Huntress: Origins

The fugitive sorcerer crossed through the shadow-infested alleyway, his dark eyes flitting back and forth with the casual paranoia of a man who had lived his entire life on the run. In many parts of the world he would have been treated like a living god, but here in Vorsalos, the crown jewel of the Shattered Coast, his gifts only made him prey.

My prey, specifically. And it was long past time for my hunt to begin.

I crept along the edge of the rooftop above him, the soft patter of my footfalls completely drowned out by the rain. I had no trouble following him when he dipped into an adjacent alley and vanished into the rising fog. I knew precisely where he was going, for one, but even if he unexpectedly changed his route I didn't need my eyes to track him. His Aether-infused blood was like a beacon in the darkness; I could actually feel the latent magical energy pumping through his veins. If I ever got close enough, I would probably be able to smell it, too. My mouth was already watering at the prospect of a fresh meal.

You're better than this, Valuri. Keep your hunger under control—if he commands half the power you think he does, you'll be able to sate yourself soon enough.

Grinning in anticipation, I vaulted from one rooftop to another. The sorcerer emerged from the fog exactly where I knew he would, and I continued my pursuit. I had been stalking him for almost a week now, and I had already memorized his habits and routines. Last night he had spent his entire evening drinking and gambling at one of the seedy taverns on the edge of the district, but tonight he would be visiting the brothel. Once inside, he would meet up with a blonde whore named Rayna, share a glass of wine with her at the bar, and then take her back to her room and fuck her senseless. He would emerge a few hours later, drained and drunk, before stumbling back to his home in the cistern.

If I hadn't known anything else about him, I would have assumed the sorcerer was every bit as pathetic as the other dregs infesting this part of the docks. But he wasn't actually a drunk or a whoremonger—at least not during the day. He spent the vast majority of his time as a healer-for-hire aiding the many children, immigrants, and refugees who had nowhere else to go. Devoted worship of the gods was rare in Vorsalos, making the demand for magical healing incredibly high. A sorcerer with the proper skills could make piles and piles of coin, assuming he offered his services to the rich and powerful. This man did not.

Not anymore, at least.

The brothel is just around the corner. It's now or never.

I took a deep breath and braced myself as the sorcerer made a final turn into yet another alley. He would be completely alone and isolated for the next half a minute or so, which meant it was finally time for me to strike. I drew the slender crossbow from the holster on my left hip and mentally counted off the seconds until he passed beneath me. Once I was staring directly down at his head, I vaulted off the roof and dropped down behind him—

At which point he whipped around, sank into a crouch, and shot me with a crossbow I hadn't realized he'd been holding.

The bolt pierced my leather armor with ease, and the sheer force of its impact ruined my carefully-planned fall. I landed flat on my back in a deep puddle, and my skull cracked the cobblestone hard enough that my vision went back. I clutched my chest and cried out in pain, shocked at just how much blood was already hemorrhaging from the wound. Any normal human woman would have bled out on the street in a matter of minutes...but thankfully, I wasn't a normal human woman.

I was a Senosi Huntress.

Clenching my jaw, I ripped the bolt from my chest and leaned up just as the sorcerer sprinted clear of the alley and lunged into the street. My vision was clouded and my head was still spinning, but I wasn't worried. I plucked one of the slender green crystals from my belt and crushed it in my palm. My Senosi hunger greedily devoured the latent magic energy stored within, and the pain in my head and stomach faded away.

"Clever boy," I said, glancing over at the sorcerer's discarded crossbow. Hunts were always more interesting when the prey put up a fight; I would have been genuinely disappointed if I had taken him down so easily.

Flipping back to my feet, I rushed into the street and did my best to ignore the panicked shouts of the people when they spotted my glowing green eyes. If they hadn't known I was a Huntress before, they certainly did now. The demonic visage we gained after feeding was genuinely terrifying. If only we could grow real wings...

I raced forward at superhuman speed, dodging or leaping over anything that got in my way. I felt more than saw the sorcerer duck into a side street, but rather than follow him I vaulted up onto another rooftop and tried to cut him off instead. He didn't shoot me with another concealed crossbow when I landed this time, though he did whirl around and blast a pile of nearby refuse with a jet of sorcerous flame. The smoke stung my eyes and slowed my pursuit more than the actual heat. Gritting my teeth in frustration, I rushed forward and tackled him from behind, knocking him flat against the ground.

