Wosite?”
“They hired me to bring you and the girl to them,” the
mercenary spoke blandly. “Seems you’ve become something of a business
liability.”
“Interesting.”
“If you say so.” Then Tolan Lark’s voice changed. “The
girl, what is she to you?”
“My queen.”
“Is that all?”
If possible, Menelaus sounded colder when he spoke after a
screaming silence. “Interesting that you make a distinction. She is also my
mate.”
“Is that true kitten?” She felt a nudge on her thigh and somersaulted
forward, quick as a snake, as she heard a quick shuffle and he was out of reach
just as fast. She came to a stop and pulled her legs through her bound arms so
that her hands were in front of her. She whipped off her blindfold before he
could stop her, and was met with the scene she had not expected. There was a
body dead on the floor, Menelaus bound with his hands behind his back and no
blindfold. Lord Dunstan was looking at her with shocked eyes, while the
Mercenary stood far back from reaching distance, his pistol aimed.
He was tall, nearly as tall as Menelaus when he stood at his
full height. Black hair and dusky skinned, slightly shaggy from the need for a
trim and his face seemed just as unkempt. All sharp angles and hawk like
features. There was a wildness and ruthless practicality stamped there that
she recognized. Hard as a rock in his skintight body suit, knee boots, and
armed better than a military convoy, he also had eyes that were flashing from
blue to iridescent lavender even while she watched.
She showed her teeth in a growl and crouched, ready to
explode into action. He smiled, showing lengthened canines and then turned the
gun to point it at Menelaus. She froze.
“This time it’s real ammunition, not a tranq, kitten.” He
smirked, careful not to blink, until with a humph she dropped to her bottom and
relaxed her stance.
“So, you are life mates then? Pity.” His eyes slid
seamlessly back to deep navy blue with nary a ripple. “It’s been too long
since I saw a Shakien female, it would have suited better if you were not
attached.”
“We are,” Menelaus supplied with a snap, his eyes narrowed
on the mercenary. “But why do you keep asking?”
“Shakien mate only once in their lifetime.”
“You seem awfully familiar with Shakien practices.”
“You could say it’s a hobby of mine.”
That had Nori snorting again, but she didn’t speak. She was
too busy studying Menelaus for injuries. He had a split lip and bruising along
one cheek. She turned slowly to stare at Dunstan who had bloody knuckles.
With Shakien lavender eyes, she studied him while he smirked and licked the
blood off his knuckle.
“Come closer, Lord Dunstan, and I’ll see you have more blood
to choke on.” Her voice was deep and gritty from the need to strike.
“Soon enough you ’ll have something of your own to swallow.”
Lord Dunstan grabbed his crotch suggestively.
Nori shook her head. “It never fails to amuse me that no
matter what planet I visit, the differences in language nuances, or the level
of tech displayed, one thing is always constant,” she motioned with her bound
hands to his grabbing of the crotch. “Sign language for ‘I am a dick,’ is
universal.”
His face turned red. “You won’t think it’s so funny when I
have it shoved down your throat.”
She displayed her pronounced canines in a wide smile that
held little humor. “Just so you realize, anything you try to shove anywhere
near me you’ll get back in pieces.” She held up her bound hands and showed a
small space between her index fingers. “Tiny pieces.”
Dunstan took a step closer to her his red face tightened to
true anger. “You would threaten a Lord of the twelve lands?”
She looked over at Menelaus who was not nearly as amused by
the subject as she was. “Is he seriously thinking his rank means something to
me?”
That made
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