Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Fingers crossed we’d be fine.
“It looks great.” I just wasn’t going to ask what the meat was yet. “Thank you.”
Curiosity took over and probably the desire to get out of the heat because everyone set their stuff down and quickly went into the tent and over to the food. We were still being watched like bugs but it wasn’t too bad.
“I’ve eaten alligator and all kinds of things. It doesn’t matter what the meat is.” Kaden kept quietly repeating the words over and over as he bravely went over to the table and started picking up a few of the snacks. “It’ll be fine.”
I wasn’t sure if he was actually hungry or if he was just trying to be hospitable but either way he was brave.
“Let’s try some of the juices, my girl.” Albert looped his arm through hers and led her over to the table while everyone else found a spot to pretend not to watch Daddy and the professor.
We were all a bit too obvious for it to be believable and that seemed to be fascinating to the group of elvish-looking people watching us. I behaved myself, though, even if a part of me wanted to stick my tongue out and see what they would do.
But the human in the zoo was going to behave themselves so it didn’t shock the people watching.
Even if they weren’t subtle at all…blank-faced…but not subtle.
“So, are we going to bet on what he’s going to say?” Klynn sat with us instead of with the other members of his people, and it didn’t go unnoticed to anyone else that he’d sat right beside Agent Cranky Pants who’d become Agent Quiet and Watchful with everything going on.
Quiet didn’t mean he was ignoring Klynn, though, because he raised one eyebrow as he glanced at the usually grumpy bookworm…bookdragon. “I think you’ve got an advantage with that bet, so I won’t be taking it.”
If I was reading Klynn right, he was pleased with the agent’s response, but I could have very easily been wrong. Hanging out a few times while we chatted about dirty books didn’t make me an expert but I might’ve been his best friend if we weren’t counting Agent Murphy being high on that list too.
“I’m guessing shocked but not offended…” Klynn’s voice trailed off as Daddy led the professor far enough away that their voices were barely a hum. “But I don’t know him that well.”
“What are you getting through the bond?” Agent Murphy paused as he questioned me. “If that’s alright to ask?”
“Yes.” I shrugged. “On our world at least. I don’t know about here, but Toman didn’t say anything about it being taboo or rude.”
We were definitely going to run into that sooner or later, though.
Maybe sooner based on the fact that the professor’s mouth had just dropped open.
Chapter 28
Toman
“What?”
Considering I had repeated myself three times, I didn’t think doing it again would help, but I did my best to break it down in a different way.
“They have a variety of unique relationships that occur inside and outside of bonding. In my own relationship, I am the caretaker for my mate when his inner predator gets to be too much and he needs to escape it. Their society is stressful and they cannot shift on a regular basis. They are called submissives and it can be shown in a variety of ways. They have sexual toys that they use in those kinds of relationships as well. None of this should be given to anyone younger than bonding age.”
I was starting to understand why Wren sometimes rolled his eyes at the council meetings while saying duh. Professor Zorin simply stared at me like the words weren’t processing. I even thought for a moment to make sure I’d been speaking the right language.
“They seemed to have learned this from humans, but many of our people participate in the different roles and styles of relationships. A large portion of them are sexual based, but it is not always required. It is, however, always for adults.”
Professor Zorin blinked and frowned, but it was less shocking than his initial behavior had been. He’d been so surprised, he’d looked almost human.
“Spankings? For pleasure?”
We were going back to that again?
I guessed it was harder to process…but it did not help me to understand why he kept asking about them. Repeating the information without changing the questions or discussion did not seem useful.
Were any of the people we’d brought through the portal experts in the human science of psychology?
Would that help?
“The pain and pleasure centers of the brain can get crossed under specific circumstances for certain people. They are not bumping into a door and getting aroused, but the combination of being in a submissive headspace and in a situation where desire has already been aroused, it can be pleasurable.”