(Continued from Ch 29, Spies and Assassins)

The Chronicles of Rapina
Chapter 30, Seeping Toxins


"Aiii! That'll do it, Drake, I don't want th' tourniquet so tight as to kill me leg completely. Damn poison 'as been seepin' up, fer hours. I can't feel a thing from me toes ta th' middle of me thigh."

"But sir, the wound is just a scratch," Drake said.

"Aye, a scratch on me ankle, and I washed it out with brandy only seconds after that blasted bolt creased through me jammies. I screamed bloody murder like I'd been hit for real, an I think I fooled that wench assassin. She didn't know I shimmed up towards me bed a bit while she warr occupied with Roger an 'is knife. Otherwise the wench would 'ave hit me square in th' chest. A real pro that one warr, but no one escapes death," Jack chuckled. How is th' sun doin'?

Drake exited the captain's tent and then came back inside. "It's not quite down to the tree-line sir, but it's getting there."

"Good, I'll never admit ta bein' grateful to that ol' warlock after what 'is collegue did ta me men, but he brought Roger, an Roger just saved me life, an I hope ol' Kroz can make that savin' permanent. This pois/g seon's tryin' ta undo what Roger did. Any news on th' trackers?" Jack asked.

"None Sir, they've been at it since dawn, and dusk will be here soon," Drake said.

"No one in camp could identify th' man Doanthalas killed afore comin' ta confront me assassin, so he could be a local, but 'e's too well equipped ta be a farmer, " Jack said. "He's got the weapons and th' look of a tracker. As soon as our mage gets here 'e can sniff th' place o' death fer magic. Damn! I hate bein' so dependent on a bunch 'o spooks! Gettin' famous has ruined th' piratin' business!" Anyways, Arzeal, Dido and a few men are out lookin' for th' dead man's base camp. Could be tharr's more than one spy out tharr."

"Arzeal, reporting Sir," Arzeal said as he scratched at the captain's tent flap.

"Aye, come in Arzeal. Did ye find a camp or a new spy?"

"We found one of his traps, sir."

"Who did ye loose?" Jack asked.

"The recruit named Binge we took as a flanker is down and dieing, sir; we had to carry him back. A spiked snare trap hit him. We are not sure if the trap was set by the dead man or someone else, but it was getting to be too dark to track anyway, so we all returned."

"Damn spies and assassins seem ta be comin' out o' th' woodwork since Doanthalas and Rage got back here with you an' me daughter. Heinie Li'Yeiraun never did have a mage worth squat. Seems to me all 'e used to have was a family line o' second rate tea leaf readers ta help 'im with his investments. I'd 'ave been dead ta rights years ago if that ass had had a real mage. Any change in that department Dido? Who's th' Li'Yeiraun mage at the moment?

"Nordula, sir," Dido said.

"Has he got any talent?" Jack asked.

Mansun Dido squeezed his chin between his thumb and forefinger. "It is true Lord Li'Yeiraun's mages never could seem to give him a straight answer as to where you were, Captain. Their hope was in Nordula, he had more talent than either of his forebears on account of the peasant wise woman his father's tea leaves pointed at to be the boy's future mother. When he had grown some, they used up a great deal of the money their line had siphoned off the Li' Yeirauns and a sizable contribution from their lord to send Nordula for outside training. When he returned from his schooling he was able to do a few notable spells, creating sounds, flashes of light, balls of blue magic that could inflict wounds, that sort of thing."

"Aye, true sorcery, but nothing compared to teleporting a man's body," Jack said.

"Yes, I see what you mean, but it is possible Nordula has improved and I may be, in part, responsible," Dido said.

"An' how might that be?" Jack asked.

"There was an old mage who lived in a deep forest to the East of the Lord's lands. We were sent to find and bring him in for questioning. Lord Li' Yeiraun said the man was implicated for harboring a fugitive. I now have my doubts. The mage fought us and we lost many men to his spells, but he was old and frail. After a few volleys that decimated our ranks and sent us running, Nordula noticed the old man was using spells of lesser potency. We regrouped from what should have been a route, doubled back, and ambushed him just outside his abode. Nordula was able to wound him with a spell from behind while his magical shield was directed towards fending off the swords of my men. Once wounded, the mage lost his concentration, his shield dropped for a moment, and we cut him down right on the doorstep to his abode. Two more steps and he would have been inside. I was not involved after the initial mission, but from what I heard, Lord Li' Yeiraun hired a group of mercenaries to clean the mage's abode. His books now sit on Nordula's shelves.

"Aye, so it could be tharr was somethin' to those volumes an' Nordula has become more'n a second rate tea leaf reader," Red Jack nodded, and then knocked on the large chest at the foot of his bed. "Are ye awake yet Roger?"

"I never really sleep sir, but the sun makes me... drowsy."

"Well, it ain't quite down yet, but I need ye ta get hold o' Kroz as soon as ye can. Doanthalas killed a spy before he came ta stop th' assassin wench last night, and there may be other spies at large as well. We already lost one man to a trap.

"I will relay the news to Kroz, Captain. I do not know if he would wish to become embroiled in such mundane matters, but I am sure he will come for the assassin's body if you wish to sell it to him. I believe Elizabetta is the perfect subject for an advanced animation."

"Aye, I'll trade 'er cadaver for a cure ta this poison if he can get me one."

---

"Captain Jack, Kroz is here with Rapina and he brought some ghouls, but he left them at the graveyard. He is willing to infuse you with life force to heal the damage done by the poison if you have a donor," Arzeal said.

Okay men take me out ta th' infirmary, thar's not a moment ta loose, damn poison's up to me hip."

Within the ship's tent, the pirates were eating dinner. Fist one, then another blood-chilling scream interrupted the men's meal.

"Damn sorcery! It's gonna to give us all a belly ache fer sure."

Back at the infirmary tent Kroz entered and addressed the captain, "How is the leg, Captain?"

