Page 50 of Zahhn's Mate
I ball up my shirt, place it on the floor, and tuck my shafts back into my pants. Then I lift Leona in my arms and peer into her eyes, wishing our connection could be easier, less fraught with conflict.
Many times, I have felt her pushing me away. I have sensed her resistance.
Trust. When our heartbond finally forms, there will be trust between us. I will know her secrets, and she will know mine.
I place her on the bed and tuck her under the covers.
Goodnight, Leona.
She stares at me but doesn’t offer a reply. Her inner turmoil is evident, but the hour is late and I must leave. I know she has questions, and she’s frustrated I haven’t provided the answers she’s seeking, but I do not think it wise to give her advance warning of my plans to steal her.
What if she tells someone? Perhaps one of her cellmates? A guard might overhear the conversation, and if my people learn of my plans, stealing her will be more difficult.
I press a kiss to her forehead, and even though I doubt she will return my affections, I send her a pulsing wave of tenderness.
I retrieve my shirt from the floor, stand tall, and close my eyes. Humming low in my throat, I strive for the trance that will facilitate a return to theHaxxal.
Coldness surrounds me and I’m falling, falling, falling…
I open my eyes to find myself standing in my quarters aboard theHaxxal. Alone. Alone, but not for much longer.
Leona. Soon, she will belong to me.
I set about finalizing my preparations. I check to ensure the mini-blasters I’ve acquired are functioning properly, all set to stun. Though I’m prepared to commit violence in order to acquire the pretty human, I would prefer not to kill one of my own people unless it’s my only option.
I’m pleased that the mini-blasters are easy to conceal in my pockets and underneath my shirt. Though I’m a male of science and I’ve spent my entire adult life healing the wounded, curing the sick, and conducting important medical research, I completed the requisite Darrvason warrior training years ago, and I know how to use most types of weapons.
Once I verify the mini-blasters are fully charged, I conceal over a hundred shooting stars in the seams of the clothing I intend to wear during the heist. Normally, shooting stars, which are tiny metallic throwing blades, contain a nerve agent embedded within them that kills a foe almost instantaneously. However, I have modified these shooting stars with a compound that won’t cause any permanent damage to those who are struck, but it will render them paralyzed for a full day.
I gather several other small weapons that are easy to conceal in my clothing, then double and triple check to make sure everything is working. There will be no room for mistakes.
Then I pull up a comm screen and start typing a message to the team of guards who are scheduled to escort Leona, as well as the other four females who share in her predicament, to temporary holding quarters until someone in command determines the best use for them.
Guard Team Alpha 12,
As you are probably aware,I have been tasked with developing strict protocols to follow when the next wave of females arrive, an event that is only days away. It’s important that we ensure another virus doesn’t find its way to any of our ships, or another sort of weapon.
Please remember that no female from this wave is permitted to bring any personal belongings with her. No bags or suitcasesof any kind, small or large. None. Furthermore, all Darrvason males who claim a mate from the second wave are required to strip search their females immediately after bringing them aboard their respective ships. There will be no exceptions. Please remind the males of their duty to protect the Darrvason Empire by confirming that their females are unarmed.
Lastly, extra precautions must be taken around the five females from The Saviors who are above the age of twenty-five. I will personally accompany your team as you escort the females to their holding quarters, and I will help verify that none are armed or in possession of any dangerous substances.
-DoctorZahhn
I transmitthe message to the guard team, then lean back in my chair, feeling quite pleased with myself. I glance at my outfit that contains the concealed shooting stars, as well as the mini-blasters sitting next to it.
Surely I can incapacitate the five guards who will be providing escort. I’ll be taking them by surprise. Before they realize they’re under attack, they will all be lying on the floor, unable to do much more than blink.
Fortunately, my quarters reside on the same deck as the female’s holding quarters, which will make getting Leona alone that much easier. I’ve also outfitted my quarters with force field technology that will ensure we have plenty of privacy while I’m rutting her.
I pray the heartbond will be quick to form between us.
Sighing, I drag a hand through my hair, then I turn to peer out the viewscreen. TheJansonnaresides in its normal position in the fleet, so close to theHaxxalthat I can glimpse the deck lights on the upper levels that contain numerous viewscreens.It’s my understanding that the wealthier residents of the human worldship reside on the upper decks. Leona lives—lived—on Deck Eleven, in cramped quarters that revealed a lower status among her people.
I resolve that she’ll want for nothing when she lives with me. I’ll commission gowns in the softest, sheerest fabric for her. I’ll deck her in jewels and buy her any trinket her heart desires when the fleet visits an outpost.
On planet 58-Z, I will make sure our house is built with her comfort in mind, as well as her preference in style. Though I once told Emperor Radakk I would like a grand house in an elevated location with a majestic view of the landscape, I now find that I care little for such details. All that matters is that I have Leona with me and she is comfortable in her new life.
I move to the viewscreen, and though I suspect she’s sleeping, I send her torrents of affection down the bond.Lee-oon-ahh.
