Page 4 of Married to the Beast

“Yes, of course. That’s the deal,” Grindelia snapped. “Take it or leave it. Will you Join with the Kindred Ambassador or not?”

Aleena took a deep breath. Oh Goddess of Mercy, she really hoped she wasn’t making a huge mistake!

“All right,” she said at last. “I’ll Join with him.”

She just hoped she wouldn’t regret it.

2

BEAR

“I’m very sorry about the Karpsian customs forcing you into an unwanted Joining, Commander Bearick,” Commander Sylvan apologized, leaning across his desk. “I know that after losing your beloved mate years ago, you made an oath never to Bond with another bride. If you want to back out of this assignment, I’ll understand completely. The Council can appoint a different Ambassador to visit Karpsian Sigma.”

Bearick—Bear to his friends—frowned and shook his head. Some said he looked like the Earth animal his name implied. He was a Beast Kindred and had the golden eyes and thick black hair to prove it. However, he also had some R’sk DNA, which made his skin olive green instead of tan and gave him a pair of short, sharp horns that grew from either side of his forehead. So he also looked a little like the Earth animal called a “bull.”

He did his best to control the hot temper his kind of Kindred usually displayed—diplomacy was his life’s work and it wouldn’t do to let his personal feelings get in the way of an assignment.

“Unnecessary, Commander,” he said shortly. “It’s true the Karpsians demand that any foreign dignitary who wants to do business with them must take a bride of their people, but I’vebeen studying their customs—they have a system in place for ending unwanted or impractical Joinings.”

“They do?” Commander Sylvan raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Please explain.”

“It’s called a ‘disavowment’,” Bear told him. “It’s sort of like what the humans call a ‘no fault divorce.’ Meaning that the Joining can be dissolved for any reason at any time. So I’ll simply get Joined to the Karpsian female they have chosen for me and end the Joining when I’m finished conducting the trade negotiations and the wormhole passage treaty.”

Sylvan frowned.

“But are you sure the Karpsians won’t find that offensive? Leaving the bride they picked for you behind after our business is concluded?”

Bear shook his head.

“I’ve already been in contact with Statesmen Greggor Phew, whose daughter I am to Join with. He assures me that a temporary Joining followed by a disavowment is completely fine with him.”

“Well…as long as no one is offended, I suppose it shouldn’t be a problem.” Sylvan nodded thoughtfully. He was a Blood Kindred and the overhead glows shone on his pale blond hair and blue eyes.

His kind of Kindred were more reserved and cold blooded than the Beast Kindred. After Bear had lost his beloved mate, Zelia, that was how he had tried to act. To be cool and calm and dispassionate as a Blood Kindred—that was his goal.

For the most part, he was able to achieve it quite well. Though at first he had thought the grief of losing his mate would tear him apart, he had been able to bury his emotions and throw himself into his work—which was why he was eager to go on this mission now.

“I’m ready to go to Karpsian Sigma at once,” he told his commanding officer. “I’ve been studying their customs and the treaty and agreements. I’m prepared to negotiate the best deal possible for the Kindred of the Mother Ship.”

“I know you are—you’re a consummate professional. One of the best Ambassadors we have.” Sylvan nodded. “Very well, then—please get ready to go.”

“I’m already packed,” Bear informed him. “My long-range shuttle is prepped. I can go at once if need be.”

Sylvan blinked—the only indication of his surprise at this excessive level of readiness.

“Are they ready to receive you?” he asked. “I mean, don’t they need time to put together the Joining ceremony?”

“It’s my understanding that the ceremony will be brief and perfunctory,” Bearick said. “Which is just as well, since the Joining will be dissolved after negotiations are concluded.”

“Very well then.” Sylvan rose from behind his desk and held out his arm for a warrior’s clasp. “May the Goddess go with you and bless your efforts.”

“Thank you, Commander.”

Bear rose and took the offered arm, holding the other male’s forearm in a firm grip. Then he nodded and left the office, striding briskly down the hall towards the Docking Bay where his long-range shuttle was parked.

As he went, he mentally reviewed everything he knew about the inhabitants of Karpsian Sigma. They were a patriarchal society—not the kind of people the Kindred usually dealt with, since they didn’t treat their females very well. Unfortunately, they also had the only access to a special wormhole which led to a different universe.

There were a few other ways to travel to parallel universes, of course, but the wormhole just outside the orbit of Karpsian Sigma was the only reliable way to access this particularuniverse at all times. It was a place wheresiliumcould be mined—the rare mineral was vital in the Mother Ship’s ability to fold space, which was getting harder and harder to find in their own universe. So making a trade agreement and negotiating for the use of the wormhole on a regular basis was extremely important.

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