Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 130081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
“Yes, but—” Lan’ara began.
Just then the Com-box on Sylvania’s desk made a noise and a voice said,
“Commander Sylvania, Communications Officer Tania here—there is an incoming craft hailing us. The pilot claims to be a Kindred warrior from another universe and says he needs our help.”
“’He’, hmm?” A few months earlier, such a statement would have provoked incredulity and disbelief. However, they’d had dealings with the denizens of another universe recently—a male named Commander Nox and his human female, Seline, who had pointed them in the direction of the Earth in the first place as a source of possible mates. So Commander Sylvania barely blinked at the news.
“I’ve scanned the ship and the pilot appears to be Kindred,” the Communications Officer acknowledged. “Should I give him permission to land?”
“Yes—and tell him I’ll meet him at the Docking Bay,” Commander Sylvania nodded and turned to Lan’ara. “Are you coming? I’d like you with me to read his true intentions.”
Lan’ara felt a surge of impatience, which she tried to push back.
“Yes, of course.” She nodded.
“Don’t worry—I’ll have the Science staff do a trace of the emissions signatures of all ships leaving Earth in the past twelve solar hours while we go meet this new male,” Commander Sylvania assured her. “You’ll be able to track your human very soon.”
“Thank you, Commander!” Lan’ara felt a rush of gratitude. Impulsively, she hugged the other woman.
As she brushed Sylvania’s skin, she felt the warmth and sympathy coming from her Commander. Sylvania really did care and wanted her to find her mate—the one male in all the universe that the Goddess had put aside just for her.
“You’re welcome,” Sylvania said with a little smile, after hugging her back briefly. “Come on—let’s go and see what this male from the other universe has to say to us.”
She led the way and Lan’ara followed her, grateful for a Commander who understood her people so well. She just hoped the interview with the male Kindred wouldn’t take too much time—she was anxious to go searching for Nate!
THREE
LAN’ARA
“Well, well—and where do you think you’re going, sweetheart?”
The deep voice belonged to Simon, the human male who Commander Sylvania had rescued and Bonded with. He was taller than her—and much taller than the average human male—with broad shoulders, brown hair and a beard to match, and green eyes. He had turned into the corridor leading to the Docking Bay and now he looped an affectionate arm around Commander Sylvania’s waist.
“Oh, Simon—I’m just going to meet—”
“An alien from another universe? Yeah, I picked that out of your head,” he rumbled. “The Soul Bond is useful that way.”
Lan’ara watched the two of them from the corner of her eye as they walked along the corridor. She saw her Commanding Officer sigh, but it was a good-natured sigh—the affection between Sylvania and her human mate was clear.
“I can handle myself you know,” she pointed out. “You don’t always have to be so protective.”
“Yes, he does,” a new voice rumbled.
Lan’ara looked around and saw Oliver—Simon’s brother—coming up beside them from the other side. Bairdida, who was his mate and also the half sister of Commander Sylvania, was at his side.
“Looks like we’ve got a whole welcome party here,” Bairdida remarked, smiling. She was a Beast Kindred and had thick black hair and golden eyes. Her mate, Oliver, couldn’t have looked more different. He had wheat colored hair and silvery-gray eyes. Though he and Simon had the same facial features, their different coloring made it easy to tell them apart even though they were twins.
Commander Sylvania let out another exasperated sigh and looked at her mate.
“Let me guess—you contacted Oliver, who contacted Bairdida and all of you decided you had to come along.”
“Just want to make sure you’re safe, sweetheart.” Simon dropped a kiss on her cheek.
“Yes—we couldn’t let you and your aide go alone to meet an alien from another universe,” Oliver pointed out. He was a doctor and since Sylvania was also, the two of them had a lot in common and got along quite well. Simon was a master craftsman—he’d been a carpenter before the war with the Scourge began and he still enjoyed making furniture and intricate carvings from wood. His artistic efforts decorated the suite he and Sylvania shared—Lan’ara had admired them when she visited.
“Don’t worry, Sister—we won’t step on your toes,” Bairdida told Sylvania. “We just wanted to come along and watch the action.”
“Well, all right. But don’t scare the poor male,” Sylvania said. “And after we greet him, maybe you can go with Lan’ara to try and trace the ship which took the male she’s been Dream-sharing with away from Earth,” she added, speaking to her sister.
“You’ve been Dream-sharing?” Oliver asked, looking at Lan’ara. “Who’s the lucky man—maybe Simon and I know him.”
That might have been a ludicrous statement to make before the war with the Scourge when the Earth had over eight billion people. But so many humans had been wiped out by the enemy that the remainder had banded together as best they could into several different enclaves. It was entirely possible that the two human males might know Nate.