The light blockers helped a lot, though the brilliant radiance still sapped his strength. At least he could see, however—in fact, Sazar had to admit to himself, maybe he could see too well. With the dark lenses shielding his eyes, it was obvious exactly how many males were staring at Sarah in open admiration.
Sazar tried to tell himself that some of their interest in her was doubtless because she was alien to their planet with different skin and hair tones than the Alquons were used to. But some of the attention she was getting was undoubtedly lust.
It’s her breasts, he thought, frowning as the eyes of the Alquon males followed his little human assistant’s every movement. They’re so large—much larger that the Alquon females’ endowments.
In fact, they were larger than he was used to himself—Malinda had been quite small up top. Sazar had loved her to distraction—breast size wasn’t an issue with him. But he had to admit his new assistant’s assets were definitely distracting.
So big and soft and sweet, he couldn’t help thinking. His hands itched to cup them again and he couldn’t help remembering how good her nipples tasted or the soft little moans she made when he sucked them.
The Blood Hunger tortured him and his fangs were long and sharp, longing to pierce her there and drink from an area where only a Pitch-Blood Kindred could call a vein. But he didn’t want to hurt her and there was no doubt taking blood from such a sensitive area would be painful unless he pleasured her first.
Not if she’s your Fated Mate, whispered a little voice in his head. Then it would be nothing but pleasure for her, were you to drink from her breasts or between her thighs.
But Sazar couldn’t take that chance. Fated Mates were rare and his idea that Sarah might be his was probably just wishful thinking.
I can’t drink from her there, he told himself. In fact, I can’t drink from her anywhere for at least a standard week. I’ll just have to keep the Blood Hunger in check and concentrate on doing my job.
And right now his job was to make contact with the ruler of Alquon Ultrea—The Lord Magnate.
“Now you can tell we’re entering the territory around the palace because of the light,” Chandra said, looking back at him and Sarah. She had been playing the tour guide as they moved through the busy tunnels that housed the city streets, pointing out various landmarks, businesses, and the private residences of leading citizens, but Sazar had been paying scant attention to her.
Sarah, however, was looking all around her with wide-eyed awe. Sazar reminded himself that this was the first time she’d been off her own little planet. This was just another diplomatic mission to him but to her, it was all new and fascinating.
“How can we tell? What about the light?” she asked Chandra.
“Well, it’s golden—can’t you tell, my dear?” The Alquon girl’s big purple eyes widened dramatically. “Everything around The Lord Magnate must be golden—even the light. His plates and cups and utensils are all gold.” She dropped her voice. “Some say even the pot he does his business in his gold and I believe it!”
“Wow,” Sarah said. “That’s, uh, really something.”
“Yes, isn’t it?” Chandra giggled. “Now here we are—the Palace of Idd.”
She threw out a hand and Sazar saw that they were indeed approaching a tall structure with many towers and turrets, all of which gleamed in the golden light. They approached a tall gate made of golden bars and two guards dressed in golden armor shaped like interlocking fish scales stopped them.
“Open in the name of Minister Obglod,” the old minister snapped at the guards, who were pointing golden trident-like weapons at him. “The Lord Magnate is expecting us.”
“Yes, Minister.” The tridents were withdrawn and the golden gates opened. Inside Sazar noticed that even the plain path they had been walking on had become gold-plated. He wondered if gold was less rare here than it was in other parts of the universe. There was known to be miniscule amounts of it in the seawater of Earth—perhaps the Alquons had found a way to process the waters of their home world and extract it.
“This is…quite a palace,” he remarked to Minister Obglod as they walked up the solid gold-plated path to the golden castle rising before them.
“Yes, isn’t it? But it’s all the work of the late Lord Magnate—the father of the male who now sits the throne of Idd,” Obglod informed him.
“He was a proud male who sought status above all else,” Chandra said in a low voice. “Nothing like his son who is the soul of sweetness and generosity. Why, he’s always having balls and helping young women find their place in society. He helped me find mine and I’ll always be grateful.” She smiled.
“He sounds really…nice,” Sarah said but Sazar thought there was a peculiar flat tone in her voice. “So do we just go right into the palace to meet him or what?” she asked, motioning to the tall double doors of the castle which were, of course, solid gold.
