conversation, Kayli wallowed in confusion. “It’s a mixture of our fruits.” She braced one hand on the wall to steady herself. “I’m glad it pleases you.”
“It was all great. Do you have some kind of special cattle here, to produce a steak like that?”
Kayli stiffened. “The barbaric ritual of slaughtering animals ended after most nearly became extinct, or toxic to humans. Many diseases resulted before nature was righted. Now animals, all animals, are treated as kind pets.”
He looked from her to his empty plate and back again. “So the steak I ate was . . . ?”
“We have only ersatz meats, manufactured based on your preferences.”
“ Ersatz , huh? I’ll look that up later. What about fruits, vegetables, breads, all that?”
“Grown in our fields, but also scientifically reproduced as needed.” She tried to encourage him without sounding impatient. “You can acquaint yourself with all our advancements by spending some time in the media room.”
“Unbelievable.” Michael looked again at his empty plate and shrugged. “Well, however you got the steak, it was perfect. I can’t wait to try a burger or fried chicken.”
“I’m sure there are many things you will be curious about, and of course you should try them all.”
“Yeah?” He looked at her, and that same heavy sensuality was back, hot enough to knock her over. “I think I’ll hold you to that.”
WHILE Mallet watched Kayli flounder with her feelings, he thought of all he wanted to do to her, how novel it’d be to have a virgin.
And how sweet.
A deep voice harrumphed. “I know I was ordered to disappear, but Mallet’s clothing is available.”
She welcomed Hauk as a grand distraction. “Thank you, Hauk. You may present them.”
“How gracious of you, Kayli.” They appeared, folded, on the tabletop.
“Hauk,” she warned. “I am in no mood for your dictatorial attitude—”
“Now, children.” Mallet laughed as he scooped up the clothing to examine it. He found a dark T-shirt, jeans—minus some of the rivets—odd underclothing, and brand-new low boots. They’d do. “Let’s try to get along, why don’t we?”
Hauk ignored that to ask, “Shall I put them on you, or would you prefer to bathe first?”
“No one is dressing me but me. And yeah, I’d like to shower first, thanks. With my wreck, it’s been a while since I got to stand under hot water and scrub up real good.”
No one replied to that, so he looked at Kayli. “I assume I have a room for that sort of thing?”
“Your own suite has been prepared, but—”
“With my preferences, right? Great. I’ll go there now, and give you a break from my company.”
“But how can you leave now? We have a lot more to discuss, most especially that cryptic comment about issues not yet revealed to me.”
“We’ll get to all that tomorrow morning.” Deliberately dismissing her, he said, “Now Hauk, if you’ll just guide me, I’ll walk. No poofing me around, okay?”
“Suit yourself, but it’s a long jaunt.”
“Perfect. It’ll give me time to think.” With the clothing tucked under his arm, he headed for the door.
Appearing dumbfounded, Kayli rushed after him. “Think about what?”
Looking over his shoulder, Mallet winked at her. “Kisses, virgins, and sacrifices. What else?”
CHAPTER 6
B EYOND agitated, Raemay rushed through her chambers. Her hair, long and dark, fell loose from the feminine clips that had kept it atop her head.
So like her other daughters.
So different from Kayli. His daughter.
No, she wouldn’t think it. She wouldn’t consider it.
They needed the stranger here, she understood that, but he threatened everything.
Everything.
In the common room, she spoke into her digital telecom, summoning both her daughters. “Make haste,” she ordered.
Given her state of near panic, Raemay would have liked to telecommute to them, but her computer didn’t have the same far-reaching capabilities of Hauk, a fact that
“It was all great. Do you have some kind of special cattle here, to produce a steak like that?”
Kayli stiffened. “The barbaric ritual of slaughtering animals ended after most nearly became extinct, or toxic to humans. Many diseases resulted before nature was righted. Now animals, all animals, are treated as kind pets.”
He looked from her to his empty plate and back again. “So the steak I ate was . . . ?”
“We have only ersatz meats, manufactured based on your preferences.”
“ Ersatz , huh? I’ll look that up later. What about fruits, vegetables, breads, all that?”
“Grown in our fields, but also scientifically reproduced as needed.” She tried to encourage him without sounding impatient. “You can acquaint yourself with all our advancements by spending some time in the media room.”
“Unbelievable.” Michael looked again at his empty plate and shrugged. “Well, however you got the steak, it was perfect. I can’t wait to try a burger or fried chicken.”
“I’m sure there are many things you will be curious about, and of course you should try them all.”
“Yeah?” He looked at her, and that same heavy sensuality was back, hot enough to knock her over. “I think I’ll hold you to that.”
WHILE Mallet watched Kayli flounder with her feelings, he thought of all he wanted to do to her, how novel it’d be to have a virgin.
And how sweet.
A deep voice harrumphed. “I know I was ordered to disappear, but Mallet’s clothing is available.”
She welcomed Hauk as a grand distraction. “Thank you, Hauk. You may present them.”
“How gracious of you, Kayli.” They appeared, folded, on the tabletop.
“Hauk,” she warned. “I am in no mood for your dictatorial attitude—”
“Now, children.” Mallet laughed as he scooped up the clothing to examine it. He found a dark T-shirt, jeans—minus some of the rivets—odd underclothing, and brand-new low boots. They’d do. “Let’s try to get along, why don’t we?”
Hauk ignored that to ask, “Shall I put them on you, or would you prefer to bathe first?”
“No one is dressing me but me. And yeah, I’d like to shower first, thanks. With my wreck, it’s been a while since I got to stand under hot water and scrub up real good.”
No one replied to that, so he looked at Kayli. “I assume I have a room for that sort of thing?”
“Your own suite has been prepared, but—”
“With my preferences, right? Great. I’ll go there now, and give you a break from my company.”
“But how can you leave now? We have a lot more to discuss, most especially that cryptic comment about issues not yet revealed to me.”
“We’ll get to all that tomorrow morning.” Deliberately dismissing her, he said, “Now Hauk, if you’ll just guide me, I’ll walk. No poofing me around, okay?”
“Suit yourself, but it’s a long jaunt.”
“Perfect. It’ll give me time to think.” With the clothing tucked under his arm, he headed for the door.
Appearing dumbfounded, Kayli rushed after him. “Think about what?”
Looking over his shoulder, Mallet winked at her. “Kisses, virgins, and sacrifices. What else?”
CHAPTER 6
B EYOND agitated, Raemay rushed through her chambers. Her hair, long and dark, fell loose from the feminine clips that had kept it atop her head.
So like her other daughters.
So different from Kayli. His daughter.
No, she wouldn’t think it. She wouldn’t consider it.
They needed the stranger here, she understood that, but he threatened everything.
Everything.
In the common room, she spoke into her digital telecom, summoning both her daughters. “Make haste,” she ordered.
Given her state of near panic, Raemay would have liked to telecommute to them, but her computer didn’t have the same far-reaching capabilities of Hauk, a fact that
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