drawing blood. One more hard thrust and his hot seed filled her deep. Another orgasm snapped to life inside her and she writhed in his arms. It was too much, yet not enough. She tried to escape him but his deep pumps set her off into a spiral.
Crying out and begging, she saw stars fill her vision, the kind you see before you faint.
Slowly, Sorscha came out of the fog. The rough tongue making a lazy trail around her breasts sort of brought her to life again. Her lips curled up at the corner as she looked down at her bear, still buried balls deep inside her, lavishing her breasts with attention.
“You silly ole’ bear. Haven’t you had enough?” she purred.
He lifted his gaze to hers and rested his chin on her chest.
“I’ll never get enough, little princess. You see, I had to watch you mature into a woman.” He started to circle one of her nipples slowly with a warm, callused finger. “And I could do nothing. I had to sit and watch as other men drooled and looked at you like a sex object and I had to pretend I hated you and thought you were a silly child.”
He pinched her nipple and she whimpered. Arching up against him, she realized his cock was pulsing, hard, and ready for her again. Laughing, she ran her fingers slowly through his hair.
“I plan on making up for that. As much as I can.”
He took a nipple in his mouth while rolling the other in his fingers. Hissing, she arched her body into him and wrapped her legs around his body again.
“That sounds like a good plan.” She peeked open an eye and looked around.
They still lay in the middle of the battlefield. The other Celts were wandering around, helping the surviving men. Soon they would approach and check them.
“Um, Tethur...” He grunted but continued his nipple attention. “Do you think we could take this inside?”
On an annoyed huff, he pulled from her body. She whimpered at the sudden loss of his size and heat. Flinging her over his shoulder, he gave her ass a firm swat and started to stalk towards the castle gates.
“Do you think this wise, you dumb bear? To just stroll in with my ass flashing for the world to see?” She crossed her arms over her chest and lifted up, trying to look at him over her shoulder.
She was answered with another spank. He grabbed a torn flag flying in the breeze and covered her backside.
She yelped and kept her mouth shut until he kicked open their door and she fell onto the bed. The soft sheets and pillows exploded around her as Tethur followed her body. Giggles and growls filled the room and then...moaning.
Having her bear, her beast, was everything she would ever need in this world. Sorscha just wondered how long this moment of peace would last before they would have to fight again. War was coming to Malandria and possibly the human realm. Would she be strong enough to help?
Shoving her doubts aside, she got lost in her bear.
Chapter Nineteen
The mist was so thick it almos
t made him gag. Not to mention he couldn’t see more than two feet ahead of him. It was so bad he could only see the horse’s backside. The cart rattled over small rocks, just another annoyance. There was no way of seeing which way to go. The road had disappeared hours ago. Night crept in as the mist took a sinister turn. The dark realm did that. Before you knew it you were too deep inside and in its hold. A sharp cold crept under his three thick layers. God knows what was out there; it wasn’t worth the risk.
“I’m pulling up, boys. Gonna set up camp and build a large fire. Can’t risk it any further in this bloody mist.”
Reggie, his son, popped his head out of the canvas.
“I’m not liking it back here, Papa. These damn things scare me shitless.”
The sound of a chain clanking on the ground behind the cart broke the evil silence.
“Well, just leave ‘em be, lad. You know they react to starin’. Just leave ‘em be.”
“Not easy, Papa. Let me get the wood from under the cart. Might take ma mind off ‘em.”
“Yes you do that. Set a good one going. Make it burn this mist away so we can see where we are.”
Within minutes a large fire was burning, crackling and spitting, with a huge spit over it. Water warmed in a pot as Father stirred a few leaves around, to flavor it. The mist did indeed clear a little, pushed back by the flames. A few rocks graced the parched earth and trees edged the boundary where the mist hung like a crazed freak waiting for its opportunity to creep back in and choke anything it reach.
“How much meat we got, Reggie?”
“Not much, Papa. Those little fuckers need it.”
“So what do we have?”
“A few sweet taties, onions, turnips and carrots. Looks like veggie stew again, Papa.”
“Stew it is then, boy. Can you get me a blanket? This fire ain’t warming my old bones.”
“Sure, Papa.”
A few minutes passed. The vegetables cooked and the small amount of goat meat roasted. Father tended the pot, hugging the blanket around him. His ears pricked up despite the mist’s ability to absorb sound. Footsteps, heavy and firm, closed in from ahead, yet he saw nothing. A snort, heavy pacing of hooves followed and a dark shadow stopped at the clearing’s boundary.
“Show yourself, shadow man!”
“What is it, Papa?” Father looked at him and Reggie’s eyes widened.
“Get my sword.”
Reggie disappeared into the cart, returning with a short sword in its scabbard.
“Come out of the mist. I hear you; your horse is as loud as my voice. Come out.”
The horse snorted once again. A hot, misty double breath rushed out, followed by the steed itself. Father’s heart sank as it closed in. A huge man, or what appeared to be a man, sat astride its back. He was dressed in black, with a hood over his head and two large swords, one at his back, another strapped to the horse’s side. Only the darkness filled this deadly man’s face. The hood showed nothing.
“Who are you? What do you want?” Father’s voice never faltered, despite his fear.
The horse came to within six feet of the fire, stamping its hooves, almost performing. The rider made no moves, only keeping steady.
“I seek a warm fire and a little company for the night, also a little protection against what waits out there.”
“Move on. We don’t want no company. We’ve lived in these parts for years, we don’t need protection.”
