Frisk by Viola Grace Page B

highlighted by her weapon belt. “It is certainly warming.”
    They were seated at an outdoor café and enjoying a quiet moment after the activities of the morning. Lance couldn’t get the scent of the Peacekeeper out of his head. It was sending signals through his body to either fight or fuck, and since he couldn’t do either at the moment, he was stuck.
    “You look like you need a workout, Lance.” Coma was noting his tense hand on his cup.
    “I do, but not the kind you are thinking about. Something about that Peacekeeper.” He shuddered as he tried to get control of the lust running through him.
    “Your kind is rather fixated on reproduction, aren’t they?” Shatter sneered. He considered himself to be above hormonal effects, though his species was so close to Lance’s, it was ridiculous. He was dark where Lance was light, and it was enough of a difference that few, if any, folks noticed the similarity.
    “We aren’t fixated on it, Shatter. We just enjoy it. Finding someone compatible is a worthy pursuit. Proving that compatibility is simply mind-blowing fun.”
    Shatter rolled his eyes, Coma snorted and Lance looked for the Peacekeeper, but she was beyond his field of view, leaving only the faintest of scents on the wind.
    Coma shook her head. “I pity the recruits coming tomorrow. You are going to kill them.”
    He smiled. “Then, they aren’t worthy of being Guardians.”

Chapter Two
    Five hours after she had entered the groomer’s spa, they ejected her with her hair, nails, makeup done and a new outfit gracing her form.
    The dress was slit up both legs to mid-thigh, allowing her to walk with ease and sit without flashing her bits. Hormik was meeting her at the recruitment drive. The afternoon had been reserved for physical talents, and both Lance and Shatter would have their talents on display.
    The costume she was wearing was a lot more revealing than her uniform, but she enjoyed feeling like a girl once every eight weeks. It made her feel pretty.
    Hormik waved her over, it’s long body covered in a neutral tunic and trousers. “You look lovely, Lera.”
    “Thanks. It took three groomers and several prayers to get this result.” Lera grinned.
    “Come on, Lance is just warming up.”
    Hormik took her hand and hauled her to the front of the crowd on the upper level of the arena. They could see everything going on down below, and it was quite the show.
    Lance was stripped to the waist and speaking quietly to the lineup of men and women on the side of the arena floor.
    When he left them, he took a small metal bar from his belt and it expanded into a spear with a wickedly sharp tip. This was Lance’s skill, and he began to go through movements. His mastery of his own body was apparent.
    His pale hair swung around his chalky body, his muscles began to gleam with sweat, and the blade he whipped around so effortlessly moved in deadly arcs through the air with every movement. It was a dance, and he was an excellent dancer.
    The dark pigmentation around his eyes gave him a natural mask that made the gold of his eyes gleam, even from Lera’s vantage point. He was beautiful to watch, and she could stare at him for days.
    His lower limbs were encased in loose trousers held in place with a tight sash and tucked into knee-high boots. He lunged, twisted and whirled, and it was only when he walked back to face the first of the recruits that Lera exhaled the breath she was holding.
    Hormik was amused. “You are giving off pheromones that even I can sense. Is his physique that impressive?”
    Lera leaned in and whispered, “Sometimes it is all about the first impression. The first impression here is that he is quite fit and very graceful. It is one of the first times since I came here that I have been struck like this.”
    “What were the other times?”
    “A Darkoli ambassador who was disturbed by my interest and a Genaran who wasn’t sure that I would be a good match. He was willing to screw me though, so