Conri by Kerryn Bryant Read Free Book Online Page B

, her larynx was
nearly squashed. Maybe as a doctor she should have come up with a more
technical term than “squashed” but right now her brain was stuck on the whole
oxygen deprivation thing.
    “I’ve been sliced with swords, punched on by males
twice my size, nearly starved and whipped. A little kick from a tiny female human
felt like a mosquito bite. And speaking of biting, I will bite you if you
scream. One tinsy weansy bite from me will be poison to your blood and you will die before I enjoy the throes
of passion.” Sarai shook her head.   “What’s that, I can’t hear you?”
    “Don’t.” She said on a rush of wind as he released his
grip a fraction on her neck.
    He smiled and it was so cruel. “See, here’s the thing.
Females have the pick of the litter in this pack. Since their survival rate is
so low and males outnumber them three to one and King Conri is stuck in the old
days of honor and choice. The problem is who wants a second rate warrior, never
to live up to his brothers glory?”
    Kellen growled at her, but Sarai noticed he didn’t
extend his canines. “Everyone is so hung up on the females choice- females choice- females…” He mimicked a gag, “Males are stronger, and
we should have rule over the females. But it is forbidden to take what is
rightfully ours as stronger males; punishable by death. But you- you are human.
No males want a human. Well except for Flynn- but he’ll do anything that walks.
You are free game. So I guess I will just have to make....”
    A ferocious growl resonated so loud through the hall
that Sarai closed her eyes. A heartbeat later and she was soaring through the
air, end over end until someone caught her in mid tumble. She landed softly to
the sounds of vicious growls and snaps mixed with pathetic whimpers and
screeches. Sarai looked up at her savior- Lilly?
    “Hey Lady.”
    “What?” Oh her throat hurt.
    Lilly inclined her head as she set Sarai on her feet.
An immense white leopard with perfect gray patches that swirled into deep black
dots stood with its back to her. His tale flipped frantically as his majestic
head bore thick long incisors; wide open and ready to strike. His terrifying
screams or roars or whatever they were, was directed at a cowering smaller
leopard. The smaller leopard lay on its back, its paws in the air, not fighting
but trying to protect its neck.
    The giant Leopard, more magnificent than she
remembered, seemed to stand taller than her memory served. Sarai grabbed onto
Lilly as the Leopard king reared up, batting the smaller leopards paws away and
struck- fast and hard at the smaller leopards throat. The scream of the smaller
leopard fell silent as the leopard king gave a small shake of its captor, the
smaller leopard- Kellen- fell still.
    “It was a warning shake. He didn’t kill him.”
    “He looks dead.” Sarai whispered.
    “He’s defeated, he knows it. He also knows that Conri
just gave him an ultimatum, fully submit or die now.”
    “What did he choose?”
    “He isn’t dead right?” Lilly said, raising her brows
and smirking.
    Sarai looked at Lilly. “What does that mean for
Kellen?”
    “It means,” Sarai jumped at Conri’s voice. “That
Kellen has been stripped of his status. He is now the lowest of the Omegas,
never to be able to work his way out of servitude. And if he defies me
again...” Conri looked down at a naked Kellen gasping around four small
puncture wounds in his neck, “He will be thrown to the mob.”
    Lilly and Kellen shivered. Sarai wanted to ask what
the mob was but apparently the clothes Conri had been wearing were synthetic
made. Because the towering man stood before her naked as the day he was born.
    She turned her eyes upward, because down would not
have been low enough.

 
    *

 
    “My apologies Sarai. I forget
my modesty when I change forms.” A pair of pants flew by and Lilly giggled.
    “You’ll get used to it. Modesty is not something we
practice here. It is so inconvenient to