The Curse of Blackbane - Chapter 19

Naamah’s Return

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A shorter chapter this week.

Chapter 19

When they arrived at the dark estate, it didn’t take van Stepradt long to gather his family and servants for a late-night mass. A hidden passage took them into a makeshift chapel filled with religious statues. Johanne told the monk he saved the items from destruction by the Protestants. Leiras enjoyed his new role as an honorable bishop, and his eyes gleamed when people genuflected as they passed him. The man went to the front of the room while Marshall remained in the back.

The pirate watched the proceedings with growing discomfort. At first, he scanned the crowd, who watched and followed along as the monk perform the Liturgy. Feeling a flash of heat filling his neck, Marshall quickly left the room. Rubbing the symbol that burned like fire on his flesh, the man left the building and walked into the courtyard.

Damn, Remiel doesn’t want me around a cross!

Gradually, the chilly night refreshed the captain. As the pain in his neck went away, the captain considered the irony inside the building. What would Remiel think about a sodomite killer preaching to the people?

And God cursed me!

He wanted to scream out loud as he took a deep breath. In the courtyard’s stillness, the crunch of gravel under his feet was the only sound. As he came near the barn, the sound of the mass reached him from an open window in the turret.

“I wondered when you might leave that foul ritual.”

Marshall stopped. Ahead of him, Naamah leaned against the side of the barn. She wore only a dark-colored linen undergarment. Cut low to reveal her upper chest and shoulders, her loose-fitting shift fell below her knees like a dress. A belt around her middle emphasized the curves of her body. Without a gown and petticoat, the woman looked exotic and tempting.

“You show much of yourself. Why are you here?” Marshall glanced around. Nothing revealed itself in the shadows.

The woman beckoned him with her finger as she turned. She disappeared through the dark entrance.

“Come inside. I’ve brought us something to drink.”

Marshall hesitated. He saw nothing suspicious. Still, he pulled his pistol before he carefully entered the small building. The smell of horses, hay, and manure struck him. The animals remained quiet when he passed them.

“Over here,” Naamah whispered.

The light on a lantern hanging in the back of the building guided him to a small, open area filled with hay. Naamah sat on a red blanket, leaning back on the straw. She lifted a clay pot.

“Come drink with me, my lover.”

Marshall went to the open window, but only the lights of the nearby keep showed. An intense feeling of a thousand eyes watching him caused the man to scan the area again.

“What are you afraid of?”

Naamah’s mocking tone grated at him.

“I’ve seen your evil used against men before,” he reminded her. The captain fingered the blessed dagger in his belt before he sat next to the woman.

“That’s better.” She handed the pot of wine to Marshall, who eyed it suspiciously.

“My, you’re a suspicious one.” Naamah laughed, then she drank from the container.

Marshall took the pot from her.

“Why are you here?”

The woman laid back on the hay.

“Isn’t that obvious? It’s time for you to repay your debt to me.” She unbuckled her belt and pulled up her shift. She ran her hands along her legs.

“Don’t I look pleasing to you?”

Marshall finished his drink and nodded. He unbuckled his sword belt and laid it next to them.

“Aye, I’ve not seen a woman for many a day.”

The man leaned over. She pulled him down, and they kissed.

“You’re a liar. You had a servant girl recently. I can smell her on you.”

She grabbed him by his upper arms. With incredible strength, Naamah rolled him over on his back, coming on top to straddle him. She pulled her hands away to remove the rest of her garment. She arched her back and enticed him with her breasts over his face. The woman giggled at his expression.

“A man must pay his debt. Isn’t that correct, Blackbane?”

Before he could respond, Marshall suddenly felt a pair of small hands gripping both of his forearms. When he struggled to release the grip, the captain felt more hands holding his legs. As he fought to free himself and the naked woman laughed. She brushed away the hay next to them.

Four giant black toads held him down with human-like arms and hands. Their bulbous eyes stared at him while the creature’s slimy skin oozed pus. Despite the demon on top of him and her minion’s powerful grips, Marshall continued to struggle.

“Don’t worry, my love. My familiars won’t harm you unless you fail my needs tonight.”

The naked woman scooted down to his thighs before she pulled down his breeches. When she positioned herself on top of Marshall, she leaned down and softly kissed his lips.

“I’m always in full control of my human lovers!”

When Naamah finally let the toad-like creatures release her human lover, Marshall could barely move. The experience left him physically exhausted and mentally stained. Her cat-like eyes were no longer enticing. Instead, her blank expression reminded the captain of a dead person as she rose to stand above him.

