Right outta the gate, Khazmine's takes no sass from anyone. Here's Chapter One's opening paragraphs:
A mouthful of crimson spit stained the dried cobblestones in front of her as the stricken youth shambled to her feet in the disused alleyway. She licked the split lip and examined the blotchy pale lilac skin with a bare hand before bracing herself for another attack. She'd been taken by surprise moments before and refused to receive additional blows.
âGive us your d*mned money, you lowlife freak!â A brash, roguish human with patchy black stubble demanded compliance from the pummeled Outsider. âHand it over!â
Another bloody mass of saliva splattered as it landed, this time, all over the abrasive humanâs flushed cheek. The offending liquid dripped down onto his posh, fitted velvet clothing that marked him as a teenaged lout of some local importance. It was clear that this spoiled brat had no real need for her money and was simply looking for a way to exert power over others and alleviate his boredom. And there was nothing more repulsive than a bored noblemanâs son preying on the weak and downtrodden.
The young master swiped the warm spit away with a disbelieving hand as his erstwhile victim grinned with untethered malice from ear to ear. Her wicked, white smile was a sharp contrast to her raven black hair and other attractive, frightening features. She had an animalistic ferocity from her long, pointed ears to her glacier-blue stare that bore into her aggressor as he advanced. A brief flicker of timidity flashed on the brutish youthâs face as he swallowed hard and collected his wits to deliver another blow.
âHow dare you!â The human raised his arm to prepare a backhanded slap for such insolence from the Outsider. âYou begged for this, you wretchedââ
His arm caught helplessly in the Outsiderâs fiendish grasp as the lilac-skinned youth blocked the telegraphed attack. She deployed sharp, angry fingernails that dug ruthlessly into the tender flesh between his forearm bones, which elicited cries of pain from the unprepared assailant. His desperate pleas brought a pair of armored bodyguards to shuffle in from the exposed street. Their armor jingled and clinked with rhythmic, metallic beats to announce their arrival.
âGuards! Destroy her!â The young master pleaded more than commanded. The razor-sharp nails dug deeper into his flesh and the Outsider growled just audibly enough for him to overhear. âAre your ears merely for decoration? Destroy her!â
âBut sire, your arm!â One guard pointed while the other reached tentatively for his sword at his side. Warm liquid dribbled down the length of the loutâs raised forearm, and he winced as his captor leaned in closer to speak. The Outsiderâs warm breaths sent a shiver down his neck and arms, raising goosebumps as he trembled in a combination of fear and rage.
âAll I want is to leave peacefully.â A silky, melodic whisper echoed in his rosy ear. Under different circumstances, such a voice would have been pleasing to the young master, but now, its music was torturously cruel. âPermit my safe retreat, or I swear by the twin suns, I shall rend your worthless arm out of its socket.â
The brazen fool strained against the Outsiderâs grasp and tried to free himself from her pincer-like grapple. She simply squeezed harder and allowed her prisoner to drop to his knees in discomfort. The Outsider stooped low to keep her lips close to the young masterâs ear.
âDo you understand me?â The Outsiderâs voice hardened as her resentment mounted. This young man was, in fact, quite stupid, but surely not foolish enough to risk his own life over a mere back-alley brawl. âYouâre in The Dregs. This far from a healerâs hovel with such an injury spells certain death for you, whelp.â
And here's the link, if you wanna read further: