17
That thick, deeply accented voice was ominous and cold. It sent chills up and down Desideria’s spine. She turned her head slowly to see a…
Oh my God. He was huge! A full head taller than Caillen, the Andarion dwarfed them both. But it wasn’t just his massive, muscular size that was terrifying. His black hair was liberally laced with white streaks and matted into dreadlocks that fell to the middle of his back. A black cloth mask with some kind of spooky symbol painted in a blood red that matched the rim on his eerie irises covered the lower part of his face so that all you could see were those white demonic eyes that glared in anger. He’d smeared green paint with a black-dotted pattern over his forehead and temples, and down the bridge of his nose to give himself an even more sinister appearance.
Boy did it work.
It sent her stomach straight to her feet and made her instinctively reach for her weapon in trepidation.
Until he clicked back the release of the blaster, letting her know silently that if she moved again, he’d shoot her.
Dressed all in black, he reminded her more of a malevolent phantom than a living, breathing person. An image that was heightened by the sharpened silver claws on both of his hands and the weapons that covered every inch of his body and especially the large blaster that was aimed right at her heart. Any doubt about his intent was laid to rest by the bright orange targeting dot hovering right between her breasts.
We’re so dead…
Never one to be intimidated, Caillen moved so fast that she hadn’t even seen him do it until he had the Andarion’s blaster in his hand and aimed at the creature’s head.
The Andarion grabbed him and shoved him toward a large shuttle with an open hatch before he disarmed Caillen.
With a gymnastic twist, Caillen came up from below and swept the weapon from his hand again. He angled it at the Andarion’s chest. “You better be glad I don’t overreact to things, Fain, or you’d be dead right about now.”
Fain snorted as he knocked the blaster out of Caillen’s hand and slid it gracefully into his holster before he took a step back. “Didn’t your sisters ever teach you not to mess with your betters, food?”
“Yes, but there aren’t any betters here.” He raked a smug look over Fain’s body. “Just you, witling.”
A twitch started in Fain’s eye at the insult. He didn’t respond to it. Instead, he crossed his arms over his chest. An action that caused the veins on his arms to bulge as he swept a frown over Caillen’s body. “Out of curiosity, why do you look like a cheap Andarion hooker?”
“Spend a lot of time trolling for them, do you?”
Fain made a low growl that conveyed his annoyance. “I have a lot of friends in their community. They’re more loyal than most, so don’t go there unless you really want to toss down with me. Which is why your garish appearance offends me for them.” Yeah, Fain was definitely lacking in tact and manners.
Caillen shrugged his insult aside. “I was trying to blend.”
He scoffed at Caillen’s answer. “Yeah… okay, that explains a lot about your current predicament. For the record, giakon, you don’t blend here—you smack of offworlder—and you’re lucky the natives haven’t eaten you. I still can’t believe you were dumb enough to get made in a transport of all things. What the hell were you thinking?”
“I was hoping they’d think I was you.”
Fain sighed. “All I need. A human riding my reputation. Thanks. Appreciate it. Might as well hang a sign around my neck calling myself a wuss. Pisses me off. A lifetime to build my reputation, three seconds for you to destroy.” He narrowed his gaze on Desideria. “So who’s your trim?”
Caillen stiffened right along with her at the derogatory word that meant she was nothing more than a mindless adornment for his arm. “I seriously object to that term, Fain.”
He held his hands up in surrender. “Forgot you’re from the all-estrogen nest. No offense meant to your woman or you, but if you are offended, I really don’t care. Don’t have time to deal with something as petty as human emotions while under fire. So given all that, I’m going to assume this is the princess you’re accused of trying to kill.”
Caillen made the introduction. “Fain Hauk meet Princess Eternal Pain in my Ass.”
Desideria gaped at him. She couldn’t believe he’d introduced her that way.
Fain laughed, then nudged her toward the shuttle hatch that was open. “Yeah, well, you and Princess Pain in the Ass need to get on board quickly.”
Caillen hesitated. “Why?”
Fain pulled the blaster out again and acted as if he’d captured them. “Move. Now.” Then he spoke between clenched teeth. “Get on board the damn ship or I’m leaving you here.”