“I can’t think why,” Ravi replied, obviously fighting an exasperated smile.
“It’s the sex,” Daks deadpanned.
Instead of the punch to the arm Daks half expected, Ravi barked out a laugh, but his smile faded to something much more intense as Daks moved in for a kiss.
He sucked on Ravi’s soft lips until Ravi opened and deepened their kiss. Ravi allowed Daks to push him to the ground. He draped himself over that lanky, perfect body as Ravi’s arms wrapped around his shoulders, holding him close.
Daks was just wondering how much of that lovely skin Ravi might be willing to expose to the cold night air when Horse suddenly snorted and stomped the ground. Reluctantly lifting his head, Daks scanned the shadows beyond the firelight, but he saw nothing.
“What is it?”
Daks held up a finger and opened his other sense.
Seven Hells!
He rolled to his feet and rushed to where he’d left the sword he’d “borrowed,” the same way he’d “borrowed” the other horse. Putting himself between the thing in the woods and Ravi, he widened his stance and lifted the sword.
“What’s going on?” Ravi hissed.
“Spawn,” Daks gritted out through clenched teeth.
The I-told-you-sos would be never-ending… if they lived that long.
Horse snorted again and moved to stand next to him, making Daks gape at the beast. As if he needed more proof Horse was not at all what he seemed. As soon as the dapple caught scent of the Spawn it screamed and lunged, trying to break the reins free of the branch Daks had tied them to, but Daks couldn’t spare it more than a quick glance before riveting his gaze on the approaching red, glowing eyes.
Ravi fumbled at Daks’s belt, and when Daks spared him a glance, Ravi held his dagger pointed at the Spawn, his amber eyes wide, his face pale.
“Stay back, Ravi. You’re not trained for this,” Daks ordered.
“And you are?”
He had a point. Daks had never been this close to a Spawn before in his life. He’d sensed them beyond the magic walls of Scholoveld. He’d tracked them for hunters who did this kind of thing all the time, but he’d never actually had to fight one himself. He had no wizard or bespelled sword. He had no wizard stone to catch the Wraith in, even if he could manage to kill it. The best he could hope was that the thing would get discouraged and find some easier prey to go after.
He shot another glance at the dappled horse still trying to break free of its bonds and winced. He hated to do it, but if the choice was between the horse and them, the horse would lose.
He was still trying to figure out how to make a sacrifice like that work when the Spawn finally stepped from the shadows and into the small circle of firelight, and Daks did a double take. Another stallion, as tall as Horse and as black as Horse was white, stood in the clearing, regarding them calmly. It didn’t appear corrupted or vicious. Its sleek sides gleamed whole and healthy in the flickering orange light, and if anything, the creature looked bored. If not for the glowing red eyes, Daks would have thought his luck had improved ten-fold with another beautiful horse to add to their collection. For his part, Horse seemed curious but definitely not alarmed, and as Daks watched in stunned silence, Horse ambled across the clearing toward their visitor.
The Spawn’s attention shifted to Horse and the thing started. It took a seemingly wary step back, and Horse stopped.
“What’s going on?” Ravi whispered.
“Not a clue,” Daks replied without taking his eyes off the two animals.
At least the dapple had stopped fretting, possibly sensing the change in the atmosphere as well.
While Daks was frantically searching for what the hells to do next, the Spawn horse wavered and shifted in front of his eyes. Before Daks or Ravi could do anything but yelp, a rather lovely young black-haired man stood where the Spawn had been, completely naked.
“What are you?” the Spawn-horse-man asked, his attention still riveted on Horse.
Horse snorted, lifted his head high, and pointedly turned his back on the creature. He ambled back to Daks’s side and turned to face the Spawn again, his eyes placid and serene.
“Uh, I might ask you the same question,” Daks said hesitantly.
He’d never felt so out of his depth in his life, and that was saying something.
The Spawn—or whatever the hells it was—turned his attention back to them, though he still shot wary glances at Horse from time to time.
“What I am is no concern of yours,” it—he—said primly.
“I think it is,” Ravi piped up behind him, and Daks winced.
If the thing was willing to talk reasonably and not murder them, Daks was just fine not knowing the particulars or antagonizing him.
The creature turned his unnatural gaze on Ravi, and Daks tensed, tightening his grip on the sword. His eyes stopped glowing as he studied Ravi briefly, and Daks hoped that was a good sign. Except, when the Spawn kept eyeing Ravi, as if he were mulling something over, Daks started to get nervous. On a man who hadn’t just been a horse with glowing red eyes, Daks might have considered the look to be one of interest, possibly sexual, but that couldn’t be right.
He stepped in front of Ravi, blocking the creature’s view.
“What do you want?” Daks asked, not sure he wanted to hear the answer.
“I might ask the same question,” the young man replied mockingly.
Okay, questions obviously weren’t working, so how about answers.
“I’m looking for a friend of mine who may have traveled this way,” Daks said, doing his best not to growl the words.
The Spawn turned his attention back to Horse. “And you?” he asked, eyeing the beast warily.
Silence hung heavy and uncomfortable in the clearing, but for the pop and crackle of the dying fire.
“Uh, that’s my
