Negotiating Captivity

A dire situation forces Nalia to accept Captain Derani's offer. Alive and safe as Derani's pet human, Nalia plots her escape until she realizes Derani needs her in ways he doesn't even realize.

Freeborn human Nalia Gaborn never expected that she'd have to choose between her liberty and her best friend's life. But when their ship comes under attack and they're rescued by a Talin named Derani, she isn't given much room to negotiate. Either she agrees to become Derani's pet or she and Hax will be turned over to the Hamlershin and face possible execution for smuggling.

 She agrees to Derani's demands, resigned to slavery for however long it takes before she can escape. She expects to be abused and worked half to death, but to her shock, that doesn't happen. She finds herself being spoiled by Derani and coddled by his crew. It's not long before she realizes that this life isn't about servitude and labor but about affection and adoration.

As she learns more about the Talins, she starts to understand why they keep humans as pets. She also comes to care for this species in general and Derani specifically. It's not long before she contemplates settling into this life and not trying to escape.

Soon she and Derani are embroiled in more than simply transporting goods along trade routes. Derani is contacted in secret to help transport a courier carrying sensitive information. It's supposed to be a simple task; give passage to this Talin courier from one place to another. But it's not long until things go wrong and everyone ends up in danger.

This is a novel full of purring, cuddling with a possessive alien claiming an intrepid human of his own. This book is meant for mature audiences, 18+ readers only.