The Akseli, page 16
Most of those wouldn’t be missed when they disappeared. The deaths of those who would be missed were always ascribed to thefts that turned violent or accidents, leaving the vampires free to slay again. But Immortal Guardians did their damnedest to ensure those deaths were avenged and the lives of future victims spared.
The battered exterior of this tavern practically shouted, “Enter at your own risk.”
This is going to be fun, she thought and followed Janwar inside.
The first thing that hit her was the smell.
Immortal Guardians had heightened senses. And wow, this was a lot to take in. Or rather, it was a lot to try to keep out. Unwashed bodies. Liquor that seemed to have a similar aroma even light-years away from Earth. Exotic foods. Other scents she couldn’t identify, some of which were damned near gag-inducing.
Unique body odors or pheromones she’d never encountered, perhaps?
Lasarans and Yona were frequent bathers and pretty much smelled like humans. Akselis and Segonians, too. Janwar’s scent was particularly intoxicating, probably because she was attracted to him. Kova and Srok’a each bore their own unique, pleasant scents. And Soval smelled as fresh as a baby. So… yeah. She didn’t know what the hell was currently curling her nose hairs.
No music played, neither from a live band comprised of peculiar-looking aliens nor a hidden futuristic jukebox. No singer crooned a tune on a raised stage in a skimpy outfit that neglected to draw attention from her oddly shaped head.
There was just a bar, some bar stools, and multiple tables packed with patrons.
With each step, her boots produced a sound akin to the one Velcro made when you pried two pieces apart, indicating a very sticky floor. Sticky with what she didn’t want to know.
As she glanced around, Simone couldn’t help but feel slightly disappointed. This wasn’t exactly what she had expected.
Granted, everyone in here had alien origins, which was awesome. How many Earthlings could say they’d visited an alien pub? But she had hoped the clientele would be more along the lines of something one might find in Star Wars movies and series. Lots of what-the-ever-loving-hell-is-that kind of creatures with two heads or multiple arms. Three eyes or maybe a dozen tentacles. Insect-like beings. Velociraptor cousins. A sasquatch look-alike. Someone with a chin that resembled testicles enough to spark lewd jokes or a snout as long as a trumpet.
Alas, she spied nothing that jaw-dropping.
Everyone present appeared to have two legs, two arms, and one head. Evidently, the symmetry found on Earth is typical throughout the galaxy, she thought wryly. Perhaps if the atmosphere on this little planet were different, she would’ve seen some odder combinations.
Which was not to say that everyone here looked human.
Simone surveyed the beings perched at the bar as Janwar led her deeper into the establishment.
Two athletically built males turned to stare at her. And she couldn’t help but stare back. Both had long, shiny black hair and skin covered with barely discernible scales that bore a beautiful silvery tint. When they shifted, the light from the bar produced a slight rainbow shimmer on their muscular arms.
Excitement dawned. Were they Purvelis, like the man Ava had fallen for?
She glanced at the hand one of the males curled around a glass and, sure enough, saw a hint of webbing between his fingers.
Simone grinned. They were Purvelis! And they were hot. She could see why Ava was attracted to one.
The men shared a bemused look before they returned her smile.
Should she—“Oomph!” Simone rebounded off a wall. Or a post or…
What the hell had she just walked into?
Rubbing her nose, she looked up. And up some more. Sheesh. This guy was even taller than Soval, except the male she now gaped at wasn’t as bulky and had arms that were elongated like a monkey’s. He even had tufts of fur on his pale, bare shoulders. And was that a tail twitching behind him?
He scowled down at her.
“Apologies,” she blurted in Alliance Common, then smiled. Maybe this place was more like a Star Wars cantina than she’d thought.
Growling what she suspected was an insult, he stepped around her and kept moving.
“Don’t mind him,” one of the Purvelis said. “Digwas have no sense of humor.”
“I see,” she replied, never losing her smile. “Thanks for the tip.” Hesitating only a moment, Simone stepped closer to them and lowered her voice. “To show my appreciation, let me give you one of my own: Guard your back against Gathendiens.”
One grinned. “Doesn’t everyone?”
“If they’re wise,” she acknowledged. “But Gathendiens currently seem to have a particular interest in obtaining Purvelis.” When she lowered her voice further, the two leaned closer. “I found one of your fallen males on a Gathendien ship I commandeered.”
They stiffened, all levity fleeing their features.
“What?” they demanded simultaneously.
“I was looking for friends I believed the Gathendiens had taken and found a Purveli instead. I’m sorry to say he was already dead. I could do nothing for him beyond killing those who harmed him.”
Janwar stepped up behind her, his warmth infusing her back. “And she did. All of them.”
She looked up at him over her shoulder. “Well, you killed a few, too.”
Both Purvelis rose and stood shoulder-to-shoulder facing them.
“How are you involved in this, Janwar?” the taller one asked, expression flinty.
She glanced at them all with surprise. “You three know each other?”
The Purveli didn’t take his gaze off Janwar. “I know of him.”
