Read The Four Horsemen 3 - Famine Online
Authors: T.A. Chase
“You’re going to make yourself sick worrying about my plans for you,” Fami pointed out, almost like he’d read Ekundayo’s mind. “Try not to panic. I don’t have any plans to sell or kill you. I just want you to heal, and then we’ll discuss what you’re going to do.”
Ekundayo found he didn’t have the energy to argue or even talk any more. He drank the water, but set the bowl aside. He slid down, and pulled the blanket up around his shoulders. Fami didn’t speak again, just gathered up the dirty dish and mug, putting them in a tub where he washed them with some of the water.
“I’m going down to the river now,” Fami spoke softly from the shadows. “I’ll be back in a while. Try to sleep, and be careful if you move around. I’m putting the lantern out. Can’t risk it falling over and setting things on fire.”
“Be careful,” Ekundayo whispered, closing his eyes before the lantern went out.
Famine stood on the edge of the river, watching the moonlight gleaming off the rushing water further out. After letting his sandals drop to the ground, he stripped off his shorts, and stepped off the riverbank into the blackness. He’d found a small sort of bend in the river where the water didn’t swirl or race. It didn’t really matter if he got caught in the current and swept over the falls. He’d only get a few injuries, but he wouldn’t die.
Swimming in the river was dangerous, which is why he was glad he’d found the protected bend. It was hidden from the view of any of the tourist boats heading to Livingstone Island, and ensured that no one would try to rescue him because they thought he’d fallen in. He not only had to worry about the fast moving currents of the river, but he also had to watch out for crocodiles and hippos.
Usually they avoided him, like they sensed there was something different about him. He still didn’t take any chances, though. One never knew when an enraged hippo or a hungry croc would overlook his oddness and attack.
Famine sank below the surface and allowed the darkness of the water to wash away his tension. It had been a long time since he’d interacted with a mortal on such a personal level. Normally, he would pass by them and they would never see him, or if they did they would think he was a figment of their imagination; Some strange dream brought on by dehydration or starvation.
He didn’t splash around or move out of the protected section of the river. He simply floated, staring up at the night sky peppered with stars. Those far away planets and suns never looked as bright when he was in a village or city. Maybe it was because things were different in the jungle. Life and death were more immediate, and things changed in the blink of an eye. Only the strong and the fast survived, and a cruel process weeded out the rest.
What did the rest of the world look like under the same sky? He’d spent most of his life as a Horseman in Africa, making short side trips to the Americas and the other continents when needed. Yet it was the land of his birth where he seemed to be needed the most. It was where the balance of power constantly leaned in one direction, and only the rich had the means to live.
When Famine had been mortal, there were no countries dividing the continent. The tribes fought amongst themselves for land, water, and hunting grounds, yet there hadn’t been the massive amount of death there was now, because there hadn’t been automatic weapons and bombs back then.
Sometimes Famine wished he could leave, and go someplace where he could walk without worrying about destroying the land and water around him. Yet his power and the life he was forced to live demanded he stay in the countries where he could do the most damage. Each day he hoped Death would come and tell him he was no longer needed.
He touched the medicine bag and found it dry, like always. Famine never ran out of salt either. It was as if the bag replenished itself through magic. He’d asked Death about it once, but the Pale Rider had simply shaken his head, ignorant of the answer.
There were things even Death didn’t know about their powers, or how they got chosen to be Horsemen. Death had said he thought it had something to do with the way they’d died. They had all died an untimely death, most far earlier than they should have, and usually at the hands of others. A few had killed themselves. Famine never could figure out how this Death had become a Horseman. Out of all the other Horsemen Famine had known, this most recent Death seemed the least racked with guilt over his former mortal life. Famine had figured out that all of the men who became Horsemen were racked with guilt over something they’d done while they were mortal. Well, all except this Death. It almost seemed like once a Horseman came to terms with his guilt, and forgave himself, he’d cease being a Horseman.
Famine sighed, trying to figure out why he still felt guilty. All he’d done was try not to let his tribe become involved in human sacrifice. At the time, he hadn’t understood what the shedding of human blood for the Gods entailed. Famine had just known it was wrong, yet he’d found himself part of a bigger plot, one fuelled by jealousy and fear. Could his guilt be because he hadn’t stopped them? He wasn’t sure how he could have when he’d been the one chosen to die by their hands.