But he still didn't relent. He slipped out of my grip as much from luck as actual skill, and he drew a dagger from somewhere in his boot and plunged it into my chest. Blood rushed up in my throat, but this time my strength didn't falter when he attempted to run away. I wrenched the dagger from his grip, slammed him against the nearest building, and clutched my fingers around his neck.

"Not bad," I said, spitting a wad of blood on the pavement. "Not bad at all."

"Vampire bitch," he hissed. "Just get it over with!"

"You misunderstand. I'm not going to kill you, sorcerer...not yet, anyway." I tightened my grip enough that he had to wheeze for air but not enough to actually choke him. "Your name is Jorem Farr, yes? The same Jorem Farr who used to work for the Lecasi Brotherhood?"

"What?" he rasped.

"The Lecasi Brotherhood," I repeated. "You used to run errands for them in exchange for protection from the Inquisitrix. But I heard you had a bit of a falling out with the boss, and now you've gone independent. Is that true?"

As his face twisted in confusion, I quickly glanced around to see if anyone was close enough to listen. Thankfully, the commoners were so terrified of me that they were giving us a wide berth. I needed to be careful. If my Senosi sisters found out what I was planning, even through word of mouth...

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he spat.

"Of course you do," I said. "Sobren Lecasi, the Brotherhood kingpin responsible for every petal of lotus in this city...you've done plenty of business with him in the past, and I bet you know exactly where I can find him now. If you help me out, the Inquisitrix might be willing to show you mercy."

"Get fucked, you heartless cunt," he spat.

I sighed. "Disappointing, but not unexpected. Men are always defiant at first. Perhaps you just need a bit more time to think about it." I squeezed hard enough that he finally started to asphyxiate in earnest. "I'm trying to help you, Mister Farr. None of my sisters would be this merciful, I promise. I'm doing you a favor."

I threw him to the ground. While he choked and gasped for air, I drew my second crossbow and inspected the poison-tipped bolt.

"I would much rather you help me freely," I said, taking aim. "But if you don't...well, let's just say that I'm looking forward to breaking you, sorcerer. I'm a patient girl, and in the end I always get my way."

I pulled the trigger.

***

The sorcerer awakened with a start once the antitoxin finally hit his bloodstream, and he struggled against his restraints so violently I was a little surprised he didn't dislocate his shoulder. The candlelight was too dim for him to see much of anything beyond the bed, but his eyes eventually found me sitting in shadows nearby, my legs crossed and my booted heel bobbing idly in the air.

"Good morning," I said. "Your head may hurt a bit, but don't worry—the poison won't linger in your system much longer."

"You bitch!" he growled. "What the hell do you—?"

"Speaking is a privilege I can easily revoke," I said, holding out the gag clutched in my right hand. "Now that we have some privacy, I was hoping we could have a civilized conversation. Remember: I don't want to hurt you. I'm here to make you an offer, Mister Farr—or do you prefer Jorem?"

He swallowed heavily and tugged against his restraints again. With the poison clouding his mind, he had probably only just realized the precariousness of his situation. I had stripped him completely naked, and his wrists and ankles were tied securely to the edges of the bed. No one else would bother us in here—I had transformed this seemingly dilapidated shack into my own personal safe house on the docks. Even my Senosi sisters were unaware of its existence.

"Look, I don't know anything," he said, the first tendrils of genuine fear seeping into his voice. "I'm no threat to anyone!"

"Neither of those statements are true," I replied mildly. "You possess first-hand knowledge about a topic of great interest to me, and you are also a grave threat. You are a sorcerer, Jorem...and a powerful one at that."

I slowly stood from my chair and paced over to the side of the bed. My eyes weren't glowing anymore, unfortunately, but that was all right. I was past the point of wanting to scare him. There were far more interesting ways of keeping a man's attention.

"There's no point in trying to downplay the strength of your abilities," I said, slowly dragging my finger across his bare chest. He had a perfect physique, as far as I was concerned. His muscles were nicely defined without being bulky. "I can feel the Aetheric energy coursing through your veins."

