Series: Zandian Brides Series by Renee Rose
Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
He nods. “Well, they’re curious. Everyone knows you’re new here.”
“What else do they know about me? Us?”
“Not much.” His voice is even. “They know you’ve been assigned to me temporarily and that you’ll be reassigned later. So some of the males are probably going to be curious about you. Like that one.”
“Oh.” All of my good feeling vanishes. I don’t want to be reassigned later. In fact, the idea sends a javelin through my chest. I want to be mated to Daven, like the humans I saw in the holos he left me to watch. I want to have young with him. “I see.”
“But that won’t be for a while,” he adds. “So don’t trouble yourself about it, Sia.” His voice is rough, and he doesn’t look at me although his hand tightens on mine. “For now you’re mine, is that clear? He won’t touch you. No being will.”
“Yes, Master.” I remind myself that no matter how much I enjoy his company, he has absolutely no plans to keep me once I drain my brain for him. And I need to be ready for him to relinquish me. “It is.” I may have glimpses of freedom, but I’m still a slave. I’m not in control of my future, no matter how much rainbow essence I experience with Daven. Maybe it’s different for Zandians–not so personal. I don’t know if I could feel this way about another Zandian.
We pass some domed buildings along an intricately formed square, and Daven leads me up to the central one in a cluster of three. The dome here is shiny, golden, and reflects sunlight into my eyes. “Fancy.” I point upward at the decor. “Looks like jewelry.”
He chuckles. “I suppose. Zandians have a great deal of wealth from our crystals, and we like to have our domiciles reflect our appreciation of geometry and harmony.”
He holds up his wrist holo to a pad on the wall outside the entrance; a light flicks green, and a door glides open.
“Daven. Welcome. I see you’ve brought Sia.” An older, commanding warrior awaits us. “Come in.” He gestures to a cluster of low hoverseats. “I’m glad she’s here as well because we actually have a few questions we were going to ask through Dr. Daneth and the memory sessions.”
I immediately stiffen. “Questions?”
He holds up a hand. “I am speaking with your master. Wait here, please.”
It’s not really a request, though, and I sit there alone watching them talk across the room, their big boots shifting on the highly polished floor. While I gaze at them, the skin on my chest starts to tingle. I raise a hand then put it down, face burning as I recall Daven’s words: It’s going to tickle as it dries. The tickle intensifies, and then I start to feel a need between my thighs. Sweet Mother Earth, how am I so aroused just thinking about Daven?
Their voices are low, and I can’t make out the words, but as they approach me, I catch fragments: “...Karran scouting for…” and “...it all started ramping up the minute you brought back those slaves from that planet.” My head whirs, and I stiffen up, but luckily the sensation fades.
After a moment, Daven returns. “Sia, this is Master Seke. He’s going to ask you something.”
“Yes.” I raise my eyes. “I’ll do my best to help.”
“First, welcome again to this dome, and we appreciate your help.”
I duck my head. “With what?”
“Trying your best to record your memories. We gave the formulas you recalled to Dr. Daneth, and he’s quite amazed. He said that the science makes sense, and he’s going to synthesize some of the compounds to try out. It’s unprecedented that you could recall the formula so precisely.”
“I just…it stuck in my brain.” But I’m pleased beyond belief that they find my information useful. Although I’m nervous, too–they all seem very preoccupied with the fact that I could remember something so precise. Eventually they’ll want to know how and why–as I do. And as I’ve already figured out, there’s something wrong with my brain, and that it has to do with some chip. What will happen when the Zandians discover this, too?
“Well, let’s move on to some of the other matters. Sia, there were three other slaves with you, other humans. You all have scars on your head, and in that location, scars typically result from brain surgery. Can you tell me about it?”
My eyes widen. “Um. They performed surgeries on us. To enhance us.” Mother Earth, they’re already asking!
“How?” His gaze is sharp.
“I don’t know. They didn’t tell us the details.”
“You were part of something you told Daven was called…” He looks at his holo device although I’m sure he doesn’t need a refresher. He seems quite intelligent.“Project Alpha.”
I nod, nerves flaring. He can tell I’m lying; I’m sure of it. “Yes, that’s what they called us.”