Page 19 of Nazab

Nazab returned to the clump of trees where Monica had hidden. He left their gear there, then skulked back to town. Someone had brought lamps into the salon so the cambion could see what she was doing, not that she needed them.

Darkness began to fall just as his female finished her task. “I’m done,” Monica said as the last human rose from the chair.

“We can’t thank you enough, Monica,” one of the females said. Their hair looked immaculate and it had boosted everyone’s morale.

“It was my pleasure,” Monica said with a wide smile.

“Here are the supplies we promised you,” another woman said.

“Thanks a bunch,” the cambion said as she shouldered a couple of backpacks. “I’d better be on my way,” she said, glancing up at the rapidly darkening sky. “Take care of each other,” she said.

Hugs were exchanged by some of the women, then Monica switched on a flashlight she’d been given. Waving, she turned away and began walking towards Nazab. The townsfolk watched her for a while, then split up to head to their homes. Some of the men resumed patrolling, including the four who possessed black souls.

“Let’s follow her,” one of the men whispered to his companion.

“We can knock her out and take her to that cabin,” his friend said in anticipation. “It’s been weeks since we had some fun with the last girl we caught.”

Their evil chuckles made Nazab’s blood boil. Monica heard them as well and looked at him grimly. “What do you want me to do?” she whispered, aware that he could hear her.

“Lead them past me to that cluster of trees about two hundred yards away,” he replied. “I’ll take them down silently.”

Monica nodded and increased her pace a bit. She trudged past him, pretending she was unaware that she was being followed. The men blundered along behind her, unable to see the potholes since they couldn’t use their flashlights without alerting her.

Ghosting after the thugs, Nazab waited until they were a safe distance from the town before he pounced. Calling his sword from the ether, he skewered one of the humans through the back, piercing his heart. His companion had time to gasp in alarm, then it was his turn to die.

Monica had turned to watch and scowled at them. “I cut their hair and made them look almost cute and this is how they decided to repay me?” she asked indignantly.

“I should look for the cabin they were talking about,” the warrior said. “I can hide their bodies there. With luck, the humans won’t find them for at least a few days.”

“I just hope they don’t blame me for their deaths and undo that cool speech I made,” Monica said glumly. “The cabin is about half a mile away at the end of a dirt track,” she told him. “I overheard these idiots whispering about it while I was cutting someone else’s hair.”

“Why don’t you retrieve our gear while I dispose of the corpses?” Nazab suggested. Monica nodded and switched off her flashlight. Picking up the bodies by their belts, the knight sprinted down the road. He found the dirt track, then quickly located the cabin. He tossed the bodies inside before returning to his mate.

“Is something wrong?” Monica asked. “Your face is a bit flushed.”

“I’m fine, female,” Nazab said, taking his bags from her. He wasn’t about to admit that he’d claimed her in his mind.

“I like your clothes,” she said, eyeing him up and down. “You look very stylish now.”

“Do I?” he asked, smoothing a hand down his new shirt.

“You don’t look like a weird pervert now,” she said with a grin.

He smiled back at her, glad that she seemed to have forgiven him for upsetting her. “We should find somewhere to spend the night rather than heading to our base, just in case the other humans with black souls try to follow you,” he said. “There should be plenty of abandoned houses to choose from.”

“Far too many homes are empty now,” Monica said, turning morose as she hurried alongside him. “You can zoom ahead and pick somewhere if you want,” she said. “I know I’m just slowing you down.”

“I’d offer to carry you, but we have a lot of baggage,” he said. “I’m not in a rush anyway.” To prove it, he slowed his pace so she could keep up with him more easily. “I forget how much taller I am than most humans sometimes,” he said apologetically.

“I’m only half human,” Monica reminded him. “How tall is my dad?”

“Thamuz is two inches shorter than me,” the knight said, instantly scowling at the mention of her sire.

“What do you know about him, apart from the fact that he’s evil?” she queried.

“Thamuz is just a typical minion of Chaos,” he said with a shrug. “He’s not as insane as Lachial or Vetis, or Rahab for that matter. He doesn’t have any outstanding features or talents that set him apart from the rest of his squad.”

“Why was he chosen to be released from the Void early?” Monica asked, but it was a rhetorical question. “Why him instead of one of the others?”