Ghosts of Korath Read online

  “We should always give thanks to those who die for our survival,” Tora lectures me. “For it is their sacrifice that allows us to live.”

  “You’re right,” I say, remembering how my uncle, a hunter who lives in Colorado, would take me hunting in the woods. He always gave his kills reverence after he found their bodies, giving the act a spiritual feel. Looking her in the eye, I say, “Thank you.”

  I draw the dagger from my belt and begin to scale the fish, remembering how a certain British chef had done it on YouTube. The blade cuts smoothly, and a thick filet of pink meat, much like salmon, appears.

  Not bad.

  I glance up at the women, excited to announce that we’re going to have fish for dinner, but they look so peaceful, that I decide to leave them alone.

  “Why don’t you join them?” Tora asks me.

  I turn to face the young beauty, her eyes filled with wonder. “Maybe in a bit. I think I still need to be ready just in case something happens.”

  “Hm,” she says thoughtfully, but I can see the hint of a frown on her beautiful face, a sign of disappointment that catches me off guard.

  “But I’ll tell you what.” I stand to my feet and begin unlocking the latches of my armor. “I think I can at least get down to my body suit.”

  Her eyes alight with interest as I begin to remove the entirety of my armor. Even with my body suit, a thick rubber coating that protects my body from certain elements, I can still feel the relief of the open air against my skin, and it’s quite rewarding.

  I catch Tora’s small mouth forming an O as she studies my form, the muscles along my legs, my lean waist and broad shoulders and thick arms—the rewards of training with the greatest warriors in the galaxy. It gives me great satisfaction to see one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen be as taken with me as I’m with her.

  “There,” I say, sitting down again. “That’s much better.”

  “Agreed,” Tora says absently.

  I look at her in confusion, and she turns away, her face a shade of deep red.

  “So,” I begin, “How do you know these tunnels so well?”

  She clears her throat, shoving aside her embarrassment. “As children, my sister and I—“

  “Galail?”

  “Yes,” she says, a smile touching her lips as her eyes glaze over. “We’d go with the other children, venturing as close as we could to the entrance of the mountain, where we’d dare each other to go farther. No one ever did, though. For the stories of the ghosts were legendary.”

  “Except for you?” I say.

  She smiles. “Galail would come, of course. I never went anywhere without the sound of her tiny feet behind me.”

  “You weren’t scared?”

  Her face draws slack as she reflects on her memories. “Strangely, no. Fear has never been a problem for me. People thought I was crazy, or that something was wrong with me. What it was exactly that made me who I am I couldn’t say. Only that I feel at home in these tunnels.”

  “You mean, safe?”

  “No,” she says. “I never feel safe. The world is a horrible place, even more so now that Zendal has once again opened the Dark Horizon. But for now I’m free and I’ll do my best to make a change, to help those who need it and, hopefully, free my sister in the process.”

  I nod in admiration. The young woman is determined to live her life even after all this. That type of resilience is rarely found amongst those who’ve suffered as much as she has.

  We turn as the sound of giggling comes from the lake, and I see Zorel and Chun Hei teaming up to dunk Petronelous under water. They fail miserably as the redhead shoves them away, basking in her victory as she playfully flexes her muscles, laughing. Atia hovers in the water by herself, unable to hide the smile on her lips.

  “Who are they to you?” Tora asks.

  I look to find the brunette staring at me through narrowed eyes.

  “Friends,” I say proudly. “People who’ve helped me when I needed them most.”

  Tora looks back at the lake, her gaze shifting between each of the warrior beauties. “They’re gorgeous,” she remarks in a hollow voice as if she believes their beauty is greater than hers.

  “They’re okay, I guess. But you’re just as beautiful.”

  Her face flushes from the compliment, and she looks away, trying to hide the smile that’s stretching across her face.

  “Are you okay?” I ask.

  She nods. “I was just thinking.”

  “About what?”

