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Ynkendio did so. The blood burned going down his throat. He half-choked as he
fought to keep it down, to keep swallowing it, desperately wanting what it
promised.Immortality. He finished it and smiled at her, breathing hard.
Maruska smiled back. She opened his tunic, pushed it up over his head, and
dropped it on the floor. Her hands moved over his chest as if searching for
something.
Ynkendio watched her closely. Now what?"
Maruska chuckled as the glamour she wore fell away. She dropped her clothing.
Tall curved horns swept back from her forehead, her skin turned orange and her
eyes became slitted crimson and black orbs. Her tail unfurled and snapped out
at him. The eight inch stinger had ten ridges that were sharp as blades and a
needle thin barbed tip.
Ynkendio's eyes widened in horror, for he had never seen the whip-like
appendage and her true form before.She was not Lemyari Maruska was a demon.
His lips opened to scream, but no sounds came out as she touched her hand to
his throat with a silencing spell. Her stinger plunged deep into his chest,
all the way to the last ridge. Agony shot through him, and Ynkendio realized
that she had been stroking his chest to select her target. She caught him by
the shoulders as he tried to wrench away from her.
"Naughty, naughty, Maruska chuckled, embracing him in her impossibly strong
arms, so that her stinger could linger in his body, and pump the entirety of
her venom into his bloodstream and lungs. The more that goes in, the sooner
life ends. The sooner you die, the sooner you rise as my mate. And, you must
have all of my venom to transition properly."
His flesh blackened around the stinger, and then erupted in red welts as if
he had been beaten with a cat of nine tails. She jerked her tail out of him
and licked the blood oozing from the large wound she had made.  Did you think
that because I am a blood-eater, that I was Lemyari?"
"Demon ... noooo. Ynkendio shuddered and went still. She lifted the general's
corpse easily and carried him to his bed. There she covered him to the neck,
and stroked his dead face.  When you wake from death, lover, you won't be
undead. You'll be a demon."
Zyne sauntered in, knelt beside Maruska, and ran her finger over the ugly
rictus of Ynkendio's frozen features.  I wondered how much longer you'd wait."
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"I've wanted a mate ever since the holy one freed me from that cavern where I
slept."
Zyne laughed.  Soon you'll have one, and the Skerpyons will return to power
in this world. She flicked back the covers and stared at Ynkendio's chest.
 My, what a big hole you make. Then she laughed again.
"If I encounter this mage Mondarius is always talking of, I'll make a very
large hole in him.Right through his heart."
Zyne sneered. If I don't get him first."
"Once Ynkendio seeds me, I'll need at least two dozen strong slaves to
implant my eggs in while they're hatching."
"I'll see that you have good strong ones."
CHAPTER FOUR
THE PRICE OF HERESY
Anksha had a bag of candy tied to her belt. She had begun wearing clothes
continuously once she found out she was pregnant, instead of scampering
through the treetops with mud as her only attire. Her black leathers and a
silken blue blouse brought out the fairness of her skin. The short fur on her
body did not extend beyond her collarbone, her wrists, and ankles. So she
could pass for human so long as she hid her tightly-curled tail and did not
smile widely enough to display her fangs, which had only partial sheaths,
unlike the Lemyari and sa'necari.
The nibari children had finished their chores and gathered for a game of toss
ball. She listened to them a moment and then darted in among them, grabbing
the ball with a squeal.  Catch me!"
The nibari children who had come with Nans company reacted immediatelyby
chasing her. The newly acquired nibari children hesitated before following,
still uncertain of the ways of their new owners. They raced through the
gardens and grounds, laughing and giggling as every time they thought they had
her cornered, Anksha did one of her incredible leaps and went sailing over
their heads. The demon-eater loved a romp.
When the children began to tire, she gathered them up and passed out pieces
of candy, filling their hands and tousling their heads. That was when she
noticed the other clump of children. The sa'necari children stood silently
watching, the younger ones with open longing in their eyes, most of them no
more than six or seven years old. Anksha gestured to them.
Stygean and Jingen refused to approach and hoped the littles would follow
their example. But then a single girl went hesitantly to Anksha and received a
handful of candy. She put a piece in her mouth, sucking on it and smiled. Soon
the others were heading for her and the two boys were left standing alone.
"I don't get it, Jingen said.  She scares the hell out of us and then she
gives us candy? Are we supposed to be grateful?"
"I'm not stupid. Stygean turned and walked off.
Jingen smiled and then went to Anksha for his candy. He held out his hand and
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Anksha grinned at him as she placed several pieces of honey candy wrapped in
wax paper twists. Jingen's smile broadened as he popped one into his mouth.
 Thank you.My favorites. He crunched the candy and spoke around it,  You're
good to us."
Anksha beamed at him.
"I have chores, Jingen said and walked off into the area near the stables
where the wagons were being prepared to set out in a few days. Once between
the wagons, he glanced around to see that no one was looking and spat the
candy out he hated honey candy.
* * * *
"Isranon, the two twelve-year-olds ought to be killed before we leave
Ocealay, said Amiri. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]