The Vulpirans' Honor: The Soul-Linked Saga by Laura Jo Phillips Page A

normal,
     though he still looked tired.
    “Better,” he said.  “I’m hungry though.  I don’t think I’ve ever been so hungry.”
    “Probably because you aren’t used to using your psychic ability,” she said.  “Luckily,
     Aunt Berta sent dinner over for us and she sent enough for a family of ten.  Why don’t
     you go jump in the shower and I’ll heat up some food for you.”
    “Thanks, Honey,” he said as he dragged himself out of bed.  “In return, I’ll tell
     you all about my day.  You won’t have to ask me any questions at all.”
    “In that case, I’ll even give you some desert,” Honey said.
    Michael paused in the bathroom doorway and turned to look at Honey carefully, hearing
     the worry in her voice.  “It’s going to be fine, Honey,” he said.  “You’ll see.”
    “I hope so, Michael,” she said.  “I really hope so.”
    “Just give me a few minutes,” he said.  “Then I’ll tell all.”
    Honey watched Michael close the bathroom door, then she reached for her bathrobe and
     left the bedroom.  She closed the door quietly behind her, not wanting to awaken Nica.
    She entered the kitchen, turned on the light and opened the chiller.  As she took
     dishes out and removed the covers, she thought about the Vulpirans.  The more she
     saw of them, the more obsessed with them she began to feel.  She’d been so surprised
     when they’d returned with Nica earlier.  She hadn’t expected that, and wasn’t sure
     how she felt about it.  Nica had a tendency to say things that shouldn’t be said in
     front of anyone other than herself or Michael.
    Honey didn’t blame her.  She was only five years old and the things she saw and heard
     were, for her, normal.  Talking about them was normal too, for a child.  But the Teriens
     didn’t see things that way, and the older she got, the more difficult it became to
     keep her with them all of the time without isolating her completely, and they didn’t
     want to do that.  Nica was a very social child, and like any other child, she needed
     to interact with people outside of her own home.
    Which was why Michael had worked so hard for the position on Earth so much earlier
     than they’d originally planned.  It had always been the first step in their long-term
     plan to break free from Terien completely, but it was still only the first step. 
     They were not free yet.
    Now, here they were on Jasan.  Definitely not a part of their plan, but the opportunity
     for Michael had been too good to pass up.  She’d never dreamed that so many people
     could be so accepting of psychic abilities, but from what she’d seen so far, the Jasani
     didn’t see them as being anything out of the ordinary.  It was a nice change, but
     she wasn’t sure getting used to it was a good idea.  It was dangerous to forget, even
     for a moment, that they were under the thumb of the Teriens. 
    By the time Michael entered the kitchen a few minutes later, Honey had a plate heaped
     with hot food waiting for him.  She opened a bottle of wine and poured them each a
     glass as he sat down and began eating.  She waited patiently, sipping her wine as
     he satisfied the worst of his hunger.
    Then he began talking.  He told her about the Xanti that had been captured after trying
     to kill her Aunt, and that it was being held in a special enclosure right there on
     the ranch.  He told her about his meeting with Sergio Farnswaite, and all that the
     man had told him.
    Then he told her about connecting with the Xanti psychically.  He didn’t give her
     too many details of that, and she didn’t want them.  Instead, he focused on his reasons
     for feeling it was necessary.  When he was finished, he emptied his wine glass, as
     though trying to wash away memories of the Xanti.  She refilled it for him as he returned
     to his food.
    “After we left the Xanti’s cell, I collapsed,” Michael said.  “They took me to the
     infirmary, had a doctor named Doc ,