Yet could the shaman have been right? Had the Gods only been looking for blood in order to end the drought? Why hadn’t their prayers and devotion been enough to appease them? He’d never understood that, but his Gods had been harsh and terrible gods. They weren’t merciful like the God of the Christians.
Had his stubbornness in fighting against the sacrifice caused the death of others in his village? If he had allowed the shaman to kill someone sooner, would the drought have ended earlier? Or had it all been dumb luck, and the shaman had been looking to kill Famine without getting into trouble for it?
Famine closed his eyes, trying to ignore the stabbing pain in his side. It was a phantom pain, like that of amputees who feel their lost limbs. It had taken him a few years to learn to accept it, and not freak out each time he felt it. It usually only happened when he thought about his death and the events leading up to it.
He rolled over and slowly swam back to the riverbank. After climbing out of the water, Famine grabbed his shorts and sandals. He didn’t worry about towelling off; the heat would make sure he was dry before he got back to the tree. Famine enjoyed the fact that it didn’t really cool off much at night, even by the river.
As he walked back to the tree where his lodging was, he thought about Ekundayo. What was he really going to do with the young man? Once Ekundayo healed and regained his strength, should Famine take him back to the diamond mines? He knew the mines, and, no matter what anyone said, they weren’t particularly safe or humane.
Too many hours spent chipping the rough diamonds out of the ground with inadequate food and water. No one should work in conditions like that, and yet the world overlooked them because of the valuable nature of the product the miners were producing.
Famine jumped and whirled, almost dropping his clothes in the process. He glared at the silver-haired man standing just off the trail.
“What the hell are you doing here, Lam?” Famine glared at Lam.
“Just thought I’d stop by, and see what has Death mumbling to himself.” Lam stepped out on to the trail, his blue eyes sparkling in the moonlight.
Famine shook his head, and continued down the path. “I’m not doing anything to annoy him. Not on purpose anyway.”
“None of you ever do it on purpose.”
“Why are you talking to Death, anyway? I thought you didn’t have anything to do with us unless you’re delivering a message.” Famine kept walking. He wasn’t interested in stopping for an involved conversation with the messenger angel.
Lamb of God, or Lam for short, was a messenger angel who was most often sent to deal with the Horsemen. He wasn’t
the
Lamb of God, of course, but all of the messenger angels were given lamb of God as their title.
“Oh, I was delivering a message for him, and he kept muttering about stupid Horsemen and their bleeding hearts. He didn’t seem very happy. So, once I wrangled it out of him that you were the one upsetting him, I thought I’d come to see what you’d done.”
Famine fought the urge to scuff his foot on the ground. “I didn’t do anything.”
“You know I think there’s a rule against lying to an angel,” Lam joked.
“When I see one, I’ll try to remember that.” He flung the insult at Lam.
“Ouch. Now that’s not very nice. I’m teasing you. I don’t care what you do or who you try to save. Since it’s my job to make sure you do your job, I was just making sure it didn’t stop you from spreading famine and drought where you need to go. Trust me, this continent isn’t going to be fertile for a long time.” Lam sighed.
Swallowing his disappointment, Famine nodded. “I guess I was hoping you’d say you didn’t need me any more.”
“Sorry, Famine. There will always be a need for the Horsemen.”
The sadness in Lam’s voice touched Famine. He wanted to tell Lam it was okay, but, really, it wasn’t. Famine wished he could walk away. He wanted to chuck his bag in the river and stroll off, find a place to stay in the Nile valley or someplace beside the Zambezi River.
“But maybe you’ll find the person of your dreams and be able to give up this life that you chose.”
Anger swelled in Famine, and he whirled to point a finger at Lam. “I didn’t choose this life. I was sacrificed, and suddenly I woke up with this terrible power. I can’t ever feel healthy ground beneath my feet. The moment my salt touches the dirt, the grass dies, and the water disappears. Crops wither and animals starve. Do you know how that feels?”
