I thought there would be silence.
Dalox, as he stated, goes ahead of me, and I follow. There is a chorus of snarls, which I suppose could be greetings, but then there’s also a chorus of brighthellos.
I peer around from behind the bulk of my Sarkarnii to see a selection of happy faces looking at me. I recognize Lydia, but theother four are new. Two of them have babies on their laps which look very much like Sarkarnii, and one of them is very, very pregnant.
I stare at them all. Their faces are happy. There’s no signs of coercion, even if there are multiple Sarkarnii males present.
But then, I could be wrong. And my first thought is always, always to protect.
“Quick,” I bellow at them, elbowing Dalox aside. “Come with me if you want to live!”
DALOX
The humans stare at Gillian. My fellow warlords stare at my female. My blood rises up like magma from the heart of a dying planet.
I want her out of there. I want her in my lair and all to myself.
“What movie did you steal that line from?” one of the females says.
“Terminator Two. I thought it was appropriate,” Gillian replies.
“Not entirely sure about that,” a second one says.
“I liked it,” the very pregnant one says. “Reminded me of home in a very odd way.”
“I presume you all want to go home?” Gillian asks.
“Er…” The first female jiggles the sarkarnling, on her knee and the little creature giggles before shoving its thumb in its mouth in a way somewhat reminiscent of Dexx when he’s eating. “No, not really.”
“You see, we’re mated to these Sarkarnii, and we rather like being here, with them,” the one with the rounded belly says. “I’m mated to Driok.” She jerks her thumb at the warlord behind her.
Driok bares his fangs.
Immediately, I am in front of my mate, snarling at him for even looking in Gillian’s direction.
“Nev me, Dalox,” Dexx growls. “Are you in rut?”
“Of course he’s in rut.” Darax leans against the wall and picks at his fangs. “He found a female on that planetoid with you, Driok.”
I’m not sure where to turn, but I could easily disembowel all of these nevvers if I wanted to.
“Dalox in rut.” Dante grins wildly at me. “You’re going to love it. Although the shedding isn’t that much fun.” He scratches at himself. “But you also don’t have to wear pants,” he adds happily.
“That’s just you, Dante,” Dexx growls.
“Is it?”
“Yes,” the others say in unison.
I look behind me to check on my mate, but she has already escaped from my charge and is sitting with the females, deep in conversation.
“Come have some ale wine,” Darax says. “If your mate is anything like mine, we won’t get a word in while they are talking.”
I snarl at him. Darax shrugs and, along with Dexx, they take goblets from a nearby table and fill them with ale wine from a nearby dispenser. Dante is already eating, shoving various items into his mouth until his cheeks bulge.
I do not want to leave my mate. Even though she is with the females, even though they are not a threat, even though they have sarkarnlings with them…my desire to be close to her, to not leave her side, is even greater than the way my cock wishes to unpouch itself in her presence.
My claws worry at the skin on the back of my neck. Behind me there is a chorus of grunts, which I know is Sarkarniiattempting not to say anything which might result in parts of their anatomy being removed.
