Pirate's Gold - S.J. Sanders Page 0,25

light, I was stripped of all titles and permitted to take only my personal wealth, a small personal ship, and my flagship to live out the rest of my life comfortably in exile in space. Naturally, I did not leave without taking a little company,” he grinned at Azan, who stiffened, her lip curling in a silent snarl. “But I was otherwise set adrift into the cosmos to wander aimlessly.”

He took another drink and sighed in pleasure. “Unfortunately, having a loyal crew and a personal captive can only be amusing for so long. It is boring in space, and funds run dry if you like… indulgences,” he said with a smirk as he puffed on the tube again. “Needless to say, despite my shrinking funds, it did not take me long to discover that all these trappings that were provided for me could be useful.”

“You used it to attack ships, the way you got ours,” Terri filled in. “You’ve been playacting the stranded royal for a long time, haven’t you?”

“That I have, a role I play very well. But make no mistake, regardless of my noble birth, it does not make me a harmless male. Azan made that mistake, and I slit her throat and let her nearly bleed out until I had medical bring her back from the brink of death. I did this again and again until not even our medics could repair the flesh and her ruined voice, nor the scars that litter her body. I have claimed and branded every inch of her as my own. She thought she could get away from me and misjudged my strength and ruthlessness. Your mate, like so many other males, did likewise to their own peril. Now I possess you and your mate, and you are utterly mine until I decide to release you.”

He chuckled unkindly as her food churned in her stomach. She felt sick.

“Do not waste your sympathy on Azan. I molded her into a ruthless and cruel killer, surpassing even myself, I do think. And once that happened, this female from common stock I gave the most vaulted position in my crew. She is merciless, my Azan.”

He cast her a fond look, and the female Blaithari glared at him but didn’t deny him as he reached and ran his hand over her breast affectionately before drawing away.

Egbor’s humor faded as he recalled the food that wasn’t being eaten. Tucking his tube back into his vest, he gestured impatiently.

“Let us eat and speak of more entertaining things—like what we can expect when we get to the planet.”

“Jungles, vast rivers… and likely wildlife and predators lurking within both,” Terri muttered as she turned her attention back to the cooling food in front of her. She wanted to reject the food. To say that it wasn’t worth another minute in his company. She had gone days without eating before. The only thing that stopped her was the tiny life growing within her.

Hissing silently to herself, she grabbed a chunk of bread, slathered it with meat dripping with a gravy before taking a huge bite of it. It was delicious, savory, and juicy, but some part of her still had to choke it down as she forced herself to take another bite and another.

All she could think of was getting the meal over with so that she could get away from the disgusting Blaithari captain.

8

Veral glared at the bars of his cell. The meats, breads and savory foods did not tempt him. The small platter sat abandoned on the ledge that survived as a table to his left. Instead, he was watching the nervous movements of the small Blaithari male who had brought him his food. The youngling swiped the back of his sleeve nervously over his nose, his body trembling as he was pinned in place with fear.

Narrowing his eyes, Veral remembered that his mate had once said that he was terrifying without even trying. He did not wish to frighten the youngling. He wanted information. More than anything, however, he wanted to choke the life out of whatever male had allowed his offspring to live in such a deplorable state, scrawny—near starvation—with oversized worn clothes. At least he was not dirty, which, given the state of the lower levels of the pirate ship, was something of a miracle.

He must belong to someone higher up in the crew. Though the youngling was noticeably only half-Blaithari, he clearly belonged to someone with the means for basic, if inadequate, upkeep. He