Blood Moon, page 18
part #1 of Lord of Shadows Series
Both Boris and Marya grunted from pain and keeled over. No matter how big and strong he was, it really must have hurt. Thick smoke rose from their bodies, engulfing them for a long moment before the smoke turned to flames and dissipated.
"This had quite the kick, little priestess," Boris laughed as he got up.
“The words to activate the spell are engraved in your memory. Unless you’re too thick headed, you shouldn’t forget them.”
"Whatever," Boris grinned. "It’s time for us to go back, my ladies."
"No, wait," I interjected. "How do we get hold of you if I run into trouble? How about you come to stay on our estate? I’ll be taking it back tonight. The blood moon is still high in the sky.”
"Hah! What an offer! Only if I’m allowed to ravage the populace if I feel like it."
"Never mind. I have a premonition our ways will cross each other more than once in any case. Good luck to your pack, Werewolf," I said and offered my hand to him. He took it and squeezed hard.
"Oh, we sure will, young Vampyre. We sure will."
A cold chill ran down my spine as I watched the Alpha let out an ear shattering howl before he darted off into the forest, his pack, and Marya behind him.
"Shit, this guy is strong," I whispered waving my broken hand. His grip was much stronger than mine, but I didn’t let him notice my discomfort or the pain I felt as my bones broke. Hana stepped in and hugged me, followed by Katya a moment later, who noticed my mangled hand first.
“The hell? Did he just do that?” she snapped.
I shrugged.
“Whatever. It’s healing already, my love.”
"Ahem, my love, what now?" Hana asked, her eyes boring deep into mine. I grinned.
"There are two things we need to do first. One, pick the corpses clean, including weapons, armor, coin and whatever else is of value to us. Two is to break up camp and set up a train of wagons. We march to the estate once we’re ready.”
The soldiers and civilians who were wounded only needed a few hours of rest and healing. Most of them were as good as new, while a couple with worse wounds were sitting around and resting. Every single person, be they child or adult, helped with the task at hand. We had a lot of work to do, along with burying the dead. The shadows helped me in that regard, devouring every stripped soldier, or making them go ‘poof’ as Andrej said.
In the end, we managed to fill up a full wagon with weapons and a second one with armor, shields and all kinds of metal bangles. What remained of the horses were caught within the hour. We ended up getting 69 horses that were in good enough shape, the wounded ones were put to rest and cut up for the meat. And there were a lot of them.
The camp was torn down during the next ten hours and marched toward the edge of the forest. The sun was already up high by then, which wasn’t to my liking. But if we waited for the night to travel, we would lose precious time, and what’s more, we’d arrive during sunset, so our powers would be at full power.
One by one, soldiers trickled out of the forest, followed by wagons, then the cattle and more wagons. The second half of the soldiers came up bringing the rear. Hana approached me once the caravan moved steadily south with a worried expression on her face.
"You remember that we left some soldiers in charge of the inn?" she asked.
I nodded and frowned.
"And?" I asked, not understanding what she was getting at.
"And? You do realize that they should have sent us a word of the approaching army, right? One of them must have been able to bring the message, or send off a pigeon."
My frown deepened. Hana was right, and I knew that it didn’t bode well for them. After all, they were my soldiers now.
"Send some riders ahead to check it out,” I said. “I don’t want you out there alone.”
"Yeah, that’s what I was planning on anyway. They should be there and back within the hour. At the speed we’re going, we should arrive in two hours with the caravan. If shit goes sideways, we’ll know ahead of time.”
Hana rode off ahead of the column and shouted some orders. Moments later, two men on horseback rode out in the direction of the inn.
“How’s the hand,” Katya asked as she rode up to me.
“Good. I’m much tougher than that, trust me,” I winked and shook my hand.
“Oh? Showing off the ring, your lordship?” She chuckled and winked my way. Two could play that game. The hour passed quickly in light chatter. The hour passed quickly. When the men didn’t return, I started worrying about what might have happened to them.
“Still no sign of them,” Hana hissed as she came riding down the column. “They’re probably dead.”
“You think it’s a super? Or more soldiers?” I asked. The last thing we needed now was another fight, especially during the day.
“We’ll have to wait and see. We’ll stop just ahead of the clearing, and us three will ride in together.”
"I don’t like this at all," I whispered as we approached the clearing just north of the Inn. To my surprise, the two soldiers weren’t dead but tied to a tree. A detachment of soldiers sat around a great bonfire eating, They noticed us as we rode in their direction, but weren’t quite fond of approaching us, that much was clear.
"Do we kill them?" Hana asked as she reared her horse up beside me.
"No. I’ll make sure this situation is taken care off, one way or another," I replied and drove my horse toward them. There were at least fifty armed men and women sitting or standing there, most of them heavily armed and armored. What bugged me more, was that they wore the count’s emblem. Were they all locals from the estate? Or mercenaries?
“Gentlemen,” I said and nodded my head slightly.
“What you want?” one of the soldiers asked. He didn’t look too confident but stood his ground.
“Where are the people from the inn? And why are my soldiers bound to the tree?” I asked, nodding at the two soldiers Hana sent out earlier. My fangs itched at the sight of his bulging vein, but I focused on his voice instead.
