Chapter 20
Peyton
I woke up alone, scowling at the empty bed beside me. I sat up rubbing the sleep from my eyes. Tahk wasn’t anywhere in the room or the bathing room. His side of the bed was chilled, so he must have been gone for some time.
I left the bed feeling all the delicious aches and pains from the night before. I stretched and went about my morning routine. Dressed in a long silver gown that fit tight in the bodice, but flowed comfortably around my legs, I left the room. I was still slightly uncomfortable in my new home. I hadn’t had a chance to explore the last time I was here, but I remembered where the great hall was, so I skipped down the steps anxiously as my stomach growled. I didn’t see another soul on the way there, but I could hear Syn and Borv in the hall and smiled to myself, listening to Untya growl over the clangs of the Dahk dinnerware.
I turned the corner just as she whacked Syn over the head with a pot of tea. It splashed and ran down his face in rivulets. He licked his lips sloppily and grinned up at the irate female.
“Morning.” I stepped in the room, my grin subdued. Untya would be making my meals quite often in the future. I did not want to piss her off, no matter how amusing her and Syn were.
“Morn.” Borv and Syn greeted me. Untya huffed and left the room, familiar clashes and clangs following in her wake.
“Where’s Tahk?” I asked sitting in a seat far away from Syn and his sopping place at the table.
“Where is the Commander, Syn?” Borv asked Syn and glanced around the room with wide dramatized eyes.
“I believe he ran off somewhere early this morn.” Syn grinned at me and winked.
I shook my head and crossed my arms. “Where is he?”
“Right behind you, lovely.”
I jumped, banging my knee into the table as Tahk’s hands settled heavily on my shoulders. I gasped and pressed my hand tight to my chest. “You scared me!”
Tahk laughed and lifted me from the bench, settling me on his lap. “Untya!” He thundered, startling me again. God, it was too early for that. I hadn’t had coffee in―it wasn’t worth thinking about. The Dahk’s tea was the closest they had to the liquid that shall not be named, and really, it was pretty gross. Used to think it was okay, but it just got worse and worse the more you drank it.
Untya reentered the room a completely different female. My mouth fell in shock as she stepped up to the table with a wide, genuine grin and bowed deeply. “My lord?”
“My mate will have your best meal this morning.”
“Right away, my Lord.” She bowed again―smiling―and left the room. I stared after her, flabbergasted.
Borv banged the table hard, roaring in laughter. Syn shook his head in dismay. “How you got that irritable female to worship at your hind claw, I will never know, Commander.”
Borv chortled and banged again. “The Commander saved her from a gruesome fate after annoying the King one meal too long. She is forever in his debt. Forget that one, Syn.”
“Listen to the warrior, youngling. You have much to learn of females before corralling such a spirited one.” Tahk chuckled and nuzzled my neck.
“As you have done?” Syn grinned at me.
I scowled, “Tahk has not corralled me.” I pressed my hand against Tahk’s horns and shoved him playfully away. “I have corralled him.”
Borv crowed again, shaking the cutlery on the table.
“You do not deny this?” Syn asked Tahk, grinning impishly.
Tahk returned his grin with a roguish one of his own. “She speaks the truth and I am a happy mate for it.” I kissed his cheek, and Tahk rose his brows at Syn, as if to say, see?
I laughed, eating the delicious meal Untya dropped on the table, gently, not a crumb misplaced or a bang to be heard. Tahk watched me eat every bite, shifting anxiously behind me. “What’s wrong with you?”
Tahk huffed and reached around and grabbed a bite of fatty meat, shoving it between my lips. I chewed quickly, glaring at him. I opened my mouth to shout at him, but he shoved another piece into my mouth. I chewed again but turned before he could stuff my face again. “What is going on?”
“The Commander is anxious to show you where he ran off to this morn.” Borv grinned, ignoring Tahk’s warning growl.
“Where did you go?” My stomach rolled. I didn’t like surprises on a good day. On an alien night/day? I really didn’t like surprises. So far, all the surprises over the last four weeks stunk.
“Come.” Tahk lifted me and dropped me gently to my feet, baring his teeth angrily at Borv. The large Dahk laughed and jumped from the table, Syn following him. “Stay.” Tahk pointed back to the table.
“No, I lost valuable rest last eve for this. I will witness it.” Syn nodded along with Borv’s demand.
Tahk puffed his chest, and I just knew he was going to start shouting.
“Tahk. What. Is. Going. On?”
He squinted at the pair, before cursing furiously and pulled me from the room.
“Tahk!”
“Hush.”
“No, tell me right now.” I was not liking all this cloak and dagger crap.
“I heard your words to Kudeyas,” he stated oddly.
I thought back over the last day, trying to pinpoint what he was talking about. “What words?”
