By Bernie

Sennira, a large town not far from where we last left off

The room of the hotel was massive and decorated with nothing but the finest the world had to offer.  A fire roared nearby in a large fireplace, illuminating its surroundings with orange light.  The owners of the establishment did not care that their tenant looked slightly different in appearance, nor did they question the casks that he brought with him.  Xarthul's generosity with his money was enough for them to make safe assumptions about him, even though they had no idea how inaccurate their beliefs were.

Teneila sat naked on the bed, her skin now a shade paler than it was before.  Her fiery red locks stood out even more prominently thanks to her new alabaster complexion.  Xarthul stared over her, out of his armor and in a pair of black pants and a loose white shirt.

"How does it feel Teneila?" asked Xarthul, who drank dark crimson liquid from a snifter.

Teneila looked up at the dark man, hugging her shivering torso.  "Cold." she quietly replied.

"That feeling will pass, once you have forgotten how to truly feel again." said Xarthul.  "Do not worry however, you will still be able to feel the finest of existence.  Pleasure and pain.  You will probably welcome the inability to feel cold."

"What I don't welcome is the hunger!" Teneila spat.  "I have been trying to suppress it but it screams inside me.  I can't stop thinking about it!"  Teneila suddenly lunged at Xarthul's glass of blood.  Xarthul skillfully dodged her and watched as she hit the carpet with a thud.  As she turned to face him he downed the last of his drink in one large gulp.

"Ahhh...fresh blood." Xarthul boasted.  "You do not know how good that feels.  Almost as good as yours."

"Damn you Xarthul.  Why me?"

"You posed the most immediate threat to me.  As a magician loyal to Karyn, you know I cannot tolerate sunlight, or one of your magic flares.  And I knew you at my side would make defeating Karyn much easier."

"So you wish for me to kill Karyn?  Is that it you beast?!"

"No.  A frontal assault cost me my arm last time.  The next time I will probably lose far more." Xarthul explained as he waved his previously lost hand at Teneila.  "Luckily the gift of the vampyre gives you the ability to regenerate lost limbs."

"But at a terrible cost." Teneila said venomously.

"One gets used to it." Xarthul said nonchalantly.  "You will aid me in destroying Karyn's spirit.  I think the image of you by my side will prove to be a powerful symbol of my strength.  It would certainly depress Karyn if she knew not even her magician whore could stand against me."

"Why can I not use my magic against you?!  Have you robbed me of my skills?!!" Teneila barked.

"No.  I am your master now.  You cannot harm me.  It is the way of the vampyre.  You will also listen to me, and you will help me recruit another for my vendetta.  Then, I will kill Karyn when she is emotionally vulnerable.  They say the strength of the spirit affects the strength of the body."

"Why do you wish to kill Karyn?  What has she done to you?"

"That is none of your concern."  Xarthul turned away.

"Was she a former lover who spurned your affections?  Does the mighty Xarthul not feel like a real man?" Teneila said maliciously.  "Or perhaps a petty jealousy over something?"

"Silence!" Xarthul ordered, his fingers beginning to twitch around the glass in his hand.  The dark man paused before speaking again.  "No doubt the hunger is building within you."

Teneila stood silent, trying to suppress the screams for blood within her.  But Xarthul's words had caused a resurgence, reminding the magician of her throbbing desires.

"I can give you some if you need it.  Do you want it?" Xarthul whispered in her right ear.  The dark man dipped his finger into his snifter and produced the last remaining drop of blood.  He presented it to her lips and slowly placed it into her mouth.  Teneila consumed the one drop and swallowed, the taste of the single drop was like heaven as it went down her esophagus.  She groaned and closed her eyes, her naked frame shivering pleasurably as she tasted blood for the first time.

"Now I've given you a taste, you want more do you not?" Xarthul whispered.

Teneila closed her eyes and bit her lip, her body tingled as she tried harder to suppress it.  Xarthul continued whispering the same offer over and over, letting it echo in Teneila's mind, until finally she caved in.

"Please!" she begged.

Xarthul smiled and snapped his fingers.  From behind him, the door to the hotel room opened and Karna stepped in.  Her lithe body was clad in black leather pants and boots, while her torso was wrapped in a painfully tight black leather bikini top.  A leather choke collar was wrapped snugly around her graceful neck, completing her outfit.  She and Xarthul kissed once before Xarthul sat back in a padded chair and Karna began to approach Teneila.

"If you want blood, you must earn it." Karna purred as she looked down at Teneila, who still knelt on the floor.  "Take off my clothes."

"What?!" Teneila gasped.

Karna responded with a quick smack to Teneila's face.  "I do not like to repeat myself." Karna said sternly.  "Take them off."

Teneila reached out and hesitantly began to unfasten Karna's belt.  Karna smiled and aided Teneila slightly, lowering her pants as Teneila pulled off Karna's belt.  Her black panties became visible but Teneila continued to slowly lower Karna's pants beneath her knees.

"Forget my pants." Karna ordered.  "Take off the rest."

Teneila closed her eyes and began to remove Karna's panties, but Karna lifted Teneila's face and saw her closed eyelids.  She frowned with dissatisfaction and forced them open, shoving Teneila's face against her crotch as her snatch became exposed.  Karna slowly inched her musky scented crotch towards Teneila's face, but Teneila stood up and slowly undid Karna's top, reaching around to unfasten the laces that held it together..

"You hesitate?  Why?" Karna asked as she noticed the lack of eagerness in Teneila's actions.