"It's still tinglin,' thanks ta Binge, here. The captain patted Binge's freshly dead corpse. Heh heh, we were both dead men 'fore long. His dyin' sooner is goin' ta buy 'is captain some time."

"Without another donor, that is as much as I can do for you. If you have the bolt, I may be able to determine what sort of poison was used. There may be an antidote."

"Ye mean ye don't think Binge's whole life is going ta be enough ta quench this damn poison?"

"Your body will have much more energy with which to fight the toxin and the damage it has already done will be healed, however my spell does not neutralize the poison. The poison will begin to do damage once again," Kroz said.

"Damn! Will we 'ave to take me leg off?" Jack asked.

"It would stop the poison, however you would then be minus a leg," Kroz said.

"Aye, and what kind o' leader would I be without even enough leg fer a peg?" Jack scowled.

"We could remove the flesh and leave the bone. I have Wedge's hand for him. I will put it on as soon as he is brought here. If you find its functionality to your liking, we could prepare your leg similarly."

"Here sir," Wedge said.

"Recruit, Kroz 'as got yer hand for ye."

"Splendid, you have arrived, Wedge. You have a decision to make. Let me see your wrist.

Wedge held out his stump.

Kroz carefully fitted Wedge's cleaned up skeletal hand to the bone of his stump and made a few incantations.

Wedge inhaled involuntarily.

"You have a decision to make, young man. Your skeleton is now whole, but you cannot move the bones of your dead hand, can you?"

Wedge grimaced, "No sir."

"With magic I can give you that power and you will be able to use it. It will not, however be any stronger than the hand of a pampered woman. If you wish to serve the god of the dead, I can ask him for his blessing and additional divine magic. Your hand will become formidable in its strength. You will have no trouble wielding an axe or a heavy blade, but you will also wield that blade in the name of the god of the dead, for you will have a connection to him. Do you understand?" 

Wedge nodded gravely, "Like Roger?"

"Yes," the necromancer affirmed.

Wedge grinned evilly. "What do I have to do?"

The necromancer's rasping laugh filled the night.

-----


As quietly as a man could, Gariot Hansfeldt made his way through the woods. He held the glowing red bit of glass aloft and smiled. One of his traps had been sprung. He could see the spikes were deep in the body. One protruded from the chest of the corpse. He shook his head as he thought to himself, "I should have known they would be looking for me. Well it's too late, they had their chance to find my base camp, and now I don't have the magic pendant anymore, and I will not know where the new camp is even if they catch me. Gariot bent down to examine his handywork."

"Agh!"

Gariot's eyes bulged as the corpse stuck to the spikes grabbed his face. The smell of rot seemed to thicken. How could the corpse be moving?

Edgar the ghoul jumped from the bushes and clawed rapidly yet savagely at the side of the tracker's head. He would not let up while he had the advantage. "Kkhahah," he signaled. The stench in the area soon grew in magnitude as Kent sunk his claws into the man's back and neck. The victim froze.

Kent removed the tracker's weapons and chittered happily as Edgar and the newly created zombie of the pirate named Binge carried their paralyzed victim back to Red Jack's camp.

---


Brackston blanched.

Wedge opened and closed his skeletal hand so that all the men within the ship's tent could see it. A great vat of stew simmered over the foot of a seated flaming skeleton. Bedrolls were spread all around the ship, for the men had moved out of their chill barracks tents to where the heat was. Wedge grabbed a heavy axe and swung it, "Ahahahah, it's strong, see, I can wield the best weapons again! Pitty me now, Slice. Ahahaha! The power of the god of the dead is in my hand."

"Oooiiiiakakakahhh!" Kent screamed.

"Thane looked up from an engaging magical conversation he was having with Rapina under what would soon be the ship's bow. "Arzeal, I believe Kent has found some measure of success. He is calling us from the graveyard. Rapina, carry on."

---

"It is not a man I know whispered Mansun Dido from the bushes. If he is working for Lord Li' Yeiraun then he would have to be new."

"No doubt," Kroz rasped.

"How did yew find are camp?" Brackston questioned.

"I just stumbled upon it. I had no idea what it was," Gariot Hansfeldt said.

Kroz softly imitated the caw of a crow.

Brackston caught the sound of the raspy crow and knew the tracker was lying, "Yew think I believe that? Bloody Brackston pulled the man's shirt off. Gariot Handsfeld was chained in an upright position between two stout posts. His legs and arms were spread and the lash had already torn his shirt to shreds." Brackston reached around front and undid the man's belt, and then he walked around front and unbuttoned Hansfeldt's pants. The tracker looked at the pirate incredulously. 

"Yew better start tellin' th' truth. How did ye find us, how did ye get here?"

"I told you, I rode," Hansfeldt said.

Brackston jerked the man's pants down and pulled his sheath knife. He played the tip over the man's balls. Yew think yew're really tight lyin' ta ol' Brackston. I'll bet yer tight," Brackston shoved his middle finger up the man's butt.

"Hhhh! Don't you dare sodomize me!" Handfeldt hollered.

"Heh, heh, if yew insist, but I was going ta use the branding irons an' save that for latter, Heh heh..."

Hours of pain passed.

"This man is surprisingly resistant to torture," Kroz said in a bored tone. "I believe he lasted something over three hours in Brackston's capable hands."

Mansun was sitting on the cold ground, his back to the scene. It was something he had long ago decided he would rather not see. He was here as a second opinion to the magic of Kroz, to help give Brackston an idea of whether or not the man was telling the truth if the man were working for Lord Li'Yieraun. It almost didn't see fair. Whenever the tracker lied Brackston knew, and the tracker suffered for it.

"I was teleported by a mage, damn it!" the prisoner, Gariot Hansfeldt, finally admitted.

"Where were yew, who done it, and how was it done?" Brackston asked.

