A Monster Life Ch. 91-93

91 - Ambushes

Handil regained enough of her old strength quickly for her and Rachael to take a slow walk around the lake. They didn't say much as they went arm in arm, each lost in their own thoughts about everything that had happened and changed, and what the future might bring now. Rachael glanced sideways at Handil. 'I'm sorry I dragged you into this.'

Handil stopped and looked at her. 'I am not sorry I did not let you go on your own, Rach.'

Rachael gave her a guilty smile. 'I know, but this wouldn't have happened to you if you were still home.'

Handil caressed her lover's cheek. 'Then I would have lived in agony not knowing how you were doing, or worse, hearing you might have died by those demon's hands.' Rachael laid her hand on Handil's, and kissed her palm. Handil caressed Rachael's lips with her thumb. 'I had already planned on telling you how I feel about you back then because I didn't want you away from my side if there was no need to. Whatever may happen to me, I am not leaving you unless you send me away by force.'

Rachael pulled Handil closer and kissed her firmly for a moment, then rubbed her nose against Handil's. 'I would only send you away if I was sure you'd be happier, even if it would kill me.'

Handil held her a little tighter. 'I'm at my happiest with you. I only worry if you can be happy with a vampire.'

Rachael looked her deep in her eyes. 'Give us a quiet place where we can be alone when you're back to full strength, and I'll show you again just how happy I am with you, vampire or not.'

Handil's heart pounded at the thought of the two of them giving into each other, and kissed her again with more passion.

***

On the walk back to the camp, they came across Caylais and Ulric. The two noticed the unmistakable glow in Caylais's eyes while she held on to Ulric's arm and her tail swayed in satisfaction. Ulric showed a glimpse of a pained expression when he looked at Handil. 'How're you feeling?' he asked.

She gave him an honest little smile. 'Still a bit sore and weak, but I seem to recover quickly as well.'

He nodded once. 'I just want to say I feel responsible for what happened, so if you want to take it out on me go ahead. I already promised Rachael she can take out her revenge on me.'

Handil looked at Rachael, back at Ulric, and stepped towards him. 'Can you lower your head a little?'

He didn't break eye contact as he lowered his head towards her.

She swung back her arms, then flung them around his neck and hugged him tight. 'I heard what you did to the one who bit me.' she said softly in his ear. 'Thank you for becoming enraged for my sake. I told this to Rachael as well, as long as I can be by her side, I don't care what happens.' She let him go with a kiss on his forehead. 'Don't you and your girls feel the same for one another?'

He glanced sideways at Caylais, and smiled softly. 'True.'

She held on tight to Rachael's arm. 'You and Rachael are pretty similar.' she said and giggled.

He and Rachael exchanged a look, and they both chuckled. 'I am satisfied with just the one girl though.' said Rachael.

Ulric puffed up his chest. 'I would be as well, but they just can't get enough of me.'

Caylais nudged him with her elbow in his side. 'You're not supposed to be smug about it, lover, even if it is the truth.' she said with a mock pout.

He sniggered, pulled her against him, and kissed her. 'I have no right to complain because I can't get enough of all of you either. Each of you makes me feel blessed every moment of my life.'

She blushed and poked his nose. 'It is you who blessed me with this female body and life.' She noticed the puzzled look on Rachael and Handil's faces, and cleared her throat. 'I, ehm, wasn't female in all the bits before I bonded with him.'

The looks became even more puzzled, and Caylais looked at Ulric. 'Maybe I said too much.'

He gave a reassuring kiss. 'No worries, they would have found out about it sooner or later.' he said, and turned to Rachael and Handil. 'I'll tell the whole story with Tipper and Yingshien present, but in short, transformations to the body have happened through the familiar and physical bond with me, although I have no explanation for it.' He looked at Caylais. 'This beautiful feline was all woman in every aspect, apart from the one obvious part, which changed after our bonding.'

The other two looked at them with open mouth. 'In all my travels, I've never heard of something like that.' said Handil.

'Neither have I.' said Rachael, and looked at Handil. 'If word of this spreads, there will be many hunting after him for good and bad reasons.'

He nodded. 'Which is why I keep to the background and pretend to be a regular tame bloodwolf from time to time, so people won't believe it if anyone suspects I have unique abilities.'

'Tame bloodwolf is already difficult to believe.' chuckled Handil.

'Yes, but that's an ability of the girls then. Not mine.'

