Chapter 125

Before Willie could get Brian out of the room, the unicorn let out a loud neigh and then the little creatures went crazy. The wingjack tore out of Cam's pocket and zoomed toward the harvester at the same time the oncilla took to the air, and together they swarmed around the man who had been so cruel to them. Willie ducked and darted away, and all the winged creatures proceeded to defecate on the former harvester.

Kahlan's hand flew to her mouth to stop herself from laughing out loud, and as soon as the airborne ones moved away from the man, the other little ones ran to him. Moffit sunk his fangs into the man's ankle causing him to yelp as the male umae charged into the man's prosthetic leg with his horns with such force that it knocked him over. While he was sprawled on the floor, Midge ran in and bit his side as the thumper jumped onto his head and proceeded to jump up and down on him effectively slamming the man's head into the hard ground repeatedly as he grunted in pain. Since Sebastian had compelled him not to move, he couldn't fight back or even protect himself.

When the vampires shot Kahlan a look, she sighed and went towards the downed man. "Alright, guys, enough. We still have plans for him," she told them and grabbed Juni off Brian's head. He struggled to get out of her hands until he realized who had her and then snuggled into her side and started emitting a purring type sound. The other creatures also released the man and moved away from him, so Kahlan shook her head and looked at Willie. "You better get him out of here."

He nodded and took a step towards him, but before he could get to him, the kressels soared out of their little cage right to the harvester, and before anyone could wonder what they were going to do to him, they released their egg and were headed back to their cage.

The egg hit the man square in the forehead, busted open, and then he screamed as the slimy, black liquid oozed over his face.

Nate busted out laughing. "He got his egg!" he yelled, and they all laughed.

Willie frowned as he searched for a clean spot to grab the man by and then pulled him into a standing position. The man was still reacting to the pain, but Willie shoved him towards the door. "You're lucky we don't let them continue their assault," he told him and then took him back to the hallway.

Christian shook his head. "What a waste."

Chuck shot him a dirty look. "What?"

Christian held up his hands. "I was talking about that egg. It was worth its weight in gold."

Kahlan frowned. "That disgusting shit is worth money?"

Sebastian chuckled. "Not like that. They made it go bad, but good ones are worth money, to the right people, anyway."

Rossi's look matched Kahlan's. "To hatch more of them?"

Gwenith laughed as she put her hand in the crook of his elbow. "No, David, to eat."

He looked at her with wide eyes. "I really hope they don't look anything like that one did when cooked."

The old witch laughed again. "No, David, they look like a regular egg."

"Then why are they worth so much? Do they taste extra special or something?" he asked as he helped her back into the hallway.

She glanced back at Kahlan for a second, and then smiled at Rossi. "They taste like a regular egg, too, but the side effects of them are amazing."

"Side effects?" Kahlan asked the vampires since the witch was gone.

Sebastian smiled. "The eggs have different effects depending on how they're cooked, but probably the most popular version is hard boiled as it causes… well, strong urges if you will."

Chuck's brows shot up. "It's an aphrodisiac?"

Christian laughed. "A very strong one."

Kahlan shook her head and then looked down at the thumper still in her arms and then to her companions. "Well, let's get these guys back in their room until we're ready for transport." They nodded and started to gather the rest of the little creatures.

Kahlan handed the thumper off to Nate, and soon Chuck was the only one left in the cave with her. He was with the unicorn, and Kahlan smiled at the way he was talking softly to her as he rubbed her neck. She went to him and place a gentle hand on the unicorn's nose as she locked eyes with her best friend. "Maybe once she's strong again, maybe she'll let you ride her."

Chuck's eyes grew as big as his smile. "You think?"

She shrugged. "Maybe." She knew how much he loved riding, and she could just imagine how much he would enjoy riding a unicorn.

"I'm not sure who will be more excited to see her, your daughter or Penny."

Kahlan laughed. "I'm pretty sure Pen would even out run Joe to get the chance to see her first." She locked eyes with the emaciated creature. "Will it be alright if a couple people we know come to visit you once you get settled?"

The unicorn whinnied lightly and then raised her head up and down, and both humans laughed. Chuck pat her back. "You'll like them, too. I promise."

She whinnied again, and then Kahlan looked at her watch. "We better go make sure that asshole is properly taken care of."

Chuck nodded. "Yeah." He looked at the unicorn. "You eat and drink. It won't be a horribly long ride to get you to your new home, but it will take a few hours."

She nuzzled his neck, and they started back to the hallway. He looked at Kahlan. "I don't get it."

"Get what?"

"The name. Why do they call them unicorns?" he asked.

Kahlan frowned. "Cause they have one horn, duh."

He huffed. "Then wouldn't they be called a unihorn? What the hell does corn have anything to do with it?"

Kahlan busted out laughing. After a moment, she shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe because they eat corn."

He frowned. "I call BS."

She snorted. "Well, until we're able to go back in time and ask the person who named them, I guess you just gotta accept it."

He huffed. "Maybe Nate or Gwenith knows why."

She shrugged. "Maybe."

