Bab 23: Hunting Party
THE QUEEN OF ELDORIA, Giselle Van Imperia received a [Summoning] in her castle from Emberfall a few days after Rafel got the letter from Ravenna. His summons appeared as a glowing message in the green crystal ball she usually used for seances with her necromantic Familiars.
[Care for a Hunt?] It said.
[Bloodbearer: Lord Israfel BlüdThïrste.]
Rafel was not one to play with words, and Giselle smiled at his short message. She welcomed any chance at adventure with the Earl. And so it was, Giselle attended his summons and currently found herself in his presence at the forever foggy ambiance of the Emberfall Estate.
Very few men directly messaged her—and lived. But for Rafel's call, she was ready to answer. After all, they had lived through the battle of Frostholm together. Nothing joined two dark souls like cold-blooded murder.
[🎶 I See Fire – Celtic Woman.]
"Tell me why we're doing this again, Your Grace?"
Giselle Van Imperia huffed on her feet, her question directed at Rafel who stood just beside her. Her golden irises rose at least six inches to meet with his fiery ones.
Rafel, Giselle, the Countess Cordelia, and Aya Naamah all stood on the wide steps leading up to the Manor. The fall breeze ruffled scarlet leaves on the grounds beyond. They all waited on Cora to appear with the Hounds. The Hellhounds. Today, the underworld pets wouldn't need to disguise as foreign Rottweilers.
Giselle had arrived in company of her best friend, the Countess some moments ago. If they were having a hunting party, Cordelia was more than eager to join in. Besides the view of a handsome Hell Lord was an added perk.
It was Hunting Season.
And both Cora and Aya had refused vehemently to be kept at home while they went and had all the fun. If Rafel was heading a hunt, it meant it wasn't for deer. Who would wanna miss that?
"Rafel?" Giselle urged, prompting his reply.
"We are doing this because, Your Majesty, the Bone Huntress is not just some Legend. She is as real as any of us. A millennia ago and mortals classified your kind as myths too. I hear she haunts the village of Gūndlheim, capturing poor travellers on their way through the Woods.
'Tis the last moon before winter tonight, and her hunt will be at its peak..." Rafel didn't mention the part about him doing it for Ravenna. "It is a good night to hunt the Huntress."
Giselle turned to share a smile with Cordelia.
"Just to be clear, we're hunting a person?" The Countess asked.
When Giselle nodded, she sniggered into the Queen's body. "Oh goody!"
The thrill of adventure already stoked the women's blood. Giselle fondly remembered the last time they had gone venturing into the Woods with Rafel. What a delightful outing it had been? Outdoor fucking in a tent!
Sharing Rafel with her best friend had drawn them even closer, redefining the boundaries of their relationship. Giselle took Cordelia's hand and looked out to the waiting caravan of about six carriages; their hunting troop for the night.
"I can hardly wait, Delia," Giselle murmured into her friend's ear.
She smirked at the Countess, her gilded eyes flirting with Rafel's wild stature. "You think we can convince a quickie out of him during the ride? I mean it's been a while, you know?"
"Oh, I know!" Cordelia returned.
The two women sneaked secret giggles when Rafel glanced their way, narrowing his eyes.
"What the hell are you two smiling about?"
"Nothing, Handsome." Giselle flipped her long golden hair. However, the erotic message was clear in her eyes.
She wanted to fuck.
Just then, Cora walked out the high doors with Rafel's gray military-style trenchcoat, completing his [Reaper] hunting garb. Like him, all the women had a similar gothic dress code; all of them wearing pants to effect easy movements. Rafel was lost in a buffet of hips and ass. It was splendid.
He put out his arms so that Cora could wear the tunic onto his broad shoulders.
"Shall we, ladies?"
Rafel held out both his arms like a Chaperone entering a Ball. In his fine tweed jacket, he enchanted the gazes of the four women. They took his offered courtesy, two women to each side of him, and he led them to the waiting caravan.
