Her Mate and Master (Zandian Masters 6)

“Verify coordinates,” her father barked. Tomis replied with a series of numbers. “I have you in sight. We’ll take care of your pursuers. Meet at the air base.”

“Yes, Master.”

More laser fire whizzed by, and an explosion of light and fire lit up one of the side windows.

Three more explosions followed in short order, but Tomis flew straight and smooth, giving her stomach a chance to settle.

They’d made it. Now he was taking her to the Zandian air base. Would she meet her father? Did she want to?

A knot tightened in her solar plexus. Once she was there, it would be harder to leave. Her father would want to reclaim her. The prince would want to make decisions about her life. While she no longer feared them or believed their intentions malevolent, she also wasn’t ready to be claimed.

Look at poor Eslyn, controlled by three males for her entire life.

Was that what she wanted to happen to her? She’d just ended her lifetime of servitude with Thurn. In fact, she’d like to go back and shove a boot down his throat.

Yes, that wasn’t a bad plan. Get some closure with Thurn and give her a chance to think about what she wanted. If she chose to go meet her father and Prince Zander, it would be on her own terms, not being brought in as an “asset.”

Chapter Seven

Tomis landed the ship in the dock of the training pod where Zander kept his fleet of airships and his human army. He would have much preferred bringing Talia and Eslyn straight to the palatial pod, with its beauty and luxury. Give them a taste of the life Zander would probably offer them to stay.

The training pod—a former Ocretion death pod—was stark in comparison. Though Zander sent regular supplies, they’d been scrambling to provide for the sudden acquisition of the nearly two hundred humans who’d been slated for death when the pod was overtaken. There weren’t enough beds or chambers for every being, though they’d distributed sleeping mats and blankets and provided food for the humans, who required constant sustenance.

No, he didn’t like bringing the females and young here. It might frighten them. He’d overheard Talia’s conversation with Eslyn, and he needed to get her alone, to correct her misconception and make sure she understood just how much he wanted her.

How could she believe that?

Just because he served his prince and species first, didn’t mean he wouldn’t kill or die for her in a heartbeat. Just because honor required he present her to her father and his prince didn’t mean he didn’t wish to take her straight to his chamber and pierce her with every bit of crystal his life savings would afford him.

He needed to be sure she understood. He unbuckled his harness and helped the females release the young.

The hatch slid open, and guards entered, hands on the hilts of their swords, though he’d been expected.

“Take those three to a prison cell until their fates can be determined.” He jerked his thumb at the males who had come back to consciousness during the journey and now displayed varying degrees of anger and fear.

Rok, the captain of the training pod, met them on the dock, his lovely human mate, Lily, at his side. “You found her—them.” His eyes traveled between Eslyn and Talia, taking in the young. Lily immediately engaged the young in conversation.

Rok correctly chose Talia and gave a slight bow. “Talia. Well met. I’m Rok. We escaped together as children. Our ship was shot down on Stornig.”

Talia swallowed. Tomis moved to her side, wanting to draw her against him and lend her support, but she scuttled away.

It was a subtle movement, but it made the back of his neck prickle with foreboding. Veck, he needed to get her alone. To explain. Help her understand.

“I’m sorry, I don’t remember. I don’t remember much before Stornig.”

A buzzer sounded, signaling the approach of another ship for landing. “We need to get inside before they depressurize. Come, all of you.” Rok waved them inside.

Lily took charge of the females and young, ushering them off down the corridor before Tomis could stop them.

“All your reinforcements are returning intact.” Rok dragged his focus back to the mission. “This should be them now. Lundric, Cambry, Tal, Seke, Jaso, and Janu all piloted.” He named their chief of security and his human female, her human brother, Talia’s father, and Rok’s two Stornigian foster brothers.

“I really should see to the females,” he said, staring down the now-empty corridor in the direction Talia had gone.

Rok’s eyebrows drew together in a what-the-veck’s-wrong-with you expression. “Lily will see to their needs. Master Seke and I need a full debrief now.

Right. A full debrief.

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