Bride Games: (Alien's Bride) (11 page)

She resisted a smile and shrugged.
 
Lysanter laughed.
 

“That’s a yes, right?” Vivian said.

“Yeah, we’re going, you brat.
 
You should be resting after the way you got hurt, though.”

“Len, I’m fine!”
 
She raced up the stairs as if to prove it.

Lenora went to her own quarters and put on the stupid dress Vivian bought her.
 
She stood before a full-length mirror and felt stunned by her reflection.
 
When was the last time she’d worn something so beautiful?
 
The glittering dress made here eyes sparkle and propped up her bosom.
 
It clung to her torso and hips to outline a smooth hourglass shape.
 
Her long legs were made sultry by a slit coming up one side.

Lenora looked away.
 
What was the point of this?
 
Dressing prettily, flirting—why was she deluding herself?
 
She wasn’t going to have this life.
 
It was meant for girls like Vivian, not her.
 
She was going to end up breaking Lysanter’s heart.
 
He’d proven to her that he didn’t deserve that.

She made a deep sigh.
 
She wanted to pretend her story was going to have a happy ending.
 
It would be hard for her to start pushing Lysanter away again.
 
Maybe she didn’t have to be cruel.
 
She could still treat him like a friend, right?

Her heart was pulling her in a different direction than that, but that was her cross to bear.
 
Vivian was innocent, unlike her.
 
She was the one who deserved to be happy.

The younger woman burst into her room without knocking.
 
“Holy shit, you look gorgeous.”

Lenora turned and saw she had makeup on that looked expertly applied.
 
Her eyes were darkly lined and huge.
 
Her lips were a demure rose color, and the rest of her face had a matte satin finish.
 
She wondered how Vivian got herself made-up so fast.

Vivian went to her with a canister of white salve.
 
“Smear this shit all over your face.
 
It’s like instant make-up.
 
Lips, eyes, cheeks, everything!”

“Really?”
 

Lenora was dubious, but accepted it.
 
In moments she too looked like she’d spent an hour in a make-up chair.
 
She couldn’t believe this gorgeous face belonged to her.

“Wow.
 
You look so hot.
 
Lysanter’s going to freak.
 
You two are really getting into each other, huh?
 
I saw the way you touch each other.”

Lenora scowled at her reflection.
 
“I’m not getting into him, Vivian.”

“Bullshit.”

She turned to her.
 
“No.
 
I’m grateful for how he helped us, but I don’t want to marry him.”

Vivian’s happy expression evaporated.
 
“Are you kidding me?”

“Vivian—I want
you
to marry him.”

“What?
 
But that was already screwed up.”

“No.
 
If you win the game you get to go free.
 
You won’t have to go with Nayjoor.
 
Once that creep no longer has a right to you I want you to give yourself to Lysanter.
 
Then you can live here.
 
You can have a nice husband.
 
Your life would be set.”

She expected joy from her friend.
 
The girl’s face remained disappointed.
 
“What about you?”

“I’m going free.
 
Back to the woods on Earth.”

“By
yourself
?”

“Surviving by myself was what I wanted from the beginning.
 
I won’t have to worry about keeping you alive.”

Vivian shook her head.
 
“Nuh-uh.
 
Lysanter’s totally into you.
 
He doesn’t want me.”

“Make him want you.
 
That’s why I asked him to let you come with us.
 
This is your chance to win him over.”

“Fuck that.
 
He’s hot, but he’s too old.
 
What is he, like 35?
 
You and him are perfect together.
 
You marry him and just let me stay here somewhere with the llamas.”

Lenora closed her eyes.
 
“Vivian.
 
This isn’t just about you.
 
He was kind to us.
 
He’s one of the good Dak-Hiliah, as impossible as that sounds.
 
He deserves better than me.”

“What?
 
Now you’re just being a fucking idiot.”

Lenora spun on her.
 
“Shut up!
 
You don’t know everything about me.
 
You have no fucking idea who I really am.
 
I’m not happy in my own skin!
 
You think I could be happy with this guy?
 
With any guy?
 
Forget it!
 
It’s not going to work.
 
Stop being so selfish and just take this gift I’m giving you.”

“Oh for fuck’s sake.”
 
Vivian stormed away from her.
 
“I’m not throwing myself at him.
 
You’re the one he’s going to marry.
 
Not me!”
 
She left and slammed the door.

Lenora remained planted before the mirror.
 
She clenched both her fists.
 

Damn moronic brat.
 

Now she would have to work twice as hard to make her plan succeed.
 
It was already going to be hard enough fighting the feelings she was developing for Lysanter.

***

Lysanter beheld a vision of beauty coming down the staircase.
 
He hadn’t any hope of hiding his awe.
 
His mouth went partly agape and his eyes widened.
 
Lenora hesitated only halfway down.

“My gods…Lenora, you look stunning.”

She scoffed and looked away from him.
 
“Stop it.”

“Forgive me, I can’t.”
 