“Your desire for gifts and deets, as the human men do.” Tahk stared stiffly ahead as he led me out a door I had never been through. It was in the back left side of the house, and I could feel a light breeze. We were heading outside through a tunnel.
“Uh, what?”
“See, I have taken you out.” Tahk lifted his hand to the skylight in the middle of a cavern. Sure, enough we were outside, without actually being outside. We were inside a large dome with a giant hole in the ceiling. It was amazing. I looked back at him, dumbfounded. “I do not know what these deets are, but Veeveen has assured me my gifts to you shall suffice.” Tahk waved grandly behind me. I turned and gasped in delight. “I present your cheekeens.” And he did.
My chickens had an actual hen house. Penned running ground and all. I covered my mouth in awe. It looked like a stone structure of my barn back home. How had he done this? My little chickens were running in and out of a little barn door exactly like mine back home. It was golden, but so perfectly carved I couldn’t believe the details in it. I blinked away tears.
Noodle squawked and crowded Jilly in the back of the pen. I choked back a sob. No alien plastic crates keeping them caged up. They had a very large running ground. “Oh, Tahk.”
“Your goot is here as well.” Tahk pointed to my right, and there was Frederick in an enormous stone structure, his heetbull standing by his side. The cavern had a bare floor, but vines dangled from the walls creating pops of color all throughout the room. I thought their setup in the castle was sweet, but Tahk blew it out of the water.
“Hey, Freddy.” I grinned so wide my cheeks ached. I was a terrible person. I had barely any time for my animals the last few days, but Tahk brought them to me. I spun, ready to kiss the hell out of him, but he surprised me. He was in the back of the cavern, standing by a row of natural stone shelves in the wall. My eyes widened so big, they dried out. I couldn’t believe it.
“No, that’s not―? Is it?” I stepped slowly to him, totally missing his smug grin.
“I once told you the Dahk had similar sculptures as the humans do.”
“Are you serious? Is that a pottery wheel?” I knew it wasn’t. It looked nothing like my pottery wheel back home. But it might as well have been. It was a circular table, and it was spinning, and it had a giant chunk of sparkling mud sitting on it. “How?”
“It is not like yours, my yula.” Tahk looked devastated at the confession. “But you showed me yours, and I believe my Dahk have created something that may work to your needs.”
“How did you? How did they make it?”
“Parts from a retired flyer. It does not spin for long periods of time, but with a quick push it is well-oiled to carry the momentum for a few spins.”
I dropped to my knees, looking under the spinning flat top. Underneath was a mess of metal parts. It looked like a very complicated turntable. I would never be able to create heavy pieces, maybe nothing at all. But that he even tried…I was speechless. “Tahk, I- I don’t know what to say.”
“It may not function in any full capacity, but I have acquired all the Dahk sculpting tools, they are organized for you here.” He pointed to the shelves, and yeah, he had dozens and dozens of various carving tools. “Perhaps you may be able to talk to my engineer and fashion a wheel that is more affective.”
I might never be able to create a bowl or a vase, but I could use those tools and take myself back to the early days in my father's studio. When all we used were our hands and his carving tools to fix my broken castle. We didn’t need a wheel, then, and I didn’t need one, now.
I jumped up and gaped at Tahk. My lips flapped uselessly.
He was watching me with a hard stare. “I have presented you with gifts and taken you out. Will you now take me to second base?”
I choked in disbelief. “What do you think second base is?”
Tahk grinned wickedly. “This, my mate, Vivian has told me.”
I flushed as his eyes ran over my body hungrily.
“You did all this for that?” All he had to do was look at me, and I was ready for all the bases. This seemed a little excessive for someone who screwed me every way possible the night before. He must have been up for hours putting all this together.
Tahk’s grin wiped away. He sighed. “No, I am aware I have not wooed you as the human males do on Earth. I present you with this, so you may know my affection for you is deep. That you may know I hold deep regret for not settling you into our mating as one should do for the one who holds his heart.”
“Oh, Tahk you didn’t have to do all this. You wooed me, trust me you definitely did that.” Sure. he stumbled a bit, but so did I. Tahk had wooed me enough for several lifetimes. How many girls got to say her guy literally saved the world. He didn’t yet, but I had no doubt he would.
“This was not something I did just for you, my mate,” Tahk smiled softly. “I did this, so I may earn that lovely look in your beautiful eyes.”
I laughed and shook my head. Blinking back tears of joy and love I rushed over to him. I jumped in his arms, raining dozens of kisses all over his ridiculously handsome face.
My happy kisses quickly turned ravenous when Tahk took over, licking and biting inside my mouth. I whimpered and wound my thighs tightly around his thighs.
Two rude coughs interrupted Tahk’s roaming hands. He dug his nails into my backside and growled menacingly.
“Do we get such a magnificent show of thanks for our aid in these gifts?” Syn grinned cheekily. Borv shook his head.
