Not only was the dance floor cleared, the waiters hastily pushed the tables and chairs against the stone walls. The musicians bravely stayed on their dais, although they did back against the wall as well. All eyes were fastened on the pair of fighters in the middle: the cat facing the alligator.
"Harem challenge, moron," Alex said.
"You cannot. You don't have a harem." The Anolis' voice was as cold as death, breath as frigid as a river of ice.
Alex whipped out her sword and put it to the Anolis' throat. "Harem challenge because I earned the old Kuni's harem and emancipated them. That gives me the right to issue a harem challenge whenever I please. Don't forget I helped put the current Kuni on the throne." Her breath was hot with the scent of cinnamon and liquor.
The other four Anolis females started forward and Alex raised a glowing red hand.
"Stand back or I'll blast the lot of you. Enjoy waking up crippled, cowards. Ganging up on me? That's the warrior way, huh? Same as torturing your males, I guess. Spineless morons." Alex backed up, sword still out. She lit her other hand so that red sparks flowed down the blade and dripped onto the floor, hissing before they died.
The tall Anolis female drew her sword. Alex jerked her head toward the dance floor.
"In the middle, idiot. Lots of clear space so your gutless girlfriends don't stab me in the back." Alex kicked over a table and the wine goblets crashed in several directions, sending up a fragrant spray of wine.
Servers rushed to pull the table aside. Alex backed up, sword at the ready, gaze locked on the Anolis female.
"This looks good." Alex stopped in the center of the dance floor. "Traditional challenge or to the death for your harem? I always let you fools choose."
"Traditional."
"So you're a huge coward. Fine."
Alex braced as the enormous Anolis rushed her. She dodged the powerful overhead chop and slammed her with a side swipe. The Anolis roared and only partially parried it. Alex ran behind the Anolis and sliced her tail. The Anolis let out a scream that sounded like a dying cat and lashed out with her tail at Alex, who jumped over the bleeding tail and charged the Anolis. Their swords ricocheted off each other in a blur, flashes of steel, and sparks of fire. Alex whirled and landed another side strike. The sword hit true and sliced the Anolis' arm. Her blood sprayed over both of them but the Anolis didn't even flinch as the sword cut her hide.
The Anolis chopped down and Alex cried out as the sword glanced off her shoulder. Alex held her bleeding shoulder, seemingly frozen, and the Anolis bore down on her. Alex brought her blade up and deflected the sword just enough to the side to send the Anolis sprawling to the ground.
Alex whipped around and buried her sword into the Anolis' flank. The Anolis screamed, scrabbled, and then went still, breathing heavily. Alex withdrew her sword and stood over the fallen Anolis female. The scent of Alex's sweat and blood, mixing with the Anolis' fear and blood filled the area.
Then the warrior rolled over and pushed herself onto a sit. "I'll gut every one of my males before I'll hand them over," she panted.
"Heard and witnessed," Razz said.
"Heard and witnessed," Trac and Kress echoed.
"Treacherous fool." Alex drew back her sword and plunged it into the Anolis' heart.
The other Anolis females cried out and charged. Alex's blade shivered in her hands as she jerked it free of the dead Anolis' body. She flew up in a blood-spattered arc and a ruby scythe from her hands cut through the charging warriors. Two of the females veered off toward Razz, dodging Alex's power. Alex dove at them as Razz brought up his dagger.
Razz vanished while the two females rushing Razz went down screaming from red light. Alex and Razz reappeared, flying, at the opposite end of the ballroom. Alex set down and released Razz. She then ran toward the remaining two females, sword on point, dripping blood, whooping as she ran
"InterSpec police incoming!" Zilik called as he was jostled by his bodyguards who themselves were jostled by the police, two Iguanas, a Chameleon, and a Monitor Lizard rushing inside.
"Tell them to stay out of my way!" Alex called back. "The Anolis attacked first."
Zilik was hustled out by his disapproving guards. The green Iguana and Chameleon InterSpec police faced the charging Alex while the brown Iguana and Monitor InterSpec police faced the two Anolis females. Alex skidded to a stop and Lok ran in front of her.
Lok turned to shake a claw at the guards. "It's true. The Anolis females violated the code of duel. Leave Alex be."
"Razz, Trac, Kress, get out of here," Alex said.
"No, you won the harem challenge," Razz said in a voice meant to carry. "Those males must be brought here immediately or they will be disemboweled."
"He's right. InterSpec, enforce your laws." Alex dropped the point of her sword but glared at the two standing Anolis females, who hissed at her.
One of the fallen Anolis females raised up to her knees.
"Hey stupid," Alex told her. "Bring out my males quickly or I'll cripple you."
The InterSpec guards frowned.
"What? They don't respond if you ask them nicely," Alex told the guards in a reasonable tone. "I want all their males as well. They've dishonored themselves. Their males are mine by combat and by their own code."
"She has a point," Lok said. "A legal point as well."
Alex tapped her sword hilt and asked the kneeling Anolis female, "Did you hit your head too hard? Bring my males now."
The female climbed to her feet with some effort, favoring her right leg. Her left cheek had been sliced open by some sort of flying debris, but it wasn't deep. She drew in a deep breath through her nostrils and spat out a string of curses
"On second thought, I'm coming with you," Alex said.
"We are," Razz said.
"Yes, we are," Lok said. "InterSpec guards as well to make sure all of the rules are followed."
Razz, Trac, and Kress clustered around Alex, blinking brightly at the InterSpec guards.
"Did we have a count of those males?" Alex whispered to Razz. "I don't want anyone left behind."
"I was told twenty."
"Selfish witches, weren't they, keeping so many males to themselves. I hope they miss them."
An Anolis female helped the last fallen one to her feet. Alex glared at them and kept her sword out.
"Replace your sword in its scabbard," an InterSpec Iguana guard told her.
Alex favored him with an astonished look. "Why? Do you think those traitorous witches can be trusted? Have you no knowledge of your own planet?"
Zilik turned an embarrassed orange. "Alex, please don't insult InterSpec guards."
Alex held out one hand in mock-plea. "It's a valid question, given what he said."
"As one who has suffered at Anolis female hands, I agree," Razz said.
Trac and Kress murmured agreement.
"We'll not be caught in the middle of a duel," the InterSpec Chameleon guard said.
"Then disarm them," Alex said. "They violated their own code of dueling."
The Anolis females hissed at her.
"I'm only here to rescue Anolis males." Alex said and touched her chest in a grand gesture. "I'm all done with fighting and I'm merely claiming my prizes." She curtsied to the InterSpec guards. Then she sobered and pointed at the Anolis females. "But they're trouble."
"Hand over the swords," the huge black Monitor InterSpec guard said to them like a deep rumbling thundercloud. He was half again as tall as them and although his muzzle was tapered like theirs, his arms were massive and muscled.
Alex smiled as the Anolis females hissed again.
"You too," he told Alex.
Her smile vanished but she presented her Guardian sword hilt first. "Careful. A higher being gave it to me. She'll be upset if anyone misuses it. Upset as in one wishes they were dead, upset." She stepped back and watched.
The Monitor held the sword only a moment before it faded from view. When he looked at Alex accusingly, she held up her hands. "I warned you. Don't worry, I won't call it back unless those traitorous witches attack me."
He nodded once and turned to the Anolis females, towering over them. "Hand me your swords or you'll be locked up until your muzzles shrivel." They sullenly smacked their swords into the waiting hands of the InterSpec guards.
***
A/N
Dedicated to fellow author
Her sci-fi novels are fabulous! Please give them a look!