Punished: Brides of the Kindred 27: The Brides of the Kindred, #27

By Evangeline Anderson

Mia Deen is a strong, independent woman—she's also a police detective in the Human Kindred Relations Department of the Tampa PD. Petite but curvy, Mia has worked hard to make a name for herself in a man's world and she certainly has no secret sexual wishes to be dominated in any way.

Severith is Mia's partner—he's also a rare Dae'mon Kindred warrior. Seven feet tall, muscular, with red skin and horns, he's a warrior to be reckoned with. But though the bad guys fall down at his feet in fear when they see "The Devil" coming, there's one thing Sev can't master—his intense attraction for his partner, Mia—an attraction which apparently is not returned.

All goes well until Mia and Sev are sent undercover to expose a cult. The PPP or Peaceful People of the Prophet have some very strange religious beliefs—the strangest being that a wife must submit unconditionally to her husband and he has the right to punish her sexually if she disobeys him.

While pretending to be a married couple, Mia and Sev begin to question everything about their relationship. Will the charged atmosphere of the strangely sexual cult blow their partnership to pieces? Will Mia learn to submit to Sev or will her troubled past keep her from giving in to the intense attraction between them? You'll have to read this He Falls First, Fake Dating, Spicy Sci-fi Romance to find out.
Only one thing is for sure—someone is going to get…Punished.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Evangeline Anderson
• Release date: Jan 21, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215562482

Evangeline Anderson

Evangeline Anderson is the USA Today Best Selling Author of the Brides of the Kindred and Born to Darkness series. She is thirty-something and lives in Florida with a husband, a son, and two cats. She had been writing erotic fiction for her own gratification for a number of years before it occurred to her to try and get paid for it. To her delight, she found that it was actually possible to get money for having a dirty mind and she has been writing paranormal and Sci-fi erotica steadily ever since. You can find her online at her website www.evangelineanderson.com Come visit for some free reads. Or, to be the first to find out about new books, join her newsletter. http://evangelineanderson.us9.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=29b467eebf0af968606782cef&id=2df94ec8cd A Note from Evangeline--I have divided my my Kindred Tales series into smaller series based on themes and the type of Kindred the books are about. Have a look at the checklist--you might have missed one Kindred Tales Checklist and Series Blurbs Kindred on Their Knees is a series of stand-alone novels set in the Brides of the Kindred universe. It's all about hot Alien Warriors subjugated to the will of their Mistress. Sometimes they turn the tables, but they always honor and protect the women they serve. Many of these stories are set on Yonnie Six--the planet in the Kindred universe where women rule with an iron fist and men are considered to be useful only as servants and playthings. So Female-led relationships and men in collars and chains are the order of the day. If you like that kind of vibe, you should enjoy the novels comprised here. Kindred on Their Knees [ ] 1.Mastering the Mistress [ ] 2.Freeing the Prisoner [ ] 3.Bridging the Distance [ ] 4.Instructing the Novice [ ] 5.Handling the Hybrid [ ] 6.Protecting His Mistress [ ] 7.Unleashed by the Defender [ ] 8.Accidental Acquisition [ ] 9.Bonded by Two The Monstrum Kindred series Meet the Monstrum Kindred Warriors from a neighboring universe, They look different from the Kindred the Earth has come to know. Some have hooves, some have horns, and all of them have fur below the belt. Yet, though they may look monstrous or animalistic to some, they have the same needs that all Kindred do. They all need Brides, and Earth is filled with unwed women who will soon be Claimed by the Monstrum. These books are for readers who love Monster Roman...

Book preview

PROLOGUE

He went by many names…The Cruel Father…The Dark Father…Misogynist…Hater of Women…but the one female he hated the most was the Goddess—The Mother of All Life—who ruled the parallel universe alongside his own.

Both of them had created a race that was 95% male—the Kindred. But in the Cruel Father’s universe, they were a heartless lot, using women however they wanted and then discarding them like used tissues when they were finished. Or they had been that way—before the Kindred of the Goddess’s universe interfered.

