Page 61 of Game on Askole

“Okay, he might be a keeper. Mind meld with me, and I’ll get Musa to imprint on you and KeeKee.”

I dropped my shields and let Aunt Tess in. I could feel her ruffling through my memories.“I’ll be damned. You have fallen for him.”

“I would never lie to you.”

“God, I’m such a bitch. Finding love in this crazy universe is a miracle. Can you forgive me?”

“Of course, we’re family.”

“Never forget, Sarah, you and your kin are now part of my clan. I will protect them with my life,”Tihar added.

“He’s a keeper.”Aunt Tess reached out and linked with Musa.

Within minutes, the little dragon started purring like a cat.

“It’s working,”I whispered to Tihar.

“Indeed.”

KeeKee stared at Musa.“Why she make funny noise?”

“She’s happy. Would you like her to be your friend?”

“No like fire.”

I sensed Aunt Tess mucking about in KeeKee’s mind.

The baby Tabor giggled.“Tickles.”

“Okay, Musa now considers you and KeeKee family,”Aunt Tess announced.

“She’ll obey me?”

“I’d say about eighty percent of the time she will, but Musa has a stubborn streak. Kinda reminds me of you.”

“Har har.”

Tihar interjected,“My father gave the Overlord five times the bride price for you. The contract has been signed, and you are now legally mine.”

“What?”My temper flared to life.“The Overlord sold me like a cow? Are the Coletti that desperate for money?”

“The higher the bride price, the more honor for the female,”Tihar quickly inserted.

Aunt Tess added,“Before you blow a gasket, remember that’s how things are done in this neck of the woods, Sarah. Don’t forget, not so long ago, Earth women came to the marriage with a dowry.”

“You’re right, but I don’t have to like it.”

“Shit!”Aunt Tess gasped.“Gotta go. Rho’s in a bit of a temper.”

“What did you do to him?”

“Sent a bunch of sand flies to play with him.”Aunt Tess’s shriek reverberated around my skull as Rho tossed her into the lake. Our link broke.

Chapter Twelve

I wanted my honeymoon night to be sexy and romantic and perfect. Maybe I was being a bit starry-eyed, but the rank, metallic smell of old blood from our battle with Lilkee’s Legionnaires wasn’t an aphrodisiac. It was a turn-off. Tihar, being a guy, didn’t seem to mind. He only had one thing on his mind. Sex. With me.

The problem was getting clean. The Askole version of a shower was a narrow box. I stared at it in disbelief. “You actually fit?”

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