Part 33
They had been awake almost an hour when Neffa entered the room.
"Ever heard of knocking?" Beka asked sarcastically.
"Why? Did I interrupt something?" Neffa asked with a smirk.
"Actually, you did. We were discussing our plans to kill you. Care to offer any suggestions on the best way to achieve our goals?" Beka asked innocently.
"You may find that task more difficult than you imagine." Neffa snarled.
"Perhaps, but it will be well worth the effort."
"Enough of this!" Neffa said as she came forward. She grabbed Beka's arm roughly and stretched it out in front of her.
"What are you doing?" Dylan demanded, grabbing Neffa and pulling her away from Beka. Before he could do anything else, several guards entered the room and grabbed him, forcing him to release Neffa.
"Relax Lord Dylan." Neffa said. "I simply wish to get a blood sample so that we can find out if this afternoon's endeavor was fruitful." She grabbed Beka's arm again and quickly pricked her vein with a needle. The syringe filled with the vivid crimson of Beka's lifesource. "I am sure the two of you are almost as anxious as we are to find out the results."
Snatching her arm away, Beka growled, "You had no right to do this to us. You are pure evil."
Getting right up in Beka's face, Neffa hissed, "You have no idea how evil I can truly be. Pray you do not ever find out."
Turning to the guards she said, "I want one of you to stay in the room with them at all times. The rest of you remain outside the doors. Do not let them leave this room no matter what."
Dylan waited until Neffa had left and the guard had positioned himself in front of the door. He moved back over to the bed where Beka sat and eased himself down beside her.
"You okay?" he whispered gently.
"I hate that woman. She truly frightens me." Beka answered just as softly.
"Somehow, we will make her pay for what she has done." He said. Beka only nodded slightly in return. Dylan could tell she was becoming discouraged with their chances of getting out of this situation. To be honest, he was a little worried himself. Trying to take his mind off of things for a moment, he spoke to the guard.
"I don't supposed there is any way we could see our friend is there?" he asked. The guard didn't bother to answer him.
"Can you at least tell us if he is still alright?" Dylan asked in exasperation.
"No." the guard answered briefly.
"Suppose that is on Neffa's orders too?" Dylan asked sarcastically. "Does she tell you when it is time to eat and sleep as well?"
The guard didn't answer but Dylan could tell he had struck a nerve. Deciding to push his luck he continued.
"Does she use hers potions on your people? Does she decide who falls in love with whom? Do you have to ask her permission before you make love to your wife?"
"NO!" the guard said angrily. "Now sit down and be quiet."
"The woman killed her own daughter in cold blood and felt little or no remorse. What do you think she will do when you displease her? Or your family, what if one of them angers her? Will she order you to kill them or do you think she will simply do it herself?"
The guard lunged at Dylan. Dylan ducked under the man's swing and came up behind him. Moving quickly, Dylan pinned the guard's arms behind his back and planted his knee firmly in his back.
"Now I asked about my friend. Where is he?" he demanded. When the guard didn't answer right away, Dylan applied more pressure with his knee. The man groaned in pain.
"Answer me." Dylan said.
"I don't know where he is. He escaped early this morning during the challenge. No one has been able to find him."
"Well, that's the first good news I have heard all day." Dylan said looking up at Beka with a smile.
Down in her office, Neffa grinned happily as she looked at the results of the blood test.
Working quickly, Beka helped Dylan gag and tie the guard up. Dylan carried him over to the bed and unceremoniously dumped him on it, covering him up completely except for the top of his head.
"Okay, that's one down and only several dozen more to go." Beka said.
"One at a time is the best I can do." Dylan said with a slight grin.
"Hmm, let's see. There are four more outside the door so I guess that leaves three for me. Sure, no problem." She said with a mischievous grin.
Dylan laughed quietly. "Oh man I know that look." He said. "I am actually feeling sorry for those men."
"Watch it mister." She said pointing her finger at him. "You don't want to get on my bad side."
"No ma'am, I sure don't." he said giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.
Dylan bent down and retrieved the sword he had taken from the guard. It wasn't much but it was the only real weapon they had. Getting into position he nodded once to Beka. She returned his look and smiled. Squaring her shoulders, she took a deep breath and screamed.
