grabbed the creature and ripped it out of the revenant's throat, threw it to the ground, and stomped on it. Gore spattered out from under his sandal as the soft creature burst.
Somhairle stumbled backwards a few more steps before collapsing onto the ground against one of the huge support stones. Donall expected him to be fully dead, but he lolled his head towards him and his eyes focused on him for the first time. Donall went over to him and knelt down.
"You saved me." His voice sounded weak and rasping. "Thank you, beloved."
Donall frowned. "I do not understand."
"After you buried me, my father came and laid a geis on me, so that I would rise after three decades and scour the land of the living. Then he and what was left of his kind would claim the world as they once had before the coming of man. I was angry and hurt that you did not join me in death. If you had, you might have prevented his action. But you came at last and freed me. I can now rest content. Good bye, beloved."
And with that his body slumped, inanimate, and his eyes rolled up into their sockets.
Donall slowly stood. So it had not been his fault after all. He felt relieved to know it, yet saddened as well, for at least that way there would still have been some connection between himself and his friend. Had his demonic father not interfered, Somhairle would have decayed into nothing and Donall would have lost him forever. And yet, he realized that a reunion of sorts could still be achieved, if he knew how to bring it about.
As he stood brooding, a mist swirled in around him. His skin prickled and his spine tingled as he recognized it. Turning, he saw a woman appear from out of the shadowy shroud. She looked young, with raven-black hair and eyes and blood-red lips, dressed in armor but wearing no helmet, bearing a sword but no shield. Her face appeared beautiful, but cold as death. He knew her to be Macha, the first and youngest of the aspects of the Morrigan, and the most bloodthirsty.
She stood before him and smiled. "You have done well, Donall the Red. The threat is eliminated, and the dead are returned to my keeping. I am most pleased."
Prudence advised that he remain silent, but he needed to know. "Is the threat gone forever? What if his father renews the geis?"
"My hounds will see to Somhairle properly; no reanimation will be possible then."
"I am glad." But his tone was subdued.
"You still seem troubled. I owe you a debt; tell me what distresses you and I shall rectify it if I can."
"I am under a geis to die with my beloved and be buried with him. I failed to honor it when he fell in battle, but I wish to fulfill it now."
Macha grinned, but it had a wicked caste. "That is easily granted. Remain here when my hounds arrive, and they will gladly claim you as well as him."
Donall bowed, his heart light for the first time in years. "I am grateful."
Macha laughed, a sound like the croaking of a gigantic raven, as the mist thickened and obscured her from view. It rapidly died away as if retreating to a great distance, while the mist thinned and cleared. When it had vanished, Donall could see fire-red eyes glowering at him from the darkness inside the dolman. As he watched, more appeared and began to move towards him.
Smiling, he closed his eyes and raised his dirk to his throat, content at last.
Pronunciation Guide
Badbh (BAH)
Connachta (KOHN-uhck-tuh)
Donall Ruad Mac Roibeaird (DOH-nawl ROO-uh MAK REH-bawrd)
Erin (EH-ruhn)
geis (GEHSH)
Macha (MAH-ckuh)
Mamu (MAW-muh)
Medb (MAYV)
Morrigan (MOH-ruh-guhn)
na Cuplai (NAH KOOP-lay)
Nemhain (NEH-vuhn)
Rath Cruachain (RAH KROO-uh-ckuhn)
Ruachtach (ROO-uhck-tuhck)
Samhain (SAH-wuhn)
Somhairle Duhb O Nollaig (SOW-uhr-luh DOO OH NOH-luhg)
Ulaid (U-luhd)
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About the Author
Kevin L. O'Brien was born with a pen in his hand.
Well, not quite, but he has been writing for as long as he can remember, at least since First Grade. Writing has always been his first, true love, but it hasn't always been his career. He worked for 15 years as a biomedical researcher, then for 3 years as a web designer. However, after 30 years of trying to be published in print with little success, he has decided to try his hand at self-publishing. Most of his works will be sold as ebooks through various online retailers, but he also plans to make some available for free exclusively on Goodreads.
He writes primarily speculative fiction--fantasy, science fiction, horror, and their sub-genres--but he also likes to try his hand at thrillers, suspense, mystery, and even westerns. However, his stories tend to have a fantasy element, no matter how subtle.
