Page 72 - Microsoft Word - FANG EMPIRE - NOVEL.docx

“How have you kept your condition from the queen for so long?” asked Zuba. “You must

have needed to feed.”

“I have disciplined myself to drink animal blood. I culled sheep for this purpose. But I

must have human blood also, for the blood of beasts eventually causes feebling of the fangs and

blindness.”

“Where do you go to get your humans?” Cane said, frowning.

“The Dogon tribe makes human sacrifices to me in exchange for spawning their holy

women.”

“I have heard the Dogon holy women are vampires,” Zuba said. “I thought it was an old

folktale.”

“It is not,” said Sooth.

“Nagobe the Elder is a vampire?” Zuba asked.

“Yes, the Undead, my spawn but not my thrall. But she is very old now and the Undead are

not immortal. The Dogon will be calling upon me soon to spawn another.”

Raki pointed behind them. They all turned around to see the queen standing inside the

cave. They bowed.

“My queen,” they said.

They noticed that her facial scar was gone. But her expression was grave.

“Sygnosis said no,” GoGo said and walked away.

The weight of her woe transferred to her loyal warriors. They looked at each other in bitter

silence.

“Then Prince Omar of Timbuktu will die,” Sooth said with a heavy heart, and then walked

away into the cave.

Zuba looked back up at Sygnosis standing alone on the mountain summit.

“Look at her. Not one human emotion courses through her heart. Not one concern for the

life of another.”

“To her we are food, cattle,” said Raki. “Why should she care?”