by D. S. Murphy
Taste by D.S. Murphy
Published by Urban Epics
www.UrbanEpics.com
© 2018 D.S. Murphy
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.
Cover art: Consuelo Parra
Model: 3corpses-in-a-casket
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1
I covered my mouth with my mother’s shawl and cut through the poisonous ash, ignoring the battered warnings signs. Going past the wall is death. Inhale too much ash and it will kill you. But this wasn’t my first time skirting the laws. I headed away from the purification engines, whose motors filled our town with a constant hum, and climbed the oak tree that had grown too close to the perimeter fence ringing our compound.
As I shuffled out to the tip of a gnarled branch, the buzz of electricity radiating from the fence made the hair on my arm stand up. We didn’t have much electricity in Algrave, but I knew it was dangerous. I gripped the rough bark between my fingers, wobbling slightly as I blinked away a chunk of ash that had gotten stuck in my eyelashes. It wouldn’t harm me in small doses, as long as I didn’t breathe it in. But the ash wasn’t the only thing beyond the fence that could kill me.
My father used to tell me stories about the beasts outside the gates. Rancid breath. Claws as long as my arm. Teeth that could pierce the hardest stone. Their beady red eyes—the last thing you’d see before they ripped you open. Slagpaw, we called them. His stories terrified me when I was young, but it had been years since the last attack. Maybe the elite hunted them to extinction, or maybe they were just a story to scare the village kids from wandering too far into the dark woods. But I wasn’t a child any more, and my father was gone. Besides, it was Festival tonight, and I didn’t want to be late.
I lowered myself down from the branch and dropped into the carefully prepared pile of leaves waiting for me. I nearly broke my ankle the first time I made the journey. This time I rolled, tucking my bow to the side. I brushed myself off and took a deep breath through my shawl. It filtered out the ash while letting in the fresh scent of pine sap. Nocking an arrow, I walked forward silently, my bow ready. My father taught me how to walk without snapping twigs when I was younger. He said it might save my life someday. I never really understood what he meant, and he died before I could ask him.
He left behind a bow he made himself, a hunting knife, and a few basic traps. When I realized my mother planned to sell them, I begged her to let me use them instead. She gave me a month to learn how to hunt. Twenty-eight days later, I came home with my first rabbit. Since then, she’s pretty much given me free rein, as long as I helped put food on the table.
Of course, she didn’t know how far I really needed to go to get meat these days. She thought I stayed within the compound and waited for a really stupid bird or squirrel to wander in. That hadn’t happened in months. I was sick of hearing my little brother complain that he was hungry. He was too young to understand rationing, or why we could never buy the sweet pastries in the market.
My mom did what work she could, but there weren’t exactly a lot of paying jobs in the compounds. At night, she soaked her feet in hot water with herbs, and rubbed the back of her neck. Sometimes I’d catch her staring at the walls and smiling to herself. I think she was secretly looking forward to the choosing ceremony. Not that anybody in our family had ever been chosen, but she could hope. For my part, I was determined to make myself useful in any way that I could. And this could be my last Festival at home with my family. I wanted to make it special.
Twigs snapped behind me and I whirled around, pulling the taut string of my bow to my ear. A buck with magnificent antlers moved slowly through the trees. I’d never killed anything so large before. At least it was an easy target. I held my breath as it turned its three eyes towards me. Radioactive, my father would have said. Whatever that meant. Meat was meat. I steadied my breath, aiming for the front of its body, hoping to hit one of the vital organs.
I was just about to release my arrow when I heard the voices. My eyes widened in surprise and my heart pounded like a drum in my chest. There shouldn’t be anybody else beyond the wall, unless…
Oh, shit.
I ducked just in time to see a group of elites wander into the meadow, laughing and shoving each other. They looked like us, mostly—but I knew they were faster and stronger than any human. And far more dangerous than the creatures in my father’s bedtime stories. Apart from the annual choosing ceremony, and a small team of engineers that came through our village every few months to check the machines, I hadn’t had much interaction with the elite. They all looked young, healthy, and clean in a way the people of my village could never hope to look, as if they took a bath every night and every morning. These ones were wearing richer materials and clothing than I’d ever seen.
One of the elite held a finger up to his mouth. He ran a thin-fingered hand over the long, dark hair slicked back over his ears, then signalled the others to loop around to the other side of a small meadow. I was so sure they smelled me, my heart nearly stopped. I crouched on my toes, preparing to run, but then one of them hollered and chased the buck into the clearing. My buck. The rest of them ran around the animal in circles, terrifying the poor beast. They let it dart around and think it could escape into the woods, before appearing just in front of it again. They moved so fast my eyes could scarcely keep track of them.
The one with dark hair straightened his purple velvet jacket and approached the animal, keeping his arms out to both sides until he was right in front of it. Without warning, he grabbed the buck by the antlers and snapped them both off with a firm twist. As the animal stood there, stunned, he plunged the antlers into either side of the buck, skewering it and sending a spray of blood up over his white shirt and pale face. Then he smiled, licking the blood from the corners of his mouth.
