Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 88235 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88235 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“What’s the bad news?” Jodi demanded at once, her dark, perfectly shaped eyebrows knitting together. Vorn, the big Beast Kindred, was still by her side—though neither of them seemed very happy about it, Vicky thought.
“No, tell the good news first,” Melli said, contradicting her older sister. “I like good news.” She and Liosh, the Blood Kindred, were holding hands and she smiled at him shyly as she spoke.
“All right, well…” Sylvan cleared his throat. “The good news, Victoria,” he said, turning towards Vicky, who was standing quietly with Chain’s arm around her, “Is that I have sent a cleaning and repair crew down to your domicile on Earth and I promise it will be as good as new within a week. The Varians did a lot of damage but everything precious to you with be restored and everything that can’t be fixed will be completely replaced.”
“A week, hmm?” Vicky frowned. “Thank you very much, Commander Sylvan—that’s good news.” She hesitated. “It’s just, well… I’m going to have to find someplace else to stay while it’s getting done. I’ve already missed way more school than I should—I’m going to be in danger of getting fired if I’m not careful.”
“Let them fire you, then,” Chain rumbled in her ear. “You should stay aboard the Mother Ship—we both should. Don’t they have schools here? You could still teach if you wanted to.”
“Chainor is correct,” Sylvan said. “He has told me what an excellent teacher you are and we are in need of a Dramatics instructor for our upper grade levels.”
For a moment Vicky was tempted. The teaching conditions at Woodrow Wilson High School had been going steadily downhill for decades. She honestly barely made enough to get by anymore and the administration didn’t support its teachers like they should.
“I’d love to take you up on your offer,” she said slowly. “But I can’t just leave my girls—especially after what happened with the Varians.” She raised an eyebrow inquisitively. “Did you ever get the, uh, weak spot in your defense system fixed? The one that let them get to Earth in the first place?”
Sylvan frowned. “Unfortunately, that is the bad news. We’re not sure how the Varians got through the security net we have placed around the Earth. I have a crew checking for weak spots but so far we’ve found nothing.” He sighed. “It looks like they might have found a way to circumvent our security system completely—maybe by some new technology we’ve never heard of before. So I have another crew examining the two ships they left behind on Earth, but again—so far, we have no answers.”
“So what does that mean for us?” Jodi demanded.
“Yes, what does it mean?” Melli’s big blue eyes were filled with fear. “What if those lizard aliens come back?”
“And don’t say we should stay here on the Mother Ship,” Jodi went on, her green eyes flashing. “I’m in grad school and I’ve already missed more than I should. I need to get back down to Earth.”
“As to that, please don’t worry,” Sylvan said smoothly. “I have anticipated your needs, which is why I am assigning a personal guard to each of you. A Kindred warrior who will live, eat, and sleep beside you at all times, guarding your life with his own until we have this situation resolved.”
“Really? Who…who are you sending?” Melli cut her eyes shyly to the left to look at Liosh, who was still holding her hand firmly in his.
“I am coming with you, my Lady Melinda,” he said, smiling at her. “I will guard you with my life—I swear it.”
“And I’m going with Josephine,” Vorn said shortly.
“What?” Jodi exclaimed, looking at the big Beast Kindred incredulously. “Look, I appreciate your offer of a bodyguard, Commander Sylvan, but I can’t accept. I mean, I have a fiancé back on Earth and he would not be happy if I brought home a seven-foot-tall Wookie to sleep on the living room couch!”
“I don’t know what a “Wookie” is but I’m assuming it’s not a compliment,” Vorn growled. “And don’t worry—I’m going with you to guard you—not interfere in your relationship in any way.”
“Well, I don’t like it!” Jodi said obstinately.
“You don’t have to fucking like it,” Vorn growled. “But you do have to deal with it. Pardon my language, Commander Sylvan,” he added, nodding at Sylvan.
“You’re excused, Warrior,” Sylvan said dryly. Turning to Jodi he said, “I’m afraid this is non-negotiable. Please don’t worry that the warrior assigned to you will be in your way or a drain on your resources. Vorn and Liosh both have their own monetary resources and strict orders to operate in the background—you won’t even know they’re there. They will get their own meals and be as unobtrusive as possible.”
“But he’s still going to be sleeping on my couch, right?” Jodi demanded, glaring up at Vorn.