Thursday Taster: Pandora 19

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The woman brought Pandora into her own home and fed her, offering her a bed for the night. “In the morning, we'll get Frederic to take you down in his wagon. You'll be able to find your way from Haven?” That was the name of the large town at the base of the mountain, where the dwarven miners lived.
“Yes, I can find my way from there,” she said although she had no idea how to find Tabitha or her mother. At least it would be easier to hide among more people, although she would stand out among the small, dark people that worked underground.
Frederic proved to be only a little younger than Carol, the woman who took her in for the night. He spent the entire ride talking about his children and grandchildren. “I tell them stories of the old witch that lives in the mountains. Keeps them from wandering too far.”

Pandora nodded. Tabitha would never hurt a villager, unless they attacked her. That had happened once while Pandora stayed in the fortress. A small army of men with torches and swords. Tabitha had called Magnificent's mother, Magestic. She had frightened the men back, and then Tabitha moved the fortress. The worst they fared was a few burns as Magestic's breath blew their own torch fire back on them. Tabitha looked fearful, and there was no doubt she would scare children to hug tight to their mothers, but she wasn't violent.
“Where is your family from?” Frederic asked. She had already told him she had no siblings and was looking for her mother.
“Lakeside.” Her father's castle was on the shores of the large lake, but Pandora had only spent the first year of her life inside. “But I know my mother isn't there.”
“Didn't like it? A little too stuffy maybe?” he suggested, grinning. “I expect being on the edges of the court all the time must be tiring.”
Pandora had no idea, but nodded. “She certainly doesn't want to go back.”
“Perhaps she is finding a new home for you?” he suggested.
Pandora's stomach did a flip. How wonderful would that be? To actually live with her mother again, somewhere safe.
The blood streaked face of the Prince stole the happy thought away from her. She didn't even know his name, but she knew he had a hold on her.

Thursday Taster: Pandora 18

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Pandora wiped her face on her sleeve, drying away her tears and taking deep breaths. She couldn't stay here. Even though it was momentarily safe, she needed to find Tabitha. How far would she have gone? Pandora knew there was village nearby. She'd visited it once with Tabitha, more as instruction on how evil the world could be, how women were treated in it, and lessons on blending in.
Her dress was not going to help with that. At least it had gotten a bit dirty. She rubbed a little more dirt into it, removing the expensive sheen and turning it from blue to a pale grey, much better. Then she shook her hair and ran her fingers through it. Using a simple masking, she turned it from golden to mousy brown. Finally, she rubbed one dirty finger over her nose. Hopefully she looked like a downtrodden peasant and not a princess.

In the village, she didn't find Tabitha, but there was no doubt she had been there. Everyone was cowering, peeking out from doorways and windows. Closing her eyes, Pandora focused on her surroundings. She could sense magic. If Tabitha were anywhere nearby, she would find her.
There was a faint trail leading away from the houses and down the mountain. Pandora opened her eyes with a sigh. She was gone.
“Can one of you help me? I've been trapped by a witch and have only just escaped. I need to return to my family.”
A woman was the first to risk leaving the safety of her home. She was older, with grey hair tucked under her bonnet. “I'll help you,” she said. “That witch just left here with a queen. They won't return soon. You are safe here.”
A queen? Had Tabitha found her mother already? It wasn't unlikely. What surprised her was knowing how close she had been to her mother without seeing her. Had Tabitha led her away intentionally? Did she want Pandora to stay in the death-sleep?
That wasn't fair. She knew her mother had called Tabitha to help her. They were on their way to do what was required. It was frustrating to know that she had been only a few miles from her mother. She hadn't seen the queen since she a child and barely remembered the beautiful woman. She had no memory at all of her father.

