Gren crossed his arms over his chest and stared a hole through Sernal’s head. All the peace he’d felt under the thraia’s hands disappeared as a familiar tension returned to his body.
Sernal must have sensed the strain for he straightened, no longer at ease but now on edge, ready to spring into action if necessary. Gren had to hand it to the Mardu. He was a pain in the ass, but a dangerous pain in the ass.
Even so, Gren didn’t bow to anyone, not anymore. "I dare you to order me to do anything," he said pleasantly, hoping Sernal would lose his cool so Gren could legitimately toss him out of his room.
Suddenly, the door to Gren’s room flew open and a woman entered in a huff, followed closely by Rafe of Mardu.
"What the hell?" Gren’s anger grew as more unwanted guests intruded on his vacation.
"For Narok’s sake, Sernal, just order him to assist us and be done with it," the woman said, disgust in her voice as she eyed Gren. "It’s not as if we don’t have enough to worry about with begging for this drun’s help."
Gren had to blink at the vision standing before him. He gathered his focus, immediately wary at the strong effect she had on him. He subtly looked to Sernal, wondering if the beauty was part of some plot to snag Gren into helping. But Sernal didn’t look pleased at the interruption. He glared at his brother. Rafe shrugged helplessly.
"She distracted me and before I knew it, she was busting in."
The woman glared at Rafe over her shoulder. "If you let a little thing like breasts distract you from your mission, you need remedial training."
Rafe glared back at the icy beauty, but before he could say anything, Gren began to laugh. For the first time since he could remember, a woman responded to the Mardu brothers with scorn rather than passion.
All eyes swung to him as he continued to chuckle. Rafe swore. Sernal closed his eyes, seeming to pray for patience. The woman, however, seethed with resentment. He could almost feel her animosity pulsing around her as she glowered at him.
"She does have a point, Rafe." Gren grinned and fell into a plush oversized chair. The woman’s attitude amused him, but he decided to needle her for her earlier insult. "But honey, those breasts you’re carrying are enough to drive a man crazy."
The woman stiffened her spine and narrowed her eyes, like an angry she-wolf prepared to attack. The combination of long, silken blond hair and unique purple-gray eyes drew his gaze like a magnet. And her tempting body, long, lean and full of womanly curves, made him contemplate luring her for sex, something he hadn’t done in a long time. Women came to Gren of their own free will. He hadn’t needed to coerce a woman to his bed since, well, since Mara over a year ago. And that had been for mission’s sake.
Sernal spoke before the prickly woman could reply. "Gren, I’d like you to meet Temis Freya. She’s one of my top peacemakers. Rafe you already know."
"Peacemaker?" Gren ignored Rafe to study Temis. "She looks more like a pleasurerer. Though her attitude needs work."
The first word out of Temis’s mouth was a curse, impressive for it’s creativity. Sernal shot her a sharp look that immediately stilled her clever if barbed tongue. "We’ve been working on her attitude. It seems we’ve still a long road ahead of us." Her glare subsided at Sernal’s rebuke.
Interesting.
"I’m sorry Temis interrupted us, but she has a point. We’re running out of time and we need you now."
Gren glanced over his shoulder to the balcony. A raptor flew over the sea, snagging a mraun fish from the water. That reminded him he had yet to eat.
Then he wondered if the missing woman were being fed. Were their captors abusing them while he lounged in his overpriced suite? And how did Sernal expect him to relax when images of tortured women began appearing in his mind? The damned peacemaker knew a Thesha couldn’t abide harm done to a woman. Damn him.
"You’re going to owe me big for this," he growled at Sernal.
Sernal visibly relaxed. "Thank Flor you’ve come to your senses," he praised. "I’ll find us transportation to the ship while Rafe fills you in on the basic scheme of things. For the most part it’s like every other undercover mission you’ve worked."
"For the most part?" Gren’s left brow rose, in both curiosity and command.
"This mission you’re not flying solo. Temis will be with you every step of the way."
The Thief of Mardu Page 14