“One of his Privy Council will be coming out to bring us in and announce us,” Obglod answered. “Ah—here he is now. Councilor Rando—how nice to see you! Thank you for making our abject apologies to The Lord Magnate for our tardiness.”
“It will cost you later,” said Councilor Rando—a small, oily looking male with a thin face and beady eyes like a weasel’s, Sazar thought. His lank, black, kelp-like hair was greasy, as though it hadn’t been washed in a long while. “So who have you brought to meet The Lord Magnate?” he asked, coming up to Sarah and Sazar. He spoke to Minister Obglod but his eyes were glued to Sarah’s breasts.
“This is Commander Sazar and his pair partner, Sarah,” Obglod said, nodding at them.
“Pleased to meet you both,” Rando said, but he had eyes only for Sarah. “And you, my dear—aren’t you lovely. You have such large…assets.”
He reached out and grasped the golden chain swinging between her breasts. Before Sazar could stop him, he gave the chain a hard tug, eliciting a startled gasp from Sarah who moved at once to get away from him. But she couldn’t get far—she was tethered by the breast chain which Rando still gripped firmly in one hand.
Sazar felt a blinding rage come over him as quickly as though someone had dropped a red curtain across his vision. With a low growl, he caught Councilor Rando’s wrist and squeezed until the weasely little male released his hold on Sarah’s breast chain and shrieked in pain, his face going pasty pale.
“Here now, stop that! What do you think you’re doing?” Minister Obglod exclaimed.
“Sarah is mine.” His words came out in a low, possessive growling tone that was completely different from the calm, diplomatic voice he usually spoke in while on a mission. Part of him knew this wasn’t right—wasn’t the way he ought to handle this situation at all—but Sazar found himself completely beyond reason. A deep, possessive voice inside him insisted that his female was being hurt or molested and he had to put an end to it right now.
“Oh Commander Sazar, please—you’ll break his arm!” Chandra gasped.
“Stop at once! You cannot treat a member of the Privy Council like this,” Obglod declared.
Sazar didn’t give a damn for either of them or for the squealing Rando who’s face had gone a strange mint-green color. He could have broken the male’s wrist or at least several of his fingers and enjoyed it thoroughly but there was one soft voice which got through to him.
“Sazar please,” Sarah pleaded with him. “Please—the mission! Don’t forget our mission.”
That’s right, we’re here on a mission. I must conduct myself professionally…diplomatically.
And the way he was acting right now was anything but diplomatic.
Abruptly he dropped Rando’s wrist and wiped his palm on his robe, feeling he had touched something dirty.
The Privy Councilor whimpered, holding his wounded hand to his skinny chest.
“You cannot do this to me! I am a member of The Lord Magnate’s inner circle! How dare you treat me so?”
“My…apologies,” Sazar said, struggling to keep the angry growl out of his voice. “But you cannot manhandle my mate. Sarah is mine and I will allow no other male to touch her.”
“But tugging on a breast chain is just a standard greeting between a male and a female,” Chandra protested. “It wasn’t as though Councilor Rando bent Sarah over and tried to breed her!”
The very thought of anyone doing such a thing to Sarah brought a fresh rage which Sazar had to struggle to control.
“We didn’t know that,” Sarah said soothingly. “Tugging, uh, someone’s breast chain would be considered extremely rude back on the Kindred Mother Ship or on my planet of Earth.”
“Well you are not on the Kindred ship or on Earth—you are on Alquon Ultrea,” Rando snapped.
“Exactly! And while you are here as my guests, I must insist that you act in a civilized manner!” Obglod exclaimed.
“Agreed.” Sazar straightened his robe, still trying to regain control. “But no other male must touch or approach Sarah. She is mine and I refuse to allow her to be molested, no matter what your customs are here.”
“Molested?” Minister Obglod looked incensed but Chandra stepped up and touched him timidly on the arm.
“It’s all right, Commander Sazar—we can tell how deeply you love your pair partner and I’m sure we can accommodate your customs,” she said quietly. “Just keep Sarah at your back and I’ll walk behind her and run interference to make certain no other male tries to, er, greet her.”
