“At once, Chief Commander.” The tiger man nodded and then the viewscreen went blank.
“Wait a minute!” Em protested. “You’re going to a different planet right now?”
“Yes—the one I was telling you about, where there are plenty of deposits of Yillium—the mineral we need to fight the Darklings,” Rarev said. “We must get some more at once—the Darklings will be attacking again soon—and as things stand, we are completely helpless.”
“But…but aren’t you going to take me back down to Earth first?” Em demanded. “I believe I told you I have a Cabinet meeting to attend.”
Rarev turned in his seat and fixed her with his golden gaze.
“Minister Oxley—Emilia,” he said in that deep, purring voice of his. “If we don’t go and secure the mineral rights to the Yillium deposits on Rigellen Five right now, there may be no Cabinet—indeed, no Earth—for you to come back to.”
“I don’t understand,” Em said blankly. “Surely you’re exaggerating. People can get under cover and as for the animals—”
“Do you think the Darklings only eat flesh?” he growled, frowning. “It is their first preference, yes. But when they have stripped every living creature to the bone, they will begin eating the vegetation on your world as well—all the vegetation. Imagine your Earth without grass or flowers or trees. Imagine it stripped bare of all foliage, so that it’s nothing but a sterile ball of dirt.”
“That’s terrible!” Em put a hand to her chest. “It would be a wasteland!”
“That was what my own home world became when they were done with it,” Rarev said darkly. “I do not wish to see it happen to yours. The humans may hate us—the human males, anyway—but I wouldn’t wish that fate on my worst enemy. ”
“All right—I understand,” Em said, faintly. The picture he had painted was appalling—unthinkable. “I…I guess I’ll just come along for the ride,” she told him. She could make her excuses about the missed Cabinet meeting later, she decided.
“Oh no, Em.” Rarev growled softly. “You’re not just ‘along for the ride’—you are essential to this mission.”
“I don’t understand, I am? Why?” Em asked blankly.
Rapidly, the Monstrum Commander explained the Rigellen requirement for a mated pair of diplomats and how they refused to deal with anyone else but the Monstrum.
“And the only Monstrum Kindred who has a bride is currently unavailable and unreachable,” he concluded. “So you and I are going to go to Rigellen Five and pretend to be mated in order to secure the mineral rights.”
“But…do you really think we can do that?” Em asked him. “I mean, convincingly?”
He frowned and his voice dropped to a growl.
“Do you think you’ll find it that difficult to hold my arm and pretend you’re my mate? Do you secretly feel the same way the other humans do about my kind?”
It was the second time he’d accused her of that and Em was getting tired of it.
“For the last time, no,” she said firmly. “I cannot abide any kind of prejudice or racism. I do think it would be easier for humans to accept the Monstrum if you didn’t appear to have animalistic characteristics, but that in no way colors the way I think of you or your people. My concern is that the Rigellens aren’t going to believe that a, er, young warrior such as yourself would want an older wife like me.”
He frowned.
“I don’t understand this idea of yours that a Mature Elite is somehow unattractive. Among my people, you would be highly sought after—any of the Monstrum would be lucky to call you as a bride.”
Em raised her eyebrows at him and decided to play his game.
“Would they now,” she said. “Yourself included?”
“If I could, yes,” Rarev purred, his eyes roving over her body. “I wouldn’t hesitate to call you and Claim you. However, I have made a vow never to call a bride,” he explained. “But otherwise—”
Otherwise he’d be falling all over himself to call a middle-aged, menopausal Minster as his wife. Right.
“Say no more.” Em raised a hand to stop him. It was just as she’d thought— a male of his age wasn’t going to be interested in a woman of hers. Not that she wanted him to be, of course, she hastily told herself. Still, they seemed to be stuck for it—they would have to pretend to be a couple.
“You’re not really listening to me—not really hearing me,” Rarev growled, frowning. “I find you extremely desirable—any Monstrum would—you’re a Mature Elite. But—”
“You don’t have to explain,” Em said loftily. “I understand and of course I’ll come with you to Rigellen Five and pretend to be your wife. After all, the fate of the world hangs in the balance, to put it both dramatically and accurately—how can I do less?” She lifted her chin. “I just hope we can pull it off.”
“I don’t anticipate any problem,” Rarev purred. “At least on my end—I certainly won’t have to pretend my desire for you.”