Cailín (Lass) (Anam Céile Chronicles) Read online

  Near to me hiding place, I fast acquired some dirty men’s work scraps to put on, as well as some blankets to cover with if anyone were to venture down there fer supplies. I prayed no one would discover me and I would be able to remain there uneventfully clandestine until the ship landed on the coast of me Éire some proposed weeks later.

  During those weeks that I be aboard that vessel, I consumed scarcely enough to keep me alive. As time passed and me badgering hunger got the best of me, I became bolder and started sneaking out in the night to forage fer food. However, I had to be very careful, needing to be certain there be not a chance I would cross paths with anyone on board. Fer now, each time I be in vicinity of a human, I felt magnetically drawn to them, me body desiring to have them in ways that were most difficult fer me to comprehend.

  Late one evening, I smelt the strong scent of food— fresh cooked food, rather than scraps of waste— down below deck where I hid. Luring me in the state of near starvation I be in, I ventured out from me hiding niche in the stokehold to locate it.

  I had to have it.

  Shortly, I had found that which I sought. And holding that magnificent scent of hot food be a boatswain, stolen away from the main deck to eat his hearty meal in solitude. Speedily he be consuming it. I could not allow him take another bite of me food! Sans any sort of a plan, I dashed up and seized the bowl of food from his hands. Naturally, this did not go down without protest from him— surprised as he be to have some slight young woman pilfer his food from him.

  When he came toward me grumbling something about a damned female, without a thought I crouched and sprang upon him, going straight fer his throat. After guzzling every last drop of his life essence into me, surprised I be by how effortless it had been to overpower this man much larger than meself. Fer the time being, I stashed his body at the opposite end of where I stayed, and then returned to the scene to retrieve me gain.

  The food I consumed ravenously, yet still I be left needing more from me extended deprivation. Striving to be contented with that which I had obtained— the most I had consumed since I had been onboard the ship— to me resting place I returned.

  With me belly almost filled fer once, fast asleep I did fall.

  Interrupting me state of deep sleep, unexpectedly I experienced a strange urgent feeling accompanied by body heat. In me hazy transition to waking, I discerned ‘twas close.

  I opened me eyes.

  Two men there were hovering over me. I knew at once they were not there with any intention of coming to me aid; no such concerns had they of me welfare.

  To the contrary, I immediately sensed the carnal ruthlessness that compelled them.

  Due to me haziness, unfortunately I did not move quickly enough, fer one of them had seized me hands firmly whilst the other cast me sheltering blanket aside, relocating himself further down.

  I knew precisely what ‘twas they had envisioned. Nevertheless, I did not attempt to scream, fer fear it would only attract more of the same, rather than anyone seeking to offer rescue.

  “Well, what do we have here? You shouldn’t be down in the orlop, Missy. But, if you remain very silent and do as we tell you, maybe we won’t tell anyone we found you. Understand?” His voice was gruff, his tone mocking.

  Fear at that which I knew they intended rushed through me.

  He didn’t wait fer me answer as he grasped both of me petite wrists in his single large hand, and with his free hand effortlessly tore open the front of the scraps of clothing I had found to cover meself. Since undergarments of any kind I had not, me breasts were straightaway exposed, serving to feed the fire of their savage lust. Grunting with approval, he immediately set to grabbing at them harshly.

  I cried out in pain.

  The other attempted to pry me legs apart with his knees, whilst his free hands groped their way over me body. Equally thrilled to discover me breasts, he brought his face to them, nipping at them and coating them in his foul-smelling slobber.

  The one restraining me hands moved up to me face. Suddenly he was smashing his coarse beard into me face.

  I jerked me head to the side to avoid his assaulting lips, clenching me teeth together as his tongue tried to invade me mouth. Consequently he went about slavering upon me neck instead.

