Liorif lit up several white plasmoids that hovered in the air and all around became increasingly visible.
I drew level with the cage, from which a broad-shouldered, four-armed man covered with fur with brightly glowing eyes was looking at me... the dark blue color of his coat and the features of a brutal hairless face: high cheekbones, a strong-willed chin, a large, even nose and plump purple lips… short strands of navy coloured hair with two pairs of twisted ram horns protruded from his head.
"Are you... admiring me, Irsy?" - Ertaki growled mockingly, revealing a row of sharp blue teeth.
"I thought you were much uglier... judging by your behavior."
"Is this a compliment?" - He rushed close to the bars, grasping with a clang with the strong fingers of all his hands.
If I had only moved a few steps closer, the monster would undoubtedly have plunged its sharp claws into me.
"Take it easy on the guest... don't you dare touch him," - Liorif made an attempt to rein in his son. - This is the Inquisitor's dear husband... so don't irritate him too much... otherwise you know what will happen..."
A booming, impudent laugh rang out:
"Let Adivaris punish me then... it's worth it... Prince Irsy, won't you let me stroke your face and body?"
"Actually... no!" - I grinned. - "Your claws are terribly sharp! You scratched me hard last time..."
"Why did you come then? "- Ertaki continued to glare at me, thrusting his courageous face between the bars of the bars. - "Since my caresses are so rude to you?"
"I told you right away when we met... I just want to talk and look at one of the monsters..."
"How about having fun? You said that you didn't mind and ran away from me... A deceiver... You only teased me! You should have said your status right away and I wouldn't have touched you. Cruel prince! I wish I could put you on my lap... and lick you..."
"Stop it!" - Liorif intervened, clicking his tongue disapprovingly. - "No one is interested in your bestial caresses! You are only capable of murder... why say such nonsense?"
"Daddy... I want love with such a handsome man... Why can't I flirt with someone who came to visit me? Irsy... then you pet me!"
Apparently Ertaki liked to repeat my name... I heard it many times while I watched him under his flaming gaze. You would have thought that the monster had fallen in love with me, he began to pronounce words so tenderly, but looking at him only my hair stood on end. It was difficult to imagine him as a gently caressing animal. Such a four-armed, horned and tailed monster can only fuck and kill hard! What kind of tenderness can there be with him? Extreme sex...
I peaceably explained to him.
"I was just asked to calm you down so that you don't howl here and anger the others. And let me admit... that I was torn by curiosity about what you look like."
"How am I to you? Handsome... Mmm?"
...And what could I answer? Ertaki was not ugly at all, rather an exotic creature; apparently his father's appearance fit very well into the genes of an alien wild animal.
"Come on a date with me..." - Ertaki purred tenderly, his eyes blazing and rubbing his face on the bars. - "Let's take a walk around the city at night... let's hunt together!"
"Date?" - Liorif screamed. - "Are you crazy? Hunting cannot be considered a date!"
And I couldn't help but laugh:
"Do you have any idea what a date is? And how should one behave to start a relationship?"
"Yes... daddy told me!" — the silent monster rustled.
"Seriously?" — I turned to Liorif with a question. - What for?"
"I naively wanted to re-educate him, growing humanity in him, but this is unlikely to work... he's still just as wild and dangerous. I recently brought him to Xantari after the end of a thousand-year war, in which my son took a fair part, tearing hundreds of fierce enemies to pieces with these claws... It was quite epic: fountains of dirty burgundy blood... splashing around…
"A-ha…" — I nodded and froze in horror listening the colorful descriptions.
"And I deserve at least some kind of reward for many years of my bloody service... right, Daddy?" - Ertaki grinned.
For some reason, Liorif lost his nerve and grabbed me by the hand and dragged me to the exit under the desperate cries of his hybrid son:
"Irsy! I like you! Don't go! Talk to me! Pet me and I promise that I will be gentle…!"
The plasmoids went out and a desperate cry was heard in the darkness.
We climbed up into the midday sun, but Liorif didn't seem to want to say goodbye to me, continuing to hold my hand.
"Sorry, prince, for all this cringe... I put you through such a test in vain... you shouldn't have gone down into the dungeon... to see all this horrible things ... and what was I thinking?
"Oh, everything is fine!" — I laughed relaxedly. - "I was very curious to look at the monsters hybrids... Why were they left alive after the war if they were so dangerous? It seems to me that it is painful for them to rot in cages... why such a life? And your son is not so terrible. He told about love! This is quite impressive."
"Actually... I wanted to spend time with you!" - Liorif suddenly admitted. "And I found a reason, not really hoping for your consent... I lured you out of the house for a private conversation." There was no other possibility... Your fiancé is too powerful! He stops attempts to start a relationship with you.
- What? Do you like me too?" — I couldn't hide my surprise. - "Of course, Adivaris will not be happy about this!"
"Does he demand loyalty from you? Ha-ha... well, this is some kind of hypocrisy! Would you know..."
"No... but... am I exotic enough for you, Liorif? I see you have a special taste, you personally engage in interspecific hybridization with wild animals! Why did I attract you? Do you want a baby from me? Or because I'm polymorphic?"
"He-he... such an ability is undoubtedly eye-catching... You are an unusual person from another world. I admire you and you have a positive influence on Ertaki. I've never seen him so... in love. This is a very unusual event."
"Then let him out of the cage! Let him live in society and gradually acquire humanity... This is quite possible... I believe."
"Will you help me?"
"If only in your presence, Liorif."