Terri scowled. “You got coordinates and still tried to double-cross us. I think walking out alive is reward enough.”
The male shook his head, an approving look lighting his eyes as he glanced toward Veral. “I see why you have kept her as your mate. She is stronger than she appears.”
Veral’s eyes met hers, his lips curving with affection. “She is everything.”
Epilogue
It took them little effort to capture the pirates who’d been left on their ship. Since he had taken good care of Krono despite his attempts to chew and claw his way through the door, Veral decided to be merciful, with little urging from Terri. The Blaithari, a younger male among the crew, had no problem swearing loyalty to Azan. Kaylar had long since left with both pirates, leaving Veral and Terri to make preparations to leave the planet far behind them.
She wasn’t sorry to see the planet shrinking in the distance as their ship left the stratosphere. She couldn’t help the edge of worry as they drew up parallel to the pirate ship, but as promised, the pirate ship remained inactive, Kaylar’s ship still attached to it. She wondered how much success Azan was having with the crew.
She smiled with a sudden bubble of mirth. Azan could be quite persuasive when she wanted to be.
The viewscreen flickered with the coordinates as Veral input them through his link. As soon as they locked, the ship turned away from the planet, the engines firing into primary drive.
Terri returned her attention to placing the last of the jewels in the storage case that Veral brought out for her. Krono’s heavy head rested on her feet as she worked.
She frowned as she scraped the bottom of the empty bag. Something was missing. What happened to the blood red jewel? She began to pat her storage compartments in her armor. Maybe she had placed it in there by mistake.
A chime sounded through the ship, startling her from her task.
“Incoming transmission from the pirate ship…Lady’s Glory,” he added, a quizzical note to his voice.
Terri chuckled. “See? I told you that ships have names. It sure didn’t take Azan long to place her own brand on it.”
“So it seems,” Veral replied as he put the message through.
Azan’s grinning face filled the viewscreen a moment later.
“I see that you are well on your way. You will be pleased to note that I have successfully taken captainship ofLady’s Gloryand your Kaylar is disembarking. I wanted to thank you again and wish you safe journeys.”
“What of Garswal?”
A fond look came over the pirate. “Ah, him. There is hope for that small male, and I find I cannot bear to part with him, so he will remain at my side. I will care for him and teach him to be a better male than his sire and most of the males on this ship. Do not worry for him.”
“I am relieved to hear it. Safe journeys to you as well,” Terri returned. “Try not to get into too much trouble.”
“Only if the price is right and the moment opportune,” Azan returned with a chuckle. “But only after the ship has had some overhauls. Which reminds me, thank you for your contribution to the efforts.”
“Contribution…?” Terri asked, a frown of confusion wrinkling her brow. Veral chuffed with laughter, but she didn’t get it.
Azan tossed a large, brilliant red gemstone in her hand. “I am afraid I could not let you leave with it—not when the ship requires considerable work.”
Terri’s mouth dropped open. She hadn’t even seen the pirate take it. “Wait one damn minute…”
“Sorry, sweet little human. I do like you, but I am still a pirate, after all. Farewell!” Azan gave her a small salute as the screen blipped off.
In the viewscreen, she watched as the pirate ship’s engines flared to life, the ship retreating as Kaylar’s ship moved in a different direction, on his own way to Earth.
Terri shook her head, her shock fading into amusement. Sitting back in her chair, she locked the chest and shrugged. “I guess I should have expected that. Maybe I am still a naïve, weak human.”
“Indeed, you should have expected nothing less,” her mate replied, his eyes shining at her with warmth. Slowly, he got up from his chair and walked over, stopping in front of her. Leaning down, he plucked the box from her lap and set it aside as he drew her to her feet in front of him. “But you are anything but weak. You have shown great strength and an ability to protect yourself, especially now armed with a symbiont that will ensure your protection. Even without it, I should have known that you would be able to face anything that the cosmos sets before you. I admire and adore you. I was wrongly overprotective.”
“You see that, finally, do you?” she asked with a small smile, her body leaning into his. “For the record, I actually like that you’re protective and territorial. Just do it with me at your side rather than hidden away like I’m too fragile to trust to be with you.”
“I shall. We are united in this together, for the rest of our span of life.”
“Nothing sounds better to me. And what of your people? We got rid of Kaylar easily enough. What if they send someone we can’t handle?”
Veral’s expression hardened. “The council would be unwise to send anyone else, but if they do, then we will take the fight to them. Until that happens, however, we will continue to just live.”
“That doesn’t sound highly logical,” she teased.
“Perhaps not, but I have discovered that life with a human is not always logical… and yet it is surprisingly full and rewarding. This is a life I never could have imagined, but one I will never let go.” His breath feathered against her skin, and as the final words left him, he lifted her into his arms and carried her from the bridge.
Life wasn’t like one of the storybooks, but as he carried her to their room, Terri decided she was looking forward to her own sort of happily ever after.