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)
“Be careful and take care of yourself, Brother.” Sylvan squeezed his shoulder. “You know I’ll be waiting in the Med Center if you get injured—though I’ll be praying you’ll come back well and safe to find your human bride.”
“From your mouth to the Goddess’ ears,” Baird said, giving him a grin. “Come on—let’s get a drink. I say we raise a glass to that poor son-of-a-bitch in the stasis chamber.” He shook his head. “If it was up to me, I would have let him stay with his female.”
“I’m sure Commander Terex had good reason to do what he did,” Sylvan said, frowning.
“Maybe, but I still think we ought to go talk to him about it,” Baird said decisively. “Let him know what we saw—that the VIC Unit really does seem to be having emotions. Who knows—he might change his mind.”
“Possibly,” Sylvan said neutrally. “I’ll go with you when you ask to speak to him—I saw the VIC Unit’s emotions, too. But give Commander Terex some time—maybe wait until he finishes hammering out the bargain with the Earth’s World Council. He’s got a lot on his plate right now and I’m sure it’s not easy being the Head of the High Council and commanding the entire Mother Ship. I know I certainly wouldn’t want the job!”
“No, but you’d be good at it—especially since you’re so damn determined not to let yourself get distracted by females.” Baird shook his head. “I swear the Goddess has someone for you, Brother—whether you want to hear it or not. I’m sure she has someone for both of us—so let’s drink to that.”
Sylvan nodded silently, though it was clear he didn’t agree with his half-brother’s idea that the Goddess had mates for them both.
Together, the two warriors went to get a drink, neither of them having any idea of what the future held in store…
Fifty-Seven
Torri sat in the meadow behind her Nana’s cottage, staring sadly at the brown leaves and withered grass. Leaf season was over and most of the tree branches were barren now—as cold and empty as her heart.
She had been back on Earth for a little over a week now, though she didn’t know what to do with herself. She had asked the Kindred warrior who had given her a ride from the Mother Ship to take her to the cabin because it was the place where she and Vic had always gone when they were Dream Sharing.
But of course, in her dreams it had always been Spring. Now Fall was giving way to winter and the barrenness of the landscape seemed to echo the emptiness inside her.
Sometimes Torri wished she had never met the big Kindred scout—if she hadn’t she wouldn’t be in so much pain. But then she would still be stuck at St. Elizabeth’s and by now Dr. Burrows would definitely have put her on the court-ordered medication. She would have spent the rest of her life as a zombie, shambling back and forth from therapy to therapy, so drugged-up she couldn’t even think.
But it would be nice not to think right now, Torri told herself, staring at the dead tree branches reaching for the chilly twilight sky. It would be even nicer not to feel, but unfortunately she couldn’t just turn off her emotions. She couldn’t stop caring for Vic, even if she knew she would never see him again.
A cold wind blew through the meadow, rattling the branches against each other and chilling Torri to the bone, despite the two sweaters she was wearing. Shivering, she got up from the rock she’d been sitting on and dusted off the back of her jeans. She felt frozen to the bone, but that only meant that her outsides matched her insides, since her heart felt as though a permanent layer of frost had settled over it.
She supposed that eventually she would have to get back to real life and connect with the outside world. She would have to face Chuck and get the divorce that he wanted done. Also, she would have to contact the lawyer about Nana’s will and claim the money—that at least would keep her from the humiliation of having to ask for her old job back. She doubted that would go well, no matter what kind of strings Commander Terex had pulled on her behalf. Nobody wanted a bank manager dealing with their money who had been in a mental asylum for three months.
But no matter what she chose to do with her life now that her adventures with the Kindred were over, she couldn’t stay in Nana’s cabin, grieving for Vic forever.
Somehow, though, she couldn’t bring herself to reach out to anyone yet. It was lonely at Nana’s cabin, but it was quiet, too and she had time to think without anyone bothering her, as they constantly had at St. Elizabeth’s. The pantry and freezer were well-stocked, so she didn’t lack for food and there were plenty of books that she’d loved back in high school and college still in the bookshelf in her old room.