Brides Of The Kindred: Targeted Part 18

Tragar cleared his throat again. "Of course."

He refused to let himself even picture that, though. Giving Emily the Healing Kiss...kneeling between her legs while she spread her thighs wide for him...inviting him in... No! He had to stop-it wasn't right to think of such things.

Xen'dex pulled something else out of the box. "And this-"

"Forgive me, Master Xen'dex, but what I really need right now is the scent dampening cape you said you had the second time I called you," Tragar interrupted. "I left Emily out in the shuttle for safety but she won't be content to stay for long. Her scent is dangerous right now-as sweet as honey and hot as fire. She..." He frowned, lifting his head and drawing in a deep breath. "She is..." He inhaled again and looked back towards the open door of the domicile. "G.o.ds, I can smell it-I can smell her scent!"

Xen'dex lifted his nose as well and breathed deeply. He nodded.

"That's it, all right-the scent of a Khalla in heat. Didn't I tell you it was unmistakable?"

"It is but what I'm most worried about now is that we can't be the only two males smelling it!" Tragar growled, jumping to his feet. "And I know how sharp Wulven Kindred senses are-she'll draw every male in town to her!"

"Most of them are at the Howlund right now," Xen'dex said, getting up as well. "But you're right-it's better not to spread the scent around too much. Especially now when Trilee, the second moon is in phase. Most of the Wulven are close to their change right now."

"Come on." Tragar was already hurrying out of the domicile, retracing his path through the forest with his nose high in the air. The closer he got to the hidden place he'd parked the shuttle, the stronger Emily's scent became. Xen'dex was right behind him but when they got to the shuttle, he stopped.

"Where is she?"

"She should be in the shuttle." Tragar was already pushing the purple and silver leaves aside, trying to get to the door. When he pulled it open, a fresh gust of scent rushed over him, making his jaw clench and his shaft grow painfully hard. But the owner of that sweet, maddening scent was nowhere to be seen.

Emily was gone.

Chapter Fifteen.

"This is a...um, a nice place." Emily hovered in the doorway, looking around the tiny, crude hovel uncertainly.

"It's no flower-palace but it's good enough for old Grandy See-er."

The old woman bustled around, bending her head so as to keep from knocking it against the low ceiling which was hung with many different bunches of drying herbs. The air was thick with the sweet, spicy scent of them as well as something that was faintly bitter and resinous like pine. The smell reminded Emily of a Christmas shop-like the one she and her sister visited in Saint Pete that was open all year round.

The thought brought tears to her eyes. What would her sister and parents be thinking? She'd been missing for long enough that someone would have noticed by now-probably even filed a missing person's report. Her family must be worried out of their minds-she hadn't even had a chance to say goodbye or explain where she was going or why...

"Come now, come in and Grandy will find what she needs."

The sweet voice broke her train of thought and Emily looked up, blinking tears out of her eyes.

"Come now, come now," the old woman urged her to come all the way in and shut the door behind her. "Mustn't let the scents out-all Grandy's fine herbs would be ruined."

She led the way and Emily tried to follow. But after being out in the bright blue sunshine, she could barely see in the dark little house. She stumbled over something soft which hissed at her angrily.

"Oh!" she gasped as she jumped away from whatever it was. She would have fallen if Grandy See-er hadn't caught her under her arm and held her up. She was remarkably strong for such an old woman.

"Now, don't mind my little Tatem," she said, nodding down at the floor where the thing Emily had tripped on was still hissing. "She's not used to strangers, so she isn't."

"What...what is that? Your pet?" Emily tried to get a better look at it but her eyes were still adjusting. As far as she could tell, the animal in question looked like four or five brightly colored b.a.l.l.s strung together with multiple legs sticking out on all sides. It had a sharp, pointed face and large round eyes that glowed in the dim cabin. All together, it looked to Emily like someone had crossed a caterpillar and a cat and the animal, whatever it was, was still hissing resentfully at her.

"She's a good girl, is my Tatem," Grandy See-er said comfortably. "She'll warm to you in a moment. Just give her time, so you must."

"I...um, okay I guess." Emily eyed the caterpillar-cat doubtfully. "If you say so."

"So I do. So says Grandy See-er. Now sit right down here while I find what you're needing, little Mistress."

Grandy pushed her down, again with surprising strength, into a low, legless chair in the corner of a crowded room. There were more legless chairs as well as other pieces of furniture Emily couldn't identify. In the middle of the room was a vast, low table strewn with all kinds of papers and equipment. It looked like a jumbled heap of junk to Emily but the old lady got on her knees in front of it and began sifting through the clutter as though she knew exactly what she was looking for.

"Now then, now then...where are those nubbin pinchers?" she muttered under her breath. "And the chafing shaft-we'll need that as well."

