Enticed by the Satyr (Kindred Tales)

Mia smiled politely. She was happy for her friend, getting Claimed by a big, strong Kindred warrior, and Talon seemed like a wonderful guy. But honestly, why anyone would want to spend so much time having sex, Mia didn’t know. It certainly was nothing to shout about, in her experience.

Of course, I was only ever with Hank, she thought, playing a few more notes on the piano. Maybe it’s different with a Kindred warrior. But I don’t know—they’re so big! Even bigger than Hank was. How would that even work?

Though, to be honest, for all his height, her soon-to-be ex-husband hadn’t been any great shakes in the size department, when it came to male equipment. After she was no longer virgin-tight, as she had been on that fateful prom night so many years ago, Mia could honestly hardly even feel him down there during his regular attempts to make her pregnant.

Which was just fine with her. It was bad enough to have to lay there with him working that little worm of his between her legs four or five times a week, almost always sweating all over her, without it being horribly painful too. She had often blessed his small size, glad that sex wasn’t more uncomfortable and distasteful than it already was.

Thank God he never did manage to get me pregnant again, she thought now, still caressing the piano keys. Not that she didn’t want kids—actually, she loved them and she missed her piano students fiercely. But bringing a child into an abusive marriage like the one she’d had with Hank would have been a recipe for disaster.

I can’t believe I never, ever have to see him again! she thought, for what felt like the hundredth time. It was a recurring thought, and yet it never got old. Her heart leapt with joy and she put both hands on the keyboard and started pounding out the bouncy little tune that had been building inside her. It wasn’t finished yet—it was still missing something, some element she couldn’t name—but it was getting close to completion and just playing it made her happy.

Kaylee hummed along in her lovely alto, tapping her foot to the snappy rhythm.

“That’s so catchy!” she exclaimed when Mia finally finished. “Are you writing it down?”

Mia shook her head.

“Nope. It just comes to me and I play it. It grows a little more every time I work on it—and every time I remember I never have to see Hank again,” she added, smiling.

“Which calls for a celebration” Kaylee insisted. “Listen, just come with us for dinner tonight. This restaurant I want to try has grieza worms on the menu.”

“Ewww!” Mia wrinkled her nose, and then wished she hadn’t as a sharp stab of pain went through the still-swollen left side of her face. “Why would you think that telling me they have worms on the menu would make me want to come with you?” she asked Kaylee.

“Because! Supposedly they look like worms but taste like dark chocolate!” her friend gushed. “And they’re pure protein—hardly any calories! Just think of it—calorie-free chocolate. Come on, Mia—you have to go.”

“Well…if you’re sure I won’t be intruding…” Mia said hesitantly.

“You won’t be,” Kaylee said firmly. “Talon likes having you around—he loves you because I do.”

Mia thought that her best friend was probably just being nice, but she appreciated the sentiment anyway. And she would always be grateful to the big Blood Kindred who had stepped in and helped her get away from Hank. Also, he treated Kaylee like a princess—which gave him high marks in her book.

Wish I could find someone to treat me like that, a wistful little voice in her head whispered. Mia didn’t mind it, though she thought it was probably all just wishful thinking. Still, the wistful voice had replaced the dark voice that had lived in her head for so long, and that was nice, even if all the things it wished for were never going to come true.

“All right,” she said at last, smiling. “I’ll come. But afterwards, I want to explore some more.” So you and Talon can have the suite to yourselves for a different kind of celebrating, she added mentally.

“You got it! Oh, I can’t wait!” Kaylee bounced on the balls of her feet excitedly. “I’m going to go get the reservations right now!”

Mia smiled as she watched her friend go. She had never felt so blessed and happy in her life. And if her new existence aboard the Mother Ship was a little bit lonely, well, that was all right. It was better to be lonely than to be living with Hank in a loveless, abusive marriage.

But what if you did find love again? whispered that wistful little voice in her head. What if you found a warrior who loved you the way Talon loves Kaylee?