Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 79587 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79587 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
“Hey—help!” she gasped but it was too late. Before she knew it, she was fully in the trunk and the lid of it was coming down towards her head.
She ducked to avoid getting hit in the head and the trunk banged shut above her. Outside, she thought she could hear muffled laughter.
“Got her!” one of the vaguely familiar voices said. “Who would have thought it would be that easy?”
“Told you she’s a stupid little slut!” the other voice replied. There was as bang, like someone hitting the trunk with their fist. “Enjoy the ride back there, Fatty-Mattie!”
Then the front doors slammed shut and the car roared off into the night, taking Mattie with it.
THIRTY-EIGHT
GRATH
The trip back up to the Mother Ship was a short one. Or at least it seemed short to Grath. The more he thought about what had just happened with Madeline, the angrier he got.
So she wanted a new Protector did she? Well, fine—he would be happy to get her one. More than happy! Let someone else deal with the unreasonable little female. Humans had no sense, anyway. They acted and thought in the most ridiculous ways—why should he bother with them ever again?
By the time he landed in the Docking Bay he was so angry and upset that his skin was actually glowing. He had never felt the Flame within him so close to the surface before—it was actually heating up the formal clothing he was wearing to the point where he feared he might have to take it off soon. Cloth, after all, will combust if it’s warmed to a high enough temperature.
But Grath was past caring about any of that. It wasn’t like he was going to use the ridiculous and uncomfortable suit ever again. Let it burn, for all he cared.
His intention was to go straight to Commander Sylvan’s office and demand that his Protector-ship of Madeline be severed at once. However, as soon as he jumped out of his ship, he saw the very male he was looking for, right there in the Docking Bay.
Commander Sylvan was standing by a long-range Kindred scout ship, apparently waiting for someone to disembark. Grath didn’t know who his Commanding Officer was waiting for and he didn’t care—he strode over to the other male and planted himself firmly in front of him.
“Protector Grath?” Sylvan’s pale blue eyes widened in surprise. “What are you doing back here? Where’s Dr. Porter?”
“She’s still back on Earth and she can stay there for all I fucking care!” Grath growled. “I came here to tell you that I want my Protector-ship of her dissolved immediately.”
Commander Sylvan frowned.
“It’s not that easy to dissolve a Protector relationship—you took an oath, or have you forgotten?”
“Of course I haven’t forgotten,” Grath snarled. “But it’s fucking hard to protect someone who never wants to see you again. So please do Madeline and me both a favor and free us from each other. Oh—and here.”
Digging in the pocket of his trousers, he pulled out the ridiculously huge diamond ring and pressed it into Sylvan’s palm.
Sylvan looked down at the glittering thing in surprise.
“What’s this?”
“That’s what I spent the Earth currency you gave me on,” Grath told him. “Much fucking good that it did me! Take it—maybe you can get some of the currency back. I certainly don’t want any fucking part of it!”
He turned to storm away and was surprised to see a female with blonde hair and blue-green eyes standing in front of him. She was wearing the simple white robes of a Priestess of the Goddess and she had the air of one who has communed with the Mother of All Life often.
“Excuse me, your Holiness,” he muttered, trying to step around her. But the female stepped with him, staying in front of him and keeping him where he was.
Grath tried again.
“Excuse me—I need to leave!” he exclaimed, but once again, she wouldn’t let him get around her.
“No,” she said and her voice was filled with quiet authority. “No, Protector—you must stay.”
“Protector Grath, meet the Lysel of First World, also known as the Mouthpiece of the Goddess,” Commander Sylvan said from behind him.
This stopped Grath cold.
“The Mouthpiece of the Goddess?” he repeated numbly. “The Lysel of First World?”
First World was the planet where every branch of the Kindred family tree could trace their origins. It was where the Goddess had first created them and where they had grown into a space-faring race, able to fly out into the universe to seek new females from other peoples as mates.
If Commander Sylvan was telling the truth—and Grath had no reason to suspect otherwise—the female standing in front of him was closer to the Goddess than any other living being. Her status demanded honor and respect. Despite his inner turmoil, he bowed his head respectfully.
“Forgive me—I did not know.” His voice came out low and hoarse.