19. Chapter 19

I swallowed at the realization of what I had just volunteered myself for. But how could I stand by and watch the two Vandruk warriors suffer when it was I who had insisted on going with them?

I threw a futile glance at Khadahr, hoping he might change his mind, but his eyes were hard and cold. Filled with determination.

Fine, so be it.

"What do I do? Do I have to… take my shirt off or something?" I asked in an only slightly quavering voice.

He said something in Vandruk to Szun-Var, who looked startled and let out a stream of words that made his astonishment clear.

Khadahr snarled at the two warriors with their backs to us, who retreated toward another group of Vandruks, but farther away as if to separate themselves from them. Both glanced at me before they lowered their heads, looking ashamed .

"It's okay," I called over, trying to reassure them, even though they didn't understand a word I said.

I put on my best brave face and stepped forward to where they had stood seconds ago, but a hand on my arm stilled me. Another warrior, whose name I didn't know, pulled me back as Khadahr strode forward to where the warriors had stood, handing the leather strip to Szun-Var.

What the hell?

I tried to move forward, but the warrior held me in an iron grasp by the shoulders now.

"Khadahr?" I called confused.

He looked over his shoulder derisively at me, red eyes glowing. "We do not harm gallies. When you offered yourself up for punishment, it meant another warrior would have to take your place."

"What?" I cried, dismayed. "No, that's barbaric, no!"

The leather whipped through the air and hit Khadahr's back, making me flinch. Even though it didn't draw blood, it had to sting like hell.

"Are you done making a spectacle out of yourself now?" Sandra sneered from my left.

Szun-Var uttered words with each swing of the leather strip. He was counting the lashes he was giving Khadahr.

What had I done?

A little tickle of blood ran down Khadahr's back. I didn't know how many times he had been hit so far, but he still stood ramrod straight, his back muscles flexing with his head held up high .

"He was already hurt," Sandra added uselessly, reminding me of the wounds he had refused for me to care for.

He hadn't wanted me to ease his pain, but he had offered himself up for my punishment. I didn't understand this man at all. Dread formed inside me at the realization that I may never understand this world I had been willing to give everything up for.

Szun-Var stopped, and Khadahr turned to face his men and us. I didn't dare look up at him but watched from lowered lashes as Szun-Var stepped forward, bent one knee in front of Khadahr, and offered the leather strip to him.

Khadahr's expression was dark when I dared lift my head a tad. He perused the gathered crowd and nodded.

"The punishment has been given, the offense forgiven. You may stand with your brothers again," he said in both languages to Del-Khet and Mak-Thar who lifted their bowed heads, saying something in Vandruk and walking off toward the tents, sending strange, indecipherable glances at me.

The crowd began to disperse, and I had no idea what I should do. I needed to apologize to Khadahr, but he still looked too angry to approach.

"Why did you go with them in the first place?" Sandra stared at me, openly hostile.

Something inside of me snapped. This day had been long. I had almost been eaten by some kind of monstrous creature, endured Khadahr's wrath even though I only understood part of it, walked for miles, and faced being whipped, shamed, and made to realize that coming here had been a mistake. The queen bees' presence only added to my foul mood.

"Gee, Sandra, I don't know. Maybe I was trying to figure out how to survive here if the Vandruks decide not to feed us anymore?" I snarled at her.

"Don't you be snippy with me. If the Vandruks decide not to feed us, it will be because of you." She pointed her still-manicured finger with a sharp-looking nail at me.

Derisively, I took in her nail. It was chipped in one corner but otherwise spotless.

"Don't you have a nail to polish or something?" I snapped.

"Oh, look at you, Miss all high-and-mighty," Sandra cheered. "Looks like the Putzfrau has some bite."

Her followers snickered, but it sounded slightly subdued, as if they were noticing my more aggressive than usual body language, which seemed to escape Sandra.

I took her outstretched finger and bent it. If Sandra didn't want me breaking it, she had no choice but to twist her body and follow where I led her.

"Stay away from me," I snarled and pushed her and her finger away from me. Turning my back to her was a mistake. With a cry, she jumped me from behind, toppling me to the ground.

Besides three fights during my childhood, I had never physically fought, but I had paid attention to movies and such, and my earlier confusion turned into anger .

Still, I landed facedown on the green-orange ground with Sandra on top of me. Air left my lungs as hands scrambled into my hair and yanked viciously.

