Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 130081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
Nate had gotten damn good at making it—coming up with some really tasty concoctions. The other guys in his unit always begged him to play chef, claiming that nobody else could make coffee-can casserole like he could.
“Yes,” he said at last. “Yes, I know what he meant.” He looked up at her wonderingly. “You really do know Ollie and Simon!”
“Not extremely well—they are mated to my colleagues, as I said,” Lan’ara told him. “But they are eager to see you again.”
“Let’s go see them now, then!” he exclaimed. Forgetting he couldn’t move, he tried to get up, only to remember all over again that he was paralyzed.
“We can’t go yet,” Lan’ara said softly. “Not before you’re healed and we go through our Claiming Period. You cannot go aboard the Kindred Mother Ship until you’re no longer a danger to yourself and others…and you can’t take up permanent residence there unless you’re mated to a Kindred, as Oliver and Simon are.”
Nate frowned.
“Are you saying that in order to see my friends again, you and I have to get married or some shit like that? Because, don’t get me wrong—you’re fucking gorgeous—but I don’t even know you.”
She winced, a look of pain crossing her features.
“You don’t have to be mated to me in order to see your friends, but we should at least attempt the Claiming Period. It will help us grow closer and enable me to heal your emotional wounds. That way you’ll be considered safe to board the Mother Ship.”
“And what exactly does this ‘Claiming Period’ entail?” Nate demanded suspiciously. “What are you going to do to me? How do you expect to ‘Claim’ me?”
Lan’ara shook her head, her silky black hair swishing in the water.
“It will be you Claiming me—but only at the end of the period and only if you choose to Bond with me, Nate.” She gave him a serious look. “I would never try to force a Bonding. It must come from the heart and entwine both souls.”
Nate didn’t have the least idea what she was talking about, but he knew he wanted to see his combat buddies again. He and Ollie and Simon had gotten damn close—the two of them were like the brothers he’d never had. Seeing them would help him make sense out of this craziness—it would help him get his head on straight, as his old CO in the Seals used to say. He was willing to agree to just about anything to do that. Just to feel normal again and to see his friends.
“All right,” he said, looking up at her. “I’ll do it. Whatever this Claiming thing is, we’ll try it. And you have my word as a Seal I’ll give it my best shot. As long as I can see my friends again after it’s over.”
Lan’ara nodded.
“You have my word as a Kindred—you will see them as long as we at least attempt the Claiming Period together.”
“Good.” Nate nodded. “Then will you let me go now? I swear I won’t try to get away,” he added. “Though I do want to explore some—this is some freaky shit you’ve got around here.” He nodded at the milky blue water and the glowing flowers on the hanging vine.
Lan’ara gave him a serious look.
“I can give you the anti-paralytic, but I want you to remember something—you’re trusting me but I’m also trusting you, Nate. You’re much bigger and stronger than me—you could hurt me if you wanted to.”
Nate scowled.
“I don’t hurt women! That’s not the kind of guy I am!”
But as he spoke, he got an uneasy feeling and a brief flash of his hands closing around a slender throat resurfaced…and then was gone again so fast he barely registered it.
Lan’ara nodded.
“I know you’re not that kind of male. The Goddess would never allow one of her daughters to align with an abusive or hurtful soul.”
Nate didn’t know about any “Goddess” but he did know he wanted to be able to move again.
“Look,” he said, as gently as he could. “I know I’m a big guy, but I swear I won’t hurt you. I was raised to protect women—not hit or hurt them.”
She smiled faintly.
“I would like to know more about your childhood someday and your family.”
“They’re all dead now,” Nate said bleakly. “At least, I know for sure that my mom and dad are. Not sure what happened to my little sister. I thought she was someplace safe—an underground bunker. But the fucking Scourge found it and I don’t know if she escaped or not.”
“I can feel how much you loved her—how much you wanted to protect her,” Lan’ara said gently. “What was her name?”
“Madison.” He sighed unhappily. “Used to call her ‘Maddy’ for short. She always hated that nickname.”
He couldn’t help remembering how Maddy used to shout, “Na-than-ial!” when he teased her. She always punched him with her little fists. He would give a million dollars to see her and have her punch him like that again.