Page 100 of Shielded Heart

“Why? Don’t I give her enough exercise?”

Razi twisted and threw a handful of nuts at Arcanthus.

Arc raised a hand to shield himself, tucking the gift behind his body to protect it. “That’s just uncalled for, cren.”

When Razi launched another volley, Arcanthus retreated, pausing only after reaching the door. “You’recleaning that up!”

Before Razi could throw anything with greater mass, Arcanthus ducked into the hallway. He walked as quickly as he could without running as he made his way toward the training room, slowing only when he reached the entry.

He pressed the button to open the door and stepped inside.

Arcanthus froze just beyond the threshold.

It took his mind several moments to process what he was witnessing—Sekk’thi lunged at Samantha, grabbed hold of the terran’s extended arm, and dropped into a roll, throwing Sam down onto the mat hard. Before Samantha could recover, the ilthurii trapped her in a full body choke hold, pinning the terran on the floor.

If there were logical explanations for what he’d just seen, they were lost on him; his instincts poured fire into his veins and blasted him forward, leaving room for only one thought—protect my mate.

It was his growl as he charged across the room that alerted the females to his presence. Sekk’thi and Samantha both looked up at him, the latter’s face red with exertion, and their eyes widened in unison. The ilthurii released her hold and shifted onto her knees, and Sam sat up, shoulders heaving with her panting breaths.

Sam threw her arms up, palms toward him. “Arc, stop!”

Samantha’s voice cut through the crimson haze that had settled over Arcanthus’s mind; he skidded to a halt less than a meter away from her and shook his head sharply. “I don’t… Whatisthis, Samantha?”

Sekk’thi had risen to her feet behind Samantha, her scaled brows slightly arched. Ilthurii didn’t have many flexible parts of their face, but it was amazing how subtle changes could so powerfully alter their expressions.

Samantha glanced back at Sekk’thi before returning her eyes to Arc’s. “She’s been training me.”

Arcanthus furrowed his brow, arms falling limp—save for the hold he maintained on the packaged gift. “Training you for what?”

“Just…training me.”

“She was choking you!”

Sekk’thi scratched her snout. “She did not say uncle.”

Arcanthus lifted his arms again, palms up, and opened his mouth to speak. After a few moments of stammering, he managed to ask, “Why the hell would she sayuncle, of all things?”

Samantha’s smile was tinged with a bit of self-consciousness as she laughed.

Sekk’thi snickered. “That is whatIasked. She said it was an Earth saying. It meansI surrender.”

Arcanthus turned his attention to Samantha. “Why wouldn’t you just sayI surrender?”

“Fewer syllables,” both females replied simultaneously. They exchanged a glance with one another and burst into laughter.

Moving his free hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, Arcanthus lowered his gaze. “So…you’re teaching her how tofightby throwing her around?”

Sekk’thi snorted. “How did you learn? By holding hands and talking until someone died of boredom?”

Arcanthus shook his head and sighed. “By being thrown around. In the mud, in my case.”

The ilthurii threw up her hands and tilted her head, silently claiming victory.

“That doesn’t mean it’s okay to throwheraround, ilthurii. She’s…small.”

Samantha pushed herself to her feet, narrowing her eyes. “That doesn’t stopyoufrom being rough.” She lifted her chin, claiming her own little victory. “You don’t hear me complaining. As a matter of fact, I believe I beg—uh…” She glanced at Sekk’thi, as though suddenly aware she had an audience, and cleared her throat, her already red cheeks darkening. “Anyway, I’m fine.”

“Firstly, little terran, what we do in the bedroom, in the bath, in my workshop, and that one time in the lounge, is entirely between the two of us and is acompletelydifferent situation. Secondly—”

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