Shared Mercy Book 5 of the Guardians Saga

Ch. 17.3 Sex, Love, and Affection

Alex and Drake entered their rooms, trailed by Razz and Lok. Lok whispered to a gecko, who scurried off. Alex was a mess: No makeup, with sweat and dirt and even a few leaves and twigs in her hair. Her face was also muddy with dirt and leaves. But her eyes were still as sharp as ever, and her smile was wide with a sweet glint of mischief to sweeten it. Her clothes were torn and dirty and probably stained.

"Now that's what I call a success. A dozen murdering witches who will no longer molest their males." Alex flopped on the bed. "See now why I love this world? I can make an actual, visible difference here." Alex's bright, satisfied smile beamed a golden light all around the room.

Razz sat beside her and she turned to him.

"We cut down a dozen Anolis female warriors and saved those Chameleons from ambush," Alex said. "Their males belong to me and I just have to collect them. If anyone touches them, much less hurts them, a long and painful death awaits them. I've established that, right Razz?" She propped herself up on her elbows and looked around the room.

"Very much so." Razz nodded solemnly. "Unfortunately, they now gift their harems prior to their missions."

"Witches." Alex jumped up and her face contorted in a sneer of disgust. "Find a way around that." She considered a moment, tapping her finger on her chin. "Cowards so weak that they knew they would lose, so they gifted away their males. Therefore, they belong to me anyway."

"It is a start. I believe there is legal precedent with disposing property in an attempt to avoid losing it when facing the Kuni's challenge. The Kuni was most displeased and made that illegal. Males are property in the Anolis view."

Alex started pacing. "Research it, please. Can you enlist more help? Do I need to ask my sword to make more gems? How do we find out who their males were?" She asked questions rapid-fire.

"I'll find out about the males," Lok said. "I am an assassin and spy in addition to my other duties."

"So much to admire." Alex hugged him.

His color turned a bright, excited green. "Have I earned a spot next to you tonight?" He kissed her fingertips and his tail wound round her ankle.

"We went over this whole 'nobody's a trophy' thing."

"I see I failed to impress you that I would more than love to be your trophy. May I be a teammate then?" Lok's hide gleamed. He looked at her with earnest eyes, his fingers never leaving her, caressing her wrist and palm.

Alex pursed her lips.

Lok continued in a soothing tone and his tail curled up to her thigh. "Isn't that what we are? You appear and Razz, Trac, Kress, Zilik, and I are at your command."

"I like to think we work together, not that I command you," Alex said. "Don't y'all strategize and I carry it out?" She looked around at them, almost pleading.

"Of course we do," Razz said. "Stop upsetting Alex, Lok."

"It's not his fault that I'm poisoning him," Alex sighed. "Y'all have sleepmates to counteract it. Lok doesn't. I don't feel comfortable with you next to me, Lok, but you've earned a place on the team. I trust Razz and Drake, for different reasons."

Drake hissed softly to Lok, "Not this again."

Lok whispered back, "Let's talk later."

There was a knock and Zilik entered. His sharp expression and blue color signaled his anxiety. "I heard Alex was back."

Alex hugged him until his color changed to a calm green. "In the flesh. Drake and I beat those wretched females, but there are complications. Razz says they're giving away their males before facing me. I think those males should still belong to me. Razz thinks there is some precedent to back me up. Zilik, this is right up your alley in terms of law and politics. Lok is my hero and will find out the names of those males so I can rescue them."