Page 14 of Venomous Lust
“Then who? Who hurt you?” It was Khal who asked the question, for the first time looking vaguely confused. He frowned, shook his head, then lost the murderous glint in his eyes. “It doesn’t matter. Come with me, I will see to your medical care.”
Zaxis opened his mouth to counter but Hazel moved too fast for him. She slithered past the large Avonie male and stepped right up to Khal.
She knew she should say something. Anything. But as she stood there under the Eok’s intense, almost resentful glare, her mind was wiped blank.
She stayed silent as he reached out, too fast for her to react, then picked her up, cradled her against his chest and walked away, pressing her body into the safe warmth of his arms.
Then, even if she had wanted to talk, she wouldn’t have known what to say.
* * *
Khal
I should have let the Avonie handle this.
But he hadn’t. Now he was cradling the small human’s body against his, all those damned curves pressing against his chest, imprisoned in his arms. As he moved, he could feel the other male following, his purple gaze on the female.
Onhisfemale.
Khal had to keep the snarl from escaping his throat as he climbed to the upper level. This train of thought was dangerous, way more dangerous than allowing the Avonie male to care for the human. It was only the knowledge that he would destroy the most important mission in all the Ring’s history if he attacked that prevented Khal from turning on Zaxis as he followed Khal and Hazel into the small, well-equipped medical room.
Khal put Hazel down on the table and took a step back. “Remove your coat.”
The order was given in a harsh, military-like voice, and she lifted wide, glassy eyes up to him. The eyes of prey in front of a predator. She was afraid of him, but he didn’t care. He was past caring. Those green eyes, dark and wide, settled on him as she reached for the closure of her synthetic leather vest.
Behind Khal, Zaxis moved to the side to get a better view.
Khal lifted a hand to stop her. Hazel stared at him, her fingers on the fastening, her face blank.
“Leave,” Khal spoke to Zaxis, not bothering to mask his hostility. “I will take care of her.”
“I’ll leave only if she tells me to,” Zaxis answered, his tone one of pure challenge.
Something fierce and dark bared its teeth inside Khal and he felt his talons push out of their sheaths, the deadly weapons growing out of his fingers like daggers. Green eyes shot down to his hand then widened in fear.
“It’s all right.” Her voice brimmed with fear, but she sustained Khal’s gaze without flinching. “You don’t need to stay.”
Khal could feel the other male’s gaze on Hazel as he hesitated behind Khal. Then Zaxis turned and left, the door closing behind him, sealing Khal in alone with Hazel.
“What was that about?” Hazel lifted her chin, defiance clear in every curve on her delicate, rounded face.
Khal stifled the impulse to hold that supple, fine neck in his grasp and tilt her head back, exposing the soft flesh pulsing at her jugular. To see if it would beat even faster. If the faint smell of arousal would mix with the fear emanating from her skin.
Grab a hold of yourself! You’re only here to care for her injuries.
“I don’t need him breathing down my neck,” Khal answered, reaching for the closure of her vest.
Hazel bristled, her fingers clenching on the fastening, clearly intent on resisting him. Their gazes collided, her gold-rimmed green eyes shining, but then she seemed to think better of it and lowered her hand, allowing him to undress her without protest.
With careful movements, he freed her arms from the heavy fabric, then stood back.
His gaze went to her ample bosom, trapped beneath a thin synthetic cotton tank top, straining against the material. His seed stem twitched to life, hardening, demanding attention, and Khal had to force himself to look away. Then all traces of arousal deserted him and a blistering anger filled his veins where lust had reigned supreme just seconds before.
Hazel’s entire upper arm was covered in an angry, blue and purple bruise, wrapping around her slender limb in the rough shape of a hand. A large, presumably male’s hand. A surge of wrath filled Khal at the sight, but then his thoughts were wiped clean.
Because Hazel kept going. She gripped the bottom of her tank top and lifted it over her head, revealing the expanse of milky skin below. Her full, heavy breasts were contained only by a layer of elastic plain white fabric, her erect nipples showing through.
The beautiful, perfect skin over her ribs was covered in black, red and purple. Her entire left side was painted with a wide, dark, almost black contusion, to the point where Khal feared several of her ribs were cracked.