Janwar nodded at her. “I was looking for the same women she was when our paths crossed. You should heed her warning. Gathendiens have captured three Purvelis that we know of. They’re obviously interested in conquering Purvel and would love to get their hands on more victims for their labs who can help them further their research and find a bioweapon that will kill you all.”
Both men looked sick at the notion.
“What happened to the other two?” the second male asked.
Simone answered before Janwar could. “My friend and her Segonian lifemate rescued them.”
“Do you know their names?”
“Jak’ri and Ziv’ri A’dar,” Janwar supplied.
Their jaws dropped.
“You know them?” she asked with some surprise. Talk about a small world.
“Not personally,” the first said. “The A’dars are the most prominent sahstin jins on our planet.”
The second nodded. “They were making exciting progress in terraforming one of our moons before they inexplicably disappeared.”
Simone frowned. “They didn’t disappear. They were snatched right off the surface of Purvel, something they have made very clear to your government.”
They glanced at each other.
“That would explain the message we received, advising all Purvelis off-world to return home,” the taller one said.
Crossing her arms over her chest, she arched a brow. “A message you chose to ignore?”
They shifted guiltily and, despite their height and evident strength, reminded her of two teenagers who had been caught coming home past curfew.
“Are the A’dars all right?” the first asked.
“Yes.” Relenting, she smiled. “They’re working remotely from a Segonian ship and remain in frequent contact with your government.”
Janwar spoke before the men could relax. “You may celebrate their good health, but the Gathendiens won’t. They’ll be looking for new specimens to test their vile concoctions on. So get your asses back to Purvel. You can’t use the Nehjed qhov’rum. It’s been damaged. Use well-traveled shipping lanes instead. Or better yet, book passage on an Aldebarian Alliance sanctioned liner that can accommodate your ship in their bay.”
“Yes, sir,” they chorused.
Nodding at the Purvelis, Janwar curled a hand around her upper arm. “We should keep moving.”
“Okay.” She tossed the males a wave. “Nice to meet you.” As she allowed Janwar to pull her along after him, she murmured, “They seemed a bit in awe of you.”
“Some who are either too young to know better or have rebellious spirits are unwise enough to admire me,” he stated absently, his head swiveling from side to side, his gaze missing nothing. “But most loathe me. They think me an amoral pirate who would do anything or kill anyone for a credit. Or they hate me for being a more successful amoral pirate who would do anything or kill anyone for a credit than they are. Still others hate me for being too drekking hard to capture or kill because they would love to claim the large bounty the Akseli government has placed on my head.”
“How large a bounty?” she asked.
He spouted a number.
Simone blinked. “That’s a damn big bounty.” Big enough to lure both the greedy and the desperate.
He grunted.
“Have you ever considered that perhaps they simply hate you because you’re so drekking handsome?”
Halting so suddenly that she nearly bumped into him, he turned to face her. “You think I’m handsome?”
She rolled her eyes. “Everyone thinks you’re handsome, Janwar.” She jerked a thumb over her shoulder, where she knew Soval hovered. “Soval told me that’s the only reason he agreed to join your crew. I even caught him checking out your ass when you weren’t looking.”
A choking sound accompanied a faint breeze that ruffled the hair atop her head.
Swiveling around, she craned her neck to peer up at the brawny warrior.
Soval looked about as appalled at the notion of checking out Janwar’s ass as he would if she’d offered him a plate of monkey dung for dinner.
Simone couldn’t help it. She burst into laughter. “Relax, Big Blue. I’m only teasing.” She gave his barrel chest an affectionate pat before turning back to Janwar. “He didn’t check out your ass.” She winked, then whispered. “I did.”
The corners of Janwar’s lips twitched. “And?”
She grinned. “Your ass is very nice.”
Laughing, he resumed leading her through the throng.
Pleased to have made him smile, Simone returned her attention to the beings they passed.
Three women who looked human stood together near the bar, laughing. All were at least six feet tall and wore military uniforms that hugged broad shoulders and bore short sleeves that left their muscled arms bare.
The short sleeves said they weren’t Lasaran. Maybe they were Segonian? Their skin did have a bronze sheen similar to Commander Dagon’s.
When her gaze slipped past them to the bartender, she struggled not to gawp. That guy may be built like a human, but his features reminded her of a pug. He even had big, dark eyes that narrowed when they met hers.
Simone hastily looked away.
Okay. All aliens weren’t hot. Good to know.
A group of Rakessians like Srok’a and Kova sat around a table, engaging in very rowdy conversation. Two men and one woman with skin as black as midnight and masses of long dreadlocks occupied the booth behind them. Simone initially thought they were human. But there was something different about their eyes, a peculiar shimmer or glow. And she didn’t think the faint markings at their temples were tattoos.
There were tall aliens. Short aliens. Males. Females. Muscled bodies. Freakishly thin bodies—like Avatar thin. Bulbous bodies. Hairy. Hairless. Skin sporting a wide range of earth tones with some gray mixed in and occasional hints of red or gold. One of the waitresses bore skin almost as white as snow and hair that matched despite her apparent youth.
Soval was the only bluish alien present, and his skin merely hinted at turquois.
“I’m seeing a lot of alien races,” she murmured.
“It’s a popular gathering place,” Janwar said.