The Kindred of her universe had crossed over into his own, infecting them with that most cursed emotion—love. And with love came caring and tenderness towards females that was the antithesis of everything the Cruel Father was.

He longed to punish them—to hurt the Goddess and her universe in any way he could. Yet his scion, who had been embedded in the Eye of Tengu, had failed in his mission to ruin them.

I will choose another, the Cruel Father muttered to himself. I will find the lowest male I can and raise him high—high enough to bring the Kindred of the Goddess to their knees!

But it was easier said than done. He had very limited influence in the Goddess’s universe—he couldn’t reach across the border and physically touch anyone himself. Still, he was not without resources and the Eye of Tengu was not the only artifact with miraculous properties which he had planted in the parallel universe he hated so.

His scion within the Eye might have failed him, but there was another, even stronger relic he knew he could rely on…one that, properly employed, would bring the Kindred to their knees…

Somewhere on Chakioun Prime, Chud Brumpkin was having a shitty day.

First, he’d been late for work as a janitor at the University of Higher Learning—which wasn’t his fault. The public transport tube had been late. Well, technically it had only been a few minutes late, but Chud had gotten a little distracted. It was all because of that pretty little bitch who got on at the Sandras Avenue stop.

She’d had light blue skin and silver hair like all his people but that wasn’t what caught Chud’s attention. She’d been wearing the latest Chakioun fashion—an ultra-purple shrink-wrap top that clung to her full, luscious breasts and even showed the sharp points of her nipples. With a display like that, was it any wonder Chud had missed his own stop and then had to catch another tube to ride back to the University where he worked? Really his lateness was her fault—the little bitch with the tight top and the big tits.

She’d distracted him and the worst thing was, Chud knew she wouldn’t give him the time of day if he tried to talk to her. Staring at her tits was as close as he’d ever get to that kind of female. She would think she was above him, just because he was nothing but a lowly janitor.

He’d seen the Health Restoration Academy patch on the arm of her outer-wrap—Miss Hoity-toity was no doubt studying to be a healer. She wouldn’t look twice at a skinny little guy like Chud, who was going prematurely bald and had patchy facial hair that wouldn’t grow in right because of the pockmarks on his face.

Uppity bitch! Chud had thought resentfully, even as he watched her full tits sway in time with the transport tube’s motions. Women shouldn’t be allowed to become healers in his opinion. Or any other profession outside the home—taking jobs away from men who rightfully deserved them—that’s what they were doing!

Of course, he himself was never going to be admitted into the Health Restoration Academy—his marks hadn’t even amounted to enough to let him graduate his secondary education class. But that was beside the point. He was sure he could have gotten a better job than being a lowly janitor if only there weren’t so many females taking jobs away from deserving, hardworking males.

Women shouldn’t be out in the workforce at all—they ought to be on their knees, all of them—serving men. That was the natural order of things. Cooking, cleaning the house, raising the children—if Chud had his way, he would create a society where that was all that females were allowed to do. Well, that and pleasing men. And if they did anything wrong—if they tried to get above their place and disrespected the males that were their masters, they’d be punished—harshly.

Such were the thoughts that occupied his mind as he made his belated way in to work. He’d been hoping to just sneak in by the side door of the History building, but his bitch of a supervisor, Professor Higgly, who oversaw the Antiquities section of the University’s collection, caught him coming in.

"Late again, Mr. Brumpkin? she demanded, raising one silver eyebrow at him disapprovingly. Honestly, I don’t know how you expect to retain employment here if you can’t manage to be on time!"

Hot words rose to Chud’s lips, but he swallowed them back down—though they almost choked him.

Sorry, Professor, he muttered, casting her a resentful look.

I’m putting a note in your file, Professor Higgly lectured. Next time you’re late, you’ll be up for a performance review and I very much doubt you’ll pass it, Mr. Brumpkin!

Won’t happen again, Chud muttered, not meeting her sharp grey eyes. Bitch! She would be the first one on her knees if he had his way, he decided. She’d taste the pain of punishment and she’d be grateful to serve him—a superior male.