"I do not lay with women.  The sight of another woman's bare flesh is not appealing to me." Teneila solemnly replied as she undid the knot that held the top together and slowly pulled the garment away.  Karna gasped slightly as she felt her tits explode from their confining garment, her nipples hardening freely with arousal.

"Kiss me." Karna whispered as she grasped Teneila's smooth shoulders.

Teneila initially resisted, but Karna glared at her angrily which persuaded Teneila to kiss her briefly on the lips.  Karna slithered her tongue into Teneila's mouth and needfully fondled her tongue.  Teneila moaned in protest, but it soon turned to moans of hesitant pleasure as Karna's deft tongue strokes continued.  Karna cupped and fondled Teneila's naked tits, sitting Teneila down on the bed.

"So sweet and ripe..." Karna moaned sensuously, her fingers stroking Teneila's nipples.

Teneila quivered as Karna reached down with her right hand and caressed Teneila's cunt petals.  Karna laid Teneila on her back and forced herself on top of her, continuing to french the young sorceress.

"Stop...stop...please..." Teneila moaned, the words becoming harder to say.  The magician's words were constantly cut off by the sensual embraces of Karn's tongue against her own.  Karna licked down the side of Teneila's throbbing neck, past her curved shoulders and down to the magician's heaving chest.

"But you like this.  Do not fight me...be the slut that you are." Karna whispered as she sucked Teneila's left nipple.  The magician's nipple grew hard as Karna caressed it with her tongue.  She placed it between her teeth and bit down gently on it, causing Teneila to groan.

Karna vigorously massaged Teneila's pussy, causing the magician to groan louder and more frantic with lust.  The dark-haired woman took her fingers out of Teneila's cunt and sniffed at the sticky nectar that coated her fingers, and slowly licked it off.  Running her tongue down Teneila's clenching belly, Karna guided her mouth to Teneila's womanhood.  She spread apart Teneila's smooth thighs, caressing the smooth flesh and inhaling Teneila's musky aroma.  Teneila whimpered, the strength in her legs gone and her pussy quivering with fear and throbbing with lecherous needs.  Teneila unleashed a long, aching moan as Karna lunged her face into Teneila's crotch, enveloping her vagina with her mouth.  Karna sucked on her labia, tugging at the tender pink flesh with her mouth.  Her tongue caressed and fondled Teneila's clit, causing the magician to writhe with blissful agony.  Teneila clenched the sheets of the bed beneath her as her thrashings became more violent.  Teneila groaned sharply, her bare nipples stiff as her pussy flared with passion.  Karna relentlessly suckled on Teneila's womanhood, causing the magician to whimper helplessly with rapture.  She groaned as a fresh gush of honey burst from her glistening slit, staining Karna's face.  Karna inhaled Teneila's orgasm deeply, her nose buried in the magician's musky red bush.  Once her vagina stopped seeping with honey, Karna concentrated on her lover's bare thighs, licking the splattered droplets from the silky-smooth flesh.

"For such sweet honey, you deserve a little blood." Karna whispered mockingly as she licked the last of Teneila's climax off her lips.  Karna took a flask of blood from Xarthul and poured a little bit over Teneila's breasts.  "Drink up." the female vampyre ordered.

Teneila devoured the blood without hesitation.  Karna and Xarthul watched intently as the magician feasted upon her own tits.  Once she was finished and her pumping breasts were gleaming with saliva, the two vampyres smiled as they saw the ever-present need still in Teneila's eyes.

"I need more!" Teneila demanded.

"Mmm...then you will have to earn it." Karna purred as she kissed Teneila on the lips.

"You will also have to learn to get your own." Xarthul said as he watched the two women fornicate.  "But it will have to be tomorrow.  The sun is rising very soon, so we will have to remain inside."

"Which means we will have much time to get acquainted." Karna added as she forced Teneila's face against her cunt.

***

Karyn and Lynthia embraced fiercely, needfully.  Their lips collided and molded together in a ferocious, passionate kiss.  Their gasps were heavy as their tongues frenched, stroking and caressing each other erotically.  Karyn pushed Lynthia against the wall and ripped off the blonde girl's clothes.  Lynthia gasped as she felt the fabrics tear off her body with a loud ripping sound, as well as the additional arousal she felt from her lover's obvious enthusiasm.  Karyn grabbed Lynthia from behind, the blonde girl turning her head so the two women could caress each other's tongues in a ferocious kiss.  Lynthia reached behind herself to hang onto Karyn, her young body melting into Karyn's curvaceous form.  Karyn continued to strip her lover as they frenched, pulling away the last pieces of fabric that hid Lynthia's flesh from view.

Once she was totally naked, Lynthia spun Karyn so her back faced the bed, and pushed the warrior down.  Karyn smiled with surprise at Lynthia's outward tactics.  Lynthia began to undress Karyn with enthusiasm that equaled her lover's.  Bit by bit, more of Karyn's lithe, sensual body became exposed.  Lynthia was almost hypnotized as she saw Karyn's tits jiggle free as Lynthia uncovered them.  Succumbing to her libidinous needs, Lynthia cupped the soft orbs and squeezed them, stroking and pulling her tender nipples to hardness.  Karyn threw her head back, closing her eyes and moaning as she felt the air and Lynthia's hands caress her naked flesh.  Lynthia finally pulled away Karyn's panties, revealing her lover's sex and leaving Karyn completely naked.

