“Er…” She shifted in his arms, feeling embarrassed. A woman should never be so close to a man in public—not even if they were married!
“What is it, baby?” he asked anxious. “Are you feeling worse?”
“No, I am better now,” Allara told him. “You may put me down if you like—I know that carrying me must be a burden for you,” she added, hoping to give him a reason to release her.
But instead of putting her down at once, Brand gave her that sleepy, golden-eyed smile of his.
“You’re light as a feather, baby. I could carry you all day.”
“Why do you call me ‘baby?’” Allara demanded, exasperated that he wouldn’t do the decent thing and release her. People were so strange here! “Is it because I am so much smaller than you, you think of me as a child?”
He would learn to his own detriment that this wasn’t true, of course, she thought to herself. No matter how big he was, her skora could still pierce his heart.
“Of course I don’t think of you as a child—‘baby’ is just a sweet nickname, that’s all,” Brand protested. “Though I have to admit, I like your small stature,” he added.
“You do? Why?” Allara demanded suspiciously.
“Because it makes you the perfect size for cuddling.” He pulled her closer to his broad chest and smiled down at her again.
Allara didn’t know what “cuddling” was, but she was determined to keep her irritation at the big Kindred, no matter how many “sweet nicknames” he called her. It was easier to think of killing him when she was annoyed with him. Also, the Voiceless woman had completely purged her of the erotic feelings the big Kindred’s Song had caused in her.
I ought to thank her, Allara thought. She has restored my sense of purpose in my mission. I ought to complete it right now, while I am feeling strong and unafraid!
But she could hardly stab him right here in the public park lands. Here and there she caught sight of other couples and even families, having “picnics” on the grass. There were too many witnesses—she would never get a chance to take her poison pill and sing her lament if she killed her new husband here.
What we need to do is go someplace private, Allara thought to herself. Someplace where no one can see my skora pierce his heart.
Of course, before that could happen, her new husband must first pierce her, she reminded herself. So she couldn’t have killed him now, even if the entire parkland had been deserted.
But she preferred not to think about that part of her mission. What she needed to do was get this over with. She had wasted too much time already with the whole ridiculous wedding ceremony—now it was time to take action!
“Husband,” she said to Brand, who was still carrying her close to his chest. “I am much fatigued. Do you have a house you can bring me back to?”
“I have a suite—it’s a kind of apartment,” he explained. “The living quarters where all the Kindred and their brides live.”
“Can you take me there?” Allara asked him. “And…will it be private?” she added, glancing up at him from under her lashes.
Brand gave her a slightly surprised look, but he nodded.
“Of course, it’s private. You and I will be the only ones living there.”
“Good. Then will you please take me?” Allara begged.
“You don’t want to go back to the wedding reception at all?” He raised an eyebrow at her. “I’m sure that drunk human female is finished singing by now.”
“No, please…I…I would rather be alone with you,” Allara made herself say, though her heart was pounding when she said it.
“Well, sure—if that’s what you want, baby.” He gave her that sleepy smile again, his golden eyes half-lidded in a way that made her stomach quiver for some reason. “I’ll take you home right now.”
“Thank you,” Allara whispered and made herself look away from his gaze and lay her head on his shoulder.
Soon she would be able to complete her mission. Soon Brand would be dead and she would be in the Heavens with her ancestress.
She just had to get through everything in between in order to get there.
Eight
Brand loved the feel of her in his arms. She was so warm and soft and curved in all the right places and she was curled against his chest like a sleepy kitten. Plus, now she wanted the two of them to be alone.
She’s so tiny and delicate, Brand couldn’t help thinking, looking down at the perfect little package he was holding. He hadn’t been lying when he said he liked their height and size difference. It did make some things awkward, but there was just something so sweet and adorable about cuddling her close to his chest. It made him want to protect her—to take care of her.