Brides of the Kindred(20)

Baird frowned. “Sorry about that—a warrior has to keep his body in top physical shape.”

“No, don’t apologize.” She shook her head. “I’ve just…never gone out with such a big guy before. It’s kind of, uh, overwhelming.”

Baird wisely resisted the urge to point out that they were doing much more than “going out” as she put it. Instead he remembered Sylvan’s words in the Human/Kindred Relations building. His half brother had warned him that his new bride might fear him because he was so much bigger than the puny human males she knew—apparently he had been right.

“Olivia,” he murmured, bending down to be closer to her. “I know I’m bigger than the males you’re used to but I want you to know that my size and strength will never be used against you. I live to protect you now—I would never hurt you.”

She looked up, her silver-grey eyes flashing defiance. “Even if I deny you? Even if I won’t…won’t give you what you want?”

Baird sighed. What had he done to earn this level of enmity from her? If it hadn’t been for the long months of dream-sharing he might almost have been tempted to think he had the wrong woman. But no, there was no mistaking her sweet scent. Olivia was the one, she just didn’t want to admit it.

“Yes,” he said softly, looking into her eyes. “Even if you won’t give me what I want. What I need. Because make no mistake about it, Lilenta, I need you, need to touch and taste and kiss your soft, sweet body the way I need my next breath. But if you want to make me wait, well…” He shrugged even though his heart was heavy. “That’s your choice.”

Her eyes went wide and they stared at each other for a long moment. Baird could feel the heat rising in her again, just as it had when he held her in his lap on the journey up to the ship but all her body language said she wouldn’t welcome his advances. What could he do to get through her barriers?

“All done.” It was Sylvan who broke the uncomfortable silence that had grown between them. For once Baird was grateful that his half-brother was a talkative male.

“All done?” Olivia looked down at her hurt foot in disbelief. “But…I didn’t feel anything.”

“I know. I numbed the area before removing the glass.” Sylvan smiled at her and held up a small, clear vacuum tube with a small shiny speck floating in its null-grav center. “Thanks for distracting her,” he said to Baird, as though the whole scenario had been pre-planned. “It made it a lot easier to heal her without hurting her.”

“Heal me?” Incredulously, Olivia looked at the bottom of her foot. “Hey, I’m not bleeding anymore. In fact…” She examined herself more closely. “I don’t even see any break in the skin at all.”

Sylvan nodded. “I told you—I healed you.”

“But…but how?” Olivia looked upset. “I wanted to see! You Kindred are so secretive and that was one thing I was looking forward to, actually seeing alien medical technology.”

“Sorry.” Sylvan shrugged. “If you’re really that interested you can observe in one of our wellness centers.”

She nodded eagerly. “I’d like that. When?”

“Not until after our claiming period is over,” Baird rumbled, scooping her off the table and holding her close to his chest. “For now we need to get to my suite.”

“But, my things…” She looked upset. “My sister Sophia is supposed to be bringing them to the HKR building. Will I still be able to get them?”

Baird frowned. Now that she was well and in his arms again all he wanted was to get her back to his suite. The sooner they were alone together, the better as far as he was concerned. She needed time for his scent to work on her, time to realize they belonged together. “We’ll have someone pick them up,” he promised.

Sylvan nodded. “I’ll go back for them myself, mate of my kin,” he said formally to Olivia. “You and Baird just get settled in his suite and don’t worry about anything.”

“Mate of my kin, huh?” She gave him a crooked smile. “I, uh, guess that’s your version of ‘sister-in-law’ huh?”

“It’s what we call the bride of our siblings,” Baird told her. “And since you’re my bride—”

“You say that the same way you’d say I was your property,” she interrupted him, frowning. “Like I’m some kind of chattel to be bought and sold.”

“Didn’t mean it like that,” he protested but she was already wriggling in his arms to get down.