Viola grace saguinary.., p.18
Viola Grace - Saguinary Seduction, page 18
159
Hunted
Laura Tolomei
he body lay in a pool of blood. The smell pierced his Tnostrils and he inhaled it deeply. The predator had left visible marks all over the mangled flesh, ripped skin and torn muscles strewn around like scattered toys left behind by a naughty child.
Kendryck narrowed his gaze on the deathly scene, annoyed with the scarce light that did not allow a thorough examination.
As usual, the forest keeps its secrets in darkness, he mused, although he had no trouble determining the cause of death.
The same predator had struck again, the third killing in just over a month. So much for the Chief’s team’s effort, he sneered silently.
“To defeat these killers, we need efficient team work,” the Chief had announced. “I have assembled a group that will patrol the forest.”
Since the predator’s first appearance, things had changed dramatically. Set in a peaceful farming area, the village relied on its crops and livestock. People lived happily, a well-adjusted community that grew steadily each year. The forest had been their peaceful neighbor from the start, until overpowering human needs upset the balance and stole its territory to make room for the village’s increasing necessities. True, animals and vegetation hung on to the untamed land, but their number was dwindling fast, along with the available space. Anyway, the 160
Sanguinary Seductions
balance had held…at least until recently.
Kendryck shook his head. The mangled body did not seem to fit inside the balance and neither did the indiscriminate cattle killings that had plagued the village, beginning just a few months before. People were sure to know who, or rather what, to blame, but Kendryck had serious doubts. Unlike everyone else, he had field experience that told him predators seldom left the forest’s concealment.
Undeniably however, they had tried their luck on the humans’ open farming space. Or rather, one particularly vicious killer had the nerve to leave its compound to seek better food elsewhere. And the village was right on its tracks.
“ I’m sure our common efforts will catch them,” the Chief went on.
Kendryck, the only experienced hunter, felt sure there was only one killer at large. Each predator left a unique signature on the battered remains, which he had learned to decode.
All the killings he had seen so far evidenced the same pattern whether it was cows, sheep or horses. The beast had already consumed many of the village’s precious resources, but when it acquired a taste for human flesh, the situation became critical.
Unfortunately, no one had seen the predator and lived to tell. Kendryck imagined it looked like a feline, sleek and powerful, though why it lived in the forest was a matter of speculation that certainly did not help the dead body in front of him.
The victim was young. Kendryck bent on his, knees to examine the ground around the body, detecting bloody paw prints leaving the scene. He looked at the wounds. After seeing many similar deaths, there was no doubt in his mind that the same killer was responsible for this death as well. An avoidable one, Kendryck thought sadly, if only the man had experience as a hunter.
The Chief had been desperate to find a solution so he had chosen a team of makeshift hunters. But Kendryck knew you did not become a killer by choice.
161
eXtasy’s Collective Mind
“I’m glad you joined us,” the Chief concluded, shaking his hand.
A loner, though never lonely, Kendryck had restlessly roamed the countryside, changing one town after another in an attempt to find…actually, he did not know himself. Nothing seemed to satisfy him except perhaps life in the wild.
He inhaled deeply once again, smelling the blood now mixed with the vegetation’s murky odor. It was a combination of dead and fresh leaves, of stale water, of dark places that received little or no light. Humidity enveloped the forest and he loved the feel of the cool air on his skin.
The forest appealed to his taste, the animals’ soundtrack a welcome relief from the humans’ distorted voices. And sounds were only the beginning of the hunter’s long list of grievances.
As a rule, he did not like the human race or their hectic settlements. Messy and noisy, people lacked nature’s balanced beauty. He tried to keep away from them as much as possible and nothing worked better than what he loved to do.
Kendryck had become a hunter by choice, one he made in early childhood. Living alone with his mother, aloof from other children, he had developed morbid tastes, which definitely set him apart. Somehow, he knew he was different, maybe because he spent long hours alone, fantasizing about death and killings. He still recalled the childish shiver of pleasure running down his spine just imagining blood gushing out from torn flesh. To be honest, he did not stop at fantasies.
His mother used to scold him for cutting his arms on purpose to suck the blood avidly. He loved the taste, the smell and even the feel of the slippery red liquid. As a hunter, he enjoyed the close kills. In fact, using a sharp knife to drain his victim still gave him a shiver of pleasure as he felt life ebbing out from the blood he spilled.
Women inspired him the most. He dreamed of their bloody deaths after indescribable sexual tortures. He yearned to try his knife on their soft flesh, red blood staining their white naked skins as he finished them off with a clean slit of the throat. Just seeing the brilliantly colored picture in his head aroused 162
Sanguinary Seductions
Kendryck sexually, but he had never dared transform them into reality.
Reality was cruel enough as it was. Oddly enough, a bloody trail seemed to follow and eventually catch up with him, no matter where he went. Villages, apparently peaceful before his arrival, experienced violent deaths, usually blamed on a predator of some kind that had suddenly awakened its taste for human flesh.
This last village was no exception. Kendryck had settled in a couple of months before, just around the time of the first killings. These coincidences did not escape his notice, of course, but he had no clue as to their connection with each other or to him in particular.