“It’s her breasts,” Rando complained, still nursing his sprained wrist. “Why did you bring a female with such large and enticing breasts if you didn’t intend to let any other male greet her or taste her favors?”
“Taste her favors?” Sazar glared at the other male and the Privy Councilor flinched and edged away from him.
“It’s not an unusual request from one male to another! I don’t know what kind of backward culture you come from but in civilized places males share.”
Sazar frowned. Was this something the Alquons did? Did they trade partners or allow other males to use their females sexually? He had heard of such things happening on Earth but to him the very idea was repugnant. Kindred warriors mated for life and were intensely loyal to the females they claimed. A Kindred would no sooner allow another male to take his female sexually than he would cut off his own hand.
“I repeat,” he growled, glaring at Rando. “Sarah is mine. I refuse to ‘share’ her in any way.”
“Come,” Chandra said, apparently still trying to defuse the situation. “We really must go. The Lord Magnate is still waiting.”
“Go in yourself then,” Rando sneered. “See how far you get without someone to introduce you.”
“But Councilor Rando, you promised you would make the formal introduction of the Commander and his pair partner to the Lord Magnate yourself,” Obglod protested. “You said—”
“That was before I had a broken wrist to deal with,” Rando sniffed. “I must go seek medical attention at once. You are on your own.”
And he spun on his heel and flounced off in a huff.
“Well, now I don’t know what to do!” Obglod exclaimed. “Everything is ruined—just ruined. We cannot appear before The Lord Magnate without a formal introduction and since he’s already expecting us, we will get into terrible trouble when we don’t appear at all. Either way it will be an affront to the palace and we’ll all be thrown to the grike!”
“No, we won’t. Calm down, Minister dear.” Chandra patted his stooped shoulder soothingly. “Everything will be all right.”
“Why can’t we introduce ourselves?” Sarah asked.
“What? Impossible!” Obglod sputtered. “You must be introduced by a person well known to The Lord Magnate.”
“Don’t you know him?” Sazar asked.
“Of course I do! But I am sponsoring you.” Obglod wrung his withered hands in exasperation. “You cannot be introduced by your sponsor—it simply isn’t done?”
“What about Chandra?” Sarah asked. She turned to the Alquon girl. “Didn’t you tell me The Lord Magnate gave you your start in society?”
“Well, yes…” Chandra preened nervously. “But the introduction is usually made by a male…”
“Is that a hard and fast law?” Sarah demanded.
“Well, no…” Chandra said slowly. “You know, I suppose I could introduce you. I was always a favorite of The Lord Magnate’s.” She drooped her voice to a low, confiding tone. “He even bred me once and gifted me with his seed. If it had given me a big belly, I would have remained in the palace as a concubine.” She dropped her voice even lower, speaking to Sarah. “Don’t tell anyone but I was rather glad it didn’t. I love my partner Kendro too much to want to leave him.”
“So you’ll introduce us?” Sazar asked, impatient with the Alquon girl’s gossip.
“Yes.” Chandra nodded decisively. “Yes, I will.” She took Minister Obglod, who was still protesting loudly, by the arm and tugged at him gently. “Come on Minister—everything is going to be all right. You won’t end up in the belly of the grike. Not today, anyway.”
* * * * *
Sazar kept Sarah protectively behind him although, as Chandra was leading the way, there was no one to run interference from behind as the Alquon girl had originally suggested. Sarah made sure to stay close to the big Kindred—she didn’t want a repeat of the “greeting” she’d gotten from the oily little Councilor Rando. Her nipples were still sore from his vigorous tugging.
And it was clear from the way the men they passed in the palace halls were looking at her that they would have been happy to literally yank her chain. Sazar stared them all down, though—a low, warning growl rising in his throat so that males who came forward as though to speak to them or greet Sarah soon had second thoughts and wandered off in the other direction.
It’s my breasts, Sarah thought unhappily. They were still causing her problems, just as they had at the Compound. She’d been able to hide them for years under the shapeless, baggy garments she’d worn but after Sister Hope had gotten pregnant, Father Caleb had turned his eyes to her and had noticed how enticing her larger than average bosom was.
I should get a boob job, Sarah thought savagely. I should get a reduction done. Anything to stop this kind of attention! I hate it!
