Read Online The Claimed by Caridad Piñeiro - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Caridad Piñeiro
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whatever decision you make will be for the good of our people.”
“Good,” Christopher replied and motioned back to the map on the wall. “Then let’s get back to this.”
Although he and Ryan returned to reviewing their possible options for finding the Quinchu source of energy, Victoria’s power and the risk it presented loomed large in the back of Christopher’s mind. But he told himself one thing as he and his friend worked.
Today was a different day. The old rules no longer applied now that he and his people had left Alexander and their clan, and because of that, their future held infinite possibilities.
Victoria paced back and forth in front of her parents, listening as they discussed what had been patently obvious to her at the funeral. They had not even given her a chanceto change from her wet bathing suit and the ocean breeze blowing through the open windows of her home chilled her skin.
“The Desert clan Quinchus, Selina and Kellen, confirmed that Adam and his Hybrid wife have bonded,” her father advised, a glum look on his face, as if finally realizing what Victoria had been saying all along.
“She is with child, father. The energy of new life could not be missed, nor could the strength of their union,” Victoria stressed, hoping that her parents might finally be dissuaded from their plans to have Adam honor a contract crafted decades earlier.
“Which I guess is good news for you,
ususi
,” her father said, using the ancient language with surprising affection.
Victoria stopped dead, unsure of what he meant and not wanting to misinterpret his mood, which could be mercurial at times. Her mother immediately clarified.
“We will continue to search amongst the other clans for a Quinchu mate, but in the meantime…”
Her mother paused and looked toward her husband, as if wanting to make sure he was in agreement. After a reluctant nod of his head, her mother continued.
“Your father and I have thought long and hard since this morning. It was not an easy decision to reach. But time is growing short so we’ve agreed that if you should find another Hunter or Hybrid with whom to bond…”
Victoria jumped in to repeat it just to make sure she had heard right. “Are you saying that I’m free to choose a mate? Even one whose gathering gift is not as strong as a Quinchu’s?”
Her mother and father glanced at each other, as if they, too, needed affirmation of the decision they had made. Itwas diametrically opposed to what they had been preaching since the day Victoria had become old enough to be mated in accordance with Hunter traditions. Then her parents both nodded at each other before facing Victoria once more.
“Yes,” they replied in unison, although it was halfhearted in tone.
Victoria suspected that they hoped to find another Quinchu mate from a different clan before she found her own partner. The truth of it was, her parents might just find someone faster, because you didn’t just fall in love with the first person you met. Love was definitely a prerequisite for bonding in Victoria’s book.
“Thank you,” she said, acknowledging what it had likely cost them to deviate from their lifelong plan for her, even if only for the moment.
“We should go,” her father said, shooting an anxious glance at Rafael as he stood by the sofa, hands held before him, feet braced slightly apart. Always ready to serve, Victoria thought, or had that been a conspiratorial look her father had shot her cadre captain?
At the door, she bid her parents good-bye, but Rafael remained behind. As her gaze glanced across his, she noted something unexpected.
Yearning? For her? Or was it just concern about her earlier actions in going out on the water without his protection?
“You don’t really need to hang out. I’m fine here by myself,” she said, not sure of how to deal with him at the moment.
“I know that you think you can take care of yourself.”
The tone in his voice was unmistakable this time.
“Good,” Christopher replied and motioned back to the map on the wall. “Then let’s get back to this.”
Although he and Ryan returned to reviewing their possible options for finding the Quinchu source of energy, Victoria’s power and the risk it presented loomed large in the back of Christopher’s mind. But he told himself one thing as he and his friend worked.
Today was a different day. The old rules no longer applied now that he and his people had left Alexander and their clan, and because of that, their future held infinite possibilities.
Victoria paced back and forth in front of her parents, listening as they discussed what had been patently obvious to her at the funeral. They had not even given her a chanceto change from her wet bathing suit and the ocean breeze blowing through the open windows of her home chilled her skin.
“The Desert clan Quinchus, Selina and Kellen, confirmed that Adam and his Hybrid wife have bonded,” her father advised, a glum look on his face, as if finally realizing what Victoria had been saying all along.
“She is with child, father. The energy of new life could not be missed, nor could the strength of their union,” Victoria stressed, hoping that her parents might finally be dissuaded from their plans to have Adam honor a contract crafted decades earlier.
“Which I guess is good news for you,
ususi
,” her father said, using the ancient language with surprising affection.
Victoria stopped dead, unsure of what he meant and not wanting to misinterpret his mood, which could be mercurial at times. Her mother immediately clarified.
“We will continue to search amongst the other clans for a Quinchu mate, but in the meantime…”
Her mother paused and looked toward her husband, as if wanting to make sure he was in agreement. After a reluctant nod of his head, her mother continued.
“Your father and I have thought long and hard since this morning. It was not an easy decision to reach. But time is growing short so we’ve agreed that if you should find another Hunter or Hybrid with whom to bond…”
Victoria jumped in to repeat it just to make sure she had heard right. “Are you saying that I’m free to choose a mate? Even one whose gathering gift is not as strong as a Quinchu’s?”
Her mother and father glanced at each other, as if they, too, needed affirmation of the decision they had made. Itwas diametrically opposed to what they had been preaching since the day Victoria had become old enough to be mated in accordance with Hunter traditions. Then her parents both nodded at each other before facing Victoria once more.
“Yes,” they replied in unison, although it was halfhearted in tone.
Victoria suspected that they hoped to find another Quinchu mate from a different clan before she found her own partner. The truth of it was, her parents might just find someone faster, because you didn’t just fall in love with the first person you met. Love was definitely a prerequisite for bonding in Victoria’s book.
“Thank you,” she said, acknowledging what it had likely cost them to deviate from their lifelong plan for her, even if only for the moment.
“We should go,” her father said, shooting an anxious glance at Rafael as he stood by the sofa, hands held before him, feet braced slightly apart. Always ready to serve, Victoria thought, or had that been a conspiratorial look her father had shot her cadre captain?
At the door, she bid her parents good-bye, but Rafael remained behind. As her gaze glanced across his, she noted something unexpected.
Yearning? For her? Or was it just concern about her earlier actions in going out on the water without his protection?
“You don’t really need to hang out. I’m fine here by myself,” she said, not sure of how to deal with him at the moment.
“I know that you think you can take care of yourself.”
The tone in his voice was unmistakable this time.
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