Microsoft Word - 1606017438-Of-Night-and-Desire-Bailey.doc (26 page)

But the Believers weren’t. Richelle’s eyes darted from tent to tent, trying to locate a clear path of escape. There was none. Like a football team, they formed a line of scrimmage giving her no way through. She had no choice but to hide in the forest, try to get around them, and make it back to the entrance.

Backtracking into the woods, she did the best she could to find someplace where she could hide. At least she could get a better grasp on the situation and know what she was up against. She tried calling to the wildlife to help her, but she couldn’t sense any present. Not a beast, bird, or bug.

Reaching further, she sensed an underlying sense of foreboding. Evil.

It must have been the Luka that Selene spoke about. He must have been here. The longer she stayed in one spot, the more the foul stench of corruption assailed her mind. It was if the ground were polluted with evil, like toxic waste affecting every living thing in a forest that should have been teeming with life. Running her hands over the blackened bark of the trees, she could feel the infection passing through them as well. Springtime, and yet the leaves were changing colors and falling from the trees as if preparing for the dead of winter.

Preparing for death.

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This forest was dying, and her heart clenched, for there was nothing she could do to prevent it. In fact, she would have to leave and find somewhere else to hide as the oppressive atmosphere was infecting her as well. Its corruption was seeping into her mind, which was becoming engulfed in a strange and overwhelming blackness.

She had to get out of this forest, but she had no idea how far it stretched. As much as she didn’t like it, the quickest way would be to go back through the carnival. She remembered Selene’s words.
Run and hide.

Wait until
evening and then call for your Valya
.

Quietly, she made her way back to the forest’s edge and peeked from the trees, trying to sense where the Believers were, to find the weakest link in the armor closing in on her. Scanning along the edge of the carnival, she sensed fewer of the men. Some had turned back and were searching for her in frustration among the carnival attractions. Others formed sentries along the perimeter.

Her heart leapt as she found a gap farther to her right. There was a hole by the carousel. She could slip through and find someplace to hide amongst the hustle and bustle of the carnival, at least until she could get word to Valya.
Why, oh why, did I have to go off without him?
She knew the answer, but it was little consolation now. She had to do her best.

Slipping through the trees, she made it to the edge near the carousel and took a deep breath.
Just twenty feet, and then you’ll be all right.
With her eyes affixed to her target, she precariously came out from the trees and headed for the carnival’s edge. She had only taken a few steps when two scraggily-looking men roughly grabbed by her arms.

“Gotcha!”

* * * *

Deep in slumber, Valya’s eyes popped open at the sensation of

something gripping his arms. He heard a scream in his mind while the sensation on his arms heightened, as if someone tightened their grip against struggling.

Richelle.

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Still lying on the floor where he had collapsed, he was struggling to get to his feet when two hands physically picked him up and carried him to his bed. With great effort, he peered through his slit eyes.

The Great One, Nicolae.

Nicolae Voda was the oldest among his people, as well as the wisest. He was revered among the Immortals. And yet, there always seemed to be an air of sadness about him. He had never found his life mate still he had never felt the compulsion to face the dawn, to make the Final Sacrifice. He had continuously found a higher reason to fight the despair and loneliness, to find the will to survive.

Fighting against sleep, Valya tried to sit up only to have a hand placed in the center of his chest and push him onto his back.

“Do not worry, my friend. I will bring your Richelle back to you.”

“How can this be? How can you move about in the day? How can you
avoid the call to sleep?”

“I have powers that Luka is not even aware of.”
Nicolae chuckled.

“Sleep. Regain your strength.”

“I will not let you go alone.”

“I will not be alone.”

“She is mine to protect!”

Outside, the wind rose, opening the balcony doors and letting the heat and light of the day enter the darkened room. Valya forced his eyes open to see Nicolae standing at the foot of his bed, his arms outstretched. He was surrounded by an aura of yellow fire.

“Sleep, Valya. Obey me.”

