Authors: LaVenia R. Boswell
“No, that you have an
empathic
bond with our Jonathan! It's incredible, but when I saw the look on your face I felt certain that it was happening. Oh, Jon, won't your parents be pleased!”
Melody understood then and looked at Jonathan. Handing the wine glass to someone in the crowd she raised her hand to touch his face and whispered, “Poor darling.” She knew that she had felt his increasing pain and pleasure just before the tonic took effect. It was pain indeed, yet it was also pleasure.
“Well, now that I'm decent, how are the plans coming along?” he asked to no one in particular to get their minds off Melody. He could tell she didn't like to be the center of attention.
He was told that everything was in order, except for her family being notified.
“Shall we talk to them now?” he asked while helping her to her feet.
Melody's heart was pounding hard and her hands shook slightly as she began talking with her mother over the phone.
“Yes Mama, he's wonderful.”
Pause.
“Well, we just decided and his family is preparing everything for tomorrow afternoon.
Four o'clock
. . . .”
Pause.
“No Mama, I know you don't have the money. Mama . . . Mama . . . . yes, it will be perfect. I know you had no idea . . . Mother . . . he's going to be crowned a Prince during the ceremony. Yes, that's what I said . . . no, I'm not joking. He's from an
Island
off the
Australian
Coast
. He's about six foot three with long black hair. No mother, he's not! He has the most beautiful blue eyes on Earth and Mama . . . he loves me deeply.
Jonathan began writing furiously on a note pad and handed it to her.
“Okay, they'll have a seamstress go by your house tonight and take your measurements. What about Kevin? Doesn't he still have the tux from his own wedding?”
Jonathan handed her another note.
“Mother, Jonathan just told me that they will take everyone's measurements tonight. The outfits will be delivered before
noon
tomorrow. Well, have Kevin and his family go over to your house.”
Jonathan handed her another note.
“Mother, tell Kevin they'll go to his house after they measure you.”
Jonathan kept handing her notes.
“It'll be at Jonathan's home . . . of course it has enough room. Mother I know I was quiet about him, but he's the one. I have no doubt. You'll meet him tomorrow, Mom. They'll have a limo pick each of you up at three tomorrow. Oh, Mom, I love you to, but I have a lot to do and I can't talk right now. Bye Mom.”
“I guess I better get home and get some sleep if I can,” she stated feeling drained.
“No darling, you must stay here,” Jon stated convincingly.
Melody looked doubtful, then Aunt Cherise came into the room acting as if she hadn't been listening right outside the door.
“Precious, it's our custom for the mate, err, bride to stay under the protection of the groom's family,” she remarked.
“Well, all right, but why?” This was certainly a novel idea.
“Because of you having to have a Protector,” Mark stated then added with a sly grin, “It'll be a rough night for
me
, keeping him away from you.”
Jonathan didn't look dangerous to her now and she boldly said so.
Mark smiled tolerantly then said, “You really think so? Come hold his hand.”
With defiant eyes she walked over to Jonathan and grabbed his hands. She was immediately startled when she felt the beginnings of pleasure spread down to her groin.
Jonathan smiled down at her as he let her hands loose.
This is terrible,
she thought,
why must he suffer so?
Not wanting to be offensive she kept those thoughts to herself.
With sparkling brown eyes Mark asked, “Well? Do you understand why you need protection now?”
She just blushed thinking that it was really Jonathan that needed protection . . . from her.
“He's perfectly fine Mark, but, to avoid breaking your people's tradition I'll stay as Jonathan and Aunt Cherise asked.” With that said she sashayed out of the room in search of Aunt Cassandra.
“Jon, I didn't mean it as an insult!” Mark was upset when he suddenly realized that Jonathan felt Melody's distress. The one thing he doesn’t need tonight is to have Jon mad with him.
I’d never be able to handle him then,
Mark thought.
Seeing Mark's honest, distressed face Jonathan took him outside. Mark fearing Jon was going to try to hit him was relieved when Jon finally spoke.
“It's all right Mark . . . she was just flustered. Remember this is completely new to her. I believe she's handling herself just fine under the circumstances.” Smiling he continued, “Besides, I scared her . . . a little bit on purpose. She only feels pity and desire for my present state, but you and I both know how serious my needs will be when this drug wears thin. I never want her truly scared or hurt if I can prevent it.”
“As Earth people say . . . Jon, you're one heck of a man. I'm afraid if it was me I would have already ‘tarnished’ my Bonding Ceremony.”
