“Are you going to implement the suggestion of eastern house?” she asked in a quiet voice.
He appreciated that she kept her voice very low. The topic was a sensitive one, and one that made him feel ashamed to even consider it.
“I will,” he said in a quiet, rigid voice, hoping that it would be enough to deter her.
She shifted closer yet, making him tense, but he stiffened and drew back in natural recoil as she set a hand on his forearm covered with the dark material of his shafna that concealed his body.
“If you are willing to heed more advice, this goal might be best achieved if you took up with a female of Argurumal. Keep your human to a room within the household while she prepares to birth and take a proper female into your chambers. A female to be seen with among our people,” she purred with a soft vibration of her mandibles.
His temper flaring, Veral ripped his arm away, his vibrissae hissing around him angrily. She was not incorrect, but it was beyond consideration. The female jerked back in the face of his fury, her own vibrissae rising around herself protectively. She knew that he would never harm her. Males did not harm females. But she would get the full taste of displeasure in this matter.
“You insult me and my mate,” he hissed. “You are young, but not so young that you do not know that no Argurma would betray their mate with another.”
She immediately dropped her head thirty degrees in a show of shame and submission. Her mouth tightened with obvious regret.
“My apologies, Veral’monushava’skahalur, I did not intend insult. I admit that I do not understand your bond with your alien. I did not believe that it could be as strong as it is between our species. I see now that I was mistaken in my assumption. I greatly admire you and would have been honored to have a strong male for my mate, even for a short time. I ask that you do not dismiss me for this error. It will not be repeated,” she said earnestly.
Jaw working, Veral reined in his temper and forced himself to sit back in his chair once more.
“I will speak to Terri on whether or not you are still suitable to be within my guard. As per our ways, she has authority on such things. I will not have her insulted with your presence after your offer.”
Malraha’s vibrissae wilted around her shoulders, and she stood up abruptly from where she was seated. She gave him a sharp nod with a mumble of agreement before she fled from his presence. The vacated seat was claimed by his cousin Larth. Close in age to Veral, and close as younglings, from what vids he had seen before leaving the compound in his youth, Larth was the first among his cousins that came to Veral’s mind when he assigned the head of his personal guard. The male’s lips twisted with amusement as he dropped into the chair.
“Do not be disconcerted, cousin. It was evident to me that she was going to have to be spoken to, so this situation was the perfect opening to set her straight.” The male lifted a shoulder. “It is not the first time she has set her interest on a male, but has never been so bold. No doubt she considered it logical without fully realizing the insult. She is young and eager to find a mate.
Veral huffed, his vibrissae lifting and snapping back down with impatience. “There was logic to it, I do not deny, but no Argurma would abandon his mate for logic.” He cast a speculative glance at his cousin to see the male nodding in agreement. “Am I correct to assume that everyone heard?”
“Not everyone. I overheard, and a few of the guard positioned nearest to you. You are aware that there is little concealment with Argurma enhanced hearing.”
“I find that I miss being among species that lack such abilities,” he replied.
Larth chuffed, his eyes slitting with amusement. “It is inconsequential. She will be embarrassed for a time, but no one will think less of her. Her discomfort will pass.”
“I have no concern for Malraha. Her offer was inappropriate. I do not look forward to telling Terri before word reaches her.” He paused and met his cousin’s eyes. “I ask that no one speak to her regarding the other matter. My mate is strong, but she needs that strength to carry our offspring. I do not wish for any further stress or worries to be placed upon her.”
Larth inclined his head and settled back into his seat in preparation for departure. “Understood. I will see to it that none of the guards shares anything that they heard today with anyone in the household. There will be minimal opportunity for it to get back to her.”
The silence that pervaded the flyer on their return trip guaranteed that Larth was instructing the entire guard on the tactical channel. Veral had access to it, but he had little interest in linking into it. He was beyond wearied, the separation from his mate weighing harder on him with every passing hour, compounded by the strain of his duties. He longed to take Terri and escape back into space. Without that option, he would have to settle for every moment he could steal away with his mate.
The hour was late, the sky black except for the glow of the moon and the millions of stars brightening it, when the flyer began to make its descent toward the large compound. The dark stone was a barely visible outline even in the strong lights of the flyer until they passed overhead as the craft headed toward the enormous, concealed docking area within the protective rocky hillside just behind the household. The face of the smooth, wind-worn black stone slid open, permitting entrance.
The moment they were docked, Veral hurried through the underground corridor that led to the courtyard. He could hear the guard behind him, but he did not bother to wait for them. He was eager to return to his mate. The pinch of anxiety that had burrowed within him all day did not ease until he slapped his hand on the access panel to their chambers and slipped inside. There, the sight of Terri curled up in their bed, her pale hair spilled out over their pillow beneath the moonlight coming in through the three narrow windows along the wall sent a warm rush through him.
He pulled off his shafna and draped it over one chair before stripping off his tunic and pants. His civix pushed against the pouch of his sheath, but he ignored it as he slipped into bed and drew his mate’s warm body against his. She mumbled sleepily and curled her arm around his as her bottom scooted back to nestle against his pelvis. A quiet groan left him, but he would not be so selfish as to wake her. As had been pointed out to him, he had been selfish enough, although coming to Argurumal had been unavoidable. Sighing into her hair, his muscles slowly relaxed one by one, eased by the soft sound of her breathing.
He would do anything to protect her, even hide her in the deepest reaches of their territory, should the danger to her life continue.
He would deal with the latest threat and make certain that the male never entertained the idea of harming Terri again. With a protective growl rumbling in his throat, Veral dropped his nose against her head and breathed in her scent until it lulled him to sleep.
15
Blinking against the sunlight pouring into the bedroom, Terri stilled as she felt a familiar bulk press behind her. Shifting her hips, she rolled over and took in his relaxed expression. In sleep his dark scales and harsh angular facial plating made him appear as some sort of beautiful graven image. In that moment, he was not unlike a few of the beautiful statues that had remained upright in the graveyard back home, though his mandibles that flexed lightly with every breath were a visible reminder of his strength and lethal nature. They drew her attention to his lips. Perfectly shaped, they were relaxed and slightly pouty in slumber.
Terri lifted her hand and traced the horned plating of his brow lovingly. Her lips quirked as one of his vibrissae slithered up and curled around her wrist. Even in slumber, he sought contact with her. An ache that had been building within her over the days eased. Dropping her hand, she snuggled into him, part of her ridiculously happy that his vibrissae still clung to her.
She had missed this.
His eyes behind his eyelids twitched as if on the verge of waking by her movement. His outer lids lifted, revealing the muted blue of his gaze, until the membranous protective eyelid also slid down as his glowing blue eyes met hers. A rattle escaped him with a pleased sigh as he leaned forward to brush his nose against hers, the tendril around her wrist slipping away at the same moment. Terri smiled at the demonstration of affection despite that loss of contact and stroked her hand through his vibrissae, relishing the way they twisted around her fingers in response.