“How the nev did you ever end up like this?” he rumbles.
“I’m just the way I want to be. Being part of the fleet was boring anyway.” I inspect my claws. “Now am I going to get my female or not?”
“You are on trial. Dalox will decide what to do with you,” Darax snarls.
I could shift now. I could get away from here, from this cell deep within the neutral sector, but without my mate, without my crew, I am nothing.
I want her, and I will have her, just as soon as this situation with the trial is over. I give Darax my best grin.
“I look forward to it.”
Darax motions over his shoulder to his guards who surround me.
“Wait!” I call out as we move forward. “I want to see Dart.”
“You don’t get to make demands,” Darax growls back at me. “Your second will be at the court.”
We ascend into the neutral sector’s upper level. The scent of the weaponry we were testing last night still hangs heavy in theair. I draw it into my lungs, allowing it to mix with my accelerant and create some sort of peace within me.
“Nev it, Dante.” Darax glares at me. “Nothing is off limits, is it?”
“Not at all.” I shake my head. “The more, the better.”
Darax releases his own smoke, a mass of frustration which will do him no good in the long run, as we march through the zone to the clan chamber which will serve as my court.
I catch it, on the slightest breeze…
“My female…she is here…” I don’t recognize my own voice, the growl is so deep and low.
“She is here to give evidence against you,” Darax says. “Don’t even think about getting to her.”
It is all I can think about. It is the only thought in my head. Being with her, holding her, worshipping her…
“Boss?” Dart is next to me before Darax and his guards can stop him. He slides the needle underneath the scales on my right hand and delivers the dose before they see anything.
“Dart.” I nod as the narcotic fills my system.
“Nev off!” Darax roars. “He doesn’t get any assistance.”
“I have to do this for myself.” I blink hard as finally there is some semblance of order in my thoughts.
Except, this time, there’s something else, something not cleared by the medicine all my crew have to take since we came through the worm hole. The reason we’re all considered feral and good for nothing save the star fuel we create.
Star fuel they all need.
“We’ll be waiting, boss,” Dart says before being shoved to one side by Darax’s guards.
I’m marched down the passage and into the main chamber rather than the side chamber we usually use for general meetings. Dalox is waiting for us, sat on the elevated platform in the chair he took as plunder from one of the pirates we caughtthe first nova month we were in this nevving galaxy. He gazes down at me with empty eyes.
“Prisoner,” he intones as Darax takes his place just below him, alongside Daxx and Driok, neither of whom owe me anything, despite the recent battles we have all undertaken.
Driok in particular wants to reduce my influence on Dalox. He’s always been the most dangerous of all the warlords. He releases a stream of smoke from his nose as I’m marched past them and onto the platform.
“Dante, we are here to determine the punishment for your transgressions,” Dalox intones. “Namely using a claiming bite on a female who was not in your sector at the time.” He growls. “What do you have to say for yourself?”
I would reply, but my nostrils are filled with her scent to the point I think I might just burst. Sat above Dalox, her face very pale, sits my female. My Rosalie. My heartsfire. I cannot look at anything else. My tail lashes behind me and I’m struggling not to shift.
“How do you plead?” Dalox roars.
