Stolen and Seduced - Christine Pope Page 0,207

and have the strongers, like me, work." Or steal, if times are very harsh. "Meryk is blind and he can beg well, but he risks being stolen from or harmed unless other strongers go with him. That can defeat the purpose, since they need to be in different areas to make enough to help feed us. Sometimes it takes quite the balance to make sure everyone is fed and safe, but I take care of my people as best as I can."

I was unsure when Tonakk had stopped moving things but he was now standing there watching me. His next words shook me.

"You are a very good leader, Gin. You yourself have a crew, but without a craft."

I was dumbstruck by his words. He made me sound important, even though I was disposable, just like the rest of my group of misfits. I wasn’t a leader, by any means. But to me they were some form of family, I supposed.

"Maybe my craft… is the bottom level of the Stavis concrete factory," I cast a shy grin his way.

He studied me. "Every leader needs their own quarters, to center themselves for each coming day."

"I have my own. It's the middle far right concrete beam, closest to the wall. Technically two beams from the right. It's at an angle enough that I can jump off if I need to protect anyone, but just flat enough that I can rest on it." I showed him the angle with my hand. "It gets a nice cross breeze sometimes too. Yah, nothing but prime real estate for me," I grinned at him.

"It is a leaders due," his eyes danced with mirth.

"Nothing but the best for us leaders!" I tugged at my clothes, nodding and pretending to oversee my invisible underlings. I pointed at a crate, nodding approvingly. Gave a thumbs up approval to a pry bar. Wagged a scolding finger and shook my head at a piece of wood.

A deep rumbling sound erupted in a sharp bark from Tonakk, making him seem to practically vibrate.

Holy crap, was that a laugh? Did I make him laugh?

Sure enough his eyes sparkled royal blue as he grinned wide at me, flashing elongated upper canines.

Were those there earlier? I stared at his teeth. I didn’t recall seeing them before now. Maybe I just didn’t notice.

"I made you laugh! I'm glad," I beamed at his response to me. Finally an emotion from him that I could recognize. "I don’t know much about Sitor, so I have to ask… Were you hiding those or do they only come out when you laugh? I didn’t notice them before when we were talking," I leaned forward to try and see his fangs better.

His face froze and his fingers went to his teeth. His mouth slammed shut and he turned away muttering that we should see the rest of the ship.

He turned and left the cargo hold without me. I remained on my crate, my legs no longer swinging, my smile faded, my head lowered, wondering how I managed to screw up this time.

Tonakk

I just left the female in the trade room. I needed to separate for a moment and clear my head. When did my primal teeth elongate? I could feel the skin around them tugging and itching a bit. What sorcery was this? What toxin of evil-doing?

Sore primal teeth roots, itching horns, fingertips sore, muscles sore, some sort of swelling, as my armor and skins were feeling tighter now. I did not feel harmed, but I did feel off set, somehow. I made note into my comm sensor to remind me to speak with Vamish if I did not feel better by morning.

The portal to the trade room opened and Virginia exited from it. I could sense her unease – likely because I left rudely.

"I meant no offense, Gin. I hope you will forgive me for leaving suddenly. I required time to access myself medically."

"Medically? Are you unwell? Should we visit the being I spoke with earlier on your comm?"

"I made note to consult him if there are no changes by morning," I pointed at my communicator. "He is on this level as well. His space is next to the laboratory my friend Tura prefers to occupy. My friend Dak prefers the greenery seedlings, and the hatching area. If you like animals we can see if the qaf have begun to hatch. I picked this shipment up on my last trip to Arvak Prime. We also have some in the animal area