Kendryck sighed. These thoughts did not help catch the killer. Having finished his analysis, he gathered some rocks to protect the body. He could not carry it alone the entire way.
Instead, he would leave it there and run back to the village to seek help. When he was just about done, he heard a cry.
“Help!”
Kendryck ran in the voice’s direction. The forest was oddly quiet as he sped through the tall trees, their thickness not allowing a clear view. Luckily, he now knew the territory by heart so placing the sound was no particular effort. The voice called from an opening just a short distance away from the body.
“Help,” the cry rang out again.
The rest of nature was deathly silent—no bird song, no tiny feet scurrying away disturbing the stillness. Coming behind the trees, Kendryck saw the back of a slim figure, all dressed in black. The youth’s shoulders moved back just as the hunter saw the flick of a black tail disappearing inside the vegetation.
So the feline really exists, Kendryck thought, looking at the last of the long tail. “Hey,” he called out to the young man. “Are you all right?”
The man turned and flashed a pair of luminous green eyes on the hunter. He looked young, though something of his expression did not quite match the apparent age. Dark haired, 163
eXtasy’s Collective Mind
he was tall and very slim. His face was interesting, though triangular in shape. In fact, he almost resembled a feline more than a human and Kendryck wondered briefly whether he was the predator’s relative.
“Thank you,” the youth said, moving toward him. “Without your intervention, the beast would have eaten me.”
He moved elegantly, Kendryck noticed, swaying slightly from side to side in a seductive way that he found intriguing.
When he reached the hunter, the boy flashed a bright smile.
“How can I thank you?”
Kendryck was taken aback. Usually victims from near death experiences at close range with predators did not react like casual tourist on a relaxing visit at the forest grounds. “Weren’t you afraid?” he asked, rather than answer the question.
The young man shrugged. “I live in the forest so it wasn’t the first encounter of the kind. I’ve learned to dominate my fear. It usually never helps in times of crisis.”
Again, the boy struck him as much older than he looked. “I guess you’re right,” Kendryck agreed. “Anyway, you have nothing to thank me for. The beast had already left by the time I got here.”
“She left because she heard you coming,” the youth objected. Then, before Kendryck could deny any further responsibilities, he extended his hand. “By the way, I’m Therry.”
“Nice to meet you,” the older man said, surprised he really meant it. “I’m Kendryck and I’m one of the hunters who should find the beast.”
“Oh, she won’t let you find her that easily,” Therry assured.
“Did you get a good look at it? Our problem is that we don’t even know what it looks like.”
“She’s like a big black cat. That’s all I saw. As I said, when she heard you come, she left in a hurry.”
“How do you know it’s a female?” Kendryck asked interested.
Therry shrugged. “ She looks female,” was the cryptic answer as the youth moved away from him, heading inside the 164
Sanguinary Seductions
trees.
Disappointed to see him leave so soon, Kendryck followed.
“Where are you going?”
“Home.”
“So, you really do live in the forest,” Kendryck observed, knowing the village lay behind them.
“Of course I do,” Therry confirmed, without stopping.
Kendryck reached him. “Maybe I should accompany you…just in case the beast returns.”
“As you like.”
They walked in silence for a while. Therry picked his way carefully, seemingly unafraid. Kendryck followed closely, checking each bush for a sign of the predator. But the way was clear and thankfully the forest was back to normal again. With a lighter pace, he felt the odd stillness slipping away just as birds chirped their melodious songs a little louder.
Soon they came to a deserted little hut in a clearing. Therry opened the door and Kendryck followed inside.
“Do you live alone?” he enquired.
“No, I live with my woman.”
“ But why have you settled so far away from the village?”
Kendryck wondered aloud.
Therry went to a makeshift fireplace, built with stones.
Over the bright flames, a metallic structure held a pail of water.
The youth took down the pail and checked the water. “Would you like some herb infusion?” he asked, replacing the pot over the burning fire.
Kendryck was tempted to refuse. Usually he disliked encouraging any form of social acquaintance, particularly with strangers. Yet, the youth intrigued him, his unconventional ways attracting more than a fair share of the hunter's attention.
“All right,” he agreed at last.
“Please sit.” The youth gestured at comfortable leather skins lying against the wall in front of the fireplace, roughly forming an L-shape.
Kendryck obeyed. Therry checked the water again, then took some herbs from a nearby table and placed them inside 165
eXtasy’s Collective Mind
two cups. He poured the hot water, then brought the infusion to the hunter, settling next to him.
“Tamara and I don’t like people much,” Therry admitted, sipping slowly his hot drink and answering Kendryck’s earlier question. “We like to live in seclusion.” His green eyes stared at the hunter. “ In fact, we just don’t like people enough to live next to their messy settlements.”
Kendryck wanted to agree, but he had the feeling Therry already knew about his own distaste so he merely sipped his hot liquid without saying anything.
They sat in silence for a while, enjoying the atmosphere.