  The other with his mouth still voracious at me breasts, I felt his hand wedge between me thighs to pry into me vulnerable flesh there. Though I attempted to clamp meself tight, still he managed to shunt his rough fingers up inside of me with a dominating primal grunt. I gasped, feeling completely helpless to this ambush. He continued impelling them into me, inopportunely reawakening that lingering hollow ache in me.

  I struggled against the unwelcome arousal that swiftly began surging through me veins, utterly baffling me. The trigger of the physical stimulation had resonated within the depths of me groin, affecting me to feel sickened in the worst way. Striving to not impart to him any unnecessary encouragement, I strove to appear completely unaffected.

  Oh, what be the matter with me?! I should be revolted! How could I be becoming aroused?

  Though I knew ‘twas not directed toward them, still I felt repulsed by the betrayal of me body’s anticipation.

  Amused, the man at me face sniggered then, puffs of his foul breath blowing assailing me nostrils. With horror, I realised that I had begun panting from the unsolicited stimulus.

  “Ahh. Fancies it she does! Why don’t we give her something that she’s sure to love?”

  Me scalp prickled as panic wedged in deeper. I heard the jingling of suspenders as he hastily undid his filthy trousers, eliciting me to look his way.

  The malevolence flowing in his eyes produced a shudder which wracked through me body. I knew I must do something now if I were to have any chance at stopping this. Thus, in a futile attempt to escape, I began to thrash about wildly.

  One of them struck me firmly across the face, knocking me head with great force to the side and into the hard floor. I felt the hot flow of blood as it oozed out into a pool beneath me face. I hesitated, contending with meself as dark desires unfolded within me.

  “Hurry up, get on with it! Ready I be fer me turn with the wench!” the one at me head grumbled impatiently.

  The rage which rapidly filled me carried with it the advantages of me newly converted being into sharper awareness. I felt all of me instincts come into force as adrenaline jolted through me veins, fueling a fresh burning desire to kill.

  I can protect meself! This be what I be created to do.

  Just as he had freed himself from his trousers and be maneuvering, I startled them both by snapping me head back, and spat me blood at them. A vicious snarl ripped up me throat and out through me lips as they pulled back over me sharp teeth wet with blood. The amber of me eyes glowed red with me fierceness. I detected the slightest slack on the restrain of me left hand.

  Lusting fer the kill, me hand curled back into a claw propelled by me passionate fury. The one about to violate me gasped in shock as I plunged it upward into his chest, tearing through his flesh, crushing right through his ribcage to his thrumming heart. Me hand closing around it, I jerked me arm upwards, slashing him open all the way to pull out his still pounding heart through his throat. His heart still pulsated against me palm as I held it there dripping before his face. Mouth gaping, his protuberant eyes petrified with terror stared into mine as he remained there over me fer a few exhilarating seconds, before collapsing lifelessly atop of me.

  Indifferently, I pushed the corpse off of me. Covered in his blood I be, the smell of it pervading me head.

  I salivated.

  In his panic, the man who had been restraining me had jumped to his feet and ran, he be twenty metres away. I sprang to me feet and pursued him, easily closing the distance in just a few strides. He yelped as a hound when I captured him.

  This time, I did not hesitate, permitting me instincts to take full possession of me. Me teeth lacerated into his neck ferociously, rendering him the one helpless this time. The warm mo
lten of his blood slid down me throat. The heat from it rushed through to me muscles, invigourating me.

  ‘Twas absolutely exquisite!

  While there would be countless times that I be certain me sins were without a doubt unforgiveable, that time be justifiable. Never have I held meself accountable fer defending meself.

  An approaching uproar on deck forced me to drop the second body as I realised there be a mass of people coming to investigate the cause of the commotion below. I froze and then fled to avoid being discovered.

  Not that I had doubt I could have defended meself against them. Still, I understood fully to what it would have come if they accosted me, and a killing spree not be what I wished to engage in. And though I may have had enough blood at present, in me state of frenzy I fathomed I could have easily drank a river full.

  From me weeks of sneaking about to forage fer food and water, I knew several ways leading to the main deck. As I heard them descending down the stairs to the west of where I stood, I ran the opposite way to a hidden ladder in the back. Praying that no one would be on deck when I came out, I climbed up the ladder.

  Of course, that be too much to ask fer.

  When I ascended onto the main floor, there were several people scattered about, debating amongst themselves what the cause fer the noise down below must have been.

  I slinked by, the first rays of the morning shining bright upon me, yet still I endeavoured to escape unnoticed. Just when I thought I might get away with it, a woman spotted me. Her eyes widened with fear as she let out a bloodcurdling scream. In a fraction of a second, the others followed the direction of her stare. All their eyes were upon me, the blood coming from me mouth and me naked body covered in it. I fought off the instinct to crouch and defend meself.

  As they were frozen in their shock, I knew they would never be able to catch me, thus I darted away from them abaft. Without a moment’s thought, I leapt from the stern into the sea far below.

  I shuddered with shock when me body immersed into the frigid waters, the bitter cold of it slicing into me. Still, the sea cleansed me of the blood that covered me.

  In me haste, I had not considered me lack of ability to swim! With abrupt panic I struggled, feeling meself gradually sinking, yet far from willing that this be the end of me. Me muscles only became tighter with the debilitating cold of the water. As me head dipped under, the icy waters rushed into me lungs, burning me insides.

  No! After all this I cannot simply drown! I must return to me Donovan! I must be with him again!

  Then the strangest thing occurred.

  At first, I assumed I merely be going into shock from the cold. I shuddered fiercely, as though me body be threatening to shake apart. Tight spasms of pain moved through me, shooting through every muscle as though they were on fire. Though no one would dare rescue me, I screamed vociferously. Sure I be it must have been the lethal frigidity ruthlessly working its way into me body.

  And then precipitously it worsened.

  I willed against it, braced meself from the unbearable agony as it ripped through me as a force of lightning. The compression ‘twas so great, I thought me bones must surely be shattering. Next, I felt as though the air be pulsating all about me as the pain actually simmered to the more bearable sensation as that of severe musculature strain.

  And then, just as abruptly as it had begun, ‘twas over.

  I did not know what ‘twas that had happened, all that mattered in that moment be that I no longer had to struggle against the waves to stay above water. I experienced me limbs moving fluidly, propelling me along. The mass of me body felt greater, stronger, and quite different somehow.

  I lowered me head to look down at meself and astounded I be when instead of me bare ivory flesh, me eyes were met with a coat of red pelt. Nothing of that form was alike me formerly, either.

  I must be delirious, me brain frozen from the icy waters!

  Nonetheless, I did not have time to entertain concern of it, as I had to keep swimming to make it through that vast raging sea.

  “You were in the athdholb of your nascmhíl, the aiteann,” Tenzin interjected proudly.

  I looked to him, the surprise registering upon me face, marveling at how he could have known.

  I could hardly wrap me mind around all that had happened in the past day, not to mention the past few weeks.

  Had I really drained the blood from these people . . . and savoured it? Made love to a beautiful young maiden while sipping away her life? Fought off two brutes and shoved me petite hand through the bones of one’s broad chest? What be this arracht I had become? These things I could do . . .

  Concern began to flood me mind.

  Will I indeed be able to gain control of this new bloodlust when I come ashore . . . when I find me love? Not possible it be I would think of Donovan in that way! Then again, do I not desire him in every other way I never believed possible? Why then, should his blood be any different? Be I fooling meself? Would not his blood beckon me as does the luscious scent of his body? Perhaps the scent I have grown so familiar is only but a hint of how his blood will appeal to me.

  But no, never could I hurt him as that! Even if it will mean hurting meself. Yet never had I wished to take the lives of those lovely women either. I only desired to have them, to make love with them, and me consuming them somehow instinctually became part of the seemingly beautiful erotic experience.

  Will only more of the same be destined to happen when again I be near me Donovan? Will I wish to experience him, taste of him in every way— to the detriment of his life— before I be able to realise what be happening in midst of the spell that suppresses me of me senses? Be I a mere fool not to heed the words of caution from me creator?

