Page 29 of Murgul
Uh oh, that doesn’t sound good at all.
I must have made some sort of infinitesimal sound because Bikar looks over his shoulder and holds his index finger up to his lips in a signal to keep quiet. “A little busy up here right now,” he replies with an impertinent quip. “So be a good brother and distract him for a few rotations.”
Staring at Bikar with wide, astonished eyes, I watch as he flips a small switch and cuts the transmission before cutting his eyes over to me, his tone nonchalant. “I think it would now be wise to point out that none of my other brothers are aware of what Murgul and I are doing.”
His words trail off, and he rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. Just as I am about to reply with some sort of scathing comment, the Zenith jolts as if we’ve hit something or something’s hit us, and I yelp in alarm. “What the actual fuck is happening, Bikar?!”
“Oh, nothing to worry about, just the blast percussion hitting the Zenith. I turned us the tic Murgul was attached to the tether, so we’re at a safe distance.”
His jaunty reply does nothing to make me feel any better. Ice fills my veins when the full scope of what he’s said sinks in. “Does that mean Murgul was still outside the Zenith when that thing blew up?”
An awkward, stilted silence is my answer before he finally replies.
“Technically, he was inside the Zenith before the first wave of the percussion blast hit us, but technically, yes, he was outside the safety of the Zenith when the Korgon liner exploded. You have no need to worry, though, Gwendolyn. He is safely aboard now. Tell him to bring me the data block at his earliest opportunity!”
Making a sound of distress, I jump to my feet, completely ignoring Bikar before rushing out of the helm room and down the hall to the cargo bay. Fear is beating at me, and Ihaveto know that he’s okay. The little room affixed to the side of the plunderdome is my destination, since that appears to be the entry and exit point for this little jaunt across the Void.
If Bikar is to be believed, Murgul is safely aboard and there’s no real reason to be this worried, but I have an urgent need to make sure he is safe and sound. It’s a driving demand from deep inside me. I’m not sure when, but his gentle care for me snuck past the defenses around my heart, and I’m well on my way to falling in love with him, if I’m not already there. But right now, I don’t have time for any in-depth introspection.
Barely stopping long enough for the bay entry door to open, I make the corner too fast and slip. A cry of alarm escapes me, and I brace myself for pain when I inevitably fall. But instead, familiar strong arms catch me and swing me up away from the unforgiving surface of the floor.
Sighing in relief, I look up, only to freeze at the sight that greets me.
“Hello, precious one.”
“Who… who…whatare you?”
Chapter Twenty-Five
VROG
Easing Gwendolyn down,I gently set her on her feet and take a slow, calculated step back, so I am not towering over her while still maintaining eye contact.
Yes, I am a deviant, but I do not truly want my mate to fear me. My precious little one freezes in my arms as her vivid green eyes flit across my face, taking in the differences between what she has come to recognize as familiar, versus what she is seeing now. I know that I am not as appealing to gaze upon as Murgul is, even though neither of us are what any being would callattractive.
Sketching out a semi-formal bow, I introduce myself as I slowly slip into the golden light of her waking consciousness.
“I am Vrog.”
Her eyes widen at my words, taking in my added bulk and height silently, while cataloguing my blatant visible differences. My double set of horns, the armor-plated hide, and the longer talons and tusks that protrude far past my lower lip.
I look like what I am… a harbinger of death and destruction.
It has never bothered me before, but the longer she stands here staring at me without a word, the more uneasy I feel. Inhaling, I assess her scent and find that it is laden with confusion, distrust, and a trace amount of fear. I feel something well up from deep within me that I have never felt before, not since I gained sentience.
After a tic of introspection, I realize that what I feel is unease. Uneasiness with who and what I am, and I do not like this feeling at all.
Whining quietly in dismay, I take another step away from her when I hear a quiet squeak from my side. Immediately, I am reminded of the wee creature I insisted the fool save to gift to our mate. Perhaps if I present it to her, she will lose the sharp scent of nervousness emanating from her slight form.
Retracting my talons, I unlatch the clasp to the haversack attached to my side and carefully remove the little stowaway hiding within.
Harshly clearing my throat, I ignore her slight flinch as I unhurriedly extend my arm to her, before revealing what hides within.
“This is an adolescent female theroquine pup. The fool and I found it whilst aboard that filthy Korgon vessel. It should not have been there, as it is native to the planet of Atraxia, and that particular world is not friendly to nonresident species. I am unsure why the favored pet of Atraxian females was on that ship at all, since it is a closed planet.”
Her eyes fall to the tiny quivering ball of flesh in my hands, and I feel triumph fill me as they soften. Tentatively, she takes astep closer, and I lock my muscles lest I do something to frighten her away from me. Reaching out, she scoops the theroquine out of my hand, careful not to touch me or jostle the frail beast. Satisfaction wells inside when I see her cuddle the abused thing, and begin cooing to it.
Peering up at me, she finally speaks. “You and I need to have a conversation because youandMurgul have some explaining to do.”