by Bex McLynn
He nipped at her lips. "You have engine grease on your nose."
She wrapped her legs around him and rocked her hips, stroking his cock through his sleep pants. They both moaned as he strode for the bedroom.
"Gods, Sarda." He squeezed her, his heavy breaths feathering her hair.
She sighed and clamped her legs around him tighter. "Well, ain't we the perfect pair?"
Dearest Reader
Thank you, so much, for reading Sarda. Between you and me, Vedma had me wrapped around her finger the entire time I wrote this story. I loved coming up with her quips and barbs, and I really loved crafting a man who might not have known what to do with her but was determined to give it his all as he tried. For those who've read Thanemonger, I strove to make Dyr a balance between Zver and Therion, his future grandsons.
For those who may be curious, this snippet from Thanemonger inspired Sarda:
Seph: You know, you're old enough that if the ship darted you, it could kill you.
Vedma: Ech. It can try. Won't be the first time.
If you enjoyed the story, please consider leaving a review. Reviews help both readers and authors so much. One or two lines make all the difference and are greatly appreciated!
All the best,
Bex
For the latest teasers and updates, sign up for my newsletter at: bexmclynn.com/newsletter
If you’d like to read more about Therion and sign up for my newsletter, Tell No Tales is a free collection of deleted scenes from the series. Current newsletter subscribers may download the story as well.
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Acknowledgments
My sincerest thanks go to…
Chris Westwater for kicking my ass. (And I always deserve it.)
Emmy Chandler for inspiring me to write with purpose. (Who knew deadlines could be stressful AND fun? Emmy knew!)
Kate B. for the nudibranches. (Those things still give me the heebie jeebies.)
Kathryn S. and Tammy S. plus fellow authors Mara Frost and Honey Phillips for beta reading. (They review my crazy stuff and make it palpable reading for ya’ll.)
Bobby Ashmore for his sharp eyes. (He’s the typo-slayer!)
My hubby, who listens and listens and listens. (Huh. Should probably let him get a word in every once in a while…)
Love you all!
Other Titles
The Ladyships
Sarda
Thanemonger
Bane
Tidefall
Rein
Treasured by the Alien with Honey Phillips
Mama and the Alien Warrior
Cosmic Fairy Tales Collaboration
The Ugly Dukeling
About Bex
Bex loves to read all kinds of romance: science fiction, shifter, fantasy, regency, contemporary... (Seriously, all of it!) Currently she writes SFR and Fantasy/PNR. Her writing style—a mixture of action, humor, tenderness, and heat—features worlds and characters that captivate her readers.
Visit my website at https://bexmclynn.com
Connect with me on Facebook at The League of Bextraordinary Readers
Rule of Names
I first read “The Rule of Names” by Ursula K. Le Guin in grade school, and it has shaped my writing ever since. When I name my characters, it is with 10% whimsy, 90% purpose. For those of you who are diehard wordsmiths, you can continue reading and discover the meanings of my characters’ names. Enjoy!
Vedma – Czech for medium, fortuneteller
Dyr – Old Norse for expensive, dear (precious), beast
Dyrastur – Old Norse for expensive (superlative)
Kigen – Japanese rōmaji for origin
Moya – My homage to the scifi series Farscape. Moya was the sentient spaceship, a leviathan.
Thane – a rank of nobility in pre-Norman England, roughly equivalent to baron
Athel – (obsolete or Britain dialectal) noble; illustrious; a chief or lord
Prykimis – from Pyrkimys, Finnish for endeavor
Vayant – Walloon for affectionate, kind
Teras – Estonian for steel; Indonesian for heart, pith
Apinazeru – a blending of two words meaning “Simian” (Finnish: apinamainen / Hungarian: majomszerű)
Gwyretti – a blending of two words: Gwyr (Welsh) for crooked, bend; Retten (German) for salvage
Kraai – Dutch for a craye, Scandinavian vessel type and Dutch for crow
Ero – Old High German for Earth
Unholde – German for monster, fiend
Direis – a blending of two words: from dizer, Portuguese for to speak; to pronounce; to utter; to say and reis, Galician for kings.
