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What was interesting was that I didn’t feel any panic. If any Talin authority found out that I’d had intercourse with my human pet, my family would strike my name from our lineage, I’d be stripped of my wealth, and I’d be shoved out of the empire. If I attempted to return, I’d probably be executed.

I'd never broken a single law in my life, and yet here I was, doing something so egregious that the punishment was on par with murder.

Clearly, Opal was worth all the risk.

As if my thoughts had woken her, Opal moved in my arms, making soft, sleepy sounds.

“Tolly?”

Tolly? Was this my nickname? I liked it!

“Yes?” I said, starting up a soothing rumble. I loosened my hold so she could sit up and moved to a sitting position with her.

After a yawn, she blearily smiled up at me. “How long have we been asleep?"

I looked over at the door display that showed Talarian standard time. “About seven marks.”

“I don’t suppose you know what a mark translates to in Massoc jigs?” she asked.

I sounded a negative rattle. “I don’t.”

She ran her fingers through her shoulder-length brown mane. “I haven't slept that well in forever.”

Her words made me swell with pride. She'd felt secure and comfortable enough with me to sleep without fear.

A sudden thought occurred to me. “I need to feed you!”

She blinked then smiled. “Yeah, I'm a little hungry. Do you want to share a meal? I probably have a little time left before I need to leave.”

I stifled an anxious rattle.

After we’d discovered we couldn’t buy Opal outright, we’d “rented” her labor for as long as a contract would allow. That was only half a rotation, but we decided it would be long enough to abscond with her. By now we were far enough out of range of the station she'd been trapped on that they couldn’t force us to return her.

It was probable that she had mixed emotions about her abusers. I’d read it was common with wild caught humans. They were so used to being treated badly they’d feel a sense of affection for those who worked them half to death.

I was going to need to be prepared for a period of emotional adjustment that might be disruptive and disquieting. It would be best to put off telling her for as long as possible. Especially if I could get her to eat before she became distressed.

Standing up, I pulled on a fresh pair of pants before returning to the nest to lean over and run my scent glands over the top of her head.

“You stay here, and I’ll fetch food,” I said.

“Can I use your cleansing unit?” she asked as I straightened up. As much as I wanted her to remain in the nest looking charmingly tousled, I sounded a rumble of agreement.

“I don’t have any suitable cleansing gels," I warned her.

She pointed to her bag. “I brought a bottle of neutral-scent wash in case you didn’t like the way I smelled.”

Neutral-scent wash would take away all the bonding oil I’d spread on her. I hated it but held back my intensely negative reaction. I could always rub my scent glands on her again. Besides, it would be good for her to remove the smell of our copulating before she left my room and mixed with my crewmates.

“Very well,” I said, taking a last look at her adorableness before leaving my cabin.

There wasn't anyone in the hall, so I rushed to one of the bays and ducked into the decontamination closet. The sonic cleanser cycled through and removed any smell of intercourse without the need for me to disrobe. With that finished, I made my way to the galley.

Lexarit was sitting at the single table with an information square and his Ident both displaying lists. He looked up when I walked in.

“Is she hungry?” he asked, jumping to his feet.

I sounded a rumble of agreement. “She slept and only now woke up.”