Page 38 of Alien Naga's Prize
I had, up until this very second, been dismissing his earlier suggestion that the claiming bite, the one livid on my skin under this dress, would give me some of his attributes through hisvenom. But the way my sense of smell has gone haywire, maybe there’s something in it after all.
“Prince Azul, princess Jenna, please follow me.” A greetings bot slides in front of us. A serving bot glides up with two drinks.
Azul takes one, hands it to me, and then follows the greetings bot into the vast open living space, twice the size of ours.
“Don’t drink it,” he says, dipping his head so he can’t be overheard. “It’s likely to have ingredients designed to reduce our cognition.”
“It’s spiked?!” I hiss back.
But Azul is already straightening up again and scanning the room so he doesn’t respond. I pretend to take a sip of the amber liquid in my glass. The scent of alcohol and something else is almost overpowering, and it’s all I can do not to wrinkle my nose and toss the glass away.
Predictably, Rossz is sat in an enclave of fawning fans. He motions at the bot, who creates a path through the crowd (so much for a “small private party”) to allow us to join his band of devotees.
“Prince Azul.” Rossz tips his head as Azul approaches. His eyes rake over me. “Princess Jenna, I’m honored you joined me.” He waves his hands at the two pink-furred females who give us both interested looks but move quickly to make space.
“Your invitation came at the right time,” Azul says, coiling himself into a comfortable position and downing the drink he told me not to touch. “We were beginning to get bored.” He stifles a yawn.
Not for the first time, I’m impressed at Azul’s ability to make himself look, not like a warrior, but like a pathetic playboy. It’s as if he’s had a study for such a thing. But to see my powerful, clever Azul this way, I can only think he has.
I pretend to sip my drink again as well as taking hold of the huge jewel around my neck. I look off into the crowd and feign disinterest.
“My mate likes excitement,” Azul says in a loud whisper to Rossz, as if he’s trying to be heard over the noise in the room. “And I am struggling to provide it.” He sighs.
“Which is a shame, given how much is available here on Luxus,” the narcotics boss says, handing Azul another drink. “Perhaps you should just forget about excitement and relax.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see him raise a finger, and the two females make a move towards me. To his credit, Azul doesn’t flicker as they surround me, praising my outfit and hair style.
“Would you like to come outside? We’ve set up a shooting gallery,” one of them says.
“A shooting gallery?”
“With live prey,” the second female adds, her lips lifting to show sharp white fangs.
This is no mere fluffy female—neither of them are. They are one hundred percent the assassins Azul said they were, even as they simper at me.
“So, how about it,princess?” the second one, a darker shade of pink, asks.
I spot a set of claws, briefly visible, as she looks me up and down.
I want to look over at Azul, but I daren’t.
I’m a princess and I have to behave like one. I have to let him do his job too.
“I suppose.” I sigh. “Maybe it’ll be a distraction for a few minutes.”
AZUL
The two Szarvas assassins lead Jenna away. My scales tighten, but I concentrate on the Helytelen, knowing I need to pretend losing my mate isn’t something I’m bothered by. I down the cocktail he gave me, using my venom to neutralize the contents. I peer at Rossz in a way which hopefully looks like the doctored drinks are having the effect he wants.
“Having fun is proving a difficult…thing.” I slur my words.
“You know I can show you a good time,” Rossz says, spreading himself over the luxurious furniture. “Good food, good drink, good company.”
“I can get all of those on Glycon,” I say dismissively, looking away from him and around the room as if searching for something more interesting. “I came to Luxus with my mate looking for…more.”
My disinterest piques him. For the first time, he leans forward. “I can provide you with more, if you wish.”
“A shooting gallery?” I huff out a haughty breath. “Might interest the bloodlust of my mate, but not me.”