Page 40 of Game on Askole

“Alive, please,”the Tabor clarified and held out a furry leg.“I am called Tae.”

I gingerly took it.“Nice to meet ya. I’m Sarah.”

A sand fly buzzed the table.

Tae’s tongue shot out and snatched it out of midair.

“She’s my own little bug zapper,” Kaylee commented.

“How do I go about getting one for myself?” My gaze locked on a plate. “Tacos!” I picked up a taco that had somehow managed to survive the carnage and ate it.

“You funny,”a little voice said in my head.

I looked around.“Who said that?”

A little Tabor crawled out from behind the hot sauce bowl.“Me.”

“What’s your name, cutie?”

“KeeKee. Pet me.”She climbed on my hand.

“Word to the wise. Tabor’s venom is deadly. One bite, and you’re dead before you hit the floor,” Kaylee warned.

“Good to know.”

KeeKee hopped up and down on my hand.“Pet me. Pet me.”

What a pushy little thing.“No biting.”

“No bite.”KeeKee’s emerald eyes sparkled with mischief.

Stroking KeeKee’s soft, silky hair, I watched Caleb open a big cooler and start passing out beer. In a very short time, we had one hell of a party going on. Everyone ignored the blood and bodies and got drunk.

Even Detja and the Overlord got a bit tipsy. A tipsy Overlord was a frisky Overlord. They brought tonsil hockey to a new level. Zarek’s hands roamed over Detja.Oh my God. Get a room.

Earth beer had quite an effect on alien physiology. When did I figure that out? When some Coletti warriors started playing their version of soccer with a dead wannabe’s heads. Ick factor was a twenty.

I caught a glimpse of myself in a mirror and shrieked. Holy shit! There were gross pieces of the wannabes in my hair, and their blood streaked my face. Ick. Ick. Ick.

Kaylee stopped eating. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m covered in blood and body parts.”

“Get used to it. Happens to me all the time,” Kaylee said.

“Oh, yay.” I headed for my room.

Detja’s stern voice sounded in my head,“Where are you going?”

“I need to clean the blood and bits of Lilkee’s warriors off me.”

“Very well. Do not dawdle. Lothel will return shortly, and I want you to spend some time with him.”

Yeah. Like that was going to happen.“What about Tihar?”

“Tihar is no longer your concern.”Her ice-queen demeanor was spoiled when she giggled. Zarek had whispered something naughty in her ear.

I needed to learn their language.“Yes, ma’am.”For a fleeting moment, Detja’s memory of a very naked Zarek flashed through my mind. Yeow! Her intense desire for him made me squirm.

---