Lam shook his head. “No, I don’t know how it feels, and I’m sorry that my comments seemed flippant. I didn’t mean to make light of your situation.”
Famine inhaled deeply, biting back any further arguments. It wasn’t Lam’s fault that Famine was trapped as a Horseman, no matter what Death or Lam said about finding someone to love or forgive him for what he did as a mortal. While Famine had assumed it was simply forgiveness that freed a Horseman, it looked like it was actually love that did it. Both Pestilence and War had fallen in love, and now they were mortal. Yet who could love a man who brought death to crops and dried up water sources with a mere grain of salt?
“I have to get back,” he mumbled.
“I know.” Lam stepped closer, and laid his hand on Famine’s shoulder. “I do have some idea how hard being a Horseman is for you who are chosen for the job. I’ve dealt with Horsemen for millennia, and none of them have dealt with the transition or solitude of the job very well.”
Pausing, Lam tilted his head as if he’d thought of something, before he continued, “Except for this most recent Death. He seems to be dealing with everything rather well, especially considering what his job is.”
He couldn’t argue with Lam’s statement. This Death was less tortured, and, at times, Death seemed rather impatient with the rest of them as they struggled with the destruction they dealt mortals.
“I’ll leave you to your internal debate.” Lam turned to walk away, but stopped, and turned back to look at him. “I would throw the diamond away, and when Ekundayo is healed, return him to Botswana where you found him. Let him decide from there what to do and where to go. You’ve done your part by saving him. That’s my advice. Do with it what you want.”
“Thank you.” Famine watched Lam stroll off the trail, and disappear into the shadows under the trees.
At times, Lam was as annoying as Death, but every once in a while the angel would give him some advice to mull over, and end up discovering something new about himself. Famine swung back in the direction of his tree. The medicine bag hit his thigh, reminding him of what he hid inside it.
Although Lam’s advice about getting rid of the diamond was sound, Famine couldn’t bring himself to do it. Maybe the idea of helping Ekundayo find a better life intrigued Famine, or it might simply be he didn’t want to upset Ekundayo by giving the diamond back. He also couldn’t make a decision about Ekundayo. He’d wait until Ekundayo was healed before he made the final decision on what to do with him.
A wave of exhaustion swept over him. He didn’t need a lot of sleep, and usually went days without resting, but it had been an unusual and exciting day. Famine would go back, and watch Ekundayo sleep. Maybe during the night he’d come up with a solution to his problem.
Ekundayo grunted as he fought with the trapdoor. He wanted to get out of the tree, and Famine had left him alone yet again. It had been two weeks since Fami had found him, brought him to the stupid tree house, and stolen what Ekundayo had taken in the first place. So far, Ekundayo had searched the entire dwelling, or as much of it as he could with a broken wrist, and hadn’t found the diamond, which led him to believe that Fami had hidden it somewhere outside.
Struggling with the heavy wooden door, Ekundayo winced as his wrist protested the harsh punishment with shooting pains up his arm and into his chest. Of course, it would take two hands to lift it. Gasping, he dropped the door back into position, and clasped his wrist to his chest. His injured arm throbbed, and he swore silently.
Ekundayo glared at him, and scooted over to the bed where he dropped onto the mattress. “Why are you sneaking up on me? You could have caused me to drop the door on my
foot or something like that.”
Fami rested his ass on the ledge and crossed his arms over his chest. His white teeth
flashed in a bright smile as he studied Ekundayo.
“I didn’t sneak up on you. You trying to open the door blocked the entrance. It was
easier for me to come in through the window. I made sure you had already dropped it before
I said anything. I figured you didn’t want to be stuck in here any longer than you have to
be.”
“I want out. I’m tired out being in here.” Ekundayo pouted and hated the whining tone
in his voice.
“It’s not like I’ve kept you prisoner. I would have helped you climb down if you’d
asked,” Fami pointed out.
“I want to walk around, and see the falls during the day. I’ve never been to Victoria
Falls. I had no way of getting here. Too expensive for a diamond miner.” Ekundayo bit his
bottom lip, hoping Fami would believe him.
“I only keep you up here so the tourists travelling from the resorts don’t see you, unless
you want someone to come and rescue you. If you do, I can set you adrift in the river, and see
if anyone catches you before you go over the falls.”
