Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 130317 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 652(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130317 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 652(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
“What? This place is bugged?” Mia exclaimed.
“With viewing devices only!” Brother Jonash said earnestly, as though that somehow made things better. “We don’t believe in listening in to the conversations of our Brothers and Sisters—that would be wrong.”
“And watching them in the privacy of their own domicile isn’t?” Sev growled. His golden eyes were glowing hot and the light from the overhead glows glinted off his horns, making them look extra sharp and dangerous. He looked extremely threatening Mia thought.
“I’m sorry, but it’s the PPP policy!” Brother Jonash exclaimed, going pale again. “We must be able to correct bad behavior before it takes root. And it’s not like we’re watching you all the time—all you need to do is turn out the lights or go into the necessary room to have complete privacy!”
Sev sighed and ran one hand over his horns. He glanced at Mia who shook her head and shrugged. It was shitty to know they were being bugged, but at least Jonash had admitted it. And really, what could they do? Demand to leave at once? That would be the end of the mission and they would lose their chance to expose the PPP and find the source of the Prophet’s power.
No, like all the other crazy stuff, they were just going to have to put up with it, Mia decided reluctantly. She could see by Sev’s face that he had come to the same conclusion.
“I don’t like it but I guess we’ll have to live with it,” he said, frowning.
“It’s standard in all the houses,” Brother Jonash said quickly. “And of course, all footage is completely confidential. No one but the Elders and The Prophet are allowed to review it.”
“Fine,” Sev growled. “It’s getting late—maybe Mia and I should try to settle in for the night,” he added pointedly.
“Oh—of course.” Brother Jonash nodded. “I’ll come back to get you tomorrow morning for your Initiation Ceremony.”
“Will that be held in the Inner Sanctum?” Sev asked hopefully.
“And will it be performed by the Prophet himself?” Mia added, also feeling hopeful. They needed to get an up-close look at Chud Brumpkin and find out what all these people saw in him, she thought.
Brother Jonash frowned.
“The ceremony is in the antechamber of the Inner Sanctum—you cannot penetrate further into the Holiest of Places until you are ready for your Binding Ceremony. As for The Prophet, he rarely attends Initiations, though he does sometimes drop by to see the new members.” He cleared his throat. “I really must be going now—please have a pleasant night’s sleep.”
“Yeah right—in our bugged house,” Mia muttered, not quite under her breath.
Brother Jonash shot her another disapproving look but said nothing. Instead he nodded stiffly at both of them, said, “Good night,” and finally left.
NINE
SEV
“Well…that was fucking interesting,” Sev remarked as he closed the door behind the sanctimonious little male who was supposed to be their “Spiritual Advisor.”
“Ridiculous is more like it.” Mia was clearly still burning with irritation and Sev couldn’t say he blamed her.
“Staying here is certainly going to be an adventure,” he pointed out.
“It’s complete bullshit,” Mia said, sounding aggravated. “Look—I think I want to take a bubble bath—do you mind?”
Sev shrugged.
“Do what you want. I’m going to search the damn house top to bottom and find out where the cameras are.”
“Oh—you don’t think they have any in the bathroom, do you?” Mia looked anxious. “The idea of a bunch of ‘Elders’ watching while I take a bath…ugh!” She shivered.
Sev felt a possessive growl rise in his throat at the idea of other males seeing his petite partner naked. Mia shouldn’t have to be afraid to take a bath—that was fucking wrong!
“Brother Jonash said there were no bugs there but I don’t know,” he said. “Let me take a look in the fresher first.”
He strode into the fresher—what the humans called the “bathroom” or the “toilet”—and searched the ceiling and walls for hidden devices. His height made this easy enough but he didn’t see anything, not even around the glass panel of the mirror.
After a moment, he came out to Mia who was waiting anxiously.
“All clear as far as I can see,” he told her.
“Oh good—so no cameras?” She was holding something in her hand. Sev frowned when he saw it was the small golden cup, filled once more with the pale purple “Nutrient Crème.”
“None that I could see,” he said, frowning. “Why do you have another cup of that stuff?”
Mia shrugged defensively.
“I usually sip a glass of white wine in the bubble bath at home but there isn’t any wine here. The Crème has kind of a kick to it, though—I thought it would do.”
Sev shook his head.
“I don’t like you drinking that stuff when we don’t know what’s in it, Mia!”
“It’s just a vitamin drink,” she protested. “It’s no big deal.”
Sev felt another shiver of unease go through him—the same way it had when Brother Jonash had locked the door to the tunnel that led back to the Docking area behind them.