Nubbin pinchers? Chafing shaft? None of that sounded very appealing to Emily but she had other things to worry about. The caterpillar-cat Grandy had called Tatem had apparently decided it liked Emily after all. It jumped up in her lap and began making a low, throaty humming sound while it kneaded her knees with about a dozen sharp little paws.

"Oh...hi." Emily looked at it, not sure what to do. Finally she tried patting its long, segmented body of puff b.a.l.l.s which seemed to have a good effect. The creature's humming increased and it arched its back in obvious pleasure so Emily stroked it again. "Maybe you're not so bad after all," she murmured as it continued to hum and knead her legs. "You're just a sweet little catapiddy-kitty, aren't you?"

"Tatem's a little lovey, aren't you Tatem?" Grandy See-er cooed, coming over. "All right now, little Mistress-here's what you need." She was holding several things in her hands and by this time Emily's eyes had adjusted to the gloom well enough to see them. They still didn't make sense, however.

"What are those?" she asked blankly, nodding at the two small silver things in the old lady's right hand. They looked a little like old fashioned thimbles-the kind her grandma used to wear on her thumb while quilting to keep from p.r.i.c.king herself. Hanging from the end of each "thimble" were many fine golden chains that looked a little like metallic ta.s.sels.

"Why these are star-silver nubbin pinchers, little Mistress." Grandy smiled at her, showing teeth that were surprisingly white. "They'll stop the flow of nectar right quick, so they will. Look." She split one of the silver thimble things at its side and spread it open, holding it up for Emily to see. Inside, it was studded with tiny b.u.mps. "Here," the old lady urged. "Try and see."

Before Emily could stop her, she flipped up the blue scarf that covered Emily's b.r.e.a.s.t.s and slipped the silver thimble over her right nipple. With a swift, decisive click, she snapped it closed.

"Ouch!" Emily gasped as the tiny b.u.mps grew thorns that p.r.i.c.ked her sensitive peak all over. Had she thought an accidental touch was painful? This was a thousand times worse-she thought she might faint from the pain! "Ow, oh my G.o.d-that hurts-take it off! Please, take it off!" She clawed frantically at her breast but the silver thimble was clamped on tight and there was no getting it off.

"No, no-wait but a moment, little Mistress. It hurts at first but then the nubbins numb the pain." Grandy See-er took her flailing hand and stroked it soothingly. "Just a moment more-you'll see."

Emily tried to take a deep breath but it came out as more of a ragged sob. Oh G.o.d it hurt so much. Like being shot and stabbed and burned all in one of the most sensitive parts of her body at the same time! But then, gradually, she became aware that the pain was fading. Fading and being replaced by a blessed numbness. A cool tingling sensation started in her nipple and spread to her entire right breast, making her feel calm and relaxed and not nearly so upset.

"There now-you see?" Grandy See-er asked. "Sorry to put it on you sudden-like, little Mistress, but it's best the first one goes on quick."

Emily blinked tears out of her eyes and examined herself more closely.

"Will it come off?" she asked doubtfully, looking down at her silver-tipped nipple with the long golden chains hanging from it. It looked like she'd decided to wear some kind of weird pasties like a stripper who only wanted to conceal the bare minimum of skin.

"Oh certainly-any time," Grandy See-er answered easily. "Of course, if you take it off too soon, it can't do its job. And it'll hurt twice as bad to put it back on again," she warned as Emily began to fumble for the hinge on the side of the silver thimble.

"It will?" She let her hands drop reluctantly to her lap where, strangely enough, the caterpillar-cat was still humming contentedly despite her earlier outburst.

"Yes, indeedy-do," the old lady said brightly. "But if you leave it on, twill hold back your nectar and keep you from going to the second stage of Scintil."

"Okay, that's good I guess." Emily eyed the other silver nipple cap warily. "Do I have to put that one on as well?"

"If you want it to work. Here-" As before, the old lady was incredibly quick. Before Emily could jerk away, she was clamping the other silver thimble onto the left nipple.

The pain that followed was intense but not quite as bad as it had been with the right nipple. Emily writhed and moaned, squeezing her hands into fists as she tried not to faint from the sharp, stabbing, burning sensation.

To her relief, the pain began to fade quickly, replaced once more by the cooling numbness that made her feel calm and relaxed.

"There now, there now..." Grandy See-er seemed pleased. "That's the top taken care of. Now for down below."

"Down below?" Emily looked up from her contemplation of the weird nipple clamps, her heart beginning to skitter nervously in her chest. "What do you mean down below?'"

