His Human Possession (Zandian Masters 8)

“That’s for human females,” Lady Taramina called over her shoulder.

“Wait, Paal.” Erick caught his mate around the waist. “Please, go with Paal.”

“Not on your life,” she gritted.

Erick growled, but conceded, waving Paal on with his other two charges.

The pod shook and tipped again. The Zandian infant screamed louder and Lamira pressed his tiny head to her breast, making soothing noises. They ran through the corridors, picking up Bayla from Dr. Daneth. Eslyn, the other Zandian female on the pod, and her four young were being lifted through a busted door that looked like one of her mates—probably Granit—had smashed open with his fists.

“Bring them to the crystal bath—Prince Zander’s orders,” he barked to Damon, another of her mates.

“Right behind you.”

Paal used the manual release to jam the door to the crystal bath halfway open. Leti took the infant from Lamira’s arms so the princess could squeeze through, then handed him in.

Paal eased Bayla and Leti through next, then followed to allow Granit, Laake and Damon to secure their own female and her young.

“One of us should stay to guard them,” Damon said. “What were your orders?”

“To get all females and young in here.” Paal looking around. “Who are we missing besides Lady Taramina?”

“My mother,” Princess Lamira said.

Veck. Master Seke’s mate, Leora. “I’ll go for her.”

“I’ll stay,” Granit said.

“Thank you.” Years of training with these warriors made it easy to negotiate in the moment of crisis.

Paal and Damon left the large, circular chamber at the center of the pod, dragging the door closed behind them.

He cast one last glance back at his little female and found her wide brown eyes on him. “You’ll be safe here,” he promised.

Stars, make it true.

Because leaving Leti felt like leaving a limb behind.

Leti dragged shaking fingers through her tangled hair and gravitated to Bayla’s side, since she was the only being she knew.

They were under attack. That much frightened her. But even more terrifying was the notion that Paal—one of the prince’s warriors—may never return.

No, she couldn’t think that way. Paal had a gift for operating under turmoil. She’d witnessed it when he rescued her on Jujo, and she saw it now. His movements were quick and efficient, his manner alert and assured. He had the training and the background to thrive in these situations. He would take care of himself.

The constant buzz of a comms unit came from the huge warrior standing guard at the door. She couldn’t hear everything—just terse fragments about fighter ships and engineering teams. The pod continued to shake and shudder as if it might collapse at any moment.

“You’re Leti, Mina’s friend,” the prince’s mate said, coming to stand close to her and Bayla. She bounced her knees and rocked the wailing baby.

“Yes… my lady?” She wasn’t quite sure how to address a fellow human, who in any other realm would be a slave just like her.

“Lamira is fine unless we’re in court. They’re very formal there.”

She tried not to gawk at the beautiful young mother. A million questions flitted through her head about how she’d come to mate the prince and gain her freedom, but now was not the time. Instead, she asked an inane question. “What is this place?” The room was circular with a domed ceiling. In the center of the ceiling a giant crystal had been embedded.

“It’s the crystal bath,” Lamira explained. “Zandians only eat once a week but they require regeneration from sunlight or Zandian crystal. Normally it would be too bright for our human eyes, but since it’s night, we’re safe. This room utilizes both. Zandians located all over the galaxy trek here to use this room on visitor’s day. If they don’t recharge, they grow weak or their growth is stunted.”

She kicked herself for not knowing such basic facts about her new master's species. She'd been holed up sexing him without even fully understanding their situation.

"Who is attacking us?" She'd better start with basic facts.