Gasping harshly with sexual enthusiasm, Lynthia laid on top of Karyn and entwined her long legs with Karyn's, bringing their cunt lips together in an intimate kiss.  Animal lust guiding them, they thrust their crotches against each other in perfect unison, each lovely woman panting as the heat between their legs grew.  Sexual juices trickled from their vaginas, lubricating their gyrations and encouraging them to work harder.  Their sweat covered forms writhed erotically against each other as they came in unison.  Lynthia and Karyn both screamed out their lust in tandem, forming a sensual duet of cries that echoed through the room.  Their slits burst with sticky droplets of honey, drenching their thighs and staining the soft sheets beneath them.  As their cries of pleasure turned to sensual moans, Lynthia moved her sticky crotch out of the union with Karyn's.  She whined slightly for a moment, it felt so good to feel Karyn's moist sex pressed against hers.  Lynthia knew however that greater pleasures awaited her as she crawled forwards and crouched at Karyn's head.  Lynthia squeezed her lover's head gently with her luscious thighs, and placed her hands into Karyn's shimmering auburn hair.

Karyn pressed her lips against Lynthia's soft petals, and snaked her tongue deeply between them into Lynthia's belly.  Lynthia's back undulated like a wave as Karyn caressed her slick interior walls.  The blonde girl mauled her own tits as an excess of ecstasy built up within her.  She leaned her head down and brought her breasts to her lips, flicking her hard nipple with her tongue while continually pumping her hips.  An incredible spike of lust surged within Lynthia as Karyn increased the intensity of her sucking motions, causing the girl to lean back and support herself with her arms.  Lynthia quivered with ecstasy as she felt Karyn focus her attentions on her clit, sucking wetly on it and driving Lynthia mad with pleasure.  Her tits shivered as her body quaked with uncontrollable bliss, her eyes closed and her mouth gaping open as she moaned loudly.  Her orgasm came like a tidalwave, washing over her with intense rapture over her crotch and brain.

Karyn continued to lap honey at Lynthia's oozing slit while caressing the girl's silky-smooth thighs.  Lynthia slowly leaned upward so she sat up, looking down at Karyn's head as it rested against her womanhood.  As her honey stopped flowing Lynthia pulled out and laid down on Karyn's form so their faces met.  The two beautiful women frenched, their tongues entwining and caressing wetly, exchanging sweet honey and saliva between the two.  Karyn moved down and fastened her mouth on Lynthia's left tit, sucking hungrily on the dangling mound.  Lynthia moaned and reached down with her left hand to fondle Karyn's soft vaginal petals, spreading them apart to probe the warrior's fucktunnel.

"Oh Karyn!" moaned Lynthia.  "Please let this never end."

***

Jatz walked through the halls of the hotel, humming softly to himself as he twirled a small sack of money in his hand.  His latest round of pick pocketing was quite profitable even in this tiny village.  He knew they were moving on soon, but he wondered where Teneila was.  He knew she had disappeared previously in the woods, so he assumed she simply went off again to do something similar.  As he walked by Karyn's room, the thief paused as he heard strange moans coming from within.

***

Karyn laid herself on top of Lynthia, moaning as she gave her lover a passionate kiss.  Sweat gleamed off their bodies and soaked their hair, the result of hours of coupling between the lovers.  Karyn leaned herself forward, supporting herself on all fours.  Her luscious, sweat-soaked tits swayed and dripped perspiration beneath her.  They heaved alluringly in rhythm with the warrior's erotic panting.  She thrust her dangling tits in Lynthia's face, glistening sweat raining off her hardened nipples.  Karyn fed her left one to Lynthia, moaning as the blonde girl bit into her tender nipple and suckled on it like a baby.  Then Lynthia attached her lips to Karyn's right tit and suckled it.  Her tongue circled Karyn's areola and then caressed and hungrily stroked the stiff nipple that poked from the middle of her succulent mammary, biting down on it gently.  After adorning the right breast completely with saliva, Lynthia moved back to the left, lavishing it with the same kind of lustful attentions she gave before.  Karyn's fingers dug into the damp bed sheet beneath her, the auburn woman's nipples exploding with arousal while Lynthia continued to feast hungrily upon them.

"Yes...harder...harder...harder Lynthia!" Karyn begged, her body on fire from Lynthia's passion.

The fog of bliss that filled the two licentious women's minds was dissipated in an instant, by the sound of the door opening and Jatz's gasp.

"Jatz!  Get out!!" Lynthia screamed at the thief, reaching over to the nightstand for her dagger.

Jatz closed the door quickly and stood for a moment, puzzled.  The tip of Lynthia's dagger suddenly burst through the door in a small pop of splinters.  The thief gasped with shock, stepping backwards with fear.  The sounds of Karyn and Lynthia's moaning then returned from within the bedroom, this time even louder and more ferocious than before.  This time he heard the bed beginning to rock, accompanied by even louder moans, causing another guest walking by to take notice.  Jatz shook his head and motioned the man to move along.

"Great gods." Jatz muttered as he walked away.  "Am I the only one here who has not had sex with everyone else?"  The thief stiffened with surprise as his ears filled with two ear-piercing orgasmic shrieks.

***

Cold grey stone walls surrounded the dirty furnishings and strewn about weapons.  The owner of the house had no desire to clean up after himself, he even grew accustomed to the constant buzzing of insects swarming around; attracted to the specks of leftover food on dirty dishes and utensils.  On top of a bed made out of furs, the massive form of Rath slept.  His snores were muffled by a mouthful of fur and his massive frame rose and fell with his breathing.  The smell of alcohol filled the room, and was the reason for the barbarian's deep slumber.