Caylais giggled. 'Even if we had that ability, I doubt all of us would still be enough to tame you.'

'Depends on the circumstances, cute kitten.' said Ulric, and growled playfully at her.'

She laughed. 'Down, boy. We should return to the others and feed you first.'

He grinned. 'Don't mind if we do.'

***

Tipper and Yingshien listened with as much astonishment as Rachael and Handil to the events told by Ulric and his girls while they sat close together in a circle, and the changes caused by the familiar bonding. They would have dismissed it as a tall tale told over the drinks they were having, if it wasn't for all of them being completely serious about it. Tipper whistled. 'I know plenty of dwarves who'd give their right arm to regain it again after losing it in a mining accident or a fight.'

'And you still have no idea how it works?' asked Yingshien, who found the aspect of gaining strength and abilities very interesting.

Ulric looked at Kaui. 'Kaui has been able to create potions that heal to a certain extent, but nothing more so far, right?'

She nodded. 'The familiar bond is an integral part of the gains, Master.'

'That bond is nothing like I've seen in any magical form.' said Valdys. 'I can only imagine the summoning has morphed something from his old world together with the magic we have here into a new kind, which can't be measured and thus shows up as zero tallies on his status, and causes the familiar bond to have a different effect from normal.'

Tipper as she looked at Ulric. 'Could it be that he is also the cause for you to be madly in love with him?'

Iphigenia laughed. 'Of course he is,' she said and laid her loving gaze on him. 'but I know it has nothing to do with the ordinary kind of magic or an ability. Wolfie's kindness and care for me is why I wanted to spend my last moments back then with him.'

Ulric's heart beat faster at the memory of mixed grief and joy, and smiled softly at her. 'How could any man not do what I did for you?'

She reached out to him and caressed his cheek, and gestured with her head to Elzbieta. 'If there's anyone who can attest to the truth of his kindness and willingness to protects us, it's Elz here.'

Elzbieta blushed and looked away, but glanced at Ulric. 'I do admit those things were part of it, and I couldn't deny darling was honest when he spoke well of me even when my arm and leg were still missing.'

Valdys sniggered. 'I just thought I might as well try being taken by him if it was my only chance to regain my powers. If it didn't work, I'd at least experience sex with a very nice guy before I perished.'

Ulric chuckled. 'And I sincerely wished for it to work.'

She grinned playfully at him. 'And I haven't been more grateful for meeting you than anything else, my love. You didn't just save me, you also gave me more life than I had ever known, and my heart began beating again only for you.'

Ulric noticed Kaui's sad look at her feet. 'What is it, my cutie?'

She glanced up at him as she fiddled with the hem of her dress. 'I'm the only one who selfishly forced myself upon you, Master.'

He reached out to her, took her hand, pulled her to him between his legs to her surprise, and sat her down with her back against his abdomen. 'Yes, you did, and I'm glad you did, even though I worried it would only cause you anguish.' He kissed her in her neck and she blushed. 'I'm not only glad you're here as a valuable member of the party, but also because you're my adorable and beautiful lover, cutie.'

She bit her lip while an irresistible smile appeared on her blushing face. 'Thank you, Master.'

'Well,' said Conchim. 'I also kind of forced myself on him when I realised I wanted him as my strong mate. Leaving home was worth it, and I can make my people proud by fighting to bring down the demon lord.''

Caylais blushed when the others looked at her in anticipation. 'What? It's the same for me. I fell in love with him because he's the kind of big, strong, and kind man I've always wished for but never could hope to find.'

Iphigenia giggled when Isazea made herself small. 'Don't worry, we know you're the same as us.'

Isazea nodded lightly and quick with a shy smile.

Susi wagged her tail as she looked up from her place at Ulric's side. 'Susi loves daddy because daddy is the best.'

He stroked her head. 'And Susi is the best daughter anyone could ask for.'

Trixy chittered from Valdys's hood, jumped up into Ulric's neck, and nestled herself in his fur while Valdys giggled. 'Even our smallest member loves him.' she said, and looked at the four unbound girls in merriment. 'So be warned, you might end up in the same predicament.'

'No way would I want to be that close to that mutt.' protested Tipper, and the girls laughed while he looked at her in mock indignation.

Yingshien huffed. 'Excuse me while I choose a strong dragon to retake and rebuild my country instead.'

