Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 110492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 552(@200wpm)___ 442(@250wpm)___ 368(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 552(@200wpm)___ 442(@250wpm)___ 368(@300wpm)
“Well, if we’re so primitive and hostile, why would the Kindred want anything to do with us at all?” Torri demanded, putting a hand on her hip. “Why even bother with us?”
“We find your females unusually attractive,” Vic murmured, his eyes flicking up to hers for a long moment. “And it has been determined that you would be compatible with the Kindred genetically. As I told you, the Kindred race is 95% male, which means they are always looking for new brides.”
“So what—the Kindred want to trade something for human women?” Torri demanded. “That’s awful! Do you really think humanity is so depraved that we would just trade woman away like they were some kind of…of chattel?”
“Of course not!” Vic put up his hands in a “don’t shoot” gesture. “It isn’t like that at all, I promise you, Torri. The Kindred are only hoping to win the right to call brides for a Claiming Period. Which is a period of time when the Kindred warrior and his new bride get to know each other and find out if they are compatible. If not…” He spread his hands. “The bride is free to go back to her home and family.”
“Well…that does sound better than just trading them away,” Torri admitted grudgingly. “But what were the Kindred going to trade?”
“Technology, mostly,” Vic said, shrugging. “Our medical tech alone could cure many of your most deadly diseases. Surely that is worth the chance to call brides from your planet.”
Torri thought of how her Nana had died of cancer and nodded.
“Yes, that does seem fair, as long as you’re not forcing women to go up there to your, er, Mother Ship and keeping them against their will.”
“The Kindred would never do that!” Vic sounded truly horrified at the idea. “We believe in the sanctity of female life and their right to choose their own destiny. We even worship a female deity—the Goddess whom we call The Mother of All Life.”
“Wow, feminist aliens—go figure.” Torri laughed. “This dream just gets better and better.”
“Please don’t think that because we are Dream Sharing what I am telling you isn’t the truth,” Vic said earnestly. “The Kindred believe that every female has a little bit of the Goddess within herself—it is that spark of divinity that makes female life so precious.”
“Wow. Well, I wish more human guys felt that way,” Torri remarked. “Especially my husband,” she muttered to herself.
“Oh—are you mated?” Vic raised his eyebrows in apparent surprise.
“You could say that. We’ve been married about five years—I met him right after college. But now that I’m in here—in St. Elizabeth’s—he won’t take my calls half the time and he refuses to help me get out.” She looked down at her hands. “I…I don’t know when I’ll ever get to leave this place.”
“Torri, you look so sad.” Vic took one of her hands gently between his own large, warm hands and his deep blue eyes filled with concern.
“I just…haven’t had a very easy time here, lately.” Torri swiped at her eyes with her free hand. “Sorry, I don’t mean to cry. It’s just…I used to have a career and a life and the freedom to go where I wanted when I wanted. But that’s all gone now and I’m just stuck here.”
Vic didn’t ask her why she had been admitted to St. Elizabeth’s in the first place, he simply held her hand and looked at her with sincere sympathy in his blue eyes.
“I haven’t known you long, but I find it bothers me greatly to see you upset,” he rumbled softly. “Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?”
“You’re doing it already.” Torri sniffed and swiped at her eyes again. “Just having someone to talk to is really nice.” She tried to smile at him. “Thank you. I know this is just a dream but, well, it’s the nicest dream I’ve had in a long time.”
“I don’t normally have dreams myself,” Vic admitted. “But thank you for letting me invade yours.” He frowned. “I wonder if the organic part of my brain is having to work harder because the positronic part is malfunctioning and that is why I’m able to Dream Share with you?”
“Now you’re talking like a robot again,” Torri pointed out, laughing a little.
“At least I can talk in your dream,” Vic said. “In the waking reality, I am always searching for words. And communications used to be my specialty!”
Torri wanted to comfort him the way he had comforted her.
“I’m sure you can regain your speech with a little therapy,” she said, squeezing his hand, which she was still holding.
“Possibly. Or maybe the positronic part of my brain will eventually repair itself.” Vic sounded hopeful. “After all, when I first experienced the communications break, I was unable to say anything at all. But in the past day or so, I have at least been able to put a few words together.”