Delivered by the Defender (Kindred Tales)

He wants me, she thought. He feels it too—I know he does. He knows we’d be good together!

Which was ridiculous, considering they hadn’t even known each other for twenty-four hours yet. But something in her gut said that he was the one for her—he was the man she wanted.

When you know, you know, her Granny had always said. She and Selena’s grandfather had met on a blind date and gotten married that same week. Their marriage had lasted fifty-two years.

Of course, her grandparents had been the exception to the rule, Selena told herself. More than half of marriages ended in divorce. Only with the Kindred, there was no divorce. Once a warrior Claimed you, he formed a telepathic bond with you and the two of you were together until death.

Selena wasn’t too sure about the telepathic bond thing, but Jess had assured her it was wonderful and not intrusive at all.

“It’s like always having your best friend just a heartbeat away,” she’d told Selena. “And you understand each other perfectly! There’s no room for misunderstandings or miscommunications—not when you can hear the other person’s thoughts and feel their feelings. You always know exactly where you are with a Kindred husband—there’s no second guessing or wondering why he’s acting like he is. There’s no trying to ‘read’ him or asking yourself what he really meant when he said whatever it was he said—you know immediately.” She’d sighed happily. “It’s just so restful after years of dating human men and trying to figure out what they want and what their motivations are. With a Kindred warrior you know that his main motivation is your happiness. Period, end of story.”

“It sounds amazing,” Selena had admitted.

“Oh, it is…it really, really is,” Jess had smiled blissfully and her face had gotten that happy glow it always got when she talked about her marriage. It was clear she was head-over-heels for Tolern. And it was just as clear, from the way he treated her, that the big Kindred was head-over-heels for her.

Selena hadn’t been able to keep herself from feeling jealous. She had never seen her friend so happy and she couldn’t help wishing for some of that joy for herself.

Well, you can just keep on wishing, she told herself sternly as she snuggled back under the covers. Because it’s clear that even though Valen wants you, he’s not willing to break the sacred vow he made. She sighed. I wonder if Pashmeena is right and some woman broke his heart and that’s why he never wants to get involved again?

She would probably never know. It was better to try and put it out of her mind and get some more sleep. After all, she had no idea what tomorrow held for her.

Whatever it is, I bet it won’t involve Valen much, she thought sadly. Every time he gets close to me, he pushes away as fast as he can. I probably won’t see him until the Pet Parade tomorrow evening—whatever that is.

And with that last, sad thought, she closed her eyes and did her best to get some sleep.

34

This is foolish, Valen told himself, as he paced the length of his large bedchamber. I barely know her, yet I’m allowing her to tie me up in knots! Thinking of Claiming her—of breaking my vow. What’s wrong with me?

It was her blood, he decided. The Golden Blood. It had bewitched him—led him into believing that he felt more for the little Elite than he actually did. It tasted so good—so sweet and pure—and it nourished him so fully and completely. Any Pitch-Blood male would be tempted by that—how could he not be?

She’s nothing special, he told himself firmly. Other than her blood.

But she didn’t flinch from your bite, a little voice whispered in his head. She didn’t cry and wail and try to run away like Ka’leesa. In fact, she asked you to bite her and then she came when you did!

Only because I was pleasuring her at the same time, Valen argued. She’s just another Earth female—you see dozens of them every day on the Mother Ship and even here on Ma’shorka Centra, when they come with their mates to do “honeymoon” activities.

Because of its pristine pink sand beaches and their close proximity to the snow-capped mountains, Ma’shorka Centra was considered a premium vacation spot, especially for newly Joined couples. Valen had always watched them with bitter distaste which he refused to admit was tinged with jealousy, knowing he would never have what they did. He steered clear of the beaches and the mountains, even though he had always wanted to see both.

Thankfully, his work usually kept him too busy to think of sightseeing. But it occurred to him that now that his current case had been dropped, he had nothing to take his mind off his buried desire for a relationship or the curvy little Elite who had somehow crept under his skin in such a short amount of time.