Falling for Kindred Claus Page 10

  “For the sands overtook the surface of our world many hundreds of cycles ago,” Natillus explained, as he led the way through the broad, well-lighted tunnel.

  “And sandstorms here can last for days—even months,” Lambada added. “So we thought it best to move below the ground, where we would be untroubled by the elements.”

  “If you’ll forgive me asking, how do you survive if your upper world is a desert?” Asher asked. He was walking beside and a little behind Lisa, as though he was guarding her back—which was kind of nice, she thought. She certainly felt safer with the big Kindred nearby.

  “Oh, we have many sources of underground water,” Natillus explained. “Vast lakes with sunless shores so deep no one had ever plumbed their depths.”

  “Indeed, Thufar has blessed us with an abundance of water,” Lambada agreed and exchanged a tranquil smile with her mate.

  The graceful alien woman and her husband certainly seemed to be in perfect harmony, Lisa thought. But just then the tunnel came to a forking of ways with one part continuing on straight and the other leading off to the right. Here, as if by some silent agreement, Natillus and Lambada both stopped.

  “Here is the entrance to the temple and the baths of purification,” Lambada remarked to her husband, pointing to the tunnel that led off to the right. Over the entrance was a carving of a three-eyed god covered in what appeared to be real gold with precious gems for eyes. Perched on his (or her? Lisa wasn’t sure) head was a tiny chewchie carved in silver. The god’s face was serene but the chewchie’s mouth was open in a silent howl, as though it was upset about something.

  “Yes, this is indeed the entrance to the Temple of Thufar,” Natillus agreed. “And yet, I wonder if maybe it wouldn’t be better to first introduce our guests to the head priest who is to perform the coronation?”

  “Before they are purified? I fear that would be an inauspicious idea, my dearest mate,” Lambada objected in a calm tone. On her head, her little chewchie sat up and began to squeak and chatter.

  “Actually, I think it would be better for the head priest to see them first—he can approve what level of purification they require,” Natillus replied mildly. On top of his head, his own chewchie started howling and screeching.

  The sound was like a monkey fighting with a cat, Lisa thought, wincing. She wondered why the two Chorkays didn’t control their animals better. Neither of them was even trying to quiet their chewchies even though the sound they made was echoing around the tunnel loudly.

  “But should they not be purified at least on the basic level before they even meet the head priest—so as not to defile him with their unclean presence?” Lambada enquired, in a very mild tone, as though she was simply asking an innocent question.

  “I think not, my dear—he specifically told me he wished to see them as soon as they reached the planet’s surface,” Natillus answered courteously.

  As he spoke, his chewchie jumped from the top of his head to Lambada’s and began to fight with her own chewchie, the two of them hissing and wrestling like crazy in her flowing green hair.

  Lisa tried not to stare but it was a very strange sight and the strangest thing, in her opinion, was that Lambada didn’t seem to be in the least bothered to have what amounted to a miniature monkey-cat fight going on atop her head. At last Natillus’s chewchie pinned hers down and hissed in its face—clearly it was the victor of the strange match.

  Lambada still didn’t seem to notice anything strange going on. When she replied, the alien woman also spoke in a calm, measured tone, never once raising her voice.

  “Well, I suppose you make a good point, my dear,” she said. “Very well, let us bring them to the priest first.”

  As she spoke, the two chewchies straightened up. Natillus’s animal took a moment to groom Lambada’s thoroughly with a long black tongue, then it hopped back onto his head and sat there as though it had never left.

  “Very well,” Natillus said, smiling at Lisa and Asher. “Since we have reached an agreement, let us continue down to the private offices of the head priest of Thufar so that he may interview the two of you before you undergo the purification rituals.”