You didn’t mind it when Sazar was paying you attention, a little voice in her head remarked. In fact, you loved it. And what was the deal with him going all caveman with that Rando guy?
She could still remember the deep shiver that had gone through her entire body when she’d heard him claim her. “Sarah is mine,” he’d growled and that was the right word for it—growled. Like a wolf or a bear or some other predator prepared to fight to the death to protect its mate.
Sarah had never heard her new boss sound so animalistic—not even the night before when he’d been feeding on her blood. Did he actually feel something for her? Or was he just defending her honor?
Sarah wished she knew but she didn’t have much time to ponder the situation. Before she knew it, they had come to another set of golden double doors—even finer than the front doors—with diamonds embedded in curling patterns on them.
Chandra gave their names to the guard standing at stiff attention outside and the doors swung open, admitting them to what Sarah supposed must be the throne room.
Inside it was just as grand as the rest of the palace with golden floors polished until Sarah could see her reflection in them and a large golden throne with diamonds and rubies embedded along the back and arms. A vaulted ceiling soared overhead, at least a hundred feet above them, and a massive chandelier which seemed to be made of liquid blobs of light hung from the central arch.
Despite the throne room's richness, there wasn’t any other furniture besides the throne. The room was bare except for the incredibly tall, floor-to-ceiling windows which dominated the left side of it.
Standing by one of the windows, gazing thoughtfully out at the golden parkland beyond the palace, was a male who looked to be about twenty years younger than Minister Obglod.
Which still puts him somewhere in his sixties, Sarah thought.
But despite his age, the man—who must be The Lord Magnate—was tall and straight with a regal bearing and sharp aquamarine eyes when he turned to look at them. He was wearing a plain white robe and trousers with no trim, which contrasted oddly with the rich gold all around him.
There was something else that was odd about him, Sarah thought—he had no gill slits at all and his fingers, unlike the other Alquons, weren’t webbed. His skin was much closer to tan than it was to green, too. Why was he so different from his people?
Before she could ponder any more, he spoke.
“Well now, who is this?” he asked in a warm, friendly tone which Sarah didn’t trust a bit.
“My Lord Magnate,” Chandra began timidly. “It is I, Chandra, pair partner to Kendro of the thirteenth house of the Sketty-moors of Idd. Do you remember me?”
For a moment The Lord Magnate frowned, as though trying to place her. Then his aristocratic features broke into a sunny smile.
“Why Chandra my dear! Of course! You used to play in the palace halls as a child when your mother brought you to court. You were such a happy little girl.”
But didn't Chandra say he “bred” her once? Sarah thought. Did that mean the Lord Magnate had known her as a child and still decided to have sex with her when she became an adult?
She tried to hide the look of disgust that wanted to form on her face. It reminded her entirely too much of the way Father Caleb operated back at the Compound. He sometimes didn’t even wait for girls to reach legal age before declaring that they were ripe to become a “Bride of the Prophet.”
“Yes, my Lord Magnate—that was me.” Chandra came forward and kissed him on the cheek.
The Lord Magnate smiled warmly at her and tugged her breast chain, admiring her nipples. “Look at you—all grown up!”
Chandra bowed her head. “Yes, my Lord Magnate.”
He snapped his fingers. “Wait, I remember now—you were almost one of my concubines!” He drew Chandra to him and cupped her breast in one hand, fondling her familiarly. “But somehow you got away.”
“Not for lack of trying on your part, My Lord.” Chandra giggled. “You did your very best to give me a big belly, as I recall.”
“So I did.” The Lord Magnate let her go with a final tweak of one pierced nipple and turned to the rest of them. “So, Obglod,” he remarked. “Who have you brought me today?”
“These fine people are Commander Sazar of the Kindred and his lovely pair partner Sarah,” Chandra said quickly. “Minister Obglod is sponsoring them and he asked me to make their introductions to you, my Lord Magnate.”
“I see, well—it’s a pleasure to meet you.” The Lord Magnate nodded at them which appeared to be their cue to step forward.
They did so but Sarah made sure to stay behind Sazar, well out of fondling range. She didn’t care what strange customs the Alquons had—the casual display she’d witnessed between Chandra and the Magnate, who was old enough to be her grandfather, had sickened her.
