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Sensing my discomfort, he laughs again. “The media says you’re inclined toward the more feminine sensibilities. I bring you a buffet of women, and yet you do not partake.”
I blink. Is this really happening? I twist the ends of my hair around my fingers as I try to figure out the most tactful way to answer him. “My sexuality isn’t up for conversation, General. Sorry.”
I have never been less sorry in my life.
The general lets loose a frustrated growl and snatches my hand, pulling me to my feet. I’m so startled that my voice catches in my throat. I can’t make a sound or even pull away without risking bodily harm to myself.
In an instant, Xavian flies forward, so fast he’s like light itself. His shoulder goes straight into the general’s ribcage, and the grip on my wrist loosens, allowing me to pull away. As I stumble back onto the settee, the general loses his balance and topples to the floor.
Oh, shit. Did that really happen?
The women on the stage stop their dancing and collectively gasp. Xavian stands there in the middle of it all, panting as he stares down the general. Like a feral beast, ready to attack if need be.
“I said no touching,” he snarls, hand resting on something beneath his dark jacket. Then he looks at me, his expression contorted into concern, and extends his hand. “C’mon, Kal. We’re leaving.”
The general leaps to his feet and roars into the air, causing the glasses on the table to shake. I stumble forward to grab Xavian’s hand, and he pulls me against his chest.
“This is about to get ugly,” he murmurs.
I snort. “You don’t say. I don’t think he likes being told no. Maybe if I just—”
“No,” Xavian orders. “No, you’re not doing anything other than getting out of here.”
With that, Xavian tosses me toward the settee, where I land with a gentlethwump. I look up just in time to see the general lunging for Xavian. The girls on stage scream and start to run, like they know exactly how this is going to go down and they don’t want to stick around for it. I don’t blame them. I’d be running, too, if I knew where to go.
The two men grapple with one another, the tendons in their necks straining as they ram their bodies together They’re in the same weight class, so neither goes down easily. Then, suddenly, the general swoops his mighty tail in an arc, knocking Xavian flat on his back.
I scream, but Xavian jumps back onto his feet in a smooth motion and pulls out a dark red sword. It sizzles in the air, electricity pulsing through it in spurts of lightning, giving the general pause.
But only for a second, and then the Denorran lunges forward, his claws outstretched. Xavian swoops low. I think he’s going to stab the general in the gut, but instead he takes off the Denorran’s tail in a single sweep. The general lets out a roar of agony. The thundering sound of footsteps echoes from somewhere in the room as the general’s tail falls to the floor.
A yellow, pus-like substance oozes from the wound, creating a disgusting puddle around the tail. The general thrashes around in agony and, in his panic, slips in his own blood. I cringe and scurry back against the settee, but in the next moment, Xavian is pulling me back to my feet.
“Come on,” he pants. “We have to hurry. They’re coming.”
I don’t have to ask him who is coming; the general probably has an entire army’s worth of security in this hellhole. I simply nod and allow Xavian to drag me along back down the stairs.
“Margot!” I squeal. “She’s at the bar.”
“We’ll get her,” Xavian promises as he drags me toward the clubhouse’s entrance.
But before we can reach the doorway, six Denorran warriors armed to the teeth with plasma rifles rush in and set their sights on us.
14XAVIAN
Okay, four fully grown Denorran warriors I could handle. Six is pushing it, though.
I push Kallista behind me as the Denorrans raise their plasma rifles. This is going to end poorly, but I refuse to go down without a fight. Unfortunately, I also have Kallista to worry about, otherwise I would have started attacking already.
Kallista crouches and scurries underneath a chair. “Go get ’em,” she says.
I didn’t expect that. But then again, I wasn’t expecting Kallista to actually stand her ground with the general, either. I’d stop to tell her how proud of her I am, except we’re about to get blasted to space dust. Praise can wait.
A beam of light fires above my head, and another nearly connects with my arm. My years of Terraball playing take over, and I flank left to right as I weave around the plasma bullets. My elbow connects with a Denorran’s temple. One of my blades slides from my jacket sleeve. Thrusting it into that soft, squishy sweet spot, I exhale as the Denorran falls to the ground. Dead.
The other five let out incensed roars as they jump over their dead comrade’s body, still shooting wildly into the air.
“Don’t you guys know how to aim?” I ask as my blade slides into an eyeball. The Denorran screams as I yank my blade away and thrust it down into the back of his neck, killing him instantly.
