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  Sylvan sighed. “That is because you’re not dream sharing with a regular Kindred male.”

  “What? What are you talking about?” the senator demanded. “Are you saying you people assigned my little girl to some abnormal—”

  “Dream sharing is a Kindred phenomenon that happens when a warrior’s mind aligns with his destined mate’s mind,” Sylvan said sternly. “Neither I, nor anyone on this Council can ‘assign’ anyone to anyone else. That is the province of the Goddess.”

  “Well, whoever’s responsible, I don’t like it! These dreams—this man—they’re scaring my daughter. And she does not deserve to be frightened this way. Do you know what she does? She’s a children’s social worker.” Senator Hastings rapped on the table again for emphasis. “Now, gentlemen, let me elucidate in case you don’t understand. She protects at-risk children. With my money and connections and her grades and brains, she could have gone to any law school or medical school in the country. But no—her heart is so big—”

  “Dad, please,” Mei-Li begged, turning scarlet in a way that both amused and disgusted Terex/Ur. “You’re embarrassing me.”

  “I’m just stating the facts, Pun’kin.” He frowned. “They need to know you’re not some spoiled little rich girl who’s refusing to do her duty out of spite. You have an important job and you perform a valuable service on Earth—we can’t afford to lose you.”

  “I’m just a social worker,” she protested. “I love my job but…” She looked at Sylvan appealingly. “Look, I wouldn’t mind being called if these dreams weren’t so…so strange. This guy in my dreams, he scares me. So much I’ve been trying not to sleep at night so I can avoid seeing him. Please, can you tell me what kind of Kindred he is?”

  Sylvan sighed. “The one you are dreaming of—if your description is accurate—is a member of the Dark Kindred.”

  Mei-Li’s delicate cheeks went pale while her father got red in the face.

  “What?” he exploded. “The Dark Kindred? What the hell kind of name is that?”

  “They call themselves the Enhanced Ones,” Sylvan said. “But their faction broke away many cycles ago. And they never dream share with females of any kind. They have sworn never to take brides—it’s the reason they left in the first place.”

  “But…what does that mean for me?” the senator’s daughter asked. “I’m dream sharing with one—over and over again. Only it’s more like a nightmare than a dream.”

  Sylvan shook his head. “I don’t understand why you would be dream sharing with a Dark Kindred—they distain emotions and have gone to great lengths to eradicate all feeling within themselves. Also, they are not part of our genetic trade with Earth. So I can’t imagine that you would be required to spend a Claiming period with—”

  “Oh, yes she will,” Terex/Ur interrupted.

  “What?” Sylvan turned to stare at him. “But Chancellor—he’s a Dark Kindred. They disavowed all females when they chose to leave the Mother Ship and join the Enhanced Ones. Besides, where would they spend their Claiming Period? She would never be allowed down to the surface of Vega Prime—not unenhanced as she is.”

  “Those will be problems she can work out with the warrior she is dream sharing with when he comes to claim her,” Terex/Ur said, frowning. He really had to work at the frown because he wanted to laugh—he was enjoying this immensely.

  “What are you saying?” the Senator exploded. “Are you telling me you want to hand my little girl over to some strange faction of the Kindred who don’t even like women—who might be dangerous?”

  Terex/Ur shrugged as though it was out of his hands. “My dear Senator, we are Kindred and as such, we must support the claims of our brethren, no matter how distantly related or how…strange they may be.”

  As he had hoped, this really got the human male going.

  “No!” Senator Hastings jumped up and pounded on the Council table with his fist. “This will not stand!”

  “It will,” Terex/Ur said. “Your daughter has been entered in the draft—she is now being called. If she does not answer the summons and go with the Kindred who has chosen her, she will be in violation of our treaty.”

  “Maybe it’s time for that treaty to end,” the Senator growled ominously.

  “Senator, please,” Sylvan began. “There’s no need for—”

  “I’ve always been a strong supporter of the Kindred,” the Senator continued, talking over him. “You saved us from the Scourge—no one can deny that we owed you for that. But how many Earth girls have you called already? How many have been forced to leave their home planet to come and join an alien race and bear children for you people?”

  “No one is forcing anyone!” Sylvan objected. “The Earth females are free to leave after the Claiming Period if they don’t—”

  “What are you saying, Senator?” Terex/Ur interrupted. He was really enjoying himself now but he was careful to keep his face blank.

  “I’m saying the debt has been paid! Many times over.” The Senator banged on the table again. “I’m saying we need to put an end to this draft once and for all. And, Gentlemen, that is exactly what I am going to say at the next session of the World Council as well. We don’t need you anymore—it’s time you moved on and left our daughters alone!”

  “Senator, please!” Sylvan protested but the Senator was already halfway out of the Council room.

  “Come on, Pun’kin—we’re leaving,” he growled, taking his daughter by the arm.

  Sylvan and a few of the other Council members jumped up to reason with him but Terex/Ur made a motion to them to sit.

  “Let the Senator go. He has made his views abundantly clear.”

  As the human male stormed out with his daughter in tow, Sylvan turned to him.

  “Chancellor, why did you do that? What was the point in antagonizing them?”

  Terex/Ur raised an eyebrow at him. “Is it antagonistic to demand what is rightfully ours? I think not.”

  “But our situation with the humans is delicate,” another Council member protested. “Senator Hastings used to be one of our biggest supporters—now he’s been turned against us. And he’s not the first human in power to suggest that it’s time we moved on.”

  “Councilor Gora is right,” Sylvan said. “If this situation continues to escalate, we could lose our ability to call brides from Earth.”

  “That could only happen if we let it happen,” Terex/Ur said. He looked around the table. “And we will not let it happen. We will take what we were promised, whether they wish to give it or not.”

  Sylvan stared at him blankly. “Chancellor Terex, surely you’re not suggesting we go to war with a planet we swore to protect?”

  Terex/Ur shrugged. “If that is what it takes. If we cannot call brides in any other way, then so be it.”

  “But, we cannot allow our warriors to take females by force! We cannot!” Councilor Gora objected. Several of the other Councilors joined him.

  “We must not—”

  “Our honor as Kindred and warriors—”

  Terex/Ur frowned. So they were not ready to consider war yet. So be it. They would be soon.

  “Now, now…” he said, soothingly. “Councilors, please. There’s no need to talk about war yet—I’m certain it won’t come to that. In fact, as a gesture of good will towards the people of Earth, I suggest that we stop calling brides for a little while.”

  “What?” Sylvan exclaimed. “Stop calling brides? But just a moment ago you said we should take what we wanted. And what about the unmated males whose minds are aligning with females down on Earth? What about those that are dream sharing—and the ones about to start their Claiming periods?”

  “They can wait a little while. Just a solar week…or a month…or two.” Terex/Ur frowned at him. “You can’t have it both ways, Councilor Sylvan. You say that you don’t want to go to war with Earth but when I suggest measures to placate our human friends, you object to those too. Make up your mind.”

  Sylvan frowned. �