Longing's Levant (15 page)

“So sweet,” he told her. “So sweet and so delicious.”

Lilabet groaned and writhed.

“Let me pleasure you, milady,” the demon whispered.

He cupped her sex once more then slid his middle finger inside her. His lips, he placed upon her clit and delicately suckled the little nub. Flicking his tongue across the swollen root, he moved his middle finger in and out of her slit very slowly.

“Ah, Kaibyn!” Lilabet sighed. “You are a handsome devil, you are, but one who knows how to soothe a lady’s needs.”

Kaibyn looked up. “You see me, don’t you, milady?”

“Of course, I see you, Kai,” the queen said and wiggled, wanting his ministrations to continue. “Unfortunately, I am beginning to smell you again, as well.” She wrinkled her nose.

“Just as Tamara sees both Rabin and me,” he muttered.

“Why wouldn’t I see you, beloved?” his lady asked. She pushed his head down to her nether region and arched her pelvic upward to accommodate his wicked mouth.

Forcing a portion of his mind to the task at hand, the demon’s thoughts were racing. How was it, he wondered, that Lilabet could see him yet he was sure the silly Karmaria had not? The lady-in-waiting had shrieked bloody murder when he had dropped her in the room next door, staring wildly about her, terrified of what she apparently could not see. As the woman stumbled about the room in a blind panic, he had been forced to bring Tamara to her to quiet the stupid chit.

“Stop doing that!” Tamara had hissed, her lovely face a rather strange shade of green as she tried to acclimatize herself to the rapid transportation across time and space. “Rabin! Where is Rabin?”

Thus the darkling, too, had been brought to Nonica.

The muscles of Lilabet’s vagina rippled around Kaibyn’s finger and he held it still inside her as she climaxed. Her clit was a hard little pebble against his tongue as he laved it one last time, grimacing a bit as the queen’s fingers pulled at his hair.

It was a known fact that Lilabet loved to talk after consummating the act and Kaibyn had no desire to do so. He slid up in the bed and put his hand over her eyes.

“Sleep, milady,” he commanded and when he removed his hand, the queen had sunk deep into the arms of sleep—where she would remain until he bid her wake. He bent over and placed a light kiss on her cheek then scooted out of the bed.

Tamara glanced up as the door to Karmaria’s room opened and she frowned. “Don’t you ever knock?”

“Who came in?” Karmaria asked, her head swiveling from side to side. “I don’t see anyone.”

“If she can’t see me, she can’t hear me, either,” Kaibyn grunted.

“What is that vile odor?” Karmaria asked, fanning the air.

“It’s good that she can’t. You nearly scared this poor girl to an early grave when you flew her to this place.”

“W-who are you talking to?” the lady-in-waiting asked. Her eyes were wide, her face as white as chalk. “I d-don’t see anyone!”

Striding quickly to the bed, Kaibyn placed a hand over Karmaria’s face, wincing as her scream was cut off in mid-vibrato.

“Sleep, bitch!” he hissed. “You have an annoying voice!”

The lady-in-waiting slumped against the pillow, sound asleep.

“Well, she might not see or hear you but she can obviously feel your touch and smell you,” Tamara said.

“All women can feel my touch, wench.” Kaibyn bragged, ignoring her other comment.

Tamara rolled her eyes. “Is the queen asleep, too?”

“I thought it best until I can get this settled.”

“Get what settled?”

Kaibyn put his hands on his hips and stared at her. “How is it Lilabet can see me?”

Tamara frowned. “How would I know?”

“Is she turned that she can see me?”

“Does she appear turned?”

Kaibyn shook his head. “Nay and there are no marks on her that I could see. I don’t believe the vampires got to her.” He nodded at the sleeping lady-in-waiting. “Did you find marks on that one?”

“She hasn’t been touched. That was the first thing I checked once I got over my dizziness. Thank the Prophetess it didn’t take too long this time.”

“The more often you travel in that fashion, the easier it will become until you will no longer feel the dizziness,” Kaibyn told her.