"Why, you know what I mean child-your honey pot." Suddenly the old lady produced something that was infinitely scarier than the silver thimbles with their long golden ta.s.sels. It looked like a silver d.i.l.d.o, with golden studs all over, much like the ones that covered the insides of the thimbles but larger.

"What are you expecting me to do with that?" Emily asked flatly. As if I didn't know, whispered a little voice at the back of her brain. "Because whatever it is, I'm not doing it."

"Oh, so you don't want to stop the Tenrah after all?" Grandy See-er raised one bushy silver eyebrow at her. "For I thought you did. But no matter, I'll put it away. And perhaps you'd better give me back the nubbin pinchers too. For they're no good without the chafing shaft, so they aren't." She started to get up, taking the strange silver d.i.l.d.o looking thing with her.

"Wait-" Emily put out a hand to stop her.

"Yes?" Grandy looked at her, the faded blue eyes glittering strangely. "What is it, little Mistress?"

"Explain it to me. Just explain it." Emily crossed her legs tightly which caused the caterpillar-cat to hiss angrily. "Tell me what it does and if it's going to hurt."

"No, twon't hurt-not like the nubbin pinchers did. Because you're not in the third stage of Tenrah yet-you're not into Vlammen," Grandy explained. "And the chafing shaft will keep you from getting there. It's star-silver as well and fits inside your well to keep your honey from flowing, do you see?"

"Um, no-I don't see. Does it have some kind of chemical on it?" Emily asked, frowning.

"Mostly the star-silver itself does the job. But there's also sssence of Yarros root and a dab of Bitter Sorrow flower from Rageron rubbed on it," the old woman said promptly. "Keeps your well from flowing, see? Without this to stop it, your honey would flow like a fountain once you reached Vlammen. But with the chafing shaft in place, your Shift can't continue. So you're safe from moving forward with the stages."

"Okay, I guess..." Emily looked at the thing uncertainly. "But... I have to wear it inside me?"

"Tis the only way," Grandy a.s.sured her. "Just stand up and slip it in, old Grandy won't look."

She handed the shiny silver d.i.l.d.o with its golden nubs to Emily matter-of-factly and then turned back to the table, busying herself with sorting through the bric-a-brac that covered it.

Emily stood uncertainly, brushing the angry Tatem from her lap who hissed and stalked off to nurse her wounded dignity in the opposite corner. She looked down at the weird d.i.l.d.o thing again and shivered. Should she really do this? It looked to be about six inches long and it was fairly slim-only as thick as two of her fingers put together. Still, she hadn't had anything inside her since that awful night with Grayson-not even a tampon. And she didn't particularly like the idea of having to wear something inside herself all the time. Plus, how would it stay in? She didn't see any straps to hold it on. Also, how did she know it was clean? Sure, it looked all shiny and new but- "Now don't worry about the chafing shaft-tis clean and new," Grandy said, as though reading her mind. "I made it for another Khalla but she went through the stages too quickly and wasn't able to get here for my help in time." She shook her head sadly. "Ah, what a tragedy that was. She was never the same after, no she twasn't. I only wish I'd been able to help her before she changed."

Before she changed... The words chilled Emily to the bone. The other wasn't bothering her right now but she could still remember the horrible dreams she'd had of it taking over her body completely. And that was what she had to look forward to if she let this process continue-the complete and total obliteration of her personality, her appearance-everything that made her her was going to be gone.

No, I can't let that happen-I can't!

Not letting herself think about it anymore, Emily reached under the short hem of her nighty, pushed her panties aside, and pressed the cold metal head of the chafing shaft against the entrance of her p.u.s.s.y. She gritted her teeth and pushed, trying to get the d.a.m.n thing inside before she had time to regret her decision.

To her surprise, it slid in easily. It went all the way inside her but just when she was wondering if it was going to just slide out again, something strange happened. She felt the bottom of the thing change and expand, forming a kind of metal seal around the outside of her entrance. When she felt it with her fingers, it was like a flat, metal disk about the circ.u.mference of a silver dollar and it seemed to be holding the chafing shaft inside her. At the same time, she felt the golden nubs that studded the outside of the shaft expand, growing larger and b.u.mpier inside her. It was an odd sensation but not a painful one, she thought. So at least Grandy had been telling the truth about that.

"Well, well, little Mistress-do you have it in?" the old lady asked, breaking her train of thought.

Emily realized she was standing there with her nighty pulled up, groping between her legs. Quickly she smoothed the silky blue material down over her thighs and sat back down. As she moved she felt the metal d.i.l.d.o shift inside her-a very weird sensation-but it wasn't painful, just strange.

"Yes, I'm, uh, decent," she said and cleared her throat. "So all these things I'm wearing are going to help stop my Shift?"

"They will indeed. You'll never get to the next stage." For some reason the old lady seemed to find this funny. She cackled shrilly as she surveyed Emily.