My stomach turned sour as the other elites crowded around the animal. They raised silver chalices to the still-quivering animal, filling their cups with warm blood. One of them found a vein, and latched his teeth around the creature’s neck. He bit down hard, and blood streamed over his lips and chin. I shuddered and took a step backwards.
The leader’s head snapped up, and he looked straight at me with hungry eyes. Before I could even think about running, he was at my side. A cruel smile played on his lips as he glared down at me. Very slowly, he took an embroidered handkerchief out of his dark jacket and wiped the deer’s blood off his face.
“Ready for a new game, boys?” he called.
He lifted me up in one smooth motion and flung me over his shoulders. I pushed and struggled against his body, but it was like trying to move a house; his muscles felt like solid stone. His fingers dug into my flesh as he carried me back towards his friends. I was considering gouging his eye with my thumb when he dumped me on the ground. Probably would have been a stupid move anyway—everyone knew the penalty for physically harming an elite.
“What have you found there, Nigel?” one of his friends asked, brushing back locks of sandy blond hair. Blood spilled from his cup as he gestured towards me, staining the ash-covered soil.
“She may not be as swift as the deer, but I bet she’ll taste much better,” said the third, with shaggy brown hair and leather pants. Each of them were gorgeous, in their own way, but that didn’t make them less terrifying. I’d escaped from the compound and wandered unchaperoned into the wilderness. My heart raced as I thought about all the things t
hey could do to me. And how nobody would even find my body.
“Run,” the one called Nigel commanded, a cruel grin on his lips. His companions spread out in a circle around me. “See if you can get away from us.”
“I can’t,” I protested. “You’re too fast.”
“Now, that’s no way to think,” he replied. His friends laughed as he teased me. “You should have more faith in yourself, a strong young thing like you. I’ll tell you what. We’ll stand over at the edge of the trees, way over here.”
He moved to show me the place he meant, leaving me alone in the center of the clearing. “If you make it to the other side and touch the trunk of any tree, we’ll let you go.”
Looking behind me, I took note of the closest tree. It was only twenty feet or so away. Maybe I could make it. I launched myself up and forced my legs to push harder and faster than I’d ever moved them before. It was no use. I only made it halfway before being flung backwards by an incredible force. I landed where I’d started—breathless and groaning in pain.
“You almost had me that time! Why not try again?” called Nigel from the other side of the meadow. More laughter followed, and I realized they were going to kill me. There were rules against it, of course. Elites weren’t allowed to feed on commons. Not without permission. But we were only protected if we stayed inside the compounds. People would assume I ran away and inhaled too much ash, or got eaten by wild animals. My body would be buried in ash and lost forever. My little brother and sister would think I abandoned them. I couldn’t let that happen.
I could never beat them, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to fight back. Gritting my teeth, I slowly pulled my father’s hunting knife out of my boot. I darted forward, hiding the knife in front of my body. When I reached the same place I’d made it to before, I lashed out—just in time to see the blur of a shape moving in front of me. I felt the knife hit its mark and sink into flesh. Another blow sent me flying backwards, but not before I heard a cry of surprise from my tormenter.
“You little bitch!” Nigel exclaimed. He sounded more amused than upset.
“First of all, I’m sure you know that the punishment for attacking an elite with violence is death. Zero exceptions. I was thinking of letting you go—after toying with you for a while, of course—but that’s out of the question now.
“Secondly,” he grabbed me by the hair and forced me to look at his forearm. A large, deep gash from my knife was just beginning to seal itself up. “We heal quickly. Even if you haven’t had much personal experience with our kind, surely you’ve heard the rumors. We’re practically immortal. You can’t hurt us. You, on the other hand….” He brought his fingernails softly down the side of my face, and let one sink into my skin. I felt a drop of blood run down my cheek.
“So soft, so fragile,” he murmured.
His gaze dropped from my chin to my chest, and he brushed away a lock of my dark hair. The neckline of my shirt hung open and my torso was dripping with sweat. There was a flicker in his amber eyes that turned my blood cold. I’d seen that look before from men in the village, when they didn’t know I was looking. Licking his lips, Nigel motioned for his friends to pin me down. I screamed as he tore off my shirt, exposing my bra.
“That’s enough.” A voice tore through the meadow, with such force that the wildflowers bowed their heads. Through my tears, I saw a blurry shape walk into the clearing. The newcomer had a blue jacket and beige pants. He carried himself with the calm confidence of someone who expected to be obeyed.
The other elites backed away, but Nigel held his ground.
“We’re just having some fun, Damien. Of course, you’re welcome to join us…” Nigel smiled.
“She doesn’t look like she’s having fun,” the newcomer said, nodding at me. His hair was light blond, and had a glowing shine to it. “And you’re breaking the law. Commons aren’t to harmed, not without consent. We follow the agreement, just like them. That’s the only way this works.”
“She broke the rules first,” one of the others piped up. “She shouldn’t even be out here.”
