Dragonvein (Book Two) (12 page)

Lylinora put the brush down and swung around to face him. “No. Stay and talk with me.”

Ethan stood up and took a step toward the door. “I really should find Markus.”

She gave a light-hearted laugh. “For a soldier, you scare very easily.” Rising to her feet, she draped her arms around his neck. “Do you remember what I told you?”

Beads of sweat formed on Ethan’s brow. He could feel the warmth of her breath on his face. The sweet scent of her perfume and the seductive tone in her voice stoked his desire until it was all but beyond his control.

She leaned in to put her lips next to his ear. “I said I wasn’t ready. But that I
would
be
.”

Her teeth began softly nibbling at his earlobe. His hands trembled, but still he kept them down at his sides. “I remember,” he said, his voice a croaky whisper.

Her lips crept closer to his mouth, hovering just above his cheek. “Well, I’m almost ready now.”

She kissed him softly, her tongue parting his lips, searching until it had found his. Ethan could feel the hardness of his manhood pressing against her as the kiss became ever more passionate. Tentatively, he placed his hands on her hips. Then, unable to stop himself any longer, he slipped his arms all the way around, crushing her against him.

When the kiss ended he was nearly mad with carnal hunger. “I love you,” he whispered.

Lylinora took a small step back. For a terrifying moment Ethan thought he had once again made a fool of himself and upset her. But then he saw that her smile was still in place.

She took hold of his hands. “Not yet. But soon.”

With that, she turned and settled down in front of the dresser once again. After picking up the brush, she cast a glance back at him. “You really should sit down,” she suggested.

It took Ethan a moment to realize that the bulge in his trousers was all too noticeable. Crimson faced, he quickly dropped down onto the edge of the bed and crossed his arms over his lap.

Lylinora looked at him with thinly disguised amusement. “Impressive, by the way. Most impressive.”

This only furthered his embarrassment. More than a minute passed, during which time Lylinora casually continued humming and brushing her hair. Eventually, he felt able to stand up once again.

“I should go,” he said.

“Off to find Markus?” she teased.

Ethan left the cabin without replying and returned to the cargo hold where King Ganix and Markus were talking quietly.

“You look flushed,” Ganix observed.

He gave a vague shrug and sat down. “Never mind that. What are you two planning?”

Markus looked at him innocently. “Nothing. Nothing at all.”

“You know, you’re right about your new face,” Ethan told him. “You have a much harder time hiding it when you’re lying now.”

“Better that you’re not involved,” Ganix interjected quickly.

“Why? Because I’m just a kid?”

“Not at all,” the king replied. “I would not insult you so, nor do I see you that way. It’s merely that you already have enough to concentrate on.”

Ethan scowled. “You’re going to kill those men, aren’t you?”

Ganix leveled his gaze. “Yes, we are.”

“You’re too much of a bloody boy scout to be a part of this,” added Markus. He spread his hands. “I love you, Ethan, but it’s true. You need to keep your mind on learning magic. Let
me
handle the dirty work.”

“I don’t like being lied to,” Ethan snapped back. “And I’m
not
a fucking boy scout anymore.”

Ganix rested his hand fondly on Ethan’s shoulder. “Markus is right. There are some tasks for which you are not suited. Assassination is one of them. Believe me when I tell you that I don’t like it either. But there is too much at stake. We only wanted to spare your conscience the additional burden.”

“Then why tell Lylinora?” he demanded.

“She doesn’t know,” said Markus. “All King Ganix asked her to do was keep you busy when we arrive at Port Hull. She thinks it’s to keep you from wandering off and getting into trouble.”

While listening to this, a disquieting thought flashed through Ethan’s mind. Everything that had just happened between them in the cabin - had it been merely to distract him? He quickly dismissed the idea. She wouldn’t do such a thing. Besides, she had only been asked to keep him on board. She could achieve that easily enough without resorting to…
to
that
.

“Ethan, there is something you will need to soon learn,” said Ganix. “Sometimes there must be sacrifices. And more often than not it involves doing things we find distasteful. One day you will be forced to make difficult decisions. People will die, and you will bear the burden of responsibility. But that day has not yet come. Be grateful.”

While looking at Ganix’s strained expression and bent posture, Ethan suddenly understood. They were right not to include him. He wasn’t ready. The thought of being the cause of such a cold and ruthless act, regardless of how necessary, was revolting. I guess I
am
still a boy scout, he thought.

“I
am
grateful,” he told them. “And don’t worry. I’ll stay out of the way.”

Markus smiled. “And so you know, I don’t think you’re a kid. Just a good man.”

It was well after dark, two days later, when they reached Port Hull. In the run up to their arrival, Lylinora became increasingly flirtatious whenever they were alone together. She had kissed him in the same highly arousing way on three separate occasions. Each time afterwards, it took more than an hour before Ethan could hold any kind of clear thought in his head.

