Instinctual (Rise of the Iliri, #2)

by Auryn Hadley

Until she came.

one female

There used to be more, until Unav fell. Multiple Ks battling at different causes.

scent,

pride

humans fell from the stars.

They decided to use us instead.

Our species learned to submit.

Thinking of her "big brother" made her smile. "Zep's kinda special."

"Dru grae

You know?

"Mm," he said, kissing her neck. "I know. It looks good on you though. Leading." "Looks better on you, sir." She leaned into his touch.

Sal watched a young man, not much more than a boy, slink toward them. His hair was so pale blonde it was nearly silver. His charcoal eyes glanced around, showing the slit pupil.

Is that why you were always keeping an eye on me, back in my trials? He glanced at her quickly, then carefully looked back to the men below. Na. We all knew ya would na be a problem. Did na realize ya knew 'bout that. You were always there, she pointed out. Every time I needed you, and a few when I didn't – but could have.

That one, he said, is what ya will learn first. His face showed no expression, but he held her gaze easily. What does it mean? It's yer name, kitten. It was written over his heart.

that didn't stop her from feeling that her partner was the man who understood her best.

Green means life,

purple, which is passion.

"What is white?" "Love." "Black?" "Death." "Red?" "Anger."

The ink of her name was a deep, dark blue with a faint white line edging each swirl and point. "What is blue?" "Faith or hope." He watched her face, his head tilting slowly to the side. "Should I explain ta ya why yer in blue?"

"Ok, so what does this have to do with me?" Cyno looked at her quickly, then glanced away, embarrassment on his face. "Remember when I took yer papers, how I would na touch ya?" "Yeah," Sal said. "Kinda pissed me off." "Yeh. But it's cause I smelled ya." He inhaled, breathing in her scent, and looked up with his indigo eyes. "Ya smell like hope, ya know? It scares me, but I can na get enough of it. It pulls at me, and if ya ask, I'll do it. Does na matter what it is. Ya were an applicant, and I knew when I smelled ya."

"What is it you all want from me?" His eyes dropped to the book on the table, then back to her. "That's a very simple question, but the answer is na so easy." "Try?" "We hope ya change the world." Her hands trembled as she brought them to her face. "I'm just a slave," she whispered. "No," Cyno said, working hard to pronounce the word. "No. Ya were a slave, ya are a kaisae, ya will be a Kaisae. The kind with a capital letter. The kind my people write in silver. Yer somethan' special, Sal, whether ya like it or na."

"I swear ta ya, kitten. I will never leave ya. Even if ya send me away, I will na leave ya. I can na."

"No, sweetness, I made a mess of it. You were right. I promised you that I'd stop trying to be human, right?

You stealing my girl? Blaec teased.

More than you can understand,

"Ya lie. Ya say ya can na know, but ya do." He tapped Zep's chest. "She has ya. Ya may be Ace, but she has ya."

"Ya might be more iliri than ya know. Come on. I haf books."

but her large eyes were a very yellow-green.

"Il bax genause,"

IL Bax Gan... You earned my soul/fate/destiny

"I don't know if any of you realized this," Razor said, bringing their eyes back to him. "Look around. Just stop for a second and look around. The harder they push, the better things are for us."

She watched, intrigued by the way his dark skin glistened in the midday heat, wondering if it made him hotter in the sun, but he seemed to ignore it.

Geoni grabbed his weapons and moved to follow Zep, but he glanced back at her after only a few steps. Sal was smiling.

"I'll match that," Cyno said softly, "but I'm bettin' on Sal." "Sorry, man," Zep told Blaec. "Ten on Sal for me."

"Bite me again, baby," she said, clutching her stomach in her mirth. "I mean, sir!"

"An army bowing to her, you on her left, me on her right, the Blades behind her. It came with the feeling that the emperor was scared."

"Never really understood the iliri habit of thanking fate before," Blaec said. "Then she happened. She's right. I've been too human. I think the world is trying to tell me something."

"Learn how ta kiss a woman then. It is na somethan ya rush."

I don't trust Trax."

"And Devil Dogs?" Sal persisted. "They're good," Arctic said. "Twenty-five men, two squads. Alpha is offense, bravo is defense, but they can change roles if necessary." "They're almost iliri good, Sal," Blaec told her. "I've known their leader a long time. He was in the Blades about eight years ago."

"Where's the fourth load and why didn't Toth tell you about it?"

"What-fucking-ever. I'll be saluting you soon enough.

Send Cyno, myself, and Razor in on foot to hit them at the edges.

For a moment, they danced, his mind caressing hers with each kill, his body bending around her seamlessly. Razor joined them, his double-bladed staff whirling a bloody counterpoint to their rhythm until there was no one left standing.

Save him! she screamed into Zep's head, recognizing Blaz.

He turned back to Sal and leaned over, pulling her against his chest in a tight hug, unconcerned about the blood covering her. "

"And?" Zep persisted. "Zep's jealous," Shift said, running his hands across Rax.

"You can really smell that?" Zep asked her, a worried look on his face.

"Yes," she said. "We all can. Zep, if all I had left of Blaec was a horse, what would you do? If Blaec died, and all I had was Scorch, and Scorch was laying there dying?

"Demon, you've come a long way, you know that?" "What do you mean?" "I remember when you would have questioned yourself. LT's not even pissed that you took over today."

Everything about him made her feel right.

"When I'm scared, I want to be with you. When we fight, I look to you to cover my back. I like it when you smile. I want to be the reason you smile, you know?"