leikavi,” I murmured, standing from my seat, watching her tense, “when I say that there will be consequences if you do not give me the answers I seek. You have never seen a Vorakkar before so perhaps you do not know the lengths to which we will go to protect our hordes. And the news you bring? The message you bring? It is a threat against us all.”
Her chest was heaving. She still never looked up from her lap.
I dropped down onto the cushion across from her. I snagged the goblet of brew and pressed it to her lips. “Drink, kalles.”
Her eyes went wide but her lips parted. When she had a healthy swallow, I removed it and set it down close to her trembling hand, which was pressed against the table. The brew was watered down, but it could still be quite potent and I needed her tongue loosened.
Vienne’s expression wasn’t quite a glare and my eyes lingered on her lips, where she licked a drop of the brew away. More blood rushed to my already hard cock. Not for the first time, I cursed myself, knowing I should’ve returned to the brothel last night after I’d left her. When had I ever reacted to a female like this? Never. Even when I was younger, when desire and lust had ridden me hard.
But vok, that little fire in her gaze made me restless. It made my trews tight and my dakke, the firm bump above my aching cock, heat and swell.
My jaw ticked and I asked, “You came all the way from the Dead Mountain? To Dothik?”
Her chin lifted, ever so slightly.
“You did not,” I said. “Not wearing only a cloak.” I reached underneath the table, ignoring her gasp, and I traced the soles of her bare feet with the tip of one claw. I felt blisters and sores, hardened callouses there, but not as many as there would have been had she traveled all the way from the Dead Mountain. They’d be ravaged raw. “And no protection for your little feet.”
She tugged her foot away and I let her.
“Nik, the Ghertun brought you here. Or close. Where?”
Her gaze dropped again, down to the table of food. I felt a twinge of pity that I had not let her eat more before I began my questioning. Then I ignored it.
A small flush was beginning to make its way up the column of her neck. The brew was no doubt warming her belly quickly, especially if she hadn’t eaten in a long while.
“You don’t understand,” she whispered. “I can’t say anything more. He would know.”
“Lozza?” I chuffed. “Do you see him here?”
She didn’t trust me. Not one bit. I made her wary, on edge, like I did most beings. After she’d left the great hall, after the Dothikkar had stormed from it shortly after her departure, no doubt wanting to sink his frustrations and fears into one of his concubines for the evening, the Vorakkars had been left alone to speak.
With the exception of Rath Dulia—who would climb up the Dothikkar’s rear end if he could—we were all in agreement that the vekkiri needed to be questioned. We needed to know if the message was a serious threat and, more importantly, how great an army this Ghertun king truly had. We’d all heard the reports from the scouts. The Ghertun’s numbers grew rapidly. They fucked and bred like nekkisau in heat. It was reported they birthed in litters.
Rath Tuviri and Rath Kitala had wanted to question her, seeing as how their Morakkaris were human. They believed they could put Vienne at ease.
Only, I’d gotten to her first and I only wished I could see Rath Kitala’s face when he ventured down to the dungeons later this night to find her gone.
I told myself it had nothing to do with the fact that I wanted to see her, to speak with her again. I told myself I was doing my duty as Vorakkar, to my horde, to the Dakkari I had sworn an oath to protect. I didn’t trust anyone else.
Vok, I didn’t even trust myself.
“We can protect you,” I murmured, keeping my voice low until it sounded like a purr. “You do not have to return to the Dead Mountain. You can be free. We can return you to your village. You do not have to fear him.”
A laugh erupted from her, throaty, raw, and desperate. My nostrils flared with that laugh, my body tightening. I swore I felt hot,