Page 70 of Bela's Bounty
Volethos pales and cranks his head over his shoulder. “You lie. There’s no way you could have already secured them.”
“Tagged and bagged, my friend, and headed back to where they belong as we speak.”
I watch, stunned, as Volethos loses the tiny handle he has on his temper. His roar echoes through the tiled chamber until I swear my head will split open.
“You lie!” he howls as he breaks free of Tenir’s grip. Bending down, he grabs the front of my shirt before yanking me to my feet and slamming my back to the wall. “Where are the females?
“Sorry to disappoint you, but it’s all true. Tenir got to them first, and then used me to get off planet.”
“No!” He slams my back into the wall again before spinning around and grabbing the sides of his head. “Ineedthem! Or at least one. The madame cut me off; do you have any idea how much she charges for a night with one of those cunts? I can’t afford that! Bitch said I was bad for business, and I was no longer in her employ,” he mostly mumbles to himself and paces a tight circle in the middle of the cleanser. “But if I brought back one of her girls, I know she’d change her mind.”
Leaning against the wall, I take deep breaths through my nose, trying to quell my twisting guts that are threatening to expel what is no longer in my stomach.
“Just tell me where they are, and I’ll be out of your way,” Volethos grits through his clenched teeth.
This is probably not the best time to badger the vesen. Especially since he seems to be more desperate than I’ve ever seen him. Still, I can’t seem to help myself.
“Why should I?” My eyes narrow on him, even as my body is racked with wave and after wave of crippling pain. “What makes you think you’re so deserving of any female? Especially two females who are worth more than all of our hides bunched together.”
“Tell me!” Volethos roars, lunging at me as spittle sprays my cheek. “Where are the females!”
Hands grab him from behind and spin him around. “I’m never going to tell you,” Tenir says with icy calm.
Volethos’ eyes flare, and I expect him to lash out. Instead he goes deathly still. “I believe you.”
Before either of us can react, he draws a bright metal blade from a hidden pocket in the side of his trousers and stabs it into the top of Tenir’s shoulder.
