Page 22 of Venomous Lust
At Khal’s side, Hazel inched closer but remained silent. As he looked down at her, he saw her face was closed off, her green eyes dark and dangerous. The beautiful lines of her face were drawn tight and she remained outwardly unafraid.
Pride erupted inside his heart at her fierceness. Pride that made no sense.
Because she wasn’t his. Because she could still be the traitor.
Traitor or not, she’s mine.
The thought made Khal grit his teeth. It was folly… absurd. But Khal didn’t have time to reflect on his strange feeling. The Shriklas came back, their reptilian faces expressionless. A low hiss escaped their mouths as their forked tongues formed the strange words of their kind.
Words the universal translator didn’t pick up.
“Well, it seems like there’s nothing aboard to trade.” Roohl got to his feet and his eyes took on a focused, dangerous glint. “Now, I will ask nicely only one time. After that, I’ll keep asking, but I won’t be nearly as pleasant. What information do you have on Knut?”
Khal faced the Cattelan bounty hunter, his arms rippling with the knowledge that violence was now inevitable. His talons shot from his fingers and from the corner of his eye, he saw Zaxis’s hands twitching toward the ionic gun at his belt.
“Nothing to trade?” Celaith’s voice broke the tense air like a blade. “What about the rations? There are at least two thousand in the cargo hold. A crew of three doesn’t need that much for a trading mission.”
“What are you blabbering about?” Roohl retorted with a snarl. “Who would trade those?”
“The Decatee would.” Celaith opened her arms in a mocking gesture, making a face at the Shriklas, who answered with a hiss. “Those savages, like you said,lovethe food rations. Nothing on their green shithole of a home tastes sweet. I swear, that amount of rations is worth more to them than half the Allurium on their planet.”
Roohl’s eyes narrowed into evil slits, but he didn’t dismiss Celaith. “You sure?”
“Heck yeah! Remember that time I had to track a Cattelan smuggler all the way to the Frontier? The Decatee handed him to me on a platter in exchange for a few dozen.” Celaith chuckled. “Give them a food ration pack, and they’ll hand over pretty much everything you ask for. It’s not a well-kept secret.”
Roohl sucked on his teeth, seemingly considering what Celaith was saying. “Makes sense.” He spat on the floor in Khal’s direction, then nodded to the Shriklas. “Take them on board anyway, but don’t harm them. Can’t be too cautious. And send the human to my quarters. Can’t pass up an opportunity like that.”
Khal growled as the snakes walked toward him and Hazel, but Celaith intervened again.
“Forget it!” She sounded more annoyed than pissed. “We don’t have time for that. For all you know, Prime Councilor Aav will be sending another ship, or the rich Avonie daddy will set an entire Ilarian guard regiment on our asses. Let’s ditch these three and keep going. You know we’ll find something on Knut sooner or later.”
Roohl turned his dark eyes to Celaith and something dangerous passed behind them. Something deep and rotten, something that spoke more than any threats.
This male was twisted beyond repair, down to his very soul.
“Okay then, my darling Arvak.” Roohl nodded but his eyes remained cold. “But you’d better pray to whatever heathen gods your people have that you’re not mistaken, because it’s going to be on you.”
Fear passed over Celaith’s features, turning her skin a sickly pale pink, but it soon cleared and her usual defiant expression returned.
“Fine.” She tilted her head and locked gazes with Khal. “They’re not worth it. Toss them out into space if you want. I don’t care. I won’t be the one with an Eok target on my back. Those blue assholes are loyal as shit. His father, his brothers—hell, even his distant cousins are going to go after you if you don’t let him go.”
Roohl’s devious glare slid from Celaith to Khal, who saw it the moment the Cattelan bounty hunter decided to let them go.
“Not worth it, like you said.” Roohl got to his feet and moved to stand in the doorway. “But mark my words, Eok. If I cross your path again, I won’t be so kind. Knut’s bounty is mine, and mine alone. Anyone who tries to take my prize will end up on my wall of pretties.” His venomous glare slid once more to Celaith. “Take care of it. I don’t want them to be able to follow us.”
Celaith nodded, then watched Roohl leave. As the Cattelan left the room, her cheeks bloomed with a dark pink, almost red flush, and her eyes took on a murderous glint.
“Take down their hyper-propulsion,” Celaith told the Shriklas. “It’ll take them a few days to repair it. By then, we’ll be far enough away.”
She shot Khal a last glare, then stormed out the door after Roohl. As she left, Khal wondered if he had just made an ally or an enemy.
Chapter 7
Hazel
“What was that about!” Hazel turned to Khal as the sound of her own heart drowned out everything else.
What did I get myself into?
