She was gesturing to the water in the deep tub and so he assumed she was asking to be put into it.
“Very…well,” he said to her, slowly, since words were still coming back to him.“Iwill…bathe you…my bride.”
She made even more high-pitched mouth noises as he lifted her and put her into the tub, butRavikdidn’t pay her any mind.Sevhad said she must be bathed and so he would bathe her.Thatwas the way of a loving mate—which he was determined to be.
“All right now—we have to put the decontaminant in the water,”Sevsaid.Hispartner was hovering overRavik’sshoulder anxiously, looking at his mate as she splashed around in the tub.“Thenher injury had to be scrubbed.I’lldo that,” he added.
Ravik felt his whole body tense.Heloved his best friend like a brother, but the human woman washismate.Itdidn’t bother him, for some reason, thatSevwas seeing her naked.Buthe didn’t want the other male touching her while she was unclothed.
“No,” he growled.“Iwill scrub!”
Sev looked ready to argue, but then he shook his head in exasperation.
“All right, but you have to begentle,”he emphasized.“Humans—especially human females—aredelicate.Youhave to be careful with her,Ravik!”
Ravik was surprised to find that all the words made sense—he even got the context of what his friend was saying and it offended him deeply.
“I will not hurt my own mate!”he growled, frowning at his friend.“Ravikcan be gentle.”
“All right, all right,Iknow you can.”Sevshook his head and handed him a large puffy sponge onto which he poured a generous dollop of the purple decontamination liquid he’d already added to the bath water.
Ravik’s mate said something questioning and healmostunderstood her.
“Just let him scrub you—IpromiseIwon’t let him do anything inappropriate,”Sevsaid to her.“Hethinks you’re his mate.IfItry to take you away from him, he could get dangerous.”
Ravik felt a surge of indignation.
“Sheismy mate!”he growled.“AndIwill wash her now.”Hegestured at the woman in the tub.“Mate—stand up soIcan wash you.”
She threw a despairing look atSev, who only shrugged his shoulders.Atlast, she clambered to her feet and stood in the tub with the water coming up to her thighs.
“Hurry—I’mdripping wet and getting cold all over again!”she said toRavikand this time he understood a few things.One, she wanted him to be quick and two, she was getting cold once more.
“I will try,” he said to her.Humanwomen were, asSevhad reminded him, very delicate creatures.Hedidn’t want to hurt her by scrubbing too hard or making her get cold.“Bestill…and let me scrub you.”
At first, finding the words to say had been like digging through a dark attic, trying to find forgotten treasure that he knew was there but wasn’t quite certain how to use.Butnow they were coming easier.Hethought his mate had something to do with that—she smelled so good.Evenunder the sharp scent of the decontaminating agent he could catch her delicious, feminine fragrance.Whatwas that special note in it that made his head seem to clear a little more, every time he smelled it?
Ravik didn’t know—he only knew he wanted to keep smelling it…wanted to keep close to his new mate and protect her from danger forever.
But first, he had to give her a bath.
9
CASSIE
Cassie still couldn’t believe this was happening to her.Justa few hours ago she’d been safe in her bedroom back in theCrystalCity.Shecouldn’t exactly say she’d beenhappy—life withSskarthhadn’t been happy in a long time.Butshe’d felt secure, despite the world-wide outbreak.
Now she was naked in a tub with two hugeKindredwarriors—one of which appeared to be determined to scrub her down, even though she didn’t want him to.
“Just let him wash you,”Severinsaid to her in a low voice.“Hewon’t hurt you.Heprobably thinks the two of you are in the middle of yourBathingWeekor something.”
“TheBathingWeek?”Cassiefelt her heart jump nervously in her chest.Havinglived aboard theKindredMotherShipfor some time, she knew about theBathingWeek—it was part of theClaimingPeriod—the four week timeframe aKindredwarrior had to convince his chosen bride to stay with him.
First there was theHoldingWeek, where he could touch her, but only over her clothing.Nextcame theBathingWeek, when he could bathe her and massage her naked body with special oils.Therewere also theTastingWeekand theBondingWeek, but it was the reference to theBathingWeekthat worried her.Wasthe hugeBeastKindredgoing to insist on rubbing her naked body all over with massage oil when he finished bathing her?
If he did, she didn’t see any way to stop him.Severinhad already said thatRavikmight get “upset” if he tried to take her away from him.Byupset, she assumed that he thought theBeastKindredmight go intoRage—which was something shedefinitelydidn’t want.
She’d seen aKindredwarrior go intoRageonly once and it wasn’t even aboard theMotherShip.She’dbeen visiting her children onEarthand theBeastKindredpilot who had flown her down had brought along his pretty young bride, who happened to be from the same part ofFloridaCassiewas from, to visit her parents.
