“No, I think this inn will do just fine,” Sophia muttered, giving Thrak an annoyed look. The acolyte had also tried to seduce the dancer, but the Hazian woman preferred cock to cunt.
“It’s fine,” Angela nodded.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chaun
The audience in the common room of the Merchant’s Rest watched me in rapt attention as I sang and strung my lyre, barley paying attention to the salacious dancer hired by the proprietor to Halanian belly dancer on the central table. I had stayed in this town longer than I wanted, but Lady Delilah’s promise echoed in my mind.
And just as the woman predicted, Angela and her party walked into the common room. Lady Delilah almost had the date right. Eighteen days I waited for Angela. My stomach tensed but it did not effect my performance. I was trained at the Bardic College. I was a master of song and music. My fingers strummed along the lyre as I plotted my seduction.
First, I would have to remove her from her companions. I smiled and altered my song. It was a two pronged attack. I would lull Angela into a sleepy daze, prodding her to seek her room early while her companions I sent passionate, strumming music towards.
Playing two different melodies was a simple skill for one of my training. But to target specific people, that was something only a master of the Bardic College could produce.
Angela was a beautiful creature. I could not wait to feel her gasping and heaving beneath me. I needed to win her confidence.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lady Delilah – Outskirts of Lor-Khev
I lounged against the fence post and waited. The slaughtered cow before my feet filled the air with the coppery scent of blood. Flies hovered around the corpse. The scent should call to him. I had made arrangements for the Black Hound to meet me here.
Out of the darkness, a man appeared. He was naked, with a feral cast to his face, though his most startling feature was his midnight-black skin. Far darker than in Halanian living in the desert across the Nimborgoth. And the texture was rough, leathery. His eyes were yellow and hungry.
“My lady,” grinned the Black Hound, his teeth sharp.
Though he looked human, he wasn’t. He was a barguest, a race of shape-changers, switching from human to hound at their whim. A fairy queen had cursed their ancestor thousands of years ago . She merged an offensive man with his vicious hound. Black Hound had lived longer than most of his ilk and over the centuries had sired quite the pack.
“Did you bring your pack, Black Hound?” I asked.
Other yellow eyes glinted in the darkness. “You didn’t bring us enough to feed my entire pack.”
“There’s plenty to eat in the town,” I answered, pointed towards Lor-Khev.
“Attacking a town is risky business,” the Black Hound answered.
“So is breaking your word to my husband.”
“Who has been dead a long time.”
“But your oath still holds you, cur,” I snarled, my voice cracking. “I will enforce its terms.”
Fear entered the barguest’s yellow eyes. He tried to hide it, but you could always tell when a dog was afraid. A pity the fairy queen hadn’t used a wolf. Then barguests would truly be dangerous. But a pack of curs would serve my purpose.
“I will obey the oath,” the Black Hound snarled. “After we eat, we shall attack.”
I smiled. Chaun would need help to win Angela’s trust. I had no doubt Angela and her allies would fend off the barguests. They were a powerful group. I watched the barguests slink forward and tear into the cow. The smell of fresh blood made me hunger, too.
But I could control my appetites.
To be continued…