User:NaraBluestar/In a Dark Place Part 2

Warning: Definite adult themes kicking in in Chapter Five.

Chapter Four

Hyara woke just before dawn with Galmak's arms still wrapped around her.

"Good morning," he said and kissed her.

She stretched and nuzzled him. "Don't tell me you didn't sleep."

He shook his head. "I only woke up a few hours ago so Gink could get a little rest. He said some Winterfall passed by in the night but barely glanced at us."

Winterfall, walking by only a few steps from where they had slept, oblivious. It made Hyara shudder, even though Galmak had warned her the day before of the possibility. Stop it, girl,  Gink growled from nearby, ever aware of his mistress's moods. ''You've got to stop pushing yourself to be afraid. ''

"Gink has the right of it," she said in a small voice.

"Hmm?" Galmak had his eyes closed and was relishing the feeling of holding her.

"Gink said I have to stop pushing myself to fear them. I... I feel that I should be afraid of them... being afraid might keep me from making another stupid mistake.  I don't know what could have happened if you hadn't found me.  I might have died... but it might have been worse than that." She fell silent.

"Hyara, what do you mean it might have been worse? I saw you, saw how bad it was.  That was a killing wound.  I don't know what you mean by something worse than dying."

She shuddered, remembering. "I don't understand exactly either. But I was tainted.  There was something going on inside me, something was..." She could barely bring herself to voice her fears but she continued, "...something was fighting me for control." Galmak felt a chill grip him. This sounded all too familiar to an orc who had grown up hearing the stories and warnings of his parents- parents who had firsthand experience of demonic corruption. As if mirroring his thoughts, Hyara said in a near-whisper, "All the things I heard as a child, everything that happened on Argus and Draenor..." There was a look of terror in her eyes. "I was being corrupted from the inside out. I'm not afraid of furbolgs, Galmak.  I'm afraid that my stupid overconfidence almost... almost had me joining the ranks of the man'ari eredar.  Furbolgs are just the reminder." To her surprise, voicing her fears had calmed her. Galmak was stunned. Surely she was overstating things? But maybe not. Only she knew what had been going on inside her as that wound gnawed away at her life. "Hyara, how can that be? How could that thing have been so evil that it could do that to you?"

She shook her head. "I have no idea." She looked at him and reached to brush her hand over his cheek. "Your people were not the only ones corrupted by the Burning Legion."

Galmak had nothing to say to that. His thoughts on that matter were too tied up in knots, and raised emotions he'd rather not deal with. Sometimes he felt deadly angry with his parents for passing knowledge of their guilt on to their son; then there were times when he was grateful he knew all he did because it was his heritage, all the horror of it, and if shouldering a small part of the burden could help atone, then so be it. And how did Hyara fit into all this? She was a draenei... she was one of the innocent who had suffered at the hands of the Legion. Galmak was too honest with himself not to wonder if he had begun traveling this road with her out of guilt. He choked on that thought and knew it couldn't be true. He loved her, he knew, even after so short a time. But how to deserve her? Why did she love him? Or did she love him.

"Whatever happened, it's passed now," he said gently. He recognized the irony of his words. "I won't let anything happen to you. I'll fight the entire Legion for you if I have to." Hyara smiled and wrapped her arms around him. "I love you," she whispered, and was instantly afraid of having her heart broken.

But she needn't have worried. Galmak growled and hugged her so tightly it left her breathless. "I love you too. And you have no idea how much I wanted to hear you say that."

Not to intrude... Palla's thought came delicately into his mind.

''But intrude you will. I know, it's time to get moving, '' he replied a little gruffly. Palla had made it abundantly clear since Hyara's days of recovery at the Glade that the wolf did not understand all this finicky maneuvering that seemed to accompany humanoids' relationships. She didn't understand it, but she respected it at least.

He released Hyara and started to speak, but she beat him to it. "Time to go," she sighed, and he smiled and nodded.

"We'll be in Everlook by early evening," he said. "But until then, I'll have my arms around you all I want."

She laughed and they started to pack up their little camp. Hyara suspected that she would always have a fondness for Winterspring and for this spot in particular.

"Master, I have some news which will please you."

"Oh?" He was distracted; this new succubus was better than most.

"One who meets your specifications has entered Winterspring."

He shoved the succubus roughly aside. "You are certain?"

The imp shrank from his master's sudden attention. "Y-yes, master... That is to say, I have been assured by those I sent out for the purpose of watching... th-they are certain. There is also a traveling companion who may prove useful."