Rachael gazed blankly at Valdys, and gestured at Handil and herself. 'Maybe you missed something when it comes to us. We only eat sausage when it's grilled.' she said, and Handil snorted.

Ulric caressed Kaui's cheek with one finger. 'Cutie, can you pour me another drink, because I don't think I can handle even more lovers, and I don't want to imagine that situation right now.' he said, and more giggles and laughter erupted while more wine went around.

***

Ulric looked around at the thickening mist covering the landscape and filtering the sunlight a couple of days later. 'Seeing how everything's still green here makes it feel even spookier than the dead vegetation of your homeland, Val.'

'Yeah.' she said. 'Here, we don't know what living or dead thing can pop up at any time, but, this is still where we should be according to Breann's map.'

Towering trees with an umbrella-like covering of leaves scattered around the mostly grassy landscape seemed to anchor the mist to the place, even with some wind blowing. Strands of mist curled around anything in its path and danced away, and the capri grumbled subdued on the slow drive along the only path leading into the direction the next artefact might lay. The ground didn't seem to be covered with swamps, but the mist was thick and the light hazy enough to increase the chances of becoming lost or stumbling into a crevice.

Ulric stopped by the side of the path. 'I need to use a tree.' he said. 'I'll catch up with you.'

Iphigenia stopped next to him and gave him a sly smile. 'Want some help, Wolfie?'

He chuckled. 'If only we had the time for that, sweetie, I would have drank even more water.'

She giggled and rode on with the others, and Ulric stroked Susi's head while she stayed on the front of the seat. 'I'll return quickly.' he said, and walked over to the nearest tree feeling amused by Iphigenia's proposal. He stopped at it, made sure no bugs nest or any other inhabitants occupied the space he'd leave his mark, and relieved himself.

He was good and well into it, when blobs of goo oozed from the ground and behind rocks and bushes in various shades of blue, green, yellow, and red, and ranging in size from his fist to his head. He gazed at them while they sat still. 'There's dragons here, so why not slimes.' he said, then stepped back as soon as one launched itself at him. 'Hey! Watch it! I'm still pissing here!'

He was glad he was almost finished and carefully dodged without pissing all over himself, then smacked the ones aside when he was done. It felt like smacking sturdy water balloons to him, and also like they'd burst if he slapped even harder, and they made a similar gloop sound as they moved or hit the ground. The bigger blobs were faster than the smaller ones, and they didn't lay still as long after hitting the ground. 'Damned pests.' he growled, but he didn't really want to kill them all just because they were annoying. He hurried back to Harry while dodging and deflecting the slimes that came after him, and Susi called out to him. 'Daddy! Do you need Susi's help!?'

He gave her a quick wave. 'I'll be all right. Most are gone already!' he said, and quickly caught the last ones as they jumped at him, and threw them far away with a grunt.

He sat down on Harry behind Susi and was glad to drive away from that gooey trouble, unaware of the transparent slime attached to the underside of the seat.

***

Although the mist reduced the distance at which Ulric could smell scents, it was long enough to smell humans up ahead well in advance later. He stopped Harry and the girls followed suit. 'There are a few people on our way.'

Valdys rode closer. 'I sense friendly spirits around. Shall I ask them to have a look?'

'Please do.'

She summoned two animal spirits, whose deaths involved a supernatural accident and left them stranded, and she asked them to report the situation in trade for her helping them pass on.

They returned a while later and Valdys didn't like the news. 'It seems five armed men are lying in wait for something.'

Ulric frowned. 'Robbers?'

She shrugged. 'This mist does make for good ambush cover.'

Iphigenia leaned forward on her capri. 'Let's give them a distraction and see what their intentions are. If it's innocent, we can always let them go.'

Ulric nodded. 'I have a little idea.'

***

Farok yawned. 'I don't like waiting for nothing. Even for this.'

Sinjin, who peered over a large boulder at the path, gave him a nudge. 'Quiet.' he whispered. 'I think I hear something coming this way.' He signalled the three men at the other side of the path and hiding behind bushes to stand ready.

The sound of something rolling across the ground grew closer, as did a strange, constant low growling. They tensed to jump on anything or anyone passing them, and looked dumbfounded at the strangest two-wheeled stone contraption they'd ever seen rolling down the path. 'What is that?' asked Farok.

'That, is Harry.' said the growling voice behind them.

The two men spun around and cried out at the black monster jumping out of the mist.

