Summoning Demons

Before you read this story, please be warned that it will probably end up being pretty dark and nasty for reelz. If that's not your thing, back out now.

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Lamia stared dully at the ground. It took a good deal of effort to force her eyes to focus. At first she could not comprehend what she was seeing. Her mind was fogged with pain. The warlock whimpered as she raised a trembling hand to her temple. Pain. Her soft brown hair was clotted and gritty with blood and filth. Drying blood had matted it to the wound. Lamia's vision went soft and gray. She slipped away.

It was pain that brought the warlock back a second time. The hurt was sharp and insistent now. She groaned and heaved herself up into a seated position. Nausea rolled through her in a sickening wave. Lamia retched dryly, nearly falling back to the ground. Rough hands caught her, the nails digging into the meat of her shoulders. She cried out in surprise.

"Quiet." The voice was soft but firm. Lamia's fear overrode her illness and she twisted her head around to stare at the man behind her. He crouched at her back, his face nearly touching hers. The eyes were flat, white, expressionless. Dead fish eyes. Lamia recoiled in shock, her stomach heaving again. This time she brought up a gutful of thin, bitter bile. The man shoved her away violently and stood. Lamia lay sprawled on her stomach, gasping and spitting. A heavy hoof struck the ground just before her face, sending a puff of dust into her eyes. Lamia blinked furiously, gritty tears welling up and spilling down her cheeks.

Those big hands dragged her up again. Lamia yelped in pain as her shoulders were wrenched. "Let me go!" Her voice was quavery and frightened. Lamia heard her weakness and hated herself for it. The flash of anger gave her courage. She lashed out suddenly, writhing in the stranger's grip. One flailing foot caught him in the shin. He hissed in anger, his claws cutting deep into her arms. Lamia's furious shout of protest turned into a scream as he twisted her arms up behind her back. The twisting agony stopped. She stood on the tips of her toes, panting furiously. The throbbing in her head had intensified until her vision was doubled. Lamia shuddered, her stomach heaving again.

"Oh, no you don't," the man snapped. "I cleaned you once." He shoved her forward, keeping her arms pinned against her back. "Walk."

Lamia staggered and overbalanced. A howl ripped from her throat as her weight fell on her abused shoulder joints. Her captor sighed in disgust, releasing one of her arms. Before she could make another attempt to wriggle from his grasp, she felt his claws on her face. His calloused palm brushed against her cheek as he traced a strange symbol in the air. With those ugly claws so near her eyes, Lamia didn't dare move.

A sudden jolt of warmth ran through her body. The claws were removed. A light flashed briefly before her eyes. The young warlock stiffened and then straightened as her energy returned. The pain in her head lessened. The pain in her arms was returned with interest as the creature grabbed hold of her once more and forced her to march.

Lamia stumbled obediently along, fearing the stranger's anger. He wasn't a man at all. She was sure of that now. When she turned her head to get another look at him, he dug his claws deep into the soft flesh of her arms. Lamia bit back a cry. The fading power of the Draenei's charm sustained her, helped her ignore the pain. And he was a Draenei, she was sure of it. She had seen his hooves, and those cold, ugly white eyes. Lamia had never seen one of the aliens in person, but she had heard them described. And she couldn't think of what else the man might be.

Their halting journey led to a shallow stream not far from the dirty clearing where Lamia had woken. The man released her, shoving her down into the water. The water was bitingly, numbingly cold. Lamia sucked in a shocked breath, all she was able to manage before the Draenei knelt beside her and shoved her head under the current. She thrashed, panicked. Her nails caught at his arm, scoring him deeply. When he let her up for a blessed gasp of air, she could hear him laughing. The Draenei dunked her again, ignoring her spirited attempts to rip him to shreds. The massive creature was much larger than a human man. Lamia's frenzied blows had no more effect on him than those of a child. She was hauled up from the water a second time. The bedraggled warlock coughed wretchedly as the air seared into her lungs.

Before she had a chance to gain her bearings, the Draenei had flipped her on her back in the stream. The water was barely knee-high, but Lamia had to struggle furiously to keep her head above the surface. The sudden crushing weight of the Draenei on top of her didn't help. Lamia shoved at him, spitting garbled curses as she fought for breath. What little energy she had gained from the charm was almost spent. The freezing water slowed her further, dulling her senses. She barely felt the tug as the Draenei worked his claws under her robes, ripping them along the seams. The sharp rocks along the streambed cutting into her naked bottom jolted Lamia further awake. She kicked, squirmed, wriggled like an eel. It was no use. The Draenei was stronger, and Lamia was so very tired. So very tired.

The last thing she heard before she slipped into unconsciousness once more was the Draenei's irritated voice as he carried her dripping out of the water. "You're worse than a cat." A coarsely woven cloak was folded around her. Lamia felt herself being slung over the alien's shoulder like a sack of meat. She couldn't fight any more. Lamia slept.