Page 13 of Relyn (Warriors of Etlon #6)

Relyn

R elyn was not surprised when Rutra called him to the cargo hold a few days later.

He was expecting another drop off, or trade mission, but instead, there was a ship docked at the starboard port.

The deal was apparently being done on the ship.

In that case, he would only be needed as muscle, not as leader, as Rutra had hinted earlier.

That was fine with Relyn, as long as he was included more and more into the captain’s trusted ring.

The last thing Relyn expected to step out of the cargo hold was an Etlonian female and a mated one at that.

Those that didn’t have the knowledge to spot the scars on her neck or the subtle difference in her scent probably wouldn’t be able to figure out that detail, but a Mahdfel, even one in disguise, easily could.

This Etlonian was wearing bright pink hair and yellow skin.

She had a laser pistol strapped to her hip, just as all the other pirates did.

Her white shirt was tucked into a pair of tight black shiny pants, a common look for someone wanting to show off her curves without being completely overt about it.

She had the ability to change the color at will.

Rutra stepped forward. No introduction seemed necessary.

“Gale,” he said, greeting the Etlonian.

“Where’s Alana?” she asked.

Half the crew took a step back. Apparently saying Alana’s name out loud was like invoking the rage of a full Suhlik attack.

Rutra, however, was calm. No, not just calm. He was gloating.

“I don’t know. Where is Alana? Alana?” he called louder. “Alaaaaanaaaa!” Then he started to laugh. Gale began to suspect trouble and began to back up. Ketle and Thred had already blocked her exit.

“Then it looks like I’m in the wrong spot. I apologize for the inconvenience,” Gale said.

“Not so fast,” Rutra said, though Gale had already turned and spotted the two blocking her quick exit. “Where is Alana?”

“If I knew that she wasn’t here, then I wouldn’t have come here, I would have gone there. You know I only dealt with Alana.”

“Yes. And you still can, when we find her. Until then, please enjoy the utmost of my hospitality,” Rutra said, still dripping with false sweetness.

“This was only supposed to be a short venture. I have two passengers that-”

“Short? Well, if you have any way of contacting Alana, I’d be glad to hear it. Otherwise, I’m following my new number one rule,” Rutra said.

“What’s that?” she asked when he didn’t speak.

“If it belongs to Alana, or Alana wants it, I’m keeping it,” Rutra said, followed by a quick nod. Thred grabbed a laser pistol and her arm.

“My passengers have nothing to do with Alana. Let them continue on their way.”

“Oh, so they can deliver your cargo to Alana for you? Do you think I’m a fool?”

“No, I’m taking you for a smart businessman. My cargo is honestly not all that valuable, but getting two passengers to their destination without angering their sponsors would, you know, be the smart thing to do.”

“Sponsors?”

“Etlon. Of Etlon. You’ve heard of him? This is his son’s second in command’s mate’s sister.” Etlon was quite a name drop. Their Etlonian Mahdfel were quite a force, but they were not exactly close to this sector.

“Well, then like you, they shall be my honored guests, until Etlon of Etlon’s son of a whatever comes to claim them. We won’t mistreat them, will we boys?”

Rutra gave Relyn an eye and flick of his head.

Relyn proceeded into the ship, followed closely by Ketle who was not about to miss this opportunity.

Ketle was quickly distracted by the cargo in the bay, but Relyn moved swiftly toward the crew quarters.

It was best to take care rounding up unsuspecting passengers himself, making sure they were not hurt in the process.

The last thing Relyn needed was a Mahdfel warlord bungling into his undercover operation before Rutra revealed all of his contacts.

Relyn found himself drawn to the captain’s quarters. He wasn’t sure why at first, but at the door he noticed the scent. It was, he tried to pause and describe it, exotic and familiar at the same time. Something inside him knew that he had to discover the source.

The door wasn’t locked, and once he had it open, the scent became stronger. It wafted over him in a wave that practically pulled him forward. His feet moved of their own accord until he was standing over the bed where a female lay sleeping.

This. This was what Caldar had tried again and again to explain.

That one day, he would know the one he was to be with for the rest of his life.

It would sneak up on him and suddenly he would be willing to die to protect the one thing that was most precious to him in all the universe.