Tamara narrowed her eyes. “I have no intention of traveling like that again, Kaibyn!”

Kaibyn waved a dismissive hand. “That is of no import right now. My concern is with Lilabet being able to see me.”

“What was it Riel said about Tamara being able to see us?” Rabin asked.

Tamara and Kaibyn turned to find the dark man leaning nonchalantly against the doorjamb.

“He said he could see you, too,” Tamara answered.

“He also said he thought the Magi had a hand is this,” Kaibyn added. “I think he might be right because I think we will need Lilabet’s help if we are to put things to rights in Kebul.”

“And wherever else my sisters have ventured,” Tamara put in. She turned her gaze to Rabin. “Are you concerned about this ability for some to see us, Rabin?”

Rabin ducked his head. “Do you think my lady will be able to see me?” When his companion’s did not answer, he lifted his head.

Tamara went to the dark man and laid a hand on his arm. “Your lady-wife believes you dead, Rabin.”

“I am.” Rabin sighed deeply. “And shall remain so.”

“So?” Kaibyn asked.

“Perhaps he should go to her and see whether she can see him or not,” Kaibyn suggested.

“What if she can’t?” Rabin asked quietly.

“What if she can?” Kaibyn countered. “How will it affect her? You must think of that.”

Rabin flinched. “Aye, I have thought of that but I love my woman. I miss her.”

“Loneliness is a terrible thing,” Kaibyn commented, rolling his eyes.

“Spoken by a being who knows nothing of such things,” Rabin snapped.

Kaibyn raised his chin. “Oh, but I know more about it than you will ever know, darkling. Try spending time in the darkness of the Abyss then make such a comment!”

Tamara moved between the two men to defuse any possible trouble. “Perhaps you should go to your lady, Rabin. At least it would ease your mind.”

“Or make the situation worse, but what do I know?” Kaibyn said.

Without another word, the demon and Rabin disappeared, and Tamara let out a shriek of frustration. Such goings and comings were disconcerting. She stomped her foot, her hands balled into fists at her side.

“Stop doing that!” she shouted.

* * * * *

Rabin’s head was swimming but he managed not to stagger. The last thing he wanted to do was reach out for the demon’s aid so stood perfectly still, legs braced wide apart, his head slightly lowered, eyes squeezed tightly shut.

“What is her name?” Kaibyn asked as he looked about the village.

“I do not like traveling in that manner,” Rabin mumbled. “I beg you do not do that to me again without first asking.”

“You are Dabiyan, are you not?” the demon asked, ignoring the dark man’s request.

“Aye,” Rabin whispered and took a tentative step. His head reeled and he froze, swallowing the nausea that threatened to erupt.

“You bury your women at first light, don’t you?”

Rabin’s eyes opened of their own accord and he looked out over a gathering standing beside an open grave. The light of morning was but a few ticks of the clock away and as he watched, the rush door to his hut opened and his sons came out ahead of four men carrying a securely wrapped bundle resting on a long flat board.

“No,” Rabin groaned. He would have stepped forward despite the roiling of his belly and the jerky motion of his vision, but the demon put out a restraining hand.

“She is lost to you, darkling,” Kaibyn said. “Unless we can find the Magi.”

“Momisha,” Rabin whimpered. Tears were cascading down his cheeks.

“In order to rise, she must first go under the dirt,” Kaibyn told the dark man. “While she is resting, let us go find those Magi and see what can be done.”

Rabin had no chance to reply to the demon’s suggestion before he found himself once more hurling through space, the desert dunes and mountains speeding by beneath his dangling feet. Once more he closed his eyes, and when he felt himself once more on solid ground, forced one eye open.

“Mage!” Kaibyn shouted, letting go of Rabin’s arm. He strode through the dark corridors of the place where they had materialized, peeking into every room. “Magi!”

Master Jabali grunted as the door to his room was flung open. He put up an arm to shield his eyes from the glare of the torch that burned beside the entry. He smelt the demon before he actually heard him stomp into the room.

