The Dark Edge Chronicles - Clan War

Dark Edge Op

Lash, however, wasn't about to let himself think about not finding Amylia. Quite the opposite. Not only was he going to find the lost Ventru lilith, he was going to find all the other liliths that were either captured at Blutholt, or are sitting in cages in the slave market from other parts of the continent, waiting to be sold. He would find them and get them all to safety!

Why? Because it was what he did.

He was skimming the edge of unconsciousness when there was a light tap on the door to his berth. Expecting it was from one of the three queens currently fighting for time and attention, he raised his voice to say:

"Come!"

The door quickly opened and, for a brief moment, the outline of a vampiress was visible against the dim lights of the passenger bay, the majority of their company also taking his advice seriously and getting sleep wherever they could find a space to lie down. Then whoever it was, was inside and the panel closed behind her.

"I hope you'll be satisfied with some cuddle time only," he said tiredly, rolling away from the panel onto his side. "I would like to be as sharp as possible when we insert into Esbjerg."

Then his visitor was molding her body against him.

"That's okay by me," Ellie said in a low, throaty voice. "I'm just happy to be in the same space as you."

"Ell?" Both of Lash's eyes opened as her arm slipped around his torso. "Your courage knows no bounds. Your big sisters won't be happy to find you taking time and space they think rightly belongs to them."

"They need to heed their own laws," Ellie quickly fired back with not a little tart in her voice. "They should've released you as soon as their season was over. Not cling to you like some parasite." And as she said that, she snuggled even closer, putting her cheek against the back of his neck.

Lash grunted. He really didn't want to get into a discussion of what they should be doing according to the laws and protocols of the Conclave. Although, ironically, if he had just stuck to his own desire to stick to the law, they wouldn't be having this discussion. Then again, he wouldn't have a runaway breeder snuggled up against his back, either.

"I hope that's not resentment in your voice," he said. "If I didn't ignore the laws, you wouldn't be here either."

Ellie's other arm slithered beneath him then she was crushing herself against his back, her arms holding her tightly in place.

"I know," she said in a muffled voice, her face buried between his shoulders. "I can't even begin to thank you for letting me have just a sliver of a normal life. To truly be the Ventru huntress that I was raised to be. I just hope and pray to the Dark Father that it won't be trouble for you."

Lash couldn't help the dry laugh that made it out of him at that.

"Ell, I am the scion of the most powerful House in an ancient clan that a good amount of power in the Council is doing its best to wipe from the face of the planet. I drink trouble and eat misfortune. There is nothing in their laws that I fear," he broadly declared. Then he put a hand over the one of hers that was in the center of his chest.

"I fear more for you than I do, me." he said. "That's why I brought you with us. I remembered our childhood spent together, running through the trees laughing, playing our childish games that meant both nothing and everything. Like Narya, you were the sister Ingrid was never allowed by my father to be." He hesitated slightly. "I couldn't just stand idly by and let your fate consume the rest of your soul!"

He then felt wetness touch his neck as she kissed his skin, the tears in her eyes flowing freely.

"Sorry," she whispered against his skin. "My hormones make me into such a mess."

"Never be sorry for who you are, Ell," Lash quickly replied. "You know, it's normal for females in every other race of Humanity to be emotional. Males, too."

"What? Are you saying I'm no better than a human?" Ellie quickly fired back with a snuffle, her mock anger putting a smile on Lash's face.

"You, little sister, are far better than any human," he assured her. "Better than even me!"

"Ingamon Lash, the Wolf of Frankfurt?" she said with a hint of a giggle. "What did Narya call you before the operation? The Vampire God of the Ventru?? Who would've guessed that the little boy that learned to tie his shoes right beside me, would become such a dark force of nature and mayhem! I doubt there's ever been a vampire to exist, that is better than you!"

"Careful now," he rumbled. "You're going to make me blush, and we can't have that. I have a reputation to protect."

That elicited a full giggle as Ellie hugged him fiercely. Then she eased back from him.

"I know this is weird but I'm not really good at cuddling," she confessed. Lash almost nodded in understanding.

Breeders weren't wives or queens. Without being disrespectful to the sacred task they were burdened with, they were treated little better than brood mares, a healthy and fertile womb used by the powerful males of his people to perpetuate their Houses when their own wives could not. That interaction would be as minimal as possible, whether through intercourse or artificial insemination, to keep the emotional weight from being too great for each little sister to bear.

It was traumatic enough to constantly bear other people's babies, constantly saying goodbye to the children they carried for ten months inside them. And only given just enough time to heal before doing it all over again. They had no opportunity to bond with their children, or the men that put them into her womb. Just the mistresses of the creche and her fellow breeders. He could only imagine how lonely an existence it was.

"Don't look at me, killer," he said. "I put bullets into other people. I know nothing about cuddling."

That pulled another giggle out of the vampire woman pressed against his back.

"Okay, I'll give you that," she said. "Can we try something, though? I feel a little uncomfortable against your back. I have a couple things you don't that kind of get in the way. Can we try the other way? With you against my back?"

"We can," Lash said and Ellie pulled back to roll onto her other side while he did the same. "Just to warn you, though. I am significantly larger than you. It won't be a cuddle. More like a bear mauling!"

"Sounds perfect!" Ellie whispered with a happy sigh as, between her pushing back into him, and Lash folding himself around her, she found herself a very satisfied little spoon to his big spoon. Looping her hands in and around his big arms, she gave a wiggle to settle in place.

"Better?" he rumbled. Kissing his forearm lightly, she nodded.

"Much," she said.

"Good. Now try not to wiggle so much. I wouldn't mind an hour of sleep or so before this all goes down and I don't need you distracting me with your shapely backside!"

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