Don’t Let The Demons Bite

This is chapter 19 of The Watched: Don’t Let The Demons Bite. Find all the chapters published so far here. Download the entire novel from a major retailer here.

[image error]

Aralyn couldn’t keep from laughing. Barric carried Lynna upside down away from the fire. Her feet kicked the air near his chin. Every time he pretended to drop her, Lynna erupted in giggles and begged him to do it again. All the men of Pisidia smiled. What was it like to grow up with a fa who loved you like Barric so certainly seemed to love Lynna?

Edric walked at her side. She slowed, watching Barric. When he ducked inside the tree with Lynna, Aralyn spun and pressed her front against Edric’s chest, her face tipped up to his. She had seen Felora kiss Oram dozens of times but had never initiated a kiss with Edric. She didn’t know how to ask and hoped he’d figure it out.

He swallowed. “Barric will return any moment.” His voice cracked.

What a silly child to think she could entice a man. What did she know of these things? She pushed away and turned toward the tree.

He grabbed her elbow. “Don’t do that. I want to kiss you.” He drew in a ragged breath. “I wake every morning having dreamt of kissing you.”

Edric tipped her face up and kissed her. She leaned into him and kissed him back.

He cursed under his breath. “If I don’t stop now, I won’t want to. And we can’t. Not yet. For now you share your bed with Lynna. I will sleep at the door.”

His rejection stung. But what had she expected?

Barric emerged from the tree. His brows shot up when he glanced at the two of them, but he said nothing. The agreement was that she had to respect Barric’s rules until she could ask him again for permission to marry. He had wanted her and Lynna to sleep next to him, given the surroundings, but she had convinced him to let them sleep in the tree with Edric at the door.

Aralyn bid them both good night and entered the dark tree. The cedar boughs covering the dirt floor lent a pungent tang to the air. She settled Lynna in next to her and pulled the furs up to her chin.

“I want to sleep with Fa,” Lynna said in the dark.

“You’re stuck with me.”

Boots scuffed the dirt, clearing away sticks and twigs, and blankets disturbed the dead leaves on the ground outside the doorway. Edric and Barric were settling in for the night next to one another, blocking the tree’s door. The deep rumble of their conversation went on for a long while. Aralyn had hoped to lie next to Edric when the place finally fell quiet, but Barric could read her mind it seemed. She fell asleep reliving Edric’s kiss in her mind.

Her eyes flew open. How long had she slept? A thumb stroked her cheek and she turned toward the touch. Aralyn stretched, exposing her neck to the kisses skipping across her jaw. Tingles spread out from her belly. Edric had read her mind too.

“Scīene. Beautiful. So much is planned for you.” The whispered voice stroked her ego. “Onspannan mē tō. Open to me.”

Edric had never touched her like this. Always insisted they wait for marriage. The voice was wrong. Warmth swept her body. The passion swamped her, like the river had overtaken Edric.  This wasn’t Edric. This wasn’t real. A weight pressed her hips down.

She shifted to escape. Tried to kick out or roll away, but her limbs would not obey. The passion subsided when she fought it, but the weight remained. Passion’s flames licked at her senses, curled around her mind like a vapour. She sensed Lynna next to her, still asleep.

Aralyn cried out but had no voice. She couldn’t see the walls, Lynna, or even a light where she knew the door to be. Tension coiled in her gut. Her muscles pulsed with need, she didn’t know for what. Why didn’t Lynna wake up? She kicked and struggled and screamed, but it was like she was bound to the ground. She made no sound and Lynna slept on. Aralyn fought. She’d fight until she had no strength left.

The weight shifted, spread her legs, and settled between her knees. Blood poured through her veins, exploding at the end of every nerve. She would not just let this happen, but her assailant had control of her body—drew the reactions she had not known to expect. How was this even possible? She didn’t want this.

Rancid breath heated Aralyn’s cheek. They will cast you out. They will never look at you the same way.

