Page 48 of Golden Darkness
Yerao paled. “She is really your mate? I thought Neebath was teasing me.”
“She really is my mate, and she has experienced more pain because of her interaction with me.” He looked at the man he had trusted. “So, if you can repair each item that was in her luggage, including the seventy-five gold strands that are part of her formal greeting costume, you might be able to remain at the stronghold. If not, you will need to retire.”
Pet swayed against him and then fell asleep against his neck.
Yerao swallowed. “I will recover her possessions, but I don’t know how to repair the crystal. I truly thought she was just another female.”
“If you spoke with her, you would know she wasn’t.” He sighed. “She needs new clothing. You can have the fit from the clothing that was wrecked.”
Yerao swallowed. “Is she breeding?”
“Not yet. She is not whole yet. Soon though. I can feel her heat starting.”
Pet raised a little fist and thumped him in the chest. “Stop sniffing me, Kethen.”
Yerao’s eyes widened. “I thought she was asleep.”
Kethen chuckled. “No, but she isn’t too far. She hears one of my frequencies, and it relaxes her.”
Yerao bowed. “I will clear out the women’s quarters. I am sorry for the miscommunication, Lady.”
Pet lifted her left hand and extended her central finger.
Kethen sighed. “She is displeased with you. I will bring her to my quarters and see her settled, then deal with a few of these items like the transport schedules to the station.”
Pet raised her head. “Transport?”
He chuckled. “Can’t get you to stay under today, right?”
She shrugged. “I am waiting for the claw marks to heal.”
Kethen looked at her. “Your shoulders are healing well.”
“That wasn’t where they got their claws in. They tried to destroy your marks.”
He frowned and ran his hand up her inner thigh. His eyes widened when he felt the slowly healing gouges over his favourite eating spot.
“Yeah, no snack for you tonight. The healed areas are really delicate.”
He growled, and it wasn’t the sexy growl.
She put her head down on his shoulder, and he walked back the way she had come. Her blood marked the floor every ten feet or so. The growl got louder. She had smelled wounded, so he hadn’t considered that she had run while bleeding.
He walked past the guards and slammed the door open with his foot. He stepped inside and laughed. The women were being tended to by medical. Broken noses, smashed fingers, and what looked to be two dislocated arms.
“Pet, you defended yourself honourably.”
She grunted. “I didn’t really want to hurt them.”
“Well done, Pet.”
One of the women, getting her nose set, tried to bow. “Overlord. That new beast is a savage.”
Kethen looked at her. “My mate defended herself, and I am aware of the marks you have left on your lady’s flesh. Normally, that would get you a death sentence, but she defended herself and is healing, so you six will simply be removed from the surface to find your own destiny in the stars. Of course, you are going to have a debt owing for that crystal you shattered. It was the last connection from her world, and the cost is four hundred thousand credits. When you work off your debt, you can leave the station.”
The women stared at the box where the crystal lay in pieces.
“We didn’t know, Overlord.” Another woman pulled away from the medics to bow her head to the floor.