Bride of Death Read Online Free PDF Page A

cranky administrators. Can you at least ask the enclave?”
    “I will have to put it to all twelve of them. Would they agree to population control within the confines of a set area?”
    Saloa grinned. “Yes.”
    He groaned and flopped back, pressing a wrist to his forehead. “This is going to take some explanation. They may not agree.”
    “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” She had a dream that her people and his could live in harmony. It wasn’t likely. Her people were as fixed in their way as his were in their own, but she hoped that a happy medium could be reached.
    If the two species managed to start communication, it would still cause a small rippling of evolution. That progress would be one drop in a larger change for both of them. Saloa could only hope that generations down the line they would be able to cooperate.
    Althur rolled back to her and took her in his arms. “I will send the message the moment that I am back in uniform. For now, I would enjoy trying this first relationship between our people, once again.”
    Heat surged through her veins, and she grinned, “I believe we can bring ourselves back to the table. Would you care to negotiate for position?”
    He laughed and pinned her to her back. “Death Bringers rarely negotiate. That is best left to the politicians and those who enjoy words. I enjoy action.”
    Saloa enjoyed his action twice more in the afternoon before he regretfully left her with a soft kiss to her shoulder as he returned to his duties.
    She took a bath and got dressed before resuming her education with her thighs gingerly together. He was exactly as big as he looked, and she was not complaining.
    When the door opened, she rose to her feet and smiled, but the smile died. Two guards were there and one of them spoke in stilted Prothean. “It is time for your dinner.”
    Food was brought in on a tray, and she began to understand. She was confined to her quarters. She had one question. Where was Althur?
     
    * * * *
     
    General Hinlior was frowning at the screen. “They have the potential to help us break the limit of our reproductive restrictions.”
    The councillors’ expressions ranged from sceptical to disgusted.
    Enclave Eleven’s spokesman leaned forward. “How do we know they will cooperate?”
    “Contact them. There is nothing to be lost by contacting them.”
    Enclave Seven’s councillor spoke, “Is she appealing?”
    Hinlior inclined his head. “It is an attraction that takes some getting used to, but it is definitely striking.”
    Seven spoke up, “We have reports that you are requesting breeding privileges with her.”
    “Yes. She was in a receptive phase, and I am her choice. We are awaiting the decision.” He kept his face impassive.
    “Does she know what you are?” Councillor Five scowled.
    “She was a guard herself. She knows what we do. She was expecting me to kill her.” When he mentioned that Saloa was a warrior, he could see the ripple of confusion.
    Five frowned. “She was a Death Bringer and a Life Bringer at the same time?”
    “Apparently. The Protheans have more females than males. The women take positions as guards just as the men do.” Hinlior kept his face impassive.
    The enclave council screens went dark for a moment while they deliberated.
    They came back on, and Seven nodded. “One ship with the largest amount of unattached females can return to the surface. We will assign them to the southern continent and allow them to rebuild their settlement there. Contact will commence immediately.”
    Hinlior stifled his surge of enthusiasm.
    Six cleared his throat. “While you and your Prothean are an excellent genetic match, we cannot allow one of your uncertain genetic stability to breed the next generation.”
    Hinlior nodded. He was disappointed but not surprised. “Any child that she breeds, as a Prothean, will have a different genetic makeup from our own. There is no loss in my being the father of her offspring.”
    The screen went blank