She fought whatever restrained her. Her heart thrashed inside her chest.

He will break his vow to marry you. Now you are mine. There is no point fighting.

Her shift was rent from top to bottom and a wet tongue licked her from navel to chin. Lynna bolted upright and screamed.

***

Barric jerked awake. Lynna bounced on his stomach with her knees and pounded on his chest. He sat up to end the assault. “What? What’s wrong?”

“Wake up.” Lynna scrambled off and pulled at his arm. “Help her. Help Aralyn.”

Barric threw off the blanket and jumped to his feet. He reached for his sword but saw nothing to fight. Lynna stood over Aralyn, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her words slurred by sobs and gulps of air. “Help her. Why won’t you help?”

Aralyn lay still, asleep under her furs. Barric looked between Aralyn and Lynna. Why hadn’t Lynna’s screams woken Aralyn? Lynna had warned them of the devil’s warrior on the Zamze. She’d seen him when no one else could.

“What do you see?” He dropped to one knee and held Lynna’s shoulders. He wanted to shake the truth from her. “Describe it to me.”

“There’s a man on top of Aralyn. He has no shirt.” Lynna pointed at the air above Aralyn. “She’s crying and yelling. Can’t you hear her? He won’t get off.”

Barric didn’t want to believe Lynna. This wasn’t done. He glanced back and saw that the whole camp slept on. He was the only one Lynna had been able to waken and she’d had to jump on him even at that. Every warrior in the place should be running with the noise she made.

Lynna grabbed his hand and tugged with all her weight. “He has ropes for hair and tattoos like my da all over. He’s ripping off her shift.” Lynna fell backwards when she lost her grip on his arm.

“Why can’t you see? Fa, help her! She’s scared.”

Barric dropped his sword and knelt over Aralyn. He lifted her head into his lap and put his hands on her shoulders. He looked at Lynna. “Wake Edric. Wake them all up. Keep screaming. We need them to pray.”

Barric bowed his head and prayed.

***

Aralyn found she could move her arms and legs. Lynna’s screams distracted her assailant. Long dreads of knotted hair hung down his back and demonic tattoos covered his skin. He lowered himself down on her. Aralyn twisted away from the pleasure overtaking her mind.

Barric was above her, his head bowed. His hands on her shoulders, the words he murmured were far off, a low hum buzzing in her ear. Aralyn realized her body was in two realms, only one visible to her fa. She repeated the words he spoke, the prayer for protection.

“He’s right there. It’s the man from my dream.” Lynna’s screeches reached Aralyn through the fog. Barric’s hands were warm on her shoulders and she focused on the hum of his voice.

“Show yourself,” Edric bellowed from the doorway.

The point of a blade appeared above her face, at the throat of her attacker. The blade glowed as if lit from within.

You’re too late, Slegna. The voice slipped around her heart and squeezed with the strength of a fist. One thrust and Aralyn’s back arched, her nerves at the edge of a precipice.

Her attacker leaped out of the way a moment before a sword sliced the air where his head had been. A giant warrior forced her attacker farther away with the point of his sword.

Come with me, the assailant said to her.

Answering the siren song, Aralyn moved to obey the voice. But Barric’s prayers continued in her mind and held her in place. The pull to stay where she was increased and the warm hands on her shoulders promised safety. Love.

You are broken and used. They will shun you. Come with me. See the future for our side.

Barric grounded her in the present, in the physical realm. The man touched the stiff rod at his crotch and bellowed in frustration. Then he was gone and the one with the sword after him.

Free. Aralyn kicked off the furs. Shaking and quivering like a nearly-drowned kitten, she retreated from Barric. Every nerve strung taut as a bow string. Her muscles ached from the strain of her struggling.

**Don’t forget! You can find a glossary of Old Language terms here.**

The post Don’t Let The Demons Bite appeared first on Lisa Hall-Wilson.