Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 88235 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88235 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Vicky knew the current modern worldview was that she hadn’t done anything wrong or even out of the ordinary with the big Kindred the night before. She regularly read articles on Medium, her favorite online writing forum, with titles like, “I Watched my Boyfriend take part in an Orgy,” or “My First Threesome—it wasn’t too Awkward!” or “What a Polyamorous Relationship looks like from the Inside.”
But despite the way the world had changed, inside, Vicky was still an old-fashioned girl. She’d been raised in a very strict home and despite her desire for sex, she was still a little shocked at the things she’d done the night before, especially considering she barely knew Chain.
Well, not exactly barely, she thought dryly. They knew each other a whole lot better in some ways now than she’d ever known Kevin, despite being married to him for over twenty years.
But still, the fact remained that she’d only met the big Kindred the day before and then she’d done a whole lot of things—very pleasurable things, true—but things she probably wouldn’t have considered doing if she hadn’t been full of alcohol and waaaay too relaxed after soaking in the liquid-valium pool.
“Yes?” Chain said, frowning.
Vicky realized the big Kindred was looking at her with a waiting expression on his face, as though he was expecting her to finish her sentence. Only she couldn’t think of anything to say.
“Um, nothing.” She shrugged her shoulders and took another sip of the hot liquid, being more careful this time. “Why did you wake me up?”
“I need to talk to you.” His face and voice were serious.
Vicky bit her lip. Uh-oh—he was probably having second thoughts about everything they’d done together too. Doubtless he was planning to try and let her down easy—he was a nice guy, he wouldn’t want to hurt her feelings but clearly she was way too old for him. They’d had a fun time together the night before but in the cold light of day, it was time to face the fact that they were two different people who ought to go their separate ways.
It was surprising how much that idea hurt—the idea of never seeing the big Kindred again after this was all over with. But Vicky told herself not to be silly—that was life. At least she’d had a much more exciting Valentine’s Day than she’d expected. And she’d made memories she would never forget—that was for sure.
“We…we need to talk,” Chain said again and she saw that he was having a hard time finding the words. Well, she decided, she would save him the trouble.
“I know what you’re going to say,” she told him.
“You do?” He looked surprised.
“Sure—you’re going to tell me that last night was fun but you’re not in a good place for a commitment,” Vicky said. “Which is fine—I’m not in a good place either.”
He frowned. “You’re not? Because I have to tell you, Victoria—if we go through with this—if we make love as Professor Torella wants us to, there will be a commitment.”
“Huh?” She frowned at him, not understanding. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about bonding you to me.” He took her hand—the one not holding the steaming mug—and looked into her eyes. “If I make love to you—if we make love together—I’ll bond you to me for life, beautiful Victoria. I won’t be able to help it.”
Her mouth was suddenly dry. The mug sagged in her fist, forgotten, and spilled some pale blue liquid on the silver coverlet.
“I don’t…I don’t understand,” she heard herself say. “What do you mean?”
“Exactly what I said. If we make love in order to prove your ‘teaching techniques’ are good enough for Torella to sell us the second half of the T’lix-Kruthe, we’ll be bound together for life. You’ll never be able to leave me—or I, you.”
“Wait, this is…this is just weird.” Vicky pulled her hand out of his. “Am I still dreaming?”
“Of course not.” He frowned. “What would make you think that?”
Maybe because only in a dream would a hot, much-too-young-for-you Kindred warrior tell you that he’s going to bond you to him for life? whispered the voice of Vicky’s inner snark.
Yeah, that must be it.
“It’s just…I don’t think…I don’t see how…” She shook her head, trying to get her thoughts together. “I just don’t see how it could be possible.”
“It’s more than possible—it’s inevitable if we make love,” he said, frowning. “When my kind of Kindred—an M-Switch—makes love with a woman and comes deep inside her, claiming her completely, a permanent soul-bond is formed. This bond can be broken only by death, so it effectively ties the Kindred and his bride together forever.”
Finally Vicky understood exactly what he was trying to tell her. He was letting her know that if they put on a second, even more explicit sex show (and how drunk had she been to agree to that, by the way?) they would be stuck together forever and there would be no getting out of it. She had heard before that the Kindred had a zero percent divorce rate—this soul-bond he was talking about forming must be the reason why.