  They all walked on down the echoing tunnel, with its bare, sandy floor but Lisa was still staring at the chewchies. She had an idea something significant had just happened, but she wasn’t quite sure what it was…

  Eighteen

  “Well, well. Kindred visitors, is it?” The head priest was a portly older male with silver creeping into his moss-green hair. His skin was the exact same color of Lisa’s dress, Asher noticed. And he was wearing a kind of kilt made of shiny material in the same shade. It draped around his hips but he wore no shirt. Instead, a wide golden breastplate set with many precious gems spread across his chest and came down to cover his rounded belly. He also had a chewchie sitting on his head, although it had its long, feathery tail curled around itself and seemed to be asleep.

  The priest’s offices were rather small and cramped, Asher thought, as they all crowded in, though certainly richly decorated. Hanging on the walls were many depictions of the three-eyed god which must be Thufar, whom the Chorkays worshipped. He was displayed with elaborate golden scrollwork all around him and was smiling placidly in almost every carving and statue.

  “Yes, your Eminence, this is the Kindred envoy, Commander Asher and his mate, Lady Lisa.” Natillus bowed low and so did Lambada. Taking the hint. Lisa and Asher bowed as well.

  “We have brought them before you, as you asked, that you might judge the level of purification needed before they can attend the coronation of our esteemed Potentate tomorrow,” Natillus continued.

  “Yes, yes, purification. Well now, well now,” the head priest rumbled. “Let me examine them, then,” he remarked and looked the two of them up and down. “But where are their chewchies?” he demanded. “I thought these Kindred were a civilized race who shared emotions and thoughts with their mates!”

  “Oh, they do, your Eminence,” Lambada said quickly. “By means of a ‘soul bond’ as Commander Asher explained to us.”

  “Apparently they keep their chewchies within themselves, instead of having one imprinted upon them at the appropriate age,” Natillus said.

  “They keep them inside you say?” the head priest demanded. “Most irregular!” Atop his head, his chewchie had woken up and was beginning to chatter.

  “We thought so as well but they certainly seem to communicate well,” Lambada said anxiously. She seemed worried that the head priest would not accept them at all and her own chewchie began to pace nervously back and forth on top of her head.

  “Let me examine them,” the head priest repeated and suddenly his chewchie jumped straight at Asher’s chest.

  It was only years of diplomatic training that kept Asher from reflexively batting the tiny creature away as it flew at him. He knew instinctively that such an action would be a grave insult to the Chorkay people in general and to their esteemed high priest in particular.

  Still, he couldn’t help tensing as the tiny creature landed on his uniform shirt, digging its tiny claws into the thick, satiny fabric and began to climb all over him as though he was a tree and it was a monkey in search of a banana.

  As it climbed, the high priest stared at him and nodded, occasionally saying, “Hmm,” in an interested voice.

  “Well,” he said at last when the chewchie had jumped back from Asher’s shoulder to his own head. “I’m afraid this one must undergo the full ritual of purification. There’s not a hint of Sacred Blue on him anywhere. And this whole business of keeping the chewchie inside, well…I just don’t know.” He shook his head.

  “I am happy to undergo your rituals of purification,” Asher said, hoping said rituals wouldn’t be too onerous.

  “But what of his mate, the Lady Lisa?” Lambada asked anxiously. “She is wearing Sacred Blue and if I am not much mistaken, her eyes are the holy color as well.”

  The priest’s own three eyes widened.

  “Sa
cred Blue eyes?” he demanded. “But that is a rarity! Especially in a foreigner.”

  And his chewchie leaped straight for Lisa’s face.

  Lisa had been expecting the little creature to hop over and examine her at some point but this was so sudden she had no time to prepare.

  She gasped and stumbled backwards as the high priest’s chewchie landed in her hair. Her arms pinwheeled wildly to keep her balance and she felt a sharp pain in her right index finger, as though something had pricked or jabbed it.

  Only Asher’s hand under her arm saved her from going down in a heap. He pulled her upright quickly and leaned down to murmur, “Are you all right?” in her ear.

  “I…I think so.”

  Lisa took a deep breath to steady herself and saw that the head priest, Natillus, and Lambada were all staring at her with expressions of deep disapproval. Oh no—had she ruined their entire mission before it even began?