More and more the Alquon ruler reminded her of Father Caleb…of the way he would brush against her in the halls and try to find reasons to touch her inappropriately. She could never bend over if she thought he was anywhere around—he would be sure to snake a liver-spotted hand up her skirt. Or he would pin her to the desk and grind against her, telling her it was her duty to help “Slake the Prophet’s Needs” now that Sister Hope was no longer able to do her duty…
“My Lord Magnate, it is a pleasure to meet you,” Sazar said smoothly, interrupting her distressing memories. Apparently he had regained his diplomatic composure because he looked cool and collected as he bowed to the Alquon leader.
“Commander Sazar, how very good to meet you. We have heard of the Kindred, I believe. Genetic traders, aren’t you?”
“Indeed yes, My Lord Magnate.” Sazar nodded. “I have come to see if your people might consider a genetic trade with mine. And I am also seeking new weapons technology to help in our war against the Hive—a race of insectile beings who threaten our very existence at the moment.”
“Well, I’m afraid we won’t be much help in a fight against insects,” The Lord Magnate remarked. “We have none since our world became completely submerged.” He chuckled. “It’s one of the benefits of having a completely underwater society.”
“I can see how that would be so,” Sazar said dryly.
“But as for a genetic trade…let me think on it.” The Lord Magnate rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I must get to know you a bit better before I can determine if our peoples would get along.”
“Of course—such decisions cannot be rushed.” Sazar nodded.
“And I want to get to know this enchanting creature as well—much better.” To her dismay, Sarah saw The Lord Magnate was eyeing her hungrily. “Come out my dear,” he said, beckoning to her. “Don’t be shy.”
A low growl began to rise in Sazar’s throat and Chandra, obviously seeing the problem, hurried to The Lord Magnate’s elbow.
“Sarah and Commander Sazar are very close, My Lord,” she said softly. “And their culture does not allow the, uh, sharing of females. In fact,” she added hastily as The Lord Magnate began to reach for Sarah’s breast chain. “Even our forms of greeting are against their cultural dictates.”
“Is that right?” The Lord Magnate raised one pure white eyebrow which wasn’t kelpy at all, Sarah thought. In fact, his hair looked like, well…hair instead of some kind of sea plant. She wondered again why he was different.
“I’m afraid so, My Lord,” Chandra said humbly. “There was a…slight misunderstanding with Councilor Rando on the way in so I wanted to be certain My Lord knew the customs of our guests.”
“Indeed. We must at all costs treat our guests with respect,” The Lord Magnate said but Sarah couldn’t help noticing his jewel-toned eyes were trained on her bare breasts. Having him look at her like that made her skin crawl—it was exactly the way Father Caleb had eyed her after Sister Hope had gotten pregnant.
“You have a beautiful palace,” she said, trying to shift his attention away from her exposed chest. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much gold in one place in my life.”
“Ah yes—that was the wish of my sire.” The Lord Magnate lifted his eyes eloquently to the vaulted ceiling. “One cannot speak ill of the dead, of course, but I will say his tastes were rather…extreme. I am a simple male myself.” He motioned at his unadorned white robe and trousers.
“Maybe you ought to let your wife—er—pair partner redecorate,” Sarah suggested.
For some reason her words caused Minister Obglod to exclaim and Chandra to blush.
“I’m sorry,” she said uncertainly. “Have I said something wrong or offensive?”
“Oh no, my dear—not at all.” The Lord Magnate laughed. “It is just that, I alone among all the people of Alquon Ultrea have no pair partner.”
“And why is that, may I ask My Lord Magnate?” Sazar asked. His deep voice was still close to a growl—clearly he didn’t like the way the Alquon leader was still staring at Sarah’s chest.
“You may certainly ask, my dear Commander.” The Lord Magnate nodded genially. “It has to do with the sad history of our race. You see, we used to look…well, very much like you, my dear,” he said, turning to Sarah. “You have the most lovely skin I’ve ever seen—such a creamy ivory.”
“Um…thank you,” Sarah murmured, feeling more creeped out than ever.