  She shrugs. “The bonds between loved ones are important. You must never take them for granted.”

  “You’re thinking about your sister.”

  “I miss her.”

  I glance at my friends, frightened by the prospect of one day losing them. “I’d hate to think about what I would feel if something happened to one of them.”

  “One never knows when those closest to us will be taken away,” she adds.

  I say nothing, remembering the touch of my mother’s hand before she died in the hospital, the look on Rachel’s face before she leaped into the void to save my life. All of it comes back in a painful rush, and I have to do my best to force it from my mind.

  “Yeah,” I say. “I guess we’ve all experienced our share of heartache.”

  “Then you know what I’m talking about,” she says. “You can’t take things for granted. You must harden your heart for the inevitability that you could lose them.”

  I look down at my wrist, feeling the weight of her hand. It looks so fragile next to mine with its thin digits and feminine structure, yet so strong, all the same, as if there’s a strength she’s been forced to hide deep down in her soul, one that she’s had to rely on her whole life. Our eyes meet, and my heart begins to race, overwhelmed by her beauty. “As long as my heart beats, I’ll do whatever’s necessary to protect them.”

  A smile spreads across her face as she’s touched by my words. She knows that I’m loyal and that my heart is pure and it moves her in a way that she probably wasn’t expecting. “You’re strong, Xander Cross. Stronger than any man I’ve ever known.”

  “You must not know a lot of men,” I say, lowering my gaze.

  “I’ve known enough,” she says, her lips drawing closer to mine. My cock springs to action as I feel the heat of her breath on my lips.

  “Come,” she says, rising to her feet.

  “Where?” I ask.

  “There’s something I want to show you.”

  “But the fish,” I say, glancing at the dead body on the rock.

  “Unless it grows legs, I doubt it’ll leave,” she says.

  I watch as she holds out her hand, a naughty curl to her lips.

  “Fine,” I say, accepting her invitation. “But just a second.”

  “I promise,” she says.

  Taking me around a large boulder, she shows me a mini-waterfall the size of a shower splashing onto the rocky surface, where it streams into the connecting lake. Seraphine swim underneath, bathing the dark walls with colorful light.

  “More surprises?” I ask.

  “Maybe just one more,” she says cutely.

  Tora removes one of her sandals and dips her toe into the water, accentuating her long toned calf. “It’s nice.”

  “I can see,” I reply. “What are you doing?”

  “I was too shy to undress amongst the other women,” she says. “My body…is not as strong or as athletic.” She runs a hand along her thigh, stopping just short of her skirt.

  “I think you match up pretty well.”

  “Because you are a man,” she says teasingly. “And men are attracted to anything.”

  “Now that I can definitely say is not true.”

  “Will I offend you if I undress?” she asks.

  I snort. “Are you serious?”

  She nods, her features darkened by confusion.

  “No,” I say. “Please. I mean, if you want to, that is.”

  She smiles, relieved, th
en turns around, untying the strip of rag covering her breasts. The piece falls to the ground, and I see a smooth back lined with toned muscle. Azafalia must’ve kept her untouched, like a diamond protected under glass. Unfastening a button on her waist, the skirt slides off her hips, revealing a perfectly round ass. She has the body of a European model, long but curvaceous, firm but feminine. Glancing over her shoulder, she checks to see if I’m looking.

  I turn away.

  “Don’t leave,” she tells me. “I feel better when you’re around.”

  “Of course,” I whisper.

  She enters the waterfall with a seductive strut, her black hair quickly drenched under the flowing water that streams down her smooth back and tight ass. She's glorious in the sparkling water.

  Covering her breasts with an arm, she turns around to face me, and my heart nearly jumps out of my chest when I see her freshly shaved pussy.

  Holy fuck.

  Following my gaze, she hurries to cover her crotch, but as she stares at me, allowing herself to give in to my desire, she slowly removes it, her eyes peering with confidence and seduction.

  “Do you want it?” she asks.