Gariot cried, "I was hired out from Turnmoor and paid in gold. The mage, Nordula. told me to hold my breath and he started casting some kind of spell, and then I, I just appeared." The prisoner said.

"Where did yew report to this mage ta be teleported?" Brackston asked.

"In Turnmoor," Hansfeldt said.

Brackston heard the crow and grabbed ahold of a branding iron.

AAAIIIIII! Castle Yieraun. It was at Castle Yieraun!" Hansfeldt admitted.

"... That's better, now where did yew appear and what were yewr orders?" Brackston asked.

"Ouu! Please, I was put in a handstand before Nordula cast the spell. He told me when I arrived I was to pick up the pendant dropped by the other man, and that it would be right under my head, and then I was to set up a temporary camp. I left the pendant there."

Brackston heard the caw of a crow, smiled and went behind the man.

Gariot stiffened as the pirate drove his fleshy rod into the raw pain of his bowels. "Ahhhii! You already know when I'm lying, why do you even ask?"

"Because I like ta fuck yew, yew ass! Now yew tell de whole truth or it'll be back ta the brandin' iron."

Hansfeldt shuddered, "All right, all right, the mage sent two more men earlier tonight. I was to keep watch on the pirate camp and go to a specified location two days every week to pick up the pendent and make my report," Handsfedt said.

"Why don't they just leave the pendant with you? If they ain't watchin' our camp, how come they need it?" Brackston asked.

"I don't know! Aaaiii!" Hansfeld said.

"Why do you think?" Brackston asked.

"I, I think the mage needs the pendant to teleport men to. I was teleported to the pendant, and so were the other two. I held it up and each appeared under it in turn," Hansfeld admitted.

"So while yew watch our camp, Nordula fills another camp with soldiers, is that right?" Brackston asked.

"Yes, I think that's the plan. The river is too choked with ice, I don't think they can send a ship, so they are sending us with magic," Hansfeld admitted.

"Why don't they send yew overland?" Brackston asked.

"The Lord here doesn't like Lord Li' Yeiraun. Isn't that why Red Jack holed up here?.. Aaaouuch!" Hansfeldt asked.

"Yew got to remember who asks and who answers..." Brackston said.

---


"Aln I see yourrr rum and raise you ahhrum," Dodge slurred.

"Yourr on," Pike blinked.

The two men slammed back still another round of rum.

Rapina raised her eyebrows. Pike had come over just after Kroz had left and the pirate named Dodge had complained about Pike trying to keep the "wench" for himself. Things had escalated from there, but not exactly the way she would have thought. Dodge maintained that a contest of arms between he and Pike would be unfair, instead, he had challenged Pike to a contest of cups.

"Yooouulll never oud dlink me, Piike, I've been annn alcoholic since birff, I suck-kled ale ad mmy mmother's tteat, hic," Dodge slurred.

"Tthen why are you wavering aaand I'm ssstill sssteady as a rrock?" Pike asked.

Dodge tittered, "Yyew, sssteady? Yyewer jusst a-about ta falll. One morrre rrround ought ta havvve it, hic," Dodge said.

Another round was poured and the two men tossed it back.

Rapina wrinkled her nose, both men were astoundingly drunk, how Dodge figured he was going to make use of her company if he did win the drinking bout was beyond her.

The cook raised his eyebrows, already the men had drunk their way through Dodge's stash of rum, "One of you better fall now, we're out of rum."

Ssusorry, me dliink all yer rum, but meee nod fallin' Whho gott's more?" Dodge asked.

"Llookss a draw," Pike said drunkenly.

"Stoker, you got some rum, give it up," Creaser said.

"Should I sir?" Stoker asked.

"Ooonly iff hee's mmman ennnough," Dodge slurred.

Pike slapped the table, "Hhaull id oud."

"Yes sir," Stoker grinned evilly and retrieved a bottle from his sea chest. "It's strong stuff Sir."

"Dodge tittered."

"Yyou thththink weee carrre?" Pike asked.

"I see your point sir." Stoker filled both cups near to the brim.

The two men slammed back their drinks, and Stoker immediately filled them up again from his bottle.

"Doouble err nothin'," Dodge said slamming back his cup. Pike downed his drink a second later. Stoker swiftly refilled them.

"Gggive it ttime ttoo settle, Pike wavered."

Dodge tittered, "Eee's fllagin'."

"Bbbbahh, bbrink id on," Pike said.

The two men slammed back four more drinks in rapid succession.

"Uhhhooooo" Dodge said as he kept going backwards after lifting the next cup.

Pike finished the fifth drink in the set, and began to stand up. "Baa, liddlelightwade." For an instant, Pike looked a little surprised, "Oooooooo"

Stoker and Greasy barely managed to catch the Norse giant's body. Once caught they pulled him to his bed roll.

Rapina looked at the lust written all over the faces of pirates dragging Pike to his rest, and then suddenly realized what was going on. Jack was in his bed nursing his leg, Arzeal was far away in the night with Kent and the ghouls, attempting to find the spy's base camp to see if he had left any evidence of a plan there. Brackston, Thane, and Mansun Dido were interrogating the captured spy. Rage and Skitch were on night guard duty. Pike had been the only officer present, and the only man likely to protect her "virtue." Dodge was likely a dupe of an alcoholic given free booze in exchange for attempting to drink Pike under the table, but Pike was a huge man, and known to drink a bit himself. 

From Dodge's slipped remark, the original owner of the first bottles of rum had probably been Greasy, and the last cups poured by Stoker had come fast and furious, and the rum? Rapina snatched the bottle from the low table in front of her and tipped the bottle way back, concealing the fact that she took only a tiny swig. "Haahhh," she rasped. Tears came to her eyes as liquid fire burned down her throat. 

The pirates laughed as the spellbinding wench clutched her throat from the heat of the rum she had just downed.