“But when it first became clear that our entire planet would be submerged in the waters of our ocean, our scientists were forced to genetically alter 99% of our population to enable them to survive in water as well as in air. The other 1%—my ancestors and the Lord Magnates who came before me—were spared this alteration and put into the first glass submersible underwater air habitat. That, of course, was the forgoer to our modern pressurized glass enclosures which keep our entire city of Idd dry.
“We soon had the technology to keep everyone dry but alas, once our population was altered, it was impossible to go back and undo what had been done.” The Lord Magnate made a sad face. “And so, as one with superior genes, it is my responsibility to spread my seed as widely as possible—to dilute the genetically altered blood and try to get our people back to normal.”
“That’s…very sad for you,” Sarah said, trying to sound sincere. But inwardly her skin was crawling. It’s just like Father Caleb all over again! she thought. Thinking it’s his right to sleep with any woman he wants because he’s somehow superior!
The thought made her sick but she did her very best to keep the emotion off her face.
The Alquon ruler sighed heavily. “It is a difficult life and I am sorry not to have a pair partner at my side as all the rest of my people do, but as Lord Magnate I cannot shirk my duty.”
“He certainly doesn’t shirk it, either,” Chandra giggled.
“Oh, are you remembering how I bred you again, my dear Chandra?” The melancholy look left the Lord Magnate’s handsome face and he chuckled.
“It was quite vigorous, as I recall.” She fluttered her eyelashes at him and thrust out her breasts enticingly.
“Well, speaking of breeding, can I count on your attendance at our annual Breeding Ball tomorrow night?” The Lord Magnate asked, turning to Sazar.
“Of course they’ll come!” Chandra exclaimed. “Why, we already got Sarah an outfit and some breeding panties!”
“That’s excellent then—excellent.” The Lord Magnate nodded and clapped his hands together in approval.
“We would be pleased to attend but I would appreciate knowing more about what exactly will be required of us,” Sazar said carefully. “What exactly takes place at this, er, breeding ball?”
“Well, breeding of course, Commander Sazar!” Chandra exclaimed, giggling.
“It is the time when all of the blood rolls are called,” Minister Obglod said, frowning. “When those of the purest blood are put together for breeding purposes, hoping to spread the Lord Magnate’s pure bloodlines throughout the population and rid ourselves of the genetic taint we were forced to take so many years ago.”
“So…we would not be expected to participate?” Sazar asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Really! To be invited to the Breeding Ball and to refuse the honor of participating? That is just outrageous—” Minister Obglod began but The Lord Magnate held up a hand for silence.
“Mix your blood with ours? A most intriguing concept,” he remarked. “The idea requires careful consideration—as does the idea of a genetic trade. But no, at this particular ball you would not be required to interbreed with my people.”
“Then we accept your invitation with our thanks,” Sazar said formally. “And I hope that our peoples can come to an understanding soon. The Kindred are always interested in trading with intelligent sentient races.”
“Of course, it will be my first item of consideration and I will give you my decision soon. In the meantime, please enjoy your time in our beautiful city.” The Lord Magnate inclined his head to Minister Obglod. “I hope, Obglod, that you’ve put them in only the finest guest quarters?”
“But of course, My Lord Magnate.” Obglod bowed obsequiously. “They are in the Courtly Row, close to the First Form tuve station.”
“Very good. Only the breast…er, best for our esteemed guests from another galaxy.”
As he spoke, The Lord Magnate’s eyes found Sarah’s breasts again and there was a hungry look on his face that made her distinctly uncomfortable. She thought she had never wanted so badly to cover herself in her life but she forced herself to keep her arms by her sides, though her hands curled into fists with the effort of not shielding herself from his view.
Sazar seemed to see where the Alquon ruler was looking because he stepped pointedly between Sarah and The Lord Magnate, blocking the other male’s view.
“We thank you again,” he said formally. “And we will see you tomorrow evening for the ball.”
“Until then.” But the genial smile on The Lord Magnate’s kindly face didn’t quite reach his eyes. Sarah wondered if he was irritated that Sazar was blocking his view of her breasts. If so, he didn’t say anything about it. He simply nodded and waited while all of them bowed before turning back to his place at the window.
* * * * *
“Wasn’t that exciting?” Chandra squealed when they were safely outside the throne room with the double golden doors closed behind them.