They had been awake almost an hour when Neffa entered the room.
"Ever heard of knocking?" Beka asked sarcastically.
"Why? Did I interrupt something?" Neffa asked with a smirk.
"Actually, you did. We were discussing our plans to kill you. Care to offer any suggestions on the best way to achieve our goals?" Beka asked innocently.
"You may find that task more difficult than you imagine." Neffa snarled.
"Perhaps, but it will be well worth the effort."
"Enough of this!" Neffa said as she came forward. She grabbed Beka's arm roughly and stretched it out in front of her.
"What are you doing?" Dylan demanded, grabbing Neffa and pulling her away from Beka. Before he could do anything else, several guards entered the room and grabbed him, forcing him to release Neffa.
"Relax Lord Dylan." Neffa said. "I simply wish to get a blood sample so that we can find out if this afternoon's endeavor was fruitful." She grabbed Beka's arm again and quickly pricked her vein with a needle. The syringe filled with the vivid crimson of Beka's lifesource. "I am sure the two of you are almost as anxious as we are to find out the results."
Snatching her arm away, Beka growled, "You had no right to do this to us. You are pure evil."
Getting right up in Beka's face, Neffa hissed, "You have no idea how evil I can truly be. Pray you do not ever find out."
Turning to the guards she said, "I want one of you to stay in the room with them at all times. The rest of you remain outside the doors. Do not let them leave this room no matter what."
Dylan waited until Neffa had left and the guard had positioned himself in front of the door. He moved back over to the bed where Beka sat and eased himself down beside her.
"You okay?" he whispered gently.
"I hate that woman. She truly frightens me." Beka answered just as softly.
"Somehow, we will make her pay for what she has done." He said. Beka only nodded slightly in return. Dylan could tell she was becoming discouraged with their chances of getting out of this situation. To be honest, he was a little worried himself. Trying to take his mind off of things for a moment, he spoke to the guard.
"I don't supposed there is any way we could see our friend is there?" he asked. The guard didn't bother to answer him.
"Can you at least tell us if he is still alright?" Dylan asked in exasperation.
"No." the guard answered briefly.
"Suppose that is on Neffa's orders too?" Dylan asked sarcastically. "Does she tell you when it is time to eat and sleep as well?"
The guard didn't answer but Dylan could tell he had struck a nerve. Deciding to push his luck he continued.
"Does she use hers potions on your people? Does she decide who falls in love with whom? Do you have to ask her permission before you make love to your wife?"
"NO!" the guard said angrily. "Now sit down and be quiet."
"The woman killed her own daughter in cold blood and felt little or no remorse. What do you think she will do when you displease her? Or your family, what if one of them angers her? Will she order you to kill them or do you think she will simply do it herself?"
The guard lunged at Dylan. Dylan ducked under the man's swing and came up behind him. Moving quickly, Dylan pinned the guard's arms behind his back and planted his knee firmly in his back.
"Now I asked about my friend. Where is he?" he demanded. When the guard didn't answer right away, Dylan applied more pressure with his knee. The man groaned in pain.
"Answer me." Dylan said.
"I don't know where he is. He escaped early this morning during the challenge. No one has been able to find him."
"Well, that's the first good news I have heard all day." Dylan said looking up at Beka with a smile.
Down in her office, Neffa grinned happily as she looked at the results of the blood test.
Working quickly, Beka helped Dylan gag and tie the guard up. Dylan carried him over to the bed and unceremoniously dumped him on it, covering him up completely except for the top of his head.
"Okay, that's one down and only several dozen more to go." Beka said.
"One at a time is the best I can do." Dylan said with a slight grin.
"Hmm, let's see. There are four more outside the door so I guess that leaves three for me. Sure, no problem." She said with a mischievous grin.
Dylan laughed quietly. "Oh man I know that look." He said. "I am actually feeling sorry for those men."
"Watch it mister." She said pointing her finger at him. "You don't want to get on my bad side."
"No ma'am, I sure don't." he said giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.
Dylan bent down and retrieved the sword he had taken from the guard. It wasn't much but it was the only real weapon they had. Getting into position he nodded once to Beka. She returned his look and smiled. Squaring her shoulders, she took a deep breath and screamed.