Excerpt: Race to 100 Deaths

(From Chapter 4)
Emeric nodded. "Such strength from my elves. You will need that strength as you work for me." He took the vials from the mages and fondled them. "Your blood is your life. If the vial is broken before the spell is removed, you die. You have no choice but to work for me now. You wanted a contract, yes? These are your contracts in blood. I need an assassin. I want the best. The strongest. The fiercest.

"To that I propose a contest for you. A race to one-hundred deaths. Though a deadline would help." He cupped the vials in one palm while his other hand stroked his mustache. "Hmm. Two months seem reasonable?"

Karlos spoke his approval. The mages nodded as well.

"Two months it is. Sixty days to kill one-hundred people. Elves killing men. I don't care who you kill: man, woman, child. Once it is known that elves are killing our people, there will be no peace. We will have the war I crave. And I will have my honed assassin. The first one to achieve their deaths may return. His, or her, vial will be spared. The other two will be broken. I only need one assassin after all."

Tilara hissed. "And how will you know of our kills? Whose to say we don't walk out the door, and come back in a week lying between our teeth?"

"That's where my scientist comes in. Karlos, why don't you take over."

The scientist retrieved the jar. He brought it to Tilara. She cringed as he set it atop her branded leg. He unscrewed the lid and reached in. He pulled out a long, narrow worm, black and slimy. "These parasites have been my friends, but they will be even closer to you." He dropped the worm on Tilara's belly. She felt it slide over her, leaving a trail of slime, as it followed the trail of blood. She couldn't stop the whimper that escaped as she watched it slowly enter the knife wound, until all three inches were inside her.

Karlos continued his explanation. "These parasites take the most nourishment from nutrients found in human blood. They will wrap around your heart, and attempt to feed. If you don't give them the human blood they need, they will drain your own strength. Once a worm is fed blood from five victims, it will release. It will find its way to just below the surface of your skin. It will want to lay eggs, so I suggest you remove it quickly. Either way, it will eject a venom. It won't kill you, but will mark your skin in the shape of a star. One mark per worm, one worm per five victims. Twenty worms, for twenty marks to prove your hundred kills."

Tilara could feel the worm moving inside her. Perhaps it was her imagination, but the unpleasantness remained. It settled in her chest. She felt its pressure with every beat of her heart, and did not doubt the scientist's claim.