Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 66405 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66405 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
“Thank you—I met Lx Sambla at a dinner aboard the Mother Ship not long ago and he invited me to come observe your customs,” Addie said to either Teeza, Leeza, or Peeza.
The tall, thin lady in waiting who had spoken to her barely nodded—her eyes had fallen on Drago and she didn’t seem interested in Addie anymore.
“And who is this you have with you?” she purred, passing Addie to go stand in front of the big Kindred. The other two tall, thin ladies joined her at once.
“My, what a mountain of muscle!” one of them exclaimed.
“He’s certainly a treat for the eyes,” the third remarked, raking her dark eyes over Drago’s tall form.
“Oh, er, Drago is—”
“I’m Dr. Hollister’s Protector—I go wherever she goes,” Drago growled. He seemed unimpressed by the three thin, gorgeous Vargan women fawning over him but that didn’t deter them. They were grouped in a semi-circle around him and Addison was apparently completely forgotten.
“Well, you certainly brought a big hunk of man-candy with you, didn’t you?”
The voice startled Addie, who was watching her Protector and his new groupies and trying not to feel jealous. She looked around and saw that Sparki, the short lady-in-waiting was talking to her.
“Oh, uh, he’s just my Protector—that’s all,” she said, trying to laugh and not quite succeeding. “You know—my bodyguard,” she added.
“Well from the way the tiresome trio are looking at him, it’s his body that’s going to need guarding,” Sparki said dryly. “Are the two of you together? You know, in a bonded relationship?” she added curiously.
Addie shook her head.
“No, of course not. We’re just…” She swallowed because her throat was suddenly dry. “Just coworkers—that’s all.”
"Good," Sparki said decisively. "Then you won't get all bent out of shape when the greedy threesome wants to use him for a late-night snack."
“Well, I don’t—” Addie began doubtfully.
But Sparki had already hooked her arm through Addie’s and was tugging her in the direction of the door.
“Come on—they’ll catch up eventually,” she said. “Let’s find you just the right outfit to wear at the feast tonight. If you’re meeting the Council of Aged Ones, you want to look impressive.”
Reluctantly, Addie allowed herself to be led away. She was aware that Drago was following her—though he was now surrounded by the other three Ladies-in-waiting, who were all twittering with excitement and asking him questions.
“Can I feel your muscles?” Addie heard one of them ask.
“You must be so strong,” another one purred.
“I bet you could lift me with one hand!” the third exclaimed.
She tried to tell herself that all this extra attention Drago was getting was not making her jealous. After all, he was her coworker and that was all. It wasn’t like they had any kind of relationship. He was free to do what he wanted with whoever he wanted—it was none of her business.
But no matter what she told herself, she could feel her jaw clenching as the high, excited voices of the other three ladies-in-waiting, all flirting as hard as they could, drifted to her ears.
4
DRAGO
Drago was doing his best not to be rude but the three skinny females surrounding him wouldn’t fucking leave him alone! They were asking him questions and running their thin, cold hands all over his arms and chest while he was trying to keep an eye on Addison.
“Pardon me, Ladies,” he said to them when they started falling behind his charge, who was walking ahead with the only sensible lady-in-waiting of the four. “But I have to keep up with Dr. Hollister. Can we move a little faster?”
“Why would you want to spend your time with her when you can spend time with us instead?” one of them asked, making a pouting face at him.
“Yes, we’re much more fun!” another exclaimed.
“I’m not here for fun—I’m here to do a job,” Drago reminded them. “I have sworn to protect Dr. Hollister with my life so I can’t lose track of her.”
Somehow he was able to get out in front of the three of them and went striding down the long stone hallway, just managing to keep Addison in sight.
The three ladies-in-waiting pouted prettily and clustered around him again like a flock of skinny black crows, but Drago was careful not to let them get in front of him and slow him down again. He took his job as a Protector very seriously and he wasn’t about to let Addison get away from him on a strange planet.
At last, they reached a curving black door which opened into a rather dimly lit bedchamber. The short lady-in-waiting was already showing Addison the amenities as Drago stepped into the room with the other ladies-in-waiting crowding around him.
“Here is your sleeping platform,” the short one said, gesturing to the vast, round mattress placed on a tall, white, marble pedestal in the center of the room. It had a satiny black coverlet and a mound of thick cylindrical pillows. A curtain made of diaphanous black netting was gathered at the ceiling above it and came down to enclose the entire bed, making it into a kind of cocoon in the center of the room.