Adventures of the Cohort Ch. 01

Mikael did not care, however. He was just glad to have found anywhere to sleep at all; this room could have been stained and dirty, as long as it was warm and sheltered, too.

He dropped his pack on the bed and breathed in. He was tired, and looked forward to sleep. Their evening meal had been filling, and coupled with the pleasant warmth of the house, he was struggling to keep his eyes open.

A knock on the door startled him, and he turned around to the sound of laughter.

"Did I make you jump?" Lucinda grinned at him. She had donned her armour, her twin longswords sheathed at her waist.

"A little. What do you want?" he said quickly.

"Oh, now don't get tetchy," came the teasing reply as his Sister's grin broadened.

"I'm not."

"No?"

"Maybe a little."

"Indeed," she giggled. "Well, Jenna has offered to show Melissa and I to the graveyard, where Hammond thinks he may have found something of use. A customer of his mentioned something to him the other day he found suspicious, and our presence here has reminded him of that."

"Can you wait for me to get dressed?"

"There's no need, Mikael," she responded. "It will only take two of us. Besides, someone ought to stay here in case something happens in the town. It would do us no use to miss a potential vampire attack because we were scouring the graveyard."

"True enough. I was looking forward to grabbing some sleep."

"Then I won't keep you awake. You should take advantage of that comfortable bed."

Mikael stared at his beautiful Sister. Her black hair hung down to her ass, its shimmering obsidian catching the flickering lamplight, her piercing emerald eyes creased in amusement. The tight leather armour she wore did nothing to hide her wonderful figure; it was meant to protect, not conceal. The fact that she's gorgeous probably helps her in combat - distracting her enemies, he thought with amusement.

"What?" she smiled, an eyebrow rising.

"Oh, I was just wishing that we both had the time to 'take advantage of this comfortable bed'," Mikael returned with a wide grin.

He turned, yanking off his shirt and tossing it over the sturdy chair that stood next to the desk. That done, his eyes met Lucinda's again, and he noticed with a flash of glee the look that she wore.

"If only I could, Mikael," she murmured, her gaze roving over his naked chest. "But I do not have the time."

"A shame. We shall have to wait -- I'm sure an opportunity will arise."

"Perhaps," she smiled wickedly, shutting the door behind her and sauntering over. "But maybe you could offer me... a taste."

"Oh?" he replied, his cock stirring.

"Yes, just a taste," she continued, reaching him. She pulled off one leather gauntlet, then the other, letting them drop to the floor, before pressing the bare palm of her right hand against his chest. The fingers of her left moved to squeeze his thigh.

"A figurative taste?" he whispered, her face inches from his.

"No..."

With that, she leaned in to kiss him, her mouth parting as it pressed against his. Mikael responded in kind, and their tongues met as the kiss became passionate. Lucinda pressed herself against his naked chest, her right hand stroking down his stomach.

With a grin she broke the kiss, pushing him solidly in the chest. He fell backwards onto the bed with a surprised grunt, and she giggled as she dropped to her knees. Her longswords clanked as they hit the floor, but she ignored them, her hands already unbuckling his belt as her emerald eyes stared into his.

Mikael groaned as her fingers found his cock, tugging it free. It was rapidly growing erect, and her hand began to lightly stroke up and down, her fingers playing delicately with its length. Still gazing into his eyes, she leaned forwards, blowing gently on the head of his member. Her grip had become sterner now, her fist moving more rapidly over his now-hard shaft.

With a mischievous smile she elaborately licked the underside of his head, noting his low moan with a groan of her own. She pulled away once again, releasing his cock from her grip and letting it stand proud in front of her. With a wicked glint in her eye she opened her mouth and a tendril of saliva roped down onto his member, her hand moving to wrap itself around his shaft once more.

She pumped her fist up and down, spreading the wetness across his entire cock, her hand now sliding easily over his glistening skin. She leaned in once more, her lips slightly apart, and planted the gentlest of kisses on its very tip.

Her other hand moved up to rest on Mikael's thigh, squeezing the muscle through the fabric of his pants. He grabbed the waist of his trousers, lifting his hips as he pulled them down, Lucinda's free hand aiding him in removing them. Soon they were around his ankles, and his Sister pulled them free, leaving them crumpled on the floor.