The newcomer shot him a piercing look and he dropped his eyes to the ground.
“It’s not as if she was going to tell anyone,” Nigel grumbled. “Besides, who would believe her?”
The one called Damien took a step closer, and I saw muscles tighten under his jacket.
“I won’t let a fool like you ruin a century of progress.”
He kept his voice calm and low, but I could sense the threat behind them.
“We don’t obey you,” the blond one called out, but there was uncertainty in his eyes.
“But you will obey the covenant, and the laws of our people. Or you will face the consequences.”
Damien reached down and grabbed my blouse. He shook off the ash and handed it back to me. I clutched it against my bare skin, then tugged it on awkwardly under the watchful gaze of four powerful elite. When I was done, Damien held out a hand and helped me up. His eyes were vivid blue—the color of the sky I’d never seen—and soft with concern.
“We’re sorry about this, Miss,” he said. “You’re welcome to file a complaint through your community leaders or at the next council meeting.”
Nigel scoffed, glaring at Damien. Then he bared his teeth in a feral snarl.
“This was a mistake,” Nigel said. “You won’t always have your father to protect you.” Then he and the others moved away sullenly, leaving me alone with the stranger. I tugged on my shirt, and clambered to my feet. “I can go?” I asked.
Damien nodded, gesturing with one hand that I was free to leave.
My heart was still pounding in my ears. I knew I should run home immediately, but I hated to return empty-handed. I took two hesitant steps before turning back.
“And the deer?” I asked, nodding at the fresh carcass. I was pushing my luck, but I had to try. Damien raised his dark eyebrows in surprise.
“That deer would feed my whole family for weeks,” I said with a shrug. “I’d rather not leave it here to rot.”
“Could you even carry a buck that big?” The elite crossed his arms, studying the deer, while I studied him. His face was strong, with a proud chin and a straight nose—but his skin looked smooth and soft. If he were human, he might have been a few years older than me.
I picked up my knife and wiped it off against my jeans. “I could cut it into manageable chunks, and make several trips.”
“You’d need me to stand guard,” he frowned. “And I hadn’t exactly planned to babysit.”
My cheeks flushed red. “I can take care of myself,” I lied.
“Right,” Damien laughed. “How was that going for you before I showed up?”
His smile made him twice as handsome, and an aching warmth spread through my body.
“Tell you what,” he said. “I’ll walk you to the fence and throw the deer over. You can dress it once you’re safely inside the compound.”
“I’d be greatly indebted to you,” I said, with an awkward curtsey. I had no idea how I was supposed to behave with him. I’d never been this close to an elite before, and certainly never spoken with one. He smelled like soap and foreign spices that tickled my nose. He walked me back to the fence, carrying the buck easily in one hand. I realized he was holding it out away from him, probably so he wouldn’t get blood on his fine clothes. When we reached the wall, Damien swung the buck over the fence, then watched me as I looped my shawl around the branch I’d dropped from. I hauled myself up until I could reach the limb.
“The perimeter fences are for your safety,” he said, as he watched me scramble across the tree branch and drop down on the other side. “There’s a reason we built the compounds. I’ll send someone to cut this tree down, someone should have noticed it earlier. But if there’s another way out, and you come out here again, I doubt you’ll survive.”
I nodded, my eyes wide and serious. I could feel the gentle buzz of the electric fence between us.
“I never knew an elit
e could be like you,” I blurted out as he turned away.
He glanced back at me over his shoulder and raised one eyebrow.
“Incredibly dashing?” he smirked. His features were so symmetrical they almost made me dizzy, like two perfect halves adding up to something more than a whole. His blue eyes were like an anchor, grounding me against the tumbling sensation in my stomach.
“Kind,” I said.
He frowned then, and his eyes stormed over.
“Don’t expect it to happen again. Nigel’s not one to forgive a slight easily, and next time, I won’t be there to save you. Oh and, you’d better clean yourself up before going home.”
I frowned as I looked down at myself, half covered in mud, sweat and tears—along with a few dark stains of blood. Great first impression. Before I had a chance to respond, Damien headed back towards the woods. I watched him until he disappeared into the ash. My body was buzzing uncomfortably, the way it did when I was in danger. Only this time it wasn’t just from the electric fence.
2
It wasn’t until I was alone that I felt my lungs burning. I’d breathed too much ash, but renewal was in three days. I would just have to survive until then. I wheezed my way home, suddenly exhausted after this morning’s ordeal.
“Sweet Mercy!” my mom said when I appeared in the doorway. My clothes and face were covered in blood, and I was lugging an enormous flank of deer across my shoulder. “I haven’t seen an animal like that in twenty years. Not since your father and I were young. Where on earth—”
“I had to walk for miles before I caught its tracks,” I said.
“But how did the poor thing get through the fence?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” I said, shrugging my shoulders. “Must have jumped.”
She looked in both directions before ushering me in. I wasn’t one of the licensed hunters, so technically I didn’t have the right to hunt on public land. As long as I was just feeding my family, nobody really cared, but a catch this big was hard to ignore.
