Shepherd (6 page)

“You have wondered why you were chosen, instead of the lout,” she said seriously. “The lout would fail this coming test. You will too, if I do not prevent it. The difference is that I am willing to help you, as I would not be for the lout.”

“I appreciate that. But just what kind of temptation is it?”

“Vampires.”

“Vampire bats?”

“Vampire girls. They feed from their clefts, not their mouths. They use sexual allure to distract men and get close to them. They are very free with their favors; they want men to clasp and penetrate them. But once a man gets inside one, she holds him and spikes him and draws the blood from his member. He can not get free until she has had her fill.”

Shep winced. Sucking blood from a turgid penis: a rich supply. “I might not believe that, if you had not demonstrated that hold.”

“Yes. I needed you to understand, so that you properly appreciate the danger. You never want to get into something you can't get safely out of.”

Shep considered the matter. “I think I would not be much tempted, if you were with me.” He was not being gallant; he could not feature desiring any other woman, in Elen's presence.

“I will be with you. This is why the sheep chose me. To enable you to resist the vamps. Better that you possess me than them.”

“Them plural? Wouldn't I be finished after one?”

“You would be weakened after one, making it easier for the next to drink you.”

“But after a man climaxes, he's finished, at least for a while.”

“You won't climax, merely keep sending blood for your erection. They control that aspect with their hormones. This is not sex, but unconsummated desire. You will not be able to stop trying. By the time the last has fed, you may be dead of blood depletion.”

“This is a horror!”

“No worse than dying by other means. Men who wish to suicide may choose to come to the vamps. It is said to be an almost pleasant way to go, because of the continuing urgency.”

“Knowing this, I will never be tempted!”

She shook her head. “That will not be your choice. But I think you like me well enough to enable me to foil them.”

He did like her, but was wary of her motive. “Why wouldn't some other girl do as well?”

“Some other girl would lack the motive I have. She would let you go rather than throw herself away on a man who could not stay.”

“Elen, what is your motive?” Would she answer him?

“I want to marry you.”

“I think I would welcome that. But Elen, this isn't possible! Unless you mean for only a few months until I return to Earth.”

“No. I want it permanent.”

“I wish I could tell you that was possible. But that would be a cruel deception. I don't want you that way.”

“Yes. You want more than a passing affair.”

“I do! And I can't have it. Even if I married you now, in a few months I would exchange back to Earth and you would be left with the lout. You know that.”

“We will discuss this at another time. Meanwhile, when the vamps come, you will let me shield you from them.”

“Yes, of course. Why should this be in question?”

“It shouldn't be. Now we must sleep.”

“Elen--” But she was already into the even breathing of sleep, or pretending it. He had to let her be.

She had given him much to think about. How could she protect him from being pheromonically compelled by another woman? He could guess: the holddown. She would take possession of his member so that no other woman could have access to it. That seemed so beyond the pale that he never would agree to it unless properly prepared. By experiencing the holddown, and knowing that she wanted much more from him than sex.

Well, she had made the demonstration, and she had made him desire her. She had been open about those things. What could he do except go along with it? Even if her larger desire was totally unrealistic. He would try to reason with her again in the morning, but suspected she would not change. He hated the thought of the savage disappointment she would have when his tour of this planet was done. But meanwhile they had to complete this mission.

He smiled to himself. If they died on it, that would at least solve the social problem.

Chapter 6:

Breeding

They got up and made ready to travel. “Elen--” Shep said.

“We will discuss it after we reach the breeding ground,” she said.

Well, at least he had tried.

“Soon we will reach the sea we must cross to reach the island where the rams dwell. We must cross to them; they can't cross to us.”

“They can't?”

“Because of the vamps. Any who try, die.”

“Why should the rams choose to live on such a prison?”

She smiled a bit grimly. “It is not their choice. It is the choice of the ewes.”

“So they won't be bothered by the rams except when they wish to breed?”