The master appeared satisfied with this for now. Any who were wrong would of course pay with their lives. "Very well... See that they are brought here. Both alive and in good condition.  I'm sure I needn't tell you how very important that is.  I suggest you be absolutely certain those you send know that as well." The imp bowed and fled from his master's smoldering glare.



Everlook was smaller than Hyara had expected, and nearly deserted. A few goblin merchants could be seen going about their business, but the real life of the town took place inside out of the cold. The two hunters confirmed that there would be room in the stables for Gink and Palla, then headed for the warmth of the inn. On the way to Everlook they had discussed how they ought to behave once they reached the town and had come to the conclusion that it would depend solely on how many Horde and Alliance were around. The goblins wouldn't care if a draenei and an orc were travelling together; in fact, goblins were known for their discretion and could probably be counted on not to advertise it to either faction. The inn too was nearly deserted, but Hyara groaned to herself when she saw a male draenei, a vindicator from the looks of it, seated at a back table. He was reading something and didn't even glance up as they walked in. The innkeeper yawned. "Have a seat if you want something, kiddos. You'll both be wanting rooms?  Twenty-five silver extra for running water." "Yes, please," Hyara said, and Galmak nodded. Hyara chose a table as far as she could get from the other draenei and hoped that his book would keep him absorbed. Galmak sat down across from her after an uneasy look across the room.

"Oh, don't worry about it," Hyara said in a low voice. "He'll probably mind his business. And we can't hide from everybody all the time."

Galmak shrugged but kept the paladin in his line of sight. The innkeeper trundled over carrying two plates laden with food and plopped them down on the table. "Special'a the day. Sorry 'bout the lack of choice, but there aren't enough people through here lately for me to pull out the menus.  Rooms are thataway, first ones you come to." They thanked her and she disappeared back into the kitchen.

"He's finally decided to notice us," Galmak said. Hyara risked a glance and saw that the draenei appeared to be trying to stare Galmak down. As soon as he saw Hyara notice though, he smiled at her. Hyara groaned inwardly as the paladin rose and came over to their table.

"Hello," he said in draenei, and Hyara smiled as sincerely as she could. "Traveling with this orc? I don't blame you for wanting someone to travel with around here; Winterspring can be quite dangerous." He was clearly feigning nonchalance; Hyara could feel the tension sparking between the orc and the paladin. Galmak had half-risen from his seat. "I am traveling with him. He's proved to be a decent guide, as he promised.  I'm Hyara, by the way," she said smoothly and extended her hand, turning her body so that she was squarely between the two men. The paladin stopped glaring at Galmak and took her hand to shake. "I'm Dalthus," he said, bowing slightly. He chuckled and said, "If you're interested in having a guide you can understand better, I could take over the task myself. I was planning on leaving Winterspring tomorrow, but for you I wouldn't mind staying."

Hyara smiled and looked up at him through her eyelashes. "Oh no, Dalthus, I wouldn't dream of making you change your plans just for me. I will be absolutely fine on my own.  Besides," she added with a dismissive wave, "I'm told I speak orcish like a native." She turned back to her plate. Dalthus's face fell, and Galmak hid a grin as the draenei walked back to his table dejectedly. Galmak could almost feel sorry for him; whatever Hyara had said had stopped him cold. Hyara made a face as she turned back to Galmak. "Was I rude? I hate being rude... He's probably a nice guy, despite... er, coming on a little strong." She sighed. "We can't rebuff everyone who tries to talk to us. Galmak, how is this going to work?" she said in distress. He gave her hand a squeeze and shrugged. "I don't know how it's going to work. We'll just have to play it as we go along."

"Alright you two, no bedroom eyes out here," the innkeeper said, bustling over and clearing away the plates. Hyara jumped and blushed dark blue and Galmak instantly dropped her hand and became very interested in the tabletop. The innkeeper raised an eyebrow. "Ahh, so that's how it is..." She nudged Galmak with an elbow. "Aight, if you're trying ta play it close to your chest, I won't give ya away. Eh... so it is two rooms you want still?"

"Two rooms are fine," Galmak growled firmly.

"Okay then. But you two could be in for some trouble, ya know." "As if we didn't know," Hyara muttered as the innkeeper walked off, clucking to herself and shaking her head. Hyara gave Galmak a furtive glance, then lowered her eyes to her lap.

Galmak was looking at her quizzically. "What's wrong? Don't... uh, don't worry about her.  She's just making talk." He gestured toward the innkeeper.

