Page 48 of Protected By the Convicts
“One of you get in the mud, or I shoot.”
“The juice from those berries sting,” Ren protested.
Ky’Li smiled. “I know. You have ten seconds to decide.”
“How the hell is this testing our devotion as brothers?” Sersie asked.
“Ten seconds is up.” Ky’Li shot several berries, hitting Ren and Vaughn, but missed Sersie.
“Fuck! That stings!” Ren shouted as he rubbed at his neck where the berry had struck and burst open, leaking down his chest while Vaughn calmly lowered his sleeves in anticipation of more berries. He’d been hit in the back of his left hand and had promptly wiped the juice onto his thick pants, but even he seemed to be feeling the effect as he continued rubbing his hand.
“Ha! You missed!” Sersie shouted back, the only one untouched by the juice.
Vaughn glared at Ren. “Do it.”
Ren shoved Sersie off the plank. The man body-slammed back first into the mud.
“I didn’t miss,” Ky’Li said, as he turned his back on the men and grinned at Hannah. “That berry struck precisely to the left of Sersie where I intended.”
Hannah covered her mouth with her hand to stifle her laugh. “You sly kuvak. You’re turning them against one another.”
He liked when she laughed. “Shall I keep aiming at Ren and Vaughn, sha’vi?”
“That’s up to you, Ky, but this doesn’t seem to be bonding anyone. Just the opposite.”
“Be patient, my dear one.” Ky’Li’s attention snapped to Sersie, who was wading his way through the thick mud to reach the shore. “Sersie, you will remain where you are and collect the clothing of the others while they strip.”
“Why the fuck would we strip?” Ren asked.
“Because if you don’t, I will throw more ottus berries at you. A lot of them and fast. You will not only land in the mud, but you will be covered in ottus juice.”
“How exactly is this part of a bonding ceremony?” Vaughn asked, starting to lose his patience.
“It tests your ability to endure and to work together in a stressful situation.”
“I think you’re making this shit up,” Ren said as he started unbuttoning his shirt.
Hannah stood off on the side, laughing her head off.
“It’s not funny, Princess.”
“From where I’m sitting it is.”
“I may have to redden that tight ass of yours with my hand tonight, then you won’t be doing much sitting, except on my lap with my cock up your pussy.”
“You’re breaking rule number one already,” Vaughn cautioned.
“What rule are you talking about?”
“Talking about sex with her in front of Ky’Li.”
“Screw that. He can’t exactly get to me right now, can he?”
Vaughn pointed toward Ky’Li. “Think again.” Ky’Li had entered the mud pit and was heading right toward Ren, moving through the thick mud as it were nothing more than fog.
“Avi conasp apel avie,” he said as he stopped a few inches shy of Ren.
“And since when do we fucking have rules?” Ren said.
