The Heartstone Saga by Archibald Bradford (short novels in english .TXT) 📕

mundane act, as it was merely another necessary bother, just as much as getting fucked by Jonathan had been.

You were right to let the Griffon escape. I expect we will have some visitors very soon.

“Yes.” The Chimera replied; “But you have yet to tell me your plan for dealing with the Valkyrie.”

The demon chuckled in her head, the grating noise too familiar to be irksome.

A problem that will solve itself. The Dominar is beyond you. She is beyond even me. But she is not beyond her own foolish instincts. We bide our time, remain hidden from her until she is tied up trying to save everyone and everything around her. She won’t be able to help herself. And who knows? Maybe we’ll get lucky and one of the slaves will kill her.

“That… isn’t really a plan.” The Chimera complained as she set her fork down.

It was a minor annoyance to be eating with her off-hand, her rigidly clawed gauntlet not up to the task of managing cutlery, and she let some of that annoyance bleed through into their conversation.

But the demon didn’t object to her objection, too thrilled with knowing how much more death and destruction was soon to be wrought.

Eyes up. Your puppet approaches.

The door to the house opened and their conversation ended.

With a certain amount of swagger, a sweating and out of breath Jonathan came into the kitchen as if he owned it. Having regularly indulged with his seemingly willing bond-mate, his doubts had been forgotten and he was determined to see things through.

“We’re ready. It took some doing but I buried them all.” He announced with jubilant pride as he cast aside the shovel he was carrying; “We couldn’t be more ready at this point.”

“I’m glad… Master.” The demon said while spreading Evadne’s lips into a semblance of a smile; “When this is over, I want for the two of us to go away somewhere, so that I can make up for the time we’ve lost by spending the rest of my life pleasing you.”

Mentally Evadne rolled her eyes, thinking that perhaps the demon was laying it on too thick.

But it fit into the fantasy narrative that Jonathan wanted: he truly believed that he had finally reached her.

The Empath returned her smile eagerly and traced the back of his hand against her cheek, her face moving closer to accept the condescending little stroke.

If she was in control in that moment, he would have lost a finger.

“When this is over, we will.” He promised; “You’ll be spending a great deal of time on your knees for me, and I for you.”

Below the table her snake tail hissed out the annoyance that Evadne was feeling, but he merely took it as a sign of her passion for him.

He’d gone down on her once, and the whole time behaved as if he was being magnanimous somehow, while the demon in turn masterfully acted as if he was good at it.

Another dry chuckle in her mind.

Delusional idiot. When this is over I’m going to let Evadne eat your eyes.

“Mmm, I can’t wait.” The Chimera cooed out loud, totally in control again.

__________

“The Griffon said she was less than a quarter mile past that farmhouse… which means she should be around here somewhere, right?” Erica mused as they looked around the open field.

The owners of the land had been forced to leave it unplanted, so it lay fallow until next year, which was a small blessing as it meant the keen-eyed cat soon spotted the blue skinned giant, lying on the other side of it next to a strand of pines.

“There! She’s over there, but she isn’t moving!”

“Is she asleep maybe? Tenebrae… sleep, right?” Milly asked hesitantly.

“Of course they do dearheart! But never mind that, let’s go and help her.”

With Milly and Nina in the lead they sped across the field, until they all soon saw their target.

“As soon as Nina gives the all clear, we find her heartstone and pull her out of it.” Nameless ordered; “I want to get back to Volka and the others as quickly as possible.”

The Gigas sniffed.

“Should be easy. I’ll sit on her right away just in case she’s playing pussy.”

“Possum.” Erica corrected; “It’s playing possum.”

“Why would anyone want to play with a possum? Those things are nasty. Pussy makes way more sense.”

The silly debate ended as they reached the downed Ogre’s side, but it was clear immediately that they were too late, she was already dead.

“I’m getting really tired of dealing with bodies.” Nameless lamented as he watched Nina close the poor girl’s glassy eyes.

“May you find your way back to the forge of your mother, sister of the mountain.” The Gigas prayed simply.

Milly put her arm around Erica while they stood over the body, or rather next to it, as the girl was huge even lying down.

But they didn’t have the time to mourn for her properly.

“Come on.” Nameless ordered; “We need to get back to the others.”

Ophelia frowned though as she checked the dead girl over.

“I don’t understand.” She muttered; “These bruises, and her neck is… broken?”

Erica sniffled as she pulled away from Milly.

“But, the scout said she just did a flyby so… what killed her?”

Nina paced around the body, her eyes narrowing with each step.

Then her head jerked up and she met Nameless’s gaze when he felt her alarm.

“The only thing that could have.” She declared flatly; “Another Tenebrae.”

Right after she made the realization, the giant spun around, hammer at the ready as she searched for any hint of danger.

And a moment later, the hint came.

Standing in the open field next to the woods, they all felt it: a rumbling deep in the ground, but only the Gigas knew what it meant.

She