Enticed by the Satyr (Kindred Tales)

“Hmmm…” Kaylee looked thoughtful. “We can certainly mark today as your starting date, but I think you have some business to take care of before you start in the music room.”

“Such as?” Mia gave her a puzzled look.

“Such as going down to the Housing Office and applying for your own suite, now that you’re officially a resident of the Mother Ship,” Kaylee told her. “And you can move into it tonight.”

“Oh my God, Kaylee—I’m so sorry,” Mia said quickly. “I tried to stay out of your way whenever you and Talon are feeling, er, amorous—”

“Don’t be silly,” Kaylee said, frowning. “I’m not kicking you out because we want more room to screw around. I’m kicking you out so you can have a private place to bring sexy Mr. Tumnus!”

“His name is Storn,” Mia reminded her, laughing. “And he doesn’t look anything like Mr. Tumnus!”

“He has horns and hooves, that’s good enough for me,” Kaylee said, grinning. “Now why don’t the two of you go get that suite and he can help you move into it.”

“That should be easy,” Mia said. “It’s not like I have a lot to move since I came up here with just the clothes on my back. I still owe you for everything you’ve bought and loaned me.”

“Don’t worry about any of that.” Kaylee made a shooing motion. “I’m just so happy to have my best friend up here with me and to have Hank out of your life! And now the fact that you’ve found yourself a Kindred to love you and treat you right—well, it’s just icing on the cake!” She jumped up and gave Mia a big hug. “Oh, honey—I’m so happy for you!”

Mia laughed.

“Take it easy—we’re not married yet!”

“No, but you will be,” Kaylee said with great certainty. “Once you find the right Kindred, it’s only a matter of time. Now go have a great day with your new man. You can start work later this week but for now, have some fun.”

“Yes, Ma’am. I think I can promise to do that,” Mia said, smiling.

The only problem, she thought, would be making sure that she and Storn didn’t have too much fun. After all, they were just going to be getting to know each other better. After rushing full speed ahead last night, she wanted to take things a bit slower for a while.

She had no idea how hard that would be.

15

Baird had no idea what to expect when he walked up the front steps of the unassuming human residence and knocked on the door with the divorce papers in his hand. A shotgun in the face, probably, he thought and was grimly glad that he and Talon were both wearing protective body armor and safety shields that would reflect any bullet that was fired at them back at the one who had fired it.

Divorce was one human custom that Baird didn’t understand. How could signing a bunch of papers dissolve a union that should have been for life? And what made humans want to leave each other, anyway?

Of course, in this case he knew good and well why the human woman wanted to get away from her mate. The man was abusive and twisted—Talon had told Baird how he and Kaylee had walked in right in the middle of him beating his wife. And he’d heard from Olivia how awful the poor little female’s injuries had been. How could any male treat the female the Goddess had set aside just for him to love and cherish and protect like a punching bag?

Hitting or beating women was an anathema to Kindred—it simply wasn’t in their biology or their natures to do such a thing. Nor did they ever leave their mates or “cheat” on them, to use the human term. Once a Kindred warrior formed a bond with his chosen female, nothing but death could separate them. And the idea of leaving that female and trying to find another to fill her place made no sense. It would be like amputating your perfectly good hand and then trying to find another to graft into its stump. Why would anyone do such a thing?

His own mate, Olivia, had explained that humans were able to cheat on and divorce each other because they didn’t form bonds with each other. Which just made Baird sad for them. How could you ever feel truly mated to someone if you couldn’t bond with them? The humans must feel so lonely, he thought—even after years of marriage to the same person. For how could you truly know your mate deeply and intimately without a Soul Bond?

His musings were interrupted when the door opened and an angry human face was revealed.

The human male called “Hank Rogan” had short graying hair cut in the style the humans called a “crew cut”—it stuck up from his forehead in a stiff brush somehow making him look even angrier. The minute he saw Baird and Talon standing there, his face began to turn red.