The set up was pretty sweet when a brand-new sand pit opened up; Evan had found it the first time by attempting to stride across it. By cutting the floating sod strategically, they could lay it back over the watery sinkhole and be there in time to pull any out who happened to step in it. It had been Dean's idea, but Evan had to admit it was a good one, getting all kinds of proper respect from the rescued. Evan already had seven Mazon names on his back, bringing his grand total to forty-nine, but the last two were really bothering him. He had a bit of a fever to go with the enflamed wounds, and had his shirt off and his back to the fire so Dean could take a look.
"Did you clean your needles when you put these on?" Dean asked.
"You put them on, did you clean them?"
Dean frowned, shaking his head. "You handed them to me and I stuck you. They're pretty crooked, too."
"Fucking... fantastic. Thanks, man, that's great."
Dean glanced away, cocking his head to listen. "Somebody's coming."
Evan turned to look, but couldn't see much. "Shit, we're caught."
"What do you mean?"
"Let's get the fuck out of here. I'm sensing bad intentions."
Dean smiled as he stood, rubbing his hands. "Those are my favorite kind of intentions. How many are there?"
Evan pulled on his shirt, standing next to his friend. "Two women. They're arguing about something."
"About what?"
"I don't know, it just feels heated. One went in!" Evan put a hand on Dean's shoulder when he began to move. "Wait for them to scream..."
When the second shrieked as she fell in face first trying to help her friend, he ran for it. Hopping the small knoll that sheltered their camp, he sprinted toward the shouted curses as the two thrashed about, tearing the grass cover to pieces that swirled down into the belly of the marsh in their clumsy attempts of escape. He definitely felt panic, but there was something else that made him tense, wary. Still, he had laid the trap and had to at least get them out of it.
"Hey, we'll help you," Evan said. He groped forward and his forearm was taken hard so he squeezed hers back to pull her free of the mud. "Are you alright? What happened?"
"I'm fine, what about Maud?"
Evan looked, but couldn't see much. There was a half-moon, but it was hazy. He went to his knees again, and his hand was caught in two. "Help!" the woman cried. "Save me!"
Dean and he took a hand and pulled together until she was on her knees before them. She was a turn older than him at around thirty, and full figured, womanly and experienced. Her tummy was home to some loose skin that meant she had at least one kid, but that suited Evan just fine. By that age, a woman knew what she wanted. He helped her stand and dropped his pack for his cleanest piece of cloth, which she took with a grateful smile and wiped her face.
"You're a real lifesaver," she said. "What brings you out this way?"
"Warriors," said Dean. "Questing."
"We're camped just around here," Evan said, sweeping his arm that way. "Come and sit by our fire and warm up. You can take rest with us tonight."
"We're actually in a bit of a hurry," said the other one. She was younger than the first, maybe younger than Evan. "Why do you think we stumbled into a sand pit in the middle of the night?"
"Because we're tired," said the older lady, still panting. She placed a hand to his back and he flinched a little when she patted him right where his inflammation was the worst. "Oh, are you okay?"
"Yeah, fine," he said. "What about you; you got right dunked."
"We were just so lucky you were here," the woman said. "I'm Maud, and this is Lria."
"Evan," Evan said, walking carefully back toward the camp. It became a little easier when his fire became visible. "So what's your rush?"
"It will wait until tomorrow," she said, kneeling before the fire and raising her hands to it. The flare briefly lit everything brilliantly, but Evan was forced to cover his eyes. "Come and sit, tell us of your quest so far."
"It's pretty standard adventuring stuff," Evan said. "What about you? What were you running for that was so important you had to do it in the dark?"
Maud smiled coyly. "I was trying to catch up to someone..."
"Someone left you? Who would dare?"
She laughed, putting her hand on his arm. "You're sweet. No, it wasn't like that. It doesn't really matter, now that I've met you."
Evan smiled as she leaned toward him, and kissed her softly. She reached around him, and he hissed breath in as he glanced back.
"What's the matter? Are you hurt?"
"It's nothing," he said.
Both women were fussing, the one behind him lifted his shirt halfway. "This is awful! Maud, look at this."
"It's fine," Evan said. "Just don't touch it, and it's fine."
"It doesn't look fine to me," Maud said, kneeling behind him. She lifted his shirt higher, pressing gently and he flinched. "It looks infected. I have some ointment that would take care of it."
Evan glanced back again, frowning. The last Mazon he'd let get a look at his tattoos had been thoroughly displeased, but these women looked at the names with smiles and feelings of satisfaction. He could still sense some bad intentions, but he could also feel desire, lust for pleasure, attraction to him. He looked to his friend to gauge his reaction, if any of his anxiety was shared. Dean was a shy guy and a good wingman because he wasn't nearly as good looking as Evan. Sometimes Evan would help him out, but Dean didn't mind just watching. He watched now, smiling, and Evan flashed him a cocky grin when suddenly something cool was placed to his back.
"Just relax," Maud said, spreading the oily substance over the worst of his swelling. It warmed to his flesh quickly and began to tingle. "How does that feel?"
"It feels great," Evan said. He could feel his body relaxing, offering no resistance when they lifted his shirt off completely. "Usually those healing salves sting like a..."
"Like a what?" asked the younger Mazon, the term from which the most common word for bitch had been derived.
"Like a nettle," he said. He sighed as she began rubbing it in across a wider area, massaging it into his back and shoulders. His head tilted back and Lria leaned down to him. He met her lips, opened his mouth for a taste of her tongue, which played teasingly against his.
Evan smiled woozily as she kissed his cheek twice on the way to his ear. "We know who you are, Evan," she whispered. "We know what you're doing here."