Page 101 of Shielded Heart 1
He paused when he entered the lounge. The only personinside was Razi, who was seated upon one of the couches. Despite his hurry to find Samantha, Arcanthus walked up behind Razi and watched the screen that held the cren’s attention. It was a volturian show in which a handsome male and a beautiful female were lamenting the hostility between their bloodlines—one of seemingly several factors preventing them from outwardly professing their love for one another.
Arcanthus snorted. “And people call me overly dramatic.”
Razi started and spun to face Arcanthus with wide eyes, tipping the bowl that had been perched atop his lap. Dozens of assorted nuts scattered across the floor.
The cren scowled and muttered, “Not polite to sneak up on people like that.”
“I pay you to be vigilant, Razi. That comprises the majority of your duties.”
“Not when I’m on break.” The cren grumbled to himself as he turned away and gathered up the snacks that had landed on his thighs. “And it’s not overly dramatic. It’stragic.”
Arcanthus smirked. “There is certainly a tragedy unfolding before my eyes. Do you happen to know where Samantha is?”
“Tried to get her to watch with me. She said she was heading to the training room.”
“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.
She 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 his mate, 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?”
