The Serpents of Viksenti [Reverse Harem]

Chapter 8

     Rhynn led me patiently through the Viksenti Serpents headquarters. We stopped at the technology department, where a redheaded nymph gave me a new phone, tablet, and computer.

     "I'm Aya," the nymph said with a grin. "Anything you need, come find me. And if you ever need a break from the Six, I'm here. Cocktail nights are Fridays at four." Aya shifted on her feet with a kind of restless energy that made me smile.

     "Pleasure to meet you. And I might take you up on that," I returned the nymph's eager grin.

     Rhynn cleared his throat at the door, and I followed him out.

     As he led me through more offices and meeting rooms, Rhynn spoke in a low voice. "I'm in charge of security. Everywhere you go is my business. Since we're all living in the same quarters, you're guaranteed safety with the Six. But one of us will always need to be where you are. No ifs, ands, or buts."

     "That's fine," I muttered. I had a feeling I would be far safer with Rhynn in charge of security. But whether or not he would protect me from his own friends was another question entirely.

     Rhynn seemed surprised at my compliance, but continued. "We'll go to my department next, and I'll need to get you screened for a tracker. A quick measurement, and then you'll be good to go. We need to get it in as soon as possible, as per Zephyr's request, so we'll aim to have it done by four."

     I shuddered at the thought of getting a tracker, but again, didn't protest.

     Rhynn frowned, his eyes narrowing. "Listen, whatever happened earlier-"

     "Save it, please." I walked faster than Rhynn as we approached the security department. "I'll get it together. Thank you for helping me, but I can assure you, what happened earlier won't happen again."

     "How do you know it won't happen again?"

     "I'll figure it out."

     "If you ever want to talk about it, I-"

     "Like I said before, save it," I said lowly. "Just leave me alone."

     Better to distance myself from these males than to get any closer to them than I had to. I would never repeat the same mistakes that happened with Vik.

     Never again.

     Rhynn didn't say a word, but ushered me into a massive room where about two dozen people moved between large monitors and computer stations, where footage from different places in Viksenti was being broadcasted.

     "Just security?" I asked doubtfully.

     "Well... security and surveillance," Rhynn admitted, "Most of the places on the screen broadcast live footage of different bases we have in Viksenti. Others are-" Rhynn glanced at me quickly before turning back towards the monitors, "Let's just say competitors, for now."

     I watched as people moved around the room, jumping from task to task. A set of stairs let upwards towards a glass-encased room containing a massive array of weapons. On the same floor was a similar room filled with tactical gear and clothing.

      Everyone in the expansive space was decked out in all-black, all of them wearing the standard Serpent jacket. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that they each had an extra insignia in the right hand corner. An embroidered circle with the head of a fanged snake.

     A dark-skinned, wiry looking man stepped towards Rhynn and I, giving a quick nod of deference in Rhynn's direction. His hair was just starting to shift from grey to white.

     "I'm Sarlan. If you'll follow me, I'll just need to measure you for the tracker." The man's voice was raspy with age.

     I followed him across the room through yet another set of doors. This room contained an absolutely massive monitor with a map of Viksenti. On it were hundreds of tiny dots with different colours. Some of them were blinking red, others were moving.

     "Is that-" I started.

     "Yes, it's a map of all our currently-tracked Serpents," Rhynn acknowledged from the doorway. "Only the highest ranking members get tracked."

     "Good to know," I muttered as Sarlan readied a chair for me and rolled a cart of instruments over. He gestured for me to sit, and my heart rate picked up. I eyed a large set of metal instruments that reminded me too much of the tools that Vik's men used to rip my wings out. It took a considerable effort for me to push the thought from my head.

     "I'm just going to take some quick measurements," Sarlan commented as he pulled out a tape measure. "And if it's all the same, Rhynn, I have the tracker ready to go. We can do it here and now, if I estimated the size correctly."

     Rhynn shrugged. "Up to you, Ikaria. It's a quick process, and you'll barely feel a thing."

     I turned to Sarlan. "It's happening whether I like it or not, so I might as well get it over with."

     Sarlan nodded and began his process. I removed my shirt so that he could find a suitable space at my back. He paused at the area where my wings were beginning to grow. "I'll make sure to leave ample space here as they grow," the man commented, picking a spot lower on my back. I couldn't help the relief that flooded my senses. The unspoken fear that perhaps a tracker could impede the growth of my wings.

     "Alright," Sarlan finally announced, "If you'll follow me, I have a bed ready for the insertion."

     I did as Sarlan said, and lay face down on a cot that reminded me of a hospital bed.

     "I'll just place some numbing gel on a spot on your lower back. It will be here-" Sarlan placed the pads of his fingers on a spot on my lower left back, "And if you feel any pain or discomfort, let me know. If we need to, I can inject you with something to put you under."

     "That won't be necessary," I commented dryly, "I'm used to pain." I didn't dare look in Rhynn's direction, where I knew he would be scowling. I felt Sarlan begin applying a cold gel to my back. Wherever it went, numbness followed.

     "What do you Shift into?" I turned my head towards Rhynn. Anything to distract from the unsavoury process of having a tracker shoved into my body.

     Rhynn seemed surprised, but gave me a sly smile. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

     "Yes," I retorted. "It would be helpful to know what I might be training alongside in a few days."

     "'A few days?'" Rhynn repeated with a scoff. "Bold of you to assume you'll be able to train with me in such a short time. You likely won't be training with my Shifted form for quite a while."

     "Well that's bold of you, to assume so little of my abilities," I returned with a cool grin. His eyes glittered in response. I suppose Steele didn't tell Rhynn and Shane about our little  adventures in the training ring.

     "I'm about to begin," Sarlan warned from where he was positioned above me, "So please don't move. Even the slightest shift can damage the nerves."

     "Okay." I tried not to think about what I imagined would be a knife digging into my skin.

     "You're right," Rhynn continued a little closer than where he stood before, "It would be bold of me to assume your abilities. But I didn't say jack shit about them. All I said," Rhynn taunted, "Was that I didn't think you'd be training alongside my Shifted form. You didn't ask me why."

     I just stared at the shifter. "Well? Why can't I train with you in your Shifted form?"

     Rhynn just grinned as I felt the sting of a tracker being shot into my back. "Because you destroyed the only training room my Shifted form can fit into."