"It's nothing. Nothing's wrong," Hyara replied and rose abruptly. Galmak followed her, sensing trouble. "Hyara, tell me." They reached his room and he held the door open. "Please... will you talk?" She shrugged and walked over to one of the round windows inside the room. Night had fully fallen by now and the pale domed buildings of the tiny goblin town glowed ghostly with reflected light from the snow that lay on every surface not cleared for walking.

As Galmak closed the door Hyara rounded on him. "We are in for trouble, just like she said."

The orc sighed, but partially with relief. He hadn't done anything wrong then. "I don't care," he said. That was pretty much how he felt, consequences be damned. He'd worry about complications as they came up. Hyara laughed incredulously. "You really don't. I don't either.  Light, this is wonderful," she whispered. He closed the distance between them in an instant and all Hyara could care about was how good his lips felt pressed against hers. Her hands moved over his body, searching for gaps in his armor where she could feel the warmth of his skin and the strength in his muscles. Galmak's hands moved over her too, sliding along her sides and then coming to rest on her butt. He gave it a firm squeeze and then wrapped a huge hand around her tail and gave it a gentle tug. She wanted more from him and she moaned with longing.

Abruptly he broke away, and Hyara was horrified to see shame on his face. "What? Galmak, what?"

He felt terrible and knelt in front of her as she sank down to sit on the bed. "Hyara... I'm so sorry. It's nothing you've done." How to explain without hurting her? That was the last thing he wanted; the reason for his reticence. "I... I'm afraid of hurting you."

"Why? We just talked about that... I don't care what kind of problems we run into.  Galmak, I meant it when I said I love you.  But if you didn't mean it-"  There were tears rolling down her cheeks now. Why would he suddenly do this to her?

Galmak shook his head and looked down at his hands. "That's not it at all, I do love you." He took a deep breath. "Hyara, you seem so young... so inexperienced. I want you to be sure..." He floundered in embarrassment. "I want you to be sure before... uh, before we do anything. I just don't want you to regret it." He finally convinced himself to stop examining his hands and looked up to her face.

Hyara's mouth had opened in shock once she realized where Galmak was going with this. He thought she was inexperienced? Well, she was...in a way... but that was beside the point. He could tell. What other "inadequacies" had he found? Or would he find? She was terribly embarrassed, and although she knew it was ridiculous, she was also hurt. He was only looking out for her. He loved her. And yet there it was: she was hurt. She wiped her eyes and stared straight ahead.

"Since you want to know," Hyara said in a flat voice, "I'm not completely 'inexperienced,' as you put it. He was a friend from childhood and we met again during our training in Exodar.  It was a mistake, years ago.  I haven't seen him since." She rose.

Galmak was horrified at how badly his concern had backfired. "I- I didn't want to know, that's not what I meant." He slapped a palm to his forehead. "Hyara, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you, I really didn't want it like this. I love you, I don't want to hurt you," he said desperately. "It's alright," she said woodenly and stepped into the hallway. "Good night, Galmak." He heard her door close down the short hallway.

Galmak paced for a moment, not knowing what to do and cursing himself for a bumbling fool. Finally he strode out and knocked loudly on her door. "Hyara. Let me in, we have to talk." No answer. "Hyara, please? I'm so sorry, you have no idea..." He turned the doorknob and pushed inside, determined to set right this mess he'd made.

Galmak stopped short in shock. Hyara was slumped on the floor next to the bed, her eyes closed. The room's single window stood open and snow whirled around her motionless body, stirring her hair. Galmak sprang into the room, but a movement behind the door caught his eye; he turned, but not fast enough. He had time to catch a glimpse of a felguard's twisted, ugly face before his head rung from a vicious blow and he crumpled to the floor.

Chapter Five

Hyara awoke to a spinning vertigo and frigid air rushing over her face. She looked down and the breath left her; the white-capped trees and hills of Winterspring sped by hundreds of feet below. She took a deep, calming breath and looked up to see her captor. It was a gargoyle, its talons digging into her arms.

''Hyara? Hyara, what's going on? ''

''Gink! I don't know... I didn't see anything, I walked into my room and something hit me... ''

''I got there too late to see anything either. Palla and I are trying to keep up but we're losing ground fast. You're going south... '' Even as he said this the thought wavered and lost strength, as if traveling from a great distance.

Gink! She called desperately, but she could no longer reach him. Hyara craned her neck to look to the left and saw the pale form of another gargoyle carrying a dark bulk.

