Free Reestrian Mates - Complete by Sue Lyndon, Sue Mercury Page B

said, “You should accept the language chip, sweet Angie. It will make your visit on Reestria more enjoyable if you can understand our tongue. Most Reestrians do not have the language chip and will not be able to speak English with you.”
    “But you are speaking English.”
    He smiled. “I had the chip implanted before my visit to Earth. Eventually most Reestrians will be offered a language chip as Earth and Reestria become more integrated, but that will not happen for many Earth years.” He took a few steps toward her and the atmosphere in the room seemed to thicken.
    “Did you visit Earth to oversee the development of the Human-Reestrian settlements?” She’d recently seen a news story about the first human-alien settlement and couldn’t imagine any other reason for him to spend time on Earth.
    “Yes. City planning is a special interest of mine.” He came closer still, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. His large dark brown eyes occasionally flickered to black before returning to what she assumed was his natural shade. She wished Kira were here so she could ask what this meant.
    But she knew. Perhaps it was instinct, or perhaps she was recalling a bit of information she’d heard on the news about Reestrians. His eyes were changing color because his mating urge was coming upon him. She gulped at the realization.
    Before she could move back, he was standing directly in front of her. The warmth of his breath and the heat of his body brushed across her exposed skin. He cupped her face and his hands were gentle, so at odds with how large and deadly he looked. Her breaths quickened.
    “Are you married, Angie?”
    “N-no.”
    His eyes went black again. “But you were married once.”
    “How do you know that?” She wondered if Reestrians had access to information about Earth citizens.
    “Your ring finger has a pale circle around it. You recently took your wedding ring off.” His nostrils flared but his hold on her face remained tender, and she longed to lean against him and soak up the delicious heat emanating from his muscular form.
    Why did she want to trust Joseph so much? She should be downright petrified of him. Suddenly she felt the need to clarify her reason for fainting, lest he think he was the cause of it.
    “Right before you walked in, I was scared. I kept thinking about how I am the only woman on this ship with dozens of Reestrian males and human men. I was also thinking about my ex-husband. Sometimes I panic when I can’t turn my thoughts off.”
    “Your ex-husband hurt you?”
    “Hurt is an understatement, but yes, he hurt me. That’s why I left him and got a divorce.”
    Prince Joseph’s body tensed, but his grip on her face didn’t tighten. Instead, he stroked her cheeks with his thumbs, each touch causing the rising flame in her core to burn hotter.
    “It saddens me that some human men have no honor. Reestrian males protect their mates with their life. We do not harm our women, ever. When we bond with a female during our mating urge, it is a transcendent experience that links our very souls together. A Reestrian male would never raise a hand to his mate, sweet Angie.”
    She felt like he was trying to sell himself to her. But she couldn’t help her curiosity. If he spoke the truth, than this whole mating for life thing wasn’t so terrible after all. Then she remembered she was one female amongst dozens of males. “I have heard that some Reestrian males will claim a mate against her will.”
    “It has been known to happen, however that is usually when the male’s mating urge comes on too suddenly and he has yet to decide on a mate. If we do not mate when our mating urge is upon us, The Madness claims us and we are lost forever.”
    “The Madness?” She didn’t like the sound of that.
    “To put it simply, we go crazy. Most Reestrians who are afflicted with The Madness are institutionalized for the rest of their lives, though some are sent to live alone in the mountains.