Delivered by the Defender (Kindred Tales)

“You really did it—you healed me! Thank you—thank you so much. My hands are my living. I mean, I’m a violin player and if I couldn’t use my hands, I—”

She broke off, realizing she was babbling and feeling like an idiot. But the big Kindred was looking at her intently.

“You’re what kind of player?” he asked, sounding actually interested.

“A violin—I play the violin.” She nodded down at her case, which had ended up on the floor in front of the fancy golden couch. “Here, I’ll show you.”

She reached for the case, forgetting to cover her breasts, and then gasped when she realized that she’d flashed him.

“Oh God, I’m so sorry! He…he cut my shirt open,” she said, covering her bare breasts with her arms again. “And he did it because they told him to—the policemen, I mean,” she added.

Valen frowned.

“The peacekeepers told him to cut your shirt open?”

“Yes, they told that…that man—the one who attacked me—that he had to…to uh, show my breasts, if he was going to keep me.”

Her words ended in an embarrassed whisper and she wrapped her arms around herself tighter than ever.

She had thought the big Kindred would be as horrified as she was about this piece of information but he only nodded grimly.

“Yes, that’s not surprising in Ma’shorkan culture. It’s a serious infraction for a female who isn’t classed as an Independent Female to appear in public with her breasts covered.”

“What? But that’s crazy!” Selena protested. “Almost as crazy as letting any man who wants to, grab a woman and just claim she’s his property!”

“The legal system here is reprehensible and backwards when it comes to the rights of females,” Valen informed her, frowning. “I should know. I am, as I said earlier, a Defender.”

“Is that the Kindred version of a lawyer?” Selena asked, remembering that he had talked about a deposition he had to study for, back on the shuttle—which seemed about a million years ago now.

He nodded.

“I believe so, yes. I argue cases in the court system and one of my specialties is Ma’shorkan law. Some of their legal proceedings are quite…esoteric, shall we say. Though that’s probably putting it generously.” He checked the expensive-looking platinum chronometer on his wrist. “In fact, I’m due at their Midnight Court tonight.”

“Oh, well I…I guess I shouldn’t keep you.” Selena straightened up, making an effort to get hold of herself, though she was still feeling somewhat woozy and lightheaded—either from shock or blood loss, she couldn’t tell which. “Thank you for rescuing me,” she said formally to the big Kindred. “I…I can manage on my own from here.”

He scowled at her.

“You can do no such thing! You’ve already been attacked once and that was back when you were still wearing your Seal of Independence! You can’t possibly go anywhere alone without it.”

“Oh, my Seal!” she exclaimed, jumping up. “I need to go find it!”

“Stay.” He placed a big, warm hand on her shoulder and pushed her back down. He gave her a stern look when she started to protest. “I’ll go look for it. In the meantime, I’m going to order you something to drink and a fruit and cheese platter to eat. You need something to put some color in your cheeks.”

Speaking of color, Selena thought, the big Kindred looked like he had a lot more of it himself, than he had earlier. He seemed a bit less snappish and irritable, too, though he was still quite stern. Well, maybe rescuing damsels in distress agreed with him. But she couldn’t let him start ordering her a lot of fancy, expensive food.

“Oh please don’t get me anything,” she protested, when he reached out to press a small, red button, which was embedded in the front of the gold couch’s arm. “I…I don’t have any local money and I can’t pay you back,” she tried to explain, when he raised his eyebrows in a silent question. “I was going to stay with my friend and her husband and they told me not to worry about any kind of money or I would have come prepared,” she added, not wanting him to think she was a total nitwit.

But he shook his head.

“There is no obligation. Or rather, if there is, it is I who am obligated to you. You nourished me, now please allow me to nourish you, little one.”

“What?” Selena shook her head, ignoring the nickname which absolutely didn’t fit her, since she was anything but “little.” “I don’t…don’t understand,” she said.

“I know,” Valen said coolly. He pressed the red button and a soft female voice spoke inside the smoked-glass bubble that surrounded the couch.

“Yes, Sir, Mr. Valen—how can I serve you?”

“I’ll need a fruit and cheese platter, a carafe of water, and a bottle of chilled T’shian Chambord with two goblets,” he ordered in the businesslike tone of someone used to being obeyed. “At once, please. Also, I will be leaving my couch for a few moments, but my female will remain here. Under no circumstances is she to be bothered or molested in any way. I want you to serve her and if I hear of any other male even coming near her, I assure you there will be all Seven Hells to pay. Have I made myself understood?”