Dart says nothing for a beat or two.
“Dalox has ordered the trial to take place as soon as possible. You have until tomorrow to prepare.”
“What about…?” My heart pounds in my chest.
Something swirls in my veins, but it’s not what I need. If I had control of my faculties, would I have even bitten the deliciously scented female?
“I had to bribe one of Darax’s personal guard to let me see you, boss. I have nothing left.”
“I cannot go on trial without anything…”
“I will do my best for tomorrow,” he says. “If I can, I’ll add something to your evening meal,” Dart says.
My heart pounds against my chest, even as my flight lungs seem to shrink inside me. Not that much can do me injury, but then it all comes at a high price.
“I did not mean to bite the little female.” I run my hand through my hair. “She just smelt so good. And she was there, her skin, her breath…I couldn’t help myself.” I sigh.
The mere thought of being close to her again has my cock pressing painfully at my pouch. My desire to be with her, to sheathe myself in her, tobreedwith her is almost overwhelming.
And the thought I might not have done it correctly burns at me deep inside. Could she reject me? A trial by the warlords issomething I regularly face. The thought I might lose the fragrant female who squeaked so beautifully when I bit her?
A disaster.
“I’m not sure that’s the best defense to proffer, boss,” Dart says, breaking into my thoughts. “Maybe say you thought she was a snack or something.”
“My female isnot a snack,” I snarl, making myself as big as I can within the cell and filling it with smoke. “I can’t tell them the other, can I?” I say as I reduce my size. “You’ll need to find a way of getting me what I need, and I’ll do the rest. I’ll be back on theGolden Destroyerwithin the nova day if you do.”
“Boss, yes, boss,” Dart says, shuffling to attention.
“After all, there’s the raid we have planned, isn’t there?”
“Yes, boss.” I can see Dart’s grin through the hatch. “The Horscog have it coming to them, especially after the supplies they took last nova month.”
“Fine. I’ll get this trial done, get my female, and we’ll be executing Horscog by tomorrow evening.” I rumble a laugh, my heart beating normally once again. “I love it when a plan comes together.”
ROSALIE
“Atrial?” I look around at my friends.
Lydia is dabbing a cloth at my neck unnecessarily, given the bite seemed to heal almost instantly of Dante doing the damage.
“Darax says Dalox is unhappy at Dante’s transgressions, in biting you, but also doing it in another warlord’s sector.”
“Hardly seems criminal behavior,” I respond.
“Hebityou, Rosie!” Maggie explodes. “You didn’t consent to it, so itiscriminal.”
“What if I say he probably didn’t mean to bite me?”
“What if I say that’snot an excuse,” Maggie snarls. “Not ever.” She stamps her foot in frustration. “He needs to be put on trial, and he needs to find out what it means to do things to women without consent.”
Scarlett puts her arm around Maggie, who shrugs her off and walks to the other side of our current quarters.
“Maggie has a point,” Kerra says quietly. “Dante has been allowed by the warlords to do what he likes because his sector, his crew, provide the know-how to turn the gygament Dexx mines into fuel for their ships.”
“Oh, well, that makes it okay to go round biting people, does it?” Scarlett snarls.
“I didn’t say that,” Kerra says evenly. “But the Sarkarnii have to deal with this in their own way. After all, how much do we actually know about them?”
