Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 78164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
“Thayer wants you, and in wanting you, he desires your happiness. He is taking a risk in this, as other influential unmated generals do not see a point in empowering unmated females. It is easier for them to just take control of us if we are unprepared.” I was desperate, body scooting toward the edge of my seat so I might lean closer and spill every secret I might think of. “And you need to understand that a male who has heard your song can, in fact, control you. They can make you receptive, make you docile, make you submit.”
“What did you exchange, Lorieyn?” Maeve wasn’t looking for circumspect answers; she wanted hard facts.
She was going to hate me when she knew, but still, I confessed it all. “My genetics are unusual, and many of the oldest males have not heard a song in centuries. They want my daughters.”
Rising from her chair, she snarled, “You can’t do that!”
“If your mating with General Thayer goes well, and you find it in your ability to tolerate his enthusiasm, the next step in acquiring the support of the males would be my pregnancy. That is what they demand in order to consider change.”
With greater force, she said it again, “You cannot give the academy a daughter, Lorieyn.”
“I don’t have a choice! Nothing will alter for us if I do not wield what little power I have.” Knocking a fist against my breast, I spat, “You think I want to wear this uniform? Our options do not exist the way the world is now. You can’t even begin to understand what it’s like out there! You have more power than you realize, if you submit.”
She cut me to the core with one look. “How dare you!”
Hands before me, I apologized with my eyes. “If you submit and your mating goes well, I may be allowed to teach every unmated female the truth of their bodies and the secrets of what being bonded really is.”
Hissing, she turned her green eyes on me. “What is so damn secret?”
“It’s an addiction, one that will tie you to General Thayer for the rest of your life. If not him, then someone else who might not be as considerate. Regardless of who it is, if males can hear our song and claim us as their own, we will be chemically dependent on them. Or we suffer and die of fever. They call it ‘heat.’”
A blonde eyebrow cocked. “I’m going to need more details than that.”
Standing, walking closer to her, I said, “Males who hear our song can seduce us with scent, sound, and touch. You will have no choice but to grow biddable and confused. And… then you will grow aroused. The first time, this triggers the body to engage our reproductive organs between our legs. Fascia and tendons separate when a male engages, the organs rip apart, and something new swells to life. The act of opening… is extremely painful. Cyderial was exceedingly careful with me, but most males are not careful at all, especially if they are in a hurry. Thayer was rough at the bar and has regrets. He wishes to be gentle with you. He wants you to know what to expect, so your bonding can be nice.”
“Pain and addiction? Why are you not helping me escape?” Shimmery claws in my face, Maeve spat, “I put my life at risk for you, Lorieyn!”
Sorrier than I could say, I whispered, “Dear sister, there is nowhere to go.”
“The humans—”
“At best, we are a novelty. At worst, they want us dead. The things I have learned….” Horrible, hideous, ugly things that made my chest ache. “Genocide has been committed against our kind already—whole generations eradicated. You will find no protection from humans. If anything, they will just ask you to breed so they don’t have to.”
I told my sister of my birthmother, of how I was recorded for broadcast entertainment, of the children who were culled from the academy. I told her everything Miranda and Cyderial said, and more.
I told her what I witnessed personally.
And then I circled back to sex, because time was limited, and she needed to understand. “Once Thayer opens you, you will have a new orifice here.” I gestured between my legs. “A sensitive slit that leads to a tight passage. He will stimulate every part of this area until pleasure overcomes clarity. Thayer will be eager to give you a sexual pleasure that ignites to a climax of feeling, and may use various parts of his body: fingers, tongue, and an organ males have between their legs. This organ, nature designed it to navigate female anatomy, and it will go inside you.”
Horror ruled her features. “That sounds awful!”
Trying hard to explain, I waved my arm like a snake. “The limb is prehensile and shaped like a spear. It can elongate and contract; the movements when its inside you… feel good. Very good. And if you engage in the act, it feels even better. You may choose to lie there and let him entice you, which will be successful, even if you resist.”