He bit down on his lip and watched my finger, his expression a mix of terror and confusion. Like any other sorcerer in Vorsalos, he had undoubtedly heard tales about how his fellow channelers were treated by my Senosi sisters at the Castarium. His mind was probably racing with nightmarish images of cackling Huntresses gelding male after male.

Fortunately for him, I had no interest in taking his cock. Quite the contrary, in fact.

"There are two ways we can do this," I said. "One is messy, painful, and generally quite unpleasant. But the other..." I traced my fingers along the shaft of his flaccid member and watched in delight as it almost immediately sprang to attention. "The other will be more enjoyable for both of us."

"What the fuck?" he hissed, trying and failing to move away. "You sick, twisted bit—ah!"

He yelped when I abruptly squeezed his testicles. I clutched them just long enough for him to recognize what I could do before I began rubbing them softly instead.

"You want to leave this city," I said after a moment. "You want to flee to Highwind or Silver Falls or somewhere else where sorcerers are allowed to run amuck. I understand. Honestly, I even sympathize. Why stay here when you have to be constantly looking over your shoulder for someone like me?"

Once his cock was fully erect, I began slowly massaging the long, throbbing shaft with my thumb. His member was every bit as impressive as the whores had led me to believe; my hand looked almost tiny by comparison.

"You want your freedom—I understand perfectly," I went on. "I also happen to be in a unique position to help you. All I'm asking for in return is a little bit of help finding a man you already despise."

Jorem swallowed again, and he bit down on his lip in a feeble attempt to temper his lust. "Getting to someone like Sorbren Lecasi isn't as easy as knocking on the right door."

"I am aware of the challenges," I replied, tracing my index finger up to the swollen head of his cock and then back down again. "I'm also aware that he recently returned to Vorsalos after an extended trip to Greygale. You may not know precisely where he is, but I bet you can get me close."

He grimaced and closed his eyes, and I had the satisfaction of feeling him stiffen to the point he almost exploded. I dared not look at his stem too closely—my Senosi hunger was already threatening to overwhelm me. I could hear his pulse pounding in my ears; I could feel the blood surging through his thick member. And most of all, I could sense the latent magical energy threatening to burst like a geyser.

I honestly wasn't sure how long I would be able to hold out. While siphoning energy from charged vatari crystals was technically enough to sustain me, it wasn't the same as feeding off a pure, fresh source. Blood was a delicacy in the Castarium; the other Senosi would sometimes capture a sorcerer and slowly drink him dry over a period of several weeks. But it wasn't the only bodily fluid teeming with Aetheric energy. I had always preferred another, more easily replenishable source...one which had the advantage of being far more entertaining to extract.

"All I'm asking for is a temporary alliance," I went on, sliding my thumb to my forefinger so I could finally start stroking him in earnest. "In return, I'll put you on the next ship to Highwind myself. You'll finally be free to channel the Aether like all the other heathens."

"How do I...?" He trailed off and bit down on his lip when I started stroking him more quickly. "How do I know you're telling the truth? How do I know you won't stab me in the back the instant you get what you want?"

"Honestly? You don't." I shrugged and pulled at the ties of my leather corset until my cleavage was practically spilling out of my blouse. "I'd give you my word, but I know it wouldn't carry much weight with you. So in the end, you'll just have to trust your instincts."

Jorem licked at his lips, and I saw his eyes fasten onto my breasts. I leaned forward another half an inch to give him a better view.

"And if I refuse?" he asked.

"Well, then I'd have no choice but to hand you over to my Senosi sisters at the Castarium," I said. "They won't be nearly as gentle as I will."

"That's not much of a deal."

"On the contrary, I guarantee it's the best deal a sorcerer in this city is ever going to get," I told him. "I'm offering you freedom, Jorem. And all you have to do in exchange is help me take down a man who has already stabbed you in the back once."

He grimaced. "You're insane."

"It's part of the job," I replied dryly. "You don't have to make a decision just yet, of course. There are a few other perks to our arrangement that you should be aware of..."

Grinning, I leaned over his waist and kissed the head of his cock. The tiniest drop of seed had already bubbled up from the tip, and I greedily licked it up and tolled it across my tongue. My Senosi hunger consumed the trace amounts of magical energy within, but it only whet my appetite. Soon I wouldn't have any more control over my body than he did over his. While his cock had involuntarily hardened at my touch, my quim had involuntarily slickened at his taste. At this point I wouldn't have been able to stop myself from feeding even if I had wanted to. When I closed my eyes, I could almost feel his cock slipping between my lips and his cum burning its way down my throat into my belly...

