Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 88235 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88235 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“Well, after years of faculty meetings, I think I can handle it,” Vicky said dryly.
“Perfect.” Kat nodded decisively. “Come on—let’s get you ready for your mission.”
“Oh, um—but I think I’m supposed to be meeting with some kind of Alien Cultural Coordinator?” Vicky said hesitantly.
“Oh, that’s me.” Kat laughed. “I’ve been doing this kind of thing for years because I really enjoy the research and the fashion aspects of it. So Sylvan there finally decided to make it official and gave me a title.”
She nodded at the tall blond Kindred who had spoken to Vicky and Chain on the viewscreen. He had been standing quietly to one side during their meeting but now he smiled politely at Vicky.
“Kat is the best at what she does. You’re in good hands, Victoria, and it’s nice to meet you,” he said.
“It’s nice to meet you, too.” Vicky nodded back. It was a damn good thing she wasn’t an introvert or all these new people would have made her want to crawl back into Chain’s ship and hide, she thought. As it was, she felt mildly overwhelmed but also extremely welcome. All the people she’d met so far on the Kindred Mother Ship seemed genuinely happy to make her acquaintance, which was nice.
Strangely, it reminded her of that one vacation she’d had to Canada—everyone she’d met in that country had been warm and genuine in the same way. So much so that Vicky had wished she could move there—that was until one of the natives told her it got down to thirty degrees below zero in the winters. That changed her mind pretty quickly. After years of living in the hot Florida climate, she was certain she wouldn’t survive in such frigid conditions.
“Can I borrow my Lady for just a moment before you take her away from me to prepare her?” Chain asked Kat, breaking into Vicky’s train of thought.
“Sure.” Kat smiled. “Take your time. If the two of you just got together it’ll take a crowbar to pry you apart.” She rolled her eyes. “Believe me, I know.”
The other girls laughed as though it was an established fact that any woman who had just gotten together with a Kindred would barely be able to pull herself away. Vicky smiled and then Chain was drawing her to the side to talk.
“Well?” he murmured in her ear. “What do you think?”
“I think it sounds great.” Vicky couldn’t stop herself from grinning at him. It looked like her big adventure was going to happen after all! She just hoped she wasn’t being rash, going off with a guy she barely knew to an alien planet where she would be completely dependent on him.
But then she remembered the way Chain had held her while she slept and how gently he had healed her wounds. She was safe with him, she thought—he would never hurt her. She might not have known him for long, but that much she could tell. After years of teaching, she considered herself an excellent judge of character and Chain was definitely one of the good guys.
“I’m so glad you’re coming with me,” he murmured, leaning down to give her a soft, lingering kiss on the mouth, just as he had in the Last Call bar. “So glad we get to spend more time together.”
“I…I’m glad too,” Vicky confessed a bit breathlessly.
Chain stroked her flushed cheek.
“Why don’t you go get the details of the assignment from the Alien Culture Coordinator while I speak to Commander Sylvan about the small matter of remuneration.”
“Remuneration? You mean pay?” Vicky asked.
“Well of course!” A frown creased his face briefly. “You don’t think I’d ask you to come along on an official mission without getting paid for it, do you?” He leaned closer and whispered in her ear, “Always get the money up front. Don’t worry—I’ll be sure you get a fifty percent cut for coming with me.”
“Oh, well…thank you.” Vicky smiled at him, wishing her voice didn’t sound so breathless when he got really close like that. It was his warm, spicy scent affecting her brain again she told herself. He was so handsome and charming already but adding that delicious smelling pheromone scent on top of all that made him damn near irresistible.
Chain gave her a long hug and another kiss before letting her go.
“Have fun with your new friends, beautiful Victoria,” he murmured. “I’ll meet you back here at the ship later.”
Vicky watched him walk over to Commander Sylvan and then she turned back to Kat and the other girls as well.
“Done saying goodbye?” Kat smirked at her, one auburn eyebrow arched.
“Oh, um…” Vicky could feel herself blushing.
“Don’t tease her, Kat—you know how it is when you first bond with a Kindred,” Liv said, elbowing her friend in the ribs and glaring at her.
“Oh, we’re not, uh, bonded,” Vicky protested. “We’re just together for now—for this mission, I mean,” she added.