Port Hull was not a very impressive sight. Ten or so ships were currently docked, most of which resembled Captain Jeridia’s vessel. Beyond this, the lights of the town twinkled. It wasn’t exceptionally large – no more than eight square blocks in any direction, and when they drew close enough, Ethan saw that the buildings were mostly dilapidated shacks. With the sounds of rough laughter and music carrying over the water, drunken men could be seen stumbling about everywhere. As the crew tied off, prostitutes immediately began making a beeline for the ship.

Lylinora joined Ethan by the railing. “Disgusting,” she remarked.

“Didn’t they have prostitutes in your time?” he asked.

“Of course they did. It was disgusting then, too. Women shouldn’t sell themselves.”

A minute later, Kat bounded up. “Ah, whores on parade,” she remarked brightly.

“That’s not funny,” snapped Lylinora. “They should be pitied.”

“Have you ever met one?” Kat asked her, smirking. “Most of them would slit your throat rather than look at you. And the men who own them are even worse.”

Lylinora’s face contorted. “Own? You’re saying they’re…”

“Slaves,” said Kat, completing her sentence. “Or close to it. There’s not actual ownership. Not like in the east. But seeing as how they can never leave, it’s pretty much the same thing.”

With the ship’s bell sounding, the captain called for his crew to gather at the center mast. All but six men complied. These outsiders, huddled together in their own small group, glared at their former crew mates with fury in their eyes. Not that they remained like this for very long. The instant they noticed Lylinora approaching, they scrambled down the gang plank as fast as they could. Paying not even a flicker of attention to the enticing calls of the prostitutes, they pushed their way past and sped on down the dock toward town.

Ethan spotted Markus emerging from below. The captain took note of him as well, but turned away and began addressing the crew.

“No one is allowed off the ship unless they’re with me,” Jeridia announced. The shouts of discontent this raised became more stifled when he added: “I’ll be giving each man an extra gold coin this trip, so stop your complaining.”

Ethan continued to track Markus as he strolled casually from the ship and quickly vanished into the now large gathering of prostitutes and merchants converging on their vessel.

“Where do you suppose he’s going?” asked Kat.

Ethan shrugged. “Who knows? As long as he’s back before we leave, what does it matter?”

“Come,” said Lylinora. “We should go to the cabin for a lesson. The sight of this turns my stomach.”

Ethan nodded and gave her a smile. “Good idea.”

Chapter Ten

M
arkus took a
long look at the parchment he had eventually
‘persuaded’
Captain Jeridia to supply him with. He’d been forced to play a little rough with the man during their private talk, but the threat of ‘bad things to come’, together with an offer of extra gold, had worked well enough in the end. And the information he now had would make his task much easier.

While navigating his way through the crowded streets, he breathed a long sigh of contentment. It felt good. Hard as it was to admit, he could never completely leave behind the man he had been for such a large part of his life…Specter.

Specter was cunning. He was patient. He was calculating. And most of all, he was deadly. How many people had fallen to his blade? For sure, far too many to count. Some never even knew they had been killed until the instant their eyes closed forever.

He would do his best to make it quick and painless this time. But the thought of blood flowing as his blade slid across exposed flesh was irresistible. For him, seeing the fear and desperation in his victim’s eyes could be more satisfying than the embrace of a beautiful woman. He thought of Lylinora. Well, most women.

Focus, he scolded himself. She’s not for you. But the men listed on the paper were; they were his. He allowed the excitement of the coming kill to soak in, giving his mind clarity.

Four of them would stay together. The other two would go off in different directions through the town. But he knew how to find them all. And how it would be done.

He approached the tavern where the first target was reckoned to be. Inside, dozens of sailors were drinking and laughing. A flautist and a singer were in the far corner playing an upbeat melody to which people were dancing and singing along.

While approaching the bar, he noticed that he was drawing a few indifferent glances. This was an odd feeling. In the past, his scars had usually kept people from looking directly at him. He smiled inwardly. He was just an average guy now, out for a good time. Nothing to mark him out.

He ordered a mug of ale and leaned back on the bar. Sitting at a table close by, alone for the time being, was the man he sought. Markus reached into his shirt and felt the cold handle of the small dagger. He could do it easily enough from here. But the man had his back turned. He wanted to see his face first. He wanted to watch the light leave his eyes.

A dark haired prostitute sauntered up to the bar beside him. “Hey there, gorgeous,” she said, draping her arms over his neck. “Haven’t seen you before.”

For a moment, Markus was taken aback. With the scars on his face, women had never been prone to approaching him. Not even whores.

