Beasts and Burdens
Read Beasts and Burdens Online
Authors: Felicia Jedlicka
Copyright © 2014 by Felicia Jedlicka
All rights reserved.
Cover design by Felicia Jedlicka
Book design by Felicia Jedlicka
Editing by
Silver Jay Media
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Felicia Jedlicka
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The
Warden
Beasts and Burdens
Felicia Jedlicka
Successors
Rivals
Honeymoon
Lovers and Liars
Time and Time, Not Again!
Bad Blood
Let My People Go
Tenants and Tyrants
The Ring Bearer
If Wishes Were Fishes
Gods and Monsters
Beasts and Burdens
Magic and Mayhem
…More to Come…
Corn, Cows, and the Apocalypse
Cow Tipping After the Apocalypse
Corn Husking After the Apocalypse
Table of Contents
“Remind me why I have to do this,” Cori said nibbling on carrot sticks as she walked with Belus. It wasn’t the Cheetos she really wanted, but she couldn’t have predicted that Danato’s disinterest in his own eating habits did not extend to her, while she was pregnant. Six months of a nearly vegetarian diet was making her a little cranky. That and the fact that she was now toting around a bowling ball belly that had another month of expansion to go.
“I presume you’re looking for a better answer than, ‘because I said so,’” Belus offered dryly.
“Yes, I am. I don’t see why you need my help with Efrat, especially if you aren’t going to let me wear my rings.”
“I’m not going to argue with you about that subject again.
Both
Danato and I feel the rings are dangerous while you’re pregnant. As I recall, Ethan was also in agreement with that decision.”
Cori stopped on the gravel path and stared down Belus. He stopped to offer his impassive attention. “Do you know how ridiculous that sounds to me? Three
men
condescending to me about my safety, but then turning around and taking away the one weapon I can actually use in this blimp condition.”
“Excuse me Princess, but it wasn’t just
you
we were concerned about,” Belus scolded. “And you are by no means incapable of using your gun.” He looked her over acutely searching for the weapon. “Where the hell is it?”
Cori sulked looking down for her weapon even though she knew it wasn’t there. Tears sprung to her eyes without warning. “The belt is too small. I had to order a shoulder holster,” she sniffled trying not to cry in front of Belus, thereby proving the instability that was keeping her from her rings. To her relief and annoyance Belus chuckled. “It’s not funny.”
“Sure it is,” he said warmly, “Kid you are not the only woman on earth to have a baby under unusual circumstances. Despite what you might think right now, you will survive. Just one more month.” He held up a finger to signify it. “We’re all counting with you,” he mumbled as he walked on.
She followed him the rest of the way around the prison to a clearing between Belus’s house and the two large cement buildings that were used as quarters for the guards and the rotating medical personnel. Cori hadn’t been inside any of them, including Belus’s house.
His home was still fifty some yards away, but she could see that it was a simple construction: an A-frame house with corrugated metal siding. It looked like a cross between a shed and a cabin.
Cori sat with Belus on a rock to wait for Efrat’s escorted arrival. He had been working with him for some time on his powers, but hadn’t made any real progress. Mostly, he was just ordering medical tests and treating him like a lab rat. For some reason, Belus had decided to include her in today’s session, but she wasn’t sure why. Without her rings, she had no protection from him—which scared her. And in terms of camaraderie, Efrat could jump off a cliff for all she cared. Consequently, she wasn’t going to be much help there either.
She glanced back at Belus’s house, wondering why he had never invited her over, or anyone, for that matter. “Belus?” she asked carefully and he looked up through hooded eyes. “Am I the reason you don’t come over more often.”
His eyes widened, before his brow furrowed. “What?”
“In the other version of things…with Gypsy, you apparently ate over at Danato’s quite often or at least often enough for no one to question your arrival. Do you think if I didn’t look like Ol—her, that you would be inclined to visit more?”
“Is this your roundabout way of asking me over for dinner?” Belus smirked trying to lighten the subject.
