Visit the Caravan

Finally, my first glimpse of people! As I dropped down from the cliff, I felt my wings open and catch the breeze, steering toward the caravan I'd seen moving across the desert. Maybe they were rich merchants with gold and jewels - and, more importantly, food! Dead or not, I was starving!

I set down just outside of the camp. One of the gray-robed figures turned to me, and I caught a glimpse of glowing golden eyes under the heavy turban-wrap-thing it wore to cover its head. The figure bowed a little bit, then gestured toward something that looked like a cross between a dragon and a really, really big turtle, which carried a building on its back big enough to pass for a decent-sized house back on Earth. The house-turtle moved slowly enough that my guide could just walk along beside it, grab a rope ladder hanging off its side, and climb up into the house. I followed him up a few seconds later, and found myself in the most incredible mobile home in the universe. Three crystal chandeliers hung from the roof, casting a dim red light. Just like I'd figured, there was gold and jewelry all over the place, along with tons of throw pillows and cushions lying around. Whoever ran this place was loaded!

Then I realized that my guide and I weren't alone in the turtle-house. Lying sprawled on the cushions were about eight or ten women, all looking about my age. Like me, they all had smallish bat wings and cute little horns, though I noticed that they were all way better-dressed than I was. Most were sleeping, one or two occasionally murmuring and rolling over in a kind of fitful doze. I also noiced that they all had gold collars, with a big jewel set into the middle. One girl was wide awake, and looked straight at me with these beautiful violet eyes, giving me the sexiest come-on smile I'd ever seen from another woman.

The robed figure who had led me inside walked over to a kind of coat rack and started taking off his desert outfit. As he pulled off his outer cloak, I saw that the shimmering blue silk robe beneath it was open at the chest, giving me a glimpse of some seriously well-develped pecs. His skin was bright red, but then, this was Hell after all. Finally, he took off his headgear, and I saw that two enormous black horns curved back antelope-style over and behind his thick, black hair, which was tied into a kind of long ponytail. Two bright, golden eyes looked me over, and I saw that this big demon-man was actually kind of handsome - think Hellboy, but with more hair, long black horns, and no big stone hand. He spoke something in a low, rumbling kind of language which sent these wonderful shivers up my spine. Unfortunately, I didn't understand a word of it, and I told him so.

Then he nodded and said, "Aha! You speak English."

"Yeah ... Hey, so do you!"

He smiled, and I noticed that he had really great, even white teeth - sure his canines were more like fangs, but I acually thought that made him hotter. "Yes, I've picked it up over the last few hundred years. It seems to be gaining popularity on your world, and I try to familiarize myself with common trade dialects. I am a businessman, after all."

"Um, really? What do you trade here?"

He held up a finger to his chin. "I will explain. First, allow me to introduce myself: I am Prince Anuhm Kuhran Jankara, owner and operator of this merchant caravan, Merchant of Souls!"