Page 2 of Tender Captivity
It had been a long time since he’d been in a true fight. Now was as good a time as any to assess his skills and training.
Chapter 2
If someone had told Jinna that getting drunk at a space station dive bar would end with her wearing a collar and being led around by a leash, she would’ve laughed in their face. But here she was, huddled under a bench as two Talins went at each other, roaring and rattling like titans in an Old Earth vid.
She should be trying to untangle the leash attached to her collar from where it got twisted around her ankle so she could get further away from the violence, but she couldn’t take her eyes off the warring giants.
Nelaran, her owner, was bigger than the Talin who tackled him. But this unknown Talin was obviously skilled, and Nelaran wasn’t able to dominate him quickly. Unlike all the well-paid tutors that Nelaran’s father hired to train him, this stranger wasn’t going to let Nelaran win.
She could hear the effect it was having on him. She’d only been owned by Nelaran for a few months, but that was long enough to be familiar with the sounds he made as he lost control ofhis temper. As his smaller opponent kept evading his blows and delivering powerful ones of his own, Nelaran was getting more impatient and his movements were becoming less controlled.
The fight shifted closer to her spot, reminding her it wasn’t the best place to take shelter. The bench probably wouldn’t withstand both these males landing on it.
With shaking hands, she unwound the long leash from her ankle and curled it up into one hand. She’d love to take it off. Hell, she’d love to take off the collar too, but both were locked into place.
Besides, she’d already been warned repeatedly that running away would be harshly punished. There was no such thing as a free human in Talin-controlled space, whether they resided on a Talin colony, a space station, or the homeworld of Talarian. She was told she was going to be owned by someone, so she should work on being a good pet and pleasing Nelaran.
The problem was, she wasn’t a mind reader. She never seemed to be where Nelaran wanted her. If she was at his side, she was too clingy. If she kept her distance, she was being willful and aloof. If she sat in his presence or remained standing while he sat, she was being disobedient.
Her entire body ached from a morning spent standing in one spot next to Nelaran’s chair while he visited with his friend. She knew better than to move or make a sound, but as the hours passed, it had gotten harder and harder to remain motionless. She was thirsty and hungry because Nelaran forgot to feed her that morning, and it looked like he was going to eat and drink the day away with his friend while neglecting her needs.
“Your pet looks a little faint,” Nelaran’s friend noted with a concerned rumble. “We could put her in the enclosure with my elder female. She’s a kind one, and I’m sure she’d enjoy the company.”
Nelaran didn’t sound a displeased rattle, but she knew he wanted to. “I’m afraid she’s wild caught. I’m her first master and have only had her about forty rotations. I wouldn’t trust her among other humans yet.”
The friend sounded a surprised rattle. “Wild caught? That’s surprising, considering how well-behaved she is.”
The rumble of satisfaction from Nelaran was loud. “I’ve worked hard on training her.”
“You’re being very good for your master,” the friend told her with a soft, amiable rumble. She nodded and kept her eyes downcast.
Unhappy about having the attention on her instead of himself, Nelaran pushed her a little so she was standing behind him instead of at his side. Because these Talins were so much bigger than her five-foot, five-inch height, she was almost completely hidden by him.
The moment he pushed her behind him, she knew Nelaran was upset. He didn’t like anyone else to take attention away from him, even for a brief time. When the visit was over, she wasn’t surprised when Nelaran didn’t leave through the front gate. He took the long route, giving the impression he was going to exit through the garden. The moment they were deep in the garden with some privacy, he rounded on her, fist raised, sounding an angry rattle.
She hadn’t been prepared for it, but she should have been. This Talin had poor control over his temper, and his emotions were capricious. One minute he’d pet her head and hand her some candy, and the next moment he was hitting and reprimanding her.
The other thing she hadn’t expected was for another Talin to come to her rescue.
Crawling out from under the bench, she climbed up on a nearby planter. Now a stone bench and the end of the planterwere between her and the fighters. If she had to get further away, she’d need to crawl through some thick, thorny plants.
But no sooner had she gotten to a safer spot, than the fight was over.
Nelaran was groaning, rumbling out the Talin equivalent of crying. She felt silent glee at the sight. It was nice to see her tormentor in a position of pain and powerlessness for once.
“Do not get back up,” the stranger ordered him.
“How dare you!” Although Nelaran tried to sound enraged and powerful, his words were wheezy. “I’m Nelaran of Clan Loklon! My family is Lolian, the head family of the clan.”
The stranger leaned over Nelaran, his words quiet and deadly as he spoke. “I wouldn’t care if you were the Prime Son of our beloved monarch. If I ever catch you abusing a human again, I won’t stop until you cease breathing.”
The stranger’s threat made Nelaran pull into a tight ball, his anger and outrage replaced by fear. “Go away,” he whispered. “Go away, and I won’t speak of this to anyone.”
Straightening up, the stranger started looking around. Their gazes met and she found herself unable to look away. “I’m leaving, but I’m taking the human with me. I will also be reporting you to the Committee for Pet Welfare, Nelaran of Clan Loklon.”
Nelaran made a soft, distressed rumble as the stranger strode to her. Her heart started pounding hard as he drew close. Belatedly she remembered to drop her gaze to the dirt she was kneeling on.
“Easy, little one,” the stranger said and started purring. She’d heard other Talins do that with their human pets. Between that soothing rumble and his gentle voice, her heart calmed a little.