He made his way down the hall but once he heard her office door click closed and knew she wasn’t staring at him anymore, he made a hard left into the bowels of the History building.

Chud’s aim was the Antiquities Collection. It was the pride of the University but there was so much old shit back there, nobody knew what all of it was. Not even that old bitch, Professor Higgly knew. On occasion, Chud had liberated one or two small pieces and sold them on the Outernet—the electronic information network that connected most planets in the galaxy where sentient humanoids lived.

He was careful to conceal his identity, of course—it wouldn’t do for anyone to find out he was taking pieces from the University’s collection and selling them to the highest bidder. But so far, no one had even missed the things he’d taken. They were small, insignificant artifacts that hadn’t even been catalogued yet. And they made a nice supplement to his salary—since that bitch Higgly hadn’t given him a raise in the past two years.

The door to the Antiquities Collection was supposed to be locked at all times, but Chud had found a way around that. He’d gotten the keycards from Higgly’s desk when she was on an extended leave and copied them. Now he fished them out of his pocket and pressed the card he needed against the locking mechanism.

There was a buzzing sound and the door unlocked, swinging open to reveal a huge, dusty storage area filled with piles of artifacts just waiting to be sorted and catalogued.

"Gonna get something good today, you old bitch!" Chud muttered to himself as he stepped inside. He only wished he could somehow let his supervisor know he was stealing from what she considered to be her private collection without getting into trouble. He would love to rub her face in it! He would—

Would you like to make her pay?

The deep, sonorous voice startled Chud so badly he dropped the keycards on the ground and had to scramble to pick them up.

What? Who’s that? he demanded, looking around. But the room was empty, except for himself.

I said, would you like to make the female who holds dominion over you pay? Would you like to make them ALL pay? the voice demanded and this time it was accompanied by a presence—a dark, malevolent force that surrounded Chud like a storm cloud filled with lightning. And the presence was most definitely male.

Of course I want to make her pay! he exclaimed. He could feel the short hairs at the back of his neck and all along his arms standing up. Whoever was talking to him was bad fucking news—he could tell.

I will make you a god among men if you do as I say, the unseen speaker promised. But you must swear to make them pay—all of them—all the females who have risen above their stations and the males who helped them to rise instead of holding them down as they ought to.

Fuck, yes! Chud exclaimed. Now the voice was speaking his language—it felt as though the inner monologue that had been running through his head for years was finally being spoken aloud—only much more eloquently than he could express it.

I will make you eloquent and urbane, the voice promised him. Your words will sway thousands…millions…hundreds of billions. But you must do always as I say.

A vision rose in Chud’s mind—it was him, but not as he had ever seen himself. He was tall and handsome and the pockmarks from his adolescent acne had been erased from his face. His silver hair was thick and smooth, no longer receding from his forehead and he had a full, lush beard. He was wearing long, splendid robes and addressing a crowd of people who were hanging on his every word and doing everything he told them to do.

Like I was some kind of a prophet or something, Chud muttered.

Yes—you will be my prophet! the voice assured him. Through my guidance and vision you will rule. You will crush women and teach other males to do the same!

Yes, I’m in! Chud looked around again, but there was still no one he could see. What do I do? he asked. How do we get started?

Look to your left, the voice instructed.

Chud did as it said. Normally he chose artifacts carefully from the very back of the room—picking from piles that had been sitting around for so long they were coated in a layer of dust. But this time he was still in the front of the room and he looked where the voice directed him to.

Then he saw it—lying on a small table. It was just a carved wooden box about the size of his hand. The carving was intricate and looked antique, but it wasn’t any more interesting or special looking than any of the other artifacts in the enormous room.

Still, he felt drawn to it—almost as though an invisible hand was tugging at him. He walked over and picked it up and opened the lid.

Inside was nothing but a dull gray crystal about the size of his thumb.

Chud frowned.