“Not interested,” he told her. The stink of the men she had already been with hung in the air, causing a frown to form. He pushed her away. “I’m waiting for a friend.”

“Suit yourself, honey,” she said, seemingly unaffected by the rejection. “But if you change your mind, I’ll be here all night.”

Markus switched his attention back to his target. Turn around, damn it, he thought. He was beginning to lose patience. Another first. Several women came up to the man, but he shook his head and waved them away. After a few more minutes, a tall, dark skinned youth entered and took a seat at the same table. Very soon, the pair were engaged in deep conversation. Markus scowled. How much longer would he have to wait to see his victim’s face?

“Don’t be stupid,” he muttered. “Just get it done.”

At that moment a brawl broke out in the area immediately in front of the musicians. For a short period, just about everyone’s gaze was focused on this. It was an opportunity too good to pass up. In a fluid motion, Markus drew the blade and hurled it. The man gave a sharp jerk as the point struck home, burying itself deep into the back of his neck. Markus took note of the young companion’s confused expression and smiled to himself. That’ll have to do me for now, he thought. By the time his victim slumped face down onto the table, Markus had already passed through the door and was back on the street.

He followed the directions on the parchment to a small hovel near the edge of town. Most of the street lamps were either out or missing, so moving through the shadows was fairly easy. Only a few drunkards and beggars were about, and none bothered to look at him.

Creeping around to the rear of the dwelling, he squatted down beneath a window. He could hear two men talking in hushed tones, though it was impossible to make out what they were saying. Markus cursed himself for having taken so much time over the first man. Now this one was likely telling the tale of how Lylinora had killed the Imperial soldiers. And in doing so he had unwittingly sentenced his companion to death as well.

He raised his head just enough to peer inside. There was only one room, and the men were seated a few feet beyond the window at a table near the hearth. Both had swords at their sides.

After a moment’s thought, Markus crawled to the rear door. Once there, he reached into his belt and pulled out another dagger. This one was longer and ill-suited for throwing. Using the tip of the blade, he began scratching softly on the wood.

In this position, the men’s voices carried to him a little better. “Do you hear that?” he heard one of them ask.

Markus persisted with the scratching.

“Yeah, I hear it,” replied the other.

“What the hell is it?”

Markus heard the sound of swords being drawn.

“It sounds like…I don’t know. But it’s coming from outside.”

There was the scraping of chairs being pushed back. Seconds later, the door flew open.

The instant it did, Markus sprang into the attack. Faster than the eye could follow, his blade thrust out. The leading man’s eyes shot wide. With blood already spurting from the deadly wound to his throat, his sword fell to the floor. In a continuous movement, Markus pulled the dagger free and shoved the body away to his right.

The second man, only a few feet behind, had no time to react. Markus was already on him. Again, his dagger strike to the neck was nothing more than a blur. And equally deadly. The second victim stood there motionless for several seconds, his face contorted in terror and utter disbelief of what had just happened to him.

Yes, thought Markus. That’s what I wanted to see.

At last the stricken man crumpled to his knees, then rolled over completely. In a kind of grotesque duet, the two men gurgled and gasped simultaneously until the life had drained from both of their bodies. Markus looked on throughout, only shifting his gaze when they had stopped moving all together. Satisfied, he cleaned his blade on the first man’s shirt.

He closed his eyes.
This
is what he really was.
This
is what Ethan and the others could never understand. And no matter how hard he tried, Specter would always show himself…eventually. This was the darkness he didn’t want Lylinora to see. It wasn’t a darkness brought on by past deeds and regret. It was something that was still very much alive inside of him.

He looked at the parchment once again. Four at once. A challenge. But one he was more than prepared for. Reaching into his pocket, he felt the small box within. If his information was accurate,
this
would do the trick.

On his way back to the center of town, he passed the tavern where he had claimed the first life. Several men were talking out front. Markus slowed long enough to hear that the conversation was about the murder of the sailor. No one knew how it could have happened without a single person noticing. He had to restrain himself from laughing.

The last four sailors on his list were supposed to be in a gambling den only a few blocks away from the tavern. Pulling his hood up over his head, he pressed on.

There were four large, tough looking men guarding the front of the two story establishment. Markus watched from across the street for several minutes as dozens of people came and went. He sniffed the air. The putrid stench of the smugglers’ town brought memories flooding back. Bad memories…yet at the same time, good ones. Places like this was where he had learned to kill. Where he had honed his skills. And where, in the end, he had sold his soul.

A tall, lean man in a red shirt and tan trousers stopped on the walkway beside him. “There’s no need my friend,” he said quietly. “It’s already been taken care of.”

Markus jumped back, his hand shooting to the hilt of his dagger. “Move on,” he hissed.