“Which ones have the butt fetish?”
He cast her a quizzical look over his shoulder. “I don’t think my translator got that right. What?”
“Which ones are obsessed with asses?”
His eyes glinted with amusement. “I believe that would be you.”
Soval let out a bark of laughter that drew looks.
She grinned. “I didn’t say I was obsessed with your ass, just that I thought it was very nice.”
He turned a chuckle into a cough. “Stop making me laugh, vuan it. I’m an amoral pirate renowned throughout the galaxy for my cold ferocity. When I’m in places like this, I have to look the part.”
“So you’re saying your ass is fierce?” she quipped. “Now I like it even more.”
That sparked another laugh from Soval. And Simone caught a glimpse of a dimple in Janwar’s cheek before he hastily schooled his expression into an appropriately forbidding mask. He sent her a narrow-eyed look of warning, then turned away.
“What is a fetish?” Soval rumbled.
“It’s… something someone is excessively interested in, I guess, sometimes in a sexual manner. Shoes. A certain body part. That sort of thing. Some people on Earth say aliens have been abducting Earthlings and probing their butts. I can’t imagine what you can learn from a butt that you can’t learn from a cheek swab or blood sample, so I figured they must have a fetish.”
“Who the srul has been visiting your planet?” Soval muttered.
While Simone continued to chatter with Soval and marvel over the bar’s patrons, the warrior in her cataloged everyone she saw and mentally divided the clientele into four categories: down-on-their-luck individuals who wished to drown their sorrows, adventure seekers like the Purveli males and Segonian soldiers who wanted to cut loose and have a good time, low-level criminals looking for victims to pickpocket or cheat out of some credits, and beings who warranted serious monitoring. The latter boasted multiple weapons, dangerous demeanors, and dead eyes that said they’d sell their youngest child for a profit… or kill anyone for a credit.
Anyone but Janwar, it would seem. All gave him a wide berth, stepping out of his way as he approached to let him pass.
Though the styles of their garments varied, everyone present was fully clothed except for a few women she suspected were prostitutes because they might as well be wearing postage stamps for all the coverage they got. She spied no bare-chested men, no shorts, and no skirts despite the heat that permeated the air outside. Air that she dearly wished they would allow entry into this establishment. Sheesh, this place reeked. Since none of the surfaces seemed particularly clean, she wondered if everyone here might wish to cover as much skin as possible to avoid contamination.
Janwar stopped beside an empty booth and motioned for her to sit.
She took a moment to remove the sheathed katanas from her back, then did so, scooting over to make room for him. Once he slid into the booth beside her, they sat with their backs to a wall and could see everyone in the tavern.
Simone smiled as she lay her weapons on the table. She was sitting in an actual… alien… bar.
How cool was that?
Janwar settled beside Simone, his spirits far lighter than they ordinarily would’ve been under such circumstances.
Soval lowered his hulking body into the seat across from them, then shifted to the side so he wouldn’t block their view. He studied Simone. “Why are you smiling?”
Janwar glanced at her from the corner of his eye.
Her expression said that should be obvious. “I’m sitting in an alien bar full of dozens of aliens on an alien planet. And I’m accompanied by the two best-looking aliens in the place.”
Vuan if Soval’s cheeks didn’t darken at the compliment.
Stifling a snort, Janwar returned to studying the room.
A waitress approached, carrying a tray that held three glasses. Her anxious blue eyes only met his for an instant. Then she hastily averted her gaze and placed the drinks on the table with shaking hands. As soon as she finished, she scuttled away.
“What was that all about?” Simone asked.
He shrugged and sipped his drink. “Most here are aware of my reputation.”
She arched a brow. “Does that reputation include groping waitresses against their will or something?”
He stiffened. “I don’t abuse females.”
“Good to know.” She nudged him with her shoulder. “Relax. I didn’t think you were the type. You could’ve groped me dozens of times by now but haven’t. I merely wondered why she was acting like you two used to be lovers, then parted ways, and now she’s worried you found out she used your favorite shirt to scrub the lav.”
Once more, he found himself wanting to laugh. Instead, he shook his head. “Certain incidents in my past have been greatly exaggerated, leading many to believe that I’ll kill for the slightest offense.”
“I can see how that might aid you in your current occupation.” She tilted her head to one side. “But it must also make life lonely.”
Janwar didn’t know how to respond to that. He doubted anyone other than Lisa or Taelon would even care if he and his crew were lonely.
When neither he nor Soval said anything, Simone reached for her drink.
Janwar touched her hand before she could raise the glass to her lips. “Careful. It’s potent enough that even Soval has to drink it slowly. Someone your size…”
“Should tread carefully?” She smiled. “Thanks for the heads-up.”
Combatting an increasingly familiar urge to twine his fingers through hers, he withdrew his touch, conscious of the gazes on them.
In the next instant, Simone raised the glass to her lips, tilted her head back, and downed the entire contents.
Janwar and Soval gaped.
Alarm struck. Janwar hadn’t exaggerated when he’d warned her. Suja was the most potent drink he’d ever ingested. His first glass had resulted in Krigara having to sling him over his shoulder and carry him back to the ship.