Hey—what’s so special about this? he demanded. It’s nothing but a fucking crystal.

That is no ordinary crystal—that is The Charmer, the voice assured him. Use it properly and you command the fate of millions! Take it out of the box.

Chud did as he was told. The minute he touched the crystal, it began to glow and sparkle. As he cupped it in his palm, he saw that vision of himself again—tall and handsome and important and well-spoken. A tingle ran up his arm and over the rest of his body. No, this was no ordinary crystal—there was definitely something special about it.

He put it back in the box and the grand visions faded along with the tingle. He wasn’t sure how much use it was going to be, but it sure as hell felt nice! It—

Suddenly the door to the Antiquities collection storage area banged open and Professor Higgly was standing there with a scowl on her face.

Mr. Brumpkin! she exclaimed, glaring at him. "So you are the one who’s been stealing artifacts! I suspected as much! I’m going to call the authorities at once—not only will you lose your job, you’ll be spending a significant amount of time at the correctional facility in the very near future. You—"

Pick up The Charmer. Hold it in your hand, the dark voice growled in Chud’s ear. "It must be near your face or touching your skin to work."

The Charmer? Oh right—the crystal! Chud picked it out of its box again and gripped it tight in one palm. Once more he seemed to feel himself growing taller and more handsome. He could almost feel his shoulders getting broader as a distinguished silver beard covered his suddenly square jaw.

Professor Higgly, who was still staring at him, got a look of confusion on her face.

Mr. Brumpkin? she asked uncertainly. What…what’s going on? Is that still you?

Good—now command her! the voice told him.

Chud lifted his chin.

Get over here, he said and his voice came out deep and masterful instead of high and uncertain, as it usually did.

Professor Higgly complied at once. She scurried over to stand directly in front of him and Chud had the satisfaction of seeing that she had to look up to him now—he was almost a foot and a half taller than he had been!

"Oh, Mr. Brumley—you’ve changed," she said, and her voice had a breathless quality that Chud had never heard in a female tone before—at least not directed at him.

That’s right—I fucking changed, he rumbled, loving the way the new, deeper voice rolled from his lips.

But then he wasn’t sure what to do. It was nice to have his supervisor suddenly staring up at him with adoration—she actually wasn’t unattractive—it was just that she was normally such a bitch. Also, she had pretty good tits, Chud decided—he just wasn’t sure what came next.

Make her service you, the dark voice prompted him. Tell her what to do—The Charmer will make you irresistible.

Chud decided to go for it.

On your knees, bitch! he thundered, stabbing one finger at the dusty floor.

Professor Higgly sank to her knees before him at once, her eyes wide as though she couldn’t quite believe she was doing this.

Good—now open my trousers and take out my dick, Chud told her.

His supervisor didn’t even try to argue. With trembling fingers, she pulled open his trousers and reached inside.

Normally, Chud’s member was short, stubby, and none too clean. But what she pulled out made both their eyes bulge.

His new cock—courtesy of The Charmer—was long and thick enough to make any porn-vid star proud. It was capped with a broad head as big as his fist, already dripping with precum.

Oh my! Professor Higgly’s eyes got wider and wider. "It’s so big!"

Suck it! Chud demanded harshly. Get your mouth around it and work it good, you bitch! And watch your teeth—I don’t want to feel anything but pleasure from your big mouth.

Professor Higgly had a look on her face like she was wondering if she was dreaming. But she leaned forward and took him in her mouth, stretching her lips wide to accommodate his new girth and length.

Deeper! Chud demanded. You’re going to take it all and swallow my load, you bitch! Every last fucking drop!

As his supervisor started bobbing on his cock, he reveled in the newfound power the crystal in his hand had given him. At last he had the uppity bitch where she belonged—down on her knees, taking his load!

And this is only the beginning, the dark voice murmured in his ear. You will punish them all and teach other males to punish as well. You will be the leader of a new movement—a new force in the universe to be reckoned with.

