Healing the Broken Read online

  “So…we’re supposed to catch our own dinner?” Sarah looked at the tools on the table in dismay. There were sharp metal hooks, a long-handled net, and something that looked like a miniature harpoon as well as a shiny pair of metal tongs.

  “Catch it and cook it,” Toodles said, nodding. “Here is your cooking medium.”

  He pressed a button on the end of the booth and a round pot filled with some kind of bubbling dark blue liquid suddenly rose up into the middle of the table.

  “Is that some kind of oil?” Sarah asked, quickly covering her exposed breasts. She didn’t want her nipples to be flash fried by popping oil droplets!

  “Oh, no! This is our own private broth recipe here at Fresh Catch—anything you cook in it will be delicious, guaranteed.” Toodles grinned toothily at them.

  “So…we just start fishing and throw what we catch in the pot?” Sazar asked.

  “I guess so,” Sarah murmured, picking up the long thin net and wondering if she could catch anything in it. It seemed better than spearing a live fish with the harpoon looking thing—more humane. Although if she caught something live in the net and threw it in the pot, she would be boiling it alive. Either way the coming meal seemed less and less appealing.

  “Oh, you can’t catch your meal without some help!” Toodles looked shocked. “Let me fetch your catchems.”

  He disappeared for a moment and returned with a box which reminded Sarah of a small pet carrier. And indeed, when he opened the wire door, four creatures about the size of large mice or hamsters scuttled out.

  But these were no hamsters, Sarah saw with a shiver. They looked to be part crab and part lobster—at least their bodies did. Their faces looked strangely cat-like with large luminous eyes, pointed ears, and long whiskers. They were a dull, gleaming silver all over except for the glowing eyes which appeared greenish-blue.

  “What are those?” Sazar asked flatly as two of the creatures sidled over to him and stood at attention by his plate.

  “Why, the catchems, of course. Some people call them “silver fingers”—because of their coloration, you know. Here at Fresh Catch we pride ourselves on having the best trained catchems in Idd.”

  “How…how exactly do they work? I mean, what are they trained to do?” Sarah was keeping her distance from the two crab-cat creatures who had scuttled over to stand by her own plate. They seemed to be staring up at her with interest in their huge blue-green eyes and she wondered exactly how intelligent they were…and how much it would hurt to be pinched by one of their disproportionately large claws.

  Inwardly she winced. A hot pot full of boiling liquid and crab creatures crawling on the table—could she have picked a worse time to be basically topless with her large breasts out and vulnerable? She wished she had tiny breasts, like most of the Alquon women she saw in the booths around them. Many of them were almost flat—in no danger from the catchems or the boiling pot of broth. Sarah’s breasts, on the other hand, were large enough that if she leaned forward even a little they would rest right on the table. Not good.

  “They’re very well trained,” Toodles repeated. “Just tap them on the back with your wand…” he picked up a long silver knitting-needle looking instrument, “And they’ll go to the tank and catch you some delicious, fresh seafood.”

  “If the, uh, catchems do all the work, what are all these items for?” Sarah wanted to know, pointing at the various implements on the table.

  “Oh, you can have the catchems help as much or as little as you like,” Toodles explained. “Tap them once to simply have them hold an item for you to spear or net yourself. Tap twice if you want them to dispatch the creature so you can scoop it up in your net. Or, if you’re feeling lazy, tap them three times to have them catch, kill, and bring your fresh, delicious catch directly to the pot for you.”

  That sounded like the way to go for Sarah but she still had questions.

  “What about when we’re full?”

  “Just wave your hand in the air and I’ll come take them away. No muss, no fuss. Any other questions?” Toodles was already eyeing a large, rowdy party of Alquons who had just come in the door. He was clearly eager to get away.

  “I think that about covers it,” Sazar said dryly.

  “Good! Well, enjoy your meal!” And the waiter hurried away to seat the large party.

  “Well…this isn’t exactly what I pictured when Chandra said this place had fresh seafood but you have to admit it’s different,” Sarah remarked.

  “Different indeed,” Sazar growled. “This seems like a lot of work for a meal of dubious quality. Do you want to go someplace else?”

  “I don’t see how we can,” Sarah objected. “We already let it be known we’re being sponsored by Minister Obglod and, uh, Toodles put us where everyone can see us. We’re representing the Kindred and Earth, right?”

  “We are.” Sazar nodded. “But if you’re uncomfortable we will leave. I see no reason to put you through any more traumatic experiences today.”

  Sarah was touched that he was putting her feelings before the mission but it only made her more determined not to give up.

  “No,” she said lifting her chin. “I’m fine—I like the kind of place where you cook your own food. Before my parents joined The Brotherhood, we used to go to the Melting Pot all the time for special occasions.”

  “The Melting Pot? What’s that?” He frowned.

  “A fondue restaurant. Basically you have a pot on the table—a little like this…” She indicated the bubbling pot of dark blue liquid. “And you dip things in it or cook things in it. Like, they bring you a big pot of cheese and you dip bread and apples and carrots into it. And for the second course they bring you meat and veggies and you can either cook in broth or oil. And the third” She closed her eyes briefly, remembering. “Oh God, the third is the best.”

  “What is it?” Sazar sounded really interested.

  “Chocolate—a big pot of melted chocolate.” The memory made Sarah’s mouth water. “It’s sooo good. You can pick white or dark or milk chocolate or a mixture and they give you fruit and brownies and pound cake to dip in it…” She trailed off. “Well, I’m going on about it too much. I just really loved to go there when I was younger.”

  “Before you went to live at the Compound,” Sazar said quietly.

  “Yes,” Sarah murmured. “Before that.” She wondered if he would push for more information. Part of her wanted to keep her past at the Compound a secret but part of her wanted—no needed—to talk about it. She hadn’t felt that way before but somehow she did now.

  The big Kindred only smiled though.

  “Well, I think this Pot that Melts sounds delightful.”

  “Melting Pot,” Sarah corrected. “And it is! It’s really nice. We’ll have to go there sometime when we get back to Earth.” She bit her lip, realizing what she was saying. “Uh, I mean, if you want to,” she finished lamely.

  Oh my God, screamed a little voice in her head. Did you just ask your boss out on a date? Did you really?

  But Sazar’s smile hadn’t faded. Sarah remembered thinking that he would be handsome if he smiled and damn, had she been right! The sharp-edged features were softened by his expression and his pale eyes seemed warmer too.

  “I’d like that,” he said quietly. “It would be nice to go out together when we’re not on a mission.”

  Sarah’s heart seemed to miss a beat. Could she really believe that her gorgeous Kindred boss wanted to go out with her?

  “I…I’d like it too,” she nearly whispered. “They, uh, have a special Christmas menu—if we get back in time.” This made her remember she was supposed to ask about Tsandor spending Christmas with Sophie and her family but somehow now didn’t seem the right time.

  “Then we’ll go,” Sazar murmured. He reached across the table and took her hand in his large, warm one. “I look forward to it.”

  “All right…” Sarah felt she was in danger of falling into those pale eyes of his and never getting out agai