Her hand had not ceased its slow movement over his shaft, and she had turned her delicate kiss into many. Each contact of her lips onto his tip was fleeting and gentle, but it was driving Mikael to ecstasy.

Her eyes flicked up once more to gaze into his, and her hand slowed, instead angling his member straight up. Her lips now brushed the underside of his cock, her kisses becoming mobile, creeping their way to the base of his shaft. Her left hand moved to cup his balls, lightly playing with them as her head moved lower.

Soon her fingers were replaced by her mouth, and Mikael gasped as she sucked his balls between her lips; first one, then the other, then the first again. Her hand had begun its slow ministrations on his shaft once more, and Mikael found the casual pace of this blowjob utterly exquisite.

Eventually her attention switched, and she released his balls from her mouth. Her tongue emerged, and she slowly licked the underside of his shaft, inexorably making her way back to his tip. It flicked the underside of his head, and a shiver of pleasure ran through him.

She smiled wickedly, once more planting a gentle kiss on his tip, but this time she did not pull away. Brushing her long, black hair behind her with her free hand, her lips parted, and she leaned forwards.

Mikael groaned aloud as she took his head fully into her mouth, her tongue swirling on the underside of his member. A delightful vacuum formed, and she giggled at his pleasure, the vibrations sparking off more magnificent sensations.

She released and engorged him repeatedly, her lips forming a tight ring around his head as they slid back and forth. Her pace was still slow, but rhythmic, and Mikael moaned low as her ministrations continued.

"Fuck..." he breathed, throwing his head back, his mind clouded with pleasure. Lucinda pulled her lips from his member, her hand moving more quickly now, and Mikael glanced back down.

"Good?" she grinned, her other hand back on his thigh.

"Very," he moaned back, the moan becoming louder as she took his head into her mouth another time. Yet she did not stop there, his shaft slipping further between her lips as her free hand took a firm grip at its base.

He groaned again as she started to move her head, his cock sliding over her tongue, engorged almost to halfway down its length. The feeling was amazing, and Lucinda's hand slowly pumped on the parts of his member her mouth could not reach.

With a loud breath, Lucinda pulled off, a wicked smile on her face as her eyes met his. They sparkled emerald, her desire apparent as her tongue began to cover every inch of his swollen cock.

Her pace had picked up now, her tongue and hands working quickly and expertly on his length. Her fist moved rapidly, and she hungrily devoured his cock; one moment his member was nestled wonderfully between her lips as she bobbed her head voraciously, the next her fist firmly stroked it, her tongue licking down its sides.

He could feel his balls beginning to tighten, and reached out with one hand, placing it gently on Lucinda's head. Her silky black hair was smooth to the touch, and he very lightly grasped it. Her green eyes flashed up at his with a wicked glint as her cheeks hollowed once more, a vacuum forming around the tip of his cock.

Mikael groaned as one of his Sister's hands flicked up, taking hold of his balls and gently squeezing them. It pushed him further towards in inevitable climax, and his breathing came in heavy gasps as the stunning rogue who knelt before him did amazing things to his cock.

"I'm going... to..." he groaned, and his Sister's grip grew yet tighter. She had taken his length into her mouth once more, and her lips slid up and down his shaft furiously, one hand wrapped around the base of his member, the other squeezing his balls.

The moment arrived, and Mikael threw his head back with a cry as his cock twitched, cum spurting forth. Lucinda's mouth was clamped around his head as her hand slid along his length, his seed splashing against her throat. His orgasm was intense, expertly constructed by his Sister, this eventual release filling his mind with rapture.

Eventually his flow relented, the last few drops of cum squeezed out of his cock by Lucinda's eager hand. She pulled her head away, and with a broad grin swallowed his load, licking her lips with a wink. Planting one last kiss on his rapidly-deflating member, she half-stood, still grinning, and hunched towards Mikael.

"Delicious," she murmured seductively. "A taste I will never grow bored of."

"And I, the sensation," Mikael smiled back, suddenly tired. His climax had blasted the energy out of him. His eyelids started to close.

"I'll bet you're glad I made you jump now, hmm?" his Sister teased, pulling on the gauntlets that she had earlier dropped on the floor.

"I am."

