7. Sek’su

7

SEK'SU

T he nighttime is quiet and leaves too much time to think. My thoughts are constantly distracted as I patrol the compound, stalking the corridors like a predator. I have done little else but think about the interaction I had with my treasure. Turning it over and over as I try to understand why it felt so wrong. I am sure I did something incorrect, but what?

Growling, I shake my head in a vain attempt to clear it. This patrolling is stupid. There has never been an attack that penetrated the compound in anyone's lifetime, but the routines exist and we follow them, necessary or not. My route tonight takes me around the arena, then I travel the encircling ramps that go to the top where I turn and come back down.

Patrolling in the tunnels outside the compound is much more interesting. The threat out there is real, and I must always be alert. The Urr'ki are deceitful and often set traps for us to stumble into in hopes of killing or maiming one of us. Thinking of those animals I snort with derision. They have no honor. The fact that the Al'fa has let some of them live in our compound is against all reason.

As I reach the top layer of the ramps, I know I am close to the rooms given to the Urr'ki and it makes my scales itch. I would love it if I was to catch one of them outside their room. I imagine the confrontation that would end with me tossing him to the arena floor far below. That would serve him right. A minuscule balancing of the scales for all of the Zmaj who have been hurt by their traps and in battle with them. Their species does not deserve to live.

The ramp levels as I proceed towards the end. There is only one lit torch on this level which is set about midway along the length of the walkway. It flickers and crackles as I come closer. The other torches are doused to simulate nighttime. Sometime, long, long ago, an Al'fa decided we should track the hours of the day and divide them into night and day. As if it matters here under the mountain, but it is what we do.

As I approach the lit torch, I hear voices from a little further on. I lift my tail to walk more silently and approach to investigate. It is more than late enough into the night that all should be asleep. The fact that anyone is up and talking at all is something of note, but these voices also sound angry.

Eyes narrowing with suspicion I creep forward as silently as I can. The voices grow louder the closer I come, then I hear the unmistakable sound of flesh hitting flesh, which his immediately followed by a grunt and whoosh of someone losing their air.

"Stop," a female voice shouts, in Zmaj. "You two stop! That's enough!"

I don't hesitate. Grabbing the leather of the door, I jerk it aside and step through with a cocked fist, ready for violence.

Two Urr'ki are engaged with each other across the room, clearly fighting. A human female stands in front of them with her back to me. She wags a finger at the two Urr'ki who are both looking abashed.

"What is this?" I ask.

The human female jumps and spins. Her eyes are wide, and she pales while letting out a yelp. The two Urr'ki look very similar to one another, though one has a thick black beard and the other is clean-shaven. They might be related, but then all Urr'ki look alike to me. They have a glare when they see me. As one they step forward, forgetting whatever quarrel they had with one another in favor of me.

The female shakes her head and then seems to sense them moving forward because she thrusts her arms out to either side and blocks their way forward. Truly she presents no physical barrier, so it must be only out of respect that they have for her that stops them. The rumor is that she is mated to one of them. Or both of them. Who knows, Urr'ki are disgusting barbarians after all. Barely more than animals. Sharing their mate and rutting like animals together would not surprise me in the slightest.

"It's nothing," the female says. "A simple disagreement between brothers is all."

"Brothers?" I ask, eyeing the two Urr'ki again. I do see the similarity.

"Yes, this is Khiara, and this is Dilacs," she says, motioning to them in turn, as if I will ever remember which is which or care if I do.

"They are violent?" I ask, ignoring the two Urr'ki and focusing on the female. "Are you safe?"

"Huh?" she asks with clear confusion on her face. "Safe… yes, of course."

I narrow my eyes with suspicion and look her up and down. One of the Urr'ki growls, as one would expect from an animal, and tries to step forward, but he runs into her arm and stops.

"You are sure?" I ask, seeing no signs of abuse on her, that are visible at least.

"Yes, I am very safe," she says. "Believe me, they are brothers, so sometimes they tussle, but they would never hurt me. Not in a million years."

I nod slowly to indicate understanding.

"If that is the way it is," I say, debating if I should do something further. Finally, I decide that it is not my place to intervene. If the female says she is well and given that I see no signs of distress, I have no further business here. "I will leave you be."

I back towards the door. No matter that these Urr'ki are supposedly allies now, I do not trust them and will not give them my back.

"Thank you," the female says. "For checking in. It is very kind."

"Of course," I say, slipping out of the door and letting it fall back into place.