“Count told us not to let anyone through. Speaking of which, have you seen him and his army?”
I nodded and lifted my ring finger.
"Bow down before your new count, soldier. The old is dead," I replied got my horse up his face. No one moved as the song and music died out. All their eyes stared intently at the ring.
"Where’s the-- late count?" one of the men asked as he stepped up, right hand on the pommel of his sword.
"I just told you. He’s dead. I killed him. This ring here gives me the power to declare myself the next count. So here I am, giving you a choice. You can either bow and swear allegiance to me, or you can run home, take your loved ones with you and run as far as you can."
"Who gives you the right to--"
The one soldier that dared speak up was quickly beaten to an inch of his life. I saw it in their eyes, the freedom they yearned for, and that asshole must have been one of the loyalists. The count had been an asshole and a very, very nasty piece of work, so it shouldn’t be that hard to win the people over.
"We stand with you, my lord," a soldier with a double insignia on his breastplate shouted out as he approached me. His head turned toward the others as if signaling them to do something. As one, they knelt in front of me and looked down, unable to meet my gaze.
"I think you made the right decision, soldier. Now, will anyone tell me what happened with the men stationed here at this inn?"
The soldier looked away uneasily.
"The count ordered them killed, my lord."
I winced, though the feeling hadn’t left me once for the duration of the trip. Hana looked away from the soldiers, hiding her broken face.
"Are they buried?"
"Yes, my lord. We buried them last night when the count left us behind."
"I see. Say," I asked, trying to pry more information out of the man. "Who’s running the inn now? And how did you know where Boris’ camp was?"
The man snorted and got up without awaiting the order.
"Same old," he replied. Hana’s head shot to me and brought her horse closer to mine.
"What did you just say? That bitch that owns this place?" she barked.
"Yes, mam."
"Oh, she’s mine, Ivan. Don’t you even dare stop me!" she hissed and stormed to the inn. It only took her about ten seconds to drag the woman out by her hair, screaming bloody murder. The Vampyre kicked the woman’s ribs in, then stomped against her wrists, breaking them with ease.
The innkeeper cried out in pain but didn’t move to defend herself. Then, I did the most stupid thing I could have: I let Hana do what she wanted to the woman. She raked her long nails across the woman’s chest and gutted her like a fish. Using her own innards, Hana choked the woman to death, relishing every moment of it.
Not a single one of the soldiers intervened or moved to help. Most turned away from the brutality, but it was a good thing they witnessed this. A little fear killed no one. Hana sunk her teeth in the woman’s neck and drank what blood remained in her body, shooting me a glance as if asking ‘want some?’.
“That there, is called an execution. Anyone who goes behind my back, or against the estate, will have to deal with my lover. I trust you do not wish to do so, knowing we’re not quite human, right?”
“Sir,” the same soldier spoke. “We were in his army only because of our families and fear. If you don’t mistreat us, I doubt any of us will want to go against you or the estate. We just want to live out our lives in peace if possible.”
I nodded my head appreciatively. There needed to be some law once everything was settled, but I respected those with balls and who spoke their mind.
“Well then, untie those two bastards and join the column. Split in two halves and take up a position on either side of the wagons. Next stop, the estate!"
The mood was gloomy, and dissatisfaction hung in the air, but it couldn’t be helped. After all, we had lost a group of soldiers at the inn as well. Between the attack on the camp as well as the six guards, our total loss came up to twenty-one people. It was indeed a gloomy day, but one that was about to become much better.
The group arrived at the dam where we fought dedushka. It was funny how just a few days ago we’d fought him to put up a barrier, and now we were breaking it down. I stopped the whole procession and ordered the newly joined soldiers to destroy the beams. They did so without any protest and hacked away at the four main and six support beams.
"Wait up," I said as only one main beam remained, along with two support struts who groaned heavily under the pressure. "Get out of there, I’ll finish it off," I added and walked up to the cart with tools. I took a pile of rope and bound the beams together, then hopped back up on the riverbank.
"Anyone wants the honor?"
Vera and Andrej walked up to me, with a couple of others I’d seen back north in the camp. Their faces lit up as if I’d given them a heap of gold, and not a task.
“Can we do it?” Andrej asked. I nodded and rubbed the kid’s head. He smiled up at me like pure sunshine.
“Sure you can. Though not alone. These people will help you, okay?”
He nodded and took the piece of rope from me, in turn handing the end to a man who stood beside him. The rest followed suit quickly and arranged themselves at the rope. I could have done it myself easily, but sometimes you needed to put up a show and let the little man handle things.
"Three, two, one and go!"
The rope snapped back and pulled at the beams. Seeing they weren’t making it, I stepped up beside Andrej and put my hand in front of his, exerting just enough force for the wood move. Finally, the main beam snapped, releasing a rush of water that crushed what remained of the wooden construction to cheers of the onlookers.
At the far side, I spotted movement. Surely, it were my three little friends, the Rusalkas. They waved at me and disappeared into the willow tree.
"Do you miss them?" Hana asked as she saw the smirk on my face.