Ekundayo shot a glance at Fami to see him grin. He dropped his gaze, not wanting to
think about the emotions Fami made him feel. He’d fought the need to touch Fami during the
last two weeks they’d shared the dwelling. He didn’t want to think about how many nights
he’d lain awake, listening to Fami breathe across the room, wishing he could go lie down
next to him. “You wouldn’t do that to me,” he muttered.
Fami’s eyebrows shot up. “I wouldn’t? How do you know that? And don’t think I don’t
know the real reason you want to get out of this tree. You’ve searched every nook and
cranny of this place, and couldn’t find your diamond. You must have decided I hid it
somewhere else, possibly on the ground or in the trees around this one.”
He decided not to act innocent any more. Straightening his shoulders, he met Fami’s
black eyes. “I don’t know why you’ve hidden it. It’s mine, and I want it back. I’m better now,
and I think I should be leaving.”
“Well, if you’ve decided to go, I can’t stop you. I’ll help you out of the tree, and you can
head out.” Fami stood, a frown marring his forehead.
Ekundayo’s heart skipped a beat, and a sudden flare of fear ran over his spine. Why
had he thought Fami would argue more? Now that he could leave, why didn’t he want to
go? He looked around the room, and his eyes landed on one of the chests he’d searched
earlier. Fami had unlocked all of them and told him to look through them. The minute Fami
had left, Ekundayo had searched them, and hadn’t found his diamond or anything worth
stealing at all.
“What do you do? You’re gone at weird hours of the day and night. You never talk
about what you do, and, to be honest, I’ve never seen anyone who looks like you.” He told the truth. There was something very different about Fami, and not just because
of his eyes. Somehow Ekundayo had got used to those all-black eyes. Yet at other times, when he’d surprised Fami staring at him, those eyes had burned with a lustful fire. Maybe he
wasn’t the only one affected by the closeness of their quarters.
Ekundayo shook his head. Now wasn’t the time to think about any kind of attraction.
He forced his mind back to how different Fami was from him. Fami rarely slept. Even when
he curled up in the corner across from the bed, Ekundayo knew Fami wasn’t actually
sleeping. Oh, his eyes would be closed, and his breathing would be even, as though he was
sleeping soundly, but, if Ekundayo made any sort of noise, Fami would sit up and ask if he
was okay.
“Why don’t you eat with me?” The question popped out of Ekundayo’s mouth before
he could stop it.
Fami sat at the table, since Ekundayo was obviously in no hurry to leave. He ran his
hand over his braids as he stared down at the scarred wooden surface. Ekundayo kept his
gaze on Fami’s face, not allowing it to drop to the wide expanse of Fami’s chest. “I do eat; just while I’m cooking your food.”
While that might be true, Ekundayo sensed there was something Fami wasn’t saying.
He wondered if it had something to do with him being gone at such irregular hours.
Ekundayo decided to ask about something else that had been bothering him. “Why do you wear that medicine bag all the time? Are you a shaman or magic
worker?”
Ekundayo jumped when Fami shoved his chair back and shot to his feet. “Do you want to go for a walk around the island while you decide if you want to leave
or not?”
He guessed the questioning session was over. Ekundayo stood slowly, holding his wrist
in his other hand while walking over to the trapdoor. Fami opened it without any trouble,
causing Ekundayo to roll his eyes.
“Show off,” he muttered.
Fami snorted. “Once your wrist is healed, and you’ve regained all your strength, you’ll
be able to open the door without help. I’ll toss the rope ladder down, and go first. If you slip
or anything, I’ll be there to catch you.”
“I’m not completely sure I can trust you. You’ve sort of kept me prisoner up here since
we arrived,” Ekundayo pointed out as he hesitated at the edge of the opening. After dropping the ladder, Fami started down, not really looking where he was going.
It was obvious he’d climbed the ladder hundreds of times.
“Now that’s harsh,” Fami yelled up at him. “I could have just left you in the crevice,
dying of thirst and hunger, Ekundayo, but I didn’t. I freed you, and brought you here to my
place, where no one has ever been.”
