BloodLust (Rise of the Iliri Book 1) (33 page)

Chapter 38

They attacked like the beasts they were so often called.  One by one, the men of the Black Widow Company fell before them, ripped away from their unit to die alone in the dark.  Sal and Cyno fed their desires into the minds of every man in their link, calling forth their iliran natures.  Zep, looking through Razor's eyes, met the men head on.  The Lieutenant stormed through their formation, his blades slicing through flesh and tendons, his growl as feral as any of the others.  Shift used his teeth, relying on his other senses more than sight.

When the iliri hit them, the Black Widows fell apart.  Men scattered and screamed, some not even fighting back.  They died like prey in the dark stone passages.

A group tried to retreat.  Six men shoved through the demons that ravaged them, swinging their swords blindly as they hacked their way to freedom.  Zep took a deep cut across his body but lashed out as he fell.  Shift was only grazed, the man's dagger leaving a long slice along his hand and arm.  A shield hit Sal in the face, knocking her to the ground, but she recovered quickly and launched herself at the idiot who dared hit her.  Her teeth met his throat and she growled as she ripped at his body.  He was dead before he hit the ground.

The rest of the group ran for the entrance.  The Blades had no way to stop them.

Five,
Zep said weakly in their minds. 
Five left, and we should do that more often.

Sal looked over at her brother in arms, leaning weakly against a boulder.  He tried to hide it, but the pain was almost more than he could take.  Through the link, she could feel how different he was from her.  Her bruises taunted her, screaming a desire that she worked to hide.  In his mind, the feeling was much more intense.  The cut along his waist cried to her like a memory, clear, sharp, but far away.  She moved toward him.  For the first time, humans began to make sense.

Risk knelt at Zep's side, checking the wound in the darkness. 
It's gonna scar, man,
he warned.

Fucking worth it,
Zep said. 
Hit me.

You're linked, jackass,
Risk replied, gesturing to Arctic. 
I can't heal you if you're sending it back at me.

Arctic?
Sal asked.

He saw where she was looking – at Zep – and understood. 
I'll leave you in,
he assured her, then told the rest,
Let me close this down.

She watched the men's bodies relax when they returned to their own minds.  Zep's wound still called to her, the smell of him so intense.  He was sweet, but like incense, not dessert.  Slowly, she moved toward him, and his eyes met hers.

I still feel you,
he whispered in her mind.

"Sorry, brother," Risk said, touching Zep's skin gently.  "Sal, hold him."

"Don't let her bite him," Blaec grumbled under his breath.

She grabbed Zep's hand and placed her other on his shoulder, blocking out Blaec's snide remark.  Risk took a long, deep breath.  When he exhaled, Zep writhed.  She clenched her teeth and held him still.  The pain of Zep's healing flowed along her own nerves like ecstasy before returning to him.  Risk breathed again, and Zep lurched, but linked with Sal, the pain's edge was no longer as sharp. 

It teased through both of their skins like a lover, hinting at passions yet to be discovered. Zep writhed, but the moan in his throat didn't sound like pain.  Then it was over, and Zep leaned forward before he could stop himself.

Sighing, the pale man leaned back.  He glanced once at Sal and barely nodded before looking back to Zep.  "Good as new, man."

"Just a little scratch," Zep joked, patting Sal's hand and sitting up. 
Is that how it always is?

Yeah.

Thanks, babe.  I owe you.  Both for my pride, and that.

Sal shrugged and glanced at Arctic. 
That's the bloodlust,
she told Zep, as Arctic pulled her mind away.

Alone in her head, there was nothing to distract her from her desires.  She could smell the human blood all around and bodies lay scattered between the Black Blades.  Cyno leaned against a rock, six men carefully placed between him and Sal.

"LT," Zep said, "You have a berserker problem to deal with."

"There's five left," Cyno growled softly, "and they need ta die."

"No."  Blaec's voice left no room for argument, but he looked at Sal pointedly.  "We just decimated the Black Widow Company.  They'll be retreating.  I don't care what any of you think, we're not animals.  And this time my orders
will
be followed."

Sal looked at the ground, wiping the blood from her face, aware that his anger was directed at her.  The Black Blades fell silent.

"Nothing, Sal?" Blaec asked.

"No, sir," she said, pulling her ears close to her skull.

"Good.  Then get the horses.  All of you.  We need to get those damned crates back and report.  Razor, see if you can identify any of the dead."  The smell of his anger was unmistakable.

Sal felt shame as she moved to obey.  Cyno's movements screamed at her, like pure electricity to her senses, but she refused to even look at him.  The power of Blaec's fury overruled her desire. 

The Black Blades made their way to the horses, carefully releasing hobbles in the darkness.  Arden stood quietly, the crates still slung across her back.  Sal looked at her mare then glanced over at Raven, all too aware that being so close to Jase would be more than her instincts could tolerate.  With a snarl, she threw her back against the wall, running her hands through her hair.  Her body wanted more death.  That, or Jase's teeth on her.

"Ya good, kid?" Zep asked, walking up to grab Cessa.

"Yeh."  She sighed deeply. 

"Sal?"  Arctic moved beside her.  He tilted his head, gesturing for Zep to check on Cyno.  "Looks like you're gonna need a ride?"

Zep patted her shoulder then led his mare toward the little man.  Even across the distance, Sal could hear them.