Flasher Fiction Friday - David #flashfiction

“Mama?”
Stacy turned at the voice. “Did you hear that?” she asked David.
He chuckled. “Hearing voices again? I swear you can find something wrong with any house.”
She jabbed her elbow into his ribs. “It sounded like a child.”
“Mama?”
“I’m sure whoever he is, he’ll be fine.”
“Mama!”
Stacy gasped as a boy ran right through her. She turned to grab for David, but he was gone.
“David?” she asked as the boy was lifted into his mother’s arms.
“Davie,” the mother crooned.
“See?” the boy said, pointing right at Stacy. “I told you she’d like it here.”

Other authors have crafted 100 words to accompany this picture. I have a feeling they'll all be creepy. :)

Thursday Taster Pandora 17

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Russel pulled his arm back, brambles snagging and tearing the fabric of his sleeves. He'd left his sword inside, but it took him less than a minute to retrieve it and hack his way through.
She wasn't there. She couldn't have gone far and Russel examined the path for signs of her passing. He could see the scraping where she had fallen in the dirt, but no footsteps from it. Had she jumped to the grass and low flowers? He couldn't find traces of bruised grass or bent stems.
Russel fought a growl, stalking away from the fortress and toward where he had left the witch. He hadn't gone far before he realized that as much as the mountain looked the same, he was in a different place. The wench had moved him, dropped him somewhere else. Well, if he wasn't going to catch her immediately, he might as well stay here a day or two. He didn't sheath his sword and jammed it into the body of the dragon, leaving it there as he went in search of the well and food. He needed to wash.

Thursday Taster Pandora 16

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“Yes.”
His expression was puzzled and he only had a moment to regard her before he was thrown across the room to crash into the full length mirror, glass shards covering him. Other objects rose and flew, pummelling him further, her makeup jars, her journal, the chair. When he stopped swinging his arms in defence, she let the magic go, straightened her skirts, and trotted to the front of the Fortress. She had to find Tabitha and her mother.
Pandora fell to her knees next to the broken bodies of the familiar. She wept over Magnificent's corpse, overcome with grief. So taken was she, that the prince's hands in her hair were a complete surprise.
“That was unkind, wife. I think perhaps we need to reach an understanding. I am your husband, and I am in command.” He tossed her to the ground, his foot pinning her skirt, but narrowly missing her leg. He was still coated in the blood of her friends, bruises and wounds over his whole face. He was hideous, a monster.
Pandora ripped the cloth free, grabbing for the briars that were on the edge of the path. The cruel thorns bit into her skin and her blood coated their tips, igniting the spell she cast through it. Throwing it onto the path at his feet, a wall of briars grew between them, and Pandora took pleasure in his cursing.
She whispered goodbye to her friends and then cast the first spell she had been taught by Tabitha. The fortress faded from view, moving over the mountain peaks to rest somewhere else. She'd always cast it from inside, hiding themselves, but this time, she prayed the prince was taken with it. Anywhere that wasn't here.
The briars remained and she worried that he was still on the other side. Carefully pulling a few of the barbed branches apart, she peeped through and found only a cliff behind them. Relief took her feet from under her and Pandora sat on her rump crying in grief and triumph - hysterical, nonsensical tears mixed with laughter.

Vampire Friday - Nicholas 5

Another Friday, another vampire. Check out the ones on these blogs: Linda Hamonou.

