Rhal Part 4 by Erin Tate Read Free Book Online

Chapter One
     
    The female—his dam-by-mating —did not realize who she toyed with. She had forgotten Rhal’s essence, the reason for his existence, and the evil that lived in his heart. Before Cara, he killed without thought. Now, he would kill for her. He would destroy anyone—human or Ujal—who brought a tear to her eye.
    There were more than a few tears threatening to spill.
    Unacceptable.
    He did not know what part of his past upset her so, but he did not need the knowledge. He would destroy the source regardless. He could not kill her, but he could force her to wish she was dead.
    “Otta, I told you this morning, you are not welcome in my dwelling and you were forbidden from approaching my mate,” he growled, his blood pounding, muscles tense with the need to physically remove her from his home.
    “Trying to keep your dirty secrets?” A small smile played around Otta’s lips as she returned her attention to Cara. “Don’t you love that thing he does with his tongue? I taught him that.”
    The female looked so smug, so proud that she’d taken everything from him. Humans would call the female a stone cold bitch and he would agree with their assessment.
    When Cara sucked in a rough breath, he knew Otta’s words hurt her.
    “Otta, leave,” he growled, holding himself back. He wanted to rip her into tiny pieces and scatter her remnants across the seas.
    His dam stroked a single sharpened nail down Cara’s arm, leaving a red line in her wake. His mate jerked from the female’s touch, but the room’s other occupant cut off Cara’s retreat.
    Him .
    Based on the glare and sneer that curled his mate’s lips, he wondered if the male had done anything beyond halting her retreat. The stare was too deep, emotions on her face too strong for there to be nothing more than shallow anger.
    What had the male done in Rhal’s absence?
    Rhal would discover the answer to that question and inflict vengeance if needed. Though with the anger stretching his skin, he may cause pain just because he wished to.
    “Leaving, pretty?” the guard sneered. “When I have things I can teach you ?”
    “We can show you both together.” Otta’s voice was a seductive murmur, a tone he knew well, and she stepped closer to his mate.
    Words were hurtful, but not reason enough to strike out at the duo. He would demand they leave his home, but he could not use force. Yet. “Either of you touch her and it will be the last thing you do.”
    “You don’t share?” She raised her eyebrows. “Kaag, I told you about when Lady Disheer and I—”
    “ Leave! ” Rhal’s bellow had Cara flinching, but Otta remained in place, face impassive.
    Then the mistake he waited for was committed. Kaag, the lumbering male that had risked his mate’s life and stood too close to Cara for his comfort reached out. Cara’s gaze was on him and Otta, eyes darting between them, was oblivious to the guard’s actions.
    Rhal was not. So when the male reached for his female and grasped a handful of her strands, her hair running through his fingers, it was he who took control of the situation. He let that part of himself free, allowed his inner hatred rush from its place behind his emotional door, and out it came. In one fluid move, he dove between the two females, at the guard. His shoulder struck the male in the stomach, sending him flying backward. When the stranger would have taken them both down with his stumble, Rhal flipped free of the tangle to land on his feet behind the male.
    As the guard stumbled to upright, Rhal struck once more, a fierce punch to the male’s back to the right of his spine followed by another. He was sure agony coursed through the guard’s body, those two punches familiar to him. When the stranger would have fallen forward once more, Rhal snatched him back. With one arm, he yanked the male to him and fisted his hair.
    With the other, he drew his blade free. It was always on him, hidden from view, but never leaving his side. He