An unpleasant encounter at the clothing designer's shop
The door opened, admitting a pair of well-dressed Kalquorian men. They nodded pleasantly to Karan but froze when they saw Matt.
Across the room, Ileg turned from a soft blue fabric hanging he was discussing with Masok. “Ah, welcome back. I’ll be right with you—”
“You’re making clothes for humans now, Ileg?” The Dramok, whose name Matt had already forgotten, continued to stare at him. It wasn’t a nice stare. He and his companion glowered, as if they’d sighted an unpleasant bug.
“I am. I have a number of Earther clients.” Ileg’s voice had a chill in it.
Masok was at Matt’s side in an instant, his gaze fierce. “If you have an issue with my companion, Dramok, we can discuss it outside.”
The stranger gave Matt another scathing glare. “There’s nothing to discuss when it comes to parasites who siphon our resources. My clanmate and I will take our business elsewhere.”
They departed before anyone could reply. Before it shut, Matt heard the Imdiko mutter, obviously for his benefit since he spoke in English, “The infestation is everywhere.”
“I’m so very sorry about their rudeness.” Ileg and Karam converged on Matt and Masok. “Rank doesn’t indicate good breeding far too often these days. Matt, I’ll design you such beautiful clothes to apologize for their rudeness. An extra outfit, something special, at no cost.”
“You had nothing to do with it, Ileg.” Masok visibly struggled to contain his anger. “Fortunately, their kind is in the minority.”
“Fortunately,” Ileg echoed. “Their clan won’t be welcome in my shop again, Karam.”
“Absolutely, sir.” The assistant managed a tight smile for Matt. “It was delightful to meet you, and I apologize you had to encounter such ugliness in Ileg’s studio. At your next visit, I’ll be sure we have extra special refreshments for you to enjoy.”
Much of what was said drifted around Matt’s head. He kept seeing those men staring at him in an all-too-familiar disgust. Theirs had been expressions of loathing that often showed up in his nightmares.
He maintained enough sense to mumble a few pleasantries before Masok ushered him out of the shop.
“Assholes. Gurluks!” the Imdiko swore in English and Kalquorian once the door shut behind them. “I wish he had accepted my invitation to step outside. I’m no Kom, but I’ve been known to put a bastard or two in their place when the occasion called for it. Don’t worry about it, Matt. They’re not worth the clothes you’re wearing.”
His arm circled Matt’s shoulders. The faces of the hateful Dramok and Imdiko had morphed into others in his mind’s eye, and he jerked from Masok’s embrace with a cry, shoving him away.
“Don’t touch me!”
Releasing February 10, 2023. Pre-order or buy print version now:
Amazon, Amazon UK, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble, Apple, Kobo, print
His past demons have returned, and only a Kalquorian clan can save him.
Matthew Larsen should be happy.
Reunited with the Nobek he fell in love with years ago, welcomed into a clan
determined to give him a better life, he has everything he never imagined
possible. However, he’s haunted by the hellish past and certainty it will
reclaim him.
Nobek
Kom spent years searching for Matt. Their reunion and his clanmates’ acceptance
of the troubled Earther seemed to be all that stood in the way of the perfect
future. His Earther love isn’t so easily rescued, however. Even a warrior can’t
protect someone against his nightmares.
Dramok
Avir and Imdiko Masok are devoted to the beautiful Earther Kom brought home.
Loving such a gentle soul isn’t a problem. Saving him from monsters, real and
imagined, is another matter when Matt’s worst fears come true and the terrors
of the past rise once again to drag him into the abyss.
Releasing February 10, 2023. Pre-order or buy print version now:
Amazon, Amazon UK, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble, Apple, Kobo, print
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