A Cultivator's Cauldron

7. Waking

I wake as the curtain to the alcove I'm in is drawn aside. I try to look at whoever entered but just that little movement causes all the bruises and aches in my body to return with a vengeance, and I groan. At least I'm not still strapped down, though my ass and thighs are still covered with dried juices. Urgh.

I try to sit up, using my hand to support my weight. The new position causes me to moan as the eggs inside me jostle, now rubbing against the sensitive spot at the base of my spine.

"Captain Andrew, is that you?"

Shit! I don't want to be seen like this, but it's already too late.

"I'm not much of a captain anymore, Nik" I try to reply calmly, even as I want to scream at him to leave. I don't want to see the disgust on his face as he sees what I've become. I wish he was less observant, how the hell did he recognise me. I don't recognise me anymore.

"Fuck, how many are you carrying? And what happened to your voice?" His voice is softer, less masculine too, but it's only a small change compared to mine. At least his voice sounds more commiserating than pitying. I finally look up at him. Damn. My eyes wander over the curves of his new body, focusing on the barely there swell of his belly, then up to his amber eyes as they stare down at me, concern practically pouring out. He's always been far too nice for his own good. He should be hating me for letting this happen to him, instead he's just worried about me.

"What do you think happened? You pregnant too, Nik?" I can't help the sharpness in my voice; he's not supposed to be worrying about me, I'm supposed to be worrying about him.

"Uh, yes sir. I think that's why they brought us here. At least that's what Tomas; the lamia that was shaping me, said."

"You must know him well if you're calling him Tomas" I do my utter best not to sound accusatory, though I'm not sure it worked.

"You said we should get to know our enemies, sir"

"Stop with the sirs Nik, I'm not a captain. Gods, I'm never going to be a captain again"

"I'm sorry sir"

"Andrew, that's my name, or just Drew"

"Andrew" he confirms.

"And if it's anyone's fault it's mine, you shouldn't be apologising to me. Gods know I failed you"

...

"Three, I'm carrying three eggs. Apparently that's small for a litter but also the limit Tomas thought I would survive, my cultivation isn't that high."

"Survive? What? Just tell me everything you know about our situation Nik"

"I take it the consort wasn't informative..?"

"The consort gagged me on the first day, and only took the damned thing off before carrying me here. Now, report"

"Yes sir, sorry, Andrew. The lamia lost their hatching caves, and their eggs need a higher ambient Qi level to survive. The stronger the Qi the better their potential. People with amber eyes are more likely to share ancestry with them and therefore be more receptive to the flesh-crafting needed to turn us into cauldrons..."

"Human cauldron... shit, I should have made the link when they called me a vessel."

"Anyway, so Qi is constantly leaking into the womb, where it is absorbed by the eggs, which were primed to accept our Qi when I guess you.. uh... released into the Queen? But, the problem..."

"The problem is that Qi is life energy, and if we start leaking faster than we can gather then we're dead"

"Yes. And the eggs are going to increase in the amount of energy they absorb as they develop. That's apparently going to widen the leaks"

"Do you know how long we're supposed to carry these eggs for?"

"6 months"

"Shit"

...

"Have you seen anyone else? Do you know if they're okay, well, alive?"

"The consort mentioned that everyone was adapting as expected when he was mentoring Tomas. But he did mention that you and me had less inherent resistance to the process due to our ancestry. He was really happy with you sir."

"Fuck..." I try to digest all the information; gods I don't want to die! Then again not wanting to be an incubator didn't do me any good. I'm so lost in my silent anger and frustration that I miss hearing the rasp of snakeskin against rock that signifies a lamias return.

"Yes, vessel, your body was practically begging to be shaped under my hands. You could take every change I gave you and still not resist. You were fascinating to work with; there are so many little changes I can't wait for you to find."

Damn it all. I didn't notice the consort arrive. And worse he made me jump, which jolted all the eggs inside me. His fucking eggs...

I moan as they knock against that spot inside me. I swear I didn't use to be this sensitive.

"I think you've noticed a couple already though... Look after my Queen's eggs, vessel, trussssst me, I can make your life worse!"