Do I have to keep it—The Charmer—in my hand all the time? Chud muttered. It was hard to concentrate with Higgly bobbing on his knob, but he sensed he needed to get some answers before he could get started.

The Charmer is like a battery—if you hold it long enough, it will charge you with charm and your new image and the effects will last for hours, the voice told him. But it will need time to recharge—a safe, dark place to regain its power between uses. See that you keep it safe—there is nothing else like it in this universe. And wear it close to your face—around your neck is best.

I’ll keep it safe—I’ll do whatever you say! Chud panted. He wasn’t used to getting blow jobs—especially enthusiastic ones—and he was getting close to blowing his load.

Do that, the voice agreed. And together we will bring this universe to its knees!

Chud couldn’t answer. He was too busy coming and his supervisor—no, his first disciple, he decided—was busy swallowing everything he pumped down her throat.

She might be the first, but she wouldn’t be the last to swallow what he gave her, Chud promised himself. He would bring them to their knees—all the uppity females who had tried to hold him down—they were all going to be sorry.

They were all going to pay.

ONE

SEVERITH

Y ou have any idea what this is about? Mia Deen, Sev’s partner for the past two years, was peering at the viewscreen of his shuttle with wide, uncertain eyes. She was nearly swallowed up in the large leather passenger side seat which was build for a Kindred warrior, not a petite Earth female.

No, sorry. Sev shrugged, tugging the steering yoke a little to the left to correct their course. I don’t know any more than you do.

I just thought, since you’re Kindred and you’ve lived up here in the past… She trailed off, still staring at the screen where the vast, sleek bulk of the Mother Ship was growing larger by the moment.

It was a breathtaking view and the question of why Commander Sylvan, the head of the Kindred High Council, had summoned them to a meeting aboard the huge white ship was an intriguing one. But as always, Sev found that his attention was drawn more to his partner than anything else.

Mia was tiny, even by human standards. She stood just five feet two inches and the top of her head just barely came up past Sev’s elbow. Despite her petite stature, she had a full, pleasing figure—she was definitely what the Kindred called an Elite—a female the Goddess had blessed with extra curves.

She also had long, wavy hair that was the color humans called strawberry blonde. To Sev, it looked like burnished copper with threads of pure gold running through it, though he seldom got to see it down around her shoulders. She usually wore it in a style called a French braid pulled tightly away from her face and braided down the back into an orderly bun pinned at the nape of her neck.

Her eyes were a pure, clear gray and she had tiny little dots of pigment the humans called freckles but which the Kindred called Goddess kisses across her pert little nose. Curving pink lips completed her face—a face that could only be called adorable—though Sev had never dared to say so to her.

He and Mia had been paired together as a unit in the HKR Detective Force in Tampa several years ago and one of the first things he’d learned about his partner was that she was fiercely independent and completely professional. In fact, she hadn’t even batted an eye when the Captain had first introduced him. She’d simply said,

So you’re my new partner? Okay, big guy—try to keep up.

Sev wasn’t used to humans not staring at him the first time they saw him—or the second or third time, for that matter. He looked so different from them, it really wasn’t surprising.

As a rare, Dae’mon Kindred, he was a muscular seven feet tall with reddish skin and glowing, golden eyes—and the two curving horns protruding from his forehead added another foot to his height. Humans seemed to think he looked like an evil deity and several times human children had burst out crying and started screaming that The Devil was coming after them when they saw him. He’d even seen grown human males turn pale when they first laid eyes on him.

Sev was so used to all the fuss and confusion his appearance caused, that the blasé look on his new partner’s lovely face had nearly unnerved him. Later she had grudgingly admitted that their first meeting had startled her, but she had what she called an excellent poke-her face so she’d been able to hide her reaction.

Since Mia had taught him how to play the human game of poke-her—(which was in fact a card game, and not some kind of strange diversion where you took turns actually poking a female)—Sev could attest that this was true. His partner could look perfectly calm and serious on the outside, no matter what might be going on inside—which made her damned hard to read sometimes.