"Galmak!" She yelled as loudly as she could, the wind whipping her voice away. But he heard her and shouted back. Hyara instinctively wanted to struggle, but she knew that a fall from this height would kill her. They flew on in the rushing wind for what seemed like hours until below them the ground began to change. The faceless white blanket of snow fell away into a yawning chasm, the bottom of which was lost in the haze of swirling snow and the dark of the night. Hyara glimpsed movement near the edge of the chasm and a strangled cry escaped her; muted moonlight gleamed off the enormous crystalline back of a rock giant. Then suddenly they had left the chasm behind and there were no more trees beneath them. The terrain was rocky with cliffs closing in on the sides, and Hyara thought she could make out black smoke rising in places. Now she could see pools of fel-tainted water lying stagnant between tumbled boulders and blackened craters. She shuddered in horror as she realized that the land was crawling with demons; she could sense them below her. Out of the darkness and smoke a fortress loomed in front of them, blackened and pitted stone walls rising out of the top of one of the cliffs. With their destination in sight the gargoyles picked up speed and Hyara screamed as the walls rushed to meet them, thinking the things meant to dash them against the stone. But the monsters dived abruptly and they were rushing through a pitch-black tunnel into the wall of the fortress. Another dive into a narrow shaft sent Hyara's stomach into her throat. Now she could see a red glow of firelight at the bottom of the shaft. Suddenly they burst into the full glare of a large hall, the gargoyle at last released its grip, and Hyara fell a few yards to the stone floor. Galmak landed with a grunt next to her. The gargoyles cackled and shot back up through the shaft in the ceiling.

Hyara was breathing heavily in shock and fear, and she crawled shakily over to Galmak as he struggled to his feet. He helped her up and ran his hands down her arms in concern as if checking for broken bones. She winced as he touched her head.

"I'm alright. Something hit me and knocked me out," she said.

"It was a felguard," he said grimly. "One got me too. Hyara... I don't know what's going on here, so I want to say this now.  I'm sorry.  Can you forgive me for earlier?"

"I'm sorry too. Of course I forgive you." They squeezed hands tightly and didn't let go; a small misunderstanding meant nothing now.

They surveyed the room they had been dropped in. All around them was grey-brown stone: walls, ceiling, and floor divided into massive blocks. Torches flickered in brackets lining the walls. There was a wide fireplace at the opposite end of the room where a fire roared and sent red light and shadows skittering to all corners of the hall. Several yards in front of the fireplace sat an enormous black iron throne. The metal was twisted and cruelly sharp, and it cast ugly shadows that leapt wildly in the flickering firelight. All was silent except for the roar of the fire. As the pair turned to the back of the room they saw heavy double doors set in the back wall opposite the fireplace, the wood banded with the same black iron of the throne. Hyara gripped the cold metal knobs and pulled with all her strength, but the doors were locked.

"Do you have any idea where we are? Gink said we were traveling south, but they couldn't keep up," she whispered and moved close to Galmak's side.

He grasped her hand again and continued surveying the room. "That's about all Palla could tell me too. I wasn't out very long, but they moved fast getting us away from Everlook.  Palla and Gink knew we were... uh, arguing, so they kept their distance.  By the time they realized something was actually wrong it was too late."

A strangely familiar gibbering came suddenly from behind them and they whirled. An imp sat in the shadows of a corner at the back of the hall, its fel eyes glowing malevolently.

"Where are we and why are we here?" Hyara demanded in what she hoped was a firm, steady voice. The imp cackled madly and flipped backward in response.

"Who is your master?" Galmak growled.

The sound of footsteps carried hollowly from the other end of the hall. Hyara and Galmak turned together away from the imp, and from this vantage point they could see a black doorway hidden near the fireplace where the throne had blocked it from view. Hyara felt a paralyzing chill grip her and turn her breathing ragged. She recognized what Galmak had not yet- it wasn't footsteps approaching from the hall beyond that doorway; that was the sound of hooves on stone.

"Galmak," she whispered. All the terrifying stories of her childhood were flooding back into her mind. "Th-that's... it's..."