A sudden thump in the small dwelling awoke Rath.  For a drunken man he moved with incredible speed, jolting out of bed and grabbing a lance that hung on a nearby wall.  He crept into the next room and saw a naked red-haired woman lying on the floor.

"Hmmm?" he mumbled as he gently prodded the woman with his lance.  The woman began to stir and she rolled around, revealing her lovely face to him.  Rath stared at her breasts as they moved with her body, but recognized her face from the casual glance he shot at it.

"You." he sneered, grasping Teneila by the hair.  He brought her up and knelt down so they were eye-to-eye.  "You are that magician whore.  Do you realize what humiliation I suffered from your little trick?!"

Teneila did not reply.  Her face was completely solemn and her body completely still.  The magician's slender arms were bound by the wrists behind her back with a strong cord, as were her ankles.  Rath guessed that she had been dumped her, but he could not guess by whom or for what purpose.  However, the woman's radiant beauty and her sensuous figure were enough for the intoxicated man to forget his questions.  His lust drove his actions, it was intense enough that he ignored the fact that her skin was fairly pale.

"Please, kill me." Teneila finally whispered, tears filling her eyes as she spoke.

"Certainly." Rath consented as he dropped his lance and began to undo his pants.  "But they say that pleasure should take priority over work."

Rath pulled out his hardening cock and dropped Teneila to her knees, shoving his manhood in her face.  After prodding at her a few times with it, he opened her mouth with his fingers and shoved it into her maw.  Rath grunted with pleasure as he began eagerly thrusting himself into Teneila's mouth.  Teneila's cheeks became stained with tears as she nonchalantly allowed the cock to slide between her lips, her tongue inadvertently caressing and coating it with saliva.

"Kill me, kill me, it's the only way to save yourself." Teneila thought over and over, the taste of Rath's expanding manhood distant in her mind.  Rath grasped a handful of Teneila's fiery hair and used it to thrust her beautiful face harder onto his hairy crotch.  Teneila closed her eyes and tried to ignore the heat growing in her mouth.  Rath grunted with pleasure as he felt the tip of his cock go as far back as he could, causing Teneila to grunt and choke slightly.  Just before he climaxed he pulled away from Teneila and shot his load across her face.  Teneila reacted with a stone face as hot cream poured down her chin and down her chest.

"No...I must fight it..." Teneila thought to herself.  The smell of Rath's seed began to arouse dark hungers within her.

Rath picked up Teneila by the hair and dragged her to the nearby bed.  Throwing the magician on the dirty covers, he used a knife to cut the cord around her ankles and split her legs apart.  Rath forced them around his torso and grinned, his eyes focused on the bound woman's luscious vagina.  Teneila looked up at Rath through tear filled eyes, whining with pain and resistance before Rath plunged his engorged cock into her warm pussy.  Teneila moaned and panted with pain and hesitant pleasure, her saliva had provided a good lubricant for Rath's meaty cock.  The old bed rocked as Rath thrusted into Teneila.  The desires, the hunger began to build up inside the young magician, and her body began to return his thrusts against his cock, her body's hungers were now guiding her actions while her mind could only watch.  Teneila's tight cunt embraced Rath's rod needfully, her muscles beginning to contract around the steadily hardening meat like a vice.

Rath pushed the naked girl hard by the shoulders into the bed as he began intensifying his thrusting motions.  The sounds of their slapping wet crotches filled his ears, as did the weak, sensual moans of his new slave.  Teneila's wrists bounced against the rise of her buttocks as her body quaked from Rath's thrusts.  Rath grunted as he orgasmed into Teneila's womb, shooting his hot jism deeply into her.  Teneila screamed as her own climax came, sticky honey flowing out of her slit and down her lush thighs.

Teneila tossed her head back and forth as her mind was bombarded with sexual ecstasy, screaming out with lust over and over.  She bit her lip slightly as she tried to fight her growing hunger.  Already she had succumbed to her sexual desires, but a greater, darker need was crashing against her will.

"No...ahh...I can not hold it back any longer!  I ahhh...am sorry!!"

Teneila shuddered and moaned with orgasmic bliss, her pussy still gushing with fluids around Rath's massive cock.  In the throes of her pleasure screams, she sat up,  bit down on Rath's neck and with one quick motion of her jaw, pierced his skin with her fangs.

***

The bedroom was quiet for the first time in what seemed like an eternity.  Only the smells of sensuality remained, wafting through the air.  Perspiration and other, more intoxicating bodily fluids hung in the room's air like a thick fog, while two ravishing lovers continued to embrace on the bed.  Karyn and Lynthia's wild, passionate love-making had been reduced to a gentle hug and a few brief, but sensual kisses.

"Karyn." Lynthia moaned, her face directly in front of Karyn's.  The younger girl's left hand continued to wander over Karyn's body, the soft touch of Karyn's flesh enough to arouse the girl.  Her hand rested right above Karyn's round hip, as Karyn reached forward to gently stroke Lynthia's golden hair.

"I feel so happy Karyn."  A smile formed across Lynthia's face, accenting her ravishing beauty as she spoke.  "Never have I felt such joy."

"Nor have I Lynthia." Karyn smiled.  "I have you, the quest is going well, and I have finally confronted my own weaknesses.  I do not think my life was truly complete before I took on this quest.  I have learned so much about what it means to love someone, and about myself.  It seems almost ironic that we should both become stronger by causing so much pain between us."