Most of his stories involve the following three main characters:
Medb hErenn [https://www.medbherenn.com/]--One-time queen of Ireland, she is over 3500 years old. A warrior and a sorceress, she cannot be harmed by any weapon made by the hand of man.
Eile and Sunny, Team Girl [https://www.teamgirlforever.com/]--They are two adorable, vivacious, fun-loving young women whose motto is ONWARD TO ADVENTURE!!! Yet trouble follows them like a love-sick puppy wherever they go.
Sir Differel Van Helsing [https://www.sir-differel.com/]--The descendent of Abraham Van Helsing and King Arthur, she heads the Caerleon Order, the premier monster-hunting organization of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. She commands Dracula, the most powerful vampire extant, and the greatsword Caliburn, better known as Excalibur.
He also writes a series of sword & sorcery stories set in an alternative universe known as the Lands of the Dreams of Men.
Kevin lives in Denver with his family and 4 cats.
For more information, see the Songs of the Seanchai [https://www.seanchaisongs.com/].
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Discover other titles by Kevin L. O'Brien:
A fidus Aranea, Adventurer's Honeymoon, Barbarians R Us, The Beast of Exmoor, The Christmas Vampires, Dark Vengeance, Disposable Commodities, Do Unto Others, Far-Sight, Feline Savior, Gourmand Hag, Gratuitous Crossover, Gruff Tolls, Immanuel, The Lions of Inganok, Man Friday, Masie's Mind, No Torrent Like Greed, Oak Do Hate, Post-Traumatic Redemption, Pride and Fall, Sacrificial Offering, Shenanigans, The Steel Gazelle
Enjoy these other titles at fine ebook retailers everywhere.
Available on Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/story/list/20075368
A Deliberation of Morality, Desperate Acts, The Denver Walker, The Golden Mushroom, In an Octopus's Garden, Jigsaw Dragon, One-Percenter Vendetta, The Peril Gem, The Price of Folly, Rhapsody in Orange, The Temple of Ubasti, A Typical Friday Night, Youthful Indiscretion
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Connect with Kevin L. O'Brien Online:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KLOB_writer
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.l.obrien.1
Website: https://www.seanchaisongs.com/
DeviantArt: https://teamgirl-differel.deviantart.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/Kevin_L_OBrien
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Sample Excerpts
From "Adventurer's Honeymoon"
Differel awoke, and found herself draped over Victor's body with her head on his shoulder and her arm across his chest. She looked out the nearest window and saw the sun well up in the azure sky, making it around early mid-morning. She gazed down at her sleeping husband and smiled. That handsome, angular face could make her swoon like a schoolgirl, with its chiseled rugged cinema star features, but the goatee gave him a diabolical caste.
She rolled backwards and sat up on the edge of the bed, careful not to wake him. She took a moment to scan the tiny room of the deserted fisherman's cottage before she stood up. Rustic did not adequately describe it; it looked too bare-bones for that.
She retrieved her chemise from the back of the only chair an
d slipped it on over her head. Then she opened the door and stepped outside. She looked up at the startled cries of the seagulls as they took off from where they rested on the roof. Her gaze followed them out over the wine-dark sea. The cabin sat in the middle of a tiny, rock-bound island, barely above high tide, but for the moment the water had receded to expose the encompassing shingle beach.
She heard a noise behind her and turned to see Victor out of bed. He stood in the only open space in the hut and stretched his strong svelte naked body, the sight of which never failed to incite her pulse to race and her breath to catch. She stood in the doorway, admiring her Adonis, when he focused his toffee-brown eyes on her.
"Good morning," she said as she stepped up to him.
He smiled back and they embraced for a long, deep kiss. She barely came up to his chin, but she helped him stoop by placing a hand on the back of his head, and she ran her fingers through his wavy collar-length walnut-brown hair.
Presently he raised his head, though they stayed in each other's grasp. "Good morning, My Love." His voice had a smooth, warm baritone that sounded like how fifty-year old single-malt Scotch tasted.
"Last day." They hadn't had a proper honeymoon when they married, so they had intended that seven-day trip to make up for it.
"I know. We should do something special, to close it with a bang."
She smirked. "As opposed to what we have been doing?"