The rum was nearly one hundred percent alcohol. It all made sense now, Stoker knew the contestants were too drunk to taste just how strong the new rum was, and he knew if he got enough of it into them fast enough, it would not mater who fell first, both were sure to go down. Rapina realized she had about one second to put her own spin on things before the raging river of the pirates' lust chose a channel other than the one she would try to send it down.

"No officers?" Rapina asked in mock innocence. Then in a husky, conspiratorial tone, "Want to have some fun?"

A hearty roar rose up from the pirates.

Rapina smiled provocatively, "Okay, I'm going to need a little music, something slow and sultry, and something to dance on. How about that scaffold? Some of the men looked a bit disappointed. The river was trying to escape Rapina's channel. And Zit, could you be a dear and collect my clothes when they fall?" Rapina asked as she diverted the lust back to her channel.

The Pirates grinned lustily, "Oh Yah!," they cheered. Men hastened to move a section of scaffold to the central location Rapina had indicated.

"My good things are all gifts from Kroz to beautify his household, and I'm not sure what kind of sorcerous experiments he would perform on someone who damaged them. Rapina glanced at one of the flaming skeletons. Just be a dear and put them in your sea chest.

Zit nodded gravely.

"Cmon! Wench, get it on! Chops began to play his bongos as a pirate next to him fingered chords on a lute.

Rapina tossed her cloak to Zit and mounted up on the stage. She was suddenly the soul focus of fifty lusty pirates. Lust tingled up and down her spine; she practically vibrated with it as it raced up her legs and down her arms. Almost in spite of herself, she began to tug at it as she danced, with every sway of her hips, every stretch of her long legs she grabbed and tugged. In the past, she had always pulled on the lust of a single man, now she found groups were a little different, but came just as naturally. The music helped, but the tugging did nothing to slow the men's appetite for more skin. 

She was her own worst enemy. She had thought that if she kept them entertained for long enough, surely one of the officers would happen by. Now it was impossible to say what she wanted. Their lust was so thick she could almost touch it, and it was making her so hungry, so wet, she was embarrassed and yet intrigued all at once. For so long she had made due with just one man, now she was looking at a multitude. Involuntarily, she licked her lips like the vampire Zit had taken her for. Rapina's breathing increased as she stepped out of her dress and kicked it into Zit's waiting arms. Lust nearly overwhelmed her as the pirates' eyes caressed her scarlet lingerie, her involuntary moan was swallowed by the music and a thousand lusty comments about her curves.

Her, long legs, her high, round butt, her rich, round breasts, everything she showed them brought a rush that overwhelmed her reason. Her bustier came down, her breasts jiggled freely, Her garters were unclipped as she passed the groping fingers of the pirates at the edges of the makeshift stage. When they tugged down her panties she had fallen back into a roll and when she rolled up on her feet again as Rames had drilled into her in his classes on unarmed defense, she had her own panties in her hands, dangling from her long delicate fingers, taunting the men, tugging at their lust.

"Woooo-hu, now thar's a real wench! Blackjack reached out and wiped his fingers over the inside of Rapina's leg, just above the knee. Then he thrust his fingers into his mouth. Mmm-mm, that ain't sweat, mates!

"Oou, that's a PIRATE WENCH!" Glinter hollered.

One of Rapina's silk stockings fell off, a casualty of the sock-pulling and rolling game the reaching pirates had come up with on their own. Her bustier was open to her navel and sliding down over her hips, but none of that seemed to matter because she was trying very hard, very hard to keep from shaking. She felt like her eyes should be glowing or something, she felt so much fire in her body. Her other sock was pulled from her foot as she stepped up, and then as she swung from a cross beam, her bustier fell to the stage. Other than the choker Kroz always made her wear when she came to the pirate camp, there was nothing left to take off, and as far as she knew, the choker could only be removed by magical means.

Rage stomped a bit to remove the snow from his boots and then re-secured the exit flap. "Wow, it sure was warmer in the ship's tent than it was outside," he thought. As he turned, he realized the music and cheers had stopped, and fifty pirates were looking at him. But when the fifty-first looked at him he gasped for breath. His cold, tight balls fell nearly as rapidly as his shaft rose. "Aaagh." For a second he was going to ask Rapina why she was standing naked on the scaffold, he was going to scold the men, but his breathing was way too heavy as he walked to her. She was perfect, she smelled like lust, and he had her undivided attention. He should have told her off for inciting the men. He should have done a lot of things, but something was wrong with his head and he could only think about one thing, getting it into her, getting it into her now. 

Rapina idly wondered why her fingers were unbuttoning Rage's pants, and why she was breathing like a winded horse. Someone threw a bedroll over the planking behind her. Rapina pulled down his breeches and she brought him down.

Rage kicked off his pants and thrust like a stallion, again and again. Rapina was so wet there would have been no friction at all had it not been for the muscles within her, stronger and more facile than those of any woman he had ever known. She squeezed him, she pulled at his seed, she called to it from her wet depths like a sea of sirens.

The pirates cheered.

Rapina felt as though she had nearly broken something inside of her holding back her need so as not to consume Rage as he came violently, fountaining his lust into her bottomless hunger.

EEEEYAAAAAAAH! His orgasm seemed to last forever. When it finally ended he went limp.

"Stoker!" Rapina rolled the pirate officer off her and smiled her hunger at the instigator of the drinking contest.

Had Stoker paused to wonder why the pirate wench had rolled a limp, exhausted Rage off her body, he might have hesitated to bed her. However, he had been plotting all night, and he was not the kind of man who easily let the spoils of victory go free. He was on her in an instant. 

Rapina wrapped her legs around him and bucked like a mule, she had nothing left in her to hold back with, she pulled at his seed like a crazed animal. Had it not been for the cheers of the pirates, she felt certain Stoker would have lost his nerve. Perhaps he would have been better off if he had.

