The Blood King (7 page)

"They are getting closer. Do you remember what to do?" Rand smirked, alluding to the running joke between the two about Rathan's considerable age.

"Please, this pitifully simple plan of yours is nothing compared to the maneuvers I once orchestrated." Rathan had been a general in his father's demonic army until the uprising back in Galveston in 1900. He'd been a displaced king since then. "We are stopping a car, and taking two women hostage. What is so difficult about that?"

"These are not human women."

"Dardaptoan. Still weak compared to my kind." The women were of the Dardaptos race, an ancient race that had inspired the silly human legends of vampires. Five times stronger than humans, the Dardaptoan women where not stronger than any of the other non-human beings in the world. But the Dardaptoan males, they were a worthy foe for either Lupoiux or Demon.

It was the male family members of these women that were the true targets of vengeance.

Two weeks earlier, Rand's family home was invaded, and four of his female relatives taken by Dardaptoan males. His relatives were defenseless human women in their twenties. They'd not stood a chance against the Dardaptoan king and his three advisors. Rand's two sisters were among them, and since the Dardaptoans fed on humans there was no hope to get them back. Rathan mourned the four women more than he'd thought he could. They'd made him a part of their family so easily.

"So we will meet up in a week, then?" Rand paced in a small circle, the move so canine that Rathan smirked again. Lupoiux werewolves were so animalistic it was a wonder they were considered civilized at all.

"At the retreat, yes." The plan was decidedly simple. They each would take one of the women, abandon the car, and hike in different directions. They would meet atop Taniss Mountain with their captives three days hence. In the meantime, Rathan was free to do whatever he wished with his captive. That was what he was truly looking forward to.

Rathan was Incubus, a sub-species of demons who fed from two sources--women's sexual fantasies, or sex with women. It had been a while since he'd been given free rein to feast.

Rathan didn't feed from the women located on Taniss Estate. They were all servants of Rand's human family, or they were that family and he had made a promise to his friend a decade earlier to never eat from his family. He could occasionally brush against the Taniss women in fantasies, but not full-fledged dine.

He suddenly felt starved. "Come on, let's do this then."

"Good luck, my friend." Rand flashed into wolven form then lifted his auburn muzzle to the moon. A long, undulant howl split the air before the werewolf raced toward the highway.

****

Kindara rested as the miles passed. Her head hurt from the strain of the last two weeks and her daughter had insisted on driving. Kindara hadn't the strength to argue with the stubborn child. Plus, Jierra was excited to be taking her first trip away from Dardano and had wanted to drive. How could any mother have said no?

This trip could potentially provide so much for the Dardaptoan people that Kindara felt the anxiety close in once again. Her people needed better medical care. They needed antibiotics, sedatives, pain relievers, fever reducers, all of it. For such an advanced species, they'd been unable to create even the most rudimentary medications. Human medications just didn't work on the Dardaptos.

Kindara was her tribe's chief healer, and the burden rested on her shoulders. A week earlier, that fact had become even more abundantly clear when her sister-in-law had been attacked by Lupoiux wolves. With no antibiotics it had been grim. Only the fact that Josey was a recently converted human who still possessed human antibodies in her blood had made a difference; had she been born Dardaptoan she probably would have died.

Kindara couldn't let that happen to her brother. She'd lost her own Rajni, her own mate Iavius, almost twenty-nine years earlier. She'd not want anyone--especially her family members--to experience that pain. She and Jierra were making the two hundred mile drive to Denver to speak with an ancient witch about a possible strain of antibiotics the Dardaptoans might be able to use.

Her daughter was humming along to a human song playing on the radio, her fingers drumming the wheel. Kindara smiled. This girl was her life, the only reason she'd gotten past her Rajni's death was Jierra.

She'd been a squalling infant when Kindara's brother had placed the newly orphaned Jierra in her arms two years after Iavius's death. The child's parents--cousins of Kindara's--had been killed by the same vicious monster who'd taken Iavius. As the female head of the family, Kindara was responsible for finding homes for any orphans. She'd found one for Jierra the instant she'd touched her. This was her child, and always would be.

"You have horrible taste in music."

"No, I have younger taste in music. Who was the most popular composer in your youth?" Jierra laughed after she asked. "Beethoven."

"I preferred Mozart. I heard him play once. It was spectacular."

"You look pretty good for your age, then."

"Don't I, though? You'd better watch the road."

"There's no one around for miles, Mother." Jierra increased the speed.

"No wild animals, then?" Kindara asked as a howl split the night air.

"That sounded a little creepy." Jierra tapped the break seconds before a large dark shape darted in front of the car.

Jierra jerked the wheel, sending the car into a swerve that had Kindara grasping the handle and uttering a short prayer. Finally, the car stopped and both women dragged in cleansing breaths.