"Life is full of pain Karyn." Lynthia stated.  "Sometimes it is learning to avoid it that you become stronger.  But, wait Karyn.  Why are you so reflective all of a sudden?  I can not think of anything right now but the incredible ecstasy of your flesh."

"No reason." Karyn replied nonchalantly.

"Well, actually Karyn, there is one item I sometimes ponder.  What will our future be like together?"

Karyn paused, continuing to stroke Lynthia's hair gently while a blank look emerged on her lovely face.  "I see us in the bath." Karyn smiled.

Lynthia smiled back, snuggling closer against Karyn.  "With scented soaps?"

"Mmm...yes..." Karyn replied.  "And hot water.  And I would rub oils into your skin, on your face, your arms, your breasts.  Perhaps even...a little right here."  Karyn sensually whispered her last suggestion as she gently stroked Lynthia's honey slick crotch.

"Mmmm...." Lynthia moaned, exchanging a wet kiss with Karyn.

***

After a long, erotic bath together, Lynthia and Karyn finally left their sex-scented hotel room.  They mounted their beasts that awaited them outside and waited for Jatz and Slithe.  Slithe finally appeared in his long, concealing cloak and hood, while Jatz appeared shortly after; a look of confusion marring his face.

"Where is Teneila?" the thief asked.

"I do not know." Karyn replied with concern.  "She did not say anything to anyone?"

"No." Lynthia and Slithe replied.

Karyn paused for a moment, pondering what course of action to take next.  "Perhaps we should just continue." she suggested.

"What?  You mean forget about Teneila?" Lynthia gasped.

"Teneila probably left us on purpose.  She could not have been kidnapped." Karyn explained.  "And we unfortunately should not spend too much time searching for her."

"I, I suppose so." Jatz agreed.  "After all, she is a fairly powerful magician.  I doubt anyone could cause her any harm."

***

Teneila groaned weakly with bliss as she felt Xarthul stab harder with his manhood between her thighs, which he spread apart cruelly.  Her arms were pinned to the headboard above with chains and her mouth was filled with Karna's vagina.  Karna groaned with exertion as she thrusted into Teneila's face, her soft feminine moans accompanied by Xarthul's coarse masculine grunts as he pumped the magician's womanhood full of his hard meat.  Karna's back arched rapidly as she felt her climax building within her, she clutched Teneila's soft hair for support as her body began rocking with greater intensity.  The two vamyires orgasmed in unison, Teneila moaned beneath them as both her pussy and face were flooded with sexual fluids.

"Master Xarthul?" a soldier called out from behind the door.

"Yes?" Xarthul answered.

"The sun will set fairly soon, and our spies have indicated Karyn is moving out of town.  We can catch up with them if we depart now."

"Alright." Xarthul said as he stepped off the bed.  "Tell the men to prepare the shielded carriage, we will board it shortly."

"You...cannot tolerate the sunlight can you?" Teneila moaned weakly, her arms still pinned above her head.

"Neither can you." Karna smiled, stroking Teneila's honey-soaked lips with her finger.  "Seeing a sunrise and sunset is overrated anyway."

***

Darkness began to envelop the land, its shadow slowly forming over Karyn and her party.  The town behind them was already quite distant and before them a lush forest laid in wait to accept the travelers.  The trees in this grove were not as ancient as the ones in Nightwood, so they did not possess any of the claustrophobic elements of the dark forest.  The moon illuminated the group's path, their beasts walking at a steady, relaxed pace.  Slithe, the lizaroid still on foot, suddenly stopped and extended his arm in a halting gesture towards the party.

"What is wrong?" Jatz asked.

"Something is watching us." Karyn said, her eyes scanning back and forth within her sockets.

"I can smell something, but how could you have sensed it?" Slithe asked the auburn warrior.

"I do not know," Karyn replied, "but...almost as if I can just sense some sort of negative emotion coming from nearby."  The warrior began to slowly dismount her mustel and placed a hand on the sword that hung off her hip.  "In fact, I sense they are coming closer to us."

Slithe turned around, towards the forest just in time to see it happen.  Two massive black mustels exploded out of the thick trees, their dark hides provided them with excellent visual camouflage.  The mustels each had a rider garbed in equally dark clothing, and once they cleared the trees, they were joined by several other dark-clothed men on foot.  Battle cries echoed as did the sounds of steel emerging from their scabbards.  Behind the shield of soldiers came five other figures, three of them wearing dark hoods that concealed their faces and bodies.  One of them, an extremely tall man, stepped forward towards Karyn and her entourage.  The entire party took notice at the way the soldiers in front of him parted as he walked.

"Run!" Karyn suddenly ordered to her friends.

Jatz took off immediately, slapping his run lizard on the head to persuade it to run as fast as it could.  Slithe hesitated for a brief moment, but dashed after Jatz once he realized the sincerity of Karyn's command.  Lynthia however, refused to leave her lover's side.

"Kill her companions." Xarthul calmly ordered his soldiers.  "Start with the blonde wench."  Lynthia glared at Xarthul and brought out her dagger, reading her body into a battle stance as several soldiers began to advance on her.

"NO!" Karyn screamed, running to come between the dark man and her love.  "Run Lynthia!  If I fall, continue the quest!"  Karyn then quickly threw off her medallion and gave to Lynthia.

Lynthia accepted the medallion but remained still.  "I will not leave you!" she insisted.

Karyn kissed Lynthia passionately on the lips.  "Please, if you love me you will finish it."  Lynthia reluctantly nodded with agreement and leaped upon her mustel.  Karyn watched as it slowly began to trot, until Lynthia hit her mustel on the side, causing it to whine and break into a speedy dash almost instantly.