Though at the moment, it was fairly obvious that she was feeling some concern about their upcoming meeting with Commander Sylvan.

He flew the shuttle through the transparent atmosphere membrane and landed neatly in the Docking Bay at the end of a row of sleek silver shuttles almost identical to his own. Then he got out on his side and went around to open the door for Mia.

Wow… His partner looked around with wide eyes. "This place is huge."

The Mother Ship is about a fourth the size of your Earth’s moon, Sev told her. This is your first time seeing it, right?

Uh-huh. She nodded, still looking around the vast, echoing Docking Bay.

Come on, Sev told her. There’s more to it than just the Docking Bay, you know. You want a hand down? The shuttle, which was usually in car mode down on Earth, was in flight mode now—which meant the drop from the passenger side door to the floor below was a good meter.

Sev’s hands itched to wrap around his diminutive partner’s waist and lift her down, but he had learned early on not to assume that Mia needed help. She tended to get irritated if he took the upper hand without asking. Which was why he waited patiently for her answer instead of just picking her up and setting her down on the ground.

Hmm? Oh yes—I guess that would be all right. Thanks, Sev.

Mia held out her arms for him and Sev felt like his heart might burst as he lifted her carefully, feeling her small hands resting lightly on his shoulders. He secretly wished he could cradle her in his arms, but he knew Mia didn’t think of him that way. As far as he could tell, she didn’t think of any male that way—not even her ex-husband, whom she was currently in the process of divorcing.

So though he wished he could prolong the process, he set her gently on the polished metal floor of the Docking Bay instead.

Now which way—do you know? Mia asked, looking up at him as she straightened her navy-blue pantsuit and ran a hand over her sleek French braid.

She always dressed like a male, Sev thought—but he didn’t blame her. With her lovely face and cute, curvy-petite figure, his partner would never have been taken seriously by the human males she had to work and live among if she hadn’t taken pains to masculinize her appearance.

This was the fault of her culture—for some reason, human males refused to see females as their equals and often treated them as inferior beings. This effect was multiplied when the female in question was small or cute or extra feminine. Mia simply did everything she could to be taken seriously.

In fact, it was because of the way that human males treated their females that it had taken Sev so long to get his partner to trust him. She seemed to think at first that he would be twice as bad as a human male to get along with, just because he was so large.

It’s always the biggest guys who are the biggest assholes, she’d told him, once the ice between them had finally thawed. I’m sorry if I judged you wrong, Sev—you’re okay.

Those words had done wonders for their partnership and the fact that Mia now felt comfortable enough around him to show him what she was really feeling—and to accept help from him—meant a hell of a lot to Sev. Mia was what the humans called a tough nut to crack—meaning it was difficult to get past her shell and really know the person within. But he considered her worth the effort—more than worth it.

They’d had few misunderstandings at the start—mostly when he tried to protect her from aggressive perps when Mia didn’t feel like she needed protection. After all, she wore a gun on her hip, the same as him, as she’d pointed out to him several times.

It was hard to hold back and not step in front of her during a confrontation—she was so tiny and fragile and his natural instinct as a Kindred warrior was always to protect any female he perceived to be in danger. And that instinct doubled in intensity when the female in question was one he cared about, like Mia.

But once he’d learned to hold back, he’d found that his petite partner could handle herself quite well. And it had done wonders for their relationship because Mia finally realized he was seeing her as another officer and not just a helpless female.

Sev felt they were on even footing now. Mia trusted him and even joked with him sometimes and called him grumpy when he was in a bad mood—which wasn’t often when she was around. Mostly he just looked grumpy because of his frightening appearance. Also, he rarely smiled, believing it was better to present a stoic face to the world—that was the way of his people, The Dae’mon Kindred.

I think Commander Sylven’s office is this way, he said, pointing. Come on—I’ll show you some of the Mother Ship as we go.

Thanks. Mia flashed him a rare smile and Sev gave her one back. He valued this emotional connection between them. Even a few months ago it wouldn’t have happened and Mia would have insisted on getting down from the shuttle herself instead of accepting his help.