"Mere foreplay, Love. Now comes the climax."
"What did you have in mind?"
"I thought some warm-up exercises to begin with. Then, after lunch, we'd take a stroll down to the beach, have a brief swim to limber up, and initiate the main event."
"How many heats?"
He flashed a lecherous leer. "As many as we have the strength for. Personally, I hope to continue well past dark. Think you can keep up?"
"Hmph. Bloody cheek. I plan to have a photo finish."
"If you say so, Love." She laughed as he swept her off her feet, turned, and carried her the few steps back to the bed. He laid her down in a gentle manner, draped himself on top of her, and lowered his face to her neck. She closed her eyes and sighed as she felt his lips brush against her shoulder.
A wave of dread washed through her as her whole body tensed. Victor felt it too, and he looked up at her. "Is something wrong?"
"I'm not sure. Eleanor is apprehensive."
"About what?"
She felt her irritation flare. "I can't read her mind. She just feels anxious about something."
"Is it dangerous?"
She closed her eyes and mentally verbalized: Danger, Eleanor? At first she felt uncertainty, but a sudden shock stabbed at her nerves.
She snapped her eyes open. "Bloody hell!"
Five armed men surged through the open doorway. Victor rolled off of her backwards as she sat up and swung her legs around, but their assailants reached them in moments. Three went for him as a fourth grabbed her legs and pulled her off the bed. As she slammed onto the floor, the fifth planted a foot on her chest and stuck the tip of his cutlass into her neck.
"Surrender," he said to Victor, "or I'll cut her throat."
He throttled one of his attackers as the other two tried to grapple him, but he replied by relaxing his grip and raising his hands. The fifth man, who seemed to be in charge, removed his foot as his partner let her legs drop.
"Get up." He signaled with his weapon. She got to her feet as the other three pushed Victor beside her. He looked them over, but the expression on his face suggested disgust rather than titillation. He grabbed a pair of braies, linen shorts that passed for underwear in the Dreamlands, and tossed them at him.
"Put them on." Victor caught them against his chest and took a moment to comply.
"Outside." He jerked his head in the direction of the entrance.
She gave him a baleful stare. "You could at least let us get dressed."
"Where you're going, you won't need more. Now, get a move on."
She raised an eyebrow, but complied as Victor followed. However cryptic his statement, she realized they meant to kill them or sell them as slaves. Either way, he was correct.
From "The Steel Gazelle"
"Are you okay, partner?"
"I...just don't think this is working out."
"What do you mean?"
"Okay, we've been here six weeks now--"
"More like seven."
Perplexed, she said, "Wha--?"
"Our first trip here lasted almost a whole week."
"Oh, yeah. But that was four months ago, Dream time. Okay, all totaled, we've been here seven weeks. What have we done in that time?"
"Well, we had two big adventures, we've gone with Medb on a couple of her missions, we've toured Ulthar, uhm...oh, Mayv's been training us in weapons fighting...uh..."
"Exactly. We haven't done much of anything, and what we have done was either dangerous or boring. I mean, yeah, I'll admit it, I thought the idea of being able ta go to some fantasy world every night and have real role-playing adventures was pretty cool. But this has turned out ta be pretty dull, when we're not having the crap scared out of us."
She picked up a tahler and leaned back. "Not to mention that it's not as lucrative as in Otherworld. This is our first real haul, and even then it's pretty dismal." She threw the coin back onto the pile.
"Okay, let's think about this for a moment. In the game, did we just sit around and wait for something to happen?"
"It's not the same thing. Otherworld was set up to offer us challenges."
"Eileee, stop avoiding the question."
She sighed from exasperation. "Alright. Well, yeah, sort of; our characters would wander around the town or countryside until someone showed up and offered us a quest."
"The point is, we actively went looking for adventure. We haven't been doing that here."
"And where do we go looking?"
"Ulthar is the city of adventurers. There are all sorts of people there who'd be willing to hire us. All we have to do is advertise."
Sunny's logic tended to follow its own rules, but she had to admit, she made sense.
"Meanwhile, we have the money the cats gave us. That should last us a good long while yet."
She shrugged. "True, but keep in mind, Mayv draws on it ta pay the rent on our house when we're not here."
"Yeah, that's a problem for sure."