"This is clearly between me and you." Karyn sternly addressed the dark man, whom she recognized from their brief skirmish in the desert.  "I think it would prove your strength to leave my friends out of our conflict."

"I have more interesting demonstrations of my strength than mercy to the bystanders." the dark man replied calmly.

"Tell me your name." Karyn demanded harshly.  "If you wish to kill me at least let me die knowing my slayer."

"I am Xarthul." Xarthul replied, his eyes remaining focused on Karyn.  "And you ruined my life."

"That name means nothing to me.  Why do you stalk me Xarthul?!" Karyn blurted angrily.

"You have no idea who I am." Xarthul smirked.  "Are you aware of the past your master, your mentor, has?"

"I am aware that he was once a great warrior.  And his old age has brought him wisdom." Karyn replied.

"Then, you do not know that he had a son."

Karyn's eyes widened as she realized the meaning of Xarthul's words.  "You..." she gasped.

Xarthul nodded slightly.  "Imagine Karyn, growing up with a full-blooded warrior as a father.  Always trying to impress him, and never succeeding.  I worked and trained endlessly, but he was never impressed.  Then one day he told me to leave.  He said he would devote his time to training someone else."

Karyn stared back at him in shock.  Xarthul took notice and nodded again.  "That new person was you Karyn.  You ruined my life."

"And the vampyrism?" Karyn asked.

"I wanted to prove to my father I was stronger than you.  I wandered the world, obtaining skills and knowledge but never growing stronger.  Until one day by chance, I was attacked by a vampyre.  It almost killed me but Karna saved my life.  So I rewarded her."  Xarthul paused as Karna came up from behind and wrapped her arms around his torso.  "By allowing her to become my first victim."

"Xarthul.  I had no idea." Karyn explained.  "Had I known I would have encouraged my master to take you back."

"I would not have wanted it that way!" Xarthul bellowed.  "I have now become stronger than you.  Stronger than anyone.  I wish to march back to my father with your head on my sword.  I do this to spite him, to prove he was wrong!"

"You shall never win Xarthul." Karyn sneered, tightening her grip on her blade.

Xarthul's lips turned up slightly in a half smile and he softly uttered one word.  "Teneila."

One of the hooded figures standing behind Xarthul took off her cloak, dropping it to the ground, allowing Teneila to emerge.  The beautiful magician was naked from the waist up, a long black wrap adorned her shapely hips.  Karyn gasped with shock as she saw the pale tone Teneila's skin had taken, and the obedient manner in which she joined Karna draped around Xarthul's frame.

Xarthul smiled and placed a powerful arm around Teneila, who caressed Xarthul's chestplate with her left hand.  Karna lifted Teneila's chin and forced a wet kiss on the magician's lips.  "As you can see Karyn, I can conquer the magician in your group.  As well, I have also recruited an old friend of yours.  Rath."

The tallest hooded figure removed his hood, which revealed Rath beneath it.  His face scowled with restrained anger as he saw Karyn clearly.  In the moonlight, Karyn could see his formerly bronzed complexion was now resembling pale sand.  Karyn's heartbeat began to escalate, she knew the barbarian would have increased strength and invulnerability, and his bloodlust for her could only be augmented by his new thirst.

"And then of course, there is Flinton."

"Flinton." Karyn whispered in shock.  The warrior then snapped, "Was he another victim of your vampyric curse?!"  as she tightened her grip around her sword.

"No as a matter of fact." Xarthul replied, slowly unsheathing his own weapon.  The dark man then snapped his fingers and another hooded figure revealed his face.  Flinton's blonde hair was tussled from the hood, but he stood solemnly among Xarthul's troops, his bow and arrows still slung over his back.  Xarthul watched Karyn's eyes widen with shock before vaunting, "It is a greater blow to you is it not, if you found out that Flinton agreed to betray you, your party, for a mere twenty thousand pieces."

Karyn felt her fingers twitch as she heard Xarthul's boast.  Although the dark man had offered no evidence to back his claim, something inside Karyn knew that he was telling the truth.  "No." she whispered, lowering her head slightly in defeat.

"Hello Karyn." Flinton said with a smile.  "So good to see you, although disappointing it is under such circumstances.  I was hoping to feel my manhood explode within you at least one more time."

"You bastard!" Karyn screamed.  "When I am through with Xarthul I will relieve your shoulders of the abomination you call your head!"

Xarthul smirked and a scoff escaped his mouth.  "Her discipline is gone.  A former ally now fallen.  A former enemy returned, stronger than ever.  And a former lover, now bragging about his conquest of her womanhood.  Her attacks will come from raw, unfocused emotions of anger.  No doubt she will prove an easy target." the dark man thought to himself.

"Karyn.  Obviously my father had not taught you much about human nature.  You are a whore Karyn.  Nothing more.  That is why Flinton had the opportunity to have you so often, and why he is able to live and brag about how he indulged himself in the flesh of Karyn, the so-called mighty warrior."

Karyn growled loudly and ran towards Xarthul, her hands on her sword in preparation for a wide sweeping arc.  Karyn cried out her rage as she swung, the blade slicing the air with an ear-piercing sonance.  Xarthul leapt high in the air, avoiding his opponent's strike and drew his sword over his head.  He brought it down as his entire mass crashed to the ground, narrowly missing Karyn as the warrior rolled to her left.  Dust kicked up from the impact Xarthul made in the ground, and Karyn made a swoop at the dark man as he recovered from the slight shock of hitting the ground.  Xarthul awaited this action however, and blocked her attack successfully.  The two fighter's blades met with a loud crash, and their bodies pressed towards each other with gritted teeth.