Valya’s eyes began to droop. As hard as he tried to stay awake, he could feel sleep overtaking him.

“Sleep, Valya. Obey me.”

“I will get you for this, Nicolae.”

Again, deep chuckling.

“Sleep, Valya, sleep, Valya, sleep, Valya.”
Nicolae’s voice chanted over and over until Valya had no will and drifted back into slumber. Between the realm of reality and dreams, Nicolae questioned Valya.

“Where would she have gone?”

“She would have gone to the carnival.”

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Nicolae turned and swooped down from the balcony to the street below.

Like a ghost, no one noticed him. It was as if he didn’t exist. Without turning, he flicked his wrist and the doors on Valya’s balcony closed with a snick as he continued walking down the busy street.

He stayed within the shadows when he could. Though he had enough strength to be out in the daylight for brief amounts of time, he didn’t want to drain his energy by standing in the full sun or teleporting. He would have to walk to the carnival. From beneath a canopy, he looked at the position of the sun. Three forty-five. At least three more hours until dusk.
That would give him some time to contact reinforcements.

He would call for the Protectors. Much like Guardians, Protectors protected mortal and Immortal alike as they fought evil. But whereas Guardians were trained soldiers for battle, Protectors were more like policemen. Answerable to the Triad, they were to protect and serve, bringing the guilty to be judged and punished. Guardians served no one.

They were a law unto themselves, serving as judge, jury, and executioner.

And while Guardians lived and fought alone, Protectors were always stationed nearby, ready at a moment’s notice to aid in the constant battle between Good and Evil. Nicolae groaned. Despite his ancient years, the concept of Good versus Evil was a tired cliché, but there was a ring of truth in old clichés.

Reaching out with his mind, Nicolae contacted someone he trusted who could help until he could arrive with his reinforcements.

“Richelle is trapped at the fairgrounds outside of town. Find her and
protect her. I will come as soon as I can. And I will bring the Protectors.”

He knew his message was received but hoped his friend would be able to help.

He steeled himself against the battle to come, but despite his bravado, his foresight was limited. There were many paths to the future depending upon the road chosen. He knew what the future should be, but like many things in life, just because things should be didn’t mean they always were.

All man or Immortal could do was strive to do good in this world and have faith. The future would be revealed with the passage of time.

Mistakes would be made. With a bit of luck, few and far between, but there would be mistakes. No one was beyond reproach, not even the Great Nicolae. He thought back on his biggest mistake. He had been too hard, too

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unforgiving. And look at all the sorrow he had caused. By the time he realized his mistake, it was too late. Judgment had been passed and the sentence carried out.

He hoped this time he would not be ruled by his passions but rather by the ancient teachings of the Immortals.

He hoped this time he would not be too late.

* * * *

“Thought you’d get away from us, did ya?” The older of the two sneered at her, what remained of his teeth as crooked and yellowed and decayed as his soul.

Richelle twisted and jerked, trying to wrench herself from their grasp, but all it accomplished was the tightening of their grips on her upper arms as well as clasping her wrists in their beefy hands.

“Pretty thing, ain’t she, Abel?” the older one commented to his partner as if Richelle were not trapped between the two of them. He leaned in and smelled her hair, lingering close to her face where she could smell his foul odor. “Smells good, too.”

“Soft,” he replied, digging his fingers into her upper arm.

“Wonder if she’s soft all over.”

Oh Goddess, not again!
She started thrashing at the lecherous thoughts starting to pound in her mind. Cackling like chickens, they dragged her toward an outlying vacant tent. She dug her heels into the soft dirt, which simply made them laugh at her feeble attempts to escape.

“Don’t worry, sweet thang,” Abel rasped hoarsely in her ear. “We ain’t gonna hurt ya. We just wanna play with you until Preacher gets here. Just a little taste before you’re given to
him.
”

Richelle didn’t have to ask who the
him
was. She knew from the awe and fear in his voice. Luka. There was no image in either of their minds of what Luka looked like. They either blocked his image out or they saw him so little they did not hold the image. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to see what he looked like anyway. All she knew was she had to escape.