“Yes.” She smiled again. “Human women were unable to make a similar arrangement. Maybe if we had had telepathy or precognition like the sheep we could have done it. So we must endure the constant attentions of our males, instead of only when we want them. It is a burden.”

Shep had no ready answer for that. He hoped she was teasing him.

They reached the inland sea at mid morning. It was beautiful. There did not seem to be any predators in the water or around the edge. Was this deceptive?

“The vamps are the only predator here,” Elen explained. “Any males in air, sea, or adjacent land they seduce to death, so there are no breeding populations.”

“Land sea or air? What kind of creature are they?

“We don't know. They ignore females, and we see them only as fuzzed out blobs. But they can fly or swim or walk, and they do, to take males. But they don't leave the vicinity of the lake, fortunately.”

“Then any man who sees them could tell the women what they look like.”

“Any man who sees them dies of blood loss before he sees a normal woman again. But the legend is that they are utterly lovely.”

Shep decided to let that be. “So you females could safely swim across?”

“No. The sheep can swim, but not that far. They must cross by boat. Python and I could swim, and Vulture could fly across. You can't. You would be attacked by the vamps and unable to defend yourself. You must cross by boat too.”

“But if they can fly, the boat won't protect me.”

“True. I will shield you from their thirst.”

He was constrained to believe her. Colony Jones was turning out to be a far more remarkable planet that he had known.

They walked along the bank of the sea and found an inlet with several moored flat-bottom boats. One was large enough to hold their full party. It had a rotating paddle that could be powered by a man's feet. So it would be a powered crossing, slow but sure.

“You and I are naked,” she said.

He didn't argue. He stripped and set his clothing with his knapsack. She did the same with her cloak.

They boarded. The sheep stood in the center of the craft; Python and Vulture took their places on either side of them, and Shep mounted the stationary-bike type pedals that connected to the paddle-wheel. There was a padded stool before the mechanism which Elen sat on, facing him. She wrapped her legs around him and took him in, as with the holddown. It was clear that this boat had been designed exactly for such a position. It was amazing how un-sexual this contact had become, considering its intimacy.

“The only way to keep them off you is to muffle you with genital flesh,” she said. “They can't reach you as long as I block them off.”

“Thank you,” he said wryly.

“Get moving.”

Shep started pushing the pedals, causing the paddle to turn and propel the boat forward. It was geared to be feasible. Their speed was not great, but they would reach the island in an hour or so.

No sooner had they moved clear of the bank than the vamps came. They were lovely nude girls, fair faced, wasp-waisted, and high breasted, with marvelously flowing hair, some blonde, some brunette, some auburn. They seemed to be flying without wings.

“What do you see?” Elen asked softly.

He described the girls. “I'd be happy to have any of them in bed, no offense.”

“So that's how they manifest to you. As ideal sex symbols.”

“Yes. I gather that's not how they really look.”

“We don't know. But since they evidently come across to rams as ewes in heat, and to other creatures as ideal mates, their appearance must be telepathically projected. You can not afford to trust what you see.”

“I'm sure. For one thing, how do they fly without wings? There has to be something sustaining them.”

She laughed. “They could be nine heads of a hydra on invisible neck-stalks. To me they seem to be floating balls of mist.”

The vamps arrived. “Oh what a handsome man!” one cried, twitching her head so that her black hair flared fetchingly. “I claim him first.”

“They're talking,” Shep murmured. “Praising me.”

“I hear only a passing breeze.”

The first vamp flew up to hover before Shep, looking him in the eye. “Who are you, husky stud?”

Shep was silent, not trusting this.

“Keep paddling,” Elen said. “We don't want to stay here any longer than necessary.”

Oh. In his distraction he had stopped pumping on the pedals. He resumed.

“What, struck mute by my dazzling aspect?” the vamp asked. “Will you answer if I show you more, like this?” She sailed up to float above him, flexing her legs. She had perfectly fleshed thighs and a temptingly open cleft framed by silky black pubic hair. “I am Lova, your playmate of the hour.”

