Chapter 15
DALOX
The humans stare at Gillian. My fellow warlords stare at my female. My blood rises up like magma from the heart of a dying planet.
I want her out of there. I want her in my lair and all to myself.
“What movie did you steal that line from?” one of the females says.
“Terminator Two. I thought it was appropriate,” Gillian replies.
“Not entirely sure about that,” a second one says.
“I liked it,” the very pregnant one says. “Reminded me of home in a very odd way.”
“I presume you all want to go home?” Gillian asks.
“Er…” The first female jiggles the sarkarnling, on her knee and the little creature giggles before shoving its thumb in its mouth in a way somewhat reminiscent of Dexx when he’s eating. “No, not really.”
“You see, we’re mated to these Sarkarnii, and we rather like being here, with them,” the one with the rounded belly says. “I’m mated to Driok.” She jerks her thumb at the warlord behind her.
Driok bares his fangs.
Immediately, I am in front of my mate, snarling at him for even looking in Gillian’s direction.
“Nev me, Dalox,” Dexx growls. “Are you in rut?”
“Of course he’s in rut.” Darax leans against the wall and picks at his fangs. “He found a female on that planetoid with you, Driok.”
I’m not sure where to turn, but I could easily disembowel all of these nevvers if I wanted to.
“Dalox in rut.” Dante grins wildly at me. “You’re going to love it. Although the shedding isn’t that much fun.” He scratches at himself. “But you also don’t have to wear pants,” he adds happily.
“That’s just you, Dante,” Dexx growls.
“Is it?”
“Yes,” the others say in unison.
I look behind me to check on my mate, but she has already escaped from my charge and is sitting with the females, deep in conversation.
“Come have some ale wine,” Darax says. “If your mate is anything like mine, we won’t get a word in while they are talking.”
I snarl at him. Darax shrugs and, along with Dexx, they take goblets from a nearby table and fill them with ale wine from a nearby dispenser. Dante is already eating, shoving various items into his mouth until his cheeks bulge.
I do not want to leave my mate. Even though she is with the females, even though they are not a threat, even though they have sarkarnlings with them…my desire to be close to her, to not leave her side, is even greater than the way my cock wishes to unpouch itself in her presence.
My claws worry at the skin on the back of my neck. Behind me there is a chorus of grunts, which I know is Sarkarnii attempting not to say anything which might result in parts of their anatomy being removed.
I need ale wine.
Without a word, but with plenty of glaring, I snatch a goblet from the table and fill it up, downing the contents in a single gulp.
“You are aware that during the rut, you are particularly susceptible to narcotics, aren’t you?” Dante says, sidling up next to me.
“I know everything about the rut,” I growl at him. “More than you ever will.”
Dante takes a step away from me, refilling his goblet but not allowing his eyes to leave me.
As well he should. I’m dangerous at the best of times and he knows it. They all know it. I might not have any warriors here, but I don’t need them.
“Whatever you’re planning, Dalox,” Dexx growls, keeping his voice low, “if it might hurt my mate, I will stop you.”
I give him a brief snarl. Dexx, along with Darax and Dante, have been recovering since the cure to the mutations they have all suffered from has taken effect. It hasn’t improved Dexx’s mood, however.
Nor has it stopped Dante delighting in his weaponry or Darax making credits wherever he goes.
“The rut is an interesting phenomenon,” Driok says, stood to one side. “We all think we know what it means, and yet none of us really know what it is like until it hits.”
I give him the benefit of my gaze, the one filled with fire.
“The rut is not a mystery to me.”
“But the human females are,” Dexx says. “They are a mystery to all of us, and your mate wants to take them away.”
“She wishes to be sure they want to stay,” I growl. “It is a very different thing.”
I edge between the warlords and the females. None of them would dare to touch my female.
“Once she is sure they are staying, I am taking her back to her planet.”
“You’re leaving Vorostor?” Dante queries.
“Now the Ulep are no more and we have control of the wormholes, there is no reason to stay,” I respond. “If it is what she wants, then I will take her, and we will make sarkarnlings on her planet.”
Darax rubs at his chin, his claws extended. “And who will take your place?”
“Whether I am replaced or not is none of my concern,” I respond. “It is what my mate wants which interests me most.”
“Your final act,” Dexx growls.
I glare at him, but he holds my gaze. Dexx has always challenged me and today is no exception.
“My final act is to give you what you all wanted.” I square my shoulders. “Your freedom.”