Page 32 of The Death Striker's Partner
“Come here.”
“Why?” He questions but obediently leans his face back down into my hands.
“Because I’m about to be a little bit insubordinate, so don’t tell Ezid that I broke the professional conduct policy.” I use my hands on his cheeks to bring him close enough to kiss. It’s a gentle press of my thin warm lips to his smooth scaly ones, but he’s warm too. I feel the slightest tremble to his lips against mine, and he exhales sharply with disappointment when I quickly lean back. He even lulls forward for more. “Billie seems really happy up there.” I smile brightly and stroke his glossy black scales. From his cheeks down to his neck and shoulders. “I’m going to have to figure out a way to talk to her one day very soon, or I might have to storm back into the palace to see her, elite guard and politics be damned.” He huffs a chuckle and then groans, knowing I’m not kidding. “But seeing her happy and comfortable with Izule has taken a weight off my shoulders. Thank you.” His apprehensive smile melts me and Ido something very dorky and quite embarrassing. I lean forward and lick his cheek. Like, with the tip to try and mimic what it’s like when he flicks his tongue out at me. Only, I probably resemble more of a clumsy puppy than a snake scenting someone.
I know I’ve embarrassed myself when he chews his black scaly lips together and between his gums, and his shoulders start bouncing. “I was trying to be cute.”
“Oh, it was cute.”
“It was embarrassing.”
“Yes it was.” I gasp and smile at him! “In future I wouldnt do that in public.” He isn’t one to tease me, normally, so this is a big step.
“Oh? But I bet if I licked you in the privacy of our own home you wouldn’t mind, ay?” And there go his throat scales again. I snigger, knowing exactly where his mind just went when he averts his bottomless eyes from me. “Well now that’s a promise.” I purposefully look away when he snaps his head to look at me. Now I’m chewingmylips to contain my amusement. Tumva will soon learn that if he wants to tease me, I’m not only game, but I will win. Especially when he’s so inexperienced and easily flustered.
My smile stays on my face as I locate Billie, still on the platform with Izule right hand clasped in both of hers.
“Honoured guests.” King Xulei, who looks like the most badass King Cobra I’ve ever seen, speaks with a booming voice to the hall. The com-gem in his fancy bejewelled collar lights up, and it takes me a moment to realise his voice is being relayed to the com-gems of everyone in the hall. Myself and Tumva included. “I welcome you all to Orna’s Golden Palace for this most fortuitous Gcorket. Not only is my only daughter Jajana finally ready to choose a worthy mate to become their Queen-” He lifted Jajana’s hand and an eruption of hissing and cheeringthundered through the hall. Billie ducks behind Izule, but soon peers back out, so she’s okay. “-but it would seem my youngest son will soon have a mate of his own as well.” Izule snapped his head towards the King and he looked to be 3 seconds away from launching at his father in a panic. “A most welcome and advantageous addition to our-” Jajana turned into her father’s side, covered his com-gem with her free hand, and whispered something urgently into his cowl. Everyone in the hall seemed just as confused as I was, so I didn’t feel like I was the only one who felt like they’d missed something. Is Izule engaged or something? Has a female Ucfeni from another Royal house chosen him? How would that bode for Billie as his charge? I thought for sure I was getting ‘more than’ vibes from the two of them earlier…
Jajana turned away from her father to smile the the hall and Izule hadn’t taken his intense stare away from the King the whole time. “I see.” King Xulei huffed and was far from subtle when he leaned forward to look across at his youngest son. A very pale looking Izule who’s left eye was twitching. “And here I thought it was already done?” He turned to look at Vrujac, who also looked a tad pale. “Well, he had better get on with it.” He seemed to give his eldest son some sort of order, and then returned his attention to the hall like nothing had happened. Izule seemed to sag with relief when his father moved on. “Yes, a most wonderful occasion indeed. People of Orna, please welcome our most honoured guests, as they come to put on a grand display for our Royal princess Jajana of Orna.” King Xulei took a small golden thorn from his hip and blew it. The Lunar dancers finally vanished down service tunnels and I turned to look right when I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. Everyone was parting to allow servants in bronze clothing move a large ramp into position. It connected the middle of the bottom tier to the ledge of the middle tier right in front of us.
“Presenting!” A black and white Ucfeni slithered up the ramp first and coiled on his own tail to act as some sort of announcer. His com-gem necklace glowed, also broadcasting his voice and he held a tablet in his hands. “The Royal party from the Naltik Coast.” He was very proud of himself as he called out ahead of more giant Cobras. Their colourations were rather similar to the ones on the upper platform. Sandy in colour with more of yellow tint and orange markings on their cowls. Three males moved at pace up the ramp and moved to pose high up on their tails directly below our viewing room. “Next, the Royal party from Erya.” The announcer paused and waited for Royals with dark brown scales, black markings and cream underbellies slithered up the ramp and took their position beside the posturing Naltik Royals.
