“I’m already proud of you.” She smiled wonderfully and beautifully, and Gur’mekh’s heart melted, lost in the depths of her unconditional love.

Gur’mekh trotted off, floating on a cloud of good feelings, but repeating to himself the words of damnation lest he should forget them in the hour of need.

Seers were trained to keep Makei at bay by the words of binding and loosing. Of course, Gur’mekh had not been trained, and he did not know to ask for a binding spell.

First, he caught a rabbit and choked off his wind.

“Karfas of the Rising Sun, Melgath of the Setting Sun, hide me from the jealous eyes of night! Accept my sacrifice! A hare without blemish, no part of him consumed!” Then he spoke the words of fell significance.

The dead rabbit stirred, and Gur’mekh jumped. In a deep voice, the hare said, “Who calls?”

“Gur’mekh, son of Gur’bruk.”

“And why have you disturbed my long sleep?”

“Because vengeance is more satisfying than sleep!”

There was a long pause. Then the rabbit said, “I am Melmokh, the great destroyer. I do not settle petty squabbles. Make it worth my while or you shall regret waking me.”

Gur’mekh, drunk with his power, said triumphantly, “Petty squabbles! I desire the blood of my enemy, and I shall consecrate it to you!”

“And who is your enemy?”

“Demrath, son of Ber.”

“And you bid me do this of your own free will?”

“I do.”

There was another quiet moment. Then in the distance Demrath came rushing madly from his cave, yelping and whining.

Close on his heels was Lenti. “Demrath! Oh gods!” She began to run around him in tight little circles. “Help! Oh gods! Somebody help us!”

Demrath crumpled to the ground, blood oozing from his nose, ears, and mouth.

“Demrath! Don’t die! Oh gods! Don’t die, darling!”

His trembling paw reached up and touched her cheek, then fell back limp.

“No!!! Demrath!!!”

His pups came out and gathered around the body. She began to shriek, and the pups howled pitifully over the body of their beloved okhim.

Gur’mekh watched in horror. “Did you have to torture him to death?? What did you do to him??”

“What you asked by your own free will,” the hare said. “Taste the sweetness of triumph, Gur’mekh. You’re right--vengeance is more satisfying than sleep.”

“Yes, but THIS?”

“Who is next?” the hare asked impatiently.

“Just Demrath for now. It would look suspicious if the Roh’mach died the same night.”

A deep voice came from the hare that made the fur on Gur’mekh’s back stand on end. “I kill packs of wild dogs, prides of lions, whole troops of baboons, and you called me to kill one napping hyena??”

“There will be others, but there is need for stealth here.”

“Stealth? No one may call me who worries about stealth. You are weak, Gur’mekh son of Gur’bruk. You called a mighty gale to shake a single leaf??”

Gur’mekh began to tremble. He lost his concentration and in doing so lost what little control he had over the situation.

“I said just Demrath for now. There will be others. Many others.”

“Oh, there WILL be others. But I will pick the next one, understand?”

CHAPTER 22: BIRNAM WOOD TO DUNSINANE 

Gur’mekh came running over to Lenti. He looked down at Demrath, and stared with horror at the ugly hemorrhages that killed him. “Oh my gods!”

The pups, knowing no better, came sobbing to him and huddled next to him. Very gently, Gur’mekh touched each tearful face with his tongue. “He’s gone! He’s gone!”

Lenti ushered the pups away. “Gur’mekh, what do you know of this?”

Gur’mekh looked at her, wondering what she meant by that. “I’ve never seen bleeding like this before. Did he complain of any pain or run a fever? I’m no healer, but I mean this all seemed very sudden.”

Lenti collapsed over Demrath’s body, sobbing. “Sudden?? One minute he was playing with the pups, and the next minute....” She fell over the body. “Oh gods!!”

“I’d be careful if I were you. What he had may have been catching.”

“That’s not a disease! No disease does this!”

“I’m no healer, Lenti. I wouldn’t know.” He took his paw and gently stroked Demrath’s face. “And to think we were getting along so well. He had everything in the world to live for.”

“And now I’m left with three young pups to raise. They will want to know what happened to their okhim. They’re too young to really understand.”

“They have a ma’khim.” Gur’mekh pawed her gently. “I’ll take care of them. They will lack for nothing.”

Tears welled up in her eyes. “Bless you, Gur’mekh! I didn’t know if you were serious about that. You can still surprise me.”

“I was never more serious in my life. You stay here and I’ll get some help. We’ll move him, my little barak ler.”

Gur’mekh started off to get help, when he suddenly heard a loud cry. He froze.

“What did you call me??”

“I’m sorry? I don’t understand.”

She stared at him with a look of horror. “How did YOU know he called me that? He only used that name for me when we made love!”

“Just a coincidence.”

“I don’t think so! There’s a story behind that name, one you couldn’t possibly know, unless....”

Gur’mekh started to squirm. “Don’t get upset, my dear! You’ve been through a terrible shock, and you’re not thinking clearly.”

“Now I remember,” she said, her eyes narrowing. “The bleeding curse of Melmokh! My gods, surely you wouldn’t want to hurt that sweet, gentle ban’ret! He trusted you, Gur’mekh! Tell me you didn’t speak the unholy words!” Her hackles bristled. “Tell me you didn’t!!”

“No, I didn’t! I swear! Melmokh doesn’t even handle petty quarrels!”

“And how would you know that?? You haven’t been initiated!”

“Things leak out! For the gods’ sake, surely you don’t think I would do a thing like that!”

“Oh, I think it! You go around stealing and working mischief. All of a sudden you have this big change! You want to be the pups’ ma’khim in case anything ever happened to Demrath! Who’s the bak’ret you’re thinking of marrying? Was it me??”

“No!”

“Her name, Gur’mekh! What’s her name??”

“I’d rather not say! She’d die if you found out!”

“Or kill, you mean! It’s me, isn’t it?? Be brave enough to say it to my face!”

“You don’t know what you’re saying! You’re hysterical! Besides, you can’t prove anything!” He realized with horror what had just slipped out.

“Maybe I can’t prove it now, but as Roh’kash is my witness, I’ll make sure they all know what you did! Murderer! Murderer!”

“No, I’m not a murderer! I’m not!”

“Murderer!!!”

“For God’s sake, not so loud! You’ll get me killed!”

“That’s what I want! You’d better curse me while you still can.”

“No! I love you!”

“You’ll come to regret that someday. I swear by Roh’kash you will. I’ll never rest till I see you dead!”

She fell on her husband again and began to sob again. Gur’mekh slinked away sullenly.

Inside his head he heard a mocking voice that would not easily be silenced. “Maybe I should bleed her out too. She’s a trouble maker for sure.”

“Don’t you dare!” Gur’mekh answered. “She has pups to raise. Besides, I still love her!”

“Oh, that really touches me,” the voice said. “I’m deeply moved. I wouldn’t dream of harming her because YOU still love her.” Maniacal laughter echoed from the evil presence. “You’re weak. You don’t have the guts to tell me what to do.” Gur’mekh began to gasp. His throat was closing up. “Don’t you dare!” the spirit repeated, mockingly. “She has pups to raise. Besides, I still love her!”

Gur’mekh fell to the ground, almost gagging. “Let me go! What do you want from me?”

“Submission. And I’ll get it too. Now behave yourself and you can enjoy our time together. Cross me and I’ll torture you to madness.”