“Not true. There was that grey-haired man one time.” Ekundayo squinted as he tried to
remember when he’d seen the other man.
Fami paused, and glanced up at him, a concerned expression on his face. “You saw
him?”
Ekundayo nodded. “For a moment. I opened my eyes and saw him sitting at the table
across from me. Before he noticed me, I fell back asleep. Is he your boss or something?” “Or something is right.” Fami started back down. “He’s going to have a fit when he
realises you saw him.”
Ekundayo eased his feet on to the first rung of the ladder, and he started making his
way to the ground. He was able to keep a tight grip with his uninjured hand while ensuring
he didn’t hit or reinjure his other wrist. He checked below him, and Fami had reached the
ground. He stood below him, closely watching each move he made.
“I won’t let you fall,” Fami said, loudly enough for Ekundayo to hear, but not so loud
that anyone else would be able to pick up the conversation. “I pissed my comrade off by
bringing you here instead of letting fate decide the outcome. He seemed to think it was your
destiny to die while running away from the authorities.”
“He doesn’t like me—or is it that he doesn’t like anyone?” Ekundayo paused halfway
down, and rested. His muscles shook slightly, telling him he wasn’t as strong as he’d
thought.
Fami rested his shoulder against the tree trunk, and tapped his finger against his chin.
“I don’t think it’s only you he doesn’t like. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t really like most people.
He has a hard job, and it makes him very cynical about life.”
Ekundayo heaved a sigh, and continued the rest of the way down. He jerked when
Fami placed his hands on his hips to help steady him as he stepped to the ground. Ekundayo
turned, and stood with his back against the rough bark of the tree. Fami stared down at him,
dark gaze seeming to search Ekundayo’s eyes for something.
Whether Fami found what he was looking for or not, Ekundayo didn’t find out. Fami
leant forward, pressing his lips to Ekundayo’s. Their breath mingled when Ekundayo
gasped, having never been kissed before. He didn’t know what to do with his hands—or his
mouth for that matter.
Ekundayo’s eyes fluttered shut as Fami swept his tongue into his mouth and stroked
Ekundayo’s. Keeping his injured wrist close to his chest, Ekundayo slid his other hand up
over Fami’s shoulder to grasp his braids. Fami grunted when Ekundayo tightened his grip,
but didn’t move away. The kiss heated up, and Ekundayo moaned as Fami stepped closer to
him.
He arched into Fami’s strong embrace, wanting more, but not sure what or even how to
ask for it. Fami bit his bottom lip before easing away. Ekundayo whimpered in protest, and
forced his eyes open. Fami stared at him, and Ekundayo could almost see him working
things out in his mind.
“Have you ever been kissed before?” Fami asked softly as he ran his fingers over
Ekundayo’s face.
“No,” Ekundayo stammered, trying to calm his breathing down. He didn’t want to look
like an idiot in front of the obviously far more experienced Fami.
“Do you want to do more kissing?”
Ekundayo licked his lips, and the lingering flavour of Fami teased him. Did he want
Fami to kiss him again? Why did he get the feeling there was more involved in the question
than just kissing? Would kissing lead to other things Ekundayo had never done in his young
life?
“Umm…yes.”
Fami chuckled, and brushed his thumb over Ekundayo’s lips. “You don’t sound very
sure.”
He shrugged. “I haven’t done anything like this. It’s too risky. If I’m found out, I’ll be
killed.”
“Oh no, I won’t let that happen, Ekundayo. No one would hurt you for this.” Fami
cradled his face in his hands and bent to kiss him again.
This time Ekundayo knew what to do. He opened his mouth immediately, giving Fami
all the access he wanted.
“Marvellous,” Fami breathed against his lips.
Their bodies came together, and, though Fami seemed focused on kissing Ekundayo, he
avoided leaning on his arm. In fact, Fami took Ekundayo’s injured arm with his hand, and
rested it on his own shoulder.
“That way we won’t forget about it and end up hurting you again,” Fami whispered
into Ekundayo’s ear.
Ekundayo swallowed loudly, and nodded. “Okay.”