  “Forgive me,” she said quickly, straightening up. “I didn’t mean to…that is, I just wasn’t expecting—”

  “Look!” Lambada’s voice was high and urgent. “Look—our guest offers a blood offering to Thufar!”

  “What?” Lisa looked uncertainly to where she was pointing—which happened to be her own index finger. Looking down she winced when she saw that it had been slashed open, as though by a knife, and was dripping blood on the golden floor.

  “Oh, I’m hurt!” she exclaimed. “How in the world…?”

  But a glance to where Natillus and the priest were both looking answered her question. On the wall beside her was one of the golden images of their god, Thufar. This particular image showed the god with his mouth open and a sharp-looking tongue curling out from between his lips. And indeed, it must be very sharp because this was apparently what had sliced her finger open, Lisa thought. At least, there was a rivulet of ruby red on the tongue’s golden surface which seemed to fascinate all the Chorkays in the room.

  Oh no, she thought uneasily. Have I offended them? Are they going to kick us out because I sliced my finger open on their god’s statue and got blood on it?

  Suddenly her excitement to get down to the planet’s surface and her confidence that they would be able to complete the mission with no trouble at all seemed foolhardy. If she had screwed everything up and they were sent back to the ship in disgrace…

  But when the head priest turned back to them, his three eyes were shining with emotion.

  “Never have I seen such a display of piety from a foreigner before,” he said in a low, choked voice. “Truly, you have done great honor to Thufar, my dear. And,” he continued, “You do indeed have eyes of Sacred Blue.”

  From the top of her head, Lisa suddenly heard a low, contented humming sound. She realized with some surprise that the head priest’s chewchie was still up there, sitting in her hair. It was so light, she couldn’t even feel its weight as it perched on her.

  “We are gratified that Lisa’s sacrifice has met with your approval.” Asher’s voice was slightly strained, Lisa thought. “But would it be acceptable for me to tend to my mate now? She is bleeding quite profusely.”

  “Oh yes—yes of course.” The head priest nodded magnanimously and his chewchie jumped from Lisa’s head back to his own. “Yes, one drop of blood only is all it takes to honor Thufar. By all means, tend her wounds.”

  “Here, Lisa—let me see.” Asher’s voice was low and concerned as he reached out his big hand to cup her much smaller one. He drew a clean white cloth from somewhere and blotted her cut finger, which still stung.

  “Thank you,” Lisa murmured, looking up at him.

  “This is deep.” He sounded worried.

  “I’m sure it looks worse than it is—I probably just need a band aid,” she said uneasily.

  “No.” He shook his head. “No, this injury is too deep for simple first aid. You must allow me to heal you.”

  “Uh, well—all right.” Lisa shrugged, figuring he must have some kind of magic Kindred healing ointment that sealed wounds or something.

  But to her surprise, instead of pulling out some kind of medicine, Asher lifted her hand to his lips and took her wounded index finger into his mouth.

  She started to protest as she felt his warm tongue bathing her hurt flesh—what in the world was he doing? But she realized it might look odd to the Chorkays, who were all watching avidly, if she acted like she had no idea what her “husband’s” actions meant. So she stayed quiet instead, though she promised herself she would have plenty to say to him later.

  At last Asher seemed satisfied with his “treatment” and slid her finger out of his mouth. He studied it for a moment and nodded.

  “All right—you’re healed.”

  “I am?” Lisa looked down at her finger and gave a little gasp of surprise. “Oh, I am.”

  Not only was the deep, ugly slice in the pad of her index finger closed—it was completely gone—as though the injury had never happened in the first place.

  This is amazing! she thought but didn’t say out loud. After all, if they really were mated, he would probably heal her cuts and injuries all the time like this. So again, it wouldn’t be good to express amazement over her “husband’s” skill—no matter how incredible it was. She just wondered how in the world Asher had done it—she would have to ask him later, she decided.

  “Well, look at that—their inner chewchies truly must be in harmony if he is able to heal her wounds!” Natillus exclaimed, also examining Lisa’s finger.

