"Ravenous" - читать интересную книгу автора (King Sherri L. - Horde Wars 1 - Ravenousvoto6 (html))

She’d been so beautiful in her quiet repose, her caramel skin soft and supple under his healing hands. Her flesh had felt like warm, living silk under his hands. If she’d been awake he would have wanted to spread her out on the bed and gift her with pleasure the likes of which she’d never known.

Where had that thought come from? He shook his dark head, sending his long hair flying. There was no way he was growing soft for a human, surely. He couldn’t stomach the idea. Oh sure, he’d rut with a human woman any-time. Human women were often delectable fucks. But that’s all it was—a fuck. No softer feelings involved, no tender words or vows.

Just the hard, wet slap of flesh on flesh in the race towards mutual ecstasy.

Turning a corner in the deep bowels of the underground temple-city he was jerked from his thoughts as he caught sight of Tryton, The Elder.

“Obsidian, how fares the little warrior?” Tryton asked, his voice deep and resounding through the stone corridor.

So it was to be this way was it? Obsidian could almost hear the censure coating The Elder’s voice. He suspected Tryton already knew the answer to his question, but wanted to hear what Obsidian had to say nonetheless. He debated his answer as they turned to walk in the direction of the warriors’ apartments, nestled within the heart of the temple-city.

Tryton was a large man, almost as large as Obsidian was at six-foot ten inches. And though he was an elder member of the Shikar’s, he in no way looked as if the title was appropriate. His face was ageless, neither young nor old. By a human’s standards he looked perhaps close to forty years, until one looked into his eyes.

It was his eyes that gave him away. The title of Elder fell to him because he was a member of the Council, a group of the wisest Shikars. Tryton was often called The Elder because he was the leader of the Council, the oldest and wisest of them all. No one knew his true age but there were rumors that he was over two thousand years old. Looking now into Tryton’s bright yellow eyes, full of limitless secrets and knowledge, Obsidian could well believe the rumors.

“My meeting with the mortal did not go as planned, Elder. She was…difficult.”

“Will she side with us against the Horde?”

“I didn’t get that far in my interrogation.” Obsidian almost cringed as he admitted his defeat over such a minor task.

“Interrogation? You were sent to speak with her, not intimidate her. The human known as Cady Swann is no criminal to be interrogated. She should be heralded as no less than a hero amongst us for her many victories against the Horde.”

“We did not know for certain if the rumors were true,” Obsidian bit out in his defense.

“No, my friend, you were not certain—but I knew the truth behind the stories. Cady is a human, yes, but she is possessed of great psychic gifts. These gifts have stood her in good stead as she has battled against the Horde, and they would stand us in good stead if she would but join our ranks.”

Obsidian stopped walking and clenched his teeth against the urge to roar. He managed to ask in clipped tones, “Why didn’t you tell me you knew the stories to be true? I thought her allegiance was in question—as well as her conquests on the field of battle.”

Tryton raised a golden brow. “Her allegiance has never been in question, Obsidian. She fights the Daemons on an almost nightly basis. Her kills measure in the hundreds. Of course she is on the side of good. But would she join with us—that was the question I meant for you to put to her.”

Obsidian growled and ran a hand over his scalp, dislodging the leather thong that held his hair in place at his nape. Midnight black waves of silken hair spilled loosely about his shoulders and down to his waist. His amber eyes flashed and sparked in agitation.

Tryton saw Obsidian’s fit of pique and closed his eyes on a weary sigh, “Please tell me you didn’t bully her on your first meeting, Obsidian.”

“How was I to know your intentions? You told me to seek out the Swann woman and to find what her intentions were regarding the Horde. I didn’t know you meant for her to join with us.”

“Tell me what happened. Leave nothing out.”

A few moments later, Tryton was trying not to smile as his most trusted and loyal warrior recounted the events of the night. Obsidian was gesticulating angrily, his words and actions volatile as he recounted the mortal woman’s attack upon his person. Obsidian seemed shocked and almost insulted that the woman had dared to defy him in such a manner. Tryton found the development interesting—and promising. His goals for the outcome of this night’s work became two-fold. Not that he would ever admit that to the angry warrior before him.

“So essentially what you’re telling me is that you’ve likely insulted this woman to the point where she won’t have anything further to do with us?”

“I’ll take care of it. If you want this…human to join us then join us she will.” Obsidian threw back his exceptionally broad shoulders in an arrogant, proud stance.

“I do not want her forced.” Tryton warned in a tone that brooked no arguments.

“Consider the matter resolved, Elder. I will not force her, but rest assured, she will join us.”