The sex wasn’t pleasant. Instead, it became a demeaning display of the demon’s control of Marshall. But Naamah’s insatiable appetite was irresistible. Somehow, the creature kept him aroused despite the pain from her scratches and bites. The marks that covered his chest and shoulders came from the creature’s greedy need to inflict pain during her organisms. Several times, he bit into her flesh in a desperate attempt to make her stop. However, it only increased the woman’s frenzy. Eventually, his mind became numb, aware of only pain and pleasure.

“You’ve seeded my womb, mortal.”

With relief, Blackbane croaked out that he paid his debt. He glanced around for the woman’s familiars, which had already disappeared.

“Perhaps it’s too soon to tell,” she replied with a feral grin. “Perhaps I’ll return to enjoy your body again. Unless my husband finds you first.”

The naked woman picked up her clothes and walked outside. With several grunts, Marshall sat up and followed her. One hand held on to his breeches while the other grasped his belt and sword. When he reached the courtyard, no one was there.

When Marshall finished dressing, he returned to the house. The captain found Leiras in the kitchen. A small man with a large bald spot in his long gray hair served food for the fat monk. Leiras glanced up as he took a bite. His red face still beamed at his special treatment.

“I wondered where you went.” His friend’s words were hard to understand with a mouth full of swan meat. “The family left us this servant to guide us after a late snack. Grab food now, for we have an early ride tomorrow.”

“What have you heard?”

Leiras glanced over at the servant, who brought over a plate with turnips and black bread. He shook his head and returned to his food.

When the men finished eating and finally reached their room, the monk waited until he was sure the servant left the hallway.

“I believe our host uses his servants to spy on his guests. That servant appeared to understand English.”

“Are they suspicious of you?” Marshall sat on one bed and leaned against the stone wall.

“No, but Johanne knew far too much about Gabriel’s ideas to meet with King Louis of France. I remained careful. However, my inquiry was useful. I found out that Gabriel carries two caskets containing religious items, including the one we seek. According to Johanne, the Frenchman and his wife went after the relic attributed to Saint Simpert, who was a cousin of Charlemagne. Gabriel claims he found it in Augsburg. He’ll take it back to France to curry favor with the king.”

“Did our host tell you all of that over the beer?”

Leiras nodded.

“He enjoys an air of a gentleman among the peasants who toll the lands here. Johanne wants me to stay for a few days. I believe they expect great things from my sermons. Of course, you’re invited to stay as well.”

“But we’re heading to Charleville.”

“True,” the monk agreed. “I suggest we wait for the next trekschuit upstream, then pick up a carriage to our actual destination.”

Marshall shook his head.

“We’ll lose several days. If any snow comes, we could miss the Frenchman. We need to leave tomorrow and get to Gabriel as soon as we can. Can you talk them out of a couple of horses instead?”

The monk’s reluctance showed on his face. Marshall suspected his comrade enjoyed his new status a little too much.

“I suppose it’s for the best,” Leiras finally agreed. “I’ll talk with him in the morning.”

It wasn’t until late in the morning of the next day that Johanne van Stepradt realized the necessity for Leiras and Marshall to leave. The column of blue-coated Dutch soldiers entering the nearby village forced his hand. Johanne practically insisted his visitors take his horses to leave immediately.

After Marshall arrived inside the barn, he waited for a stable hand to finish saddling his black and white mare. The captain glanced at the corner where he and Naamah lay only a few hours before. As he stood there, the servant led a saddled horse from one bay.

“Why so lost in thought?” Leiras asked as he took the reins from the servant, who left to saddle another horse.

“Nothing,” he replied too quickly.

The monk watched the pirate as he took the reins from him. Marshall’s expression revealed concern, but he hid it well.

“It probably doesn’t concern me,” Leiras shrugged and went to observe the servant.

Marshall tied his blanket to the back of the saddle, then led the animal from the barn. He was already on the mount when he heard the pounding of hoofs coming from the road. The gray-haired man who served them food last night rode past him at full gallop and hurriedly stopped near the house. The servant hurried inside while Leiras came out of the barn.

“We’ll need to move quickly,” Marshall stated as he looked down the road toward Ewijk.

The monk quickly threw a leather bag on the saddle. When the pirate heard the metallic noise, he noticed his friend’s unique lantern tied to the saddle. Leiras clambered on the seat as Johanne hurried across the courtyard to them.

“Prussians in the village are asking about a man in a red robe. I’m sure they’ll be coming this way soon. Godspeed you on your journey.”

Leiras made a sign of the cross for the man while he quickly blessed him. Moments later, the two men rode away from the van Stepradt estate.