Rise of Ancients: The Sample

Chapter 5: Lust

Every day he was awakened by the first rays of sunlight hitting his resting eyes. He would throw on his clothes and run to the oak tree with a glint of excitement in his eyes and a smile on his face. Zip would crawl out of its small earthen home and into the boy's hand. No matter where the boy went, the lizard would accompany him. When his family took a trip into the city, he would sit in the backseat with the lizard safely hidden away within his trouser pocket, giggling randomly as its tongue flicked at his finger.

Chapter 5: Lust

7 hours after Regenifact

With the last drop of his blood, the jar was filled. Screwing the lid on tightly, Hades stood and handed it to a nihanim in a blood-soaked gray sweater. He waved his hand, and Gray Sweater and two others went off, their assignments programmed into their skulls.

Kneeling and held in place by dead hands was a trembling young woman in a pink athletic jacket. Trails of tears streamed down her face, ruining her makeup. Her husband's husk lay face down beside her. Hades placed a hand softly against her cheek.

"Please," she cried to Hades, placing her hand on his, "Let me go."

Blood still flowed from the cut on his wrist, running down his fingers and dripping onto the cement.

"No!" she screamed as Hades clenched her head. The screams were soon silenced as blood filled her throat.

Unbeknownst to Hades and hidden from view were prying eyes. They had noticed him two hours before and had been trailing him ever since. Dilated by lust, they devoured each act of gore with sick pleasure. A brief, devilish smile crept across their face as blood erupted from the woman's mouth. The chance to act was now. Straightening out their clothing and adjusting their hair with slender fingers, they readied themselves. The observer's heart pounded as they made their way to the door.

The woman's shriveled hand fell from Hades'. With the wound healed and blood replenished, he released his grip. She joined her husband with a solid thud. Her hand bounced against the ground and landed against her betrothed.

A noise behind Hades grabbed his attention, and he turned to meet it. Walking defiantly through the horde of nihanem was a figure dressed in black. Her short skirt swayed with each heavy step in her ankle-high boots. Imprinted on her body-hugging tank top was the image of a skull with four bat-like wings. The nihanem moved toward the teenage girl but stopped as Hades eyed her curiously.

Stopping within arm's length of Hades, she tilted her head upward and looked him dead in the eye. "You're going to let me join you."

Hades looked down at the strange girl standing confidently before him. The top of her head barely met his chest. His fingers toyed with the dagger hilt protruding from his belt. Such a bold rat, he thought. The nihanem stood around her like sharpened teeth on a bear trap wired to strike. "And why would I do that when I could simply slice open your throat and add your corpse to my army instead?"

"Because you need me."

The nihanem took a sudden step toward her, but her gaze was unwavering. Not even the slightest flinch occurred as a corpse to her right let out a hollow scream. She was bold. Hades quickly gripped her throat and withdrew the dagger. She could be a trap sent by the others or even one of their descendants. A trace of disgust flashed across his face at the very thought of the possible union. He shook the idea from his head.

No, they would have attacked him on sight.

He considered her offer in silence. The only sounds that could be heard were of the scattered spurts of chaos in the distance. His grip tightened but was met with no resistance. Through squinted eyes, he examined the human. Her eyes were locked onto his while her hands rested calmly at her side.