Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 89162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Torus stroked her hair.
“Good—I can feel your trust. I promise I’ll do everything in my power to be worthy of it, sweetheart.”
“Thank you.” Molly wished he was closer so she could nuzzle her cheek against his, the way she had the other night when she had “over-hugged him.” Just being near the big Kindred made her feel safe and calm and protected.
“Thank you,” Torus murmured. “I’m glad you feel that way about me, but I’m not sure you meant to let me hear your thought.”
“Oh…did you hear that?” Molly felt her cheeks getting hot. How had he heard her thinking when she hadn’t meant to send him her thoughts?
“I believe you might be sending me your thoughts unintentionally,” Torus said, answering her out loud.
“Oh no!” Molly put a hand to her temple where the TET was. “How do I turn it off?”
“You can’t,” Sylvan told her. “The only way to stop it is to peel the TET device off your temple. But if you do that, the connection will be lost and you’ll have to come back up to the Mother Ship to re-establish it.”
“But what if I think the wrong thing?” Molly demanded. “What if I think something…something embarrassing?” She was remembering the dream she’d had the night before—the extremely erotic one that starred Torus. No, no—I can’t think about that! I have to stop! she told herself, beginning to feel panicked.
Torus shot her a curious look but didn’t say anything this time.
Commander Sylvan, however, put out a hand to calm her down.
“It’s all right—you just have to learn how to use the TET properly. When you have a true Soul Bond with your mate, you have a natural shield around your thoughts and emotions, so you usually don’t send them thoughts or feelings without meaning to. With the TETs, you actually have to picture a barrier in your mind—try imagining a high brick wall that you’ll keep all your thoughts behind,” he said to Molly. “Go on—close your eyes and try it.”
Molly closed her eyes and imagined a wall a hundred feet high inside her mind.
“Good,” she heard Commander Sylvan say. “Now picture a small gate in the wall. Only the thoughts and emotions you want to send to your partner will get through this gate.”
Molly did her best. She imagined opening the small gate and sending a little thought message.
“Hello—can you hear me?” she sent to Torus.
“Yes, I can hear you, sweetheart.” His mental voice was as low and rumbly as his physical voice she thought. It made her feel calm and happy just to hear it in her head.
“I like your mental voice too,” he sent to her.
Molly opened her eyes.
“Crap! I did it again, didn’t I?”
“I think you may be some kind of natural projector,” Torus told her. “But don’t worry—we’ll have plenty of time to practice our mental technique.”
Molly bit her lip.
“But…what if I think something really embarrassing?” she asked in a small voice.
“I won’t hold it against you,” Torus promised, a slight smile playing around the corner of his mouth. “Now come on—let’s practice some more and then I think you have to go try on your wedding dress, right?”
So they had practiced some more—and Molly had honestly thought she was getting the hang of it…
Until now, she thought, staring at herself in the 3-D viewer again as Kat fixed her veil. When he heard what I was thinking even though we’re not even in the same room together!
Commander Sylvan had told them that the TETs had a limited range—much shorter than a real Soul Bond would be—but so far Molly felt like she was unintentionally shouting all her thoughts and emotions at the big Kindred.
“You look absolutely gorgeous,” Kat told her again, bringing her back to the present. “And I think your friend’s dress should be finished. I’ll go get it and send her in if that’s okay?”
“Oh yes—please send her in!” Molly was eager to see Lana and take her mind off the whirlwind events of the past twenty-four hours.
Kat left the fitting room—which was in a small structure located just outside of the Sacred Grove where the ceremony was taking place—and Lana came in.
“Oh…my…God!” Lana exclaimed, her eyes widening dramatically. “Molly, why didn’t you tell me you were a model?”
Molly couldn’t help laughing at her friend’s over-the-top reaction.
“Maybe because I’m not?” she suggested.
“But you totally look like one! That dress is amazing on you!”
“Thank you.” Molly smiled shyly. “Do you think Commander Torus—I mean Torus—will like it?” she asked.
“If he doesn’t he’s got rocks in his head,” Lana said firmly. “You’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen.” She sighed, suddenly looking melancholy. “I just wish your wedding was going to be for real.”
“Well, it’s not,” Molly pointed out. “But even though it’s a fake wedding, it’s still way nicer than my first one,” she added.