There was no need for words and neither felt embarrassed by the lack of conversation. Therry, curled on himself, eyes fixed on the flames, resembled more a cat than before.
Kendryck studied him, taking in the dark long hair and the pale triangular face lit by the dazzling green eyes. The youth did not object to the scrutiny, quietly subjecting to it.
When Kendryck looked outside, the light had dimmed considerably. Fast approaching darkness would soon make the forest more impervious and dangerous as wild beasts would regain control of it. Of course, it did not worry Kendryck, although…in a flash, he remembered about the body. “I have to go,” he told Therry, scrambling to his feet and hurrying away.
Therry simply nodded, watching Kendryck leave, an odd smile lighting his face.
* * * *
That night, the dream returned. Many times before, Kendryck had tried to stop it, but his efforts had failed miserably. Sometimes weeks went by without the haunting nightmare.
Other times a flash or the wrong image unleashed the repetitive sequence. He still ignored what triggered it though he knew the script by heart by now.
He would find himself in a village, one of the many he had known in his roaming. Peering through the night, he swept the 166
Sanguinary Seductions
dark and deserted streets until he spotted her. Why a woman would be out alone at that time of night, Kendryck had never asked. She roamed the streets just like him and their meeting did not seem casual at all.
Kendryck had a taste for round women, the well-shaped ones with abundant curves that displayed all the feminine guiles. He liked fleshy parts he could squeeze without incurring rib cages or pelvic bones. The one in his dream fitted his profile to a tee, down to the hair color. He usually preferred blondes, a trait he probably inherited from his mother.
The woman would look at him from a distance, then steer her walk to run right into him. He observed the maneuvers, unwavering from his path. When they came against one another, they needed no words. He simply took the woman’s hand and led her to a deserted hut that the villagers used to store their tools.
Night enveloped them, its dark cloak hiding their direction.
But there was no need for concealment as their feet made no sound on the soft grass while approaching the intended destination. Inside, moonlight filtered from an opening and, to Kendryck’s needs, it was more than enough.
He pushed the woman against the wall, his hands squeezing her breasts hard. She moaned, her body reeling back at him.
He unfastened the dress, his hands seeking the naked flesh.
She had big breasts with round nipples that were already hard.
He bent his head and bit them. She arched her back to get closer to him, but he had other plans.
With a quick move, he laid her on a low table in the center of the cabin, her head hanging down. He unbuttoned his pants.
His hard bulge slid inside her open mouth, moving frantically inside. He pushed deeply, his length choking her. She gasped and he pulled back only to force another entry. He moved rhythmically, getting as deep as he could, always reaching her point of near suffocation before pulling back. But again, this was not his game.
Moving fast, he flipped the woman onto her stomach and grabbed the rope. Kendryck tied her wrists first, then her legs.
167
eXtasy’s Collective Mind
He also pushed a round metallic object under her stomach that raised her ass. The view required a moment’s pause, so he admired it for a second. It was just as he liked it, round and huge.
The woman wriggled frantically, trying to get free. Afraid she would scream, he gagged her. By then, she would think something was awfully wrong, but it was too late to turn back.
He anxiously awaited the moment of awareness when icy cold fear dripped inside her blood stream, enjoying the look of terror that glazed her eyes. It felt so exciting he had to spend a few minutes tasting her bitter sweat, hearing the increased heartbeat as blood rushed to her ear and panic grew exponentially.
He tested the gag, then returned to her ass. With all her movements, her buttocks shook beautifully, increasing only his desire. He grabbed her hips and held them steady as he pushed his way inside the tight opening. She tensed, her scream of pain lost inside the gag. Uncaring about her feelings, he kept pushing, soon breaking through the narrow space.
Her flesh closed around him, holding him tightly in place.
He slid in and out, accelerating the rhythm with each push. She was deep in pain by now, but he really did not give a damn. He loved the ass squeeze and moved faster to enjoy it more. But of course, it was not enough.
He knew exactly what he needed to feel real pleasure.
Without wasting any more time, he grabbed her hair, knife tight in his hand. Another push, then he raised her head. The knife had an easy time on her throat, biting deep in her neck.
With a single stroke, he slit her throat, a precise cut from one ear to the other. The gurgling sound was all he needed to spill his semen inside her ass, the final pleasure so much sweeter when her muscles first tensed, then suddenly collapsed because of death.
By this point, he inevitably woke up in a sweat, his stomach wet and sticky. He glanced around the tiny room, immersed in utter darkness, trying to calm his wildly racing heart that pumped blood at an accelerated rate. As usual, he was alone in 168
Sanguinary Seductions
the room. The dream faded just as rapidly as it had come, but invariably left a longing that was impossible to fulfill.
* * * *
The Chief had been sad at Kendryck’s news of the man’s death. He had called on the remaining team members, begging them to take action fast. “…because our village can’t stand any more losses,” he complained, afraid the next one might be him. The other men tried to reassure him, arguing that the victim was one of the lesser experienced hunters. The Chief was afraid the beast would become bolder if it killed more human beings, soon stopping at nothing. So far, the predator had spared the villagers because it was probably scared of people.