A huge shape paused briefly in the doorway, studying them with piercing fel-green eyes. Hyara heard Galmak's intake of breath and the orc gripped her hand more tightly as the eredar strode into the hall and sat on the massive throne. Silence filled the hall once again. Hyara realized her mouth and eyes were wide in terror and she tried to force herself to calm. The reality of an eredar was more than the image she'd seen so many times in Exodar had prepared her for. In many particulars he was not much different from a draenei male: high, ridged forehead; thick facial tendrils, muscular tail, hooves. But there was no mistaking him for a draenei, even at a distance. He was at least two heads taller than Hyara, and his skin was a strange dusty blue, the color of a stormy sky. His broad chest was decorated with faint runic tracings, and wide gold bands ornamented his biceps, wrists, tail and tendrils. Other than the gold bands, he wore only a short mail kilt which also bore runes. The eredar locked his eyes with Hyara's and she found she couldn't look away.

"Tell me your name." His voice rumbled deeply and seemed to fill her ears, blocking all other sound. Hyara remained silent more out of terror than a desire to disobey, and suddenly she was gasping on all fours on the stone floor as pain ripped through her body.

"I asked for your name," the eredar said.

"Hyara," she choked, and the pain subsided. Galmak's hands were shaking as he helped her up, but there was deep anger in his eyes. The orc stepped forward, putting himself between Hyara and the eredar.

"My name is Galmak," he said, and Hyara admired the steadiness of his voice. "And if you hurt her again-" But he couldn't finish; he too fell to the floor writhing in pain.

The eredar glanced at Galmak coldly, as if at an animal that shouldn't have been allowed inside. "You were not told to speak." The monster's face twisted into a frown as Hyara dropped to the floor at Galmak's side and tried desperately to comfort him in some way to ease the pain.

"Stop! Stop hurting him!" she screamed, but the eredar didn't release Galmak. In a desperate rage Hyara sprang to her hooves and flew at the monster, but as she approached he reached out and wrapped a huge, powerful fist around her neck. Behind her, Galmak's torture ceased and he staggered to his feet. Hyara stood motionless. The eredar held her firmly but without choking her, his luminous eyes boring into hers.

"What is this orc to you? You give yourself to a beast?" He flung her roughly to the floor and stood. "Nevertheless. Perhaps you are wondering why you are here." His mouth twisted into a cruel smile. "I am Sarzuun. I have been in this place many years at the behest of the Legion, keeping a close eye on the petty activities of the new Horde and the Alliance.  I have many demons under my command... and many succubae who will do everything I wish.  But I grow tired of them.  Lately I have desired a woman of my former kind, and I sent out minions into Winterspring to watch."

Hyara felt horror and revulsion rising within her. Next to her Galmak was seething, his fists clenching and unclenching.

"You won't touch her," the orc rumbled menacingly.

"And you, orc." The eredar turned his eyes to Galmak. "You may be useful to me. There is no need to waste your miserable life.  Your kind can perform well as minions once you have been properly... conditioned."

Hyara's eyes darted around the hall, and she prayed that somehow they'd missed a way to escape. Surely this couldn't be happening. What this monster wanted from her didn't bear thinking of, and what he would do to Galmak... He was only here because he'd been with her. There might be no way out for herself, but she couldn't let this happen to Galmak. Hyara summoned all the calm she could muster and met Sarzuun's eyes.

"You have me," she said. "I'm what you set out to find. But this orc is irrelevant; it will cost you nothing to let him go." Now her voice shook, but she had to continue. "I'll do everything you want without complaint if you'll let him go safely."

Galmak growled in anger and started to speak, but the eredar's laughter reverberated throughout the hall and drowned him out. "Foolish girl. I will use you, yes, and I care nothing for any 'complaints' you wish to issue, or not.  But perhaps I might eventually find you worthy of a higher destiny." He leaned forward and gazed at her intently. "Your kind, even you 'draenei' as you call yourselves, have it in you to become great masters of the Legion. Perhaps if you survive my... tests... I will make you man'ari.  It may be true that I lose nothing by turning out this beast-" He glanced disgustedly at Galmak. "-but I also lose nothing by keeping him. He will stay.  If I see potential in him, he will live."

He would make her man'ari. The very thing Hyara had dreaded was happening to her in Felwood. She clutched at Galmak and felt despair settling over her.

"Hyara," he whispered. "I love you." She looked into his eyes and saw his helplessness and frustration. He pulled her close and they clung to each other, for one last moment ignoring their danger and oblivious to the angry spark that had kindled in the eredar's cold eyes as he watched them.

Sarzuun didn't look away from the pair, but rose slowly to his hooves and made a gesture in the air. Several felguards appeared in the darkened doorway near the fireplace; they were dragging something noisily behind them. Galmak turned to look but Hyara buried her face in his broad shoulder and let her tears come. They would be separated and she wouldn't see him again. She would never let this monster make her a man'ari eredar, and that left her with only one path: she would have to die. No matter what, Sarzuun could not find her "worthy." And what of Galmak? Hyara couldn't believe that the orc would allow himself to be corrupted into a servant of the Legion. But it was his own path to follow, and for now she wanted only to be with him for a few more precious seconds.