"LT's pissed," Zep said softly.

"Yeh.  I touch her, he'll lose it."

"Looks like she's riding with Arctic.  You good, little brother?"

Cyno yanked his stirrup down.  The crack of the leather was loud in the hollow cavern.  "I've done it b'fore, Zep.  It's her I'm worried 'bout."

Arctic grabbed her chin and turned her head back to face him. 
Sal, this isn't right.  He's punishing you by keeping you away from Cyno.

He's pissed because he thinks I'm nothing but a damned animal, Arctic.  We both know it. 
She glared at him, but the set of her ears showed there was no challenge, only anger in her thoughts. 

He leaned closer. 
So what are you going to do about it?

Learn to be tame,
she sneered. 
Those papers say they made us.  They didn't say they made us human. 
Sal smashed her fist against the wall behind her, the rock slicing the side of her hand.  With a soft growl in her throat, she brought it to her lips and sucked at the blood. 
I was out of line and we all know it, but I was fucking right.

Yeah, you were.

Sal shook her head, unable to vent her anger on him. 
Blaec wants us to be human, so I'd better learn quickly.

You're not human,
Arctic thought, reaching up for her face. 
None of us are.

Don't. 
Sal pressed her hand against his chest. 
Don't touch me, Arctic.  I won't be able to stop if you touch me.

You're screaming at my mind, Kaisae.  We know what happens when you two end up in the lust.  Cyno's on his own, but let me help you with this?  I can take it and LT won't stop me.

When she said nothing, he pressed against her, resin pinning her against the rocks, his hand tangling against the back of her head.  He kissed her.  His near perfect lips were so soft, like velvet against her own.  She desired more.  She needed more.  Her body begged her to feel, to live, but in the back of her mind, a flare of anger bloomed, and she realized it was her own.

She bit.  Hard.

Her sharp teeth sliced through Arctic's lip and Sal wrenched her face free.  "I said don't touch me," she snarled, pushing him back.

Blaec stormed toward them, his jaw set.  Without a word, he grabbed Arctic's shoulder and shoved him into the ground, sand and rocks spraying at the impact.  The Black Blades turned, tensed for an attack, but they froze with their hands on their hilts.  Blaec stood over Arctic, his anger clear on his face.  The First Officer lay at his feet calmly, daring to look up into his commander's eyes, the edge of his mouth fighting a smile.

"You have her marks on your face!" Blaec snarled.  "You bastard."  Blaec grabbed Arctic by his paldron, lifting him just to throw him down again.

Arctic made no move to resist, but his voice was cold. "You think this is what she deserves for saving our asses?"

Sal moved between them, her anger rising.  "Stop," she growled, her ears pressing against her head. 

"This is not your fight," Blaec snapped at her.

"Well, it sure as hell isn't his!"

"What, you saying he didn't like that?" Blaec gestured to Arctic who still lay in the dirt behind her.  "I told you to get the horses, not make out with my First Officer.  I expect my orders to be obeyed!"

"When your orders make sense," she yelled, "they are!"

His face snapped to hers and their eyes met.  "No, Sal.  They aren't.  You blatantly challenged me."

"I did no such thing.  You don't have to like what I am, but you damned sure better not take it out on my men."  Her lips were pulled back in a snarl.  Her teeth, with her second set of canines, ground together loud enough for the men behind them to hear.

"Your men?  Just when did they become your men?"

"When
you
put me in black.  When you made this my family."

He paused, still angry, but he had nothing to say.  Realizing she still held his gaze, Sal glanced away, looking to his hands instead, before she continued.

"Your problem is with me.  Deal with me and leave them out of it."

She saw him nod and glanced up to his face once more before stepping to the side.  Arctic knelt on the ground behind her, his lip bloody and swollen from her teeth.  Calmly, he stood, placing himself before LT, saying nothing.

"Send them out, Arctic.  I need to speak with her.  We'll catch up."

"Yes, sir," the First Officer answered, glancing once at Sal before he walked away.

She heard the men move, giving them the privacy they needed, and felt eyes on her.  Turning, she expected to see Jase, but was shocked to find the deep brown eyes of Zep instead.  He nodded once and turned to Arden, shifting the packs.  Working quickly, he re-secured the crates and spread them between Raven and Cessa, leaving her mare standing beside Scorch.

Neither Sal nor Blaec spoke while they waited for the men to leave.

They stared at each other, resentment soldering between them.  When the cave was quiet and the last signs of their unit faded, he still said nothing.  Sal refused to break the silence first.

"Why did you do that to me?" he finally asked.

"I'm not really sure what you mean."

He met her eyes like a human, not an iliri.  "You challenged me.  In front of all of them, you challenged my orders.  Why?"

"I was right, Blaec.  We had the advantage, and we needed to use it."

"And then I find you kissing Arctic!" he howled.

She looked at him, confused, her mind racing to the kiss.  "Blaec?" she asked softly.

"Don't lie to me, Sal."

"Blaec, he was worried about me, that's all."

"That's all?  Damn it!" he yelled.  "You marked him."

"The bloodlust.  Did you forget about that?  This is what happens when you let me kill.  Maast, Blaec, you know that's how I react.  You throw me at Cyno every time it happens so you don't have to deal with it."

"Damn it, Sal!" he said again.  "I've only ever asked you to be loyal!"