Page 6 of Hooded

I activate the foam removal system, and a peal of growls comes from within before I open the viewing window.

He stands with his back to me, his shoulders heaving with the violence from earlier. His great dark wings drip with I don’t know what. His hands hang by his sides, jet black claws glinting in the light.

He turns his head slowly to the side, not necessarily so he can see me, but I can certainly see the outline of his face. High cheekbones, full lips, and dark hair plastered to his head and neck, a fringe flopping into his eyes and skin streaked with the ever present dirt even the jets couldn’t wash away.

“Eregri,” he growls and curls up the claws into his fists.

KLYNN

Eregri.

I know the word. It shouldn’t be true, but it is.Sheis the reason I was traveling the undercroft. She is the reason I didn’t strike first.

She was bait.

She is my mate.

Interesting.

“Um…hello?” the female says through the viewing window. “I hope you can understand me okay. I brought you something to eat.”

A hatch opens in the wall, and a platter filled with fragrant meat slides through. I slam my claws at the opening, but I’m too late. It’s already closed, leaving just the food.

And her looking on. I glare at the meat for a while, and then, even though my head isn’t willing, my body is, so I lift my gaze to her.

Human.

Like the mates of my fellow gladiators, this human is small, far too small. Her body is shrouded in a coat which is seemingly too large for her and hides her form from me. Her long hair is a strange color, not one I’ve seen on the other humans. It is likethe aftermath of a supernova, burning with a deep flame. Her bright blue eyes and red lips are enticing to say the least.

But she’s on the other side of the cell wall.

I slam my hands on either side of the viewing window. She recoils briefly before returning, and her stunning eyes search my body.

“Out,” I snarl. “Let me out.”

“I can’t do that,” she says with a wan smile. “You’re destined to answer for your crimes with the”—she checks a small wrist comm—“Crivan.”

“Never heard of them,” I growl. “I was serving my sentence at the dome.”

“I don’t know anything about that. All I know is I was tasked to pick you up and take you to the Crivan. The bounty was for you to be brought alive.” Her voice is strained.

“You’d be better off with me dead,” I snarl, until what she said finally filters through my thick head.

This little human is a bounty hunter. She isn’t working for the Bogarok or anyone else, other than her client.

She caught me.

She put me in this cage.

Her.

The tiniest of tiny humans, all coat and flaming hair. She is my captor and regardless of the rights and wrongs of why she has me, I am duly impressed, along with being intrigued. She can’t hope to hold me here. And once we reach her destination, the error will be discovered. But in the meantime…for once in my miserable existence, this could be fun.

Rych tried to teach me the concept of fun once. He got a scar on his thigh he won’t forget. But I don’t want to maim the little creature. I want…something else.

Something I’ve never wanted before. Something which is causing parts of my body to stir where previously there was no feeling at all.

I was never chosen for sale to a female for the night, unlike some of the others. I was considered too dangerous, even where there were females who wanted the danger.

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