Page 57 of Married to the Beast

“Looks like everyone in the whole planet is here,” Bear growled softly as he put an arm around her and drew her protectively close to his side. “Come on, baby—let’s get inside.”

Inside, The Plaza had been decorated with greenery and fresh vines ofc’lowthcant.The clusters of tiny, vivid red and orange flowers released a slightly spicy fragrance into the air that made Aleena’s nose tingle.

In the center of the huge area many couples were swirling around and around to the sound of the orchestra that was seated to the right playing theirzitherhornsandfrombolins. They were playing a lively tune that made Aleena’s foot tap to the music. She hoped she and Bear could dance soon.

“Ah, there you are,” a deep male voice said and she turned her attention from the dancing and saw another huge Kindred coming towards them. This must be Commander Sylvan, she thought. He had spiky, light blond hair and pale blue eyes and he was wearing a Kindred uniform, though his shirt was blue instead of red like Bear’s.

“Commander Sylvan! It’s good to see you again.”

Bear held out his arm and the other male took it, squeezing firmly as they clasped.

“And this must be your lovely bride?” Commander Sylvan asked, nodding at Aleena.

“Yes, this is Aleena.” There was pride in Bear’s voice as he slipped an arm around her waist and brought her forward.

Aleena smiled up at the big blond Kindred and gave him a ladylike nod as she held out her hand.

“I’m very pleased to meet you,” she said. “Bear has told me so many good things about you.”

“Thank you so much! That’s good to hear.” Commander Sylvan smiled at her. “Your husband is the best negotiator we Kindred have. I was proud to send him here but I’m even more proud of what he’s accomplished. Tonight we celebrate the successful conclusion of the peaceful and prosperous negotiations between our two peoples. We?—”

“Well, well—hellothere, big sister. Aren’t you lookingdifferenttonight?”

Aleena, who had been leaning forward to hear what Commander Sylvan was saying, felt like someone had dumped ice water down her spine. Turning, she saw that her younger half-sister, Faleesha, had come up to see them along with her stepmother, Grindelia.

Both women were dressed in their finest attire—but neither had outfits nearly as nice as Aleena’s. Still, having them here so near her husband’s superior when she was trying to make a good impression made her nervous.

“Hello, stepmother…Faleesha,” she said stiffly. “May I present to you Commander Sylvan of the Kindred Mother Ship. He is my husband’s superior officer,” she added, hoping they would take the hint and behave themselves in front of the important Kindred.

Commander Sylvan held out his hand politely to both of the women in turn.

“It’s very nice to meet you. And the two of you are…?”

“These are my wife’s relatives,” Bear said, frowning as he spoke. It was clear he still retained his dislike of her stepmother and stepsister, though they hadn’t seen either of them since their Joining ceremony. “Grindelia is Aleena’s second mother—‘stepmother’ as they say here. And Faleesha is her half-sister—they share a father. Where is Sir Greggor, anyway?” he added, directing his question to Grindelia.

“Oh, off doing business no doubt.” Aleena’s stepmother waved one hand airily. “Faleesha and I saw our dear little Aleena here and decided we justhadto say hello. Though I guess she’s not really exactlylittle,is she?” she added and tittered unkindly behind the elegant blue velveteen fan she held in one hand.

Aleena felt her cheeks getting hot but she did her best to keep her composure. She was about to ask a question to move the conversation in another direction, when Faleesha spoke up.

“Iwas the one that Ambassador Bear wassupposedto Join with, you know,” she said to Commander Sylvan, who looked surprised to hear this news. “At the last minute though, Aleena demanded to take my place because she’s older than me. So poor Ambassador Bearick got stuck with her instead of his first choice.Me.”

She preened as though she’d just won some kind of beauty contest, tossing her hair over one shoulder and giggling as she looked up at Bear through her lashes.

Aleena wanted to protest that none of what Faleesha said was true, but before she could get anything out, her stepmother chimed in.

“Yes, well I’m afraid my stepdaughter only agreed to marry Ambassador Bearick for money,” she said, sneering at Aleena from behind her fan. “Such amercenarygirl! But then, she waslike that when I married her father and I’m afraid I was never able to train it out of her.” She shrugged and waved her fan with an elegant flip of her wrist.

Aleena wanted to sink through the floor and die from embarrassment! How could they be so horrible? And in front of Bear’s commanding officer too!

“I assure you, I have been made aware of the reasons Aleena Joined with me,” Bear said blandly. “I know that you promised to pay for her true mother’s medical bills if she agreed to take her sister’s place as my wife. Ialsoknow that you reneged on the deal and would have left her mother to die of her illness because you refused to pay like you promised.”

He directed these words to Grindelia, whose poison green eyes got wider and wider behind her fan.

“Why…you…how—?” she began.

“But please don’t worry,” Bear continued smoothly. “Aleena’s mother has been taken care of. I administered the cure for her illness myself just a few days ago and she’s healing nicely.”

“You…she…” Grindelia still seemed to be at a loss for words and Commander Sylvan looked surprised as well. Aleena was casting around desperately for something—anything—to say to get things back on track when Faleesha spoke up again.

---