Dark Star [18+]

Chapter 5

"I don't want to die," Jitters whispers into the quiet, "I want to have fun – then one day, escape," I smile at that, Orlai too. We both glance at Jitters, who is now grinning at the ceiling, "Yeah – that's the plan, experience the best sex in the universe, then run like hell."

"You know they're the best hunters in the universe and can teleport?" Orlai reminds her.

"You escaped," Jitters smirks, "It's possible. Do you think Alpha Centauri is with us right now, Stealthing, listening in?"

"Most likely," I groan out.

"Alpha Centauri has a big dick," Orlai surprises me with her cheeky response as she unhands me and she looks over her shoulder, looking around the empty room. I look around with her, as Orlai continues, "But it's not as big... as his alter ego."

"Alpha Centauri is a giant smurf," Jitters snickers.

I cover my mouth with my hand as I try not to laugh, "Does this count as bullying – considering all his friends aren't here and he's all alone with three puny humans to guard?"

"I could just kill all three of you," Alpha Centauri appears at the pool's edge, at the soles of Jitter's feet and wriggling toes. He drops the spear in his hand, swings it at the centre and the tip of the screw tucks a stray hair off Jitter's cheek, behind her ear. I tilt my head at the precise movement.

Jitters has stopped breathing, "Fuck me," she breathes.

"You feel better, Estori?" I ask him, hopeful of that.

Alpha Centauri makes the spear disappear in a flurry of universal magic.

Jitters breathes easy but also quietly slips into the water, dress and all – to get away from him. She floats over to us, dragging her dress with her in her fingers.

"Do you?" Alpha Centauri slyly returns the question, and I can tell he's in no mood to play, he's both grumpy and short-tempered.

Even Orlai doesn't continue the joke from earlier. She just hides behind me, where Jitters has also promptly placed herself.

"I am honoured," I say, "For what you did."

"Did you achieve anything on Neastron?" Alpha Centauri has become suddenly aggressive, as he paces down the pool, glaring away, "Empress – what did they show you? The Enta?"

"I had a nightmare," I explain, "I was sleeping. I saw women in cages. Stuff like that."

"What else?" Alpha Centauri spins at the end of his pacing and catches my eye, "You owe me everything."

"I'll tell you – if you tell me what they really are, deal?" I ask.

Alpha Centauri pauses and now he looks mischievous, "Cinta's Weapons. Now you."

"They taught me how to fly," I snipe back.

"Thought so," Alpha Centauri suddenly takes a step into the shallow pool, the water up to his shins, "Anything else?"

"Velorum called the Entary a hopeless King – why?"

"Cinta seduced them, promised them everything. They were the first Kors she ever showed love too. A winged species. She broke their hearts," Alpha Centauri explains, "They make Empresses rise and fall. Now tell me the rest."

"I only saw one other thing of interest," I gulp as Alpha Centauri slowly closes the distance, while listening to my thoughts, "My greatest fear. An imagined woman – Krora. She told me Kor love isn't real but I am the best chase you ever had. That's basically all that happened. Aside from flying, after tasting their venom –"

"To which you would have made a demand," Alpha Centauri releases a rare full blown snarl – judging and disapproving of my action, "I thought you were a peace-making Empress, Diana?"

Jitters panics and heads for the pool's edge with his growing political aggression.

Orlai too.

I didn't expect to be abandoned.

I look around me as they both jump out, Stealthing as they scatter off in different directions.

To be fair – they weren't Empresses.

While I could take Kor wrath, they were more expendable.

I swing back to Alpha Centauri and he grasps my neck after closing the distance, now holding up my face, "Did you enjoy the power? Be honest."

"I did," the Estori lets my pulse go and I grab a hold of his wrist, suddenly feeling faint, "I wish you weren't so intense – I'm very much at my wit's end here. I need sleep –"

"You need venom," Alpha Centauri has bared all his teeth to lean down, to growl that in my ear.

He's not wrong. It would help immensely – and I needed it for the healthy growth of my daughter.

"Fine. Not too much," I place a hand on his rippling torso, while still holding his wrist as I tentatively expose my neck.

"Any time could be the last, my Dark Estoria," Alpha Centauri kisses my neck with his six fangs, dragging them back and forth.

The Estori sinks his fangs, flooding me with venom.

He burns with – ex –

Excitement?

Why?