"Okay, thank you." The weird laughter was a little off-putting, but Emily tried to ignore it. "Thank you but you told me out by the shuttle that you could reverse the process-not just stop it. Is that possible?"

Grandy See-er stopped laughing abruptly and looked at Emily seriously.

"Ah, alas little Mistress, I do not have the ingredient I need to reverse your process. I thought I did but I must have used all I had left on the last Khalla I helped."

"Well what ingredient is it?" Emily asked. "Can you get some more of it? I mean, I don't want to sound ungrateful-of course I'm very relieved to have stopped the process in it's tracks-but I really can't go around all the rest of my life wearing these...these things." She gestured down at the nipple clamps and the hidden d.i.l.d.o which still felt weird and somehow wrong inside her. "I mean, I teach kindergarten for a living-I can't go to work looking like something out of Fifty Shades."

"In order to reverse the process completely you must drink the Black Milk." Grandy's faded blue eyes seemed to be almost glowing in the dim room as she leaned towards Emily. "The Black Milk is the only way."

"Black Milk? What's that? And how can I get some?" Emily leaned forward too, searching the wrinkled old face earnestly. "Please, I have to stop this. I have to go back to normal!"

"Tis the sap of the Bitter Sorrow flower-it grows only on Rageron in the Holy Mountains."

"Wait-didn't you say there was some of that already on the uh, the chafing shaft thing?" Emily asked, nodding down between her thighs.

"There is but not enough to reverse the process. The sap works best when harvested fresh." Grandy See-er nodded wisely. "You can tell the flower by the fact that it's all black-root and stem, petal and piston-as black as night without another color in sight."

"So I just break the stem and drink the sap?" Emily asked? "And that will reverse the process?"

Grandy nodded solemnly.

"Why, twill end your sorrows, little Mistress-all of them-forever!" She laughed again, that shrill cackle which was so unlike her sweet, kind speaking voice. It set Emily's teeth on edge but she didn't want to seem rude so she just nodded.

"Thank you, Grandy. I can't thank you enough. Er..." She twisted her fingers together. "And I'm afraid I can't pay you either. I don't, uh, have any money." Not that it would have done any good. A hundred dollar bill would just be a piece of paper here-they might not even use currency for money at all. Maybe they were on the barter system? Emily had no idea. It was an alien world-anything was possible.

"No, no-don't worry about that, little Mistress." The old lady smiled sweetly. "You need not pay old Grandy-unless..."

"Unless what?" Emily urged. She felt very uncomfortable about not being able to pay. Especially since Grandy had said the nubbin pinchers and chafing shaft were made of star-silver, which sounded expensive.

"Unless you'd like to give me a lock of your pretty hair? I like to keep a lock from every Khalla I help. As a memberence-that's all."

"Oh, well sure if you'd like." Though why anyone would want a piece of her dishwater blonde hair was beyond Emily. She'd always hated the color but it didn't take dye well at all so she was stuck with it.

"Thankee, little Mistress." Grandy See-er scrabbled around in the junk on the cluttered table and came up with what looked like an alarmingly large pair of shears with curving tips. But though the cutting implement was cartoonishly big, she snipped only a tiny bit of Emily's hair. Then she wrapped it carefully in a twist of cloth and hid it away somewhere in the folds of her dress.

"Okay, well..." Emily hesitated, not knowing what to say. Were they done here? Should she go? Could she find her way back to the shuttle by herself? She'd always had an abysmal sense of direction...

"Take a sup of nem-nam with me afore we take you back." Grandy was suddenly shoving a steaming cup that seemed to be made of some kind of bark into Emily's hands. The liquid inside was very dark green and had an unappetizing algae-like smell.

"Oh, uh..." Emily really didn't want to drink the weird, steaming liquid but she couldn't think of a way to refuse without hurting her hostess's feelings. And besides, Grandy See-er had done so much for her-surely one little sip of it wouldn't hurt? Just to be polite.

"Come now-tis good for you, so it tis. Good for the memory." Grandy tapped her forehead and cackled again. "And what you want to remember, little Mistress, is to keep the pinchers and the chafing shaft in place until you can get the Black Milk. Only that can set you free. The Black Milk."

"Thank you. I'll remember," Emily said meekly. Lifting the cup to her lips, she held her breath and took the smallest sip possible.

Immediately, everything froze. Grandy, who seemed to be in the middle of saying something, stopped with her mouth open and the words half formed. The caterpillar-cat which had been in the act of crawling into Emily's lap again, paused with one of its multiple paws resting delicately on her knee. Even the steam rising from the cup stopped moving.

"What in the world?" Emily tried to say-only to realize that she couldn't talk.