The unease within Drakkal built to a sense of dread. He’d known this delivery would be an unpleasant experience the moment Arcanthus had given him the details, but he’d not realized just how unpleasant it would be. He didn’t care how much Murgen Foltham was willing to pay, Arc would no longer be conducting business with this durgan.
Drawing in a deep breath, Drakkal moved to stand beside Murgen and turned toward the cell.
His eyes fell upon the female inside—the femaleterran—and widened. He’d never seen her before, he was certain of it, but she seemed familiar all the same—and she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.
She was sitting in the corner, legs bent with her arms draped around them. Long golden hair hung over her pale, bare shoulders concealing her breasts. Shapely brows arched over bright, piercing blue eyes, angled toward a small, narrow nose, and her full, pink lips were downturned. She looked so small, so delicate. She was…stunning.
She was also clearly with cub.
TWO
Murgen interlaced his fingers and settled his hands on his prodigious gut. “A female terran, currently pregnant. She has a few months to go, by my estimates, and I’m terribly eager to observe the process firsthand. I understand it’s rather painful for their kind.”
Drakkal’s gaze roamed over the female, lingering on the blotchy bruises scattered around her body, the thick collar around her neck, and the matching cuffs at her wrists and ankles. The cuffs weren’t attached to any visible tethers, and the skin around each was red and irritated. Drakkal tightened his fists; a powerful instinct had sparked within him, as though his very essence rejected the sight of this female in her current condition. She should’ve been free, should’ve been unharmed, should’ve been…his.
“The expected offspring is fully terran, of course, but these terrans have proven remarkably adaptable.” Murgen moved closer to the glass. “Though there’s not enough research by which to draw concrete conclusions, it seems her species—afterthe Consortium’s mutative treatment—can reproduce with almost anything. The compatibility is astounding.”
Separating his hands, Murgen brushed his fingers lightly over the glass. “I’m not normally inclined to partake directly in my research, but I find myself tempted by this one. What would we produce?” He cleared his throat and stepped back suddenly, jowls jiggling as he spun to face Drakkal. “For science, of course. You’d be a fine male specimen to breed with some of my collection, now that I’ve mentioned it. I’ve seen many azhera, but none built quite like you. Normally I would charge for the privilege, but in your case, I might pay to have you breed with some of my subjects. I trust your…equipmentis in working order?”
Drakkal dipped his chin slightly, willing away some of his shock and confusion. He needed to conclude this business and leave, but that sundrinker scent perfumed his every inhalation, and he couldn’t take his eyes off the terran.
“Why is she chained and bruised?” Drakkal asked.
“Because she is amongst the most dangerous creatures in my collection. Nostrus can personally attest to that fact.”
Nostrus, still behind Drakkal, released a bitter, affirmative grunt. In Drakkal’s imagination, a brief scene played out of the volturian striking the terran and leaving one of those bruises. Drakkal barely resisted the urge to turn and hammer a fist into Nostrus’s face.
“We mustn’t allow her demure appearance to deceive us,” Murgen said. “She’s sent several members of my security staff to the infirmary with varying injuries. Nothing life threatening, of course. But when she’s ready to breed again… Well, I’ve access to potent sedatives and exceptional restraints. Unless, of course, she’s awoken something more primal inside of you. I understand that even those of more evolved species sometimes wish to simply rut like animals. I’ll pass no judgment regarding that; it’s not as though you’ve a reputation to protect.”
Clenching his jaw, Drakkal pried his gaze from the terran and settled it on Murgen. He reminded himself again that all he had to do was exercise a bit of self-control, make the deal, and go. It didn’t matter how this place made him feel, didn’t matter if seeing all these people caged stirred old, bitter memories, didn’t matter what connection he thought he might’ve had to the terran.
Conclude the deal and walk away.
Drakkal’s ears slapped down flat against his head, and he asked through his teeth, “You have the credits for this chip or not?”
Murgen frowned, brows falling low. “Not the reaction I’d hoped for. I suppose I understand if you’re too uncultured or uneducated to appreciate?—”
“Then give me a closer look,” Drakkal snapped. “Open the cell and let me see her face-to-face.”
The durgan recoiled as though he’d been physically struck, and Nostrus’s boot came down heavily as though he were advancing to attack.
“All that I’ve shared with you, and you take this tone with me?” Murgen said; Drakkal couldn’t tell how much of his host’s offense was genuine, but he didn’t care.
Drakkal growled. “You want me to come back later to fuck her, I need to see her up close. I need to smell her, to touch her. I need to see if she sparks thoseanimalurges in me.”
Just the thought of being close to her, of touching her, heated Drakkal’s blood. His cock stirred, threatening to emerge from its sheath.
Kraasz ka’val, I already feel those urges. What’s wrong with me?
“Time to go, azhera,” said Nostrus.
Murgen shook his head sharply. “No, Nostrus. Not yet. Azhera… Why should I let you close to my prized possession? You’ve just demonstrated that you’re barely in control of yourself. I won’t tolerate disrespect in my own home.”
Drakkal took a slow step forward, releasing a huff through his nostrils; he was surprised that smoke didn’t flow out given the heat of the fires raging inside him. “Then stop disrespecting my time. Let me see her face-to-face or pay me for this ID so I can leave. A simple choice.”
“Perhaps this attitude works with the other sorts you do business with, but I will not be swayed by intimidation, azhera.”
“You’re the sort I usually do business with. A criminal,” Drakkal replied. “You have the best security in the business glaring at my back. You afraid I’ll hurt your pet? Maybe you weren’t serious about breeding her.”