The Ambassador's Accidental Marriage (Siren Publishing Ménage and More) Read Free Page B

Richards, and now the terror gripping him as he held the unconscious woman in his arms.
    “The good news,” the doctor finally said as he stepped away, “is that she only fainted. Physically she’s fine. I suspect that whatever she was told by the people who sent her here, it didn’t include details on the mubellabina claiming part of the ceremony.” He dragged on the earlobe of his left ear in a clear sign of his own agitation. “I am no expert on human culture, but I believe that most unions are consummated in private. Perhaps you will have a chance to ask her when she wakes up.”
    “When will that be?” Eric asked anxiously. If she’d only fainted wouldn’t she recover quickly?
    “I am uncertain,” the doctor said, tugging at his earlobe again, “but all of my scans indicate that she is merely sleeping.”
    “Could your scans be wrong?”
    “Unlikely,” he said as he closed the case that held his medical equipment. “Humans and Desconians are very similar in genetic makeup. It is why your father wants you to interbreed with her. With the decline in Desconian fertility rates, human women may be our only option for procreation.”
    Eric really hoped the woman in his arms was truly asleep. Learning of the king’s plans to breed her like some type of stock animal moments after fainting when she realized he and Loukie intended to claim her publicly would not help the situation.
    “Aren’t the days shorter on Earth?” Loukie asked. Eric had often found her diligently studying other cultures. “I read somewhere that Earth days are only about two thirds of one of ours. Is it possible she’s just tired?”
    “Most likely,” the doctor said. He tapped his chin with a long, elegant finger. “It may be wise to schedule two sleep periods each day for her. At least until she adapts to the longer days on Descon. For now, it would be best to take her to your quarters so that she can rest comfortably.”
    The doctor nodded his good-byes and left the room.
    “Come on, Eric,” Loukie said as she offered him a hand up. “Let’s take our mubellabina home.”
     
    * * * *
     
    Loukie lay on the bed beside a sleeping Earth Ambassador Cindy Richards and wondered if the human woman had a shorter name. It was probably the least of her worries at this point, but it was the first thing she intended to ask when their mubellabina woke up.
    The human’s health had returned, giving her beautiful face a more appealing shade compared to the yellowish-white color it had been earlier. Some of her hair had escaped the elaborate ceremonial braid, but Loukie could tell by the wispy pieces that it was a rich collection of hues all the way from a deep brown to a yellow gold. The artificial lighting caught some of the lighter colors, highlighting them as the woman moved. Loukie had never seen a human woman up close before, and she found herself wondering if the very beautiful Earth Ambassador Cindy Richards was a typical example.
    Lost in her musings, Loukie almost missed the moment the human opened her eyes.
    “Hello, beautiful,” Loukie said quietly, hoping not to startle the poor woman. From everything she and Eric had been able to ascertain in the past hour, this human had no idea she’d been sent here to be their mubellabina. Somebody had finally decided to look up the Earth term “bridesmaid” and had discovered that it was indeed very different to what their translators had assumed.
    It was the most frustrating part of dealing with different cultures. The electronic translators were a marvel of technology, able to quickly translate the spoken word and relay it directly to the wearer’s brain, retaining both the pitch and tone of the conversation, but even they got it wrong on occasions.
    Earth Ambassador Cindy Richards glanced around the room a little nervously, but offered a small smile and a quiet hi.
    “How are you feeling?” Loukie asked, trying to control the urge to trace the patterns of her marks on the