Sylvan’s delicate features grew grim. “When was the last time anyone spoke to Lauren and Xairn? They may be in grave danger.”
Chapter Twenty-seven
L knocked at the door and then slid away quickly, assuming another form. There was a pause and then she watched from the corridor as the door slid open and her original looked out.
Her original who had been completely unaffected by the device Draven had hired L to plant on the Mother Ship. Everyone else on the damn ship was in an uproar—but not L’s original or her man. As far as L could tell, the two people she hated most in the universe were doing just fine. They had each other and they were perfectly happy and unaffected by Draven’s grand revenge scheme.
It made L so angry she had taken out the crystal surveillance device he had given her to wear and ground it to shards beneath her heel. She was certain that had pissed the Hoard Master off but she really didn’t care—she had no intention of ever returning to his horrible planet. Instead, she was going to stay here and take her revenge into her own hands.
To that end, she’d been watching her original, tracking her every movement for the past few days, observing everything she did, listening in on every conversation. She’d had several good opportunities to kill her already but for some reason she hadn’t taken them.
L wasn’t sure what kept her from completing her revenge. Maybe it was the memories or maybe the same emotional weakness that had been growing inside her since she had spared Kat’s life instead of killing her. She hated her original with every fiber of her being—she was sure she did. And yet…and yet somehow she just couldn’t bring herself to do the final deed.
The weakness ends now, L told herself firmly. This is it. They’re looking for me everywhere—I can’t hang around here forever. I have to do what I came to do and get out.
L watched as her original looked up and down the seemingly empty corridor.
“Hello? Is anyone there?” Lauren looked perplexed.
L allowed herself a small smile, although it didn’t really show in the form she had taken. She was disguised as part of the curving silver wall. Taking an inorganic form was difficult and exhausting but it was only for a moment. As soon as her original turned her head to look down the hallway, she melted into a more familiar form and stepped forward.
“Oh, Olivia!” Lauren put a hand to her chest. “What are you doing here? You scared me to death! Or…er…” she frowned. “Is that you or Baird? Sorry, it’s just…everything is so confusing now.”
“It’s me,” L said in a perfect imitation of the blonde Earth girl’s voice. “I just came to tell you we found a way to switch everyone back. Ugh…” She put a hand to her back and stroked her fully rounded abdomen. “Can I come in and sit down? Ever since I switched bodies back with Baird I feel more pregnant than ever.”
“Of course you can.” Lauren patted her own belly, which was also curving, though not nearly as much. “I know the feeling—I get more preggy every day.”
“Thanks.” L waddled past her into the spacious living area. “Oh…” she sighed as she sank down into one of the plush couches. “That’s better. Where’s Xairn?”
Lauren shut the door. “He’s out running an errand. I wanted to go with him but he asked me to stay put—they still haven’t caught that weird whatever it was impersonating Kat, you know?”
“Yes.” L stood and began to shift, her features flowing and changing as she assumed her original form—the one that was identical to the female across from her. “I know.”
* * * * *
Lauren felt like her heart had just frozen in her chest. The face staring back at her was her own, down to the last detail. She knew at once who it was—her clone. The one they had left behind in the splicing district of O’ah.
“Oh,” she whispered, putting a hand to her chest. “It’s you.”
“Yes, it’s me.” The clone stepped forward, a cold light gleaming in the amber eyes identical to Laruen’s. “The one you left behind, hundreds of light years from the planet my memories told me was home. The one you left to be sold into the skin trade, to satisfy the animalistic lusts of any male with enough credit to buy me. The one he found unacceptable—defective. Disgusting. All because I wasn’t really you.”
All Lauren’s instincts told her she should run but emotion kept her rooted to the spot. Ever since she and Xairn had fled the splicing district of O’ah, she had feared, in the back of her mind that this day would come.