Stoker's eyes rolled back in his head, he had bedded more women than he could count, and he had never cared much whether or not they were willing. The wench beneath him now was a wildcat, a hellion, a succubus, and every stroke pulled him down to hell and then shot him straight to heaven, he moaned, heaved, pumped, and gasped. This was extreme, something felt wrong, but he could not stop, he just couldnot stop. It felt so good, he had to spend, his thrusting was compulsion and she squeezed him, clutched him, pulled at his lust with a force he could not comprehend.

Gaaaaaaaaaaah! Stoker's eyes nearly popped out of his skull. Had any pirate been in the right position to see Stoker's eyes, he would have screamed in terror. Fortunately, no one saw it, no one but Rapina.

Rage got unsteadily to his feet. Damn!"

The pirates laughed.

After several minutes of Stoker's gasping orgasm and spewing seed, Rapina's hunger was blunted and she relented. Rapina rolled Stoker off her body and tried not to notice how limp he had gone. "Greasy!" she chimed, almost cheerfully.

The cook lasted only a few minutes before he joined his deathly comrade with a long, eye-popping orgasm. Rapina rolled him aside and was about to speak, but another pirate jumped between her thighs before she could say a word.

With Stoker and Greasy Rapina had lost control -lost it utterly; but she felt much better now, a little more herself. Her clutching wetness was just a joy, and if she just relaxed and let the men fill her mind and body with power and pleasure, she would not draw dangerously on any one of them. Stoker and Greasy had paid for their perfidy, but the rest would be just fine. She whispered comments, sometimes requests or even orders to change positions and sometimes endearments as each pirate bedded her. Her lively cunny supped gluttonously as each pirate came powerfully, spewing seed and energy into her hungry depths.

Few lasted more than five minutes, but hardly a second would pass between the time one man drenched the warmth of her clutching vagina and another entered. It was almost as though one tireless pirate was bedding her, and because of that she began to come, and come, over and over. She was so sensitized by all the lust and life force being pumped into her that very nearly everything drove her to orgasm. She would peak, then after a few minutes peak again, and for whatever perverse reason, vanity, or perhaps revenge, whenever she did, she filled each man's mind with fealty, utter, unabashed obedience and worship for their goddess of lust. If these pirates thought with the brain between their legs, then she would command their minds.

Zit realized he was the low man on the totem pole because everyone had gone up on the makeshift stage, and several had been on the platform twice, yet he had not been given a chance at all.

Rapina closed her thighs and turned after sending Blackjack to the platform. "I've seen you others before, let Zit up first, it's not fair keeping him a virgin forever."

The pirates laughed. Several in the crowd piped up, "Get Zit up there, no pirate should be a virgin, it aren't right."

Zit crawled up onto the platform at last. He lifted his palm, the bedroll was afloat in goo.

Rapina giggled.

Zit smiled, and then his mouth fell open as he saw Rapia's breasts jiggle. They were so full and pert, and her nipples were standing up like little pink towers. He couldn't quite imagine how she had fit her breasts into her bodice.

Rapina saw what he was looking at and pulled him to her breast with a finger under his chin. He suckled her, and then she grabbed him around back. She put her hand between his buns, found the base of his penis and pulled him to her.

Zit moaned as Rapina guided him into her and caressed him inside her. He hardly noticed the rasping laughter from across the tent. He just coursed in and out of Rapina's captivating cleft. Hearing the laughter she clasped her palms over his ears and pumped harder against him. He moaned and thrust a while longer then started coming grandly.

Rapina released one of Zit's ears and pulled him into her with her right hand between the cheeks of his behind. Feeling the delicious pulsing at the base of his cock with her wrapped fingertips as he came long and hard. She bucked against him cried out as she too began to come. As her mind touched his, she became his princess, his sovereign, his queen, and yet one who held him with great affection.

Kroz chuckled and it amused him all the more that it came out as a wicked rasping, for his death robes made his voice sound so very undead. "Well now, while the cats are away, it appears the mice will play."

Rapina massaged the base of Zit's waning cock and looked up at the approaching death mask of Kroz. She felt far too good to be embarrassed. "Rauw," she mewed. Zit's organ began to re-engorge. Rapina grinned like the cat who had just swallowed the cannary. "They started it," She said.

Kroz laughed so hard his death robes could hardly cope with it. He pounded his knee as he looked at the many sleeping pirates and the gaggle still waiting around the stage. 

"Did you want to see if you could take on the entire camp?" Kroz asked.

"No, I'm just having fun," Rapina smiled. Her hand caressed Zit's behind as her loins moved gently around his hardening rod. "Besides, there had to be a few on guard duty, so it's not quite the whole camp. Zit was the last of them, and I had to complain to get him a spot. Those others are greedy; they're here for seconds. Rapina suckled playfully at Zit's neck.

Kroz raised his eyebrows beneath the death mask. There was a man lying near the edge of the stage. Kroz rolled him over. He looked dead, but he was erect, and the very tip of his cock was gray. Thane took a tiny hand mirror from within his robe and held it near the man's nose. It steamed up, but barely. "Mmm, he seems... exhausted. Was he the first?

Rapina blinked, but did not pause in the slow thrusting of her hips. "The second actually. Rage was the first, but he just walked in after I danced for them. I thought I was stalling until an officer came and I succeeded. An officer did come, just before they started in, but there was so much lust, I was...

"Primed?" Kroz asked.

"I was um, Stoked," Rapina grinned. "Rage, well he could tell I was ready. He didn't say anything, he just came up, and, I couldn't keep my hands out of his pants. I didn't tire him out too badly. This whole thing, it wasn't his fault, he just walked into it." 

Kroz chuckled, "Your sense of justice never ceases to amaze me Rapina. And this..." Kroz indicated the comatose man on the edge of the stage.

"Stoker," Rapina sighed and smiled dreamily as she continued to pump Zit's erection into her wanton cunt.

"Stoker was the instigator?" Kroz asked.

Rapina nodded, "I think so. He and Greasy supplied the rum for a drinking contest between Dodge and Pike, the only officer here."

