Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 108211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 541(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 541(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
61
ANDI
“What? He what?” The Twin Kindred who had given Andi the bad news frowned as he spoke into his communicator. “Are you sure? Oh wait—yes, here he comes.”
He looked up at the black patch of space which was visible above their heads. The Docking Bay was protected by an atmosphere bubble which allowed ships to pass in and out of the Mother Ship while keeping the breathable air and atmosphere safely inside the huge structure.
Suddenly, a sleek silver ship descended into the Bay and came to a landing not far from where Andi was standing. The side door opened and a familiar figure stepped out.
Andi tried not to gasp, but it was hard to believe she was seeing correctly, Her eyes were fogged with tears, after all, which made everything look blurry.
“Cade?” she whispered, as the tall figure strode towards her. “Is…is it really you? You came back?”
“I came back,” he rumbled. “To speak to you Andrea—to hear what it is you have to say.”
Andi tried to talk, but a sob came out instead. She reached for Cade and he was there, his broad chest under her fingertips.
“Andrea…sweetheart…” His voice was hoarse with emotion as he pulled her close.
“I’m glad you came back, Brother,” the Twin Kindred who had been standing awkwardly beside Andi as she cried remarked. “She’s longing for you—when she thought she’d lost you, she started to weep. It tore at my heart.”
“She didn’t lose me—I lost her,” Cade told him. “But I’m back for her now—if she’ll have me.”
Andi shook her head and tried to get control of herself.
“Cade, please. I want…I need…” she began, but the tears were still coming and she couldn’t talk.
“It’s all right, sweetheart,” he murmured and swept her up into his arms, bridal style. “Come on, let’s go talk.”
And he carried her away.
62
ANDI
Cade carried her to her own suite, which was closest to the Docking Bay. Andi was glad for the familiar surroundings. By the time he sat her down on the couch in front of the decorative firewall which showed blue and green flames dancing behind the glass, she had gotten control of herself and stopped sobbing.
She still felt like a mess however—her eyes and nose felt all puffy.
“Here, baby. Hang on…”
Cade went to the bathroom—or the “fresher,” as the Kindred called it—and came back with a cool, damp cloth. He gave it to Andi and she draped it over her face for a moment, breathing deeply as she let the chilly fabric sooth her. It was no ordinary facecloth, however—it was a Kindred firmer-towel, which she used as part of her daily beauty routine. She could feel it soothing the inflammation and lessening the redness and puffiness at once, which was a great relief.
“Why is there a breeding chair in your suite?” she heard Cade ask as he settled beside her on the couch.
“I’m sorry—a what?” Andi lifted the cloth and looked to see where he was pointing.
Sure enough, there was a strange looking chair that reminded her a little of a gliding rocker sitting to one side of the firewall. It seemed to be built for a Kindred warrior because it was certainly too big for a human—although it did appear to have some footrests on either side of it, which seemed odd.
“You didn’t order it?” Cade asked her.
Andi shook her head.
“It wasn’t here before I left for our mission to Zo’rath Two.”
“It must have been delivered to the wrong suite, then.” He shrugged. “Never mind—tell me what you have to say, sweetheart. I promise, I’ll listen.”
Andi felt heartened by his kind words and the way he was calling her “sweetheart” and “baby” but she was still nervous at what she had to confess. Still, she had nearly lost the big Hybrid by not telling the whole truth before—she was determined not to make the same mistake twice.
She took a deep breath, trying to order her thoughts.
“First of all, everything that happened on Zo’rath Three—on Oblivion—was my fault,” she told him.
“What?” Cade stared at her blankly. “I’m sorry but I don’t see how that can be true,” he said. “I might have been mostly out of my mind, but I’ve been having memories of…of taking you.” He scowled. “Memories of taking whatever the fuck I wanted.”
“I wanted it too, though,” Andi said desperately. “I…I invited it—invited you. I knew I shouldn’t, but, well…” She felt her face getting red. “I…I’ve always had a crush on you—right from the first minute Commander Sylvan assigned us to each other. I wanted you, but I thought you didn’t want me. Except, when you became a Manimal, you did want me. And I let you…invited you…” She broke off, shaking her head. “Oh God, I’m making a mess of this.”
Cade was frowning.
“I can see you don’t want me to take any blame for what I fucking did to you, but I don’t think that’s right. I have memories of doing what I wanted—taking what I wanted—even when you begged me…” He cleared his throat. “Fucking begged me to stop.”