Once they made sure all the beings were comfortable and eating some more, they went back to the main room by the cooler to deal with the hunter turned harvester.

Kahlan stared at Brian for a few seconds and then looked at Sebastian. "Release your hold over him."

The ancient vampire frowned. "Why?"

"Because I want to see his true reaction to this," she stated plainly as she held up the syringe full of werewolf blood. She heard the harvester suck in air, so she turned to him and her smile was vile as she watched his pupils dilate.

Willie moved a few steps closer to her. "He'll be able to fight back, then."

She giggled. "I'd like to see him try."

Sebastian looked at the young-looking vampire. He hadn't gotten to see Kahlan in action with the akka because he had gone after the boyfriend. He placed a hand on Willie's back. "You needn't worry about that William. Kahlan is perfectly capable of handling herself."

Willie's look told his maker that he didn't like it, but he moved back.

Sebastian moved to the harvester and locked eyes with him. "You are no longer under my control."

As soon as the words rolled off his tongue, Brian lunged with a right jab. Sebastian moved his head slightly as if the fist was a mere annoyance making Brian miss completely. That put the human off balance, and Kahlan's fingers lashed out.

The vicious attack caught him at the base of his throat; he croaked, his hand flew to the affected area, and he dropped to his knees.

Kahlan stepped in front of him. "Anything else you want to try?"

Being faced with what he knew was coming made him desperate, and he launched himself at her waist.

A swift elbow to the back of his head, though, dropped him to the ground as he yelped.

She sighed. "Another round?"

The man whimpered as he laid there. "Just kill me," he pleaded.

She giggled. "Umm… no. I'll leave that up to the witches when and if they ever get around to it."

Christian laughed. "And this is where I would normally bring up all the things they can take from a werewolf for their spells and such, and how the werewolf will heal each full moon thusly making him an endless supply line for them, but I guess you already know all that. Don't you, you bloody asshole?"

The harvester whimpered and started crying. "Please!" He got up on his knee, latched onto Kahlan's pant legs, and looked up at her with tears streaming down his face. "Please don't do this! I'll do anything!"

Her cold eyes conveyed all the horrible thoughts and feelings she harbored for the man begging before her. "And how many beings have you had at your feet begging the same damn thing?!" she hollered and then slammed the syringe down onto the muscle between his shoulder and neck. He screamed and shrank away from her, but she moved with him as she pushed the plunger down.

Once it was empty, she withdrew it and shook her head at the man crying like a baby on the floor. "Get this piece of shit away from me before I can't keep from killing him and renege on my deal with Gwenith!"

Chuck nodded and moved to grab the man, and Willie helped get him back into one of the locked rooms.

"And don't forget those damn chains!" she called after them.

"The chains won't be needed until the next full moon," Sebastian pointed out.

She huffed. "I know, but they'll make him all the more uncomfortable while he waits!"

He half nodded, half shrugged. "True."

XXXXX

A jolt shot through Hotch's shoulder causing him to flinch and wake up in a rush.

"I'm sorry!" the ghost woman told him as she pulled her hand back. She had apparently touched him. "It's just you weren't hearing me."

He swallowed as he rubbed his shoulder. "Sorry," he uttered and mentally sighed. He had been dreaming about when he and his family had been fishing at the Scotland loc with Rossi.

"You need to get up, though. I can hear them moving," she told him as she stood up.

He rubbed his hands down his face and then nodded as he got standing. He had no idea how long he'd slept, but he did feel rested. He took a deep breath and looked around. Everyone else was still sound asleep. He reached up and hooked the chain into its holder on the ceiling and then snapped the lock shut. "Thank you for that."

She nodded as she smiled. "I'd say 'any time' but I'm not sure about that."

"I understand," he told her, and then she nodded and turned to go. He took a step closer to her. "So can you tell me now why they chain me up?"

She studied him. "I think you've already figured that out."

He mentally winced. "My first thought is that they want them to be afraid of me," he told her as he gestured to those lying on the floor around him.

She nodded. "And your next thought?"

He took a deep breath. "It's also because they don't want me to rest completely. They want me worn down, tired, weak."

She nodded as her eyes turned sad. "Yes, and once you figure out why, you will be better prepared to face them."

He ran a hand through his hair, and she could tell he was going to ask her what she meant, but she shook her head. "I must go before they catch me in here," she told him and then started floating towards the wall.

"But I don't even know your name," he called after her in a soft tone.

She stopped and looked back at him. "My name is Glinda, Aaron, and I will see you again," she offered and then disappeared through the rock.

He sighed and sat down. I guess I better pretend to be asleep when Red or whoever gets back in here. As he was leaning his head onto his arm, he noticed the goatman starting to stir and then he heard a faint noise drifting down the passageway. Was that a bell?

He quickly shut his eyes as he heard the goatman moving around and then mentally frowned. Was that the morning wakeup alarm or something, and if it was, why the hell would you be conditioned to wake up to it? He knew there was something off about the fur covered humanoid, but he just couldn't figure out exactly what that was yet.