Married to Krampus - Marina Simcoe Page 0,33

just muttered a non-definitive, “I suppose, so... In a way.”

“Even with the Liaison Marriage Program being put in place,” Shula continued, “the population growth in our country falls entirely on the Voranian women. Human females cannot be bred.”

Being of different species, Voranians and humans couldn’t reproduce. This had been proven in a lab already. I couldn’t immediately tell whether she simply stated a fact or meant to offend me in some way.

“Well, there is more to a person than their ability to produce children, right?”

“Possibly.” She shrugged.

“Oh, come on, Shula.” Lievoa rolled her eyes. “All of us have plenty of interests other than pregnancies and labor. That’s not what defines a person, and that’s not why we’re friends.”

“I’m not talking about friends.” Shula didn’t spare Lievoa a glance, keeping her eyes on me. “This is about the value of a woman to her husband. What use is a wife who can never produce offspring?”

That was harsh. Her words and attitude no longer left any doubt—she meant to offend. She basically implied I would be useless to a Voranian husband, even if we managed to build a loving and carrying relationship. I forgot all about my diplomatic intentions. My blood heated with anger from the insult.

“You’ve got a celebrated war hero for a husband.” She wouldn’t quit. “He worked hard to get where he is, he literally risked his life for his status and position. What are you bringing to this marriage?”

I felt ill equipped to fight this battle—I had no loving relationship of my own to defend. Instead, I focused on an inter-species marriage in general.

“I could think of many benefits in having someone to share your life with,” I said.

She pursed her lips. “Are you talking about sex?”

“Shula! That’s mean.” Lievoa grabbed my arm. “Let’s go, Daisy.”

Maybe I should’ve listened to her, but I couldn’t leave it like that. Part of me couldn’t accept someone being this condescending to me, someone I’d just met and hadn’t given any reason to dislike me. At least I believed, I hadn’t.

“I’m definitely not talking just about sex!” I felt my cheeks flame up with indignation, my face must be displaying all my feelings as usual.

“Then, you have completely lost me.” Shula remained infuriatingly calm, her voice taunting.

Suddenly, she stepped closer to me. Wedging her shoulder between Lievoa and me, she leaned in to my ear.

“How can you truly share his life if you don’t share his background or his culture?” She hissed low, just for me to hear. “You have to rely on a machine to even understand what he is saying. How can you possibly build the connection necessary for a successful life-long union? The only use for a wife like you could be sex, at most. Not unlike the pleasure machines in the mall.”

That was an outright insult. My vision blurred from the offence. My breathing grew shallow and my hands trembled.

“Are you saying I could be nothing more but a sex toy to my husband?”

“Exactly.” She kept her voice down. It occurred to me that she must know her behavior was unbecoming of her status, and therefore didn’t want witnesses to our conversation. “Have no illusion, you’re nothing but a glorified sex toy to him,” she continued. “That is, if he finds you physically attractive. Though, he probably would fuck you either way. It wouldn’t be like Grevar to play a gentleman when there is a willing woman in his bed. He is too wild to rein in his urges. Devastatingly handsome, rough, and so delightfully untamed...” Her voice turned into a dreamy murmur before trailing off as her gaze drifted aside somewhere.

Following her gaze, I saw it land on the Colonel across the room. He was still talking to the same group of men. They’d been joined by Governor Drustan, Shula’s husband, but her attention was definitely on mine.

As if sensing Shula’s stare, the Colonel turned over his shoulder. Meeting her eyes briefly, he gave her a deep, respectful nod.

“The one I’ve been with liked me just the way I am, ‘rough and boorish.’ Especially in the bedroom.” The words he had tossed at me during our last argument sounded in my ears.

Could Shula be the one he’d been talking about? She sounded like she was very familiar with the Colonel’s ways in the bedroom—more than I was, despite being his wife.

“What’s that?” Shula tilted her head, obviously catching the shift in my expression. More than anything at that moment, I wished I’d mastered a poker face at