Sandra was tall but not very heavy. Having worked physically for years had honed my muscles, and I managed to take a deep inhale, get my hands underneath me, and push myself up with her on top. My scalp was on fire where she was ripping at my strands. I wouldn't have been surprised had clumps come out.

Her legs attempted to twine around me, but I managed to partially throw her off, but she clung tightly to my hair. Half twisted, I yanked my arm back, supporting both our weights with only one, knowing I wouldn't be able to hold this position for long. I fisted the one I yanked back and plowed it right into Sandra's face.

My knuckles stung, and she howled in pain. Blood gushed from her nose as the queen bees shrieked, but Sandra let go of my hair and jerked back, holding her nose, which I hoped I had broken. My leg angled for a punishing kick but was stopped midair by an iron grip.

With a growl, I turned, thinking one of Sandra's cohorts had stepped in, but saw my leg in Khadahr's unforgiving clasp.

Where he had looked pissed off earlier, he was downright furious now. His red eyes glowered at me, and his expression was one of sheer wrath.

"What in the gods' names is going on here?" he demanded.

"Shhe brosch my nosh," Sandra whined nasally.

"What in the demons' name has gotten into you?" Khadahr demanded, letting go of my foot to grab my arm and pull me up .

The queen bees fluttered around Sandra. One snickered at Khadahr's manhandling of me.

"I hope he kicks you out!" Sandra fumed after me, not sounding so nasally any longer.

Khadahr didn't say a word as he pulled me through the rows of tents out into the wildlands, as they called it, where nobody was near.

"I—" I wasn't sure what I was about to say to him, apologize? Rage at him? Wail? Whatever it was, I never had a chance to do either because his hand let go of my arm, slung around my waist, and pulled me against his chest. His other hand moved into my hair, yanked my head back, and his mouth descended on mine in an unforgiving kiss.

Stunned, I was unable to move for a moment, but then all my pent-up horniness reacted all at once. Uncaring of his near-brutal grip on me, I opened my lips and welcomed his conquering tongue. Heat rushed through me. Heat and lust. I rose up on my tiptoes to get higher and closer to him. My arms interlinked behind his massive neck, and one hand trailed down his muscular back, brushed over the valley of his muscles and the ridges of scars.

My entire body hummed in response to his demands as the intensity of his kiss increased. His tongue wrapped around mine almost angrily. I dug my fingers in as much as his hard muscles allowed and moaned into him.

I would have loved to explore his scars more, but my mind wasn't in any condition to comprehend anything other than the fact that I was in his arms, pressed against his chest .

My heart pounded in my chest, forcing my blood to rush through me at a dizzying speed.

It beat even harder when his fingers let go of my hair and dug into my neck. It was a gesture of sheer dominance, and another moan escaped me as a slight pulse took residence in my clit. My pussy became slick, and an ache spread through my core for him to fuck me.

Mercilessly, his tongue pushed against mine, entangled it. My palm moved to his hair, dug into his thick, reddish mane while his lower body moved against me purposefully to make me aware of his rock-hard erection pressing into my belly.

And by God, did I become aware. Liquid pooled inside my pussy, drenched my panties in response to this man. No, male. He was no man, but he was all male, and I was more than hot for him.

His lips left mine, and he pulled back. I nearly followed him, pulled toward him like a magnet, with my eyes still closed and my lips parted. But a bout of dizziness swayed me, and it was only his arm around my waist keeping me up.

I wanted to stay like this forever, blood rushing through me, my head spinning, my knees weak, but I felt his hot gaze on me, and curiosity won out. Slowly, I opened my eyes to stare into his.

His head was slightly cocked to one side as he regarded me as if seeing me for the first time.

"That was unexpected," he rasped.

His voice penetrated the dense cloud in my head, and I blinked my eyes a few times to clear it .

"But I suspect you will do." He chuckled deeply. "You'll do just fine."

"Khadahr…" I squeaked out, again utterly at a loss for what to say.

"Why do you always call me that?" His head tilted more as if this was the most burning question on his mind.

"It's your… name?" I managed.

"It's my title." The left side of his lip quirked up ever so slightly in what could be considered an arrogant curve but only managed to look incredibly sexy on him, renewing the drumming pulse in my clit. "My name is Tzar-Than."