She was undoubtedly his mate. Relyn wanted to get a better look, but he also didn’t want to wake her.

Her head of black hair framed pale peach skin.

He couldn’t see any horns, couldn’t see much but her face, which mesmerized him.

Relyn was startled when her eyes opened.

Most females, upon seeing a strange male in their room unannounced, would have panicked and started screeching. His didn’t. She introduced herself.

“Hi. I’m Nora,” she said, sitting up. The sight of more of her, made him nearly lose his words. He said the first thing that came to his mind. It wasn’t the most intelligent thing to say either.

“You’re mine.”

“Pardon? Yurmine? Is that how you say your name?” she asked, confused. She thought that was his name. How charming.

“No. My name is Relyn.”

“Relyn.” He liked the sound of his name on her lips. He wanted to hear her repeat it again and again. “So who is Yurmine?”

“No. You. You are mine,” he repeated, but regretted it. Some females didn’t like to be claimed right away. They wanted their mate to work for it.

“What?” Nora asked.

Grom called for him in the background. In a moment, Ketle and Threds would be in here, bothering his mate.

No, Relyn would protect her. He pulled back the blanket and scooped her out of the bed.

She was so light. She fit perfectly in his arms. Nora did not seem to think so.

She asked him to put her down, and so he did, but he did not let go.

His cock was straining out toward her, his borrowed cock, nonetheless.

He had wondered, been afraid that might never happen if he hadn’t willed it, but here he was, ready to put her back down in the bed and claim her right then.

Unfortunately, other events were taking a more pressing priority. Grom came in to remind him that he was supposed to bring her out to Rutra.

“We’re coming, Grom,” he said, trying to hide the disappointment in his voice.

“Um, no we’re not,” Nora objected. She shifted her bare feet on the cold floor. His mate was uncomfortable and it was his fault.

“I will carry you again,” he decided.

“How many people are out there?”

“Thirty or so,” Relyn said.

“I’m practically naked.” There was no need to point this fact out. Her nipples were straining against the sheer cloth. It would be a simple task to tear the tiny straps and reveal all of her.

“You want everyone to look at me like that?” Nora asked.

He would kill any other man that looked at her like that, mission or not. “Definitely not. You are mine,” he stated firmly.

“You keep saying that, but there’s a robe over there.” He wrapped her in the robe and then pulled her up into his arms again. She again questioned his action, but he would not subject his mate’s delicate feet to the cold metal floor again.

Once out of the ship, he saw that they had rounded up the other passenger, also a female, but a younger one in a dark hooded garment. Grom saw the way that he carried Nora and looked to the younger female.

“Touch me again and I’ll rip your fucking hand off,” she warned. He did not get any closer.

Rutra didn’t seem to like how he was holding Nora. “Put her down next to them.”

“I have decided to claim this one. As my prize,” Relyn stated. This was not going to go over very well, but it could not be avoided.

“You’ve earned a prize?” Rutra asked.

“This one, I have.”

“But you see, I’ve promised that no harm shall come to my honored guests,” Rutra began.

“I have no intention of harming her,” Relyn countered. He started to run through ideas of how to get Nora somewhere safe if the captain rejected his claim. Most of them ended with gunfire, and his arms were currently full. None were optimal.

“I’ll fight you for her,” Ketle said. Relyn tried to suppress a smile. If the captain allowed the fight, then he’d have to allow Relyn to keep his prize.

Relyn strode over to Gale and the other female, sliding Nora to the floor gently.

He gave her a kiss that he had intended to be brief, but he could not stop himself from claiming her mouth thoroughly.

Gale cleared her throat and Relyn withdrew, taking one more look at Nora’s face.

Her cheeks had bloomed with a red color that was quite flattering.

He couldn’t wait to see if that color transferred to the rest of her naked flesh.

He stepped back and she wrapped the robe tightly around her body. Relyn turned to face his opponent.

Ketle blamed him for the loss of the Adrastian ship.

He was mad and his anger was just barely simmering under the surface.

Good. Anger would blind him and make him sloppy.

Relyn took off his laser pistol and handed it to Grom.

He looked to Rutra, who shrugged in acceptance.

If Relyn wanted to fight Ketle, then he would let it happen.

The crew began to take bets. This was going to be the most entertaining thing that they’d seen all month.

