Page 19 of Venomous Lust
“Shriklas,” Khal whispered to her. “Reptilian creatures. No sense of humor, and even worse tempers.”
“Noted.”
“Don’t piss them off.”
Hazel wholeheartedly agreed. She had no intention of pissing off these monstrous, snake-like creatures. In fact, the less interaction she had with them, the better.
Then Hazel looked at the creature in the middle and blinked.
The creature was obviously female, with luminescent, pale skin that seemed to shimmer and change under the light. The tones in her skin ranged from light purple to bright pink, moving in pattern with her steps like liquid paint under the surface. Almond-shaped, dark pink eyes stared directly at them with an arrogant shine from within an oval, pleasing face. The creature had rounded features, with smooth cheekbones and a high forehead covered in fine, short, fur-looking brown hair exposing long, round-pointed ears. Her body was female and curvy, rounded at the hips and with a small, elegant bosom, all clad in black synthetic leather, molding to her form like a second skin.
Hazel had no name for what that creature was, or even knew if there was a name for her. She was mesmerizing, and danger hovered about her like an aura.
“Arvak,” Khal whispered again. “I’ve only ever seen one once. Their homeland lies well beyond the Ring. I have no idea what this female is doing here.”
Hazel stared openly as the creature, flanked by the two Shriklas, stopped a mere ten feet in front of them. The creature opened her arms in a wide, welcoming gesture.
“Welcome aboard the Mother!” The creature’s voice was musical and harmonious, the end of her words sounding a bit like bells. She smiled, exposing a row of perfectly white teeth capped with two short fangs.
Hazel shot a glance first at Khal, then Zaxis as both visibly tensed at the information.
“The Mother?” Khal stood perfectly still as the Shriklas approached, his face set in an impervious line, no emotions filtering through. “And what would Roohl want with us? There is no bounty to be had aboard the Myrador.”
“I’ll be the judge of that.” The creature’s smile turned cold and those dark pink eyes gleamed with a challenge.
Khal’s eyes reduced to thin, dangerous slits. “I am the captain of this ship. I get to decide who boards the Myrador, and who gets to take a look around.”
The creature’s skin turned a deadly, pale pink, and her shapely lips pursed to a thin line. Something flashed in her eyes, something defiant and angry, but also suspiciously pleased.
Or maybe Hazel had just lost her damned mind. Who would enjoy pissing off an Eok warrior?
“That used to be true.” The creature clicked her tongue with annoyance, but a sly smirk contradicted the display of frustration. “Eoks are used to being in charge. Used to being the powerful ones. But you being Eok doesn’t mean a thing aboard the Mother, so I’ll say it again. I’ll be the one to decide if there’s any bounty to be had aboard your ship, Captain.”
Silence filled the air following the creature’s words. A silence full of anticipation, full of violence yet to come. The two Shriklas stayed perfectly still, but Hazel could see the aura of danger surrounding their scaly forms. Even Zaxis stood mute, his long, slim limbs too still, his face hard and cold.
All eyes were set on Khal, like he held all their fates in his impossibly strong hands. And he did. Eoks were strong, and powerful enough to wage such violence that the newcomers would all be obliterated.
But Khal didn’t move. His all-seeing eyes were full of dark promises but his head inclined in acceptance, once.
“Good.” The creature nodded, but she still had to swallow nervously. She wasn’t fool enough to think she could beat Khal in hand to hand combat, then. “The name’s Celaith. Now, who in the Ring’s hell are you?”
Chapter 6
Khal
Khal stared at the Arvak female as they walked, still disbelieving that she was real. If humans had been a rare species before their liberation from Trade Minister Knut two years ago, then Arvaks were legends unto themselves.
Legends with a reputation for nasty tempers and unsavory attitudes.
How did Roohl find us? What does he know?
The possibilities were too many and the consequences too terrible to contemplate, but Khal had no choice. This was either a trick of fate of epic proportions, or a betrayal from deep within a very close circle. Finding a ship in the immensity of space was like pointing to a random star and finding home. It just wasn’t meant to be.
Who betrayed us?
Khal’s eyes slid with suspicion to Zaxis, but the Avonie male had just as much to lose as he did. Khal had been appointed by Prime Councilor Aav and found Zaxis at the rendezvous point in a shuttle that didn’t even have enough fuel to go back home. Zaxis was not the traitor.
Then ice ran down his veins as he turned his gaze to Hazel’s graceful profile. The human female’s pale moonlight hair bounced up and down as she walked and her face wore all the signs of fear, but she wouldn’t be the first female to have foiled a male into believing in her innocence, would she? But what would she have to gain?
