Atlantium Trilogy I: Bride of Atlantis by Madelaine Montague Page A

the
self-defense moves she’d learned years ago would have earned her
freedom for her.
    She missed him.
    She didn’t want to think about it,
however, and returned her attention to familiarizing herself with
her surroundings. She discovered that they had traversed several
blocks while she’d allowed her mind to wander.
    As they neared the center of town, the
foot traffic picked up. Every person they passed, nodded, bowed and
smiled. Apparently Thor was well known, and respected or liked, by
everyone.
    She glanced up at him.
    She had lied. She didn’t think she
could ever grow accustomed to this place. It was beautiful, quiet,
peaceful and well ordered. It was totally alien and almost made her
yearn for the din of car engines; horns; talking, laughing,
screaming people; the stench of pollution.
    HER people might be every awful thing
in the world that the Atlanteans were not, but they
were—alive.
    Being in Atlantis was like walking
through a ghost town, watching wraiths drift silently
by.
    And then she realized what was wrong.
There were no children. She had not seen a single child in all the
time she’d been here.
    “ Where are the
children?”
    Thor didn’t look at her. “They will be
at the festival.”
    Alexis suddenly felt silly. She would
not ‘hear’ the chatter and giggles of children. She was not
telepathic and that was the only way, apparently, that Atlanteans
ever communicated, except with outsiders like herself.
    Moira could barely even vocalize
words.
    Thor stopped, pulling Alexis to a
stop, as well. “There are few children. You do not understand our
ways.”
    Alexis looked up at him in surprise.
“Why?”
    “ It is rarely
allowed.”
    “ Having children!” Alexis
couldn’t contain her shock. “You have to get special
permission?”
    Thor nodded.
    Alexis thought about it a moment. “Oh.
Population control.”
    Thor looked as if he might say
something, then stopped. After a moment, he merely nodded. “I tell
you this, here, because it is a source of great pain to many who
yearn for children. I don’t believe you would intentionally hurt
anyone, but through ignorance….”
    Alexis felt a welling of pity. She had
wanted, for years now, to start a family of her own, but at least
she knew that she could. How awful it must be for those who had no
hope of it!
    Thor lifted a hand, caressing her
cheek with his knuckles. “You have a good heart and a quick
understanding.”
    Alexis looked away,
uncomfortable.
    Thor caught her chin, urging her to
look at him. “You are an exceptional human being.”
    Alexis blushed, grinning in
embarrassment. “Not really. As my father used to say, if you can’t
dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit.”
    Thor smiled, dropping his hands to her
shoulders and pulling her closer. Instinctively, Alexis placed her
palms against his chest, but she was never afterwards certain of
whether she meant to push him away or if it was merely a token
resistance.
    She was mesmerized by his mouth as he
lowered his head. Only looking at it sent a flash flood of heat
through her, brought her body to readiness. Her nipples grew hard
as pebbles, dampness saturated her femininity, even before her body
molded against his, with just the faintest of touches as his lips
brushed hers. “You are more extraordinary than you could begin to
imagine,” he whispered against her lips.
    Alexis barely heard his words. Her
mind, her whole being, was focused on the touch of his body against
hers, on his lips as they moved leisurely against hers, plucking
first her bottom lip, then the top. Each time his lips brushed
across hers, her heart thudded a little harder, her breath catching
in her chest in anticipation.
    If he had thrown her to the ground
right then and there, she doubted very much that she would have
even tried to resist.
    “ Thor! You did not say that
you would come to festival!”
    They jumped apart guiltily and turned
toward the feminine voice.
    Still more than a little