Chapter 38
DALOX
Ihave had my accelerant backfire on me, and it was less painful than the flames which lick over my entire body, causing me to cramp and curl up. I can’t shift to get rid of the venom either, save for my tail which is not happy at all at my current predicament.
I knew about envenomation, but I did not know about envenomation. All we were ever taught was it should be avoided. Not that it stopped a male Sarkarnii from being a Sarkarnii and has left me in a pool of my own sweat on the floor, unable to do anything save for the occasional moan.
I do not even know how long it has been, and what’s worse, I do not know what has happened to my Gillian. I can’t even scent her. Instead there is only Sarkarnii females and they are not the females I want.
“Oh, poor Dalox.” A cool hand is on my forehead and for a moment I think it is my mate.
I groan her name as I attempt to roll over, as weak as a sarkarnling, to look into the eyes of…Dyana.
The huff of smoke I have gets caught in my throat, and I cough weakly as I push myself away.
She pulls me back and glares.
“Are all males as pathetic as you on this planet?”
“Why not try envenomating them all?” I continue to cough. “You’ll either run out of venom or you’ll find out.”
“Our ancestors wanted to be sure there was always a dominant sex.” Dyana sits back and continues to look me over. “Which is why we got the venom and you got the rut.”
“Don’t underestimate the rut.” I roll away from her again as yet another flame licks through my body.
“The fact you rut for that insignificant little creature you refer to as your mate says everything I need to know about you,” Dyana snaps.
“What have you done with Gillian?” I attempt to snarl as I roll back to her. “If you have harmed her in any way, female or no, I will remove your tail and your wings before taking off your head.”
“Big words from a male who can’t even stand up to take a piss,” Dyana says. “Your mate is fine, for the time being. If you want her to stay that way, you’ll need to co-operate.”
She stands and places one of her feet on my chest, holding me down.
“I know this won’t last forever,” Dyana growls. “As much as it brings me amusement. You have a choice, warlord. Help us, or lose your mate.”
I glare at her, but then another wave of fire takes my body, and my eyes roll back in my head. I want to fight the venom in my system, something which isn’t supposed to be possible. Male Sarkarnii are supposed to take their punishment, not battle it.
But Dyana isn’t my mate. Her venom might have incapacitated me, but it isn’t for me. I do not wish to be at her mercy, and my rut knows it. I hear her huff as she kicks me onto my side.
“Let me know when he’s in a better frame of mind to negotiate,” she snarls, presumably at one of her subordinates.
I listen to the sound of her footsteps retreating and wait for the thump of a door closing. There is nothing.
With some effort, I push the pain and the fog back down inside and allow a rage to rise within me instead.
The angrier I am, the more chance I can deal with the venom in my system.
My limbs scream at me as I attempt to stand, grasping out for something to assist me.
My fingers touch a rough wall which I grip with my claws as far as I can.
“On your knees, male,” a voice growls from behind me, and my legs buckle with the pressure. “Dyana said you were to stay, so you stay.”
I turn onto my back, my tail half-heartedly shifting and my spines rising, to see Dyana’s second glaring down at me, a long pole in her hand. She shoves it at my face. I attempt to bat it away, but my recent efforts have left me as weak as a sarkarnling.
“Eat,” she hisses, the stick hitting my face again. “Eat before someone sees.”
There’s a hunk of meat on the end. I snarl at her, and she shoves the food in my mouth. Before I can spit it out, she is next to me, her hand over my mouth.
“Eating will help the effects of the venom,” she whispers rapidly. “You need to beat it as soon as you can. What Dyana has planned for you and your mate can’t happen, and there are plenty of us in this colony who don’t want it.”
There’s a sound from behind her. I chew down on the meat.
“I’ll bring you more when I can,” she says, rapidly rising as she looks over her shoulder.
I’ll take what I can get, but I know the look in her eyes. This female wants something too. And unless it is to free me and my mate, she will not have it. Once I’ve rid my system of the venom, I will take my vengeance on these females.
I will ensure they know exactly what happens to Sarkarnii who take what is mine.