“Extremely,” Sazar said dryly. In fact, the encounter had been a bit too exciting for him—he’d been working hard to keep his temper from boiling over during the entire interview. Though the Alquon leader hadn’t been nearly as overt in his attentions to Sarah as Councilor Rando had been, Sazar hadn’t liked the way The Lord Magnate had been eyeing his little human assistant one bit.
She isn’t safe here unless I’m with her, he thought, frowning. Her beauty and her breasts attract too much attention.
Silently he promised himself he would never be parted from her as long as they were on Alquon Ultrea. He had vowed to see to her safety and he didn’t intend to break that vow.
Oh, your vow? Is that the only reason you want to keep her near you? whispered a sarcastic little voice in the back of his head. Or could it be that you’re beginning to have feelings for the little human?
Sazar told himself it was impossible and even if he was starting to have feelings for her he had to keep them strictly private. Still, he knew himself—he had no interest in females until the right one came along. When that happened, he fell hard and fast. He had met Malinda and had asked her to be his mate only two days later. And besides his late mate, he had never had such protective instincts for any female as he felt for Sarah now.
I really think I was going into Rage when that slimy little bastard Rando touched her, he thought, casting a sidelong glance at Sarah. Rage was a state of intense, berserker fury a Kindred warrior went into when he thought his chosen female was threatened. That had never happened to Sazar before—not even when he had been mated to Malinda.
What was happening to him? What was he becoming?
“Well, I am completely exhausted by the fracas we’ve been through today,” Minister Obglod announced when they exited the palace. “Chandra dear, would you be kind enough to conduct Commander Sazar and his pair partner to their quarters?”
“Of course Minister! I’m always happy to help.” She dropped an affectionate kiss on the old male’s withered green cheek.
“Thank you, Chandra. You’re a good girl.” Absently, Obglod tugged at her breast chain, making her giggle with apparent delight. He turned to Sazar. “See that you’re at the palace dressed in proper breeding attire tomorrow evening in time for the ball and kindly behave yourselves in the interim. Remember, I am your sponsor so anything you do reflects directly on me.”
It was an insulting speech to direct at a grown male—especially a foreign diplomat—but Sazar only nodded politely. It occurred to him that he perhaps hadn’t been acting as diplomatically as he normally would have. His protective instincts toward Sarah seemed to have squeezed out the tactful impulses which normally ruled his dealings with a new culture.
“Come on you two,” Chandra said, taking Sarah by the arm. “It’s getting late—let’s take the tuve to your room. You’re just going to love the Courtly Row. I know the manager there—he’s a darling.”
“Will there be anything to eat there?” Sarah asked hesitantly. “I don’t mean to be a bother but we haven’t eaten since before we left our own galaxy and that was hours ago.”
“Oh, you poor dear! You must be positively starving,” Chandra exclaimed. “Yes, of course we’ll feed you. You’re going to be on the Minister’s expense account while you’re here and I can recommend a lovely little eatery not far from your accommodations. It has the freshest seafood around.”
“That sounds delicious,” Sarah said, smiling.
“Yes, some food would be good,” Sazar said. Some fresh blood would be even better, the voice of the Blood Hunger growled at him but he ignored it. Better to satisfy his hunger for food and try not to think about his thirst for blood, which could not be quenched for at least a week anyway. If only the lights in the main tunnels weren’t so damnably bright.
“You’ve been so good to us, Chandra,” Sarah said, drawing him out of his thoughts. “Thank you so much for all you’ve done today. Commander Sazar and I really appreciate all your help.”
The Alquon girl blushed with pleasure but waved off the compliment.
“Oh, it’s nothing really! I just love to help out the Minister. He’s my mother’s brother once removed and family is important to us here.”
“I can see that it is but Sarah is right—we have much to thank you for,” Sazar said, nodding gratefully at Chandra.
The Alquon girl affected the outward appearance of being what humans would call “ditzy” but in reality, she had proved to be a much more competent guide and host than Minister Obglod had been. He was grateful for the assistance she had offered them, even though he really could have done with less intimate information about her private life.
“You are more than welcome.” Chandra smiled at him and Sarah both. “Come on then—this way to the tuve and your seafood supper,” she exclaimed perkily and led them into the brilliant lights of the main tunnel once more.