Champion

Chapter 30

Thanks," he said gruffly.

He was still pissed at the w***e. She had teased him with her gorgeous body for days, and then given it up to strangers at the first opportunity. Eleven strangers. No woman who was that easy to get into bed should be that high-maintenance. It wasn't as though he liked her. Yeah, she was nice when she tried to be, and she seemed to be great with kids, but she was also a total pain in his ass. Everything had to be her way, a total f*****g princess.

It wasn't that he was jealous of her sleeping with a bunch of other guys; she could do whatever she wanted. He just figured he had earned some f*****g consideration, and first dibs. After all he had done, he didn't deserve some other man's sloppy seconds. Plus, there had been plenty of other women at the service; she didn't need to sleep with all those guys. If it was so important to her for him to be there, why didn't she wait for him? But he definitely wasn't jealous he adamantly reassured himself, he didn't even like her.

"I'm good, you can leave now," he told her coldly.

Hurt by his tone now, and his words last night, she shook her head in refusal. "No. Not until you tell me why you are mad at me. What have I done that has earned your ire?"

He looked at her like she had grown a second head that breathed fire.

"What have you done?" he asked in amazement. "Lady, what haven't you done? For three f*****g days you either made my life miserable with you whining, or made my life miserable with your flirting and teasing. At first I thought you were just clueless about what your body and actions did to me, but it has become really f*****g apparent that you knew exactly what you were doing.

"Then you beg me to defy Astinus and sneak into the worship service, promising me mind blowing s*x; and stupid, horny asshole that I am, I agree. What do I find there? Do I find the woman that has been tormenting me with her amazing body for the last three days waiting to make all my dreams come true? No. I find a dirty w***e pulling a train eleven cars deep, so full of other men's c***s that she can't even spare a moment for the man who SAVED HER f*****g LIFE!" he finished with a shout.

Laurena was shocked. She had no idea how little David understood of their religion. Of course she was Blessing multiple men, she always Blessed multiple men. That was what the faithful wanted from her, and she was glad to please them.

She began crying. How could he possibly think her a w***e? She had never lain with anyone outside of worship service. That was improper, and would have gotten her removed from the clergy. And she was never dirty! She made sure to always be clean, and immaculately dressed. She hated dirt, and dirty things. How could he say such horrible things about her?

"I was giving Eros' Blessings to the faithful. Guiding worshipers to find Eros' love is what priests and priestesses do," she said, still crying. "It is our responsibility, handed down to us from our god. But I am no w***e. I have never lain with a man outside of worship, and I never will. It is not permitted for the clergy to do so.

"And how dare you call me dirty," she added angrily. "You know full well how much of my magic I dedicate to cleansing myself. You know how I can't stand to be dirty. How could you say such a thing."

Shaking his head, David could only be amazed at this girl's priorities.

"You're absolutely right. You're always immaculately groomed and dressed...even when you are groomed with men's hands, and dressed in their sperm," he added viciously. "Now, get the f**k out."

Her face stained with tears, Laurena stormed from the room angrily. She would get him back for this. Just wait. No one talked to her that way.

*** Penance ***

140758MAR13 DW

Wolfsvale, Erosius

David got out of bed and locked the door after Laurena's furious exit. He needed some uninterrupted peace and quiet at the moment. Looking down at his healed side, he noticed a faint scar. It was the only proof that he had been so severely wounded the previous night.

This healing crap is pretty damn useful,he pondered. I wonder if I can learn how to do it.

Turning back to the stack of clothes on his bed, he took his time getting dressed. It seemed that Astinus had a multitude of useful skills. His clothes were spotless, and the repairs to his fleece jacket and combat shirt were so perfect you couldn't tell they had ever been damaged.

As he debated whether it would be cold enough today to require the fleece jacket, he heard a knock at the door.

"I told you to f**k off, b***h," he yelled at the door angrily.

The knock came again.

Thoroughly annoyed, he resolved to unlock the door and give her a piece of his mind. If the b***h wanted to come back for round two, he was going to leave her staggering from his verbal barrage this time. As he turned toward the door, he noticed her book lay on the floor next to the chair she had vacated in such a hurry.

So that's what she's after, he thought with irritation.

Walking to the chair he picked up the book then went to the door and unlocked it. Opening the door he thrust the book through the opening, saying, "Take your f*****g encyclopedia and piss off."

"Thank you for the book, Champion," Astinus said from the other side of the doorway, "but I was hoping to speak with you for a few moments."

Pausing in embarrassment, David considered the priest's request. Opening the door further he stepped aside and beckoned him into the room.

"Sorry Astinus," he apologized. "I thought you were someone else. Please come in."

The priest walked into the room nodding in understanding. "I could not help but hear your disagreement with Laurena, but I have a different matter to discuss with you."

Closing the door, David motioned for the priest to sit on the vacant chair and sat himself on the bed nearby.

"Thank you for healing my injuries, and for fixing my clothes," the soldier said. "What can I do for you?"

"I would like to discuss what happened last night, outside the tavern," Astinus explained.

Giving a non-committal grunt, David just waited for the priest to continue.