“I have what I think is good news. The Galactic Federation contacted us, and wanted to purchase the technology that we used to destroy the cyborg ships. Nobody else has been able to develop technology like ours.” He looked her in the eye. “We told them that instead of money, we will only give them the technology if they allow us to relax the rules on our mates traveling back to Earth.”
Talia gasped. She felt the dark cloud of misery start to lift, just a little. “Do you think there’s a chance?”
He nodded. “I do. The cyborg fleet is becoming more active, and there was a recent attack on a cargo ship, in which the ship was taken by the cyborgs and all hands on board were lost. The Federation is desperate. And we discussed putting safeguards in place. The women who return to Earth would agree to wear a special monitor that looks like a piece of jewelry. It would monitor the woman’s speech at all times, and if at any point she tried to remove the jewelry, or started to talk about Ilyria and her off-world experiences, she would immediately fall unconscious, and her memory would be completely wiped. As in totally. She would have complete amnesia, forever, and not even remember her own name.”
Talia considered that. “I understand. I could accept a solution like that. As long as the women were warned in advance about what could happen to them, then I think that is a solution that could work.”
“We will hear their answer soon,” Lukan said. “They tried to argue, but I stood firm. I spoke to the Thorolf clan, and they agreed with me on this. It looks as if we are closer to reaching a full truce with them. Thanks to you,” he added, and kissed her hand.
Talia felt a rush of arousal wash over her, and stifled a moan.
“You like it when I do that?” Lukan said.
“Maybe.” Talia smiled and stepped a little closer to Lukan.
“I know what else you like,” he murmured. “Would you like me to demonstrate?”
“Right here?” Talia’s cheeks heated with embarrassment, and she glanced around.
“Anywhere you like.”
“Perhaps your chambers would be more appropriate.”
“Ourchambers,” he corrected, and stroked her arm, drawing forth a moan of pleasure that she couldn’t suppress. “And afterwards I will take you on a tour ofourproperty.”
Before Talia could answer, the door to the memory chamber opened, and Alexandra stormed in.
“You’re sending all these women back without even consulting me?” she yelled. “How dare you?”
“I do not need to consult you,” Lukan growled.
“I will not permit this!” She stamped her foot in fury. “You’re just doing this out of spite. I spent weeks and weeks interviewing these women and preparing them to come here, and you’re rejecting them without even giving them a chance? They’re supposed to be able to stay here for a month! If you don’t let them stay here for that full month, then I demand to be paid the full commission for each one, the same as I would if they were successfully mated.”
“Absolutely not,” Lukan said. “And I warn you, you do not want to test my patience, or even be near me. I have not forgotten the unnecessary pain you caused both me and my true mate for the past year with your lies.”
“You could easily pay me for every single one of these referrals, and never even notice the financial loss,” Alexandra said angrily.
“That is very true,” Lukan said scornfully. “However, I choose not to pay you for two reasons. First of all, my people do not pay for work that was not done as it should be. It does not matter if we have all the money in the world, I will pay none of it to you for work poorly done. And secondly, I despise you, and would not enrich you in any way.” He put his arm around Talia’s shoulders. “Now leave me and my true mate. You foul the air with your presence.”
“That is it,” Alexandra hissed. “I will tolerate this no longer. I’m ending our partnership. You will have no more brides from Earth. I hope the Thorolf Pack declares war on you for your insolence, and destroys you.”
Lukan shrugged. “Very well, end our partnership. It is better that way.”
Alexandra stared at him, confusion replacing the anger on her narrow, pretty face. “Your people will die out. Is that what you want?”
“The Galactic Federation finds itself in dire need of technology that only we have. They are becoming more agreeable to our demands. I can start my own dating agency on Earth.”
Alexandra let out a gasp of dismay. Talia suspected that Lukan was partly bluffing, but Alexandra didn’t know that.
She stood there glaring at him and blinking very hard. Finally she said, her voice shaking, “You’re going to regret this,” and stalked out of the room.
Chapter Fifteen
“Ooh, I can’t wait to see this,” Talia said eagerly, hurrying towards a colorful field behind Lukan’s castle. “It looks like millions of jewels glittering in the sunlight.” Lukan had his arm slung around her shoulders, and Mar-ee was hovering along next to them.
“Those are flower gardens my grandmother planted. They were my mother’s favorite place to go as a little girl.”
Talia looked around in wonder. There were flower trees with colorful explosions of blossoms on their branches. There were pink bell-shaped flowers that leaned towards them as they walked by, and puffed out perfume. There were white flowers that glittered like diamonds, and fields of flowers that were as tall as cornstalks.