“No, this is my roundabout way of asking if you can’t stand being around me,” she said not willing to downplay her concerns.
He sighed and shook his head. “Damn it Cori, does everything have to be dramatic with you?”
“Does getting an honest answer out of you always have to be like pulling teeth?”
“Of course not!” he growled, answering her prior question as he rose off the rock.
“Okay, I’m sorry. I just can’t get the image of you pointing a gun at me out of my head.”
“Cori,” Belus managed to sound composed again, “I can count on one hand the number of times you’ve invited me to dinner?” She opened her mouth to respond, but the answer she found wasn’t the one she wanted. “I can’t even walk through the damn door without an invitation.”
Cori huffed out her exhale and hugged her bulbous belly. Perhaps her emotions
were
getting a little out of hand. She was about to apologize when she saw Efrat sauntering over with two armed guards. Despite his captivity, he always managed to strut wherever he went. It ranked pretty high on her short list of reasons she hated him.
“Well, well, Corinthia, you look pleasantly plump. I’d heard you’d gotten knocked up.”
“Don’t call me that.” She stood and squared her shoulders as he passed by Belus to greet her.
“Okay, Kitten.” He grinned.
She didn’t prefer that nickname either, but anything was better than staring into his baby blues and hearing her full name. Too much time and trust had been put into Efrat on account of those eyes. She didn’t need to be reminded of why.
“May I?” he asked congenially and put his hand toward her belly, stopping just shy.
“No!” Cori withdrew coveting her stomach.
“She’s not wearing the rings, Efrat,” Belus offered further explanation after he dismissed the guards to the return to their posts.
“She’s…” Efrat withdrew his reach and looked over her hands thoroughly before his usual embittered facial expression returned. “Why not? Why did you bring her here then?”
Belus ignored his question and ushered her to move farther into the clearing. She obliged hoping to gain some distance from Efrat. Unfortunately, he followed right along behind Belus.
“Belus, she could get hurt,” Efrat grumbled just behind him like he expected she wouldn’t hear him. She peered back surprised that he would offer any concern for her welfare. His responding scowl seemed to put the blame on her for the scheme.
“I don’t want to be here anymore than you do.”
“This is far enough.” Belus stopped giving Cori a stern look. He must not have approved of her bickering with his pet project, but Cori wasn’t sure she could be near him without getting into an argument. “Efrat, I brought you out here to stretch your legs, so to speak. Are you uncomfortable using your power in front of Cori?”
Efrat’s face twisted with amused disgust. “I’m not uncomfortable with…electricity isn’t exact you know! I’m trying to…damn you, Belus!”
Cori bit back her smile. It was a relief to her to see someone else getting just as frustrated with Belus’s no-nonsense teaching method.
“Are you going to cooperate today, or shall I just mark this down as one of your moody days?”
“I’m not moody!” he defended
moodily
and Cori sputtered trying to contain a chuckle. He glared at her as if she was the one who had suggested the word.
“Surly then, or perhaps morose,” Belus continued. “I’m not sure if discontent is the right word, but I’m afraid I’ve used up my vocabulary for the day.”
“How about asshole?” Cori mumbled. Belus gave her a drive-by scolding look. She offered a dramatic mouth zipping to appease him, but that only brought a longer more severe glare. She lowered her eyes and crossed her arms, offering a surrender, albeit it a pouty one.
“What do you want me to do?” Efrat asked.
“You see that little shack by the front gates?” Belus pointed.
From his angle, Efrat couldn’t see it, so he moved closer to him. Cori took an unintentional step back, but pretended she was also trying to get a better view. She hated showing fear to Efrat, but the fact was, without her rings, he was dangerous, whether he wanted to be or not.
The small one man guard shack by the gate was old and hadn’t been used in years. Since the installation of the draw bridge, a guard wasn’t needed. It was amusing that the only way to protect this prison properly was to use antiquated technology.
“I want you to put everything you’ve got at it,” Belus offered him leave to proceed, but Efrat just chuckled. “Something amusing to you?”
