AllFreeNovel
Share Us
GWEN
“Kaio!” I screamed his name as my body began to assemble again. It was like every part of me had been dissected, becoming singular pinging atoms, and now some unseen force was slowly piecing me back together again.
When my legs were solid again, they felt weak and rubbery.
I fell forward, my samples case clanging violently to the floor and skidding away from me.
“Well, well. If it isn’t Little Miss Troublemaker.” A familiar drawl greeted me while I kneeled on all fours panting, trying to feel alive again.
“What did you do?” I seethed, wanting to stand upright, but unsure if my body was able to support me. “How the hell could you take me away from him? He needs me! He needs me more than ever!”
I tilted my head, finding Bloodworm sitting behind a fancy wood desk. His legs were cocked up and crossed at the ankles, his cowboy boot heels scraping against the mahogany. He was sitting there, leaning back in a cow-leather executive chair, as if nothing in the damn universe could touch him.
I’d never felt so angry. Not in my entire life.
Sheer willpower helped me stand up so I could glare at the stupid human man who’d made my life a living hell. And who’d now kidnapped me yet again, taking me away from the man… the alien… the king I loved.
“Send me back, right now.”
“Naw,” he chewed sloppily, smacking his lips and grinning. “I think King Kaio needs to fight this battle on his own.”
“But what about Zyair Morte’s human mate? It’s not fair if Kaio has to fight them both!” I’d reason with the man and make him see good sense. Two against one was bullshit.
“Well, see, here’s the thing, we scanned for life signs before initiating the final battle. Wanted to make sure it was good old King Kaio and the revenge-seeking Zyair Morte at the end. Designed everything around that outcome this year. Took a lot of legwork and doing. Even had to kill a few gladiators ourselves, just to make it work out. And that human mate of Zyair’s? Well, she’s been dead awhile. Seems he’s been lugging around her corpse.”
I felt my heart rate slow.
Thump. Thump.
Thump.
Why transport me here? Why not just kill me too? If I wasn’t necessary and the other human mate was dead…
“I can see what you’re thinking. Why not just kill you too? Even it out and be done with it.” He sighed, pulling his legs down and standing up. He pushed his thumbs into his belt buckle, rocking back and forth on his heels. “Kaio made a little amendment to his contract before the bonding ceremony. Seems you made quite the impression on him when you broke into his chambers. I warned him about picking you. I know the kind of woman you are—headstrong feminist, likes to make her own money and doesn’t need a man. But he picked you. And his contract stated that if he made it to the end battle, whatever human bond-mate he had would be spared.”
“But I should be there with him. You could have spared me after the fight!”
“Well,” he grinned again, blackened teeth making me cringe, “Kaio never did say when we should spare you. And you seemed to be giving him way too much confidence down there.” Bloodworm winked. “Don’t want Kaio to have too much of an advantage or my viewers might be disappointed.”
“You’re vile.” Tears began to flood my eyes. Kaio might die, and I wouldn’t be with him.
“I’m a businessman, my dear. And it’s all about the payout.” He snapped his fingers and seconds later a strange fish-faced female with four breasts came in. “Llosi, bring us some beverages and something to nosh on. I think my viewing companion might feel better after she gets something decent on her stomach.” He looked at me and winked again. “Can’t be easy to survive on a diet of fladi lizard and Vorpean Gilean Monster. Rough on the digestion.” He patted his stomach.
Fish-face left quickly.
“Now you get comfortable. I’ve got to drain the snake.” Bloodworm disappeared into what I assumed was a bathroom.
And the moment he did, I began to formulate a plan.
Running to my case on the floor, which Bloodworm thankfully had ignored, I opened it quickly and began to rifle through my samples. It only took seconds to find what I wanted.
I grabbed two of the rectangular packages, furiously working to pop every pale-yellow tablet out of their blisters. When I had sixteen of the pills cradled in my palm, I heard running water. Bloodworm was finishing up. I threw the empty sample packs back in my case, closed it, and raced over to the bank of windows nearby, closing both fists and holding them casually crossed in front of me. I hadn’t realized we were on a ship, hovering over the very battle area where Zyair was currently attacking Kaio.
“Best seat in the house,” Bloodworm crooned when he reentered the office. “And if that’s not enough,” he leaned over his desk and fiddled with some controls. A curved screen came to life in the middle of the room. “Every angle available, in high definition!”
My palm was growing sweaty, fingers curved around the tablets. They dissolved in the mouth instead of being swallowed, and I worried the dampness would cause them to disintegrate in my hand before I had a chance to follow through.
“Did I mention you were a vile human being? Because you are.” I looked at him blankly, controlling my fear. The tablets would be fine. Even if a few of the outer layers came off. That was mostly for taste anyways, to make the chalky, slightly sour inside more palatable. It would be fine. This would work.