"Whore." Xarthul taunted.

The dark man suddenly felt an impact on his thigh.  Karyn had just kicked him while she diverted his attention.  Xarthul complimented Karyn mentally for her deception as he felt his body begin to shift a bit, enough for the force he exerted on his blade to lessen slightly.  Karyn took the opportunity to perform a backflip, catching Xarthul in the chin and allowing her to gain a bit of distance away from him.  Xarthul staggered backward, he could feel a bit of blood fly out of his mouth and he desperately attempted to regain his balance.  Karyn screamed as she ran towards him again, her sword drawn back for a powerful swipe.  Xarthul blindly swung in her general direction and luck blessed his stroke that he was able to redirect the auburn warrior's attack.  He watched the tip of her blade fly harmlessly past her face, by then he had regained his balance and prepared for a strike of his own.

Clash after clash rang the air as two metal blades crashed into each other, each blow guided by the strength and skill of two incredible fighters.  Each swing, was intended to take the other's life.  Xarthul stepped back a bit so he could muster all his strength into one wide slash.  Karyn ducked beneath it and heard his blade slice into a tree behind her, sending wooden shards flying through the air.  The auburn warrior thought that would distract the dark man for a moment, but her next attack was quickly blocked and the two resumed to duel with their blades.  An attempted upward swing by Karyn was intercepted by Xarthul, who redirected her blade and pinned it to the ground with his own.  As the auburn warrior attempted to free her blade from beneath Xarthul's, the vampyre punched Karyn in the face, sending her staggering backwards, without a sword in her hand.

That was a fact Karyn noticed immediately, but she quickly had to refocus as Xarthul went on an offensive.  Swing after swing sailed by her body, missing her only due to the skillful series of doges she performed.  Her face was still slightly numb from Xarthul's strong blow but she managed to ignore it.  She saw from Xarthul's fighting stance what his next move was, a low attack intended to sever her ankles.  She jumped into the air and performed a strong roundhouse kick that connected with Xarthul's face.  As he staggered backward, Karyn landed on the ground and rammed into his chest with her shoulder.  It sent the two fighters backwards enough that Karyn was able to reach between Xarthul's legs and scoop up her fallen blade.  In a move that most of the duel's observers were unable to see, Karyn brought it crashing against Xarthul's chest, only to see her blade was unable to pierce his strong armor.

"Cowardly bastard." she spit quickly before attempting another blow.  Xarthul had by then recovered from Karyn's previous attack and returned her new offensive blow for blow.

After parrying with Xarthul for several more moments, Karyn suddenly fell to the ground and attempted an arcing sweep.  Xarthul leaped backwards before her foot could even touch him.  During his moment in the air, he concentrated for just a moment on his next move and not on his opponent.  That, was a move Karyn predicted, and she took the opportunity to strike.

The lovely warrior was silent as she quickly leaped from her position on the ground and raised her blade as she ascended.  Her sword met its intended target as it hit  between the gaps in Xarthul's armor, the tip of her blade punched through his entire torso to emerge on the other side as a bloody point.  Karyn pulled out her sword before Xarthul even had a chance to scream from his injury, when Karyn stabbed him again, this time piecing his armor completely with an immensely powerful thrust.  With Xarthul impaled on her blade, Karyn kicked him once in the stomach, sending him to the ground in a groaning, bloody heap.

As Xarthul rolled to the ground, Karyn lifted her blade upward for a final strike, aiming for the dark man's neck.

"Even raw anger was not enough to cloud her judgement.  Curse you father..." Xarthul thought.  "You truly have raised a pupil stronger than I ever could have been."  Consciousness faded from Xarthul's mind, the last image he saw before everything turned to darkness was the sight of Karyn raising her sword above his fallen body.

It was then that Karna let go of her embrace on Teneila and unsheathed her sword.

Karyn did not see the strike coming.  Nor did Teneila, whose warning came a second too late.  Karyn merely felt the sharp pain explode from the right side of her back, right above her pelvis.  The shock and agony that flared through her body sent the warrior crashing to the ground.  She heard a slight laugh from behind as she struggled to stand up, but found she ultimately could not.

"I cannot help Karyn, for Xarthul's hold over me prevents me from harming him.  Curse him for infecting me with this vile condition." Teneila thought to herself.  It was then a realization came to her, "Xarthul told me I cannot harm him...but he did not specify Karna..."

Teneila clenched her eyes shut as she exerted herself.  Pain began to spike in the back of her brain as she summoned her willpower, the dormancy of her magic use had made it difficult to perform the spell she wanted.  Her hand suddenly extended and a lightning bolt rushed from her fingertips, right at Karna.  The vampyre woman never saw the energy source that killed her; her body fell to the ground in ashes almost at the instant the energy made contact with her flesh.

"Teneila?" Karyn gasped, staring at the magician and holding the wound at her side.

"Run, run!" Teneila insisted as the previously dormant soldiers around her began to stir.  Another realization flashed inside Teneila's mind.  She was the one that bit Rath.  "Rath!  Kill Xarthul's soldiers!" she commanded the large barbarian.

