Page 70 of Nexus
Once the vampire was hidden in my bag, I slung it over my shoulder and continued my journey.
A guard spotted me as I approached the entrance to the city and instantly panicked. “The ogre is back!” he shouted and screams rang out. I was too tired to increase my pace as I entered the city.
Soldiers came running, carrying spears and shields. “What do we do?” one of the lackeys asked, nearly gibbering in fear.
“Get the Captain!” someone else decided.
A guard took off running, while the rest of them followed me at a distance. He returned with the same guy who’d called the shots the last time. “Has it attacked anyone?” the captain asked, buckling his shield on his arm in determination.
“Not yet, sir.”
“Do you want us to kill it?”
“Maybe if we all rush it together, we might be able to take it down.”
I cut a look at the idiot who’d suggested that and bared my tusks at him. He blanched and melted to the back of the growing crowd.
“What do you want?” the captain asked, enunciating his words loudly and clearly, as if I was hard of hearing as well as stupid.
“Food,” I replied wearily. “Hungry.”
“What the hell happened to it?” someone muttered. “Why is it coated in that yellow stuff?”
“Ogre orgy,” I lied.
“Ew,” he said, screwing up his nose. I still hadn’t gotten used to seeing their heads in their chests and almost burst into snickers.
“Maybe if we give it food, it’ll go away,” the captain mused.
“It looks tired and wounded,” a lacky said speculatively. “I think we should kill it while it’s weak.”
Snarling in anger at his threat, I darted forward and picked him up. Knocking his spear away, I shoved him into my mouth until only his feet were showing.
“Don’t eat him!” the captain shouted, holding his unarmed hand up peacefully before I could bite down on his subordinate. “Let him go and we’ll give you all the food you want!”
I’d only been pretending to eat the minion, but my threat had worked better than I’d hoped. Screaming and thrashing, the soldier squirmed in my mouth. He began crying in terror, so I decided he’d had enough and spat him out. Covered in ogre spit, he bowled into some of his buddies, knocking them all down.
“Food! Now!” I demanded belligerently.
“Follow me,” the captain said. “Keep your distance from it,” he ordered his troops. “Don’t threaten it. We’ll let it take what it wants and maybe we’ll all make it out of this alive.” He courageously led the way along the main road with his lackeys following twenty feet behind me.
Chapter Fifty-Two
RUEN’S MUFFLED SNICKERS came from inside the sack. Aurora’s feathers rustled as she shifted position, then his giggles became more muted. She must have put her wing over his mouth. I plodded along, stomach growling loudly enough to draw curious people to their doorways as I passed their houses. Some screamed and ran. Others gaped in wonder and fear at our procession.
The captain led me to the food stalls that had been repaired after my short rampage. The owners of the stalls fled the moment they saw me. I had a long walk back to the gate and needed to replenish my energy. This would be an easy way to stock up on supplies.
“Take anything you want,” the captain said, gesturing at the plethora of food. “Just don’t eat anyone and we’ll let you leave peacefully.”
An empty wicker basket that stood about four feet high was standing next to one of the stalls. Picking it up by the handle, I started filling it with bread, vegetables, fruit, dried meat and all sorts of edible goods.
“Is it going to leave any food for us?” one of the soldiers muttered petulantly, then hunched his shoulders protectively when I glowered at him. “Take it!” he blurted. “Take it all!”
“Moron,” I muttered beneath my breath, which sent Ruen into a fresh fit of giggles. My sack was still damp from the ooze he secreted. Not even his coating of jizz could halt the flow.
Once the basket was full, I flipped the lid shut and heaved it over my shoulder next to the sack. I needed one hand free, just in case I had to club someone to death.
“Are you done?” the captain asked in a slightly acerbic tone. “Will you leave now?”
