what could have happened due to your failure to obey orders.”
“It wasn’t Rolisar’s fault,” Izzie protested. “We thought everyone would be safe behind the locked gate.”
“And you shouldn’t have left either.”
Izzie’s chin went up, and her eyes sparkled dangerously. “You can’t tell me what to—”
Baralt roared and picked her up, stalking out of the room with her in his arms.
“He’s usually so calm,” Joan whispered, her eyes wide.
“Knowing that your mate is in danger is enough to send any male over the edge.” His eyes met Njkall’s as he spoke, and he saw that same knowledge there. Their precious females had been so close to being taken from them. “I think Baralt had the right idea.”
He stood, Joan and George still in his arms, and headed for the stairs.
Somehow, Varga was not surprised when Joan still insisted on cooking dinner. He had inspected every inch of her for damage, kissed those same inches, and buried himself in her until she was limp with pleasure, and it was still difficult to let her leave their bed.
“Don’t be silly,” she huffed. “Everything is fine now. And I’m sure everyone is going to be hungry after all the excitement. It’s a shame about the siloza,” she added wistfully.
But when they entered the kitchen, they found that Baralt had sent the hapless Rolisar after the bird as well. Joan grinned and set to work at once. Varga sat down at the table, not yet ready to let her out of his sight, and soon found himself chopping vegetables for her. Saka quietly assembled pies but a smile kept flickering across her face.
Baralt and Izzie joined them, Baralt considerably more relaxed and Izzie glowing. She bent to whisper something in Joan’s ear, and both women laughed. The whole room went silent when Polly and Njkall appeared.
Polly had been scrubbed clean. Long dark hair framed a pale, extraordinarily innocent looking face. She was not only clean, but wearing a short, floaty dress in pale blue. She blushed as they all stared at her and took a tighter grip on Njkall’s hand.
“Njkall gave me a bath,” she said proudly.
Varga felt Joan tense, but before she could say anything, Njkall added calmly. “At her request, of course.”
Joan sighed but remained silent. Varga looked at the other male and realized that despite Njkall’s apparent serenity, there was an underlying strain on the male’s face.
“And we’re moving to the resort,” Polly added.
“But why?” Joan asked. “I don’t understand.”
“I… I don’t feel safe here. I know we stopped that male today, but what if someone like him comes again? I don’t want to be anywhere near town.”
“But—” Joan started again, and he put a hand on her arm. She looked at him, then sighed and nodded. “Of course, Polly. If that’s what you want to do.”
“Does this mean that there is housing there?” he asked.
Njkall nodded. “The staff quarters are almost completed. Perhaps the two of you would care to join us?”
“What do you think, sweetheart?”
She smiled up at him, and he suspected that she was secretly as relieved as Polly to be getting away from town. “I’d like that.”
Izzie nodded. “I think it’s a great idea. That way you’ll be right there to make sure everything goes as planned with the restaurant and the kitchens.”
“You mean you’re giving me the job?” Joan’s eyes lit with pleasure.
“Of course. And we can still come visit you—we have the most marvelous sleigh,” Izzie added with a smile at Baralt.
“It is time for another ride,” his friend agreed.
The conversation turned towards the plans for the restaurant. Varga watched as his mate laughed and talked while she cooked, while the kitchen filled with delicious aromas. They were surrounded by their friends, and his mate was safe and happy.
For the first time since he had left Sorvid, he was truly home.
Epilogue
Four months later...
Varga looked up as his replacement entered the security room of the resort and gave a relieved sigh.
“I thought you were going to be late.”
Harwit, an overly serious Hothian male, frowned at him. “I am never late. Is there anything I should know?”
“No, everything was quiet.”
As usual. He had taken this job as a way of occupying his time while Joan was working in the restaurant, but it turned out to be much more boring than he had anticipated. He would never dream of complaining to Joan when she seemed to be enjoying her work so much, but he had to find something else to do.
He was still turning over the possibilities as he