Ulric grabbed the both of them by the throat and pushed them back against the boulder off of their feet.

'It's here!' Sinjin half wheezed as he struggled to pull Ulric's paw away. 'Help us!'

'We're in a bit of a bind ourselves.' said one of the men from the other side.'

Sinjin stopped his struggle when his friends appeared with swords and daggers at their throats, held by a human and an elf woman, and a harpy of all creatures. 'What are you?'

'We are a simple party of peaceful people travelling the country, and are rather allergic to robbers trying to take what's not theirs.'

Sinjin realised his mistake in ambushing along a path where legitimate travellers may pass. 'We're not robbers.'

'Funny. I could have sworn you're armed men ambushing whoever comes along.'

Sinjin shook his head. 'We trying to trap the creature terrorising our village lately. We thought it might use this path.'

Ulric closed his face to Sinjin's and bared his fangs. 'I'm also allergic to liars.'

The man shook his head faster. 'I swear!'

'I think they're telling the truth, love.' said Valdys as she approached everyone. 'The spirits told me to be aware of an evil creature haunting the area before I helped them pass on.'

Sinjin nodded quickly. 'What she said.'

Ulric growled once for good measure, then let them down and released his grip. 'All right. But if you're not who you say you are, you'd better hope to be able to run faster than I can.'

Both men nodded as they rubbed their necks. 'If you follow us to the village, you'll see we're telling the truth.'

Ulric looked back at the others. 'We can at least hear them out for more information, darling.' said Elzbieta.

'True.' he said, and addressed the men again. 'We'll follow you, and if you tell the whole truth, maybe we can help.'

Sinjin exchanged a glance with Farok. 'To be honest, we would very much appreciate it because we're ill-equipped to handle what has taken away several of our friends and families already.' he said, and gathered his belongings to guide the visitors to his village.

92 - Trouble on the Horizons

The village was nothing out of the ordinary with simple cottages spread out over an area surrounded by crop fields and a low fence, mainly for decoration than any form of defence, and all that surrounded by a sparse forest. Ulric was surprised to see crops growing under the misty circumstances, but they looked like hardier versions to him. 'You can still grow things here even with less light?'

Sinjin glanced over the fields. 'These crops are tougher and smaller than the usual ones and can even grow slowly during the cold season, but they're very invigorating.'

Elzbieta noticed an occasional villager hurrying from home to home. 'Everyone's staying inside?'

'Yes. We're only going outside if we really need to now.'

Sinjin stopped at the larger common house in the middle of the village and turned to Farok. 'Can you bring our village elder?'

The man hurried away without a word, and Sinjin led the party and the rest of his men inside. There were no other patrons, and the innkeeper appeared from the back to see who had come. 'Travellers?' the bald and bearded man in his sixties asked when he saw the strangers, thinking it had been a long time since he'd seen the rare dragon or harpy in his youth and early adventuring career.

'We have some explaining to do to them, Zarek. Bring out some drinks.'

'Sure.' Zarek said, and returned to the back.

Drinks were served and Farok returned with a woman around the same age as Zarek and similar hard features in her face. She needed a moment to overcome her disbelief at the presence of some of the members of the visiting party even after Farok had told her, then went up to them with more confidence. 'I'd say welcome to Ponpotr, were it not that it's not safe here now.' she said and sat down at the table with the party. 'I'm Tameta, the village elder.'

Iphigenia introduced everyone again, and asked the obvious question. 'What is happening here?'

Tameta leaned forward on the table. 'Some time ago, one of us disappeared. We went looking all over but the only thing we found were his footsteps going everywhere in a small area and what looked like marks of digging with fingers into the ground. No other sign of him anywhere, nor even tracks of a predator that might have killed him. Then a few days later, another one of us vanished, a young woman who went out to hunt, and we only found multiple cuts on a couple of trees and her dagger planted in one of them. It had been done with a lot of force because it stuck in deep.' She looked over everyone at the table. 'Then one day one of our boys heard screaming in terror at a short distance from here, and spotted a black shadow enveloping one of our men laying on the ground. He faded into the shadow and disappeared like the others. The boy ran home in shock and told us. Since then we went outside only in groups and a few of us have spotted the shadow briefly before it vanished out of view. We thought that would discourage the shadow from attacking us for long enough and leave, but it's still here, and now even people inside the village have begun disappearing.'