Page 48 of Courting Mayhem

In one corner was a pile of dead Rui trees.

Kiri’s frightened wing-like hum filled my head. I patted her leaves. “We are going to kill the bad man and he will never hurt anyone ever again.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

Adan fell down the ladder and landed with a loud thud. A head suddenly bulged out from Adan’s hide.

I jumped back in horror. “What the hell?”

“It takes several days for a Katanic to digest a large dinner,” Derek advised. Even though he was still pinned to the floor, he made no effort to fight or draw his pistol.

“And they’re alive the entire time?”

“Most die within a few hours but someone of Adan’s age can prolong his preys’ suffering for days.”

I fought down the urge to vomit. “That’s kinda sick and twisted.”

“If you mess with a Katanic shapeshifter, you had better be prepared to pay the price.”

A foot kicked against Adan’s thick hide, then another and another.

Holy Goddess, there had to be fifteen to twenty hybrids stuffed inside Adan’s thick mass. How did they all fit? “How many people can a Katanic eat?”

“Adan once ate the entire crew of a Tai-Kok battle cruiser.”

My jaw dropped. “That would be around four hundred Tai-Kok warriors.”

“I was very hungry.”

“You understand English?”The temptation to teleport back to the shuttle was almost overpowering.

“I know many languages.”Adan rolled over to me and examined my right arm.“Quite a clever move to have a berserker as part of your sect Zosia.”

I glanced down and gasped in surprise. My arm was covered with what looked like a Maori tribal tattoo, except the colors were red, black, and aqua. I ran a finger over my still stinging flesh. I had to admit the design was impressive.

Zosia lifted Derek off the floor. “Attack me again and you will die painfully.”

“Hurt my mate again and I will gut you.” Derek’s voice was a threatening growl.

Holy Goddess! I jumped in front of Derek.“He’s just kidding. He would never do anything to hurt you or Defne.” I gave Derek a mental head slap. “Knock it off. Do you have a death wish?”

Eeyore. Eeyore. Eeyore.It almost sounded like a donkey braying.I looked around for the source.

“That’s the sound of a Katanic laughing,” Derek said.

“Glad she finds us so amusing.”

Zosia released Derek.“Your mate is much like Qa’a. You have chosen wisely.”

“Yeah, there’s nothing like a crazy alpha male to keep life interesting.”I gave Derek my Debbie Sunshine smile. “Isn’t that right, big guy?”

“And there’s nothing I enjoy more than a headstrong female who never knows when to stop and think.”

I bared my teeth at him. “You know how you get when you’re bored. You’re out starting wars, pillaging planets, and stealing females.”

Derek’s fist clenched. “I’m Zarek’s War Commander. It’s what I do.”

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