Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 79603 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79603 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
As she looked into his pale eyes, she tried to project calm energy, to show with her face, her voice, her body language, that she was only here to help.
“Please,” she murmured. “Please, J’are— I’m here to bring you home.”
Pale green eyes clashed with hers for a long, breathless moment. Then, slowly, a change came over the big Kindred.
His shoulders loosened just a bit and his big, muscular body lost some of its tension. The curled upper lip began to relax, hiding the sharp white teeth and the two sets of fangs in his upper and lower jaws. Lastly, sentience flooded his face in a way that was difficult to define but it centered in his eyes.
“I…have…no home.” His voice came out deep and hoarse and his words were hesitant, as though he hadn’t talked in a long time and was trying to remember how.
But at least he’s talking! Imani thought, a thrill running through her. He’s talking and thinking—he’s out of the feral state.
But he was just barely out of it. She sensed that one wrong move—one wrong word—could send him right back into that animalistic rage.
“I’ll be your home,” she said softly. “If you’ll let me, “J’are.”
“You know…my name.” He frowned uncertainly. “But I don’t know yours.”
The words were coming a bit less hesitantly now and she sensed he was remembering himself more and more.
“My name is Imani and I’m your Defender,” she said. Then something made her reach up to him and lay a hand on his rough cheek.
It was a long stretch, since he was so tall and Imani was what she liked to call “height challenged.” But J’are met her halfway. Chains clinking, he leaned down and accepted her gentle caress. For just a moment, his eyes closed as though in pleasure at her touch. When they opened again, he was looking directly at Imani.
“You are here to Claim me?” he asked hoarsely. “You name me as your own?”
Imani bit her lip. There seemed to be some significance to his words—some hidden meaning she was missing. She wished desperately that she’d been able to find out more about the Nightwalker Kindred before she came on this mission. But it was too late now—she’d just have to go with it.
“Yes,” she said firmly. “I Claim you, J’are. I name you as my own—you are mine and I will take you home.”
“That you most certainly will not.” Judge Thoughtgood’s strident voice cut through the magical spell which seemed to have fallen over Imani and the big Kindred.
She looked up, her hand still pressed to his cheek.
“Why can’t I take him?” she asked, forgetting to address the judge correctly, though she had never forgotten court protocol before in her life. “You can see that he’s no threat.”
“I see that he’s no threat to you. At least, not right now,” Judge Thoughtgood said, frowning. “But it remains to be seen if he will be safe for anyone else to be around.”
“Just let me take him with me,” Imani pleaded. “I’ll take full legal responsibility for his actions.”
It was a rash promise but there was something about the big Kindred that touched her heart. Maybe it was the way he had come back to sentience just for her, or the way she had just claimed him as her own, but she wanted more desperately than ever to save him and get him off this awful planet.
Judge Thoughtgood frowned.
“I tell you what, Councilor,” she said to Imani. “I will give you a short trial period. You may take the Kindred male back with you to wherever you’re staying for the night. Then, come back with him to court this time tomorrow. If you’re still unharmed and he seems lucid, I’ll make a further ruling then.”
It looked like the best offer she was going to get so Imani nodded.
“Thank you, your Honor. I appreciate your clemency.”
Judge Thoughtgood frowned.
“You won’t be thanking me if he rips your throat out in the middle of the night, Councilor,” she said dryly. “But I’m willing to at least allow you to try to tame him. Listen to me, though…” She raised a finger and narrowed her eyes at Imani. “When I say keep him with you, I mean he must be with you at all times. You’re not to leave him alone for an instant—not even to go into another room. Do you understand?”
Well that was going to make having a shower tonight interesting, Imani thought. But she had no choice.
“Yes, your honor,” she said firmly. “I understand and I am willing to undertake the risk and responsibility in order to take J’are home with me.”
“Very well.” Judge Thoughtgood nodded, an expression of grudging respect in her blue eyes. “I hope I’m not making a mistake here, Councilor. But you seem like a very determined young woman—I respect that.”