like to try.
She meant more to him than anything, or anyone, in the universe. When this mission was over, he’d take the plunge. He wanted her in his life on a permanent basis. He wanted her tied to him with irrevocable bonds. He wanted her. Period.
Now the question remained to haunt his sleep—did she want him in return?
Chapter Ten
Michael was sleeping soundly when Leah woke the next day. Unaccustomed to lying about when there was work to be done, she decided to do what she could for their mission. She doubted any of the pirates would give her trouble. Michael’s ownership had been clearly established the night before.
Rummaging through the small closet quietly, she found some clothing to wear before peeping out into the hall. It was deserted, but she smelled the faint aroma of cooking food. That’s where the women would probably be, considering the jits had specific gender roles and food preparation was firmly in the female realm of responsibility.
Following her nose, Leah was pleased when her scouting mission ended in a relatively large kitchen compartment where about a half dozen human women worked and talked quietly, preparing breakfast. One of them saw Leah standing in the doorway and beckoned her over.
“Fetching breakfast for your man?”
The woman’s expression was friendly enough. Leah nodded, not sure what to say to these women. They seemed happy enough to be prisoners of the jit’suku, which struck her odd at first. But then, there were few human men left and there had always been women who reveled in being simply the companion and bedmate of a male. Leah didn’t quite understand it herself, but she knew enough about human psychology to at least guess at what might motivate some of these women.
“I’m Lilla.” She decided introductions might start the ball rolling.
“Nedda,” said the woman while stirring a big pot of protein porridge the jits seemed to favor. “That’s Julie,” she pointed to a pregnant woman sitting at the table, “Billy Jo and Una are over there by the refrigeration unit, and Cassie and Kim are working on the bread.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?” Her offer was met with a friendly smile as Nedda handed her a grinder and something that looked like a root.
“Hold that over the pot and grate this snillet until I say stop.”
Leah did as she was told, gratified by the slightly cinnamon smell rising from the alien snillet as she ground it up into little slivers that fell into the porridge pot.
Leah returned to the bedroom compartment about an hour later with breakfast and a great deal of information. She knew the smile on her face was smug, but she couldn’t help herself. Michael would be proud of her, once she figured out how to convey her intell without alerting those who were undoubtedly monitoring them.
That might prove difficult, but she’d come this far. She’d figure a way to drop it into the conversation.
“Where’ve you been?” Micheal’s harsh tone put a little damper on her spirits, but she wouldn’t let him get to her.
“I got breakfast, master.”
Just that quick, the worry in his eyes changed to guarded observation. Slowly he nodded. “You may serve me.”
She had to stop herself from laughing at his kingly tone and set about serving him breakfast in bed like the dictator he was pretending to be. His gaze followed her every move.
“Where did you get this food?”
“I found a kitchen where some of the other women were cooking breakfast for the group. I helped and they let me borrow the tray and utensils when I left. They’re very nice, especially since most of them are here by choice.”
“Unlike you?”
“No master,” she was quick to answer as he pulled her down by one hand to sit on the side of the bed. “Like them, I started
She meant more to him than anything, or anyone, in the universe. When this mission was over, he’d take the plunge. He wanted her in his life on a permanent basis. He wanted her tied to him with irrevocable bonds. He wanted her. Period.
Now the question remained to haunt his sleep—did she want him in return?
Chapter Ten
Michael was sleeping soundly when Leah woke the next day. Unaccustomed to lying about when there was work to be done, she decided to do what she could for their mission. She doubted any of the pirates would give her trouble. Michael’s ownership had been clearly established the night before.
Rummaging through the small closet quietly, she found some clothing to wear before peeping out into the hall. It was deserted, but she smelled the faint aroma of cooking food. That’s where the women would probably be, considering the jits had specific gender roles and food preparation was firmly in the female realm of responsibility.
Following her nose, Leah was pleased when her scouting mission ended in a relatively large kitchen compartment where about a half dozen human women worked and talked quietly, preparing breakfast. One of them saw Leah standing in the doorway and beckoned her over.
“Fetching breakfast for your man?”
The woman’s expression was friendly enough. Leah nodded, not sure what to say to these women. They seemed happy enough to be prisoners of the jit’suku, which struck her odd at first. But then, there were few human men left and there had always been women who reveled in being simply the companion and bedmate of a male. Leah didn’t quite understand it herself, but she knew enough about human psychology to at least guess at what might motivate some of these women.
“I’m Lilla.” She decided introductions might start the ball rolling.
“Nedda,” said the woman while stirring a big pot of protein porridge the jits seemed to favor. “That’s Julie,” she pointed to a pregnant woman sitting at the table, “Billy Jo and Una are over there by the refrigeration unit, and Cassie and Kim are working on the bread.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?” Her offer was met with a friendly smile as Nedda handed her a grinder and something that looked like a root.
“Hold that over the pot and grate this snillet until I say stop.”
Leah did as she was told, gratified by the slightly cinnamon smell rising from the alien snillet as she ground it up into little slivers that fell into the porridge pot.
Leah returned to the bedroom compartment about an hour later with breakfast and a great deal of information. She knew the smile on her face was smug, but she couldn’t help herself. Michael would be proud of her, once she figured out how to convey her intell without alerting those who were undoubtedly monitoring them.
That might prove difficult, but she’d come this far. She’d figure a way to drop it into the conversation.
“Where’ve you been?” Micheal’s harsh tone put a little damper on her spirits, but she wouldn’t let him get to her.
“I got breakfast, master.”
Just that quick, the worry in his eyes changed to guarded observation. Slowly he nodded. “You may serve me.”
She had to stop herself from laughing at his kingly tone and set about serving him breakfast in bed like the dictator he was pretending to be. His gaze followed her every move.
“Where did you get this food?”
“I found a kitchen where some of the other women were cooking breakfast for the group. I helped and they let me borrow the tray and utensils when I left. They’re very nice, especially since most of them are here by choice.”
“Unlike you?”
“No master,” she was quick to answer as he pulled her down by one hand to sit on the side of the bed. “Like them, I started
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