Bride of Midnight Read online

  “Our city is finally complete. We delayed it to assist your people in setting up their home because their need was greater, but now, we have two cities built and the agreement can be enacted to its fullest. My visit here is the first step.”

  “Ah, and after this, there will be more Shadow Bringers coming here to claim brides?” Though the Protheans called them shadow makers, the Shadow Bringers was the Anvin word for them. She felt she should be polite.

  “Of course. It was what your people agreed to in order to buy them a place here. Compatible Life Bringers in exchange for our help and protection on our world.”

  “I am not surprised that our elders agreed. We always have surplus population.”

  He smiled and took another sandwich off her plate. “We know. The Death Bringers report that they have over twelve offspring via their Prothean mates already. As our talents made us sterile to our own kind, it was a relief to find that your race was amenable to blending genes.”

  She blushed at the mental image of what that blending would entail. “Right, well world filling is what we do.”

  “Would you care to dance?”

  To Sobi’s surprise, music was playing and several couples were on the floor, moving in graceful arcs.

  “I did not believe that you danced.”

  “I learned. I thought it would come in handy when courting you.”

  “Is that what this is?” She twisted her lips and set her plate down at the edge of the table.

  She sucked in a deep breath that pushed her breasts against her bodice and extended her hand to his. The contact was electric, the same giddy sensation as that first time years ago. She had waited for him this entire time and hadn’t told a soul.

  His gaze watched her cleavage and then flicked to meet her waiting features. With a small smile, he led her to the dance floor. They paused and inserted themselves into the couples taking steps, pausing and turning in elaborate figures.

  They parted, connected, stepped and turned to the music. Three dances later, Sobi was beyond thirsty. She smiled and moved her head; Captain Wikiar escorted her off the dance floor and to the beverage table.

  She started with water, moved on to punch, and when she tasted alcohol, she returned to water. Living on a world covered in light all day, every day was enough to make her appreciate water whenever she came across it.

  “You are very thirsty.” He frowned with concern.

  “I had just finished my shift in the sands and returned home when the Anvin rep announced my invitation to this event. The grooming bots almost popped their gears while they tried to even my skin tone.”

  She chuckled and sipped at a fourth cup of water.

  “You really spend your time on the sands?” There was amazement in his tone.

  “Of course. We need to track the animals and find out which ones we can eat and which ones we need to try to salvage from our cryo storage. That is the determination that my sisters are learning to make. What can survive here, underground.”

  “I must say that the Shadow Bringers are stunned by your adaptation to not only this world, but the requirements for survival. Initially, we had hoped to keep your city nearer to ours, but the current situation seems to be working out.”

  She blinked and swayed. Between the light exertion, the food and being out of the sun, she was ready for bed.

  The captain caught her elbow and supported her. “Are you all right?”

  “Yes, I am just short on sleep. So, what happens next?”

  He smiled, “I make the announcement and whisk you away to our city. Your clothing and sundries will be delivered to the new city within a few days. In the meantime, our courtship will continue.”

  She blushed again, but when she yawned, she realised that she didn’t particularly care what happened next, she just wanted out of the heavily corseted dress and into a bed.

  He took her hand again and walked to the spot where the receiving line had been. “Sobi Nurala has gracefully accepted my proposal. We will be returning to the new city immediately so she can get some sleep.”

  Applause and laughter sounded in equal measure as Sobi yawned through the announcement.

  The colony head came over and took her hands. “Congratulation and thank you for upholding our treaty, Sobi.”

  Sobi smiled. “It is my honour and pleasure. It was always going to be him for me and me for him. We have known it for years.”

  Toremani Lock looked at her in shock. “Why didn’t you say something?”

  “He wasn’t here and I was busy having a life, a job and experiences on a new world.” Sobi smiled at the older woman politely, but she knew there was steel in her gaze.

  “Well…well, you have the full support of our colony. Do you wish to see your family before you leave?”

  Sobi shook her head. “That will not be necessary. I have my life, they have theirs.”

  The colony head backed away. “Well, good luck then.”

  Sobi turned to her bound mate. “Shall we?”

  He grinned and offered her his hand once again, escorting her out of the hall and to a very sleek long-distance vehicle.

  “Midnight, you may have a problem if you want me to sit up front with you.”

  “What?”

  “My dress won’t fit.”

  He looked down at her skirt, his proximity was already causing it to tilt and ruffle in the evening breeze. The hoop skirt wasn’t designed for ease of relaxation.

  He frowned. “How do you sit in that?”

  “You have to sneak up on your chair and commit to sitting. So, can I sit in the back?”

  “Wherever you are most comfortable.” He slid open the door and she moved to the area that contained benches and made herself at home.

  He slid behind the controls and they started moving.

  “You don’t have a driver?”

  “I like flying.”

  That was all the warning she got before the vehicle lifted off and skimmed along the sands. She tipped from side to side until she got the pattern of the flight.