Syn paled and ran from the room before Tahk had finished dropping me from the floor. Borv roared his laughter and took off after him.
Tahk spun and tossed me over his shoulder, quickly jogging from the room. “We will visit second base, but not in front of the cheekeens.”
I giggled the whole way to our room.
✽✽✽
Tahk and I spent long hours back in our room. He was fast and insatiable then slow and exploratory. We laughed and enjoyed our time together. But soon enough my worries crept up on me, and I found myself thinking more and more of Vivian. I needed to get back to her.
It did not go over well with Tahk.
“What do you mean, no?” I crossed my arms, ignoring the way his eyes roamed up and down my naked body. I had gotten up to get dressed when he casually told me I wasn’t returning to the castle.
“It is dangerous.” He reached for me, and I smacked his hands away. He found this immensely amusing.
“I need to go check to Vivian.”
“Yilt has her in hand.” Tahk prowled around me. I spun, trying to keep him in my sights.
“He does not. I guarantee you he is too busy pining over her to keep her in hand.”
“Phynyng?”
I sighed and pinched my nose. “Tahk you can’t really expect me to stay away from her or Hector.”
“Of course not. I will have them moved here.” Tahk grinned and ran a claw down the bare skin of my belly.
I smacked him again. “Just like that? What about Gryo? Doesn’t he need Hector there?”
“No, he can watch over him just as well here.”
“Tahk, you can’t keep me locked up here.” I scowled and ripped the sheet from the bed, wrapping it around myself. I scowled at him until he stopped trying to find a way inside the cloth.
He flashed his fangs. “I will just rip it from your lush body.”
“Tahk!”
He growled and scrubbed his face. “I will not lock you away, mate. But the castle is crawling with the corrupt. You must allow me this until I weed out the vermin.”
“Uthyf’s Council? He said they wouldn’t touch me while you’re there.”
“They will not.” Tahk scowled and bared his teeth again. “I would rip their spines from their skulls.”
“Right. So, what’s the problem? The Juldo? Who?”
Tahk looked away and stormed to the wardrobe, ripping out a pair of pants. I flushed as my favorite part of him smacked against his thigh from his angry movements. He was rock hard again. His stamina rivaled his fathers. Blech. I shook the unwanted image away.
“Tahk, who?”
“Nonya’s House will arrive in the morn for her judgment,” he rumbled and tore the pants in his haste to rip them on.
I swallowed heavily. “Judgement?”
“Yes. She will pay for her attack against you with her life.” He succeeded in pulling on another pair of pants and turned to glare at me defensively.
“Her life?” Wasn’t that a bit harsh? The others had told me this would happen, but I guess I just shoved it to the back of my mind.
“You do not get a say in this, Pehytohn.”
Wow, Pehytohn. He was serious.
“Tahk. She attacked me. Shouldn’t I be the one to decide?” It just felt so wrong to let her die. She was a bitch sure, but death?
“No.”
“Tahk!” I stared in disbelief as he stormed towards the door.
He spun on a roar, jabbing a claw in my direction, “She nearly took your life!”
“But she didn’t, I’m fine.”
He gnashed his teeth. “You will not convince me to spare her. This is not Earth, and she is not Fihk. He failed to protect you, but Nonya sought to take you from me.” I backed away as he advanced on me. “I will have her life, and then none will ever dare touch what is mine again!”
“Tahk,” I whispered and stood on the bed. From this height, I was just barely taller than him. I pulled his horn until he came closer and I could cup his face. “People do stupid things when they’re upset. She was sad, and I played a part in that.” I guess I was feeling pretty guilty over the whole thing. Nonya attacked me, but hadn’t I provoked her?
“Do not defend her, female.” Wow, he was so mad. He shook off my hands. “You did nothing to her. Your words will do nothing to change my mind. It is already done, the King will have her life tomorrow morn, and my Dahk will witness it.”
“Tahk, where are you going?” I jumped from the bed and chased after him as he went back for the door. A slam was all I got back from him.
I gaped at the closed door, shocked. Tahk had never stormed away before. He had been angry with me before. And he hid from me on the ship, but he couldn’t wait to get away from me just then. If I hadn’t been so secure in his feelings for me, I probably would have been worried, maybe even scared. But Tahk loved me. I felt his love every second he was with me, and every second he was away from me. Even now, I knew he was just inside the House because he wasn’t capable of leaving me here alone. I laughed in disbelief and slumped on the bed.
He couldn’t kill Nonya. It was just so, so, I didn’t know what.
I sagged and held my head in my hands. I couldn’t keep forgetting where I was. The Dahk were still so alien to me. They had cultures and beliefs I would probably still be learning about months from now. Humans didn’t go around killing people for assault, but we had the death penalty in some states. This was the Dahk death penalty. A very extreme version of it. But that was only if Nonya wouldn’t have really killed me. Did I really believe she wouldn’t?