At first she’d been angry and scared that the clone of her had been made at all. But later she’d begun thinking of it from the clone’s perspective—after all, it wasn’t her fault she’d been made. And if she really did have all Lauren’s memories, if she actually thought she was Lauren, how horrible must it have been to be left behind, to see their ship blast off and leave her stranded on an alien world so far from home. To know she could never, ever get back…
“Oh,” she whispered, coming forward. “I’m so sorry. So, so sorry.”
“What?” The clone had raising some kind of a weapon—to Lauren it looked like a syringe filled with green goo—but she stopped in mid-motion and frowned at Lauren instead. “What did you say?”
“We never should have left you there,” Lauren whispered, holding out a hand to the other girl. “You must hate me so much.”
“I do.” The clone lifted her chin but some of the fire had gone out of her eyes. “I’ve been planning how to kill you ever since you left me.”
The threat was frightening, of course but Lauren thought she heard something else in it as well. A plea for recognition, perhaps. The cry of anger and pain from a lost, frightened child who has been shut out in the cold night.
“I’m so sorry,” she said again, holding out both hands this time and taking another step forward. “We left you in that horrible place with no one to trust, no one to care for you. No way to get home.” She shook her head. “I don’t have any excuses to give you except that I was scared half out of my mind. The idea of being replaced, of Xairn abandoning me for someone who looked just like me—who practically was me—was so frightening I couldn’t face it. I had to run away.”
“That was exactly how I felt. I wanted to run away too.” The other girl’s voice wobbled, just a bit. “But there was nowhere to go.” She swiped at her eyes angrily. “I remembered growing up in California, remembered Mom. My childhood there, the first boy I ever kissed. High school. College. Opening a bakery. Being taken up to the Scourge father ship and held. Falling in love with Xairn…but none of those were my memories. They were yours.”
“They’re yours too,” Lauren whispered. “You’re part of me, don’t you see? You’re like the sister I never had.”
“Stop it!” the clone barked angrily. “Stop pretending to care!”
“You know I’m not pretending,” Lauren said softly. “You know because you have my thoughts and feelings and memories. You know because you are me.”
“Not anymore.” The clone crossed her arms protectively over her chest. “I took another path. I toughened up—did what I had to survive.”
“And I don’t blame you for that,” Lauren said. “But deep down under all that, you’re still me. Still the same basic person. So you know when I say I care, that I’m sorry, I mean it with all my heart.”
“I’m a trained assassin! A shadow caster,” the clone protested, taking a step backward. “I could kill you in the blink of an eye.”
“You could,” Lauren admitted. “You still can if you want, but that won’t heal your heart or stop the pain. Only love can do that.”
“What are you talking about?” the other Lauren scoffed. “Are you saying you love me?”
“I don’t know because I don’t really know you. But I could,” Lauren said softly. “Mom could too.”
“She wouldn’t want me!” the clone protested. “You’re just saying anything you can to save your life.”
“That’s not true and you know it.” Lauren took another step toward t
he retreating clone. “Did you know that I had a twin sister but she died when I was born?”
“That’s not true—that’s nowhere in my memories.”
“That’s because Mom only told me recently, when I found out I was pregnant,” Lauren said quietly. “She kept it from me for all these years because she didn’t want to hurt me.” She sighed. “Growing up, I always felt like a part of me was missing. I wanted a sister so badly—I used to ask Mom for one constantly when I was little. I only stopped when I realized how sad it made her.”
“Oh…” The soft exclamation sounded broken somehow and Lauren sensed she was getting through to the other girl.
“So I finally get a chance to have a sister and what do I do? I abandon her.” She shook her head. “Truly, I don’t deserve another chance. But I wish you’d stay—stay and give me a chance to love you the way you ought to be loved. Like the sister I’ve been looking for all my life.” She held her arms open. “Please?”
The other girl hesitated. Lauren could tell she wanted to come in for a hug but she was still wary, still scared.
“You wouldn’t be so quick to say you could care for me if you knew what I’ve done,” the clone whispered. “I’ve killed so many people.”
