Raphael by D. B. Reynolds Page B

only value is between my legs and Arkady will pay good silver."
    Rage burned in his chest until he thought he'd choke on it. “I'll kill him first, Sasha. You won't be wasted bearing brats for an old man."
    It was her turn to urge caution as she put her fingers over his lips. “Sshhhh, Volodya! Don't say such things. Father Feodor says God is listening."
    "Then let God show us the way, little sister. Or I will find my own."
    * * * *
    It was full dark outside when Vadim sat up straight, shivering in the cold air as his furs fell away. Something had woken him. Was it wolves? Were they at the barn again? He listened, reluctant to venture outside. The animals came in packs, vicious beasts with no fear of man, especially not one armed with nothing more than a pitchfork.
    Something was moving on the other side of the thin wall. Not the snuffling padding of wolves, but softer, more furtive. Feminine laughter lilted close to his head, and he leapt from his pallet, staring at the wall. Sasha? Was she outside on a night like this? He raced for the door, grabbing his heavy tunic as he ran, then chanced to look across the room where his parents slept, where Sasha lay deep in slumber on her pallet next to the fireplace.
    The door rattled softly and he dropped his tunic, shuffling backward on all fours, reduced to a terrified animal. Something was out there. Something unnatural. His skin shivered over his bones and his breath froze in his lungs as he stared at the pitiful wooden latch holding the door closed. It shook slightly as something pressed against it from the outside. The stink of sweat filled his nostrils as his own fear ran down his chest to his belly.
    There was more laughter, then. Louder. Not just a woman anymore, but men too, laughing like animals braying in the night. He heard the cows lowing and cried out at the thought of the poor animals helpless against whatever ravening beast was upon them.
    "What?” His father's gruff voice sounded from the alcove. “Vadim, something's at the animals.” He sat up in bed and began pulling on his boots, his lip curling with disgust when he saw his youngest son crouched on the floor in fear. “What's the matter with you, boy? Afraid of a few wolves? I'll show you what—"
    Vadim jumped up and grabbed the old man, wrestling him back to the bed before he blundered into the night and cost them all their lives. “Listen! Listen, Father! It is not wolves, not this time. Listen, you fool!"
    "Fool?” his father roared, bringing one thick arm around to knock Vadim to the floor. “You dare call me fool?” He stormed over to the door, grabbing the pitchfork as he yanked it open. “I'll show you—"
    Vadim shouted in horror as the creature grabbed his father's outstretched arm, jerking him out of the house and sinking impossible teeth into his neck. Blood sprayed over the old man's chest, his body convulsing like one of Arkady's pigs at the slaughter. Sasha's screams joined their mother's, jolting Vadim from his own shock. Their mother streaked by, leaving the safety of their home to beat on the creature holding her husband. Sasha followed, clinging to her mother's arm, trying to drag her back into the house. Vadim jumped up and grabbed the fallen pitchfork, charging into the yard and stabbing at the monsters, shouting at his mother, at Sasha, to get back. But it was too late. The dreadful creatures were everywhere in the yard, tossing his father's body between them, playing with him as the barn cat played with a dead mouse. His mother's bloody form was draped over the grisly arm of another, its fangs buried in her neck and making obscene slurping sounds as the life drained from her body. Vadim swung about in terror. Sasha. Where was his Sasha? A shrill scream spun him fully around and he moaned in horror. Two of the creatures had her between them, their hands crawling over her body, ripping her bodice to bare her breasts, their foul mouths closing over tender flesh. Sasha's terror-filled