Shep couldn't help looking, and couldn't help reacting. To see her exposed in this manner was electrifying in a manner that merely seeing her nude was not.

“It's the pheromones,” Elen murmured. “There's a thick cloud of them making you thick and hard.” She frowned. “Harder than you ever were for me.”

He had almost forgotten that Elen was with him and on him. She had of course felt his urgent tumescence.

“Still not talking?” Lova asked. “Then I shall have to kiss you.” She darted down and caught his mouth briefly with hers.

There was an explosion of sensation like the bursting of a nova. His desire magnified exponentially.

“What's she doing?” Elen asked, startled. “You're ready to burst!”

“She kissed me.”

“Don't kiss her! That enables her to deliver more pheromones directly! I can't protect you if she does that.”

That was surely true. The one kiss had just about made him wrench out of Elen. Only its teasing nature, preventing him from climaxing, had stopped him from doing exactly that. He wanted nothing so much as to get into Lova, and knew that would be doom, but his body didn't care. “How can I stop her?”

“I'll stop her.” Elen covered his mouth with hers.

Now the vamp seemed to become aware of Elen. “What is this ugly shroud covering you?” she demanded. “Get rid of it!”

Shep decided it was better to talk to the thing. He drew back slightly from Elen. “I am Shep. I am with Elen Elf. Go away.”

“Not until I possess you, bold man.” She darted in again, but Shep quickly put his mouth back on Elen's. The vamp collided with the back of Elen's head and bounced off. “Oooo!” she cried angrily. Elen seemed not to feel the vamp, but Shep was totally aware of her. That was surely the work of the pheromones. He still wanted to get his member into the vamp and ejaculate a jet of blood until she was sated. It was like an urge to suicide.

Shep kept his lips glued to Elen's.

“Help me, girls!” Lova called. “I have a resistive client here.”

The other vamps crowded close, catching hold of Shep's arms and legs. He kept pounding on the pedals, but he felt their hands stroking him everywhere, especially the crevice of his bottom, trying to pry him out of Elen. Others were kissing his head and neck, trying to make him break his mouth contact with Elen. It seemed they could not force him physically, but wherever they touched him made him want to obey their urgings.

They continued, wedging in closer. Now one was kissing his scrotum while another stroked the exposed base of his member. They were gaining on him; soon he would give up and pull free and be lost. They were simply too strong for him to resist long, even attached as he was to Elen. What could he do?

Then a thought came to him. He remembered playing music on the staff. The sheep had heard that, and evidently liked it. Now it seemed the sheep were wanting him to play again. Did that make any sense at all?

Trust the sheep
.

Shep broke the long kiss and opened his mouth, taking a deep breath. Lova, waiting for this opportunity, dived in.

But not before Shep started singing. “He who is noble, pure and simple-hearted.”

The vamps recoiled. “What is this?” Lova cried in horror.

It was working! Shep continued singing, and now Elen joined him, making it a duet. This body had a surprisingly good voice, and so did Elen. “...Needs not a weapon, needs no man to guard him. Virtue defends him.”

“This is revolting!” Lova said.

Shep realized that it was not the melody or the words so much as the spirit. He
felt
the song, the wonder of spiritual nobility, the seeming shield of goodness surrounding them. The ignoble vamps could not compete with it.

The two of them continued to sing as he paddled, forging on toward the island, while the balked vamps hovered at a safe distance. The other passengers on the boat seemed unaffected.

Finally the vamps gave up and disappeared. Shep knew better than to trust this, and remained connected to Elen as they continued to sing.

They reached the shallow surf surrounding the island. “This is beyond the vamps territory,” Elen said, ceasing her singing. “We are safe here.”

What a relief! But Shep still held her as he paddled on, just in case.