Without warning the rider moved, shifting his leg over and dismounting.
“That stew smells good but I have meat, a whole rump of venison. I’ll share it.”
Father felt a shiver run down his spine. The stranger’s voice was deep, almost commanding, yet he felt safe in some way.
“Do you promise not to hurt us?”
“I make only one promise: to feed you. Beyond that we shall see.”
Father knew he had no choice. This stranger was here to stay and he could do nothing about it. A stout man, stocky and fairly tall, Father was shadowed by this man, who now pushed back his hood, letting it rest at his back. The stranger had long hair and a full black beard littered with grey. This was a well-traveled man, a wilderness fighter. Deep blue eyes looked back. The man went to his horse, throwing the reins over its neck.
“So what waits out there, stranger?”
As the man reached into his saddle bags, pulling out a hefty joint of meat, his next words froze Father’s veins.
“Don’t worry, old man. Whatever is out there won’t venture here while I sit at your fire.”
Father settled down to rest as the stranger cooked some of the venison. When it was ready he sat by the fire as Reggie dished it into bowls. He disappeared and returned before handing three out.
Father watched the stranger out of cast glances, not wanting to glare.
“So what brings you to the dark realm with your son and your heavy cart, old man?”
“We are traders, simply carrying to and fro, making a pittance.”
“Trading in what?”
Father’s heart skipped a beat. Secrets needed to be kept. The stranger spooned stew between his lips. His eyes watched with a dangerous gaze.
“Is it so bad you can’t say what it is, old man?”
Father swallowed.
“Red caps.” There, it was said. His life, and that of his boys now hung in the balance.
“See, better to tell the truth, don’t you think? How many?”
“Four.”
“Caged, I hope?”
“Locked, chained and caged.”
“Where you taking them?”
Father took a deep breath.
“To the necromancer.”
“Cormadine Osmaldis,” the stranger said.
Father nodded.
“And what’s he paying you?”
“Ten gold pieces each.”
“Where’d you get them?”
“Why do you want to know, stranger? All these bloody questions. I don’t even know your name.”
“Where’d you get them?”
“Thoria. The mountains of Thoria, deep in a cave.”
“You get them all or were there more?”
“He wanted four, I got him four. Took me a bloody month and a whole lot of pain.”
“Indeed, I saw your second son on the way in. He’s in a bad way; I take it he got bitten.”
Father nodded.
“I’ll trade you.”
“What?”
“Give me the red caps; I’ll take them off your hands. I’ll pay eleven gold pieces each. Your son will die in days; a red cap bite is fatal. The poison will be deep in his veins by now. I might have something to help him survive.”
“There’s no cure for a red cap bite.”
“Not if it bites an elf, no. But a human man like your son, there is a way.”
“No, nothing exists. I’ve tried. I’ve sought advice from witches and warlocks. Nothing exists.”
“Give me what he paid you in return and I will give you the cure. I’ve lived in this wilderness for centuries, living off the land, killing off the land, living amongst the beasts and demons that roam it. I know cures for most things and I have some in my coat. Forty gold pieces will see your son cured.”
“Forty gold pieces and your name, stranger. I don’t trade with nameless men.”
“Kane!”
Father felt an ice cold pain shoot through his chest. His breath labored as he opened his mouth wide to catch air and suck it into his lungs. After a moment he gathered his senses and breathed deep.
“I’ve heard that name, feared and bandied about by lesser men than me.”
“And men you would consider less fearful, no doubt.” Kane reached into his coat and brought out a paper-wrapped parcel. “Get your son a bowl of stew water, mix this in it. Give it to him. The fever and the poison will leave his system within the hour. Time is of the essence.”
Father reached for it. Kane held it just out of reach. A deep sigh signaled the deal
as Father reached to his money pouch, untied it and handed it over.
“There’s only thirty-eight left I had to use some.”
“Very well, near enough.”
Father took the parcel and gave over the coins. Reggie brought him a bowl of stewed water and he tipped the contents in.
“Stir them well, quickly,” Kane said, standing tall. “When you’re done, unload the red caps in their cages and leave them here. You can rest here tonight but I want you gone by the morning.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet. I may use your services again sometime, Braggon Sower.”
“You knew who I was all along.”
“As you and I know, reputations count for a lot in these parts, feared or not.”
*****
Kane sat down by the fire, pulling his coat around him, his hood slipped over his head. He never slept; there were too many dangers, too many threats. Yet hereabouts he was feared, he knew it. Breathing deeply, he shut his body down. The old Celt knew how to survive in the dead, dark realm. His beast roamed under the skin, pacing, wanting to come out to warm him, but he held it back. He could control it. It had taken years to master but he succeeded where his fellow Celts had not. No more naked wandering; he had become one with his beast. The cold at his back was a minor irritation as he squinted, watching the old man unload his cart before settling into a fearful sleep. His sons rested with him, and during the night the second boy broke his fever, pissing the poison into the earth. By morning they had gone, the mist too, lifted during the night by an unholy breeze. Crows flew past in the oncoming dawn, no doubt spying on the necromancer’s hopeful deal.
Kane summoned his body back to life, standing, taking his time. His horse walked to him and he fed it a carrot.
“Don’t you go thinking this is the norm. Savor it. Be your last for a while.”
The four cages stood on the earth. Each contained a red cap, a species of goblin, murderous little bastards who stained their hair or bald heads with the blood of their victims. They looked like little old men.
“Well, four dunters to my claim. Paid for and mine to do with as I want.”