Not yet, I scolded myself. He needs to earn that honor.

It took every scrap of willpower I could muster, but rather than opening my mouth and swallowing his cock whole I leaned away and began stroking him harder instead. He tried to resist, but like all men his body eventually betrayed him. His hands clenched into fists at his side, his head jerked backwards, and his pelvis bucked like a wild stallion.

"That's it," I whispered. "Spill for me like a good little sorcerer..."

The first jet fired so high I was surprised it didn't hit the ceiling, and I giggled gleefully when the second and third blast were nearly as powerful. By the time the eruptions finally stopped, my hand and half his stomach were covered in his seed.

"Good boy," I cooed. "That's a very, very good boy..."

My heart skipped a beat when I looked at the viscous, smoldering mess covering my fingers, and once the musky scent flooded my nostrils my hunger flared out of control. My eyes dilated, my mouth watered, and I shoved my hand into my mouth before I consciously realized what was happening. As the searing seed slid down my throat, I began massaging my aching quim through my trousers. An involuntary climax shuddered through me, and my entire body seized up like I had just been jabbed with a cattle prod.

"What the fuck?" Jorem breathed.

I barely even heard him. Aetheric energy coursed through my body just like when I had fed off the charged vatari crystal earlier this evening. My eyes began to glow more brightly than the nearby candles, and my dormant tattoos flared to life beneath my skin. The euphoric rush from the crystal had passed in seconds, but this...this would last much longer. And I planned to enjoy every moment of it.

I licked my hand bare then leaned forward and returned to the source. His cock remained surprisingly rigid, which made it all the easier for me to suck every last drop from the head and shaft. Once I was sure it was dry, I began lapping up the thick, rapidly-cooling strands splattered across his chest. He continued muttering under his breath, but despite his feeble protestations I knew he loved every second of this. Why wouldn't he? Was there a single man in the multiverse would honestly didn't want a woman to worship his cock and his seed?

I glanced up and looked into the mirror behind me before I swallowed the last mouthful. People often compared the Senosi to vampires for obvious reasons, but right now I looked far more like a succubus. My eyes glowed, my mouth frothed over with seed, and my blouse had been pulled down so far my tits were spilling out.

Some women would have been embarrassed. I was not. I loved everything about being a Senosi. The power, the prestige, the sex...

I licked my lips clean and swallowed as I dug my nails deep into his chest. My toes curled so hard they almost split open my boots, and my quim was burning so hot I would have gladly fucked any man who walked in the door. As my consciousness drifted away I lost all sense of time. Though judging from the way Jorem was staring and panting, I couldn't have been out long.

"You see?" I asked, patting his stomach. "I'm offering you much, much more than just freedom."

"This is insane," Jorem breathed. "You're insane."

"No, I'm just a hungry girl."

I smirked as I brought my eyes returned to his magnificent stem. Ever since I had first tasted the seed of a sorcerer I had been hooked. Blood was all well and good—I had sunk my teeth into plenty of necks and arms over the past few years—but there was nothing in the world like freshly-spilled seed. The heat, the headiness, the raw, untapped energy...

I also wasn't ashamed to admit how much I enjoyed having power over men. They were every bit as malleable as a loyal hound when one applied the proper methods of persuasion. Males weren't allowed in the Castarium, and I had spent the vast majority of my formative years surrounded by other women. But we weren't forbidden to copulate—on the contrary, the Inquisitrix encouraged us to treat men as disposable pleasures of the flesh. The vatari bonding ritual that gave us our powers also made us infertile and virtually immune to diseases, so it wasn't as if we faced any risks.

Not that I allowed men to spill inside me very often. It seemed like such a waste when I could taste them instead.

"This is the best offer you're going to get," I repeated, slowly dragging my fingers across his legs until they reached his testicles. I began gently massaging them again, being extra careful to avoid brushing his withered stem. Jorem's breathless whimpers assured me he enjoyed my touch. "So tell me, sorcerer: where will I find Sobren Lecasi?"