"Go to sleep," the rogue returned, planting a quick kiss on his forehead before darting towards the door. "I shall see you later."

She opened the door and slipped through, shutting it behind her. Mikael sat there in the darkness a short while, reliving the events of moments before, then climbed under the covers. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

*****************************

Mikael awoke later that night, his eyes snapping open in the dark room. His Sisters were gone, evidently still on their hunt, led by Jenna. He hoped that she had shown them something of use, and that they would return to him ready to strike at the core of the vampire infestation.

Yet worry was not why he had awoken. His blood ran cold as he heard a faint scrabbling at the door, followed by a gentle creak as it was pushed open. He looked at the entranceway, but the room was too dark to see clearly. Lamplight flickered from the end of the hallway, and it reflected dimly from the pommel of his sword. He waited.

A sudden movement made him catch his breath. This was not the wind; someone was entering his room. It was not his Sisters, he knew, for they would not be so secretive, yet it did not seem to be Hammond or his maid, either. A shadowed figure flicked through the doorway, and Mikael watched as it moved slowly towards him. The lamplight flickered again; dull luminescence catching twin white points on the figure's hidden face. Fangs! Mikael's thoughts screamed.

His movements were instantaneous. He sprang from the bed, sweeping across the room and grasping the hilt of his closest sword. The vampire had little time to react, and before it could do so Mikael had already drawn his blade, holding it out in front of him. He was not armoured -- he had slept naked after Lucinda's ministrations -- but he was now armed.

With a glint of metal the vampire withdrew its own dagger. It hissed loudly, bursting at Mikael, and he only just deflected the blow. Normally being caught with a blade was bad, but his enchanted armour would protect him. Here, it could be fatal.

His foe came again, and as Mikael raised his sword to parry he kicked out. The vampire was fast -- too quick for normal men -- but not faster than Mikael. His kick caught its ankle as it jumped from his swipe, sending it staggering off balance momentarily. In a blur, Mikael plunged his sword deep into the creature's chest, and the vampire exploded in a shower of dust.

He stood, stunned by the sudden attack. His mind raced. How were his Sisters? And what were the vampires doing here? And Hammond? Hammond! Mikael grasped his armour, donning it with incredible haste. If they were in Hammond's house then they were probably after the old man himself. Mikael was an after-thought; the man who proclaimed to ward off vampires was their target, surely.

He tightened the final clasp of his armour, far more prepared for battle now. Unsheathing his second longsword, he burst from the room, hastening down the corridor to Hammond's ornate bedroom.

His footsteps were silent on the plush carpet, and he reached the large door marking Hammond's quarters quickly. He opened it at once, raising his swords to counter the threat posed within, spinning as he entered to count the number of foes.

There were none. The room was devoid of figures; even the bed was still. Hammond was not here, and a cold wave of fear swept through Mikael as he realised the old man must have been taken. Whilst I was asleep in the same house! Mikael's mind cried. He was taken whilst under my protection!

Mikael turned again, now running at full tilt to the stairway that climbed to this floor. Any pretence of silence was gone; he needed to find Hammond. This house had been attacked and he had allowed it to be. Fast asleep, he had been oblivious to the potential death of the kindly man who had given them somewhere to stay.

Reaching the staircase, Mikael jumped, not wasting the time to run down each step individually. He landed in a low crouch, looking towards the door and preparing to sprint into the night.

A cold wash of air stopped him in his tracks. Sinking further to the floor, Mikael glanced to his left. Where before had stood an impassive stone wall, a large hole now greeted his eyes. The wall had come away, a door concealed on its surface, and darkness extended beyond it.

Mikael shivered as another wash of air ran over him. The odour of decay, of evil, came with it, and Mikael's nostrils flared as he identified the smells. Vampires were down there, he was sure, and he crept forwards to better analyse the opening. A large, stone staircase descended into the blackness, and Mikael's eyes could not penetrate the dark.

"Surely not," he whispered, realisation dawning on him as he stared into the inky abyss. "Hammond is not among them."

But it all made sense: this man was open about his vampiric past. People did not question why he stayed away from sunlight; he was too valuable. And would a vampire really sell wares warding off vampires? Of course! his mind blazed. Those wares were never meant to work. Convince people to buy useless trinkets as protection against vampires, and they might not seek out real ways to defend themselves. It worked out perfectly; Hammond could not only raise his image in the eyes of the townspeople, but also ensure that their defences against the vampires were utterly useless.