I wait outside for a few minutes listening. The conversation within is now subdued and taking place in their trash-talk language, as far as I can tell. When there are no more hints of violence happening, I resume my patrol, walking to the end of the path, then turning and making my way back down to the arena floor.

The walk is long and uneventful until I reach the first level, when something tugs at my awareness. I am not sure what it is, but something is amiss. I stop walking and move closer to the wall, so I am in the shadows cast by the intermittently lit torches.

My efforts are rewarded when I see a shadow moving further ahead. It darts along the path and heads down. I move to follow, keeping my tail raised so I will be stealthier. I keep enough distance behind to remain undetected, but while I do I study the shape. It is too small by far to be a Zmaj. At first, I thought it might be an Urr'ki, but then it is too small for one of them either, unless they sent a child to infiltrate us. Which, I suppose, would not be beyond them. What do animals care for their children?

Moving as stealthily as I can, I follow the shadow down and into one of the many corridors that wind through the compound. The shape doesn't seem to be trying to be particularly stealthy as I would expect from an intruder. It is moving as if it is out on a casual daytime stroll. I move closer and the shadowy shape coalesces at the same time that the scent comes to my nostrils.

No…

It cannot be, but I know that scent. I know it as well as I know my own. It is familiar and exact, igniting the fire in my soul. I move closer, needing to be sure. Smells or no smells I cannot believe it is, no matter the scent, but as the shape walks past a lit torch, I stumble to a stop.

Her.

She still seems unaware that I am following. Walking on, as if oblivious to all that is happening around her. Where is she going? My treasure is walking at night, alone, and though we are in the compound, which is as safe as anywhere on Tajss, it is still not wise.

My hearts beat faster as concern swells. Something is not right here. I cannot let her wander like this. I rush forward, reaching for her shoulder. When I touch her, her skin is so warm and soft under my palm that I am momentarily distracted.

"Wha!" she exclaims, spinning around with wide eyes and fear all over her face.

"Hello," I say, resorting to one of the handful of words I know in her language.

Her eyes are so wide that they are almost all white. Her mouth forms a wide shape and there is a sheen of moisture glistening on her skin. She shivers and I am not sure if she is cold or something else.

She blinks, rapidly, still shivering. She looks around and the confusion emanates from her in waves.

"Where—" she says more words, but I do not understand them as they are in her tongue.

"Are you okay?" I ask in Zmaj.

She blinks, shudders, then touches her face with both her hands. She runs her hands through her long, luxurious hair. It looks so soft and supple that I want to touch it too, but that would be too forward, I am sure. She rubs her face with both hands and only now do I realize she is wearing only a thin shift through which I can see the full outline of her breasts and the distinct round points at their peak.

Unbidden, my primary cock is rock hard. I cannot take my eyes off of her mounds even though I know I should. I had heard the human females' breasts were exposed and I had seen the swells under their shirts, but the idea of it and seeing it do not compare in the slightest.

She mutters something in her language. I, with an effort of will, force my eyes off her breasts and back to her face, which is every bit as beautiful, so this is not a huge loss. She looks down at herself as if only now realizing how she is dressed. The shirt she is wearing is not only thin, but it is short, barely dropping to the tops of her long, beautiful thighs.

Head bowed, she stares at herself for a moment then her head raises, only a hand's width, and there is no confusing what she is looking at. The bulge of my hard cock that is straining against my pants forcefully enough that I worry they might rip.

When I see her small, pink tongue dart out and lick her lips my cock tries to explode. I do not know what it is about that which turns me on so much, but it did. I want to kiss her so badly, but I do not dare to touch her. I know that with the slightest contact of her skin on mine, I might lose control, something that I cannot ever allow.

She looks up, slowly, her eyes trailing over my stomach and chest, and then finally meeting my eyes. The fire burning in her eyes is undeniable and unmistakable. Her tongue darts out again as she moistens her lips, which glisten in the soft light of the torches.

As our eyes meet, the fire in my heart and soul rages into an inferno. My scales warm and I know she is mine. Damn all the consequences.

The moment stretches. Tension building. I do not dare to move because I do not want to break this moment and because if I do, I might not be able to control myself.

She purses her lips, her eyes dropping once again to my straining erection. My cock throbs with desire and anticipation and I feel it leaking a sticky mess onto the cloth of my pants. She looks up, then carefully around. Her eyes pause on a room a few feet away.

When she looks back at me her frown is replaced with a lascivious grin. She grabs my cock. Literally taking it in her hand, she pulls me along as she walks backward towards the room. She uses her free hand to pull the leather aside and drags me inside.