After a while, the overwhelming response meant that for every twenty thousand Earth women registered, only one would actually be called to Oath. Most would go on to fall in love with a man on Earth. When she married or at age thirty, her name would be removed from the register with thanks from her government for her willingness to serve.
Sharon sighed. Breaking oath wasn’t really an option. She had made a promise to her world, and for that matter, to his world. She might be a lot of things, but she wasn’t the kind of person to break her word.
Kate’s eyes were soft with sympathy and worry. “What are you going to do?” she asked.
“Make the best of it, I guess. Take the oath. Go with him to Shimeria. It’s only three weeks, right? And he’s not a total troll either. So I’ll get to know him. Then, I’ll come home and file incompatible. My life is here. Maybe my job isn’t the greatest. Maybe my little life isn’t the most exciting. But it’smine. I’m not giving it up and moving off planet for some guy.” She was going for defiant, but her words came out shaky instead.
Kate knew that was her cue to lighten things up. “Not a total troll, huh? Now there’s an understatement. That man ishot. You’ll be doing your dutyand getting great sex. At least I assume it’ll be great if he’s as good as he looks!”
“Exactly.” Sharon began to smile a little as her sense of humor rose to the surface.“Besides, alittle interplanetary nookie won’t kill me. They’re basically humanoid. Their society is very similar to ours, just a little more advanced. It’s pretty male-dominated, but I guess I can live with that for a few weeks. I don’t know about the telepathy thing but I don’t think they can read minds all the time or anything. I guess I’ll find out…”
Determined to keep smiling and make the best of it, she headed toward the Pactmaker. “Come on. Might as well get it over with. We wouldn’t want Mr. Tall, Dark, and Arrogant to get his drawers in a twist.”
Laughing at that image, the two women headed to the other side of the room. Shimerian male heads turned at the sound. Watching the two beautiful women appreciatively, hearing their laughter, many of them felt a little envious of Liken. Liken, on the other hand, was feeling too eager for the ceremony to pay much attention. His brother Tair, sensing that eagerness, had to laugh.
He said mockingly,“You should have claimed her a year ago, Liken. Then maybe you would not be so impatient today.”
Liken shook his head. “You know I was giving her time. She will be making a lot of changes. Best that she grew restless with her own life before facing Shimerian marriage. It will be difficult for her.”
Liken thought of his cautious little librarian’s reaction to his culture and mentally grimaced. She would not react well. There were good reasons for keeping Shimerian ways a secret from prospective mates.
“You are sure that she has no idea of the merging and linking? We are taught to be careful, but there have been some rumors on Earth from time to time.” Tair had heard some pretty outrageous things, although some of them had some truth to them.
“No, I do not think so. She seems afraid of me in an emotional and physical sense, but I have not brushed her mind with mine yet. Except for my initial recognition a year ago. My mind touched hers then, but only briefly.”
Tair shook his head at the thought of what his brother would need to explain. Humans, especially females, could react very strangely to the oddest things. His voice was dry. “Just be sure to secure her. It is quite convenient that my pactmate is her best friend. I think Kate will be much more amiable when I invoke the Oath if she knows Sharon is happy.”
“So, I am to ease your way?” Liken said with a half-smile. He nearly snorted at the thought. Kate would challenge Tair at every turn. She was perfect for him. “I believe your knowing period will not be that simple. The look she sent me earlier could have felled me. I do not think your pactmate is the sweet, gentle type.”
Tair’s dark eyes gleamed with laughter. “Now what would I do with sweet and gentle?”
Suddenly, the Pactmaker, a rather small man dressed in his ceremonial robes of black and white stepped forward to address those gathered. “Will Liken da’Kamon and Sharon Glaston please step forward to take the Oath?” There was a murmur through the room at the sound of his words.
Most of the Shimerian males present were single and waiting anxiously to make arrangements for invoking their own oaths. They were lined along the wall waiting for their turn with the official pactmaker representatives. All were dressed casually in different colors and styles of pants, shirts, and boots, but one thing was common to each and every one. There was a palpable sense of impatience and sheer male power exuding from each of the males. They were eager to conclude their business, but they were curious about the oath ceremony. For many of them, this ceremony would be the first one they had seen. Coming so close to their own pactmaking arrangements, the ceremony gained a certain significance.
Liken strode to where the Pactmaker waited. Sharon took the last steps remaining between them and came to stand at his side. Tair stood in the background to Liken’s left, while Kate waited on Sharon’s right. Tair’s eyes met Kate’s fuming gaze for one long moment before they turned to watch the other couple.
The next twenty minutes of the ceremony were a blur. Sharon heard the droning voice of the Pactmaker and responded whenever prompted. The actual words seemed to be coming from a great distance and she couldn’t really grasp the meanings. The only thing she could hear clearly was the pounding of her own heart, which seemed to be coming out of her chest.
She kept her eyes on the Pactmaker and kept repeating to herself silently, “Liken, his name is Liken. I’m gonna have sex with the guy, so I should try to remember his name. He’s an alien. I wonder if sex is the same? I’m not gonna get hysterical. I can do this. I have to do this. It’s no big deal. It will be fine. I can do this…”Sharon hoped that if she repeated the words over and over again, she might convince herself that she was doing the right thing.
She could feel the heat of Liken’s tall presence standing strong and still beside her. Only once did his big body grow stiff with tension. The Pactmaker repeated the words,“Your choice, my dear. You need to state it clearly…which oath do you choose, Seduction, Challenge or Capture?” The room was silent as everyone present waited for her reply.
She took a deep breath. Her mind spun with confusion like a top. What should she do? What could she do? She said in a quaking voice that was nearly inaudible, “Seduction.” She felt ridiculous and mortified to even say the word. Feeling the tension leave him, she hoped it was the right choice.Putting some strength into her voice, she said more firmly, “I choose Seduction.”
Sharon heard Liken’s masculine voice stating the rest of his vow in a strong, clear voice. She knew he was speaking English, but she couldn’t seem to absorb what he was saying. She felt disconnected from the entire scene. Finally, the ceremony was complete. Liken held out his hand and said her name softly, then a little louder. “Sharon…”
Sharon suddenly realized he was waiting for her to put her hand in his. Trembling, she reached out. As his hand caught hers, it was warm and strong. She nearly shuddered at the contact. It felt good and scary at the same time. As his thumb caressed the softness of her hand in a soothing motion, she realized her own hand was trembling.
He gave her hand a gentle tug, making her raise her eyes to his face for the first time since the ceremony began. His smile was both satisfied and teasing. “You will be fine. You can do this…a little interplanetary nookie won’t kill you…”Sharon gasped softly as she heard him repeat her earlier words.