Nicholas ran into Judith in the corridor. “Thank you again, sir. We had no other incidents tonight, I'm happy to say. This room is available,” she said, opening a door. Like most of the boudoirs, it had a feminine touch, but there was no girl inside waiting for him.
“Sophia had me believe any of the whores would be able to help me. Does that include you?”
Judith's eyes widened. “You...want me?” she asked in disbelief.
“If you aren't busy.”
She shook her head, loose grey-streaked brown hair bouncing. “No, the last john took to a room moments ago. I have time.” She stepped through the door with her back straight, eyes searching. What was she looking for?
“I have had one hunger dealt with tonight, Judith. However, I am still learning how to sate the other without mishap. Do you trust me?”
Judith seemed to relax. “Of course, Nicholas. You will stop when I say.”
His own breath came in a sigh. “Yes. That is precisely what I need you to do.”
She came closer and Nick positioned her to sit on the edge of the bed. Then he began opening her collar. Rather than bite immediately, he kissed and caressed the revealed skin, undoing more buttons and slowly removing the madam's dress.
“Nicholas?” she asked, confused. Her confusion fled and a gasp escaped her when he slid a hand over her breasts, pinching one nipple gently and running his finger over the tip. “I didn't think...you implied...You are hungry?” she finished.
He hadn't expected it either. He had been quite sated after enjoying George so long, but something in his spinster cousin, in this older woman, something that denied any man loving them. It made him mad to show them they were desired, they were his love as much as any other.
“Famished.” He broke her skin and let the blood wash over his tongue. Fire hit his blood at the same time it burned through hers. Hers was the lust attributed to the mysterious element in their mouths. His was the spark of life that came only with hot, pumping blood.
He fought the urge to keep drinking, to keep the wound open. He wanted more, much more, but he also wanted to make Judith feel beautiful, adored, desired. Licking the bite, he pulled her dress free and began work on her undergarments. Her fingers jumped to his assistance, yanking at laces and ribbons. Nicholas' fingers traced the tops of her stockings, following the garters up, his fingers playing near, but not quite touching, her hot lips. He could feel the heat coming from them, doubtless wet as well. His bite had done as was expected, now to make the woman understand that he wasn't simply using her.
“You feel remarkable under my fingers, Judith. I can feel your beauty. I can hear your heart thumping, hear how beautiful you are. Your smell,” he said, working his nose around her ear and into her hair, “is subtle and lovely. My eyes can only confirm what all my other senses tell me, you are a beautiful woman. One I long to please.” He let his teasing fingers slip between the folds of her lips and she cried out, squeezing her legs around his wrist to keep him there.
He pulled free easily and pushed her hip back to the mattress, using his knee to hold her in place. “Come for me, Judith. Let me hear you.” His fingers spread her lips wider and slid into her, stroking.
“Oh, yes, Nicholas. I will come for you.” She squealed slightly. “I feel I am bursting already.”

Thursday Taster: Pandora 15

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“You smell of blood,” she told him.
He blinked, looking at his hand and the brown smudges on it. “Oh.” He tried to rub it off on her sheets. “I'm not taking time to wash. Next time I'll be clean.”
She turned up her nose, but it didn't stop him and his progress.
“Here, this will help,” he said, moving his fingers over her, brushing her sex. “That's nice, isn't it?”
She didn't want to agree, but couldn't argue either. Her eyes closed and it took effort to focus on pooling the energy, gathering it. It was so easy to slip into the moment and let it rush over her. The heat he was creating, the way her walls throbbed and constricted, making each movement even more delicious. Despite being a horrible man, killing her friends, she'd never felt anything like this.
“Yeah, that's what you want,” he taunted. “Just a little more of this, and then-”
He was atop her again, lying between her thighs. She started to scream, but he kissed her. This time she was caught in surprise and her mouth was open to him. He let a small moan escape him and she drank it in with his kiss. His hot mouth was enticing in a way he wasn't. The way his tongue slipped along hers made it tingle, made her chest heave in heavy breaths.
A piercing pain shot through her and she almost bit his tongue. Clenching her teeth, she waited for it to subside.

“Just a moment,” he promised, his hands running through her hair. “There, that's better.” He started moving again, rocking his hips into hers. She was awakened now, focusing more than she had been able to before. It still felt amazing, the way he opened her, rubbed inside and out. She looked forward to being able to simply enjoy this, but for now, she was spooling up his energy and hers, winding it into a ball of power.
He was soon grunting and she joined him, encouraging the animal.
“Yes,” he cried, and she echoed.
“Yes.”
His expression was puzzled and he only had a moment to regard her before he was thrown across the room to crash into the full length mirror, glass shards covering him.