Rath stirred to alertness and swung his fist towards the nearest soldier.  The soldier wheezed as the barbarian's incredible punch shattered his ribcage and sent him flying across the grass.  Two soldiers attacked Rath, drawing their swords and slashing at the large vampyre.  Rath felt the blades slice across his flesh but they were not enough to phase him.  One of them died just as his blade began lodged in Rath's massive chest.  Rath had gripped the man's neck and snapped it, and then pulled out the sword in his flesh and used it to skewer the dead body.  The other soldier plunged his sword directly into Rath's stomach, but Rath found it unnecessary to even look at the soldier as he broke his arm and used the point of his comrade's sword to impale him.  The large barbarian threw the sword down with two bodies stabbed through it, and scanned the immediate area for more soldiers to kill.

Karyn ran despite the pain that flared from her wound, and disappeared into the shadows of the trees.

***

Teneila attacked the soldiers that approached her with her new vampyric abilities.  They fell quickly before her speed and strength, as well as her magic spells.  With a wave of her hand, two soldiers in front of her fell crashing to the ground, victims of sudden heart attacks.  A soldier attempted to sneak up behind the red-headed vampyre but Teneila grabbed his throat from behind without even looking at him.  Ignoring his screams and the terror pooling in his eyes, Teneila snapped his neck with a powerful squeeze.  Bloodlust raging within her, Teneila bit into the dead man's neck and drank from his body's reserves, groaning savouringly as she did so.

Once the man she held was completely drained, the cursed magician howled with pleasure; the consumed blood was beginning to flow through her veins.  Her body filled with warmth, and her skin began to display signs of color again.  For just a brief moment, she almost felt alive again.

***

Karyn stumbled through the woods, her body now reeling from a steady agony rather than a sharp pain that stood out in her back.  Her vision began to swim and she found it difficult to hold her head steady.  She was surprised how far and how fast she had been able to walk.

"Karyn!" a female voice suddenly exclaimed.  Karyn looked up in the direction she heard the sound coming from and saw Lynthia running up to her.

"I told you to run..." Karyn wheezed, blood beginning to trickle out of her lips.

"We did.  All the way out here." Jatz said as he appeared to Karyn's left.  The thief and the former queen picked up Karyn and guided her to the waiting beasts of burden.  Karyn laid down on the much lower run lizard while Jatz and Lynthia mounted the mustels.  Slithe knelt beside Karyn and began securing her to the reptilian beast.

"The...amulet..." Karyn gasped as she weakly pointed to Lynthia.  Lynthia looked down at the amulet on her neck, and held it within her palm.

"Yes, it is sensing an altar nearby.  But we should take you for care..."

"No." Karyn disagreed with surprising energy.  "I know...this one...is the last one."

"How do you know?" asked Jatz.

"Because...the last time an altar was activated...I saw them..." Karyn said before passing into unconsciousness.

***

His eyes were still filled with darkness when they opened, but the stars that slowly came into focus made him realize he was staring at the night sky.  Xarthul shook his head and clutched his side, he could feel his injury beginning to heal but great pain still burned within his torso.  His hearing was still clouded, but he could detect Teneila's loud, ecstatic moans.  He forced himself up and saw Teneila drinking blood from one of his soldiers while Rath stood diligently nearby, standing in the middle of several more dead soldiers.  Xarthul closed his eyes in disbelief, and turned away, only to reopen them to a pile of ashes off to the side.  A strong feeling of dread rose from the pit of his stomach he tried to deny, but the sword that laid beside the ashes confirmed them.  The pile was Karna.

The vampyre snarled quietly with rage, but it grew into a loud growl, catching Rath's and Teneila's attention for a moment.  The magician smiled slightly with malice before resuming her consumption of the soldier's delicious blood.  She closed her eyes and savoured it, the pleasure of it was almost enough to bring her to orgasm.

Xarthul forced himself up and stomped up to Teneila.  "Stop it Teneila!" he commanded angrily.  Teneila paused immediately and set the dead soldier down, the second of the dead bodies she had drained of blood, and turned to face her master.  Xarthul swiftly kicked her in the stomach, sending her reeling with pain and shock.  She clutched her belly as she rolled on the ground, moaning at Xarthul's feet.

"You have cost me dearly." the dark man fumed.  "My soldiers are decimated, Karna is dead, and Karyn has escaped."

"If it means anything, your soldiers were delicious." Karna said contemptuously between her gritted teeth.

Xarthul responded with another swift kick to her midsection.  This time, Teneila didn't give him any satisfaction, for she did not scream.

"Tell Rath to obey me from now on." he ordered his red maned slave.

"Rath, obey Xarthul from now on." she repeated with hesitance.  Rath displayed no emotion as he walked to Xarthul's side and looked down at his previous master.

"Where in the god's names is Flinton?" Xarthul demanded as he looked around.

"Right here." Flinton said as he emerged from the thick foliage.

 Xarthul's wrapped a hand around Flinton's throat and raised him slightly above the ground.  "And why were you not helping the soldiers, and Karna?!"

"Because, you paid me to say those lines to break Karyn's spirit.  Nothing more.  I would have demanded more money if you wished me to be your lackey."  Flinton replied.  A tightening of Xarthul's grip however, prompted him to add, "However, I could make an exception and add whatever services you need at no extra charge.  After all, the sun will rise and you will need someone to guard you during the daytime.  You did say your soldiers are 'decimated'"  The archer flahsed a smug smile at Xarthul, but the lack of air going through his trachea was beginning to affect him, and he began to flop like a dying fish.

Xarthul paused for a moment in contemplation.  He was still silent as he let go of Flinton and watched the archer drop to the ground.  "Follow me." his order suddenly came.

THE END