Hyara's tears fueled Galmak's rage and frustration. He had to do something. He couldn't let this happen to her. His hand inched closer to the axe he carried at his belt, which no one had bothered to confiscate since they arrived here. He knew it would be a desperate and stupid move to try to attack the eredar, but he was ready to take his chances on any slim hope. He had closed his hand on his axe when Sarzuun suddenly strode forward faster than Galmak could react and dealt the orc a ringing blow to the side of his head, sending him reeling. Hyara screamed, and this time she threw herself at the eredar and managed to land a punch to his stomach. Sarzuun didn't react at all. He stood for a few seconds staring at Galmak as the orc struggled to regain his composure, then casually caught Hyara by the hair as she flew at him again.

"Cage him," the eredar said coldly. Felguards closed in and pulled Galmak to his feet, then dragged him to the iron cage they had set against the right wall of the hall. Hyara struggled futilely in Sarzuun's grasp, then kicked a sharp hoof at his leg. The demon roared at the unexpected pain and threw her hard to the floor. Across the room there was a resounding crash as the felguards slammed the cage door. Hyara looked up from where she landed to see Sarzuun staring at her with rage and lust blazing in his eyes. He knelt down and grabbed her by the hair, forcing her face close to his.

"You care for this animal? And he cares for you?" Sarzuun growled.

"You are the animal," Hyara spat.

The eredar laughed softly. "You'll find out, wench." He pressed his lips hard against Hyara's and forced her down against the cold stone floor. His massive body crushed the breath from her and she struggled beneath him. This only seemed to fuel Sarzuun's lust and he fumbled at her armor, ripping mail and leather alike when he couldn't unfasten it easily. Hyara screamed and thrashed, doing whatever she could to hamper him. Across the room she heard Galmak roaring in rage and a corner of her mind dimly noted that he was cursing like a goblin dockhand. The armor cut and bruised her as the eredar ripped it roughly and she shook with terror. Could this really be happening? How had she come to this... lying naked and terrified before a master of the Legion. Sarzuun forced her legs apart and Hyara wanted to squeeze her eyes shut and fall into sweet, dark oblivion, but darkness wouldn't come. She turned her head, and her eyes met Galmak's across the room. Even through her terror and pain she was surprised to see tears running down his face. A ferocious, tough orc crying for her. Somehow the thought was wonderful and comforting, and Hyara found he'd given her the courage to smile. She stretched out her hand toward Galmak and he reached to her as far as the bars of his cage would allow.

Sarzuun was bigger than Hyara could have imagined, and he wasn’t gentle. At first she tried to shrink away from him but before long he had exhausted her and all she could do was lie limply as he used her. At last he could go no longer, and with a roar he spent himself inside her. Hyara delved into her earliest training and cast a weak but soothing heal on herself, her Gift of the Naaru. And now, too late to spare her the memory of what had just happened, she found her mind drifting away into darkness.



"Oooh, she looks a mess." Laughter.

"I warned him he couldn't use a mortal the way he does us; it'll be his own disappointment if he kills her so quickly. Clean her up, girls, he wants her again soon."

Soft cloths touching her, hands turning her, pain. Hyara groaned and there was more giggling. "Hurts, doesn't it?" someone said.

There was the sound of a whip cracking. "Just finish. She's his toy, not ours, more's the pity."

Hyara's eyes slit open and her fears were confirmed. A small huddle of succubae stood around her, horned heads tossing haughtily as they whispered to each other. Hyara tried to sit up and found that the pain was much less. One of the demonesses stepped forward and cupped Hyara's face in her palm, turning the hunter's head to one side to examine her.

"I am Raizha," the demoness said. She turned Hyara's face back toward her and narrowed her eyes. "I expect you'll rarely see me, but if I instruct you to do something you will obey. Sarzuun is your master, as he is mine.  And these others’, of course." She gestured impatiently to the other succubae. "Now that you look more to his taste you will live in his own rooms."

Hyara looked down at herself and realized that not only had the succubae healed most of her wounds, they had also put her in a clinging, filmy blue dress. To her embarrassment and disgust, it was translucent and left very little to the imagination.

"Up," Raizha snapped. Hyara glared levelly into the demoness's eyes and got slowly to her hooves.