I didn’t know. But she hadn’t, and that had to mean something. Right? She could have so easily. She was playing with me. I had to tread carefully here. I couldn’t risk insulting the Dahk in this way when we had so many Dahk already wary about our mating.
I shook my head. Nothing would get done with me whining about it. I needed to talk to Tahk, and maybe Uthyf. If this was really their law and not Tahk’s rage taking over, then okay, I would have to find a way to accept that. But if he was acting out of fear and anger, then I needed to make it clear I was definitely not okay with that.
I deep breathed and trudged over to the wardrobe. I had just opened the door when I heard a noise behind me. I sagged in relief and held back a smile. I knew he wouldn’t go far. I turned ready to calmly explain my reasoning and discuss alternate possibilities but stopped short.
Tahk had not come back. An alien was in my room. A hairy, fanged, cat-like alien. It looked like a hulked-out lion-man.
I gulped and bounced back against my wardrobes open door.
“Uh, who are you?” I asked the thing. It looked male. It was dressed in leather and had very clear male features. It inhaled deeply, sniffing the air. Its two cat-like eyes ran over my body. It bared two full rows of razor-sharp teeth and two saber toothy fangs.
It sniffed again and growled. Two mammoth feet stomped to me. My eyes snagged on a thick bulge in his pants. Definitely male. I blew a shaky breath. Okay Tahk, you can come back anytime now.
He didn’t. I screamed as the lion male pounced on me. I hit the ground hard. Its furry hands wrapped around my throat, cutting off my scream. He shoved his face into my chest and inhaled deeply. “Where is he?” His voice was low and gravely. It was hard to understand him.
“Who?”
He hissed, and I paled, eyeing his fangs. They were the size of one of my fingers. “Where is the Commander.”
“I-I- “I coughed, unable to speak through the tight grip at my throat. The lion-man roared so loud the floor shook beneath me. I started to tremble in very real fear. Dahk were scary, Juldo were terrifying, but this guy? He was bone chillingly petrifying. I was staring at a very angry animal, and I knew not an ounce of how to protect myself. Nonya’s attack was scary. The Vitat were a whole new form of piss-your-pants scary. But even back on Earth, when that thing had clawed my arms to ribbons, I wasn’t alone. I was very much alone, now.
“Tell me, where is the Dahk Commander,” he thundered and shook me like a rag doll. I felt my brain roll around in my head. I clawed at his hands in desperation. His fur caught uselessly under my nails. And I felt my vision tunnel. I started to call for Tahk, but not a sound left my lips.
“I will gut you.” The lion-man scraped a long claw down the sheet covering my stomach, and I felt it tear. He cut me. It was shallow, but it stung like a bitch.
He roared again, spit smacking me in the face. An answering roar sounded from the hall. The lion-man grinned and looked up just as the door bashed inwards. Tahk charged inside. Wrapping his hands around the lion-man, he tore him from on top of me. I gasped and hacked, rolling away from them as they wrestled on the floor. I crawled away, tucking myself against the wall by the balcony. It took a hazy moment before my vision cleared and I could register all the new sounds. Just under Tahk’s furious roars and the lion-man’s answering snarls, I could hear similar sounds outside. I gripped the gauzy curtain and pulled it aside, blinking in shock. Borv was flying through the sky, a lion-man attached to his front. They flipped through the air, exchanging blows. Syn zipped by, backward, as if he had been thrown. He flapped his wings, pulling a dagger from the sheath on his thigh, he spun and threw it expertly through the air. A roar of pain answered him, and he grinned, flying straight down.
A hairy hand slapped against the balcony floor, and I fell back. I turned to shout for Tahk just to see him impale the lion-man he was fighting with through his stomach with a long sword. Where did that come from? He hadn’t been wearing his sword earlier.
Snarls blew the hair on the back of my neck, and I fell to the side as a body flew past my shoulder, straight to Tahk. I shouted his name, but he had been anticipating the attack and yanked his sword free of the dead lion-man, slashing at the new one. A clawed hand wrapped around my throat, lifting me from the ground.
I gasped and scratched as it tightened. My eyes bulged as a sharp knife pressed into my side. Tahk roared and severed the head of the lion-man clawing at his arm. He spun, his eyes wild and stopped dead at the sight of me dangling two feet from the ground.
I held very still, my hands wrapped around the hand cutting me off from my air. Tahk met my eyes, and I saw the fear in his silver ones, and so I wasn’t as afraid. A calm washed over me.
Tahk had said his fear would drive him. And I saw it do it in that moment. I knew he would get me out of this.
But he never had the chance. Two more lion-man charged through the balcony and said not a word as they shoved Tahk to his knees.
Then.
Then I was afraid.