"You think so?" She spoke in a sarcastic manner. "I swear sometimes you can be such a ditz."
"Oh, you're just cranky from being bored."
"Damn right. I especially resent us being treated like little kids left with the neighbors while Mommy goes off ta do neat adult stuff. There isn't even some place private where we can go fool around. I feel like havin' a screaming fit just ta shake things up."
If Sunny was going to say anything more, she was interrupted when the musicians stopped playing and Tyco jumped up onto the stage. "And now, without further delay, may I present Vichnia, the Steel Gazelle!"
The musicians began a weird, anti-harmonious piece. Their talent was pretty bad at the best of times, but their newest performance synchronized perfectly with the music, such that they enhanced the bizarre, alien rhythm with their atonal playing. Furthermore, while the song clashed and grated on Eile's ears, it oddly soothed and relaxed her.
A moment later, a figure appeared out of a backroom behind the bar. It had a statuesque female form and wore a hooded robe that hid every part of her body from sight. She walked across the common room with a slow, languid tread that kept time with the beat and melody of the music. She kept her head bowed so that her face couldn't be seen. Tyco retreated from the stage as she approached. She stepped up onto it and glided to the center, where she did a slow turn in place. When she stopped, she had her back to Eile and Sunny. She stood still for several moments, then began to sway in a serpentine motion. She lifted her head and reached up to pull down the hood. Eile saw steel blue hair wrapped in a bejeweled harness like a filigree helmet. She opened the
front of the robe, slipping it off her shoulders and down her back at such a slow pace it barely registered in her perception. All the while she didn't once stop swaying.
Eile sat mesmerized, though not senseless. She never considered herself attracted to other girls, but she was so fascinated with Vichnia's dance that she couldn't look away. Her skin was the same color as her hair and dusted with tiny sparkles. She wondered in an idle manner what kind of paint she used to decorate her body, and where she and Sunny could get some. Her shoulders, back, and upper arms were knotted with corded muscles, not to the extent of a body builder, but enough that Eile got the impression of tightly controlled strength. She wondered if Vichnia could take Medb in a wrestling match.
When the robe reached the buttocks, she was stunned out of her revere when she realized she couldn't see a costume. It slipped off one arm and swept to the right, to hang off the other as it trailed on the ground. As far as she could see, Vichnia wasn't wearing any leggings or shoes either. She raised her right arm and brought it across her chest, draping the robe across her front, and turned around. She stopped when she faced their table, looked down at them, and gave them a wicked smile. It started out slight then gradually grew into a broad expression, but it didn't crack into a grin. Her face was long and narrow, with prominent cheekbones and a domed forehead. Her nose was triangular and thin, but her mouth was broad and her lips full. Her eyes were set wide apart. They looked larger than normal, with a slight oriental cast to them. Their most arresting feature were their cyan-blue irises; they almost seemed to glow.
She felt paralyzed under that gaze, like a mouse confronting a snake. Then Vichnia whipped her right arm aside and threw the robe into the common room.
That broke the spell. "Jesus!" She averted her eyes and held up a hand to shield her sight.
She really is naked, she thought! It was only a momentary glance, but she hadn't seen any kind of clothing covering either bosom or crotch.
Beside her, Sunny let go with a long, drawn-out sigh: "Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!" She looked to the side and saw Sunny staring at Vichnia with eyes and mouth wide like giant O's.
She kicked her under the table, hard.
"Oww!" She whipped her head around to glare at her. "Son of a--! What was that for?!"
Several patrons turned around and hissed at her to be quiet.
"Stop staring at her, ya bimbo!" she whispered in a harsh tone.
"Whatever for?" She flashed a look of pure innocence. That elicited more urgent hissing.
"Jesus, Sunny, get a clue! She's nude!"
Sunny did a double take between her and Vichnia, before giving her a wide-eyed, drop-mouthed grin. "You're jealous!" The hisses were louder and more strident.
"I'm not jealous!! God, you can be such a space-case sometimes!"
Someone came up behind them and laid a hand on their shoulders. She figured it was a bouncer. "I'm afraid yose ladies will hafta leave if yose can't keep still."
"Move it or lose it, buster!" she growled. He raised his hand, but only a couple of inches.
Sunny looked up behind them.