  I swallow. “Yes,” I whisper.

  “Come then,” she says. “Let us provide each other the release we both crave.”

  I hurry as I unzip my bodysuit, yanking it off my shoulders and pulling it off my feet. The water is cool against my body as I join her, but her skin is warm, taut and so inviting. She relaxes in my grip, giving herself over to me, and I press my lips against hers, sinking my tongue into her mouth. She moans softly, her back arching in pleasure.

  She reaches between my legs, and I feel her hands tighten around my cock. She strokes it slowly, her tongue grazing my lips, as she plays with the tip of my cock. My hands tighten on her ass, and she lifts a leg around my waist, guiding me into her.

  Her pussy is tight, warm and wet and my cock glides in smoothly, sinking all the way to the hilt. She takes it with a deep breath, her eyes rolling back in her head as she’s overcome by a wave of pleasure.

  We fuck under the refreshing fall of water, our bodies slamming against each other, her hips angling to take me deeper, my thrusts becoming faster. She rests a hand on my wrist as I grip her ass tighter and I feel her guide my finger to her asshole. It’s tight, but welcoming, and before I know it, I’m down to my knuckle inside her. She moans with pleasure.

  As one, we give our final thrusts, working down as we approach climax. She sucks in a deep breath, her pussy tightening around my cock, and I let out a deep load inside of her. Our movements slow as the ecstasy leaves our bodies, and we’re suddenly holding each other under the rushing water, the tops of our heads touching as we unwind.

  “That was great,” I whisper, pulling back to gaze into her eyes.

  “You’re happy then?” she asks.

  “Very.”

  “Good,” she replies. “Because I’m happy too.”

  We hold each other under the falling water, unwilling to pull away from its therapeutic touch.

  “Xander?” she says, gazing up at me.

  “Yes.”

  “After you free my sister…where will you go?”

  I let out a long slow breath as I begin to think. “Not sure. I guess wherever the Battle Saints take me.”

  “Is it…hard to become a Battle Saint?”

  I shrug. “Pretty much. First of all, you have to be either desperate or extremely brave.”

  “I can be brave,” she quickly says, gazing up at me with innocent desperation.

  “There’s more to it than just that,” I say. “There’s a process. You have to be chosen.”

  “Is this something you can do?” she asks.

  I sigh, knowing what she’s asking. But it would be too hard on her. Besides, she’d have to be rewarded with the Kiss of Steel, an invitation that can only be given to her by a lord or clergyman. I’m just about to explain this when from the lake outside, I hear the sound of Zorel’s voice.

  “Ow!” she screams.

  Tora and I tear our gazes away from each other and start to dress. When we’re done, we rush out to find the women crowded around Zorel in the center of the lake.

  “What happened?” I yell.

  “Something bit me,” Zorel replies. “One of the fish.”

  The lights of the seraphine are changing now, darkening to a warm red that begins to grow in size. Worried, I hurry to the bank of the lake to get a better look.

  The fish are growing, lengthening from the size of a trout to that of a dolphin. The women begin to panic. They rush to the banks of the lake where their armor and weapons are sitting idle. But they’re too far out.

  I glance back where I was sitting, aware that there’s not enough time to don my armor. Tora stares at me, frozen as she lingers on the shore. “What are you doing?” she asks.

  “I thought you said this place was safe,” I say.

  “It was,” she says. “I mean, it is. Something must be wrong. Xander, do not go in there.”

  “My rifle,” I say, pointing to the rectifier by my armor. “Bring it to me.”

  But she doesn’t move. Instead, she spins away, rushing into the exit where she quickly disappears.

  Damnit …. She’s betrayed us.

  Reaching for my sword that’s still in the ground, I jump into the lake, yelling for the women to hurry. The water is shockingly cold, but I barely notice as I charge in with my blade, more concerned with the red bodies slinking around me.

