Read Online Chained (Brides of the Kindred) by Evangeline Anderson - Free Book Online Page A

you.”
    “It?” She faced forward again and finally
saw what he was talking about. “Oh,” she said weakly. “What is that?”
    “My apologies, Lady Pope’nose,” said the
alien creature, coming forward. It had eight waving tentacles and a bulbous
head covered in blue and green blotches. Its mouth appeared to be a shiny
purple beak but it lacked a nose as far as Kor could tell. He couldn’t see its
body very well because it was wearing a stiff black uniform with shiny gold
buttons but it moved with the boneless ease of a creature more suited to water
than land.
    “Uh…” Maggie’s eyes were still wide behind
her oculars. “I’m not—”
    “You should apologize,” Kor cut in
swiftly, putting himself between Maggie and the strange creature. “You startled
my lady.”
    “I meant no disrespect.” The creature
spoke in a strange, bubbling voice that made it sound like it was talking underwater.
“I am Xilix—a Sporran. I have come to convey your lady to the Lo’thian spa
and resort as she requested.” It peered around Kor, trying to see Maggie with
its bulbous eyes. “You did request transport to the spa, did you not, my
lady? As the spa is located on Twidal, Yonnie Six’s second moon, it is quite
difficult to get there without a proper escort.”
    A light went off in Kor’s head. “Yes,” he
said, answering for Maggie. “As a matter of fact, my lady did request
transport to the spa. Lead the way.”
    “Oh, good. I am glad not to be mistaken.”
The Sporran burbled happily and slithered down the sidewalk to a long black
hovercoach which obviously had flight capabilities. “Please step inside and
make yourselves comfortable,” it said, opening the door with one of its many
tentacles. “Your luggage was sent days ago, as I am sure you remember, so there
is nothing to do but enjoy your ride.”
    “Good.” Kor started to pull Maggie toward
the hovercoach but she balked.
    “No,” she hissed at Kor, shaking her head.
“No, I’m not going.”

 
    * * * * *
    “Why not?”
    Maggie had a feeling Kor was losing
patience but he didn’t shout and more importantly, his eyes stayed a cool, pale
blue. He simply stood there and looked at her in a way that made her squirm
uncomfortably.
    “Why not?” he asked again.
    “Because. I told you I’m not going
off planet with you,” she hissed. “I have a ship—”
    “Which you can call from the spa the
minute we get there,” he said soothingly. “Look, this is the perfect
opportunity to put at least a million miles between us and…” He cast a quick
glance at the Sporran who was still holding the door and waiting politely,
pretending not to hear. “And our problem” he finished in a low voice.
    “I don’t know…” Maggie’s insides felt all
twisted up in knots. Somehow her initial action of freeing Kor kept getting
blown further and further out of proportion. First she’d been forced to kiss him
(well, not actually forced because to be honest, she’d kind of enjoyed
it, but still…) And then she’d had to touch him intimately all over his
body. Then she’d seen him blast a hole in solid stone with his eyes and now he
wanted her to go off-planet with him, about a million miles from where she was
supposed to be. Things were getting so out of control and she didn’t know how
to stop them or even slow down a little.
    “I…I just don’t know,” she repeated. “This
is all going so fast.”
    “Is there a problem?” The Sporran chose
this moment to come forward, a look of uncertainty on its bulbous face. “Have
you changed your mind about coming to the Lo’thian spa, my lady?”
    “My mistress is a little nervous about
space flight, that’s all.” Kor shooed the alien away dismissively. “Give me a
moment more to soothe her.”
    “Of course. Forgive my intrusion.” The
Sporran retreated but it was still within hearing distance.
    “Mistress…” To Maggie’s astonishment, Kor
dropped abruptly to one knee in front of her.