Chapter Eleven
“Hi, I’m Kat and this is Liv and Sophie and Lauren,” a girl with generous curves, like Vicky’s own and long auburn hair greeted her as soon as she stepped out of Chain’s ship into the vast, echoing Docking Bay. She nodded at the other women with her—two had identical features, though one had blonde hair and gray eyes while the other had brown hair and green eyes. The third woman had creamy light brown skin and lovely amber eyes—she was also holding a tray of delicious smelling muffins.
“We’re the welcome committee,” she said, smiling at Vicky. “Want a muffin? They’re fresh—just came out of the oven.”
“Oh, uh, thanks.” Vicky selected a small blueberry studded one and smiled. “I’m trying to watch my carbs but I can’t resist—they smell so good!”
“Well, thank you.” The woman called Lauren nodded and her smile got even wider. “I’m always happy to know my baked goods are so yummy they can make someone fall off the diet train.”
“And why are you on that train in the first place, doll?” the girl called Kat demanded, putting one hand to her full hip. “You’re an Elite, like me—you ought to be flaunting your curves, not trying to lose them!”
“That’s what I keep telling her,” Chain said, coming around from the other side of the ship with a grin on his face. He put an arm around Vicky as though they were a real couple and gave her an affectionate squeeze. “Elites are meant to have full curves—it’s a blessing from the Goddess. But Victoria here, keeps telling me to ‘watch my back’ every time I pick her up.” He chuckled—a warm sound that Vicky couldn’t help liking. “I think she’s too used to the puny human males down on Earth,” he finished, grinning at Kat.
Kat laughed. “Well, I can understand that—we’ve all been there. Let down by a human guy and then we find a Kindred, right?” She winked at Vicky. “So are you excited for your trip to Priima Belle?”
“Oh, um…” Vicky shifted uncertainly, not quite sure what to say.
“You know,” the girl Kat had introduced as Liv said, “Priima Belle sounds way more like an upscale Italian restaurant than a planet full of wise women and scholars.”
“Wise women and scholars?” Vicky echoed doubtfully. Well, that didn’t sound too dangerous, but would she really fit in?
“Yup, so I hope you’re prepared to play the part of a teacher or a sage,” Kat said practically.
“Victoria will be perfect for such a part,” Chain said before she could answer. “She is already an instructor down on Earth—she teaches languages and dramatics.”
“Oh my God, that’s perfect!” the girl called Sophie clapped her hands. “It’s like you were born to go there.”
“So…it’s not dangerous at all?” Vicky asked.
Kat snorted.
“Hardly. Unless you’re worried about being bored to death by the really long discussions and dinner parties they have there.”
“Well, after years of faculty meetings, I think I can handle it,” Vicky said dryly.
“Perfect.” Kat nodded decisively. “Come on—let’s get you ready for your mission.”
“Oh, um—but I think I’m supposed to be meeting with some kind of Alien Cultural Coordinator?” Vicky said hesitantly.
“Oh, that’s me.” Kat laughed. “I’ve been doing this kind of thing for years because I really enjoy the research and the fashion aspects of it. So Sylvan there finally decided to make it official and gave me a title.”
She nodded at the tall blond Kindred who had spoken to Vicky and Chain on the viewscreen. He had been standing quietly to one side during their meeting but now he smiled politely at Vicky.
“Kat is the best at what she does. You’re in good hands, Victoria, and it’s nice to meet you,” he said.
“It’s nice to meet you, too.” Vicky nodded back. It was a damn good thing she wasn’t an introvert or all these new people would have made her want to crawl back into Chain’s ship and hide, she thought. As it was, she felt mildly overwhelmed but also extremely welcome. All the people she’d met so far on the Kindred Mother Ship seemed genuinely happy to make her acquaintance, which was nice.
Strangely, it reminded her of that one vacation she’d had to Canada—everyone she’d met in that country had been warm and genuine in the same way. So much so that Vicky had wished she could move there—that was until one of the natives told her it got down to thirty degrees below zero in the winters. That changed her mind pretty quickly. After years of living in the hot Florida climate, she was certain she wouldn’t survive in such frigid conditions.
“Can I borrow my Lady for just a moment before you take her away from me to prepare her?” Chain asked Kat, breaking into Vicky’s train of thought.
“Sure.” Kat smiled. “Take your time. If the two of you just got together it’ll take a crowbar to pry you apart.” She rolled her eyes. “Believe me, I know.”
The other girls laughed as though it was an established fact that any woman who had just gotten together with a Kindred would barely be able to pull herself away. Vicky smiled and then Chain was drawing her to the side to talk.
“Well?” he murmured in her ear. “What do you think?”
“I think it sounds great.” Vicky couldn’t stop herself from grinning at him. It looked like her big adventure was going to happen after all! She just hoped she wasn’t being rash, going off with a guy she barely knew to an alien planet where she would be completely dependent on him.
But then she remembered the way Chain had held her while she slept and how gently he had healed her wounds. She was safe with him, she thought—he would never hurt her. She might not have known him for long, but that much she could