  While she was exploring her seat, she found a harness and slipped both arms through the loops. The moment she was relatively stable, she fell asleep.

  Hands pulled at her and eased her out of the harness. “We are here, Sobi.”

  She opened her eyes and smiled. “Darn. I wanted to see the city on approach.”

  “It looks the same as Shadow City. Just a dark black blob.” He helped her to her feet and eased her out of the vehicle.

  The dome of darkness was above her but that was the only familiar thing around her. The Anvin city was slick, smooth and had buildings that could support thousands. He walked with her through the streets, and while there were several Shadow Bringers, the thoroughfares were basically empty. The city was waiting for a population.

  “Why didn’t the Anvin come?”

  “We are not finished with our world-building program. It is only in the beginning stages. It will be one or two centuries before an Anvin ship can land here with Life Bringers in it. By then, we hope to have established a foothold here and a strong hybrid species with the Protheans.”

  She was too sleepy to blush. “Right. That is why I am here. Well, that and I couldn’t really accept anyone else.”

  “Is that really true?”

  Sobi looked up at him and saw insecurity on his face. “Despite the fact that you were the first male of your kind to come in contact with me, my body recognised yours as suitable the moment that we touched. That little fact has given me some stressful moments in the last few years, I can tell you.”

  “How so?”

  She thought about telling him about all the times she had normally come to him in season, but she got distracted.

  They were approaching a building with graceful depictions of women in long, flowing gowns on either side of the doorway. She stared up at the statues and blinked up at them one at a time. “They are me.”
r />   It was Captain Wikiar’s turn to look sheepish. “They asked me what I wanted for the entryway, and I could not think of a better representative for the mated couples’ quarters.”

  “I thought no one here had a mate yet.”

  He grinned. “They don’t. We have the place to ourselves, including food processors and the serving bots.”

  She sighed. “Well, I don’t care, as long as I can get some sleep. I feel like I have been awake for days.”

  “Well, you didn’t get much rest on the flight. We hit a sand storm, and I learned a number of colourful Prothean phrases.”

  She winced. “I must have been in a semi-awake state. Sorry. I have always been a little free with language.”

  “It is fine. Anvin have their own choice references.”

  The doors opened for them and they entered the mated quarters. It was eerie. Everything was new and nothing had been touched.

  “Everything in Shadow City has been battered to hell and back. This looks so new.” She heard her slippers shushing along the floor.

  “No other female has set foot in the building.”

  Sobi grinned and swished her skirts through the entryway, and when he nodded at her, she continued to walk up the stairs.

  “There is a lift, but a walk is a much more satisfying means of exploring.”

  She gave him an evil look and continued to walk up the stairs without being able to see her feet. On the landing of the next floor, he sheepishly showed her where the lift was.

  “Since we are the only people here, I can run around naked tomorrow and explore if I need to.” It wasn’t likely; she was wearing twelve pounds of underwear. Something in the layers would be suitable for wearing.

  He walked to the northwest and opened a door at the end of the hall. “These are our rooms, unless you would prefer something else.”

  Sobi stumbled forward. “I am so tired, as long as the floor is available, I am good with anything.”

  Captain Wikiar laughed. “Nothing like a fussy woman.”

  She explored the room, the kitchen, the common area, and when she saw the bed, she almost cried in relief.

  “Wikiar. Help.”

  He was at her side in an instant. “What is wrong?”

  “Get me out of this dress.”

  He blinked. “That is all?”

  “Have you seen those laces? We are talking contents under pressure here. My ancestors were not practical in the clothing department. It looks nice but it is hellish to undo on your own.”

  He began to work on her laces and she clutched the front of the gown as it went slack.

  “Why did you call me Wikiar?”

  “I don’t know. I feel weird calling you Aloss. Even weirder calling you Midnight.”

  “Aloss is my name.”

  She sighed in relief as the outer garment came loose and dropped away from her. She let it go. The corset was still in place, and though it was damp from sweat, it still covered her, as did the chemise that was underneath it.

  “Wow, you were really locked in there.” He began to work on her primary laces.

  “Yeah, they kind of didn’t like the breasts getting away and running amok.”

  “I am all in favour of them running amok.”

  This time, when she clutched the corset to her, it was because the air rushing in caused a visible reaction in her skin that she didn’t want him to see.

  To her surprise, he released her hair and it tumbled around her shoulders. With her hair concealing her, she unclasped the corset and let it fall. The damp chemise was left, covering her to mid-thigh.

  Sobi gritted her teeth and asked him, “Do we have to consummate this thing tonight?”

  He laughed, “I would rather we get to know each other so you don’t fall asleep while I am with you.”

  Aloss walked over to the bed, peeled back the sheets and covers, and beckoned for her to take the spot.

  She eased past him and slipped between the sheets.

  He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss on her lips.

  “Good night, Sobi. Tomorrow, you get your full tour of the city.” He smiled and left her.