The newcomer smiled, but made no effort to do as instructed. His sandy blond hair and green eyes gave him an unimposing appearance. However, his confident voice and fluid movements told a different story. Markus knew at once that he was genuinely dangerous.

“I said move on,” he repeated, taking a menacing step forward.

“I heard you the first time…Specter.”

So great was his surprise, Markus’ jaw fell slack.

The man chuckled. “No need to fear.”

He quickly recovered his wits. “Tell me who you are and how you know me,” he demanded. “If you don’t, I swear you’ll die right here and now.”

“A threat not to be taken lightly, to be sure,” the man said. His gaze returned to the gambling den. “My name is Gault. And who
doesn’t
know the great Specter…even sporting such a handsome face. How did you manage that, by the way?” Markus’ glare produced only a shrug. “Little matter. I’m sure you’re much happier without those dreadful scars.”

“You have until the count of three to tell me how you know me and why you’re here.”

Gault held up his index finger. “One…” His middle finger followed suit. “Two….”

At this crucial point, four men burst from the gambling den door, each one clutching at his throat and wheezing desperately.

“Ah, just in time,” Gault remarked.

Markus looked closer at the dying men. These were the four he had come to kill.

“How…?” he began, but fell silent as, in rapid succession, each of the men collapsed in the street with vast quantities of blood issuing from both mouth and nose. After only a few seconds, all four of them had become still.

“Messy, but effective,” observed Gault.

Markus’ patience snapped. Grabbing Gault by the collar, he shoved him hard into the wall of the building just behind them. “Who the hell are you?” he demanded.

The man’s satisfied smiled did not fade for a moment. “I’ve already told you who I am. But I think what you really want to know is how I knew about your mission to kill those men. And probably, who sent me. Am I right?”

“If you think I won’t kill you right here in front of everyone…”

“I know you would,” Gault replied. “But surely you don’t think I came to you unprepared. At this moment there are six bows trained at your back. The moment I die, you will join me.”

Markus scanned the area, but could see no one.

“Oh, believe me when I tell you they are there,” Gault continued. “So why don’t you release me? We can take a stroll together. I have something to tell you that you may find interesting.”

Markus tightened his grip; his desire to throttle the man was almost overwhelming. Nonetheless, he weighed his options. Even if there were six bows trained on him, he could still possibly strike and move away in time. But Gault, knowing as he did of Specter’s reputation, would be aware of this. Yet he remained supremely confident. This suggested that maybe he had more than just the bows for protection. With a snarl, Markus released his hold.

“Wise decision,” Gault told him. “Now come. Let us make our way back to your ship. Your work here is done.”

Markus shook his head. “Oh no! You said you had something to tell me. So tell me and be gone.”

A sigh fell from Gault’s mouth. “Very well. If you’re going to be difficult. I was sent to make you an offer regarding your young friend.”

His words raised a sneer. “So, you’re Shinzan’s puppet. Then you have nothing to say that I want to hear.”

“I have no allegiance to Shinzan,” he retorted. “Certainly no more than
you
ever did. I am simply in his employ. He wishes to offer you a life. A real life. One of wealth and comfort. Your own kingdom if you wish it.”

Markus chuckled. “You waste your time. I’m not going to betray my friend for gold and land. Tell your
employer
he can go fuck himself.”

Gault folded his hands and nodded. “Yes. I thought that’s what you would say. I even told the Emperor as much. I know you well.”

“You know me well?” Markus mocked. “How do you,
know me
well
?”

“The Urazi have been watching you for a very long time.”

The word Urazi sent a chill running down Markus’ spine. Much as he tried to conceal his reaction, something must have shown.

“I see you’ve heard of us,” smiled Gault. “That’s good. We would have recruited you long ago, but we didn’t think you’d be willing to bend to our will. After all, you’ve caused the Hareesh no end of difficulty. Don’t get me wrong. Your results are undeniable – even if your methods do need a bit of refinement. If we had a few dozen like you, we’d soon be more powerful than Shinzan himself.”

He waved his hand. “But that’s neither here nor there. Shinzan offers you far more than land and gold. He also offers you all the time in the world to spend it.” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “What were his exact words…ah, yes.
I will bestow upon him a kingdom and with it, immortality. He will be beholden to no one – free to rule as he sees fit until the end of
time
.”

He paused for a second to let the words sink in. “A generous offer, is it not?”

“It is. So why wouldn’t you try to collect it yourself?” Markus demanded.

“That’s not how things are done in the Urazi. I was sent here to deliver a message and return with your reply. Nothing more.”

“And if I say no?”

“Then the Emperor will undoubtedly be displeased. But if you’re wondering about your own safety, you needn’t be concerned. I was given orders not to kill you. And frankly, I would not see the great Specter die in the streets of Port Hull. Such a disgusting place. You deserve a better death.”