Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 83353 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83353 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
His eyes flashed.
“He fucking got what he deserved! We’ll report his body to the authorities later.”
“Really?” Sam asked. “You’re not afraid to tell them you killed a human?”
“Why should I be?” He shrugged. “The World Court has ruled that a Kindred warrior is justified in killing any male who tries to harm his female. That bastard signed his own death warrant the moment he typed the first threat he sent you.”
“I’m glad I don’t have to worry about him anymore,” Sam admitted with another shiver. “I don’t know who he was but he was crazy.”
“He’s gone now,” R’orn said comfortingly. “You’re safe from him, baby.”
“Thank you.” Sam looked up at him. “But tell me about the Goddess. What did she look like? I’ve spoken to lots of spirits and ghosts but no deities.”
“I didn’t’ see her so much as felt and heard her,” R’orn admitted. “Her presence was like a heavy weight on me—she was seriously displeased that I’d left you alone and in danger.” He shook his head. “I just don’t understand why she would send me to you on the night of the full moon. She must have known what would happen—known that my Beast already hungered for you.”
“Maybe she sent you so that we could finally get together—because she knew there was no other way we could when you were being so stubborn.”
R’orn had been staring morosely at the grass but now his head jerked up in astonishment. He hadn’t heard Samantha’s voice with his ears—he’d heard it inside his head.
“What…how…?” he began.
“Did you hear that?” Samantha asked, looking at him anxiously. “I, er, ‘sent’ it as loud as I could.”
“Of course I heard it!” R’orn exclaimed.
“Good. Then…does that mean what I think it means?” She looked at him shyly. “My Aunt Luna told me when you have, uh, Bonding Sex with a Kindred warrior, you’re able to exchange thought messages. Like, talk telepathically. So…does that mean we’re Bonded?” she finished, sending the last question through their new link rather than saying it out loud.
“I…I suppose it does,” R’orn sent back tentatively. “Though I don’t feel like I deserve to be Bonded to you, sweetheart. Not after the way my Beast and I treated you last night.”
Samantha frowned.
“Look, is your Beast a lot to handle? Yes. God, yes.” she said, switching back to speaking aloud. “And was I scared at first, also yes. But by the end I think we had, er, reached an understanding.”
“An understanding?” R’orn exclaimed. “What was there to understand? He—we—held you down and took you! You had no choice, no say, no—” He shook his head, feeling sick. “I’m so fucking sorry, sweetheart—what I did to you last night is unforgivable.”
“No, it’s not!” Samantha protested. “Because I participated too—it was an act of passion.”
“It was an act of violence,” R’orn argued. “I don’t deserve you—don’t deserve to be Bonded to you. I…I should go and leave you alone.”
“Is that what you really want?” Samantha demanded. “To leave me?”
“No, damn it! Because I love you!” R’orn burst out, feeling pushed to the edge.
“Good, because I love you too!” Sam shot back. “I know it’s crazy—I know we haven’t known each other for long. But it just feels like…”
“We belong together,” R’orn finished for her.
She nodded.
“Exactly. So can you please stop beating yourself up about what happened between me and your Beast last night? I’m not upset about it—I promise.” She switched to her mental voice. “After all, it brought us together.”
“I suppose it did,” R’orn acknowledged grudgingly. “But I still feel bad about how hard I used you, baby.”
“I’ll be fine—nothing a long hot shower and a little ibuprofen won’t fix.” She started to stand up and winced. “Well, maybe a lot of ibuprofen.”
“Let me take care of you,” R’orn said. He stood up and then bent to swing her into his arms.
“What? Oh!” she gasped as he lifted her and cradled her against his chest. “Where are you taking me?”
“You’re my mate now,” R’orn reminded her. “I’m taking you back to my ship so I can take care of you.”
“Oh, well…”
She shifted in his arms and at first he thought she would protest. But he sent a wave of love and devotion through their new link—also the need and desire he felt to care for her and heal the wounds he’d made. At last, he felt her relax.
“All right,” she said simply. “I usually take care of myself but I guess if you really want to…”
“I do,” R’orn assured her through their link. “I want to take care of you for the rest of our lives, sweetheart.”
Then he held her close and carried her back towards his ship.
21
SAM
The rumors were true, Sam found—the Kindred shuttles really did have a living area in the back of them. There was also a nice shower, big enough for two, and a king-sized bed.