The circle shifted so that Ketle and Relyn were now in the center.

Relyn stood, waiting for Ketle to make the first move.

He shouted out to Xeron, who was taking bets.

“Ten thousand credits on me. Can you cover that bet?”

Xeron laughed and punched a few buttons on his com. Other crew started shouting wildly, trying to get in on the action. Relyn was definitely the underdog.

Ketle let out a roar, that Relyn supposed was to startle or frighten him, and his lack of reaction, just made Ketle that much more frothing. It did, however, scare Nora.

“Jesus Christ!” Nora shouted. Gale wrapped her arms around her.

Relyn wanted to go over and reassure her, but Ketle started his first charge.

It was sloppy, and his arm swing was so telegraphed that Relyn had plenty of time to duck and punch him once in the ribs.

It wasn’t meant to do much damage, just to rile him up some more, and it succeeded.

Ketle swung around, arms wide, and this time Relyn landed two on his center mass.

Ketle pivoted again and this time managed to grab a hold on Relyn’s head.

His claws dug into his Relyn’s scalp with a sting.

Ketle’s reach was his advantage, but he couldn’t put enough strength into his hold to do fatal damage unless he brought Relyn in closer, where he could kick and punch.

Ketle had to keep Relyn out at arm’s length, and had he been a true Sangrin, that probably would have been the end of the battle.

A quick twist, and his neck would have snapped.

But like a Georgun, Relyn didn’t have an actual spine to snap.

He couldn’t kill Relyn, but Ketle could ruin his cover.

He took a risk and jack-knifed his legs and kicked, landing straight into Ketle’s ballsack.

He let out a howling whimper and let go to cover his injury with his hands.

Relyn landed flat on his back and quickly rolled to his feet.

Relyn could still feel the sting of his claws, which should have immediately sealed up and offered no more pain. Instead, the area was growing. Ketle had treated his claws with some sort of poison. So much for a friendly fight.

Ketle swung another wild punch, claws out, confirming that he was more interested in delivering more poison than landing a blow.

Relyn easily ducked under and behind him, landing a punch as hard as he could right between Ketle’s shoulder blades.

The punch landed true and essentially paralyzed his arms. Ketle was now defenseless and he knew it.

Relyn didn’t let him complain. Instead, he circled back around and punched him in the face, giving him a shove back so the awkward weight distribution caused Ketle to tumble onto his back.

Without the use of his arms, he flopped on the floor like a sea creature stranded on the beach.

Relyn punched him in the face repeatedly until he stopped moving.

He shook the blood from his fists and turned toward Rutra, who nodded.

“You know he intended to kill you,” Rutra said. Xeron quickly began collecting on bets around the circle.

“Yeah, I figured that out,” Relyn said.

“You are well within your rights to kill him,” Rutra stated, looking down at the bloody drooling mess he’d left.

Relyn shrugged. “Good muscle is hard to find.”

The poison was working its way through his system, and he could feel himself losing cohesion. Not letting anyone else argue, he scooped up Nora and strode as fast as he could toward his quarters.

“I’m not sure what you think is gonna happen here, buster.”

“My name is Relyn, and I am keeping you safe.”

“So you’re saying Wendy and Bright are not safe?” He assumed she was speaking of the other two females.

“They are safe for now. But you are safer.”

“Riiight.”

Relyn entered his quarters and laid her gently down on his bed.

He’d gotten blood all over her pretty white gown.

None of it was his, though, he didn’t exactly have blood.

He’d have to worry about that later. He closed the door and put five layers of encryption commands on it.

No one was coming through that door any time soon.

Hopefully that would give his body time to heal.

Relyn turned toward Nora, who scrambled back off the bed.

“I’m sorry. None of this is how I imagined it,” Relyn admitted. He hadn’t imagined much about finding a mate, but this definitely wasn’t it.

“This? I still don’t have any idea what this is. I- Holy cow, you’re melting!”

“He poisoned me. The claws. I- Don’t go out the door. Don’t open the door to anyone. Just stay here until I wake up. I promise I will explain when I wake.”

He couldn’t wait for a response, a promise from her not to try to leave him, because his form lost its integrity, and he felt himself sink into his natural self, hibernating until he had time to fight the poison and heal himself.