Alien's Bride: Lisette Read Online Free PDF Page B

began to laugh. “He didn’t
let you do it, did he?”
    “ Forget it!”
    I should hope
not , Lisette thought.
    “ Really Tiltawhirl—” the
oldest said.
    Tiltawhirl?
    “ We’re about to
eat.”
    “ I would go to the High
Council if he continues to protest,” the one with the sideburns
said with a scowl. “It’s for her own protection.”
    Jorenkis grumbled.
    The android guided in a floating tray
with numerous cloche covered dishes. It deposited the plates before
the men first and then arranging numerous large dishes before her.
It lifted each cloche in turn.
    “ These are pastries made
from fish, slugs, and mollusks from the Dirhontaneta
Sea.”
    A delicious fried scent wafted up.
Lisette’s mouth began to water.
    “ These patties are made from
gen-goh beans in three different ways. The green ones are from
under-ripe beans. The maroon ones are from thousand year old beans.
Your beverage is Kel-Kel water which is purified—“
    “ We get the point,” Jorenkis
said. “Did you really have to order so much?”
    Lisette pursed her lips.
    “ Be nice, Joren,” the eldest
said. “She’s obviously excited to try our cuisine. Isn’t that so,
my dear?”
    Lisette nodded. Jorenkis
groaned.
    “ That’s her way of saying
yes. I can’t believe you just did that.”
    Lisette peeked at him. She
was too tired to be embarrassed. Was it really such a big deal? She
felt like she was back in junior high. But
anyway…food. Food equals strength to work hard in the lab
tomorrow. She downed the beverage (which
tasted like ordinary still water) then grabbed one of the fish
pastries.
    Jorenkis elbowed her. “Not with your
hands—and don’t gulp so loud.”
    Lisette put down the morsel. What
little appetite she had was gone now. Why was this asshole putting
her through this? She didn’t want to go to strange places and meet
new people. She was hungry, and tired, and he was such a little
shit.
    “ Joren, you need to be nicer
to her,” the eldest said. “She probably doesn’t know how to use
silverware.”
    Lisette grabbed the only utensil
provided to her: a crescent shaped spoon. She used it to cut a
pastry in half and put it in her mouth. Then she chewed and
swallowed as quietly as she could.
    “ I stand corrected. There’s
a bit of sass there—even if she’s quiet.”
    “ Do you have a collar on
her?” Tiltawhirl said.
    “ She still has her slave
collar. You know we can’t shock wives anymore though.”
    “ How old is she?”
    “ None of your
concern.”
    “ How old are you?”
Tiltawhirl fixed his snide smile on her.
    She cleared her throat.
“Thirty-one.”
    “ Don’t answer him when I
tell you not to!”
    Lisette glowered at him. He looked
appalled.
    “ What’s that in Dak-Hiliah
years?” Tiltawhirl whipped out a tablet and started tapping in
calculations. “Hey—it’s almost the same. She’s got a good ten years
on you, Joren.”
    “ Oh? And I suppose your wife
is younger? Oh, I forgot, you haven’t one.”
    “ She’s not really a good fit
for you, Jorenkis,” the eldest said.
    “ What are you insinuating,
Hotis?”
    He shrugged. “It seems you’re
settling.”
    Lisette felt her face
darken.
    “ I mean, you’ll be entitled
to a bride eventually.”
    “ When? When I’m your age?
Where’s your bride?”
    “ I’m in line.”
    “ Right behind me,” said the
one with sideburns.
    “ You may be surprised. After
all, we were told the colony slaves were off-limits, but here you
are, married to one.”
    “ We’re not…”
    Everyone looked at her. Jorenkis slid
his foot onto hers and pressed. She had to wiggle free.
    She looked at Hotis. “How…um…how did
I…I mean…when?”
    Tiltawhirl began to shriek with
laughter.
    “ My dear,” the one with
sideburns said, “when you had sex with Jorenkis you became his wife
under Dak-Hiliah law.”
    Lisette made a face like she’d smelled
rotten fish. She shook her head resolutely.
    “ What’s that mean?”
Tiltawhirl said.
    “