Page 14 of Faking it with the Hybrid

SIX

MATTIE

Mattie waslessimpressed with her big Protector a little later when they sat down to dinner and her mom asked Grath to tell the story of how they had met and fallen in love.

“Oh, Mom—Grath doesn’t want to go into all that!” Mattie protested uneasily as she passed the mashed potatoes. “You’re putting him on the spot!”

“I don’t mind,” Grath rumbled unexpectedly.

He was seated beside Mattie at the wide oval dining table, but she thought he looked like an adult at the kid’s table. His knees barely fit under the human-sized tabletop and the sturdy wooden chair had creaked alarmingly under his muscular bulk when he sat down.

But despite being too big for the furniture, he had perfect manners and had already praised her mother’s cooking two or three times, talking about how juicy the roast was and how creamy the mashed potatoes were. Her mother blushed every time and thanked him—Mattie could see she was well on the way to liking the big Kindred very much.

She wished she could kick him under the table and tell him not to overdo it. If he made her whole family fall in love with him, they were going to be devastated when she had to pretend they had “broken up” later!

But of course, she couldn’t risk saying anything. She just had to sit there and listen to the big Kindred charm everyone at the table, while knowing that every word he said was a lie.

“I don’t mind telling how we met,” he said again, smiling across the table at Mattie’s mom. “It was pretty much love at first sight, if you want to know the truth.”

“Oh my—it was?” Mattie’s mom put one fluttering hand to her heart.

Grath nodded.

“Absolutely. The minute I looked into Madeline’s big brown eyes and took her hand, I knew she was the only female for me. She was so fucking beautiful it hurt to look at her! Uh, pardon my language,” he added, speaking to her Grandma, at the other end of the table.

“Grath…” Mattie tried to give him a look without being obvious about it. “You don’t have to be so dramatic!”

“I’m not, baby.” Turning, he took her hand and looked down into her eyes. “I knew it—the first time I saw you. I knew you were the one I wanted—theonlyone,” he murmured.

And lifting her hand, he pressed it to his lips as he held her eyes with his.

Mattie felt her heart flutter and had to remind herself again that this was all an act.

“I…I…” she began, but she didn’t know how to go on.

“She’s so tiny but so beautiful and so brave, too,” Grath said, speaking to her mother. “You ought to see her when we’re out in the field together, exploring an alien planet—she jumps right in, whether it’s dangerous or not!”

The momentary spell was broken and this time Mattiedidkick him under the table. He was going to give her mom the wrong idea about her job and make her worry!

“It’s not that dangerous, what we do,” she said quickly, as Grath leaned down surreptitiously to rub his ankle while he shot her a look. “Honestly, Mom! Why, we’ve only been to Class 1 planets so far—those are rated as perfectly harmless by the Kindred.”

“Well, I just hope you’re being careful.” Her mom had the same worried look on her face she’d gotten when Mattie had told her about her new job with the Kindred in the first place. “I don’t know how I feel about you going all around the universe to different planets whereanythingmight be waiting for you!”

“Now, Louise, you know she’s fine. She has Grath here to protect her,” Mattie’s Dad said soothingly.

“I know, Peter, but it still just makes menervous,”her mom said, picking at one of her homemade rolls anxiously.

“Please don’t worry about your daughter,” Grath told her soothingly. “I’m with her every step of the way—I’m her Protector.”

“Well…” Mattie’s mom began, still looking doubtful. But Grath looked her in the eyes and continued speaking.

“I have sworn an oath that not a single drop of your daughter’s precious blood will be lost unlessallof my own is first spilled upon the ground,” he rumbled. “I will die to protect her if I have to, for her life is far more precious to me than my own.”

“My goodness!” Mattie’s mom exclaimed, her hand fluttering near her heart again and Mattie saw everyone’s eyes widen at this dramatic statement.

She felt her own heart give a littlethumpas well. She couldn’t help remembering that very first day—the day when Grath had been assigned to her and had knelt before her to give her his oath as a Kindred warrior to protect her. She had been half in love with him by the time he was done, but then he had spoiled everything by becoming so distant and sullen.

She had wondered several times afterwards if she’d been imagining the sincerity shining in his midnight eyes when he swore to protect her with his life. Now she was certain she hadn’t been—Grath had just been keeping this part of himself hidden, though she didn’t know why.

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