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She didn’t say anything about him not being able to force her, because he could. She wasn’t stupid enough to think she could overpower a male as huge and strong as he, much less one who was a trained fighter.
“You are safe with me,” he assured her.
But am I safe from you?She pressed her lips together so as not to give voice to that question and insult her savior. Instead, she looked around and decided the chair would have to do. Either that, or she’d swipe a blanket and sleep on the floor.I’m warm and clean and I have a blanket. I shouldn’t complain.However, she had a more pressing need. Her belly gurgled.
“Um, you mentioned food?”
The general superior blinked slowly as though her gentle prompt recalled him to himself and his duty. He straightened to his full, imposing height, the tip of his tail twitching.
“Of course, human Louella—”
“Just call me Lou.”
“—I’ll summon delivery of food right away.”
Louella squirmed. “Um, would you mind turning around then?”
“Why?”
She felt heat spread across her neck and face and felt glad her dark skin hid the flush of embarrassment. “I … I’d like some privacy to get dressed, please.”
Yas’kihn, having decided to take her as his mate, saw no reason for her to hide her body from him. He tilted his head to one side in curiosity and merely said, “I wish to look upon you.”
The flush of embarrassment spread further until Louella’s entire body felt hot. Clutching the towel wrapped around her even more tightly, she shook her head and said, “I’d prefer my privacy, please.”
“We are to be mated. There is nothing you shall hide from me.”
Louella blinked and gaped in astonishment. After a moment, she gathered her wits and blurted, “What?” She stumbled backward a couple of steps, stopping when she backed into the wall. “Oh, no, no, no! There will benomating going on. I just want to go home.”
“Ahn’hudin is your home now.”
She shook her head. “I signed on for ajob, a job as a nurse on an overseas military base. I did not agree to be anyone’s wife or mate or whatever you want to call it.”
“As my mate—”
“No.” Louella took a deep breath and tried to be reasonable rather than panicked. “No. I didnotagree to that.”
Yas’kihn exhaled, nostrils flaring. The female, so petite and dainty compared to him, had a strong will. Without further word he tapped a panel next to the door, a simple sequence that would send an order for a meal to be delivered to his quarters. The panel flashed blue, then white. He turned to face her again and said, “Food will be delivered shortly.”
Her stomach rumbled again and she murmured, “Thank you.”
“Not all our food may be compatible with your tastes, so eat what you wish of it. I will finish what you do not consume.”
Lou’s eyes widened and guilt assailed her, because a hulking warrior like the general superior needed to consume a lot of calories, and she had no idea as to his metabolism or dietary needs. “Am I eating your rations?”
Yas’kihn shrugged. “I am in perfect health. Missing a small portion of my rations will not harm me.”
Lou wasn’t sure how small of a portion he meant, but she resolved not to gorge herself, if only because a sudden influx of food would probably come right back up. She had no desire to waste their limited rations.
Yas’kihn watched the play of emotions on her face with fascination and guessed her thoughts. “All personnel will be on reduced rations due to the large number of refugees taken on board the ship. However, it’s only for a short time. We’ll return to Ahn’hudin within a few standard galactic days.”
Lou tried to remember the difference between a day on Earth versus a day on Ahn’hudin and wondered if a standard galactic day was anything similar. If she recalled correctly, the Ahn’hudin day was about four hours longer than an Earth day. And their year was longer, too.
She yawned, jaw cracking.
“Put on the shirt,” Yas’kihn ordered. “You will be more comfortable.”
Abruptly tired of resistance, weary of fighting, Lou let the drying cloth drop to the floor. She did not miss the low hiss from the enormous male whose reptilian eyes examined every inch of her nude form. She shook out the shirt and drew it over her head, not caring about the body hair displayed.
