Pirate's Gold - S.J. Sanders Page 0,22

going to be spending a lot of time in this room with you. If you don’t like sharing a bed, you can sleep on the floor. I have spent enough revolutions on a floor that I refuse to go there again. Unless I am called away or need to step out for a specific reason, consider me your shadow. Now, I do believe that you have an evening meal to prepare for. Cleanse yourself and rest. Egbor is not a patient or forgiving male.”

Shooing Terri off in the direction of the cleaning unit, Azan dropped down into the chair that she had vacated and pulled out a large, wicked knife and a small square block upon which she began to sharpen it. Terri watched, her heart hammering in her throat at every long draw of the blade against the stone. Azan glanced up and smirked.

“Hurry now, beast.”

Biting off her protest, Terri spun away and disappeared into the cleansing unit. Her clothing hit the floor, and she stepped into the stall. The dry air and sonic vibrations surrounded her, stripping away every bit of dirt and sweat until she was as clean as she had ever been. Although she and Veral did have a tub for the rare occasion when they chose to use the recycled water supply for that, she had long become accustomed to a cleansing stall.

When she stepped out, she nearly tripped when she found the Blaithari waiting outside the stall with folded clothes in hand. Her eyes swept over Terri, and she grinned.

“Just as I suspected, you are wholly soft and helpless. You don’t even have the lower pectoral spines.”

“The w-what?” Terri sputtered.

The female pulled up her tight tunic just enough to reveal her breasts. Just as they were bared, a long, sharp spine speared up from beneath the swell of each breast before slowly retracting. Terri gaped in astonishment as Azan tugged her tunic back down.

“Most females have some sort of defense mechanism to protect themselves from aggressors—except your species, it seems. You are truly as fragile as you appear. You will not last a full revolution without your mate protecting you. I am surprised you have survived as long as you have. Soft things do not last long in space. How sad to see a male of such a strong species mated to one so weak. Argurma females are warriors who stand beside their males. He must have to keep you protected like a youngling.”

With those parting words, she tossed the clothing at Terri and strode away, leaving Terri alone with her thoughts and the dread curling in her stomach. Obviously, Veral had known something that everyone in space understood but her. Anything perceived as weak wouldn’t survive. On Earth, she was good at hiding from her enemies, but even she understood the need to fight for survival. If her survival meant that she had to go further to protect herself, then she would find a way to equip herself.

Terri’s brow furrowed thoughtfully as she pulled the loose tunic and leggings on, all of which were baggy and obviously meant to fit the Blaithari who gave them to her. Her exploratory field armor in the ship was a good start, but she was going to need more, as Azan had made clear with her demonstration. She was letting Terri know with few words why her chances of survival were slim—and exactly why Veral jealously guarded her and kept her hidden away.

How long would she have survived otherwise? Especially with her penchant for finding trouble and aim to turn a quick profit. It would have earned her more than a little undesired attention if things had continued as they were with Terri so vulnerable.

Her teeth sank into her bottom lip. She needed to find a way to reduce her vulnerability so she would be able to survive this situation and be able to stand at Veral’s side as his mate. But how?

7

When Azan escorted Terri into the captain’s quarters for the evening meal, she found herself stepping into a room bedecked with precious metals and exotic, colorful fabrics. A sort of light, spicy fragrance hung in the air, though it was almost drowned out by the savory foods set out on several platters on the table at which Egbor sat.

Although she balked for only a moment, it was apparently too long for Azan. The second-in-command pushed her forward, giving Terri little choice but to sit in the chair directly across from him. The pirate captain regarded