  Permitting the powerful muscles of me new form to efficiently propel me, I swam along. Initially I followed the direction of the ship from which I had absconded. Though after a couple days, I realised I only be slowing meself down in attempt to keep course with them and thus allowed meself to drive ahead of them; yet, always glancing back to determine whether it had seemed to be changing course.

  After a while, I felt confident I knew the correct way to land based upon me own sharper instincts, and advanced far ahead, moving out of visual distance of the ship.

  When I sensed I must be nearing land, I noticed something off in the distance to the south. ‘Twas mesmerized I be by a most spectacular view of a pair of mountains: several hundred metres of formidable jagged rock rising sheer out of the Atlantic Ocean. A stark otherworldly feel there be to them, particularly shrouded by the thick mist as they were. I fought back an involuntary shiver threatening to break through me.

  Why ‘tis I feel so peculiar?

  Just as I believed the worst be surely behind me, to me utter dismay, a fierce storm erupted over the sea. I had to keep swimming assiduously if I was to stay atop the violent waters. Me head dipped below the water of the surging black sea frequently as I battled against the waves. I began to fear losing stamina and being devoured by that unforgiving sea without end.

  Seemingly interminable hours of that torture did I endure. And yet still, through the storm, somehow I managed to reach the shore. Though noticeably weary I be, astounded I be not completely gasping fer breath and exhausted.

  Some years later, I discovered the mountains which had risen from the sea before me to be those of the Skellig Islands— often believed to actually be the Otherworld, which is held in legend to be an island off the west coast of Ireland.

  Chapter Sixteen

  ‘Twas early morning when at last, I made it ashore. As though welcoming me back home, the shore be shrouded in layers of dense fog. The familiarity of it I did appreciate. The waters streaming from me sleek, blood red coat as I emerged from the sea, I finally had the opportunity to glory in me new form. Me hooves beat upon the earth as I took off running, reveling in the sheer power of each and every muscle.

  ‘Twas then I realised how horribly famished I be, having eaten nothing whilst in the sea. I
lowered the muscular neck toward the ground and took a blade of green grass between the lips of me muzzle. After drawing it into me mouth and grinding it with me molars, I thought ‘twas not as appetizing as I be hoping, but knew it would have to do fer the time being.

  After exerting the spirit of me total independence fer that first day, I made it to me home village of Ballyvaughan. However, immediately disheartened I be as I remembered that simply go home and make meself visible I could not.

  Not entirely sure what ‘twas I should do, I wandered about the perimetre of the village and lands deliberating upon it, remaining aware of any clues as to the whereabouts of me loved ones. When I saw the first signs of twilight beginning to cast its enchanted spectrum of colours across the land, I headed in the direction of the home of me family.

  That evening, I eavesdropped as the members of me family inside the cottage stirred about, eating the last meal of the day. Inhaling the scent of the aromas which emanated from the modest chimney, me belly started to rumble as thoughts of the tasty foods me Mama had devotedly prepared fer them seeped into me mind.

  Soft, warm bread and Potato stew! Oh, what I wouldn’t give fer the pleasure of tasting Mama’s grand cookin’ right now! Nibbling upon this grass, each blade the same as the last, be fast growing monotonous!

  Once I heard signs that indicated the final settling of all within the cottage, I pictured what they might be doing inside.

  Me father kicking his boots off and relaxing with his feet up after a hard day’s toil on the farm, puffing on a pipe.

  Me Mama in her nightdress, the sweet scent of her hair as she takes it down and carefully runs a comb through it before braiding it down her back and retiring to bed. Were I there inside, we would take turns with brushing each other’s hair, one of me fondest memories.

  I sighed deeply as the memories pulled at me heartstrings, making me feel more homesick than I had been since I had ran away from me home four years earlier.

  Then a thought occurred to me which did cheer me a bit.