Page 92 of Tamed By Her Touch

“I’m glad you like it, my dear,” Maera said, smiling. “But believe it or not, it tastes even better than it smells.”

Clair tasted it and her face lit up.

“Oh, wow! This is really good!”

“Better than goosenburly?” Kaelus asked gravely.

Clair kicked him under the table.

“They’re both unique.”

Maera laughed.

“The flavor of the drink comes partly from the mirren fruit we blend with the veloria blossoms.”

Clair took another sip.

“It’s fruity but floral too,” she said. “Almost like berries and honeysuckle together.”

Kaelus watched her drain the glass. Something about the exchange bothered the scientific part of his mind—not because there seemed to be anything dangerous about the drink, but because the statement that nearly every female on Titus Four consumed a particular native botanical substance seemed significant when the entire reason they were here was to discover why the same virus produced radically different effects in this population.

He was about to ask Maera what compounds had been isolated from the veloria blossom when footsteps sounded in the corridor and Sendar entered the dining room.

“Good morning.” He inclined his copper-haired head. “I trust everyone rested well?”

Kaelus exchanged a look with Clair.

“Yes,” they said together.

“Extremely well,” Clair added, smiling brightly.

“Is that right? How lovely. But I can tell just from looking at you that you had a good night’s rest, Doctor Donovan,” he continued. “Why, you look twice as beautiful today as you did when I first met you.”

Kaelus felt a possessive growl rising in his throat and swallowed it down with difficulty. He disliked the male more every time they met.

“I have arranged our work for the day,” Sendar said, giving them a genial smile. “Doctor Kaelus, you will accompany me to the Blood Archive. I can give you access to the public viral records and several nonrestricted blood collections. Doctor Donovan will remain with Doctor Maera and examine our medicinal plants and traditional treatments.”

Clair’s face brightened.

“Oh, that sounds wonderful.”

Kaelus frowned. He did not like the idea of being separated from her. But if they had to divide, leaving Clair with Maera was infinitely preferable to leaving her with Sendar.

“Very well,” he said, frowning. “As long as my wife will be safe.”

“Of course she will,” Maera said, smiling. “I’ll keep her with me all day long.”

Sendar nodded.

“Most kind of you, Maera dear. And now, I believe we should begin,” he said, turning to Kaelus.

“One moment,” Varell said. “You are forgetting something, Doctor Kaelus.”

Kaelus felt an immediate sense of dread. Had he committed some kind of faux pas that had offended their host?

“What?” he asked. “Is everything all right?”

Varell gave him a disproving look.