Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 79603 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79603 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
“She’s right about that,” Kat agreed. “So why don’t you tell us what’s going on—what happened on Yonnie Six—to keep your mind off things?”
Imani took a deep breath, trying to gather herself.
“It…it all started when I Claimed J’are by accident,” she said, looking at Kat. “You see, with the Nightstalker Kindred, the females Claim the males and not the other way around…”
She told about dealing with J’are in his feral state and how different he was in his thinking mind…told about the morphids and the mystery of who had really killed Lady Zangelo…told about the growing attraction between herself and the big Nightwalker.
“I knew it was wrong,” she told Kat and Liv. “I mean, he was my client—it wasn’t ethical to have any kind of relationship with him!”
“Well…not to toss ethics aside, but sometimes the heart wants what the heart wants, doll,” Kat said sympathetically.
“Yes, but things just kept going farther and farther,” Imani exclaimed. “Until we ended up in the simulation room in his old house and Mistress Bittlebum locked us in and simulated the Nightwalker Bonding night.”
“What?” Liv frowned. “They have a special night for Bonding?”
Imani explained about the three moons converging and the way J’are had literally lost his mind when his feral side came out.
“He…he hunted me down,” she said in a low voice. “And bonded me.”
“Oh, no!” Kat put a hand to her mouth. “Imani, hon, that doesn’t sound exactly…consensual.”
“It wasn’t…and yet in a way, it was.” Imani had been struggling with this herself. “Rape is never okay,” she said firmly. “Never. But, well…this wasn’t rape—not really. I was as hot as J’are was. I mean, I was scared out of my mind but somehow that only made me hotter.” She shook her head. “Does that even make any sense?”
“I think so,” Liv said thoughtfully. “I think it means that deep down you trusted him not to hurt you.”
“He didn’t,” Imani said. “And, honestly, it wasn’t the sex itself that upset me so much—it was the consequences of the sex.” She put a hand to her lower belly as she spoke, where she could occasionally feel the flutter of new life growing inside her. The baby—J’are’s baby.
“You mean getting permanently bonded or getting pregnant?” Kat asked.
“Both, I guess.” Imani sighed. “It’s just that I knew that J’are would have to go back to his home planet because the Kindred of the Mother Ship don’t trust the Nightwalkers and think they’re dangerous. And I knew if I got pregnant with his baby, it would almost certainly be a son, which would mean I would have to be exiled to the Nightwalker home world too. And I didn’t…I don’t…” She felt a sob rising in her throat again and tried to choke it down. “I didn’t want to leave Earth and my mom and dad and my career,” she whispered. “Only now I feel like I’d give all that up gladly, if only J’are could be okay!”
She lost the battle with her emotions and the sob she’d swallowed came out as her tears started afresh.
“Oh, hon…” Kat gave her a comforting squeeze.
“I just…just felt drawn to him,” Imani sobbed. “I tried to fight it but somehow, the minute I saw those pale green eyes of his and they were so much like the eyes I dreamed of before I met him—”
“Wait—you dreamed of him?” Liv interrupted.
“Of his eyes, anyway.” Imani sniffed. “Why?”
Liv and Kat exchanged a glance.
“They were Dream Sharing,” Kat murmured.
“Dream Sharing? What’s that?” Imani asked.
“It’s a sign the Goddess means for you to be together,” Liv said gently. “When you dream of a Kindred warrior and he dreams of you before you even meet—that’s Dream Sharing.”
“So all along we were meant to be together?” Imani felt a fresh sob rising in her throat. “And I was so angry with him!”
Kat squeezed her again. “Oh, hon—I don’t know what to say.”
“I do,” Liv said. “It sounds to me like you’re taking on a lot of guilt that doesn’t belong to you.”
“What…what do you mean?” Imani looked up at her, swiping a hand over her streaming eyes.
“I mean, of course you were upset about getting bonded against your will—any woman would be!” Liv exclaimed. “And of course you didn’t want to give up everything you know and the career you’ve worked so hard for and the parents you love at the drop of a hat—that’s completely understandable.”
“But so is falling for J’are—especially if the Goddess put you two together,” Kat said gently. “You’ve got to forgive yourself too, Imani—not just J’are.”
“I just want him to live,” Imani said fervently. “And I swear, if he does, I won’t complain about having to move to his home planet. I just want him to be okay. He’s part of me. I can feel him here.” She put a hand to her heart. “And I don’t know how I’ll live if he dies.”