His Human Vessel (Zandian Masters 5)

“Yes, Master,” she murmured.

Except she hadn’t been a good girl. She’d been a very, very bad girl.

Chapter Seven

If it hadn’t been for Bayla shining like the brightest star, he wouldn’t have been able to contain his foul mood. His failure to successfully implant the embryo weighed on him, heavier than an airship. But no matter how many times he reviewed the protocol, he couldn’t find his error. Somehow, for some reason, Bayla’s body had rejected the embryo. But why? His program had chosen her as the best possible vessel.

Hell, she practically screamed fertility. Those wide hips and ample breasts mimicked her big eyes and lush mouth. She probably had birthed her previous young in her sleep. He’d had no worries for how she’d carry through the pregnancy or how her birth would go.

Lamira, on the other hand, had always worried him. She’d been too thin to begin with, and her belly had grown too large considering she still had thirty planet rotations to go, if the young went by human gestation. If it went by Zandian, she’d have forty-five.

They were late to the table. Prince Zander and his mate were already seated at the head of the long table, joined by visitors from the training pod—Lamira’s sister, Lily, and her Zandian mate, Rok, as well as Chief of Security Lundric, and his human mate, Cambry. Leora sat with them, but her mate, Seke, the Master of Arms, was missing.

Thinking Bayla would enjoy sitting with other human females, he claimed seats near the head of the table and introduced his lovely slave to every being. She curtsied and kept her eyes lowered, saying little, but Lundric’s red-haired female immediately drew her into conversation.

For his part, he could scarcely pay attention. All he could think about was the last remaining Zandian egg.

Chef Barr and his staff brought out plate after plate heaped with food, but he had no appetite. Nor, it seemed, did Bayla, which was unusual for her. Perhaps the strange company made her nervous. He reached under the table to squeeze her hand.

“We require full surveillance of Zandia as it stands now,” Rok was saying to Prince Zander. “We cannot make plans for the invasion without an updated view of things.”

Zander frowned. “You’re suggesting I send ships into Zandian airspace?”

“Yes, my lord.”

“The moment a ship is spotted, the Finn will know we’re behind it. All these solar cycles, I’ve led them to believe I am the pitiable refugee here, happy simply to have survived. They’ve left me alone because they believe I’m no threat. If they discover we sent battleships into their airspace, we lose all element of surprise.”

“We won’t be seen,” Rok promised. Lundric nodded in agreement.

“How many ships?”

“Just one. Lundric and Cambry will fly it.”

Bayla had been listening without making her interest obvious, but the news a human female would fly a ship brought her lovely dark head up.

Cambry gave her a wink.

Zander looked to Lamira. His mate possessed extrasensory perception, the kind more common in the Venusian species. Zandian crystal had increased her ability to sense and read energy. Lamira murmured something only Zander could hear.

“Very well. Permission granted. When will you go?”

“We’ll wait for the Finn’s next scheduled trade shipment and fly in under the cover of those ships and activity. Two weeks from this planet rotation.”

Zander nodded.

Bayla still stared with seeming wonder that the human female could fly a ship. “Do you fly, too?” she asked Lily, then flushed. “Forgive me if my question is inapprop—”

“Yes, I’ve learned as well. I’m not as good as Cambry or her brother, Tal, but I love it. We have an entire human army training to take back Zandia—had you not heard?”

Bayla shook her head.

Cambry considered her. “Would you like to join?”

Daneth stiffened. “Her work is here with me.” He made his tone hard. No one was taking Bayla from him. He’d bought her. She belonged to him. Hell, she’d still chosen him when Zander set her free.

Still, a cold fist of fear gripped his trachea at the thought of her choosing to leave. If she wasn’t pregnant, he’d have no reason to insist she remain.

~.~