He did not want to believe it, but he knew that he must. The indicators were all there; the only thing missing was why neither he nor his Sisters had identified Hammond as a vampire. He could normally sense their evil, but with Hammond he could not. Yet that did not change the reality of the situation; he knew he would have to follow those steps down into the blackness.

With a deep breath, Mikael began.

*****************************

The darkness overwhelmed him within seconds, and Mikael stopped moving a moment to regain his bearings. He could see nothing; having turned a corner on his descent, even the meagre lamplight cast in Hammond's house no longer reached him. He had no torch on him, and would not have lit one even if he did. He could not allow himself to be so easily detected.

At length he found himself at the bottom of the stairwell, and the reflected sound of his muffled breathing suggested a heavy object blocked his way. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, drawing from the magical font that he had discovered recently in his core. It flared, and he felt a surge of power, and when he reopened his eyes he could see clearly in the dark. He smiled; he was learning well.

It was indeed a door that stood before him, grand and ornate. It was shut, but its edges were not encrusted with grime and cobwebs like the rest of this passage. It had been opened very recently, and more than once. Reaching out, Mikael placed his palm on the ancient wood, and at once withdrew it as pain burned into his body.

Malice coursed through him, an ancient evil more powerful than anything he had ever encountered. Visions of murder and death seared into his mind, the stench of gravesoil and blood oozing into his nostrils; he was suffocating, his mind overcome with the sheer wickedness of the forces that scorched in his body.

He collapsed backwards onto the steps, and as he landed painfully on the stone edge his mind immediately cleared. The smell, the images, the suffocating evil all evaporated in an instant; all that remained was the steady thumping of his heart. He lay there, panting, trying to regain his composure, his mind racing to understand what had just happened.

Painfully he hauled himself to his feet, staring hard at the door. How was he going to open it if he couldn't touch it? And what lay beyond it? If he could not even pass through the entranceway how was he to survive being buffeted by the raw evil that undoubtedly lay beyond?

Steeling himself, he realised there was nothing else for it. With grit teeth he grasped the handle of the door, yanking hard. It swung silently open, but nothing else happened - his mind remained unscathed, and he looked down at his hand in astonishment. Clearly, whatever had happened to him was not a recurring incident.

Beyond the great wooden door stood a long, narrow passageway. It extended further into the darkness than his spell could penetrate, and he began to edge forward, constantly prepared for any potential ambush. There was nothing, and he grew wary.

All at once his breath caught in his throat. Something had stirred his magical senses, and he could feel the presence of an eldritch being nearby. Edging further forwards, he saw what he was expecting; a vampire stood in the middle of the passageway. It was still, and Mikael took the time to properly examine it.

This vampire was female, which did not surprise Mikael. He had been told that all the vampires in a nest bar the eldest were of one gender, and if Hammond was this nest's leader then his minions would all be women. Mikael did not allow her gender to colour his thoughts. After his many years of adventuring -- and more recently knowing his Sisters - he would allow others to make the mistake of underestimating a female warrior instead.

The figure still was not moving, and Mikael studied her tight-fitting leather armour for weaknesses. It did not appear to have any; it was well-made and a good fit. The leather pushed outwards with the impressive swell of her breasts, and her long black hair framed her alabaster face. She would have been quite beautiful were she not so terrifying.

She turned, and Mikael's hands flashed to his swords. He had left them sheathed for quieter movement; he could withdraw them in a heartbeat, anyway. He stared at the vampire, keeping his breathing calm, and she stared back at him. Yet she remained still, and Mikael grew nervous; she was staring straight at him. Surely she must have seen him? Vampires could see perfectly in the dark, after all.

He saw the swooping dagger just in time, throwing himself against the wall of the passage as the metallic blade arced downwards. It missed, slicing through the air, and with a loud hiss the concealed vampire dropped from the ceiling. She withdrew another blade, advancing towards Mikael as the first vampire -- who had originally occupied his attention -- finally moved. She leapt forward, magically propelling herself through the air until she landed alongside her companion.