Chapter 15 Callie #2
I fought my way free of the mattress until my feet were on solid ground and then rounded on him with my arms crossed in front of me. “They can both eat me.”
He chuckled, waving that infernal finger at me again. “Be careful what you say, pet. They just might take you up on that.”
I bared one of my fangs at him and shifted to head into my bathroom and closed the door in his smug face. I braced my back against the door and closed my eyes to the sound of his laughter as he moved away from the door.
“I will let you sleep now, darling. You’ve had a long day, and it's only halfway through the Lighting! Which I suppose is all well and good, since it will allow you to switch over to my sleep schedule. The twins will be here at first Darking to wake you for breakfast. Ta, Ta.”
I hated that bastard so much.
I waited until I knew he was gone before willing away my armor and stripping my sweat soaked clothes off my body.
A shower would help wash away the stink of defeat from my skin.
Next time, I’d be sure to get the codes to the bulkhead doors to freedom first. The best ideas usually came in the shower, so I stepped under the warm spray and began plotting my next escape.
I woke up not remembering when I’d gone to sleep.
I’d showered and flopped facedown on the bed dressed in another set of the soft but simple shirt and pants set Rathal had so graciously gifted me.
I couldn’t even think of it without sneering at the air.
I groaned and sat up, pulling off my hair wrap and tossing it back down on the bed behind me as I made my way to the bathroom.
I had just finished taking care of my hair when a low growl came from the doorway. I glanced sideways and met the eyes of one of the twins, her great hulking head held low in threat.
“Growl all you want. I won’t apologize.”
She showed me her teeth before turning and stalking out of my room with me on her heels.
The other twin was waiting in the hallway, her canid face set in harsh disapproving lines.
I rolled my eyes at her and gestured for her to get on with it.
She huffed, pivoting and starting down the hall towards the throne room.
Every servant and staff we passed grinned at me, some winking, and others out right laughing and clapping me on my shoulder as I passed.
I tossed the plan I’d formulated in the shower out the window and started plotting a new one.
The twins were walking ahead of me, trying their hardest to pretend like I wasn’t there and I stopped the next servant that passed me and whispered into her ear.
Or her ear hole, as it were. The yellow lizard lady regarded me with glittering eyes and smiled broadly before scurrying away like her ass was on fire.
I stared innocently at the twins when they realized I’d stopped and came back to eyeball me with suspicion.
It took several long moments of extended eye contact before they narrowed their eyes and moved on. I blew out a breath and followed.
Rathal was waiting for me in the dining hall, his outfit another monstrosity.
He’d traded his practical clothes from yesterday for glittering rainbow strips that masqueraded as a shirt and tight little gold shorts that barely covered his junk.
He had a gold chain around his bare midriff that disappeared into his shorts.
I think he was fucking with me at this point.
“Darling! I hope you’re hungry because now that you’re awake during the Dark, the good chefs are available. I can’t tell you how I suffered through the Lighting for you.”
He pulled out my chair with a flourish and bowed next to it, one arm held out for drama.
The way he bowed with one leg behind the other made the muscles on his thighs stand out.
I shifted my gaze quickly away but not before he caught me looking.
I chose to ignore his smirk and sat without comment.
I wasn’t going to rise to the bait. He could wear whatever the hell he wanted and I wasn’t going to say a goddamned thing.
Servants rushed in the moment I was seated to lay out dishes and a chilled bottle of whatever the alien version of wine was.
The female who placed the bottle met my eyes briefly before disappearing back through the servant's entrance.
I remained silent while he arranged meat onto my plate and he tut-tutted me like I was a child.
Rathal took up the opaque bottle and poured some in my glass before serving himself some. “Come now darling, don’t be a bore. You can’t ignore me the whole dinner.”
Watch me.
He sighed and took his seat, taking a sip of his drink while eyeing me over the rim.
“Very well,” he said finally, setting his glass back down on the table.
“I’ll do all the talking then. Since I’ve decided you don’t know enough about me to truly appreciate how wonderful I am, let me remedy that.
My family name is NulKal, my favorite color is a deep rich blue, like the outer rim of our nebula.
I enjoy my alcohol cold, no matter what it is.
I dislike sour things. I learned sword fighting to impress a female who promptly thrashed me at it at every opportunity. ”
A smile twitched at the corner of my mouth before I could stop it. He noticed and smiled broadly at me. Rolling my eyes was becoming a common occurrence around this fool.
“Just admit it, darling. I’m under your skin. Even now, after nearly freeing yourself and defeat still a cloud of poor temper surrounding you, a part of you is happy to see me. You’d have missed me if you’d accomplished your goal.”
He picked up his cup again and took a drink, his eyes daring me over the rim. I waited and when he blinked and frowned down at the contents of his cup I picked mine up and made a show of slowly dumping it out onto the expensive rug.
“You’ve got one thing right, Rathal. I can’t ignore you the whole dinner. Which is why I’m not staying for the whole dinner. In fact, I think I’ll take my leave right now. No, no. Don’t bother getting up. You aren’t too steady on your feet. Did you have too much to drink?”
When he tried to stand he wobbled and had to slap his hand down on the table to keep from falling over. His words were slurred when he spoke. “What did you do…my…prize?”
I leaned close over him, until we were nose to nose.
“Like you said, I have fans now. I asked one of the maids if she’d help pull one over on you.
She was happy to help. A little tranquilizer in your wine was a simple enough request. I think the kitchen staff is going to gossip about this for a while. What do you think?”
He cursed and tried to take a step towards me but fell to his knees, his hand gripping the table hard enough to crack it.
I backed towards the door, watching for his eyes to flick to me before I stopped and raised a finger to tap at my chin.
“Oh, right. The twins. Nearly forgot. Silly me. I won’t be going that way, don’t worry.
” I changed directions and headed for the doors the chefs and kitchen staff brought in the meals from.
I turned at the last second and finger gunned him with both hands.
“You’re it… again.”