Struggling with all her might, she pulled Abel’s hand close enough she was able to sink her teeth into it. He released her with a yelp, and with her freed hand, she drove her fist into his crotch, sending him to his knees. Her

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arm and hand free, she reached up and raked her fingernails across the older man’s face.

Pushing away from him she tried running for the carousel, but Abel had grabbed her by the ankle, and she went sprawling face first on the grass.

Scrambling to get back on her feet, she managed to crawl a few steps away before a heavy weight landed on top of her. The older man fisted his hands into her hair and pulled her head back.

He rubbed his bloody cheek against hers and screamed hotly into her ear. “You goddamn bitch! Yer gonna pay for that! Oh yeah,” he gritted through clenched teeth as he ground his erect cock into her ass, “you’re gonna pay!”

He rolled off just as Abel grabbed her by the hair and pulled her to her feet. She reached back to grab his hand, trying to pull her hair from his grip.

He snorted. Too late, Richelle realized that with her arms in that position, her breasts thrust toward them in an unwelcome invitation.

She brought her arms between them, trying to cover herself and push away from the wiry man who was stronger than he looked. The other man fell against her, pressing her into Abel and trapping her arms, both men wrapping their arms around her so she couldn’t move. Crushed between their dirty, reeking bodies, she fought the nausea welling in the pit of her stomach.

They managed to haul her to the tent before Abel released her. The other man grabbed her arms and wrenched them behind her back, causing her to wince in pain.

“Hold her, Lot.” Abel snickered as he licked his cracked lips. With his meaty paws, he reached out and grabbed her breasts, digging his fingers into her tender flesh.

“Soft. Real soft, just like I figgered.”

Richelle braced herself against his mauling as he continued to knead and squeeze her breasts. Without warning, his hands gripped her head and as his mouth covered hers. Tightlipped, she held her jaw firm as he slobbered over her face with his lips and tongue.

“Abel, are ya sure about how soft she is? Maybe it’s just the shirt.”

Abel pulled back and leered at her. Richelle wriggled, her eyes large with fright, but she wouldn’t cry. She wouldn’t give them the satisfaction.

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Grabbing the front of her dress, he ripped the bodice open, sending buttons flying across the tent.

Both men were breathing hard. Their stinking breath hot against her skin inflamed her ire, but she wouldn’t cry. She would survive. Abel stepped into her personal space, his knee gliding between her legs and rocking against her mound as his hands continued to bruise and molest her breasts.

Lot kept pulling her tighter against him, resting his chin on her shoulder so he could watch. He rubbed his cock against her ass, his excitement mounting as his breath came in short pants.

“Come on!” he said. “I wanna see them titties!” He licked his lips, his blood and sweat dripping onto her skin.

“Easy, man. We got time,” Abel taunted. He leaned in closer, his mouth hovering over hers as his nostrils flared. “Ever had a three-way, baby?”

She reeled back and screamed as his mouth crashed over hers, his tongue thrusting in and out of her mouth, drooling like a mad dog as his saliva pooled in her mouth. This time when he pulled back, she spat in his face. Laughing, he wiped himself and then she flinched when he wiped his hand on her cheek.

“I think she liked that, Lot.”

“Then do it again.”

Richelle steadied herself as Abel took a step toward her, but he stopped short when an angry voice rang out from behind him.

“Stop at once!”

Abel whirled, allowing Richelle to see the man standing behind him. He was just as unkempt as the other two, with his shaggy, dirty blond hair, scraggly beard, and filthy black-on-black clothing, but there was an aura of strength around him. And she could feel their fear as he glowered at them.

“What were you two thinking? Don’t you realize who she is? Who she is promised to?”

The two started shuffling their feet. There was something about this newcomer. Outwardly he appeared the same as the others, but there was something inherently compelling about him. She tried to read his thoughts but they were too well safeguarded.