Read Online Scent of Valor (Chronicles of Eorthe #2) by Annie Nicholas - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Annie Nicholas
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didn’t have a death wish, particularly for being eaten alive. “I have to go down before this escalates.” What by the devil had happened in the forest?
“You should take six of your best males with you.”
Benic agreed, but the wild hunters were trained to fight since the day of their birth. Six of his shifter guards wouldn’t make a difference if the Payami wanted him dead. “What do you make of that female?”
“She’s probably their best truth sayer. Some of us are better at smelling a lie than others.”
Most vampires were rather experts at twisting the truth, himself included, but he didn’t have anything to hide. He’d been emerging from a weeks-long drunken state. Benic could barely remember yesterday. He scratched his chin and assessed the wall and its complement of guards. No point in getting them all killed. “I’ll go below alone.” He’d spent a large portion of his time as lord developing relationships with these wild packs. Some still hated him for their shared history of blood, but the Payami had once called him friend. He mourned that loss.
The captain sputtered.
Benic held up his hand again. “Be ready for an attack. Have soldiers at the door. Call for my personal guard to come down to the wall.” By the time he climbed down and made his way through the gate, his vampire brothers would be ready to jump from the top of the walls to fight. He just hoped none of them jumped prematurely—not all of them shared his love of shifters.
Frowning at his attire, he regretted not donning his chain mail this morning. The fine leathers of his jacket and pants would do little against an attack. In the past, Ahote had expressed a curiosity about how he’d taste. Benic could only hope Ahote’s alphas had ordered him not to shred him to tiny bits.
Using a small door by the gate, he exited his home. Locks slammed back in place as soon as the door shut behind him, just as he’d ordered.
Ahote waited with his arms crossed, his claws already extended, the tips buried in his fur.
Benic extended his arms so they’d see he’d come unarmed. “I’m here.”
The female came to stand next to Ahote.
“Did you attack our alphas?” The dark shifter’s voice cracked with raw emotion.
Now that Benic stood among them, the shadow of their grief and rage hovered like a storm about to break. “No.” He stared at the female truth sayer. “Tell him.” He pointed at Ahote. “I speak the truth. I had nothing to do with whatever has transpired.”
“He smells like truth,” she whispered.
“Vampires are good at twisting their words.” Ahote stepped forward until their chests almost touched. His claws flexed as if he imagined piercing Benic’s flesh. “Look me in the eye vampire and tell me you didn’t kill my alphas.”
Benic jerked as if he’d been struck. “Dead?” That wasn’t possible. He’d wanted Inali as pack alpha at least another decade to help smooth out their relationship.
Ahote grabbed his collar and pulled him up to meet his glare.
A warning musket shot landed in the dirt by the shifter’s feet.
“Hold your fire, damn it,” Benic shouted over his shoulder at the wall. How could he get answers from a shifter corpse?
“You couldn’t stand Kele mating someone else. You killed our alphas and took Kele again.” Spit flew from Ahote’s muzzle and landed on Benic’s face.
“No, I didn’t.” Who would have the balls to attack the Payami? No other pack was as rich or as strong in hunters. Sorin didn’t have land hunger like some alphas, so he doubted he’d done it. “The Yaundeeshaw alphas?”
“They’re dead.”
He could see the spaces between Ahote’s teeth as he spoke.
The small female laid her hands on Ahote’s arm. “He’s speaking the truth. He really doesn’t know what’s happened.”
“Why do you need her to tell you? Can’t you smell the truth on me yourself?”
“Not so close to this stinking place. I have to be sure.” He set Benic on the
“You should take six of your best males with you.”
Benic agreed, but the wild hunters were trained to fight since the day of their birth. Six of his shifter guards wouldn’t make a difference if the Payami wanted him dead. “What do you make of that female?”
“She’s probably their best truth sayer. Some of us are better at smelling a lie than others.”
Most vampires were rather experts at twisting the truth, himself included, but he didn’t have anything to hide. He’d been emerging from a weeks-long drunken state. Benic could barely remember yesterday. He scratched his chin and assessed the wall and its complement of guards. No point in getting them all killed. “I’ll go below alone.” He’d spent a large portion of his time as lord developing relationships with these wild packs. Some still hated him for their shared history of blood, but the Payami had once called him friend. He mourned that loss.
The captain sputtered.
Benic held up his hand again. “Be ready for an attack. Have soldiers at the door. Call for my personal guard to come down to the wall.” By the time he climbed down and made his way through the gate, his vampire brothers would be ready to jump from the top of the walls to fight. He just hoped none of them jumped prematurely—not all of them shared his love of shifters.
Frowning at his attire, he regretted not donning his chain mail this morning. The fine leathers of his jacket and pants would do little against an attack. In the past, Ahote had expressed a curiosity about how he’d taste. Benic could only hope Ahote’s alphas had ordered him not to shred him to tiny bits.
Using a small door by the gate, he exited his home. Locks slammed back in place as soon as the door shut behind him, just as he’d ordered.
Ahote waited with his arms crossed, his claws already extended, the tips buried in his fur.
Benic extended his arms so they’d see he’d come unarmed. “I’m here.”
The female came to stand next to Ahote.
“Did you attack our alphas?” The dark shifter’s voice cracked with raw emotion.
Now that Benic stood among them, the shadow of their grief and rage hovered like a storm about to break. “No.” He stared at the female truth sayer. “Tell him.” He pointed at Ahote. “I speak the truth. I had nothing to do with whatever has transpired.”
“He smells like truth,” she whispered.
“Vampires are good at twisting their words.” Ahote stepped forward until their chests almost touched. His claws flexed as if he imagined piercing Benic’s flesh. “Look me in the eye vampire and tell me you didn’t kill my alphas.”
Benic jerked as if he’d been struck. “Dead?” That wasn’t possible. He’d wanted Inali as pack alpha at least another decade to help smooth out their relationship.
Ahote grabbed his collar and pulled him up to meet his glare.
A warning musket shot landed in the dirt by the shifter’s feet.
“Hold your fire, damn it,” Benic shouted over his shoulder at the wall. How could he get answers from a shifter corpse?
“You couldn’t stand Kele mating someone else. You killed our alphas and took Kele again.” Spit flew from Ahote’s muzzle and landed on Benic’s face.
“No, I didn’t.” Who would have the balls to attack the Payami? No other pack was as rich or as strong in hunters. Sorin didn’t have land hunger like some alphas, so he doubted he’d done it. “The Yaundeeshaw alphas?”
“They’re dead.”
He could see the spaces between Ahote’s teeth as he spoke.
The small female laid her hands on Ahote’s arm. “He’s speaking the truth. He really doesn’t know what’s happened.”
“Why do you need her to tell you? Can’t you smell the truth on me yourself?”
“Not so close to this stinking place. I have to be sure.” He set Benic on the
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