"Kroz laughed. "And you saw the whole thing coming?"

"Not as soon as I should have. Pike won the contest, but the last bottle of rum, the one Stoker supplied, was extremely strong. I tasted it after Dodge went down, it nearly burned my throat out, and Stoker had been pouring them fast and furious at the end of the contest. Pike had enough in his stomach to make him pass out, he just didn't know it until about two minutes after he had won."

Kroze smiled beneath the death mask, "So the contest was just a way to neutralize the officer protecting your virtue. It really didn't matter who won, both lost."

Rapina moaned with pleasure, then nodded, "It was very clever, actually. Stoker would have taken advantage as soon as they laid Pike down, but I offered to dance for everyone before he had the chance." Rapina giggled, "At the time I thought I was stalling for time, but oh did that backfire on me. I should have known better, so many men, so much lust, how could I resist?"

"Indeed." Kroz stepped up onto the stage and stepped over Rapina and Zit to examine something hanging from one of the posts of the scaffolding. It was a pair of trousers with sheathed weapons still attached. Kroz seemed most interested in an impressive-looking sword. He went around behind it and mumbled a few incantations.

"Well, I hate to break up your little party, my dear, but it is nearly dawn and we must get back to the abode. We have some urgent business to take care of in the laboratory." Kroz said.

"Okay, I'll get cleaned up," Rapina smiled as she continued her wanton rutting. 

"Splendid. Tell me, to whom does this weapon belong?" Kroz asked.

Zit grunted, "Those are Rage's things, sir, I hung them up for him while he was busy."

"Ah, that makes sense, I must consult with Red Jack a moment, so I believe you two will have time to finish up after all, not that you really appeared to be stopping," Kroz chuckled.

----


While Thane slept, Rapina retired to her room, but she could not sleep. She was simply buzzing with energy. She took a catnap, but otherwise read for the entire time she would have slept. After he had arisen, Thane ate a rushed breakfast, and then went down to the laboratory to try to discover what kind of poison Elizabetta had used on Jack. 

Sometime after nightfall, Rapina set "lunch" out for the two priests of Mortaebius. "Here you are Guardians. Any luck on the poison?"

"Yes, the toxin used comes from a tiny insect. It takes a great deal of trouble to make, but it is one of the most deadly toxins known, which explains why the scratch on Jack's leg was enough to sicken him so. Ordinarily the toxin kills in a matter of seconds, but if the dose is exceptionally small, it works more slowly. The poison could still be fatal. Once introduced it works on the nerves, including the brain and the nerves that control the heart. I must return to the pirate camp yet tonight. I contacted Roger just after dark, and Jack is already in dire need of another infusion of life force to regenerate his body. Short of a magical potion or the spell of a priest of a god of healing, the poison cannot be neutralized. We shall have to hope he can find a continuous supply of victims, or Jack may not make it. Thankfully, the nobles of Turnmoor have provided us with at least one.
----------------- 

It had been several days since she had seen the pirates and Rapina was in Thane's magical library with five books open on the floor. A single flaming skeleton stood in an alcove near the door. Ordinarily she might have taken the books to her room, but she did not see the point. Neither Thane nor Rames was home to scold her, and the book she was reading required many references just to understand. No sooner would she close one reference, than she needed another from the shelf. The book she was trying to understand was the book on magical theory that Red Jack had allowed her to read when she was a pirate. Thane owned all of Jack's old books now. She had picked up the book just after returning from the tryst with the pirates because she needed a challenge. The energy from the pirates was keeping her quite alert, and she saw no reason not to use it. 

Rapina fingered the choker around her neck. Thane made her wear it whenever she was away from the abode, and now it appeared she must also wear it whenever both priests were out. It was little more than a slave collar, she supposed. It was odd that Thane had not put it on her when she made her mock escape from him in Granville. No doubt, he had been testing her. A few days ago, Thane, or Kroz as he now liked to be called sent Rames on some sort of assignment. He was still gone, and Thane had gone to infuse Red Jack with another nightly dose of life force to keep him alive. Rapina knew he would also check on the results of Kent's ghoulish scouting efforts.

"Rapina!?" Thane called out.

"In the Library!" Rapina answered.

"Ah, I should have known. Thane frowned at all the books scattered across the floor. For an apprentice who does the bulk of the cleaning around here, you seem to be quite at home with slovenly habits. I see you did not even button your bodice this morning."

Rapina giggled, "I can't, Guardian."

"No?"

"I gained a cup size from bedding the pirates. Actually, I'm not as big as I was a few days ago. I could probably button at least one or two buttons now, Rapina said."

"Mmm?" Thane asked.

Rapina stood, took Thane's skeletal left hand and pushed it down the front of her dress.

Thane's jaw dropped. Astonishing! As you know, I can feel life force with that hand.

Rapina nodded, "Yes, that's why I took your left hand and not the other. I'm sure the right would have been more pleasant, but I don't think you would have gotten the point. The other point is, I'm really just reading the book in my hands, the other five are references, and I keep having to pull more down from the shelves. This is a very hard book. I think you might have kept it on the shelf in your room had it not been for the fact that you knew I had already seen it. It was Jack's."

"Ah, yes, I know the volume. It is a difficult work, not the sort of thing an apprentice would normally try to tackle. Why are you locking horns with it?"

"I was so charged up from the pirates, I needed the challenge. I am nearly done, I've been at it for several days."

Hard at it too, I believe your standards for the cleanliness of the Kitchen have slipped.

"Oooo," Rapina put her hand to her lips. "I forgot to tidy up after lunch."

Thane chuckled. I see you are not far from the end. Do not break your chain of thought now. You can attend to the kitchen at dinner, which can be simple fare since I will be busy and Rames is not due back until tomorrow after dusk. 

"Thank you Guardian Thane. I could really use the time. I do believe I finally know enough, and have a big enough library at my disposal to be getting somewhere."

