Shared Mercy Book 5 of the Guardians Saga

Ch. 5.2 Death Match

Two days later, Zilik entered his chambers, his normally calm demeanor grim. Lok dogged his steps, his color a distressed blue. Alex and Razz, sharing a glass of wine, looked up at their entrance.

"The bodies of two Anolis males were found on the outskirts of InterSpec City," Zilik said.

Razz set down his wine. "The harem leader, Kish? Was he one of them?"

Zilik shook his head.

Alex became like a coiled wire and when she said, "More blood on my hands to avenge," she was like a snake ready to strike. "Those Anolis females have made a serious mistake."

Zilik the Council President looked very nervous, his color turning orange. Razz, the non-political Council member, however, rubbed his muzzle, looking thoughtful.

"I need that Anolis male extracted immediately," Alex said. "Should I fly to the palace and retrieve him myself?"

Zilik waved his hands frantically, his color turning a distressed blue. "Nononono!"

Lok chuckled and sidled next to Alex, his own color now a bright green. "I think you've broken Zilik, my dear Guardian. I am skilled at covert assassination and can bring back your brave Anolis if you promise to share your delightful bed with me each time you arrive on our humble planet."

Alex's eyes flashed with emotion, but her face remained calm. "You don't have to risk your life for my power," she told him softly.

"It would be my pleasure." Lok's tail twined up her leg.

"If something happened to you, I would literally die of guilt because I would storm that palace and start killing Anolis warriors until they killed me. Consider yourself invited into my group bed every night from now on. You no longer have to earn it."

"That is wonderful but do not underestimate Lok. If you wish to save the life of that harem leader, let Lok work. We must plan carefully," Razz told Alex. "We do not want to waste the element of surprise in our first counter attack on the Anolis females." Razz eyed Zilik. "You should leave now and start composing a declaration condemning our next actions."

"I'll move my things out of your place," Alex offered. "Better that I'm no longer affiliated with you."

"Make your explanation of Alex's departure so bland that everyone knows you have had a quarrel, a lover's quarrel, at that," Razz said. "Lok is the perfect excuse."

"Or, how about jealousy that I want all those Anolis males?" Alex entered the spirit of Razz's plan. "You can't stand, what, twenty four males in the group bed?"

"Stop, there must be another way," Zilik said, his hands flapping uselessly.

"I think it's an excellent plan," Lok said and he waggled his eye-ridges in a suggestive manner.

"Go, go, go." Razz gently pushed Zilik toward the door. "You are of no more use to us. You are Council President and cannot stop being such. You work on your level and we will work on ours."

Zilik's color turned a calmer green as he regarded the small Anolis male. "I see your logic. I'll compose that message very carefully. I'll condemn the actions while approving the spirit behind it."

Lok disengaged his tail from Alex's leg so he could walk to Zilik and drape an arm over his shoulders. "Tell me all about it." Lok guided Zilik out. "I'll have public relations make a big deal over the dead Anolis males. That's the easy part. Start your speech about me."

Alex watched them leave. She turned back to Razz and rested her arms on his shoulders. "Okay, Razz, where am I going first into Anolis territory?"

Razz gazed at her with adoration as of old. "I want you in easy flight distance back to InterSpec City. I do not want you fighting your battles in Anolis territory, where you are sure to receive a knife in the back. We will engage in creative kidnapping."

Alex grinned at him. "Creative kidnapping. I like that, Razz. You come up with that yourself?"

He grinned back. "More wine?"

**

In front of the Chameleon Embassy, the large flagstone courtyard had been made into a makeshift dueling ring. Lok stood in front of the embassy doors, his color a calm green. Alex bounced from foot to foot on the balls of her feet, warming up. One hand she shook lightly, the other she shifted her grip on her sword. The two dead Anolis males had been identified and Alex had kidnapped the other two males belonging to the murderous mistress.

Razz had told Alex that the males were terrified, knowing that a long and painful death awaited them should Alex lose, as an example for allowing themselves to be kidnapped. Their mistress had also told that should Alex win, they would be subjected to the strange mammal's sadistic appetites. Wisely, Razz had the two surrounded by the other recently emancipated males.

"To the death, Va. You'll pay for those murders," Alex said.

Alex felt a warm and reassuring anger fill her chest. No more hateful gossip, no more poison, only out and out combat. Her Guardian sword seemed to gleam with power. She feinted at the Anolis female, her sword flashing and leaving a faint burning odor like a still-burning torch, like the path of a comet, like a thunderstorm receding. Va stepped back as Alex stepped forward, circling the tip of her sword ever so slightly to catch Va off guard. It was like watching a snake charmer's flute sway the cobra's gaze.

"What's wrong, Va? Can't believe I'm still alive to slaughter you and your murderous sisters in crime?"

Alex lunged and Va blocked, but Alex used the energy to bounce her sword back in a circle and slice Va's lower abdomen. Alex's blade glittered, then she was gone. Va spun around, not knowing why she was turning, then she felt the pressure of Alex's hand, then her body was striking the floor, her head ringing. The tip of Va's tail whipped around, almost catching Alex's legs, and making her flinch back, giving her enough time to jump up, flip onto her feet, and spin to face her.

Once Va sliced Alex's side, the battle started in earnest. Alex went on her power attack, pounding with her sword like a baseball bat. Overhead attacks, side slices, and forward thrusts were all delivered with the strength of Alex's fury. Va wound Alex's blade and Alex punched through the winding. Va slipped to the side but Alex's blade carved through her arm. Va faltered and Alex delivered a nasty cut to Va's thigh. Va switched tactics and began sidestepping Alex. Alex's face became smeared with the scarlet blood of the Anolis female.

Alex fell back, not willing to tire herself out with an offense that was now ineffective. She circled Va, looking for a weakness. The Anolis female stood in one place, bleeding and breathing hard, but rotated to face Alex.

There, her left side. That cut thigh throws off her balance.

Alex's next attack was surgical precision to the vulnerable spot. Her hilt met Va's hilt and wrapped itself around it. The blades clanged against each other, but Va's leg was off balance. Alex flipped her blade up and cut through Va's neck. The only sound was the clang of metal followed by the dull thud of Va falling to the ground, dead. Alex wasn't strong enough to decapitate her, but the job was done.

I dislike executioner style, but that's what it was. I didn't want to be an executioner, only a liberator, but I was forced into the role.

***

A/N

Enough action and detail?

Dedicated to  loyal reader

Angel_Eyes1514