Page 27 of Bonded By Savages

“That would drive a man to madness.” Damian’s voice is a low growl as he pictures it, his aura clouded. We never had tocleara Scorp-ravaged planet. We never had to see bodies distended, filled with eggs of the violent creatures, humans begging for death, but we’ve seen warriors touched by the venom of the Scorp.

Even the strongest Aurelian turns to an animal when that venom hits. We experienced a taste of it, when we got our tattoos filled in. They say it hurts near as much, mimicking the constant agony of our War-God.

“Or to action. His battle-brothers were there as well. Kriz and Orr. Strong men, with principles. They would not follow the Priests blindly. They would take the course of action to protect the most men and women possible. That’s their honor.”

We served with men in the Aurelian Army who defected to the Priests, but many of the old faces I used to know have the same blank, religious fervor in their eyes. Men I used to drink and joke with now have the brand of Obsidian on their head, serving the Priests with fanatical devotion.

We can’t trust them. They’d betray us in an instant—even if we were holy, even if our eyes were colored with the War-God’s favor.

Even if our Mate’s belly was swollen with our son.

They’d do anything to earn the same tattoos on our chests and the chance at owning their own Mate.

Damian doesn’t hesitate. He brings his smartwatch close to his mouth. “Send message to General Ra’al. Start. It is I, Damian, and my battle-brother Tarak. We fought with you eighty years ago on Malroon, and again, in the battle above Sigma-4. You had honor. You wanted to protect. There are five women in the general hospital who came from a Toad Lord’s manor. If you would check up on them, and make sure they are still there and safe, we would be in your debt. End.”

Abascus was a disaster, but the tragedies are piling up. The ones in Wild Space were unavoidable. The ones that were previously under Aurelian Empire protection make me ache to drive my Orb-Blade through the Emperor’s chest.

So many planets threw off the protection of the Aurelian Empire. They were allowed to under the policies of Queen Jasmine, the human queen. Without paying the massive taxes for protection, those planets prospered and grew, some for near a century.

No one is declaring Independence now. Not with the waves of Scorp a thousand times worse than anything in recorded history.

Recorded history. Though everything before the great war seems so…nebulous.

“What’s caused the Scorp to come in such numbers?” I ponder it, but it’s a useless question, as useless as wondering about the past. We don’t have time for useless questions anymore.

Damian shrugs and finishes his cup of coffee. We’re alert without it, but the black brew warms the tongue. Our library’s back wall is filled with books, ancient texts and tomes hand-copied by acolytes. They filled the libraries before we earned our estate.

I’ve studied them, just as we studied the Priests and their prophecies, but it’s too much cryptic musing, not enough hard fact. If I hadn’t seen Obsidian with my own two eyes, I would have thought theshadow wolf who would bathe the universe in bloodwas nothing more than superstition. It was only feeling the Bond thrum through our being and knowing it was done by a High Priest that made us take the risk of joining them.

The tomes are filled with riddle, omens and destiny. That faith helped give me purpose, but truly, what carried me after my battle-brother’s death was the chance for vengeance against the Aurelian Empire.

I needed faith until I saw the War-God in the flesh. Now I have no need for ancient words.

I turn my head to face Damian. “He gave us our Mate. Can we trust Obsidian?”

Damian shakes his head. “You heard him. Queen Jasmine took his woman. He’ll be mad with bloodlust to claim her. We’ve been fighting closer and closer to the borders of the Empire, and it’s only a matter of time before we pierce the boundary and all hell breaks loose. We’re tools to him. Weapons.”

“We’ve got more problems than Obsidian. The five women…even if General Ra’al checks on them and they’re safe and sound, the Priests are only waiting for them to be hale to auction them off to loyal soldiers. They just lost their High Priest, cut down like a dog, and every man in the arena saw five un-owned women saved. If the Priests don’t get their way, they look weak.”

“They’ve lived thousands of years, those bastards, and they survived under Queen Jasmine’s reign. They’re wily. The safest thing is to give them up,” he says, the words curdling on his lips. He doesn’t like it. Neither do I. But on this planet of darkness, it’s dangerous to have enemies in the shadows.

“Refuse, and we’ll be surrounded by enemies. Agree…and five women go under the control of brute men.”

“They won’t lay a hand on them. They saw their God proclaim an unwilling woman off-limits.”

“Even then…they may not wish to serve men like that. You saw Nelly’s fear of our brands. Imagine if we had them on our foreheads, too?”

“If they’re safe…and we’re safe…damn this all,” snarls Damian.

My nostrils flare, unbidden, as if some deep part of me sensed her. I taste her feminine odor, the unmistakable scent ofher.

I turn in my chair to face the door behind us. We left the double doors open, to be able to hear her if she left her chambers, but she moves as quiet as a mouse.

Nelly. She’s standing at the entrance to the library, her copper hair wet and framing her elegant face, her lips full and begging to be kissed.

She’s wearing nothing but my bathrobe. It’s so big it drapes over her body and trails behind her like a wedding dress. She’s so slim, I fear the weight of it could crush her.

“May I enter?” she asks, her voice polite and submissive. It drives me wild.

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