"Indeed, I will discuss the work with you when you have finished. I read it myself shortly after it came into my possession. It is a valuable though confusing treatise. One more thing, Rapina."

"Hmm?"

"How did you fair when the shadows drained you when you foiled that little assassination attempt I cooked up for Red Jack not long after you all arrived on Graveston isle?

"They seemed to tap my reserves before they started to hurt me. Are you out of victims for healing Jack?" Rapina asked.

Thane chuckled and shook his head, "My dear, you are far too familiar with the way I think. Yes, the spy lasted through four drains in two days before death claimed him. Since then the Captain's more loyal officers have donated life force of one drain apiece. More would be too dangerous. Red Jack is still by no means well, indeed, his straights seem more dire each time I see him. I am healing some of the damage, but I cannot touch the poison itself. He needs more just to keep him alive. Yet, I do not believe he wants to start using crewmen to keep himself among the living. Given that one powerful but remote group already appears to know the location of his camp, I do not think he wishes to betray his location to other groups by locating local men and having me drain the life out of them. The life force you store appears to be of a somewhat different character than what I am used to draining, but as long as it is drainable, it is worth a try. You will come with me to help Jack tomorrow then?"

Rapina nodded, "Yes Guardian. I wonder, why are you helping him so much? You have been there every night since he was poisoned. It is not in the contract."

Thane chuckled, "There would be no contract without Red Jack, that and he has already made his payment. He gave me the fresh corpse of Elizabetta, a highly trained assassin, a rare gem, and I have been working on her and the enchantments I must learn to complete her every available hour since I got her back. I have had to purchase the corpses of two lesser assassins at great personal expense just to practice on. Moreover, I have had to appeal to our cause and ask favors of several Mortancers of Mortaebius so that I can learn the process aright and make no mistakes on her enchantments when she is ready. I will see you at dinner. I still have much to do. If I am successful in these next few days, I will have learned a second of Mortaebius' advanced animations."
---------------------

The next evening at Dusk Thane, as Kroz, used the graveyard mists spell to transport Rapina and his guards to the pirate camp.

"I will consult with Kent. Mayhap you would like to try to glean some more energy before we try this. I see you were able to button your bodice this morning, though the fit of your dress is too tight," Kroz said.

Rapina nodded and hustled towards the camp with a couple of guards Thane had assigned to her. Their mailed feet crunched the packed snow on the path as they followed her. When she entered the ship's tent, she saw that things had changed somewhat. The ship was both more and less built, and a body of a recruit hung from one of the posts. It appeared that the men were making the ship, but also disassembling and packing its parts for transport by sled. Red Jack was probably getting ready to run, but he was probably too sick to do it just yet. Rapina rubbed her tingling nose as she looked around and then realized that a number of the pirates were already lustfully looking at her, tickling her senses.

"Lust on deck! Phhhweeetphweew!" Blackjack bellowed.

Rapina blushed and felt her nipples erect as a great deal of lustful attention had its effect on her. The men had adopted a horse whistle instead of the usual naval whistle they sometimes used before formal speeches of the captain. It appeared she had taken on new rank, although the rank seemed pregnant with humor. Rapina covered the "Oh" written on her lips as she realized the suggestion her mind had cooked up to give the pirates when she had slipped into their clutches a few days ago. She would just have to do it again, maybe the pirates would become a little more serious.

"Hi men, it looks like you've been hard at work."

"Not as hard as we'd like ta be!" Glinter blurted.

"Oh yea!" The pirates hollered as they gave Glinter the thumbs up.

Just then Brackston came into the tent, "Captain says 'e's not feelin' up ta satisfyin' de red hot wench tanight. Yew men think ye can fill 'is shoes?"

"Aye!" The pirates hollered.

"Damn right we can!" Stoker said with fanatic zeal.

Rapina raised her eyebrows. After the way she had abused Stoker the last time she had seen him, she was surprised he had any interest. Yet it was apparent from his eyes that he was obsessed, like an addict who had been debilitated by opium, yet craved more.

Brackston whispered in Rapina's ear, "Captain Jack says yew're th' last person 'e wants ta steal life force from. Only reason 'e's willin' ta try this is Kroz says yew got a little natural talent fer sex magic. Th' Captain will give it a try, but only if yew can charge yerself way up with yer magic snatch. Red Jack don't want yew hurt from Kroz's deadly hand. Yew fuck them men, and yew fuck them good, understand?"

"Yes sir," Rapina blushed.

A section of scaffolding was already being moved to the center of the tent, and a few bed rolls and blankets were being tossed on top of it.

Rapina jumped up on the scaffold. "You sure you can fill Jack's shoes guys? Jack's got a wicked tongue and he is awfully long-winded."

"We'll do it 'er die tryin!" Greasy shouted.

Rapina felt a familar touch on her back and then a man's fingers began unlacing her bodice. Rapina looked over her shoulder. Arzeal?

"Not the circumstances I would have chosen, but these men can be rough, best to start well-warmed with a man who will treat you right."

Arzeal did treat her right. He undressed her and caressed her in front of the men like a master showman. When it was time, he kissed her everywhere, then knelt to drink the juices from her wanton cleft until she was writhing over him like a wildcat. She came powerfully and touched his mind with affection and only then did he enter her. Being half elven, he was slightly shorter than she, but it worked beautifully for the standing positions. By the time he was finished with her she was sopping with lubrication, and the men were cheering and lusting so palpably that Rapina's whole body seemed to vibrate with their sentiment.

After Arzeal broke the ice, pirate after pirate mounted her, each pumping the power of his loins into her body. Man after man took her, some she recognized, Stoker, Greasy, Rage, Skitch and others. She had seen many of the remaining pirates but she hardly knew them. The entire camp seemed to be participating. The guards even changed while she was moaning on her back.

