The Blood Calling
Matilda eyed the snoring orc beside the bed.
Belzara was slumped over with a steady stream of thick saliva leaking from the corner of her mouth.
She glanced away at the tray of food that was brought to her personally by Armando.
Mistakenly, she’d grimaced at the meal and offended him.
He stormed out of the bedchamber, grumbling under his breath about how selfish and unappreciative humans were.
Her stomach growled viciously, yet she made no move to entertain the food. It smelled of a rotting corpse. She eyed the chalice on the nightstand that she had licked clean. Her tongue darted out before sliding languidly across her bottom lip.
She wanted more, to the point of frantic need. Briefly, she considered asking Belzara to fetch a servant. She’d have a taste—just a sample to stave off the hunger, but she couldn’t draw herself to do it.
A soft nudge from her stomach stole her attention.
Matilda gently rubbed her growing belly and whispered to the child. “You’re hungry, aren’t you?”
Another nudge.
“I have no other choice… do I?”
Another nudge.
“Then let us hunt.”
***
Matilda trekked through the snow with her quiver and bow, aware she didn’t have long before her absence would be noticed.
She left a note for the king and prayed to whatever gods were listening that Belzara wouldn’t suffer his wrath.
In hindsight, she should’ve brought her lady-in-waiting along, but she didn’t want her close friend to bear witness to what she was about to do.
The sharp crack of a branch stopped Matilda cold.
She heard it once more, and her head swiveled in the direction. She squinted at the reindeer in the distance. It was the largest she’d ever seen—meaning the blood would be plentiful.
Silently, she raised the bow and fixed it on the animal that was foraging for food—scraping away at the snow, searching for lichen.
She held her breath and released the arrow, striking the animal through the heart.
It bleated loudly and stumbled about, clinging to its last breath.
The herd that accompanied it scattered in the distance, leaving their brethren to suffer alone in fresh snow tinged with blood the color of the ruby around her neck.
Matilda stalked her dying prey. Her heart raced once it fell to its side, leaving the arrow jutting towards the sky. She stared into its eye as it grunted softly and weakly kicked its hind legs.
“It is of no use,” she whispered, grabbing the shaft of the arrow. She ripped it out, slinging the precious blood from the wound. The light died out in the reindeer’s eyes as the light in Matilda’s eyes grew to an uncontrollable fire.
She mewled as her tongue caressed the arrowhead. It wasn’t as sweet and comforting as the human blood she consumed, but it was a close second and would get the job done.
She chuckled when her child started actively flailing in her belly.
“Be patient, little one,” she cooed. Yet the stubborn child persisted. “You are your father’s child,” she sighed, reaching for the blade in her boot.
With one swift motion, she stabbed the reindeer in the neck, puncturing his jugular. She pulled the knife away, and her mouth latched onto the animal’s neck. Her eyes rolled in the back of her head as she consumed with dual purpose: pleasure and nourishment.
***
Luka’s mood had gone from bad to worse after ending his meal with David.
Ultimately, the wolf agreed to the deal in exchange for certain liberties and guarantees: his transgressions against the crown would be pardoned, the land Luka had originally agreed to lease to Moonshire for agriculture would be leased for half the cost, and their bloodlines would be unified.
Luka vehemently opposed the final condition.
His child had yet to be born and was already betrothed to the enemy.
Solidifying peace for centuries by merging bloodlines was common practice, but that didn’t mean he had to like it.
He felt pacified, knowing that the conditions weren’t a guarantee.
David had to defeat their pack’s gamma, delta, beta, and alpha.
The odds weren’t in his favor, especially in his present condition; however, disloyalty was a deadly motivator.
Luka’s eyes narrowed when he observed Belzara rushing down the corridor towards him. She bowed her head in greeting. “My King, I bear the unfortunate news that Queen Matilda has… she has… I slumbered for a moment and—”
“She is gone,” Luka stated harshly.
“Aye,” she replied, still bowed.
“Return to your quarters. If I find her and any harm has come her way, do know that you will pay dearly. Remove yourself from my presence.”
He noticed how the orc’s clenched fists shook at her side, but he cared not for her anger. She had one simple task, but then again, who was he kidding? Matilda couldn’t be contained and had not only given Ezra the slip but him as well—a few times, in fact.
They parted ways, and he frowned at the open window in their bedroom. He peered out of it, noticing Matilda’s footprints in the snow leading to the forest.
“This woman is infuriating,” he mumbled, releasing his wings.
It didn’t take him long to find her. Her scent saturated the air, but the smell of blood was even more potent.
Panicked, he shot off into the distance, finding her in a matter of seconds.
His feet touched the ground several yards from her.
He took unsure steps towards her—baffled by her appearance.
“My King,” she whispered, still with her back to him as she feasted on the reindeer’s liver. “I didn’t want you to see me like this.”
“You shall never hide from me. I forbid it.”
“Am I one of you?”
“I couldn’t say.”
“I want you to promise that you won’t turn me if anything happens to me.”
“You’d ask me to break a promise?” he asked, growing closer. She laughed and abandoned what was left of the liver. It plopped in the snow, and she fell to her hands and knees. Luka rushed to comfort her as she expelled a copious amount of blood into the white powder.
“You poor thing. You over consumed,” he whispered as he caressed her back. “Are you satisfied, my beloved?”
“I hunger no longer,” she admitted.
“Good. We shall return to the castle and get you cleaned up. This behavior is unacceptable. In the future, you’ll drink blood from a donor or from me. Do you understand?”
Matilda’s head lolled back, and she grinned at her fiancé. “May I have you for dessert?”
Luka was moments from denying her when the bloodied minx began teasing him with her touch. Her hand traveled from his chest until she reached below the belt. He coughed and ignored how he grew in her hand.
“If the queen wishes to have me… then she will.”
She released him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Take me to the moon?”
“Always.”