“The darkling wants his woman resurrected.”

Jabali nodded. “And he shall have his wish, Lord Kaibyn, but could it not have wanted until these old bones were ready to wake?”

“Do we have such time, Mage?” Kaibyn groused.

The Master’s assistant, Tashobi, appeared at the door for his room was across from Jabali’s. He grimaced at the musky odor clinging to the demon but said nothing as he skirted their visitor and went to help Jabali out of bed.

“I am infirm, Lord Kaibyn,” Jabali said as he took hold of Tashobi’s arm and levered himself to his feet. “Such is the burden of the last decade of one’s life.”

Kaibyn grunted but made no comment. He stood there with his arms folded over his chest as the younger man helped the older to dress. He barely cast a look at Rabin as the dark man joined them.

“Can they help?” Rabin asked.

“We will return your lady to you, my friend,” Jabali answered. “But it will be a day or two. First we must see to the evil that even now heads for a second village.”

“Kebul is under Hag control,” Kaibyn said. “Which village is next?”

“They head for the stronger of the citadels,” Jabali replied. “They go now to the Panther’s den.”

“Evann-Sin is there already,” Rabin remarked.

“It is good he is,” Jabali acknowledged. “Take the Lady Tamara and join him. Set the defenses on guard before Oded’s warriors and Lilit’s daughters arrive.”

Kaibyn turned, reaching for Rabin’s arm although the dark man flinched and would have pulled away instinctively.

“Let him go on his own power, Lord Kaibyn,” Jabali advised. “It will be easier on him.”

“I can do this?” Rabin asked, his eyes wide.

“Will it and it will be so, my friend,” Jabali replied. “Think of your destination and…” He stopped then cocked his head to one side. “How did you know where we were, Lord Kaibyn, to find us?”

Kaibyn snorted. “I smelled you, Mage.”

“Much as we smell you,” Tashobi suggested

“Aye, and that is not good,” Jabali said. “If we can smell you, the Hell Hags will smell you, as well, and head for another citadel. They will take the harder ones first, the easier last.”

“I can not help…” Kaibyn began but cut himself off as the older man handed him a vial. “What is this?”

“It will stop the odor, milord,” Jabali replied.

“For good? There will be no more scent of muskiness.”

“Actually, it is not muskiness,” Jabali commented.

“Then what?”

“It is the scent of death, Lord Kaibyn. You must remember you are many thousands of years old. When you were buried in the tomb, your flesh became corrupted. But have no fear, the oil will erase the odor.”

Kaibyn’s frown would have frightened lesser men. He uncorked the vial, brought it to his nose and sniffed. A pained look spread over his handsome features. “It smells like lilies,” he complained.

“The flower of resurrection,” Jabali informed him.

Drawing in a long, annoyed breath, Kaibyn poured the oil in his left hand then rubbed his palms together then applied the slick substance to his cheeks.

“There,” Tashobi ventured. “The smell is gone!”

Kaibyn looked to Rabin and when the dark man nodded in agreement of the Mage’s pronouncement, the demon smiled. “I was worried about the stench,” he confessed. “My ladies would not find it palatable.”

Jabali shook his head.

“What?” Kaibyn demanded.

The Mage spread his hands. “There will be only one lady for you from now until her death, milord, and that will be the queen. Only she will be able to see you.”

“Tamara sees me!” Kaibyn disagreed.

“True, but only because I willed it,” Jabali told him.

“And the Lady Tamara belongs to Riel Evann-Sin,” Rabin was quick to point out.

Kaibyn growled at the reminder, his eyes flashing. “It is not in my nature to be true to one woman!”

“Though you swore it,” Jabali reminded. “For as long as the queen lived.”

Furious, Kaibyn disappeared in a rush of hot wind.

“Such an impetuous being,” Jabali said.

Rabin grinned but the happy look on his face slowly dissolved. “Will he have to spend eternity alone once Queen Lilabet leaves this world?”