Hyara's terror had lessened somewhat and now she felt anger stirring. Raizha motioned for her to follow and Hyara ventured a look around the large room, despite the curious stares of the many succubae. Here very little of the dull stone was visible. Hangings of all descriptions and colors covered the walls, and thick rugs muffled the sound of hooves. Hyara could see nest-like piles of pillows along the walls with succubae peering hostilely over the tops. Her skin crawled; this was a room full to bursting with demons. Raizha turned a gold key in the lock of a small door and motioned Hyara through. "The master's chamber," said the demoness. Hyara entered, but turned back to Raizha.

"Where is the orc I was brought here with?" Inwardly the hunter quailed at the answer she might get.

Raizha looked for the barest instant puzzled, but then her beautiful face resumed its cold mask. "I know nothing of any orc," she responded, and with a flip of her dark hair stepped back through the doorway into the harem. She started to close the door but stopped and glanced once more at Hyara. "Your face betrays you. You would do well never to say a word of this orc to Sarzuun.  He is a jealous man." With a click of the key in the lock, Hyara was alone.

The hunter turned to take in her new surroundings. The "master's chamber" was in sharp contrast to the room she had just left; here there were no hangings or rugs to relieve the stark, cold stone walls and floor. As with the other rooms she had seen in the fortress there were no windows, but despite that, faint air currents stirred her flimsy dress and sent chilling caresses down her spine. Another huge fireplace occupied the center of one wall, its orange glow casting the only light in the room and reminding Hyara horribly of the throne hall. But the center of the room, and the worst part of it all, was the bed. It was enormous and rose almost to her waist, with tall posts of thick, black wood that gleamed sharply and reflected the firelight. Blankets draped it, pillows had been tossed desultorily across its wide surface. When Hyara walked to the far side, she found a set of small, wooden steps placed against the bed. They were clearly not intended for Sarzuun. The bed of a Legion demon,  she thought, and felt sick. There was no other furniture in the room. Hyara could sit on the bed or she could sit on the floor.

She stole away to the corner farthest from the door and settled her back against the wall. Shadows danced and she seemed to hear again the mocking laughter of the imp. Was Galmak still in the cage? Had Sarzuun stayed to torment him after he had finished with her? Galmak might be dead even now. The stone floor seemed to have drunk the warmth from her, but Hyara didn't know if she was shaking from the cold or from her sobs. She almost didn't notice when the lock clicked in the door not from the harem, but from the outside. She stifled her sobs as Sarzuun strode into the room. He saw her on the floor immediately and came to stand in front of her.

"Foolish little bitch, you'll make yourself sick." He pulled her to her hooves and took her face in his hands, forcing her to look up at him. He wiped the tears gently from her cheeks, but his fel eyes glowed without a trace of sympathy. Then he stepped back and seemed to caress Hyara head to toe with his eyes. "It looks as though they cleaned you up well," the demon said with a small smile. He pulled her against him and kissed her slowly and deeply, but Hyara pushed at him. She stifled the urge to bite his lip, though; to taste the blood of a demon was to take a terrible risk of corruption, she had been told. As before, her struggles had no effect and he only laughed at her helplessness. She wondered if he could be distracted, or perhaps she could anger him enough that he would kill her outright and release her from this nightmare.

Sarzuun's breath came hot across her face and he bit her ear hard enough that she yelped at the sudden pain. Hyara went limp in his arms. Sarzuun was unprepared for her abrupt shift in posture, and she tumbled to the floor. Quick as a cat, she rolled to the side and kicked with all her strength at the back of his leg, collapsing his knee. The demon fell to the floor, but leapt back up faster than Hyara would have believed his bulk would allow. She had achieved her aim, though; Sarzuun's face was twisted with rage. Hyara stood and faced him as fearlessly as she could. ''Oh Light, I'm ready to die. Please let me be ready. '' He glared at her, his chest heaving with anger, muscular tail lashing. She returned his baleful gaze.

"You disgust me," she said softly. "What do you do here? You send your slaves out to watch.  And for what... to find you a victim, a toy.  Is that why the Legion put you here?  To fulfill your desire for amusement?"

For a moment Hyara thought she had succeeded. But then Sarzuun spoke. Though his face was angry his voice was calm and cold as steel.

"You are clever, Hyara. For some reason you wish to die, and you would goad me into killing you."

She realized she'd been holding her breath and let it out.