"No, I don’t."
"Hah, liar. I know very well what the four of you did after beating the Vodyanoy. But whatever."
She turned away from me and trotted off toward the back of the caravan. I sighed and mentally slapped myself. Why did that woman have such a strange hold over me?
"We move out!" I ordered and rode at the head of the procession once again.
We passed by farms and homesteads, smaller walled in estates consisting of only a few shacks, and fields of wheat outside the walls. The farmers looked beaten and battered to the point of exhaustion. I made it my priority to stop at every home and speak a few words with the farmers and workers. I made promises, which I had no idea if I was able to keep, but it would buy us some time.
Sometimes before sunset, we finally arrived at the former count’s estate. It had gone through some changes in the time we’d been away. A new gate was under construction, the portcullis made from metal, along with the frame, and walled in by stone.
Guards walked atop the wall that was still under construction. Lit braziers were strewn about every twenty to thirty feet, with groups of soldiers hustled close to each other. Not a single soldier noticed us under the protection of the night, even as we approached to about two hundred feet. I put up my hand and halted the caravan, then waited for Hana and Katya to ride up to me.
"Do we kill them?" Hana asked, her lips curled up to show off rows of sharp teeth.
"No!" Katya snapped. "We need to show the people that we’re better than the count and the church. We need to offer them a choice, and if they decline, we can always easily get rid of them."
"What would I do without my warrior queens?" I replied, looking at both women in turn. Katya looked away embarrassedly, while Hana chuckled. They were so different that I found it a wonder the two of them could ever get along as they did.
"Rot in a gutter somewhere?" Katya teased.
"Whatever, my love," I replied and immediately regretted the action as Hana stared daggers at me.
"How about we take what is rightfully ours, my count," Hana hissed. “Then you can choose how to call me as well.”
I sighed and rode forward to the gate. They took up a position a couple of feet behind me. A small stone-wood cabin sat at the base of the wall, just to the gate’s right. Two guards came rushing out at the sound of hooves shattering the pebbles beneath them.
"Halt! Who goes there?" the taller guard snapped as he wiggled his helmet around on his head. I recognized both the man and the soldier behind him. The two that had brought me the count’s clothing.
"You!" the smaller one snarled. I remembered hitting his head pretty hard, but obviously not hard enough.
"My name is Ivan, and I’m the new count of this estate. Open the gates and pledge allegiance, or take what you own and run for the hills!"
My voice carried far and wide, amplified by what I’d become, along by the silent evening. The two guards in front stepped back, a hint of fear apparent in their eyes.
"W-Who gave you the right? Where is the--"
I cut him off as I put up my hand, showing him my new, ruby red ring.
"What did you do to our count?" the smaller soldier yelled. "Where is he?"
"Dead. Together with the three hundred plus mercenaries, and dozen clergy that attacked us last night!"
The walls suddenly became very lively as numerous bows turned our way, arrows nocked and ready to strike me down.
"Who’s in command during the count’s absence?" I shouted. No one replied. "Very well. I give you all one last chance. Swear allegiance and open the gate, or take your things and run. This is the second, and last time I’m offering this. It’s much more than what he did for us!"
The two soldiers, emboldened by the archers overhead, drew their weapons and charged me. Before they could even come in striking distance, I closed my eyes and called on the shadows.
"Strike them down," I whispered. A storm of sharp, thin tendrils shot out from all around me, piercing their bodies over and over again, ripping off their limbs and head from the torsos. Once dead, the shadows pulled the remains back with them into the shadowrealm to feed my hunger.
"What will it be? Do you go back to your families tonight? Or do your children go to sleep in tears, knowing they will never see their fathers again?"
A scuffle broke out above the gate as some of the soldiers yelled at, and hit each other. It took them all but a minute to pull up the portcullis.
"So, it’s true? That you are a monster now?" a soldier with an officers insignia asked as he stepped out of the gate, his hands held up to the sides.
I shrugged and drew the moment out far too long before giving him a reply.
"I can be far worse than a monster if you make me. But to those who serve faithfully, and with respect to each other, those have nothing to fear, captain. Things are going to change even before the night is over, and it is up to everyone to figure out where their place in all of this will be."
The guard captain nodded his head appreciatively.
"I see, count Ivan. The change will be for the better, I assume?"
"For most people, yes. For the privileged few, not so much. Now, I need you to send a message throughout the estate. Have the soldiers go from door to door and relay this to everyone, even if they’re asleep."
"Yes, my lord. What’s the message?" he asked.
"It’s very simple. Tomorrow afternoon, a new set of rules will be read out loud at the central square. New taxes, new plans for the immediate future. There will be no longer a gap between the poor and the rich. Everyone will work, or they can get the hell out of this new country I’m establishing. Every able-bodied man or woman will be able to conscript into the military for a decent wage. Be there tomorrow, and accept my rule, or begone before then."
The captain’s look was worth his weight in gold. A wide grin showed two rows of bad teeth, but to me, they were the most beautiful thing I saw all afternoon. If he was happy to see the change implemented, then we had a good chance of preserving what the Dvorak had already built.