They reached a natural wharf on the island. “You can let go now,” Elen said, smiling. “Unless you have something else in mind?”

He remained sexually charged, but resisted. “I do. But not while those wicked pheromones remain.”

She laughed, and he felt it below. “You are noble.”

Now Shep disengaged from Elen, and she did not hold him. He moored the boat with a rope. Vulture hopped across, and Python slithered to land. Then the sheep walked off in single file. Finally Shep and Elen stepped over. They were there.

Six rams were waiting. The six ewes eyed them but did not advance. Shep realized that these ewes would not be forced, no matter how randy the rams were; their bone blades would stop any unwelcome effort. They would choose exactly when and with whom they would breed.

“We have time to pass,” Elen said. “A couple of weeks. There's a shelter.”

“As you wish.”

She showed the way, and Vulture and Python accompanied them. Shep realized that nice as this island was, it was foreign territory to these creatures. They were guests of the sheep, and preferred to remain with the group. The rams might not take kindly to stray predators.

The shelter turned out to be a nice cabin complete with an adjacent tree and a pile of rocks ideal for bird or serpent. This made sense, as there must have been annual visits here for decades. There was a pond behind it that rustled with frogs. There was even a faint odor of carrion. Vulture and Python would not go hungry.

The two of them entered to find a well-stocked chamber and a twin-size bed. Shep realized how tired he was, physically and emotionally after pedaling across the lake while fighting off sexual predators. He was ready to plump down and sleep.

“Uh-uh,” Elen said. “Don't touch that bed yet. You're filthy with sweat and pheromones.”

“I'll wash,” he agreed.

“I'll wash you.” She took him to the bathroom alcove, where there was a pump and pitcher. “Strip.” He was glad to obey, despite his fixed erection. She pumped water, then poured pitchers-full over him, thoroughly rinsing him. The water was cool but not cold. She scrubbed out his hair and ears, and his genital region. When he was clean he knew it, because at last his member sank, no longer prodded by the pheromones.

“Dry and rest,” she said. “I will join you soon.” She stripped and poured water over herself. As far as he knew, the pheromones had not affected her, being male-specific, but some would remain around her and he couldn't blame her for wanting them gone. She also dumped both their sets of clothes in the washtub for later processing. Presumably the ones in the knapsacks were cleaner in the respects that counted.

Then, nude, she joined him on the bed, taking his hand. “Let's sleep. Then we'll talk.”

He was glad to agree. He closed his eyes and was soon in slumber.

Some time later he woke to the smell of baking bread. It seemed the cabin had a stove and food; he hadn't noticed before. Obviously Elen had.

She saw him stir. “It's not ready yet. Now we'll talk.”

“About what?”

She rejoined him, still nude. “About breeding, of course. This is the place for it.”

“For the sheep,” he agreed.

“The sheep are telepathic. Didn't they send you the clue to sing?”

“Yes,” he said, surprised. “I had forgotten, but I think they put that thought in my head, and it worked. But how does that relate to this?”

“The sheep realized that you were being overwhelmed, so they helped you. They are not smart in the manner we are, but they know what's what, and do what is necessary. That enables them to survive the dangers of the breeding journey.”

“Yes. They gave Python the clue to help Vulture with the carrion, and gave Vulture the clue to help me with the bridge. The knowledge was in my mind, and they relayed it.”

“Yes, they draw on each of us as necessary, and our intelligence helps. You accept that now.”

“I do. I'm not sure about the precognition, but the telepathy, yes.”

“The holddown,” she reminded him.

“That saved us from getting caught by the sudden storm. Yes, I have to agree: telepathy would not account for that, but precognition would.”

“When the sheep breed, there will be powerful telepathic waves of lust, male and female. That will affect us both, because we are attuned to the sheep. We will want to breed, not from pheromones, but from our minds. If we yield to it, I am very likely to conceive.”

Shep whistled. “Now I see your point!”

She seemed oddly constrained. “Do you?”