Rafel mounted the biggest carriage which was at the center of the cab train. It was spacious enough for all of them, with a lavishly decorated interior and pulled in front by four hulking bears. The hunting beasts had cost Rafel 50 000 [Uncommon] souls.
Rafel settled into the cabin, on a long seating area. He was briefly amused when Corazón and Aya rushed to take his sides on the couch before Cordelia and Giselle could manage it.
The Queen politely smiled with her friend before taking the seating area opposite Rafel.
Four women crushing hard on him on a two hour ride, what could go wrong?
A sticky silence reigned for a bit.
It was Giselle who broke it. Her taunting voice was clear as the caravan began its journey.
"So. . .have you fucked him too?"
"Excuse me!" Cora paled at the Queen's stroking eyes.
Giselle shrugged. "Just saying! I mean I know the slave has been fucked. It's clear written all over her sexy thick body. I also have enjoyed the rough dominance of the Earl, with Delia here too." Giselle took her friend's hand in the moving carriage. "—All I'm asking is if you've fucked him too, Champ. Have you? You know because you're a lesbian and everything.
I wouldn't fault you if you like to suck dick every now and then. I mean Rafel's cock is pretty—"
"I would stop you there, Your Majesty." Cora chanted. "And if I may speak freely...I am only as sapphic as what you and Her Grace, Cordelia have going on."
Giselle didn't stop. "Good answer, Tomboy. But I know you enjoy eating pussy."
"I DON'T—"
"Alright, cool your jets everybody. We are out to hunt an Immortal Slaver, not ourselves." Aya Naamah spoke softly in her tiny honeyed voice. Her look however shined with the power of her [Rank A] elemental Lust System. Once a concubine of the Lord Morningstar himself, she was not to be played with.
The carriage fell silent, but Rafel's lips were trembling with barely restrained laughter. He felt grandly amused seeing the women try to get along. But he'd bet a Bonereaver's head no one teaches the proper Lady on how to react when the hunk you've all fucked is locked in the same room with you.
The ride from Emberfall to Gūndlheim was a short one. They took the route farmers often did to transport their merchandise to the trade market further south. And Rafel hailed the moving caravan to a stop when they reached the colossal line of gigantic mangrove trees that signaled entry into the Northern woods.
The domicile of the Bone Huntress.
It was nightfall and the full moon was just beginning to show its clarion white face.
Rafel stepped out the carriage and dished out instructions to his four-woman hunting party.
"Corazón, release the hounds. They can attain their true forms. No mortal would be caught dead this far north from the village tonight. Aya! You're with Cordelia. Giselle, you move with Cora. We are divided into three parties thus. Never break away from your partner, no matter what you think you see or hear. Always keep a distance of ten metres across from the nearest duo.
Though I admit you all are here of your own accord, I would see no harm come to anyone of you. Is that clear?"
All four women nodded.
"Good. Everyone to their positions. And remember, the Bone Huntress is our prime target. Capture only! I would have words with her."
Rafel was thinking entirely of his Little Raven off in boarding school as he withdrew his [Blessed] silver bow and arrow from his pocket dimension. He heard the footsteps of Cora some distance across as they all walked into the canopy of monstrous and gnarly rooted forest trees.
The hunt was on.
"Equip Dark Hunter Ability!" Rafel whispered to his system.
[Ding!] It chimed a second later.
[Dark Hunter Equipped!]
[Level: Epic (Savage Adventurer)
Totem: Night owl
Matriarch: Athena
Abilities: Three-sixty night vision. Shadow flight. Eye of Argus. Echolocation. Lunar Revitalization.]
Just as Rafel's thick boots padded into a muddy hole, the Hellhounds rushed out in front of him. Their gray furs had being exchanged for midnight bark muscle. Their red eyes shone in feral brutality. Their howling ascended high into the dense dark forest.
Only one name filled their intelligent hellish hive mind,
Annabelle, the Bone Huntress.
Hadiah
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