He wondered if the growth in their personal relationship was because she’d finally lost the dead weight around her neck—her ex-husband, who was a complete asshole in Sev’s opinion. It felt like things had shifted between them the night she’d signed the divorce papers…

But maybe not. At any rate, he needed to concentrate on getting them through the vast maze that was the Mother Ship in order to make their important meeting on time.

Come on, he told Mia. This way. And off they went.

TWO

MIA

Mia walked as fast as her short legs could go, noticing as she did that Sev was considerately shortening his stride so she could keep up with him. He was a good guy, her tall partner—and surprisingly emotionally intelligent for a male who looked like a seven-foot-tall demon come to drag you down to the depths of Hell itself.

They got second glances everywhere they went—first for Sev’s frightening appearance and second for the immense—almost ridiculous—size difference between the two of them.

Mia knew she looked like a kid beside the big Kindred—several times people had even hesitantly asked if she was his daughter. Which made no sense, since they looked nothing alike, and she was usually dressed in a severe black or navy-blue pantsuit with a badge in her hand. But first impressions were hard to shake and her youthful appearance didn’t help. It was the damn freckles that did it—they made her look much younger than her real age, Mia thought ruefully.

At first the constant misunderstandings had made her angry—as if she didn’t have enough trouble being taken seriously as a police person and a detective! Then they just made her tired—why were people such assholes? Now she didn’t even care anymore. Let people think what they wanted—despite their extreme size difference, she and Sev made an excellent team. They sometimes even used their looks to their advantage when they were working a case.

Most recently, they had busted a kiddie porn ring and had brought down a lot of assholes who were preying on under-aged teens. Mia had dressed up as the bait and Sev had been waiting in the weeds to catch the perverts that set up visits online and tried to meet with her.

The moment they made contact, he was on them—To Catch a Predator style—and not a single one dared to run once they saw him. In fact, several had mistaken him for the actual Devil and had fallen to their knees, blubbering in fear and begging not to be dragged to Hell for their reprehensible behavior.

Mia had enjoyed these reactions more than she cared to admit. But with her background, taking down abusive, controlling men was extremely satisfying.

Speaking of abusive and controlling, her divorce was being finalized today, she remembered, and a feeling of satisfaction rolled through her. It had been a long time coming, since Michael hadn’t wanted to sign the papers. He still couldn’t understand where the sweet, submissive wife he’d married had gone to and how a tough, no-nonsense police detective had taken her place.

Which was too damn bad for him, Mia thought as she hurried along the metal corridors, not wanting to be late. But divorcing Michael was severing the last link with her old life—an action she was happy to take. She was going to consider this one of the happiest days of her life—providing the mysterious meeting with Commander Sylvan went all right.

She wondered again what it was all about. Well, they ought to find out soon—according to Sev, the Head of the Kindred High Council’s office was just ahead.

THREE

SEV

T hank you both for coming, Detective Deen, Detective Severith. Commander Sylvan nodded at them both as they settled in chairs across from his desk. He was a Blood Kindred and had the double set of fangs and cool demeanor to prove it.

Thank you for inviting us, Sev said, nodding politely. How can we be of assistance, Commander? Though he was technically employed by the Tampa PD, his first loyalty was always going to be here, with the Kindred Mother Ship.

Yes, what can we do for you? Mia asked, lifting her eyebrows and folding her hands on her lap.

I have a special assignment and I think the two of you might be perfect for it. Commander Sylvan steepled his long fingers on his desk. If you think you’re up for it, that is.

Sounds like a challenge, Sev remarked.

Oh, it will be. Commander Sylvan nodded. And it’s off planet too, so I need to know if either of you have a problem with that. Any family you’d be leaving behind? Because this will probably be an extended mission.

Sev shrugged.

No—no family here on Earth. Though my parents are still back on my home world.

I don’t have any family either. Or at least, none that I speak to. Mia’s voice was tight and her shoulders were hunched. She got this way whenever her family came up in conversation—Sev wished he knew why. All he knew was that she was estranged from her parents and siblings for some reason, though she had never given him a reason for the estrangement.

