Read Asarlai Wars 1: Warrior Wench for Free Online

flared around him, as red and violent as a discharge from a blaster, shredding her from the inside. New swear words were invented when he finally realized what the poison was. He hadn’t seen that class of poison since Vas’s great grandparents’ lifetime, and he had hoped to keep it that way.
    He could count the number of breaths Vas had left. He psychically grabbed hold of the poison and tried to drag it out of her. Instead of freeing her, the red of the poison flared brighter, tightening its hold on her heart. He dug deeper inside himself, pulling in reserves far beyond his normal ability. A new pounding echoed in his head—that of his own heart fighting to keep beating. He couldn’t keep working at this level much longer.
    He fought the darkness swallowing his mind, and pushed at the deadly poison one more time. He almost wept when it released her heart. Vas lost consciousness and an instant later the darkness claimed Deven as well.
    ***
    “So we found you two collapsed over each other in the desert. Next time you and the captain decide to go on a bender, you might want to stay where folks can find you. Just luck we picked up a signal from the captain’s comm.” The voice was nearby and loud. Too loud.
    Vas groaned as the voices slammed into her skull like tiny little Arelian throwing darts. Why did every pore of her being feel like it had been blown apart and put back together by a blind man? More specifically, a one-armed blind man having a bad day?
    “Gosta? Report.” She didn’t need to open her eyes to know it had been her Navigation Command officer speaking.
    “Two hours ago, Fron and Hrrru picked up your comm signal and went to investigate. They found both of you out cold but with no marks. We carried the two of you here into Terel’s lab in the compound, set up cots, and tried to figure out what you’d done this time. Deven woke up a few minutes ago.” Gosta paused and his voice dropped. “He is very heavy to carry, Captain.”
    Vas chuckled at Gosta’s observation and winced when a ripple of pain shot through her body. “Ow. Don’t make me laugh. Any of you.” She cracked open an eye and peered up at Gosta’s gangly body. The small upper body of his Syngerin ancestors appeared precariously balanced on his almost human lower half. It left him appearing constantly leaning forward. Syngerins reminded Vas of very large walking stick insects, however, she was very careful never to let her opinion come out. Besides, she’d always been fond of bugs; they were the only kind of pets available on her home world.
    Shifting her glance to the man in the bed across the large room, Vas let a few swear words sputter silently. If she felt this bad, Deven should at least look winded. Instead he looked like he’d been lounging in a spa. God damn that man.
    “I only remember pain.” A chill took hold of her at the flash of memory that hit, but it didn’t fill in any of the gaps.
    Deven didn’t answer, but nodded toward the low-ranking officers lingering in the doorway. Whatever he had to say, he didn’t want it to go out to the rest of their crew.
    Vas motioned for Gosta to lean closer. “Clear the doorway and post a guard in the hall. You and Terel can stay.” Vas glanced past Gosta toward Terel. By the tiny lines that creased the medical officer’s forehead and the narrowing of her molten silver eyes, Terel would probably knock down anyone who tried to make her leave her patients’ sides. Having a best friend who was so protective was a good thing, but having ones’ doctor be that protective could be a bit much at times.
    Gosta nodded and motioned toward Xsit who leaned in the doorway. The tiny birdlike woman bobbed her head at Gosta’s words, then turned toward the other junior officers. In an instant the hallway was cleared and the door secured.
    “You were poisoned.” Deven swung out of his bed, waving Terel’s muttered protests aside as he did so. “I tried to draw the poison out too fast