  The women are almost safely to the shore of the bank when from out of the water, one of the glowing red bodies erupts in front of me, and I see what looks to be an amphibious monster, some sort of aqua demon, straight out of hell.

  “Oh shit,” I say, glaring up at the monster.

  With no legs, the beast balances itself on a coiled tail, towering above me like a threatening snake. Its arms and chest are thick with unnatural muscle, it’s claws and teeth sharp as daggers. But its skull appears hollow, like an empty jack-lantern filled with a menacing red spirit that watches me through slitted eyes.

  “Death,” it hisses, a long tongue curling out of its mouth. “Death to all who enter.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  “I don’t think so,” I say, swinging my sword at the demon’s throat.

  The blade catches it right beneath its jaw, and the monster lets out a bone-chilling scream that reverberates through the entire cavern. Wounded, it draws back, curling around me as it waits for its chance to strike again.

  On the bank of the shore, the women are already arming themselves. They draw their spears and swords, leaving their bodysuits and armor behind, knowing that there’s no time. Even Zorel, with her power of electricity, draws her blade instead, knowing that I’d be electrocuted amidst one of her attacks.

  “Hold on, Xander!” Petronelous calls out, charging into the water like the warrior she is. She’s furious in her attack, slicing at the demons with impunity, her long red hair damp against her bare shoulders.

  Her blades slash into their scaled skin, drawing beams of red light from the deep wounds. But they keep going, hissing in anger as they’re able to slide away to safety. This is their element, I realize. We might as well be fighting birds in the sky.

  But we’re Battle Saints, tried and tested warriors who’ve been kissed with the blessings of genetic augmentation and trained by the best. We will not succumb to these assholes.

  Atia does us proud as she plunges sword first into the back of one the demons, piercing its skull with the length of her blade and drawing a horrific scream from the monster.

  The demon’s jaw yawns open, and I see the red force pulsing inside of it suddenly lift from its body, disappearing into the air like a freed spirit.

  “Impale the heads,” Atia calls out to us. “It’s the only way.”

  “Understood!” I circle the aquatic demon towering over me. It pulls back, recoiling from the edge of my blade, and balances itself on the curls of its body li
ke a snake waiting for its chance to attack. I’m the mouse in this equation, and I need to be careful if I’m going to survive.

  The demon lashes out at me, slashing at the bare skin of my chest with its long claws, and I feel as if fire has just been poured on me.

  “I will feast upon your body, human,” the demon tells me as it licks my blood from its claws. “The blood of men are not as sweet, but it’ll do.”

  “Enjoy it while you can, you bastard,” I warn as I aim my blade at its ugly face, “Because you’re not going to get another chance.”

  The demon is bolstered by my threat, and I see its ugly mouth peeling back into a toothy grin. It doesn’t take long for it to strike again. But this time, I’m ready.

  I swing my blade as I anticipate its claws, and I feel my blade slicing through the meaty resistance of muscle and cartilage. The demon roars out in pain, a look of shock, followed by frustration marring its already disgusting face.

  “You’ll pay for that, human,” it declares.

  I watch, paralyzed, as it dives at me, its wide jaw lined with curved teeth opening to consume me in one final bite. The roar it makes is frightening, and I see my life flashing before my eyes. But it’s only momentary.

  Suddenly, my instincts take over, and I duck at the last second, able to swing my blade upward into the demon’s gullet, where I dig it in as hard as I can, twisting and turning, bending it with all of my force until it succumbs to my will.

  The demon croaks as I rip my blade from its body, filling the surrounding water with its guts and bile. With one stroke, I slice my sword through the monster’s skull, cracking the thick bone and releasing the red spirit within.

  “Xander!”

  I turn around to see the women fighting. They swing their blades at the monsters, slicing their limbs, ripping off their flesh, impaling their snakelike bodies with their blades. But there are so many of the damn things.

  Once in a while, I’ll hear the scream of a demon being exorcized, only to be replaced by the sound of more hissing, as more demons appear.