Total pages in book: 165
Estimated words: 159487 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 797(@200wpm)___ 638(@250wpm)___ 532(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 159487 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 797(@200wpm)___ 638(@250wpm)___ 532(@300wpm)
6
CASSIE
Cassie was equal parts relieved and horrified. It was good to know she’d be allowed to stay in the bunker. But she didn’t want to be kept in a cage like a scientific specimen and she definitely didn’t want to be stripped naked in front of the two huge warriors! After all, the Kindred made a big deal out of the fact that they never forced or raped women, but they were far from the Mother Ship here—all bets were off.
But she barely had time to struggle before Ravik was pulling her red silk robe and nighty off—unwrapping her like a greedy child might unwrap a gift at Christmas.
Before she knew it, Cassie was standing in the middle of the room with her arms crossed over her breasts and her thighs pressed tightly together, trying her best to hide her “lady bits,” as her grandmother had always called them.
“Please relax, I’m not going to hurt you,” Severin said, stepping closer. The cool overhead light winked off the lenses of his glasses, rendering them opaque so she couldn’t see his eyes.
“Yeah, right!” Cassie spat. “Of course you’re not going to hurt me. You’re just going to rape me—that’s all.”
“What?” Severin sounded genuinely shocked. “Ravik and I are Kindred warriors—we revere and worship the Goddess and the divine feminine that resides in all women. We would never force ourselves on you.”
“Then why make your big friend strip me?” Cassie demanded. “And why is he sniffing me again?”
Because Ravik had stepped up behind her and had his face pressed to the side of her neck once more. To his credit, his hands were on her shoulders—not her breasts or anywhere else—but it was still unnerving to have a seven-foot-tall alien warrior sniffing you while you were stark naked, Cassie thought.
“Ravik, stop that,” Severin ordered. He looked at Cassie. “I need you naked because I have to know how many times you were bitten or scratched and you clearly can’t be trusted to tell the truth since you lied about being infected.”
He was clearly still miffed about being called a rapist but Cassie was prepared to call him a lot worse if he or Ravik tried anything. And though the Beast Kindred had pulled back some, she could still feel his hot breath against the side of her neck as he inhaled her scent.
Suddenly, he surprised her by speaking in her ear.
“No hurt you,” he rumbled in a voice so deep she could feel it vibrating through her entire body. “No force females. Females sacred. Kindred must never hurt them.”
The angry, offended look fell of Severin’s face to be replaced with an expression of shock.
“That’s the most he’s spoken in months!” he exclaimed. “And he’s almost speaking in complete sentences!”
“So…what does that mean?” Cassie asked, frowning. She was still trying desperately to cover herself and it felt odd to be having a conversation with a strange male while she was buck naked.
“What does it mean?” Severin repeated. “Why—don’t you see? He’s following our conversation—he understands what you’re afraid of and he’s trying to reassure you.” He tapped his temple with one long finger. “That indicates higher brain function—which is the first thing to go when the virus really takes hold. Something is bringing him back.”
“So…this is normal behavior for him? All this…sniffing?” Cassie indicated the way the Beast Kindred was still inhaling her scent—though at least he no longer had his face pressed to the side of her neck.
“No, of course not,” Severin said impatiently. “But he’s more himself now than he has been in months. I mean, he’s more here with me—with us—mentally.”
“Well, I’m here too and I’m naked,” Cassie said bluntly. “I mean, I’m happy your friend is talking again, but can we please finish this so I can get dressed again?”
“Fine.” Severin grew cold again, his glasses flashing blankly as he nodded his head. “Spread your arms please and let me see you—all of you.”
“Spread my arms so you can see all my lady bits? I don’t think so,” Cassie snapped.
Severin sighed.
“Fine—we’ll do it the hard way. Ravik—spread her arms for me.”
“Hey!” Cassie protested but the massive Beast Kindred was already taking her by the wrists and spreading her arms wide. Since he was still standing behind her, she felt like they were in the classic “Titanic” pose.
Only Rose wasn’t butt-naked when she and Jack stood on the prow of the ship, whispered a sarcastic little voice in her head.
She didn’t know when she’d felt more vulnerable…more naked. But there was nothing she could do about it.
To his credit, the big Blood Kindred didn’t leer at her or make any remarks about her body but he was extremely thorough. He looked between her fingers and toes and inspected her inner thighs. He even ran his fingers through her hair and looked at her scalp, which sent more shivers down her spine.