Page 25 of Their Shared Mate
“When I have time, which is never.” He put a cutlet on her plate then started passing around the other dishes.
“What sort of meat is this?” she asked as she took a bite.
“Wolf,” Raphael informed, his features expressionless.
She froze, eyes saucer wide, unable to chew, yet not daring enough to spit out a mouthful of food.
Raphael laughed and reached over to squeeze her hand. “It’s calledbiforen. No hybrids were harmed in the making of this meal.”
Had autocratic Raphael just made a joke? She relaxed enough to smile and register the tastes filling her mouth. The purple sauce was rich and savory, the perfect complement to the slightly gameybiforen. “The wolves might deserve to be barbequed, but I’d rather not turn cannibal.”
“We haven’t restricted access to the bunkhouse,” Raphael said after a brief pause. “Have you been overrun with curious males, or do I need to encourage my people to be more aggressive?”
She chuckled at the irony. “I don’t think any Rydarian male lacks aggression, especially where females are concerned. We’ve had plenty of visitors.”
“Are they behaving themselves?” Raphael shifted his gaze between her and Victor as if to see who would answer first.
“They’ve all been perfect gentlemen,” she assured him.
“Except their leader, of course,” Raphael added with a self-reproving half smile.
“I don’t blame Gabriel for his bad behavior,” she replied. “He has been under a lot of pressure.”
Both males laughed and Claire released a deep sigh. She hadn’t known what to expect tonight. Her other interactions with Raphael had been so tense and explosive. This easy charm was new. She hadn’t realized he was capable of it.
Lost in thought, she took a bite ofeffoseland inadvertently made a face. The vegetable might be plentiful and easy to prepare, but it was also tasteless.
“We like to drown oureffoselinbarris, but it’s really spicy, so be warned.” Raphael pointed to the small pitcher containing a reddish-brown gravy.
“Spicy, butsogood,” Victor stressed as he proceeded to demonstrate their technique.
“Is anyone logging all the names being given to the plants and animals?” Claire wanted to know. “It’s the start of the Rydarian language.”
“As a matter of fact, a database was begun last year,” Victor confirmed. “There are already several thousand entries.”
“Susan has a background in linguistics. She might be able to help you organize and develop it further.”
Victor nodded, then cleared his mouth with a sip of wine. “I’ll talk to her about the project tomorrow.”
The conversation remained light and friendly while they ate, but the mood changed quickly as they cleared the table. “Thank you for this wonderful meal,” Claire said, starting to feel self-conscious. “I really enjoyed it.”
“You’re welcome back anytime,” Raphael said casually, but his gaze began to smolder.
“Will you tell me a little about your life on Earth?” Claire suspected that they would end the night in bed together, but she knew very little about either of them. She’d seen them interact with other hybrids, with the females and each other. Still, she’d feel more comfortable becoming intimate if she understood the forces that shaped their personalities and ideals. “Or would you rather not talk about the past?”
They set the dishes in the sink and then Raphael motioned toward the living area at the other end of the cabin. “Thanks to the nano-trackers, our lives on Earth are no longer available to us. We don’t put a lot of energy into thinking about them. However, I understand your curiosity. What would you like to know?”
“Where did you grow up? Was any of your childhood happy? I know you lost one of your brothers, but were your parents good to you? Were they good to each other?”
“I didn’tlosemy brother,” Raphael corrected firmly. “That makes it sound like he was misplaced. He was viciously, brutally murdered.”
She tensed, instantly regretting her decision to have the proverbial getting-to-know-you conversation. “You’re right. I’m sorry. The phrase belittles your pain, and I know better. Why don’t we talk about something else.”
“I was objecting to the phrase,” Raphael said as he sat in one of three chairs. “It makes me angry every time I hear it. Your interest in my background is welcome.”
Victor sat on one end of the couch, so Claire chose a chair that allowed her to see both males. Not wanting to upset him again, she chose her questions more carefully. “Where were you born?”
“I’ll make this easy for you,” Raphael decided. “Here’s my basic biography. I was born and raised in Sacramento, California. My mother died giving birth to my sister. The baby didn’t survive. Despite my father’s devastation, he made sure his grief never compromised the care of his three sons.”