Workers were already busy in the garden preparing everything for the wedding. As the sun set they hooked up lights and beautiful lanterns. Trucks were arriving in a constant stream delivering flowers, tables, chairs and anything else that Jonathan's people thought might add to the beauty of the occasion. The huge house was now humming with activity.
Around
one thirty
in the morning Melody began to really tire. She had been prodded, poked, pinched, pinned and padded until she was exhausted. She had even agreed to a medical exam.
How they had gotten a woman doctor there and had set up a room for testing so quickly she had no idea. There had been no little excitement outside the door when the physician had completed her tests and physical. Melody feared they had found something wrong with her or she carried some virus that Jonathan would have to be immunized for. That's what they were checking her for, or so they said.
They certainly had spared no expense in their examining equipment, it must be top of the line, she decided. The table she had been laid on was lighted and warmed. The only negative thing that she had experienced was a tickling sensation that occurred when the bed scanner was turned on. Plus the finger prick, Melody quickly remembered.
After redressing she stepped outside the door and Jon's Aunts both ran to hug her with tears streaming down their faces. Fearing the worse she asked, “What's wrong? Will I make Jonathan sick? Am I dying?”
“No, no, no, you're wonderful! We had no idea how wonderful! You're perfect for our Jonathan.” Without explaining further they hustled her into a banquet room where a large buffet was spread out.
Word had spread quickly throughout the house, she was truly healthy and surprise of surprises she was also a virgin! They had thought that an absolute impossibility here on Earth. It didn't really matter that much for the others, but Jonathan being a Prince, his aunts had prayed that for him at least, his mate would be a virgin. All the Bonding females on H'trae were virgins, but here it would be different. All the males had stated that it was really irrelevant because when they would Bond their mate would be theirs for life, whatever happened before that was not important.
His aunts whispered to several that it was God’s omen. It was as though everything that they had worked so far for had been blessed. Everyone felt confident now that they had chosen right when they decided to try and mate with Earth females.
The news came to Mark first, he was to tell Jonathan. Mark thought about teasing him with lies. He thought about it. But looking at Jonathan's tense sleeping face and swollen groin decided it wasn't such a good idea. Telling a man in Jon's state that his intended had a communicable venereal disease wouldn't be too wise.
Before he could wake Jonathan there was another knock at the door.
“Get Jonathan up, we're having a late supper for poor Melody's sake, the doctor said she's starved,” Aunt Cherise stated. Mark had never seen her so excited. She whispered, “Melody doesn't know we know. She's convinced it was just to make sure she carried no harmful virus we could all get.”
With a sympathetic look she added, “The poor child's completely drained.”
Aunt Cassandra came to the door and standing beside the other aunt stated, “We did find out that she needs more glucose than we do. Dr. Joyce had already stated that from her observations their need for glucose appears to be higher than ours, so that's one vital piece of information we now have for a fact.”
Both aunts left Mark trying to awaken Jonathan.
Melody was fuzzy headed with exhaustion when Jonathan and Mark came breezing in. She thought he looked like a very handsome but tired sheik with his black blousy pants and loose gold and black tunic.
Everyone rose that was seated at the long, long table when Jonathan entered. Even his Aunts stood up. Melody didn't, she was too tired. Jon took long strides over to her then boldly knelt down at her feet. He held her head gently with both his large hands and kissed her, right on the lips, in front of everyone. There were a couple of gasps but when Jonathan turned and looked at them they immediately left the room.
After Jon pulled out a new chair for her on the right of his at the head of the table, Aunt Cherise raised her glass of wine and stated aloud she was making a toast.
“To our new Prince and his new bride, our Lady, our new Princess.” She paused for effect. “May they both teach us new ways. Ways that will help our people grow. May Jonathan’s bride feel the love and respect that all our people have for her. May their Bonding be the beginning of new life for all of us.”
Everyone immediately understood the double meaning. Cheers rang throughout the large room with Mark cheering the loudest. Relief swept over the crowd and everyone started acting normal again.
While Melody nibbled at her plate she noticed Jon move his finger oddly. A man came to his chair and knelt. Jon quickly whispered something and the man disappeared. In only a moment the one’s who’d gasped earlier peeked around the door, he smiled warmly at them and invited them to share the occasion.
When Jonathan picked up Melody's hand Mark's eyes became instantly alert. As Jon opened his other hand toward Mark she wondered what he was doing. Mark's eyes took on understanding and he handed Jon a jeweled box. The box was lovely. Those were real jewels encrusted over the entire surface. Some she had never seen before.