Murgen’s throat flesh swelled with an alarmed, grating screech. He shambled backward and tripped over his own feet, waving his big arms in desperation to reclaim his balance; both the screech and his attempted recovery were at odds with his immense size. “I’ll give you anything. Anything! N-name your p-price, azhera!”
Balling his right hand into a fist, Drakkal surged forward and swung his arm. His knuckles struck Murgen’s cheek. The durgan’s fleshy jowls shook with the impact, and his head snapped to the side, rerouting his stumbling retreat into the same direction.
“Please, p-please,” Murgen stammered, raising an arm to shield his face. “You can have anything you w-want.”
Drakkal’s next strike caught Murgen in the gut, knocking him back several steps before he finally fell hard on his ass. Drakkal pursued him at a steady, relentless pace, responding to Murgen’s pleas only with fists—and, soon enough, claws. Murgen’s begging grew more frantic and babbling with each passing moment. Drakkal only increased the strength behind his attacks as Murgen’s desperation grew.
If Murgen were saying words, the azhera no longer heard. That old, red haze had settled over his vision, welcome and familiar, and the only sound he paid attention to was that of his own steadily beating heart.
Each time Murgen struggled to his feet, Drakkal knocked him down again. The scents of blood and sour sweat dominated the air. Soon, Murgen was screaming between his labored breaths, and the sounds pushed Drakkal harder, faster. He no longer saw only Murgen Foltham—this was also Vanya and the slavers who’d captured Drakkal long ago, this was all the cruel slave owners and arena masters he’d met on Caldorius, this was Vaund and the whole Syndicate. This was everyone who’d ever wronged Drakkal, Shay, Leah, and his family, everyone whowouldever wrong them.
When Murgen fell again, Drakkal didn’t give him a chance to get back up. Releasing a powerful, reverberating roar, Drakkal pinned Murgen on the floor and unleashed the fullness of his rage.
He wasn’t sure how much time had passed when he finally stilled his arms. He wasn’t sure how long it had been since Murgen’s screams had forever fallen silent. Drakkal’s chest and shoulders heaved with ragged breaths, and the exposed fur on his arms and face was drenched in warm, fresh blood. He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to feel now.
There was that deep-running heat, of course, but it was already dispersing—if only slowly. He pushed himself to his feet. His many aches and pains chose that moment to make themselves known anew, but Drakkal felt…lighter. This situation was not yet concluded—there was cleaning up to do to ensure none of this came back on his people or on the prisoners locked in the zoo—but the final threat to his mate had been eliminated.
He turned toward the door and exited the room without offering Murgen a backward glance. Drakkal planned to only look forward—toward Shay and Leah.
It was time to bring his family back home.
EPILOGUE
Eight Months Later
Everyone was gatheredin the break room, forming a circle around the little girl sitting on the floor. Leah was surrounded by gifts and wads of torn wrapping paper. It was her big day, her first birthday, and Shay couldn’t stop the tears from randomly stinging her eyes.
My little girl is growing up.
It seemed like only yesterday that Leah was still in Shay’s womb, the baby Shay had never planned for but had devoted her life to. Of course, that feeling was probably strengthened by the fact that she usually felt like she had no idea what she was doing—babies reallydidn’tcome with instruction manuals, and finding sources of information while there were still so few humans in Arthos had proven challenging.
But she had this crazy, wonderful family around her, and they’d all been amazing. This birthday party was just another example on a long list—half the people here didn’t understandwhy humans celebrated birthdays, didn’t understand why anyone went through the trouble of wrapping presents only to tear off the paper and throw it away, but they were going along with it anyway. For Leah.
Leah had grown so much over the last few months. Though she was taller and more mobile now that she’d started walking, she still had her adorable baby chub. Today, she was wearing a puffy blue dress Drakkal had purchased for her, and her dark hair—which was now down to her chin—was pulled up into pig tails and tied with tiny matching bows. Her eyes were a bright blue to match Shay’s, and every time Leah smiled, dimples appears in her cheeks. The little girl already knew how to use those dimples to her advantage. There wasn’t a male in this room who wouldn’t drop whatever he was doing to cater to Leah’s whims—including Thargen.
Leah clawed at one of the wrapped gifts, her delicate brows angled down in frustration. Razi stepped forward and lowered himself to the floor in front of her, reaching out with his large hands to make a little tear in the wrapping paper so she could open it. She smiled up at him, flashing those troublemaking dimples, and ripped through the paper, tossing it aside. Once she’d been shown the joy of tearing off wrapping paper, she’d taken to it like a natural. Opening gifts was clearly more interesting than the gifts themselves.
But Leah paused with this gift, her eyes serious and focused as she reached into the open wrapping. She withdrew a small stuffed animal—a cartoonish cat with suspiciously familiar gray-brown fur and markings.
Leah grinned, struggled to her feet, and waddled to Drakkal, holding the cat high.
Drakkal glared at Razi, who grinned just as big as Leah.
Laughter erupted from everyone—the sort of good-naturedlaughter that Shay enjoyed so much—with Thargen’s booming the loudest.
Drakkal’s frown was comically exaggerated, but when he bent down and scooped up little Leah, he was all smiles.
“Got your own little kitty, huh?” he asked.
Leah giggled and declared, “Ki-ki!” She held up the cat in one hand and patted Drakkal’s cheek with the other. “Ki-ki.”
Everyone went silent. Shay’s mouth gaped as she stared at her daughter in shock, excitement, and envy.
“Her first word iskitty?” Arcanthus asked, his softly-spoke question shattering the silence.
“Ki-ki,” Leah agreed, leaning forward to press her face against Drakkal’s furry cheek and giving him a loud kiss.
Drakkal’s smile widened, and he tilted his head down to gently nuzzle Leah’s hair. “Yes, little one. Ki-ki.” He lifted his gaze to the others in the room. “Now you all need to pay up. I won the bet.”