Read Online Scent of Valor (Chronicles of Eorthe #2) by Annie Nicholas - Free Book Online
Authors: Annie Nicholas
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front of the vampire males. The firelight glistened off her smooth skin. Silken hair the shade of sunflowers flowed down her back.
The leader nodded.
She was led to a tent unbranded.
Kele opened her mouth to shout at the female to run.
“Don’t.” Peder’s soft command whipped into her ear. “There’s no saving her now. You’ll only bring attention to yourself and make them hurt her more.”
“You’d cower here all night?” Fury struck like a snake that had been coiled in her belly.
“If fighting while chained like prized dogs would work, then I’d stand next to you.” His gaze traveled to Nahuel. “But it won’t.” He nodded to the vampires and continued to whisper his venom words in her ear. “Look at them. Look how they move. These aren’t merchant vampires working at trading posts. They’re warriors and they’re good at it.”
She did as he asked. The firelight glinted off chain mail under their worn leather coats, which would turn away tooth and claw. Some wore swords but all carried muskets. The blades did little in fights against shifters, but the guns did a lot of damage. It was how the vampires had won the war. How they managed to kill her parents and the Yaundeeshaw alphas. It burned her gut, but Peder was right.
“We stay alive tonight to fight another day.” He curled against her back. “Try to get some sleep. I suspect we won’t be given much rest tomorrow.”
Chapter Eight
The axle of the carriage looked new and strong as Benic ran his gloved hand over it. Made of vampire steel, it should handle the load of Inacio’s luggage. Why his incubus needed so many clothes when he spent most of his time naked was an eternal mystery.
“Have you no faith in your stableman’s skill?” Inacio bent to watch him creep under the horse carriage testing the essential parts.
“The best way to ruin a trip is to get stranded between cities on a broken carriage.” Benic met his impatient stare. “Trust me. I tend to learn from my mistakes after I’ve made them a few times.”
With a huff, Inacio returned to pacing.
All the wheel spokes appeared intact and sturdy. Benic kicked a few for good measure. Had he forgotten something? He checked his pockets: wallet, letters of identification for him and Inacio, small container of sugared mints. Maybe he should bring maps? There wasn’t any hurry to return. They could extend their journey. He hadn’t seen the ocean in decades.
Inacio blocked his path. “Where are you going?”
“To get some maps.”
He sighed and stepped out of Benic’s way. “I think I will retire for the afternoon. Send someone for me when you are truly ready to depart.”
The sound of hard steps hitting the ground drew Benic’s attention. A shifter dressed in wall guard uniform skidded to a stop before him. “My lord, a group of shifters in feral form are racing toward the castle.”
“I assume they’re not bearing gifts.” Grease covered his hands and he wiped them clean on his pants. Didn’t seem like a good day to travel after all. Not with wild shifters hunting for a taste of vampire. What had he done now?
“No, sir.” The shifter guard seemed barely old enough to fit in the uniform.
“Go on. Tell your captain I’m on my way. Do not open the gates.” He cared for four hundred domesticated shifters. They’d shift to fight, but against their more aggressive cousins of the forest, they wouldn’t stand a chance. Vampires had bred the wild out of their shifters long ago. It was such a pity.
The young soldier saluted vampire-style and loped away in a puppy-ish fashion.
Inacio rolled his eyes. “Another delay?”
“This one is not of my doing.”
“I wouldn’t put it past you to arrange such a diversion, even if it were only to relieve your boredom.”
Benic buttoned his jacket and straightened it. “You forget yourself.”
“I remember exactly what I am to you. I just lack the ability to care anymore.” Inacio turned his back on him and
The leader nodded.
She was led to a tent unbranded.
Kele opened her mouth to shout at the female to run.
“Don’t.” Peder’s soft command whipped into her ear. “There’s no saving her now. You’ll only bring attention to yourself and make them hurt her more.”
“You’d cower here all night?” Fury struck like a snake that had been coiled in her belly.
“If fighting while chained like prized dogs would work, then I’d stand next to you.” His gaze traveled to Nahuel. “But it won’t.” He nodded to the vampires and continued to whisper his venom words in her ear. “Look at them. Look how they move. These aren’t merchant vampires working at trading posts. They’re warriors and they’re good at it.”
She did as he asked. The firelight glinted off chain mail under their worn leather coats, which would turn away tooth and claw. Some wore swords but all carried muskets. The blades did little in fights against shifters, but the guns did a lot of damage. It was how the vampires had won the war. How they managed to kill her parents and the Yaundeeshaw alphas. It burned her gut, but Peder was right.
“We stay alive tonight to fight another day.” He curled against her back. “Try to get some sleep. I suspect we won’t be given much rest tomorrow.”
Chapter Eight
The axle of the carriage looked new and strong as Benic ran his gloved hand over it. Made of vampire steel, it should handle the load of Inacio’s luggage. Why his incubus needed so many clothes when he spent most of his time naked was an eternal mystery.
“Have you no faith in your stableman’s skill?” Inacio bent to watch him creep under the horse carriage testing the essential parts.
“The best way to ruin a trip is to get stranded between cities on a broken carriage.” Benic met his impatient stare. “Trust me. I tend to learn from my mistakes after I’ve made them a few times.”
With a huff, Inacio returned to pacing.
All the wheel spokes appeared intact and sturdy. Benic kicked a few for good measure. Had he forgotten something? He checked his pockets: wallet, letters of identification for him and Inacio, small container of sugared mints. Maybe he should bring maps? There wasn’t any hurry to return. They could extend their journey. He hadn’t seen the ocean in decades.
Inacio blocked his path. “Where are you going?”
“To get some maps.”
He sighed and stepped out of Benic’s way. “I think I will retire for the afternoon. Send someone for me when you are truly ready to depart.”
The sound of hard steps hitting the ground drew Benic’s attention. A shifter dressed in wall guard uniform skidded to a stop before him. “My lord, a group of shifters in feral form are racing toward the castle.”
“I assume they’re not bearing gifts.” Grease covered his hands and he wiped them clean on his pants. Didn’t seem like a good day to travel after all. Not with wild shifters hunting for a taste of vampire. What had he done now?
“No, sir.” The shifter guard seemed barely old enough to fit in the uniform.
“Go on. Tell your captain I’m on my way. Do not open the gates.” He cared for four hundred domesticated shifters. They’d shift to fight, but against their more aggressive cousins of the forest, they wouldn’t stand a chance. Vampires had bred the wild out of their shifters long ago. It was such a pity.
The young soldier saluted vampire-style and loped away in a puppy-ish fashion.
Inacio rolled his eyes. “Another delay?”
“This one is not of my doing.”
“I wouldn’t put it past you to arrange such a diversion, even if it were only to relieve your boredom.”
Benic buttoned his jacket and straightened it. “You forget yourself.”
“I remember exactly what I am to you. I just lack the ability to care anymore.” Inacio turned his back on him and
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