"Are you ok, Ji?" Kindara put one hand on her daughter's shoulder. Jierra had never driven a car more than ten miles in any one direction, had never been on a highway after dark. Had probably never seen an animal on the road besides a cat or dog. "It happens; animals dart out all the time."

Jierra flipped on the interior light, and Kindara scanned her daughter's face. Jierra's eyes, deep amber, were wide and her chin trembled. Her bottom lip was tucked under her top teeth and she swallowed repeatedly. Kindara pushed a lock of strawberry blonde hair out of Jierra's eyes, the gesture meant to be soothing.

"I don't want to drive anymore."

"Ok." Kindara opened her door and slid from the car. She'd feel better driving now, anyway. She heard the other door open just as a man stepped out of the shadows.

Kindara reflexively went into a defensive pose. "Ji! Back in the car, now!"

Her daughter knew not to question, but Jierra issued a short scream that had Kindara's veins filling with ice. The man in front of her laughed as he stepped closer.

From what Kindara could see in the darkness, he was tall and strong. Equally as tall as her brother, Cormac, who stood six-foot-seven. Equally as strong.

At five-foot-nine, Kindara knew she was facing a fight.

He didn't smell human. He didn't smell Dardaptoan, either. What he smelled, was evil.

****

The woman he faced was glorious, and he didn't need his night eyes to see it. She was below average height for a Dardaptoan woman and slim. Pale hair surrounded a delicate face like a halo, making her appear almost angelic in the traditional white tunic of female Dardaptoan royalty. He laughed again. Fitting, then, that she be taken by a demon.

She must have taken his laugh for inattention for she sprang at him, hands raised to strike. It was pitifully easy to deflect her. He didn't want to hurt her, and though he sensed she was an experienced fighter, it would be easy for him to do.

He grabbed both wrists and forced her over the hood of the car before using his body weight to subdue her. He cursed when sharp fangs pierced his shoulder. He shook her off, then heard her head banging into the metal hood. She stilled for a moment and he seized the opportunity to wrap the rope he'd tucked in a pocket around her wrist.

"Jierra! Run!" She screamed even as she fought him. "Go! Now!"

"She can't," Rathan told her. "The Lupoiux wolf has her."

Her struggles were more desperate now and Rathan found himself having difficulty catching her other hand.

"Going to play with your toy all day?" Rand's voice came from the other side of the car. Rathan cursed again when he realized the wolf had had much less difficulty with his own captive.

"Just having a bit of fun with her." Rathan ran one hand over the horns on his head, picking up a trace amount of the mesmarinium that his kind used to control difficult prey. He covered the woman's mouth with that hand, ensuring she got a strong dose of the chemical. He leaned close to whisper the command to sleep in her ear.

Her slim body went slack beneath him and he lay atop her for a moment, relishing the feel of feminine flesh pressed against him. He would enjoy feasting on this one. He straightened, then pulled her over one shoulder, one hand rising to cup a sweetly curved backside.

Rand
circled the front of the women's car, his own burden in a similar position. Only she was awake. Rathan got an impression of a pretty woman with delicate features and large eyes. Terrified eyes. "In three, then."

"Yes." Rathan nodded. "See you then."

****

Rathan hiked for several hours, the woman's weight no real burden. He'd shifted her some time before, wrapping her long legs around his waist and arranging her golden head on his shoulder. She slept on, her soft breath kissing his neck with even rhythm.

When the sun rose he began searching for a suitable place for the two of them to spend the day. Demons preferred the night hours, so they would sleep during the day and continue walking the next night.

He found the spot he was looking for, a cave that would be difficult for anyone tracking his captive to find. And he didn't fool himself, the Dardaptoan king would be searching for one such as this. Would want her back. Most males would just simply want her.

He wasn't giving her back; at least, not anytime soon.

He lay her on the cave's smooth stone floor, tucking her knees to her chest and rolling her to one side to prevent her from resting on her bound hands. He whispered a reinforcement to his earlier command. She'd slumber until he returned, whenever that was.

It took him less than an hour to find what he wanted and he waved his hand to bind the pine needles together with a small spell. He dabbled very little in the black arts common to witches, but those he used were practical.

He'd need a soft bed for his captive, especially if he was to spend part of the day hours feasting upon her. He returned to her quickly, casting another small spell to command the pine bedding to trail behind him. Just outside the cave entrance were enough soft weeds for him to do one more thing. Another spell had the grasses weaving together in a blanket. The cave would be around fifty degrees and he knew that would be too cold for his Dardaptoan prisoner. Dardaptoan women lacked the ability to handle colder temperatures, so he must be cautious.