  She waited for his presence in the bed, but in the five minutes she was able to stay awake, he didn’t join her.

  * * * *

  Aloss headed to his office and woke his computer. He summoned Sobi’s medical files and sat back in shock. Seven heats. He had missed her being receptive seven times because as with most of the other Shadow Bringers he had been needed to keep the cloak over the city that his people had named Midnight, and the surrounding green projects. The Shadow Bringers on Ikar were still developing their skills and every man counted in those early days. Splitting their manpower to shield the Protheans had made the situation at Midnight more difficult.

  There was the potential that he could have had a child by now and his mate was asleep in his bed, too exhausted to do anything to even try to start one. He smiled ruefully. He finally had her in his home and she was dead to the world. It was just his luck that the woman he had never dreamed to hope for, snored. He thanked his lucky stars that sleep was not something that the Shadow Bringers required.

  * * * *

  Sobi’s muscles were tight when she woke. She had been so tired that she woke in the same position she went to sleep in.

  She held back a groan as she sat up. Aloss was nowhere to be found and he had not joined her in bed. The brightness in the room made her feel like it was morning.

  She threw back the covers and stood up, crossed the room and entered the living area. Still no sign of him, so she started to look through the open doorways. There was a wide balcony that looked out over a huge garden. The garden itself caught her attention. It was thriving under the shadowed dome. “Oh, my.”

  “Our efforts have been successful. We have designed plants that will take all the light we can give them, and we are hoping that they will bear fruit soon.” Aloss came out of the kitchen wiping his hands on a towel; his clothing was no longer the formal uniform he had been wearing the night before but a loose, soft tunic and tight trousers instead.

  “You have found a way to grow plants on the surface?” She couldn’t help but stare at him; he was somehow more alive in Midnight City than he was at her home.

  “We have. What do you know about our efforts to green the surface of Ikar?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Then, come and see what clothing has been designed for you by our bots, based on your activities in Shadow City.”

  Sobi cocked her head. “There are clothes for me? I thought I would have to wait until my stuff got here.”

  “No, now that you are here, you are an Anvin bride. You will have clothing that suits your social station so that all Shadow Bringers will know who you are on sight.”

  She followed him off the balcony and into a room off the bedroom. It was a dressing room, and a large closet was a third filled with clothing that was unmistakably Aloss’s and a third filled with feminine versions of the same dark outfits. A row of boots made her raise her brows. “The clothing might be a close fit, but how did they make the shoes?”

  “They measured the shoes from last night and brought these out of stores. They have been making clothing for the Prothean brides from the moment we had the materials to do so. They used average body shapes and kept busy.”

  He made it seem like the bots were excited to have women around but that had to be an exaggeration.

  She wandered over to the hanging clothing and pulled out a jumpsuit that was cinched in at the waist but otherwise looked comfortable. Sobi draped it over her arm and grabbed a pair of boots that would match. “Which way to the lav?”

  A quick tour of the facilities and a sonic blast later, she dressed and emerged feeling rather hungry but otherwise energized. There was something about a new outfit that always made her feel taller. The suit had two icons on the shoulders. One was the Anvin mark and the other appeared to
be a rank marking.

  Aloss was in the kitchen, humming to himself and pulling something out of a heating unit. “We only have rations for now, but I believe that this is suitable for your palate.”

  He put a breakfast-type meal on the counter and got her some utensils.

  She ate, drank water and asked, “What is on the agenda for today?”

  “A tour of the city, an explanation of our world building and a description of what the Shadow Bringers actually are and how we train.”

  She sipped at her water and looked at him over the rim of the glass. “Sounds like a full day.”

  “You will be worn out by the end of it.”

  There was a sparkle in his eyes as if he had plans for the end of the day.

  She cleared her throat. “May I use this moment to apologise for my snoring? I tend to do it when I have been up for a while.”

  “Well, there is a visit to medical scheduled for tomorrow. We can have the tech take a look and see if there is a medical issue.”

  He was completely serious and she felt bad for making so much noise in her sleep.

  Aloss grinned. “I am making a joke. Shadow Bringers don’t sleep, so you could take up the drums in the bedroom and it wouldn’t disturb me.”

  She blushed. “Really? You don’t sleep?”

  “No, it relates to the changes in our bodies created by our sciences. Our brains no longer tolerate sleep.”

  “So, why do you have a bed?”

  He raised his eyebrows and smiled. There was a predatory masculinity to that smile. “It is mainly for your comfort. From what I have read on mating, it is nearly a necessity for support.”

  She blushed again.

  “You have a rather odd colouration on your lower jaw.”

  “That is the sunburn. My goggles only cover me to my cheekbones.” She smiled.

  “Will you show me what you do?”

  “I could manage it tomorrow. Do you have a crossbow?” she raised her brow in challenge.

  “I am sure we could acquire one. Why?”

  “I never feel dressed walking on the sands without one.”

  “Then, we will see what we can do. Do you have one in your possessions?”