Lydia
I’ve visited Dexx’s sector before to see Scarlett. The place has improved considerably since Dante was able to synthesize a treatment so Dexx and his warriors have recovered from the mutation which meant they had to spend hours in their Sarkarnii forms or risk madness.
The place is looking better for them having more time to take care of their environment, which previously was covered in a layer of grime from the mining activities they undertook. And also full of growly, grumpy males who were unable to control their change and who stomped about everywhere.
I can’t imagine Scarlett standing for things continuing as they did, and as Dexx worships the ground she walks on, it stands to reason he’ll do whatever she asks.
Although I can’t imagine any of Dexx’s warriors would complain about having more comfortable living conditions. In fact, today, they’re almost smiling. Well, nearly. It’s certainly an improvement.
“Deus.” A dark voice, more at home in a horror film, growls at us as we wait in the main atrium, warriors surrounding us with snarls on their lips. “What have I done to deserve you?”
The ring of Sarkarnii stand aside as Dexx enters. He looks at Deus, then at me.
“You brought your female?” Dexx’s voice has gone up an octave, to hit evil rasp.
“I followed him.”
“Deus is here to work, female,” Dexx says.
“So am I. We’re both up for banishment if Dalox decides. I need to do my part.”
Dexx lifts his lip to reveal vicious fangs as his gaze moves from me to Deus.
“You wish your female to work with you?”
“She speaks for herself, Dexx, as does your female.” Scarlett’s voice comes from outside the ring of warriors.
“Scarlett!”
She pushes her way through, baby on her hip, and wraps an arm around my neck.
“I’m pleased to see you,” she says. “I hoped you’d come.”
“And let the potential cause of my banishment out of my sight? No brainer.” I smile at her.
Scarlett smiles back, although it doesn’t reach her eyes.
“Are you okay?” she asks me quietly.
“I’ll be better once this is over,” I respond, squeezing her hand.
“I’ll tell Dexx to go easy on Deus.” Scarlett looks over at her mate.
“Thank you, but don’t. Deus and I need to do this properly or not at all. And I’d prefer not to have to send you and everyone else postcards from the third moon on the left.” I laugh.
Scarlett joins me, although I can tell her heart isn’t in it.
“If you need anything, anything, you tell a warrior to come find me.” She grips my hand so tightly I think she’s going to break my fingers. “Promise me you will.”
“I promise.”
She lets me go.
“With me,” Dexx growls, crooking his finger at Deus. “It’s time for you to do what you came for.”
I give Scarlett a wave as I join Deus and Dexx. The pair of them are having an under-the-breath growling competition.
We are followed by Dexx’s cohort of warriors who seem more interested than hostile. I can’t imagine what they’re hoping will happen.
Probably a demonstration of why Deus is here in the first place.
We leave the main atrium, and the heat builds as we go through increasingly darker atriums until we reach the heart of Dexx’s operation, something I’ve heard of but not seen.
It is very much like the entrance to hell. A huge round opening yawns at us, the sides smoothed by the passage of Sarkarnii after Sarkarnii.
“You want me to mine?” Deus asks. “What about Lydia?”
“We have work which will be perfect for her. Which requires a…” Dexx looks me up and down. “A smaller creature. And I wouldn’t want to risk a Paralnyi.”
In less than the beat of a bee’s wing, Deus has Dexx by the throat, and the testosterone (or rather the Sarkarnii equivalent) hits the ceiling and breaks through. The growling is intense.
“I rut for her, Dexx,” Deus says. “Do not test me.”
“I am testing you,” Dexx says. “Who are you loyal to?”
With a huff of smoke, Deus lets Dexx go. His warriors back off.
“Let’s get on with this,” Deus snarls. “The sooner you put us to work, the sooner we’re out of here.”
Dexx sneers slightly, but then his eyes fall on me, and he straightens his face.
“I won’t have your female do anything which would put her at risk,” he says. “Females are precious and ones who won’t let their male out of their sight are even rarer.”
Deus glares at him for a short while, not blinking.
“Thank you,” he says, finally, as if the words are being pulled out of him.
“Don’t thank me yet,” Dexx snarls. “You have yet to see your working conditions.”
With that weird swirl the Sarkarnii do to change into dragons, he becomes his Sarkarnii form. “Follow me.”
“Are you ready for this, my Lydia?” Deus says, holding out his hand and unfurling his wings.
“Are you going to be…a dragon?”
“Not just yet.” He grins at me. “I want to see what Dexx has in store for us first.”
I take his hand, and he pulls me into his embrace before he jumps backwards into the void.
This has to be the biggest mistake of my life.
And the best one.