Page 56 of Taken to Voraxia
“Rhorkanterannu,” I snarl through clenched teeth, “I am humbled. So few Rakus before me have had the honor of receiving a Niahhorru King.”
“There are no kings among pirates,” he counters and takes a step — not forward, but left so that Miari is once again in his line of sight. I growl.
Rhorkanterannu just makes the pleasureless expression again with his mouth. “And this is a special occasion. There are whispers about the discovery of a moon in the Voraxian belt full of beautiful, breedable females. I had to come and see for myself.”
His gaze passes again to Miari. “For once, it looks like the whispers weren’t wrong. She is beautiful. You must be very proud. And eager. I wonder what you’re even doing here. If I had a body like that to rut, I’d mount her for spans. Eons.”
He tilts his head, upper hands clasping contemplatively below his chin while his lower hands form fists at his sides. I see stars with the composure it takes to remain where I stand and not launch myself at the creature who calls himself Rhorkanterannu, pirate king of Kor.
“Is it true that the humans have two holes for mounting? I know that the Voraxians have only one stem, so do you rut into both of your hybrid’s holes one after the other, or do you use your hands? Do your claws not hurt them? They do seem delicate. And soft…” He licks his lips, his glassy eyes gleam, and my composure rips apart.
I push Miari behind me and attack. My vision is a haze of color. The world bends and blurs. My claws itch to find purchase in the Niahhorru scum’s thick outer hide. They wear exoskeletons, as we do, though theirs form in thicker plates that lift and separate when they move.
The bastard drops into a crouch. My tail whips the air. Behind me, I hear Miari chirp. I want to tell her not to worry, that I will defend her honor, but I do not have coherency enough for that.
My shoulder meets his plated chest and we exchange blows. I cut into his breast plates. He retaliates by swiping his fist across my cheek bone. His knuckles carry the same spikes the backs of his arms do, but smaller. They cut when they make contact, in a plethora of grooves, but I ignore the pain and deliver a few retaliatory blows.
The fight only ends when Krisxox and four xcleranx fighters pry us apart. Seething, I am deposited onto my throne and I am only able to remain there when Miari breaks through the xcleranx holding me fixed and places her hands on my face. She pulls the anger from me as if by magic and I tumble, lost, into the cannons of her eyes.
Ripping out a growl, I yank my arm free of the one who pins it and hook it around Miari’s waist. I drag her onto my lap and wrap my arms around her and I bark at the xcleranx to step back when the male accidentally brushes her skin.
Miari whispers softly in my ear and rubs my face and back and chest with her soft hands until I calm enough to dismiss the xcleranx. They step back, but not away, creating a tunnel at the end of which stands the Niahhorru king, smug and gloating, even with streaks of black blood scoring his grey flesh.
Flecks of silver glint along his plates, though his spikes are a matte, dark grey bone. His charcoal tongue slithers between his jagged, dagger teeth and he jerks half a step forward, his gaze trained wickedly on my mate.
“She is beautiful. Kor would offer bounties beyond anything your simple Voraxian minds could fathom for a few of the women. Weneedfemales.” For a moment, his tone deepens and cracks just enough for me to hear the seeds of his desperation germinate and blossom.
The childless disease that plagues the Niahhorru is well known, as is the fact that they have breeding compatibility with few outside species. Very few species have breeding holes large enough to accommodate the Niahhorru male anatomy. Let alonetwo. Perfect for their shekurr.
This knowledge would increase the drive and desire of Rhorkanterannu and his people to acquire the human females. There is no question either of how he knows the things of which he speaks.Pe’ixal…
I slam my closed fist down onto the heavy arm of my werro throne. “This is a night of celebration and yet you dare to provoke me, insult my Rakukanna, and make tradedemandsof me. It is known that the Niahhorru lack morals and scruples, but intelligence was not something I understood to be on this list.
“Now you will leave before I am forced to escort you out myself and there will be no more talk of bartering with the human females on this lunar or any other. The humans are sentient beings and will be fledged Voraxian. We do not deal in slaves.”
Rhorkanterannu balks and slams his plated fist against his plated chest. The sound is like two rocks glancing off of one another. “You think you can stop me from seeking them out? Iwillhave a human to breed even if I have to take the human moon by force.”
Rage. I am nothing but my ridges and the color that engulfs them and sings down the backs of my arms. “I never said it was a moon and I have never spoken of the human anatomies’, not least of all to your brood. You heard these things from the fallen Bo’Raku.
“In league with a traitor on my planet, and with your declarations, you are mere moments away from declaring war. This must be your wish, your aim here. Tell me now if you declare war on Voraxia and we will meet you in combat among the stars. You will not need to suffer the breeding disease any longer, for when we are finished, there will be nothing of Kor that remains.”
The Niahhorru King’s chest is full, but he exhibits a control that the Niahhorru are not known for and instead of attacking, takes a step back.
He bows with a curt, rigid nod of his square head. “And risk our precious trade negotiations? Never, Raku. I wish you and your Rakukanna nothing but mating bliss and many offspring. One only dreamt of by the Niahhorru of Kor.”
I do not break his gaze but stare him down as I hear the implicit and illicit challenge in his words. “You are dismissed, Rhorkanterannu. I expect you off-planet as soon as your ship is prepared to take you back to the rubble you call your planet.”
Ignoring my barb, he makes a pleasure expression, one revealing a mouth full of guile and fangs. “Unfortunately, we seem to have depleted our supply of Kintarr Crystals. We will need to refuel before departure and as you know, the refueling of Kintarr Crystals can take a very, very long time. Solars, even.”
I shift forward in my seat, fully intent on abandoning any modicum of decorum and finishing the fight we started, but Miari slips her hand around my waist and places the other over the center of my chest over one of my two hearts.
“Shh… it’s okay, Xoran,” she whispers directly in my ear.
Her plush lower lip brushes my earlobe and I shiver. My gaze, locked on Rhorkanterannu’s, does not miss how his pleasure expression falls. He stares at my Miari with hunger. I am driven by the urge to move, but grounded by my Rakukanna.
“It’s okay. He’s just talk. We’re safe. All of us. I’m safe. I’m with you and you’re not going to let him hurt me or any of us. I’ll help you.”
I shake my head, feeling flush with anger. I try to focus. “Ixria and her xub’Ixria will help you to expedite the process. You are dismissed and you will leave the festival grounds now. Krisxox will escort you out.”