Thing is, I know I should be more entertained by the arrival of more Royal princes hoping to impress princess Jajana…but I keep returning my attention to the announcer. He has black and white banding like a sea snake…a very expressive mouth…and…oh no. I recognise him! It’s the dude form the Xeno-porn!!! In my head I can replay the video of him arching backward as his blonde human partner rode his dick like a jockey.
“Tumva, the announcer-” I start to stand and i’m already thinking about how I’m going to take the muzzle net from my back pocket to subdue his head once I get within throwing distance, when Tumva stops me with a chuckle.
“Yes, I spotted him as well.” Tumva’s hand on my shoulder settles me back into my seat. “Well done for recognising him. We will not make a scene now, or startle him into fleeing. At the right moment, when everyone is at ease and Gcorket festivities are well underway, we will apprehend him. If not now, we can get his employment records from the palace and trace him that way.”
“Gotcha.” I grin, tasting my first ever arrest on the tip of my tongue and eager to get on with it.
“Presenting…” He hesitates and warily looks down the ramp toward the main entrance. “…the Royal party…of the Rapali Tribe.”
The hall fills defensive snarling. Tumva moves in a dark flash from his stool to ‘stand’ on his tail to my left and leaning out from our hollow room to get a better look. I also stand, only for his tail to coil around my waist and move me to stand on his left so he can shield me from danger. I peer out anyway, of course, to see what the big deal is. All the Ucfeni seem to be jittery for some reason. I look to my left and see that King Xulei has moved Jajana into a similar position as Tumva has moved me. Billie is in Izule’s arms! At first I’m shocked to see her welcome so much skin to skin-erm-scale contact, but then I’m grateful. If this shit is about to hit the fan as I suspect it’s about to from the vibe of the room, at least Izule is ready for a quick escape.
Chapter 28
The Tribal Ucfeni arrive
Tumva
Rapali Ucfeni. I have never seen any in the flesh before. They are the Ucfeni who refused to come out of the jungle and abandon the old ways. They are savages who live and thrive in the dangerous tangle of the wild. The reject technology and did not welcome alien presence on Thelia. In fact, they wanted to attack and send the humans back onto their ships, but Orna was the first city to form an official alliance. Our Royals saw the life changing impact their antibiotics would have on our population growth. So many lives have been saved because of our alliance with the Humans. They are smaller and weaker physically, but if ever doubted the adaptability or potential of this race, Hannah has shown me that humans have their own strength. Their technology is more advanced than ours, of course, but beneath their lack of scales beats a heart as true and as fierce as any Ucfeni.
The Rapali do not see humans as having any worth. Thelia is such a large world and is mostly uninhabited. We are in no danger of running out of space or resources. I don’t know why they are so anti-alien, but the Rapali are not exactly known for being a welcoming people. If our city patrols or hunting parties go too far into the jungle, the rules of hostile engagement are applied. Many Ornanians have been killed by Rapali hunters. Simply for crossing their territory markers.
I am not the only one eager to lay eyes on Rapali Ucfeni. Normally if you saw one of their tribe, it was the moment before death. You didn’t live to tell the tale. It was a momentous occasion that everyone in the hall was about to see at least one. I soon realised it was a large party of Rapali, as they slithered up the ramp. I feel Hannah tense in my coil beside me and her hands press to my glossy black scales.
They are unlike any Ucfeni I have ever seen, and I have seen all that Orna has to offer whilst on patrol. They have the same build as a Royal. Wide shoulders, thick and muscular, and they even have a cowl. Yet, it isn’t round or spined. Their hoods have tendrils, like mini tail tips. Thick and dextrous and more than capable of holding a tool or spearing through your eye socket. They seemed to be expressive as well, moving with the mood of their master. These tendrils were the same vibrant colour as the lower half of their faces, torsos, under arms, palms and under tails. Even their eyes were the same colour, with sharp black slits for pupils.
They had darker colours on their arms, shoulders, back and the bulk of their tail. Navy, green, brown and even black. I could imagine that their more vibrant torsos and tendrils were good for catching your eye and distracting you. Possibly from the hunt, or even to entice you as part of a mating display. In my mind I could see them lowering to their bellies and slithering at pace, hiding their vibrance and merging into the jungle to become invisible killers.
“Who are they?” Hannah asks me as we track the Rapali party take the centre of the middle platform. There are 6 of them, twice as many as the other Royal parties, and they are unphased by the way that everyone is watching for them to strike. In particular, any humans present in the hall were standing in the coils of an Ucfeni, must like I held Hannah. For protection.
“Rapali. A Jungle Tribe that follow the old ways and did not welcome your kind to Thelia.”
“And here I was hoping they werefriendlyunexpected party crashers.” I smirk. Hannah’s snarky nature is just one thing that I enjoy about her. “So what’s the plan?”
“At the moment, we simply watch. As the Elite Guard do.” Hannah nods and dutifully watches the scene unfold.
