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)
“Be careful and don’t rush things,” Tante Na’lla lectured. “You need to think of yourself as well, child. Not just your fated mate.”
Lan’ara started to say something…but then she felt an uneasiness coming from the direction of the hut she was sharing with Nate. It wasn’t far from the beach where she and Tante Na’lla were meeting, but she didn’t want him waking up alone and getting upset.
“I have to go,” she told her mentor. Bowing her head formally she said, “Thank you for sharing my burden.”
“Your burden is my burden,” her mentor said, giving back the traditional reply. “But please—be careful, Lan’ara. Don’t let him drain you!”
“I won’t,” Lan’ara promised. Getting up, she brushed the sand from her long white gown and bent down to plant a kiss on her mentor’s winkled cheek. “I love you, Tante. I promise I’ll be careful.”
But how careful could she be when every part of her was crying out to heal her fated mate? Lan’ara just didn’t know…
FIFTEEN
DAVRIK
“I’m very sorry, Sir Davrik, but I am afraid that Sonya is not for sale. She is our resident songbird after all, and her lovely voice and prodigious talent brings in many, many customers who are aurally inclined, if you see what I mean.”
Davrik clenched his fists under the table and tried to remain calm. Just as he had finished signing the ridiculously long contract to join as an Ultra Diamond Plus member of the House of a Thousand Flowers, the Sluggorn manager had finally arrived. The obsequious clerk had introduced them and Davrik had asked for a meeting at once. He was, of course, desperate to go see Sonya, but buying her contract and setting her free had to take precedence.
But now the manager—who looked like a human-sized slug—was telling him that Sonya was not for sale. It was maddening! However, there didn’t seem to be anything he could do about it…for now.
“Then I want to buy time with her,” he said, struggling to keep his voice even and calm. “I want to buy all her time for the next week.” That ought to give him time to get to know the new Sonya and hopefully gain her trust. And he would figure things out after that.
The manager waved his antennae in what Davrik took for a gesture of surprise.
“I see…so you want the Supreme Treatment?”
“Sure, if that’s what you call it.” Davrik shrugged his shoulders. “I just want her all to myself.”
“Let me check the schedule,” the slug-like manager burbled.
He pulled up a holo screen like the one the clerk at the front desk had used to show the various “flowers.” This one was color coordinated and thickly printed with the names of the various flowers and their clients.
“Hmm…yes. Yes, all right.” At last, he nodded, his antennae bobbing with the gesture. “You are in luck, Sir Davrik. You can have all of Sonya’s time for the next week except for two solar hours which have been reserved for another client.”
“What? What other client? What does he want with her?” Davrik felt the first stirrings of Rage—the berserker-like fury that all Kindred warriors went into when they thought a woman they loved was being threatened or harmed.
“Please. Sir Davrik—calm yourself,” the manager said soothingly. “As I told you, most of Sonya’s clients are aurally stimulated—which is to say, they mostly just want her to sing to them. I believe the client who booked those hours is a Xeba-shla—they are a species with very large hearing receptacles located on each of their three buttocks which they use to sense the vibrations of a song. ”
“Well…all right.” Davrik took a deep breath. “Are you sure I can’t buy those hours too, though? I’d be willing to pay double whatever the other male is paying.”
“I’m afraid we cannot do that. Here at The House of a Thousand Flowers, we pride ourselves on integrity and good customer service! We cannot simply cancel a reservation just because someone else offers more money.” The huge slug drew himself up importantly—an effect which was somewhat ruined by the slime dripping down his blobby body.
Davrik swallowed his irritation and nodded.
“Very well. But I want her immediately. I need my week with her to start now.”
“I’m afraid it won’t be possible for your time to start until she finishes her set in The Flower Lounge,” the manager said smoothly. “Perhaps you would care to go and listen to her lovely voice? Afterwards, I’ll introduce you and instruct her on the Supreme Treatment you’ll be receiving from her.”
Davrik nodded.
“All right—as long as my time with her starts directly after she’s finished performing.”
“You have my word as a Sluggorn,” the manager said. “Let me show you the way to our sumptuous lounge.”
Davrik followed the male, making certain to steer clear of the slimy trail he left behind and the little cleaner bot which followed him to suck the slime off the polished marble floors.