Next week's prompts are:
“Head on up stairs and…”
“Huh, that’s smaller than I thought.”
“By my guest.”
“Hanging out down here…”
“I really love that you….”
“It’s a good match.”
or use: necklace, shore, paint
or use: dill, kite, cookie
or have a character attend a class
or have a car backfire
or “party ‘til you drop”
or “the best years of my life”
or “I’ll give you a match – your butt and my face”
or “Keep it simple, stupid”
or “Chances are…”
Adlar handed him a black long-sleeved shirt. Since it was cooler than what he was used to here, he was glad to see the sleeves. He slipped the shirt on.
“Head on up stairs and…”
“Huh, that’s smaller than I thought.”
“By my guest.”
“Hanging out down here…”
“I really love that you….”
“It’s a good match.”
or use: necklace, shore, paint
or use: dill, kite, cookie
or have a character attend a class
or have a car backfire
or “party ‘til you drop”
or “the best years of my life”
or “I’ll give you a match – your butt and my face”
or “Keep it simple, stupid”
or “Chances are…”
Chapter 4.9
Adlar handed him a black long-sleeved shirt. Since it was cooler than what he was used to here, he was glad to see the sleeves. He slipped the shirt on.
Adlar frowned at him. “It’s a shame to cover up the tattoos
on your arms, but you may be more comfortable until you adjust to the cooler
weather. It is tight, I see. You’re bigger in the chest and arms than me. We’ll
need to get your measurements too.”
“Why?”
Adlar stepped into a pair of pants and buttoned them. “Why?
For clothes, of course.” Adlar slipped on a shirt but then paused, an amused
look in his eye. “Unless you’d prefer to be naked?”
Varo scowled. “I’d prefer to be on my own world.”
The amusement vanished, and a shuttered look dropped over
Adlar’s face. “Well, unfortunately for both of us, you didn’t stay on your own
world. You took a shuttle, penetrated our shields, and crash-landed on my
planet in some harebrained attempt to cause harm, I assume. Now we have to live
with your actions.”
“But your people—”
“And I do not wish to get into another discussion as to why
that’s my people’s fault.”
Varo pressed his lips tightly together.
Adlar handed Varo a pair of socks. “Let’s get your boots. I
need your size for footwear too. Come.” Adlar turned and walked out of the closet.
Varo was tempted to see what would happen if he didn’t
follow along, but decided it wasn’t worth it. He was sure he’d find plenty to
take a stand over later. Plus, he was hungry and wanted information on his men.
Angering Adlar wasn’t the wise thing to do right now.
They returned to the bathing chamber and retrieved his
boots, which he quickly laced. The room was almost too warm with so many
clothes on. They then went to the kitchen where he noticed a small
communications center off in a corner.
“Give me your sizes, please.”
Varo rattled off the numbers. “Oh, and underwear. Don’t
forget that. I, ah, feel odd without them.”
“Better get used to it, princeling. I prefer my access unobstructed.”
“But that’s… that’s…” sexy,
deviant?
“That’s how it’s going to be.” Adlar typed in a security
code then let out a small high-pitched screech.
“No! Please, wait!” Varo stumbled back in fear, grabbing at
the collar dreading the pain to come. Why had Adlar activated the collar?
Adlar jerked around to look at Varo. “What? Oh.” He held
his hand, palm up. “Easy, easy. It’s okay. I was just activating the computer,
that’s all. That’s not the command for the collar.”
Panting, Varo glared at Adlar. “Is that your language?
“You heard my warriors and me speak to each other at the
crash site, so you know it is.”
Fury quickly replaced anger. “It just sounds like a bunch of
screeching to me. How am I supposed to tell the difference from one command to the
other?”
“As far as the collar goes, it’s simple. If you’re
disobedient, I’ll give a verbal warning first in an effort to allow you to
correct the behavior. If you don’t, then I’ll activate the collar and correct
you myself. But I will give you a chance first.”
“I’m not a child, you know. I’m a certified captain of a
starship. Do you have any idea of the years required to achieve that?”
“I do, yes, and I admire you for earning such a title. I
know you’re smart, Varo, but your personality is that of a spoiled child. For
that matter, so many of your ruling class is the same. You want, thus you take.
Or try to. Your sense of entitlement is astounding.”
Adlar rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Well, your pigheaded
lack of foresight and financial savvy is appalling. Guess we’re even.”
“No, Varo, we are not ‘even’. While I admire the accomplishments
I see you’ve earned from the numerous tattoos on your arms, you are not my
equal. I own you.”
A red haze filled Varo’s vision.
“Before you do something you’ll regret, let me remind you I
own you because you crashed on my planet. It was your own doing, not mine. If
you follow through on the intent I see in your eyes, I will punish you. And I won’t bother checking on how your crew is
settling.”
“Of course you hide behind this collar instead of facing me
like a true... oomph!”
Varo found himself on the floor, one arm twisted behind
him. Never had he seen another move so fast. One moment Adlar was at the
communication center, and the next he’d rushed Varo. Adlar slid effortlessly between
Varo’s legs and came up behind him.
Before Varo could react, Adlar grabbed one arm, hooked
Varo’s foot, and put Varo on the ground, face first. Varo barely had time to
blink before Adlar had his knee in Varo’s back, and his arm behind him. The
soft whisper of a knife leaving its sheath froze Varo.
“All I’d have to do is shove this into your neck at the
base of your spine.”
Varo squeezed his eyes shut.
“Princeling, I am an assassin. I train others to be
assassins. I can kill with a touch, but I like the blade best. I like to get close to my target.” Adlar
stood and returned the knife to the ankle sheath. “We are not equals. Don’t think that we are, and don’t test me again.”
Calmly, Adlar returned to the communications center and
returned to placing clothing orders.
It took Varo a little longer to stand. Calm was the last
thing he felt. Adlar had told him, but he hadn’t believed it. Now he knew
better. Adlar’s attack had been silent and swift. He hadn’t had time to react,
not that it mattered. Adlar had him helpless on the floor in no time. And when
had he put the knife sheath on? He’d missed that.
Adlar was a killer.
Varo slowly stood, unsure what to do with himself now.
TBC
TBC