Fami dived back into kissing him, sliding one hand behind Ekundayo’s head to protect
him from the tree. Ekundayo squeaked when Fami fondled his ass with his other hand. No
man had ever touched him there. Of course, he hadn’t wanted to risk death by attempting to
find another man with similar tastes in bed partners.
Ekundayo didn’t know what else to do but throw himself into the embrace and hope
things didn’t go badly. He wanted to experience sex, and, while it probably wasn’t the
smartest thing to choose a man he didn’t know a whole lot about to be his first, Ekundayo
also knew there was something about Fami that called to him
His knees buckled when his groin rubbed against Fami’s, and he felt Fami’s erection
through their layers of clothes. Holding him tight, Fami lowered him to the ground, and
settled between Ekundayo’s legs. They rocked together, and Ekundayo groaned. “You like how that feels,” Fami pointed out as he did it again, and tugged Ekundayo
closer to him.
“Yes.” Ekundayo grunted, arching his hips, wanting more contact.
“Good.”
Fami reached down and grabbed the hem of Ekundayo’s shirt. Ekundayo gasped as
Fami stripped it off him with a quick yank. Lying back on the warm earth, he looked up at
Fami, and froze as Fami rose above him.
“You can touch me if you want to,” Fami informed him.
Ekundayo rested his hand on Fami’s chest, just to the right of the leather bag hanging
around his neck. The heartbeat pounding beneath it let Ekundayo know Fami wasn’t as calm
about the whole situation as he appeared to be. Just knowing that eased Ekundayo’s nerves
slightly. His hand shook as he trailed his fingers over Fami’s warm skin to one of his nipples. “We should get naked.” Ekundayo twitched when he realised those words had come
from him.
Fami laughed. “You’re getting the hang of this. I think you’re right.”
As Fami reached for the button on Ekundayo’s shorts, the faint roar of a lion drifted
along on the late afternoon breeze. Ekundayo tensed, but Fami didn’t seem to react to the
noise.
“Are you sure we should be doing this here?”
Fami leant down and nipped Ekundayo’s chin. “Don’t worry. No one will be sneaking
up on us.”
“It wasn’t really people I was worried about,” Ekundayo admitted, shuddering as Fami
slowly drew the zipper down over his cock.
“The animals won’t bother us either. Trust me.” Fami pressed a kiss to Ekundayo’s
neck. “We aren’t in any danger, and I really don’t want to take this anywhere else.” Exactly what had Fami done to make Ekundayo trust him? Well, aside from saving him
and not taking him to the hospital. He had taken the diamond Ekundayo had stolen, and
wouldn’t give it back when Ekundayo had asked for it. Yet Fami had never made any kind of
threat towards him. He’d taken care of him, keeping him fed and made sure he was healing. Fami took Ekundayo’s face in his hands, and turned his head so he could meet his dark
eyes. “You’re overthinking things. Just let go, and I’ll take care of you. You can go back to
analysing the situation when we’re done.”
He stared into Fami’s eyes, and while their all blackness still bothered him, he didn’t
see any malice or vicious intent in them. Ekundayo had become good at reading people and
their intentions towards him. The fear inside him eased, and he nodded.
“All right. I’ll worry about everything afterwards,” he agreed.
Fami winked, and kissed him quickly before letting go of Ekundayo’s face. After letting
his head fall back, Ekundayo stared up into the branches of the tree. He gasped as Fami
shoved his shorts off, and shivered as his naked ass touched the cool dirt.
He forgot about the cold when Fami settled between his legs again, and pressed their
bodies together. His eyes rolled in his head at the first touch of Fami’s erection against his.
Pushing up on his elbows, he glanced between them, and licked his lips. Ekundayo wanted
to get his hands or lips on Fami’s cock.
It was as long as Ekundayo’s, but thicker, and Ekundayo wondered what it would feel
like to hold it in his hand. Fami braced his own weight on his hands, and rolled his hips into
Ekundayo’s, drawing a low moan from Ekundayo.
They slowly started moving in rhythm, pressing and rubbing. Ekundayo gripped
Fami’s shoulder with his good hand, and let the other one lay on the ground. Fami licked one
of Ekundayo’s nipples before trailing his kisses down his chest to his belly button. When
Fami stuck his tongue in the indent, Ekundayo laughed.