Hidden Rage: Kindred Tales

“Hey, asshole!” Bobbi shouted at the lizard called Zerlix. “Yes, you!” she snapped, when his eyes widened in surprise at her sudden appearance. It occurred to her that up until now she’d been hidden from the invaders’ eyes but now she was out in the open.

Not that she gave a damn.

“That’s a fertilized egg you’re looking at,” she said, pointing to the dark purple egg that Zerlix was still reaching for. “That means you’re talking about taking one of their babies home with you to eat for supper! Do you understand now why it’s not for sale? How would you like it if someone came to your planet and asked to buy one of your kids to make into canapés?”

For a moment, she thought that maybe her words had gotten through to the asshole lizard man. But then a cruel smile curved the corners of Zerlix’s lipless mouth.

“Fertilized, you say? So there’s extra meat in there? Truly, that will be a fine treat to lay before my Sire!”

He scooped the newly laid egg up in his hands and held it up over his head like a prize. But just as quickly, his expression changed from triumph to pain.

“Ow! Fucking hot!” he gasped and dropped the egg, which plummeted towards the ground.

The Orniths shrieked in a chorus of horror but before the egg could hit the floor, the big Kindred—moving with lightning speed—scooped it out of mid-air and deposited it safely back into the laying nest it had come from.

Zerlix was blowing on his scaly palms, which had turned from dirty yellow to dull red, presumably from the contact with the red-hot egg. He glared at Bobbi as though it was her fault he had burned himself.

“Look what you made me do, you little bitch,” he growled. “What’s a mammalian doing with a bunch of avians anyway?”

“That’s none of your business,” Bobbi snapped. “Why don’t you just pay for the eggs you took and get out of here? You’re not wanted in our village.”

“Oh, so it’s our village, huh? You must really like these fucking birds,” Zerlix spat. His slitted eyes raked over Bobbi’s bare breasts and the short grass skirt she wore. “You don’t look anything like them, though. Fucking Orniths are ugly as the first sin but you’re a pretty tasty little package, aren’t you?” He was leering at her now, his forked tongue flickering out as though he wanted to taste her.

The thought turned Bobbi’s stomach. She took a step back from him, covering her breasts with her arms, though she kept her head high.

“I’m a Xeno-Cultural Anthropologist, here on a research gathering mission and I’m affiliated with the Kindred of the Mother Ship,” she said, hoping the words might put some fear into the big, scaly bastard. “They come to check on us regularly and they’re always armed,” she added.

“They’re not here now, though—are they, girly?” Zerlix smirked at her. “You know, I might just take you in lieu of that twelfth egg. I bet you’re almost as tasty. I can fuck you and then eat you when I get tired of wearing out your tight little pussy with my spike. Or maybe I’ll fuck you and eat you at the same time. I just love the taste of mammalian flesh.”

His forked tongue flickered out and he made a snatch at her.

Bobbi jumped away, trying to avoid his stubby, claw-tipped fingers. She stumbled and fell backwards but instead of hitting the floor, she fetched up against something warm and solid that was right behind her. Two big hands—human-looking hands, not a lizard’s claws, she saw—came down on her shoulders and held her in place.

“Not another step forward, Zerlix,” the big Kindred behind her rumbled. “You can’t have her—I formally Claim this female as my own.”

5

Zerlix’s slitted yellow-green eyes narrowed as he glared up at the big Kindred.

“You can’t Claim her!” he protested. “I already Claimed her! I was reaching for her—wasn’t I?”

“You didn’t say the words, though, boss,” one of the other lizard men pointed out. “You gotta say the words.”

“He’s right,” chimed in another one. “Besides, Dragon never Claims females. You got so many back home you don’t know what to do with ‘em all.”

“Shut up, you fucking idiots!” Zerlix roared. He pointed a black-clawed finger at the big Kindred, who still had Bobbi firmly by the shoulders. “She ought to be mine, Dragon—I saw her first!”

“You didn’t Claim her though—I did.” The Kindred’s deep voice was mild but Bobbi could feel his huge hands tightening on her shoulders possessively. “Don’t make me fight you for her, Zerlix,” he added in a lower tone. “You know I’ll win and that will only bring down your status in the Clan.”

“You fucker!” Zerlix snarled, his forked tongue lashing. “You’ll be sorry for this—I swear you will. I’ll have that little mammalian bitch one way or another!”