He continued. "In answer to your question... I suspect you already know why I am here, even if you won't allow yourself to think about it. Where did you get that scar, Hyara?  It's odd... different from other scars, don't you think?" He ran his fingers lightly down her side and her hands jumped involuntarily to cover it. "So you see... I almost claimed you even before I knew you existed. Perhaps my creatures will have more success with others."

She glared up at him. "That one never will."

He laughed and the anger drained from his face, but now Hyara saw lust rising once more. She felt weariness now along with her despair; how long could she endure this? Struggling against his cycles of brutality and lust, wondering if he would grow tired of her or turn her man'ari… Suddenly there was no defiance left in her and she sunk to the floor, choosing simply to ignore him until he forced himself on her.

But Sarzuun had already devised another way to torture her. "This is new to me, your determined non-compliance with my wishes. Hyara, do you know how long it has been since a woman would not do exactly as I wished?  Thousands of years.  Whether out of fear or a desire to please me, all the women I choose are pliant." He stepped nearer, pulled her up from the floor, and began caressing her through the thin fabric of her dress. "Your resistance is... exciting. But I think now I would like a taste of you as if you were willing... as if you desired nothing more than to be with me."

Hyara didn't have more than a few seconds to fear what he meant; it was as if a warm, heavy wind had suddenly blown straight into her head and begun wrapping her brain in fog. She shook her head as if to clear it but then found that she couldn't move. She stared up at Sarzuun with panicked eyes, and he smiled almost tenderly. But then slowly the panic drained away and left her with a dullness, as if a wet blanket had been thrown over her mind and was stifling all her higher thought processes. Somewhere in a corner of her head a pathetic, scared little thing was screaming at her, but she couldn't understand why.

Sarzuun kissed her, and it seemed only natural to kiss him back. Her body heated under his caressing hands and she moaned softly. He picked her up and carried her to the bed where he helped her wriggle out of her filmy dress. His runed kilt soon followed it to the floor.

"You're beautiful, Hyara," he whispered, his voice gentle as a dagger point dragged lightly across skin.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her, gasping as his lips found her nipples and his hands stroked her tail. The pathetic creature in her mind was begging tearfully now, but the dull heaviness that wrapped her brain could concentrate only on the pleasure she felt. She heard Sarzuun give a short, mirthless laugh and idly she wondered at it. But the thought was pushed from her mind as she felt a sudden desire, a need, to pleasure him with her mouth. He lay back on the bed and eagerly she darted her tongue out to lick his massive manhood. He growled low in his throat as she took him into her mouth.

Hyara was responsive to his direction and soon she had him tearing at the bedcovers, fighting to maintain his composure. Sarzuun gave a great roar, and in one motion he pushed her off him and rolled her onto her back. She screamed as he plunged into her, wrapped in bliss even as she felt the pain of her body stretching to accommodate his thick manhood. He was not much gentler than the first time he had taken her, but Hyara's enslaved mind comprehended only lust as her body finally stiffened, then shuddered in ecstasy. She let out a lingering scream that died into a low moan and mingled with Sarzuun's own howl of pleasure. He kissed her slowly, then rolled off her and gazed into her eyes. Hyara's mind suddenly seemed to wash clean; the hot, oppressive fog slithered out of her head and the anguished creature leapt from its corner to take full control of her mind once more. Her mouth fell open in horror and she stared dumbly at Sarzuun next to her on the bed. He smiled mockingly. Without a word he dressed and walked to the door. He turned back once more to look at her, but only her horns were visible poking from the blanket wrapped around her small form. The iron key turned in the lock and Hyara was alone once more.

Silence fell on the room now. She wished silence would fall in her mind. The anguish and humiliation of knowing what she'd done roiled blackly inside her. One minute she wished herself dead and the next she wanted nothing more dearly than to watch Sarzuun die in exquisite agony. Through her tears Hyara gathered up a few blankets and pillows and dragged them to her chosen corner where she arranged them nest-like. Just like them,  she thought. ''I may as well be one of them. I'm his slave now. ''

There was the creak of a door from the other side of the room, but this time it was the door to the harem. Hooves clacked across stone and Raizha's voice called her. Hyara burrowed deeper under the blankets.

The demoness snorted delicately. "If one of my girls acted like this, she'd get a fine whipping. But I see now that you are still alive; I will leave you to your misery." With a swish of her wings she turned to leave. "If you care to know, your orc is still alive also."

Hyara's tears came again, but they were tears of relief and longing.

 Continued in User:NaraBluestar/In a Dark Place Part 3