And do either of you have mates or potential mates—what the humans call fiancés? Sylvan probed.

Sev shook his head. Originally, one of his reasons for taking a job down on Earth had been to finally connect with a mate. Since his kind of Kindred didn’t usually Dream Share with their mates before meeting them, it had seemed like a good way to find someone.

But the moment he’d been introduced to Mia, that idea had flown out the fucking window. He’d wanted her at once…and understood within the first hour of their meeting that he would never be able to have her. At first because she was married, but even now that she was getting divorced, he knew she was out of reach.

There was a wall around Mia he couldn’t breach—no one could, as far as Sev could see. She was closed off—sealed up tight emotionally and she didn’t seem to have any interest in letting anyone in—not even him.

So a mate was off the table for him. He had to be content—well, mostly content—to just be near the woman he wanted, even if he could only have her as a partner and never as a lover or wife.

Mia also shook her head.

Divorced, she said succinctly.

I see. Sylvan nodded gravely. My condolences. I will never understand how you humans are able to end a relationship in that way, but I know it isn’t easy.

You don’t know my ex, Mia said dryly. If you met him, you’d understand.

Sev had to agree with her there. He still remembered the first time he’d been introduced to Mia’s ex-mate. It was about a year after he had first become her partner and she had invited him to her house to eat Last Meal.

Mia’s ex mate, Michael, was tall by human standards—though of course not nearly as tall as Sev. But it was clear that he’d thought his height and his sex made him superior to Mia. He kept making jokes at her expense and calling her the little woman and winking at Sev as he did so, as though the two of them were in a private club, just because they were both male.

He also liked to swat Mia on her plump behind and order her around in a way that was only half playful. Woman, go make me a drink! he demanded.

Then he asked if she was burning the meal they were about to cook and laughed and told Sev that Mia was hopeless in the kitchen.

But she’s learning—she keeps trying—I’ll give her that. You know women—it takes them a while, he’d added with another annoyingly superior laugh.

A while to what? Sev had demanded. Are you saying that Mia is less competent at food prep or less intelligent in some way because she’s a female?

Oh, uh… Michael had looked taken aback. You know what I mean—you might be an alien but you’re still a guy, right?

Being a male doesn’t mean I think females are stupid or incompetent, Sev had growled, for which Mia’s mate—now her ex-mate—had no answer.

By the end of the evening, Sev had been holding himself back—he had really wanted to pound the shit out of the other male.

Why do you let him talk about you like that? he’d demanded later, when he and Mia were alone. He’d told himself that he shouldn’t say anything—Mia was an intensely private person and she might never let him get any closer if he wasn’t respectful of her boundaries. But after the Last Meal he’d endured with her mate, he simply wasn’t able to hold himself back.

He’d expected Mia to shut down—to refuse to answer the question. Instead, she surprised him by shaking her head.

I don’t know, she’d admitted, a look of misery on her face. He promised he’d change after we left the…after we left. But he hasn’t—at this point, I don’t think he’s capable.

After you left what? Sev had asked. But she’d only shaken her head.

Mia, you deserve better than that asshole, Sev had told her.

I know, she said simply. And then she had turned the conversation to other topics. But the next day she’d started divorce proceedings. So maybe what Sev had said to her had an effect after all…

Have you heard of them? Commander Sylvan’s question cut off Sev’s train of thought and he realized he’d missed something.

I’m sorry—heard of who? he asked, sitting up straighter in his chair.

Of the PPP—the Peaceful People of the Prophet—that’s what they call themselves, Sylvan clarified. They have ads all over the Outernet.

Sorry, no, Mia said and Sev shook his head.

We only have access to the Internet down on Earth, he told Commander Sylvan. And it only covers the one planet.

Wait—so what does this ‘Outernet’ cover? Mia asked, frowning.

It’s a bit like your Internet, Sylvan told her. "But it connects most of