  “Praise be to Thufar,” Lambada said, nodding. “It is indeed a sign of their emotional sharing.”

  “So it is,” the head priest rumbled. “I believe he is well pleased to have these two present at the coronation of our new Potentate.” He pointed at Asher, “I change my recommendation—he will only need the medium level of purification. And his mate, Lady Lisa, may be given only light purification.”

  “Thank you your Eminence,” Lisa murmured, bowing her head politely.

  She wasn’t sure what the purification ritual involved, exactly, but it was better to do less rather than more of it, she thought. Maybe now she wouldn’t have to wear the panties and bra with the nipples and pussy printed on them.

  If she could avoid the graphically obscene underwear—especially where Asher could see them—she would consider herself very lucky indeed.

  Nineteen

  “Well, the two of you certainly made a good impression on the head priest!” Lambada said brightly as they strolled back down the tunnel towards the entrance to the temple baths.

  “Indeed—such an auspicious beginning,” Natillus agreed. “Lambada and I feel lucky to be your sponsors,” he added, smiling at Lisa and Asher.

  As he spoke, his chewchie jumped from his head to Lambada’s and began grooming her chewchie and stroking its fur affectionately.

  Lisa was beginning to think that the little creatures were much more than just pets or even companions. They seemed to express their owner’s emotions and act on them to a startling degree.

  They reached the tunnel with the three-eyed image of Thufar over it once more and this time they all went in without any argument. Shortly, however, they once again reached a fork in the road with one part of the tunnel going right and the other going left.

  “Here we must part—but only for a while,” Lambada said, smiling. “For Natillus must take Commander Asher to the male baths and I will bring Lady Lisa with me to the female ones. We shall meet later in the holy mists.”

  “We shall meet in the holy mists,” Natillus echoed. “Come, Commander Asher.”

  But the big Kindred didn’t immediately follow him.

  “Lisa?” he said and there was a question in his voice. Will you be all right? he seemed to be asking. Do you mind being separated like this?

  “It’s all right—I’ll be fine,” Lisa told him. On impulse, she put her hands on his broad shoulders, stood on her tiptoes, and planted a soft kiss on his lips.

  Asher froze for a moment, then he gathered he
r to him and kissed her back—a long, sweet moment where their lips clung together and she felt the hard planes of his chest pressed against her breasts.

  Lisa’s heart seemed like it was trying to pound its way right out of her rib cage. Her earlier thoughts about not being ready to jump into another relationship seemed to melt away and all she could feel was the Kindred’s big, warm body against hers and a throbbing need between her legs.

  At last, Asher stepped away, regretfully, she thought. He cupped her face in his warm hands and looked down into her eyes.

  “I will meet you in the mists, my darling,” he rumbled softly.

  “Yes. See…see you in the mists,” Lisa somehow managed to say. God, his eyes were so green and his spicy, masculine scent was all around her, making her feel strangely unsteady on her feet.

  It’s okay, she reminded herself. We’re just playing our parts—we’re supposed to be a happily married couple so we have to act like one, that’s all.

  But as Lambada led her down the right-hand tunnel towards the women’s baths, she had to admit it hadn’t felt like an act at all.

  Shouldn’t have kissed her back like that, Asher berated himself as he followed Natillus down the long tunnel lined with colorful mosaics which showed blue, naked, three-eyed Chorkays bathing.

  He was well aware that every time he gave in to his impulses to get close to Lisa, he was allowing himself to get nearer and nearer the point where his body would actually consider her his mate.

  Seven Hells, it already considered her his mate, he thought with a frown. Otherwise he never would have been able to heal her wound with his essence. A Blood Kindred or a Tangala Kindred could only heal his mate in such a way—or a woman his body was trying to lure into bonding with him, at least. The fact that his body had made essence for her—the blue liquid which dripped from his fangs—and that it had worked so well and instantaneously spoke volumes about what he really wanted from her.