Haven 4 AVOW - Sandra R Neeley Page 0,10

to be able to speak clearly while she struggled to catch her breath.

“Sink Lar of Earth, I claim you for my mate. I will have no other, nor will you. I give myself and all that I am to you only and vow to stand beside you for eternity. You will never want for another, or for anything, for any reason. I am your male.”

Synclare’s eyes were wide as she watched Lo'San vow to be her male for eternity.

When she didn’t answer Lo'San, he grew impatient. “What say you, Sink Lar?” Lo'San prompted.

Synclare licked her lips and swallowed before she was able to find her voice. “You didn’t say anything about love,” she said shakily. “I want love. I deserve love.”

Lo'San smiled down at her, his heart in his eyes. He raised his voice to be clearly heard by all. “I have loved you since you first arrived on this ship. I have never loved another, and will never love any but you, Sink Lar.”

Synclare grinned and glanced shyly away from him. “I love you, too,” she admitted.

“Do you accept my vow?” he asked with a smile.

Synclare nodded. “I do.”

“And?” he asked.

“Psst!” came a sound from a few feet away.

Synclare looked toward the sound.

“You have to claim him back,” Rokai mock whispered.

“Oh!” Synclare said, looking back up at Lo'San. “I claim you, too. And I promise to always love and honor you.”

“Only me?” Lo'San asked, making it a point to spell it out.

“Only you, forever,” she answered.

Lo'San smiled at her, satisfaction clear on his face. Then he kissed her again, lifted her into his arms, which caused her to squeal in delight, and carried her from the dance club.

A moment later he reappeared in the doorway. “Rokai!” he shouted.

Rokai looked up at him.

“You will watch over Sirena Vivian and Elisha?” Lo'San asked.

Rokai snapped to attention almost comically. “I will!”

Lo'San gave a nod, turned, and was gone again as Rokai made eye contact with Vivian.

Vivian raised her eyebrow in question at Rokai saying he’d watch over her.

He simply grinned at her and crossed his arms over his chest, legs braced, his feet shoulder width apart, his gaze not wavering from the small group of females as he mimicked the behavior he’d seen Vivian’s guard display while on official duty.

He heard the grumbling complaints of his Elite Warriors discussing the evening’s developments.

“We allowed Lo'San too much opportunity!” Re’Vahl complained.

“And now I’ve lost my chance. It should be me carrying her away,” Ne’Shear said.

“She would not have chosen you!” Re’Vahl insisted.

“Enough!” Rokai snapped. “She would not have chosen either of you! Lo'San has claimed her. As my Rosalita says… Deal with it and move on!”

“What does that mean?” Ne’Shear asked.

“It means it’s finished. It’s done. Find another focus,” Rokai said, his eyes still glued to Vivian, Rosie and Elisha dancing. He didn’t need to watch them so closely, but, since it seemed to irritate Vivian, and Rosie was from time to time glaring back at him, he got a certain amount of satisfaction out of it, and smiled widely each time they turned to stare at him — he was Rokai after all.

“He has a point,” Re’Vahl commented.

“He does indeed. Is there another human aboard that is yet to be claimed?” Ne’Shear asked.

~~~

Ba Re’ jumped to his feet and used his body to block the security screens he was monitoring when the door to his private office swooshed open without warning.

Zha Quin stood just inside the office regarding Ba Re’ curiously with one eyebrow raised as Kitty moved away from Quin’s side to prowl around Ba Re’s office.

“Don’t look at me like that! You could have been Elisha!” Ba Re’ snapped.

“Is your Ehlealah not allowed to enter your work space?” Quin asked.

“Of course she is, but she’d have been irritated, and I do not like when she is irritated with me. She makes me sleep on the sofa in our quarters,” he grumbled, moving away from the screens he was blocking and retaking his seat. “And she never does a thing I tell her to do,” he added.

“I do not know how you can concentrate on work anyway. Our females are spending the evening without us! How can you work productively?!” Quin snapped.

A slow grin formed on Ba Re’s face. He lifted a hand indicating the multiple screens before him.

Quin stepped closer and focused on the screens before chuckling. “Ah, I see we are of the same mind,” he said, grabbing a chair from a work station beside Ba Re’s and sliding it