He went to the bottom step and reached for her hand.
 
“You should have warned me.
 
I wasn’t prepared to be so taken aback.
 
You’re lovely without any enhancements.
 
Amplifying your beauty almost seems a crime.”

She descended the rest of the way and took his hand.
 
“You’re embarrassing me.”

He continued staring.
 
“I’m honored you went to such trouble.”

“Smearing gunk on my face and putting a dress on?”

“Is that all?
 
It looks as if you spent an eternity preparing.”

Vivian bounded down the stairs wearing a tight blouse and flowing long skirt.
 
“Hey, can we go to that festival me and Hester saw on the other side of the river?”

“I think a meal should be our first priority,” Lysanter said.

“Yeah, get some food in her.”
 
She went past them to the front door.
 
“She’s skinny as a twig.”

Lysanter eyed the mouthy girl as she went by.

“Don’t let her annoy you,” Lenora said.
 
“She’s still a kid.
 
She’ll mellow as she gets older.”

He guided her to the door.
 
“Hester is coming with us to keep her out of our way.”

“Oh.
 
I thought you and her might get to know each other better.”

“You’re the only one I’m interested in, Lenora.
 
Stop trying to divert me.”

As they waited for his flying limousine Lysanter grew lost in thought.
 
Her dressing up had encouraged him at first, but apparently it was nothing to her.
 
Then she continued with her quest to have him switch to Vivian.
 
It made his chest ache for her to do this.
 
Weren’t they getting on well?
 
Lysanter thought so.
 
He’d proven himself trustworthy throughout the games.
 
He’d already started to feel a poignant connection to her, and he could swear—
swear
—Lenora reciprocated this to some degree.

So why did she still push him away?
 

He recalled their uncomfortable conversation about anatomical differences.
 
That matter still hadn’t been resolved.
 
He’d been avoiding addressing such a crass myth.

If he wanted to be with her he had to endure the awkwardness of settling that matter.

***

Hester and Vivian prattled without pause during the flight to the restaurant.
 
Since Lenora didn’t speak Dornovonian she found it easy to tone them out.
 
She focused on the view outside the window.
 
The city streets were immaculate and the buildings looked new.
 
She saw none of the usual indications of poverty.
 

Vivian and Hester burst into laughter simultaneously.

“I’m amazed that beings from two different worlds can connect so easily,” Lysanter said.

Lenora looked at them.
 
“Vivian would be very happy here.”

“I agree.”
 
He caressed her hand with the back of his fingers.
 
“So will you.”

She met his eyes briefly.
 
He wore his usual soft smile.

“Isn’t it silly to think the first woman you’ve ever met is the right one for you?”

“No, Lenora.
 
This was fate.
 
The druid in the holiest seat chose you for me.”

“What?”

“He knew you’d suffered.
 
He wanted someone kind to provide you a better life.
 
Is it a coincidence that the games were assigned to my world, where I’d stayed unmarried despite numerous chances to take a bride?”

“Yes it’s a coincidence.
 
What the Hell else can it be?”

Lysanter smiled again.
 
“I already told you.
 
Fate.”

They stopped at a small restaurant in a faintly pink dome.
 
The wait staff stood in two rows to flank them as they strode down the center aisle.
 
All had their heads bowed in reverence to Lysanter.

“Wow,” Vivian said.
 
“He’s the king of the llamas.”

“Impressive,” Lenora said, with one brow raised.

“Hester told them they didn’t have to do this when the reservation was made.
 
They’re just honored that I came to eat here.
 
I rarely dine out.”

“How are we supposed to go to a festival with you?” Lenora said.

“The Dornovonians won’t pester us.
 
They have great class and restraint.
 
I feel most at ease within a Dornovonian throng.
 
They’re completely non-violent.”
 
He pulled out her chair for her.

“You have a non-violent race raising Dak-Hiliah children?”

“That’s good, don’t you agree?”

She sat.
 
“I do, actually.”

After lunch Lysanter brought them to the festival beside the river.
 
He ordered Hester to separate from them with Vivian.
 
Lenora grumbled.
 
He placed his hands on her shoulders and had her face him.

“Lenora.
 
Vivian may stay on Dornovonia if she wishes once she’s won the games.
 
I have no doubt Elentinus will agree to this.
 
You don’t have to worry about her trying to survive in the woods on Earth.
 
You don’t need to sacrifice yourself for her.
 
You can both be happy.”

Lenora had a stern glare.

“What about you, Lysanter?
 
Don’t you want to be happy?”
 
Emotion strained her last sentence.
 
She had to look away from him.

Lysanter became plaintive.
 
“I don’t understand you.
 
I’m trying hard, Lenora.
 
I truly am.”

She chewed her bottom lip a moment.
 
Her feelings were a tangled ball of pain and pride within her.
 
She considered herself reasonably smart, but when it came to expressing this—how could she do it?
 
How could anyone understand the mess inside her soul?

She drew a long breath.
 
“Some things are better left unsaid.”