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“You know, there was a time, during our Claiming period, when my mate, Olivia hated my guts,” Baird remarked. “I mean, she couldn’t fucking stand me.”
“Really?” Slade was intrigued. Most Kindred were able to call a mate without too many problems. It was unusual to hear of a bonding where one mate hated the other—which was one reason he felt so isolated and alone.
“Oh yeah.” Baird nodded matter-of-factly. “But the Goddess brought her around. It took a pretty traumatic event to do it but, well…” He shrugged. “Here we are, years later and I love her more today than I did at the beginning. Everything worked out.”
“Somehow I doubt that everything is going to work out for me,” Slade growled. “Since Brandi doesn’t ever want to see me again.”
“I admit it seems tough.” Baird clapped him on the shoulder. “But the Goddess can work anything out. My Olivia was deported from the Mother Ship for breaking communications protocol and then captured by the Scourge. Your female is safe down on Earth, right?”
“Yes she is. But it sounds like you’ve got a story to tell yourself,” Slade remarked.
“The story of how I Claimed Olivia is too long to get into now. I just wanted to let you know you’re not alone,” Baird told him. “Don’t give up, Brother. If the Goddess put you two together, she’ll find a way to bring you back in line.”
“But that’s the thing—she didn’t,” Slade protested. “I told you—we were bonded by accident.”
“Oh? And were you dreaming of her before?” Baird demanded.
“Well…yes.” Slade frowned. “But I thought she was a Pairing Puppet.”
“Doesn’t matter what you thought when you woke up—all that counts is that you were Dream-Sharing before you met,” Baird pointed out. “And she dreamed of you, too?”
“She did.” Slade nodded. “I saw it in her mind. She projects her thoughts and feelings like a fucking signal beaming into my head.” He sighed. “That’s how I know she still wants nothing to do with me.”
“The fact that you were Dream-Sharing means the Goddess put her stamp of approval on the two of you, even if it doesn’t seem like it,” Baird told him. “Which further means you shouldn’t give up hope. Maybe just give your female a little cooling off time.”
“I’ve already given her a whole solar month,” Slade pointed out. “I feel a lot of regret from her that she got herself involved with the ‘wrong’ kind of male again and she’s sorry I turned out to be that kind of male, because she was starting to care for me. But…” He sighed. “She’s very firm in her decision never to see me again. She thinks she’d be a bad mother if she exposed her young one to me.”
“Parenting guilt—how well I fucking know it.” Baird sighed. “That’s tough to overcome, I admit. But I still think you have to give her a little more time.”
Slade shrugged. “Nothing else I can do. I’m not going to force myself on her—that would only reinforce this image she’s got of me in her head.”
“Sometimes waiting is harder than anything else,” Baird told him. “Keep your chin up, Brother. You’re an honorable male. I believe the Goddess is going to work this out in time.” He rose to go and clapped Slade on the shoulder again as he motioned to the mechanoid bartender. “Another drink for this male on my tab. He can use it.”
“Thanks for the ear,” Slade said. Strangely, being able to talk about his past and present troubles really had lightened the load. He was still separated from the female he wanted—the female he loved, if he was honest with himself—but the gulf that divided them didn’t seem quite so wide after talking to Baird and hearing the troubles he had endured trying to win his own mate.
“Any time, Brother.” Baird nodded at him. “I have to get home now but you know where I am if you want to talk. My office isn’t far from the Docking Bay.” He started to go and then turned back. “Oh, and I’ll offer a prayer to the Goddess on your behalf. I still believe she’s going to bring you through this time and you and your mate will be together at the end of it.”
“Wish I could believe it myself,” Slade muttered. “But thanks again.”
He watched Baird leave and then downed another drink before paying his tab for the night. It occurred to him that the other male had been checking him out for Commander Sylvan—making sure that he really was fit to be aboard the Mother Ship. But regardless of his motive, it was kind of the Beast Kindred to take the time to talk. The people here aboard the Mother Ship really were genuine and caring and for the first time in his life he wasn’t a prisoner or a slave. It occurred to Slade that he could really love living here…if only he wasn’t living alone.