Rough hands grabbed her ankles and pulled her nether lips even with the edge of the scaffold. At the same time, Slice stepped over her, straddled her chest, knelt down and played with her breasts. Rapina's mouth opened as she realized what was happening. Brackston's rough hand reached around and grasped Slice's throbbing organ, but instead of entering the boy, he entered Rapina. 

"Slice leaned forward and whispered to Rapina. Take as much as ye can from him, Wench. He was the only officer who would not give Kroz a jolt. He doesn't trust the old warlock, but he trusts you. You take him hard."

Rapina nodded, she clutched and pulled at Brackston's seed with all her strength, holding nothing back. She could hear him grunting behind Slice, and when she did catch a glimpse of him, his eyes were rolled up in his head, and his mouth was open and drooling.

UuuaaaaAAAAIIIIIeeeeu-u-u... Brackston came for what seemed an eternity. Rapina used nearly all of her strength, pulling nearly as hard as she had on Stoker the other night. 

Brackston tried to stand, but fell forward and collapsed on the platform next to Rapina. "Was that hard enough Brackston, she whispered?" For several minutes her only answer was a glassy-eyed stare.

"Aye, close enough. Yew take it easy on Slice."

Rapina nodded. "You can bet on it, because I'm sorely winded from tugging your guts out," Rapina giggled.

"Wench!" Brackston groaned.

"Some guys like it rough, and some like it nice and easy," Rapina said pushing Slice down her body and engulfing his erection. She pulled Brackston's hip towards her and put Slice's hand on the side of his exhausted lover's rump. She could tell these men's lusts did not run strongly for women, but their efforts on behalf of their captain were touching.

As he peaked, Slice's eyes opened and then popped wide in a look that communicated both intense ecstasy and surprise that he could be having it at the hands of a woman. 

Man followed man until Rapina affectionately embraced Zit and nuzzled his earlobe. He looked overjoyed to see her and she could not help dallying with him a little longer than she needed to. He was a perceptive boy. Somehow, he had known there was something about her that was unusual, and now he seemed to understand that she was not a vampire in the usual sense, but that he had not been entirely wrong about her either. 

When Zit rolled off her with a contented sigh, Arzeal was there to clean her up, get her dressed quickly and whisk her off to the captain's tent where Kroz was conferring with Jack and Roger. 

"Tharr's me wench," the captain said feebly.

Rapina bent and kissed Jack's lips.

Jack spoke so softly Rapina could barely hear him. "Aye, lets get on with this afore I can't keep me brain workin' namore. Th' poison's reavin' me soul. These treatments 'er pullin me back from th' brink o' death, but it seems like they're pullin' me back less far each time."

"This may not work, but if it does not, perhaps we can find a volunteer among the men for a second drain. Kroz removed the gloves from his hands and began to cast the first spell. Unlike Rapina, he had no means to store life force in his body for any length of time, thus the first spell drained Kroz's own life force and bestowed it on the Captain. Kroz placed his hand on Jack's head and grimaced as his energy flowed into the ailing pirate.

"Aye, some better, some better, I can feel th' damage healin' an me headache, dullin' down towards bearable."

The second spell would draw life force from Rapina to replace Kroz's loss. Kroz droned the incantation.

Rapina loosened her bodice and pulled it out so that Kroz could reach in at the right moment. When he did, she was not entirely ready for the squeal of surprise that came from Thane's lips as he drained a goodly amount of her reserves.

"How are your reserves?" Kroz asked.

"I've enough for another," Rapina said.

Thane hurriedly cast the draining spell again and grabbed Rapina's other breast, then before the drain was even complete he began hurriedly casting the energy bestowing spell. This time he placed his hand on Jack's solar plexus, and poured Rapina's energy into the dieing pirate.

"Balls o' fire, this'd be th' first time I ever got a ragin' instant hard-on from the touch of a skeleton. What was in that? I'd like that spell again," Jack chuckled. "I ain't just tinglin, I feel warm all over too. Will you kiss me Kroz? Jack laughed uncontrollably."

Kroz cleared his throat. There is a peculiar property to the energy. I noticed that right off. By replacing what I had lost and then draining a second time immediately followed by the bestowal spell, I have attempted to give you a dose of Rapina's energy in a purer form, more directly from her. I have no ability to store energy, but I attempted to transfer it before it had a chance to dissipate. I am curious to see if it is as effective as the life force I wrench from myself and others."

"Tharr's no contest on that score, Kroz. I've been through this enough ta know what one o' yer energy transfers is supposed ta do an' how much. Whatever Rapina's got, it trounces ye in th' healin' department. All along there's been a dull fire in me nerves, 'an even when th' life force ye give me healed th' damage, th' fire's been still there, eatin' away at me. All around me chest an' upper legs, I'm feelin' that fire goin' out. Maybe it's just the hellish hard, hard-on I got that I'm not feelin' things aright, but I think I got 'em square. Leave me be fer a bit and I'll let ye know how things come out. 

"What happened to the recruit hanging from the pole of the ship's tent?"

"Roger, Brackston and I have spent a great deal of time over the past few nights searching for additional spies," Kroz said. "After all, there were two outside spies; it stood to reason there might be an inside spy as well. I have a plan to deal with this sorcerer of Li'Yieraun's, but it would not do if he had a spy in our camp. After questioning everyone but the old officers, we found that we indeed had a spy. He was working for an assassin in Turnmoor, possibly Elizabetta's boss Palo, though he did not use that name when he hired the boy. We made use of his life force, and then hung him up as an example."

Rapina grimaced at the fate of the boy but smirked in spite of herself. Kroz was being much more helpful than the contract Roger had hammered out with Red Jack said he had to be. Surely, he was insuring the future of his contract, but Rapina felt that there must be something else. Perhaps Kroz saw some gain for the church of Mortaebius or himself.

-------

This ends, Seeping Toxins, chapter 30 of The Chronicles of Rapina.
The story continues in chapter 31, The Shadows of Wizardry.

Copyright 2001 by Rapina