Lauren regarded her steadily. “I’ll tell you exactly what I’ve told Xairn—you did what you had to do to survive in a tough situation. I don’t judge you for that.”
“But your friends— I’m the one who set off the device that swapped their bodies and minds.”
This gave Lauren pause. “Well,” she said at last. “Can you swap them back?”
“I don’t know.” The clone shook her head. “I shouldn’t even be telling you this. Draven paid me to do the job. I did it but it didn’t affect you and Xairn. And that made me so angry—you’re the ones I wanted revenge on in the first place.”
“And do you still?” Lauren asked, her heart beating hard. Had she gotten through to her clone? Or would this conversation end with her death?
“I…I don’t know.” A troubled look passed over the familiar face. “I want to believe what you say. And my memories of wanting a sister and feeling I was missing something are the same as yours. But…” She shook her head. “I just don’t know if I can trust you.”
“Do you trust yourself?” Lauren asked softly.
Slowly, the other girl nodded.
“Then you know you can trust me too. Don’t you see? You’re not really my clone—you’re my twin. We’re sisters. Now come here and give me a hug.”
She held out her arms demandingly and this time the other girl came to her without protest. Lauren folded her in her arms and held her tight, so many emotions rushing through her she couldn’t help but cry.
“My sister,” she whispered into the other girl’s ear as tears stung her eyes. “You’re my sister.”
The clone hugged her tentatively at first but then her grip became tighter and she began to cry too.
“I’ve been so afraid for so long. Alone for so long. I hated you so much but now…now I just want to come home.”
“You’re home,” Lauren assured her. “You’re finally home.”
Just then the door to her suite burst open, allowing a crowd of people armed with blasters and led by Xairn to charge in.
“She’s strangling her!” someone shouted. “That clone-thing is strangling Lauren! Shoot! Shoot!”
“No, wait!” Lauren pushed her clone behind her protectively. “Get back—she’s with me.”
“But which one of them is which?” Kat, who was at the front of the charge, demanded. “How can we be sure the real Lauren isn’t being held hostage here?”
“I can tell them apart—I have before,” Xairn growled. Stepping forward, he inhaled deeply, his red-on-black eyes narrowing as he analyzed their scents. “Lauren,” he said at last, frowning at her. “Why are you protecting this imposter?”
“She’s not an imposter.” Lauren lifted her chin. “She’s the sister I always wanted but never had. And you’d damn well better treat her that way—anyone who doesn’t will have to answer to me.”
“Lauren, honey, think what you’re saying,” Kat said gently. “This, er, person attacked me and sneaked aboard the ship. We’re pretty certain she’s the reason everyone has swapped bodies like some kind of a B grade horror movie.”
“I am,” the clone said unexpectedly. She stepped out from behind Lauren. “I admit what I did but I’m willing to help fix it. And as for you, Kat,” she continued. “I’m very sorry for assaulting you. But you should know that I could have killed you instead—I intended to, actually. But my memories—Lauren’s memories—stopped me.” She held out a hand. “Can you forgive me?”
“Well…” Kat looked at her uncertainly. “I have to be honest, doll, I’m a little creeped out right now. But if you can switch my men back to their regular bodies, I think I can see my way clear to giving you a pass this time.” She cleared her throat. “As long as you promise never to come near me with a shot full of green goop again.” She nodded at the syringe the clone was still holding.
“Oh!” the clone dropped the syringe and took a step back from it. “I’m sorry—I didn’t realize I was still holding it.”
Lock, who was actually Deep, had come in with Kat. He reached down and snatched up the syringe. “So that’s it? We just forgive her and pretend she’s part of the family?”
“I’m not pretending.” Lauren narrowed her eyes at him. “Have you ever heard the tale of the prodigal son in the Bible?” She put an arm around her clone’s shoulders. “Well, she’s like that. She…” Abruptly she stopped and looked at the other girl. “I’m sorry, I don’t know your name. Do you go by Lauren too?”
The clone shook her head shyly. “No, that name belongs to you. I just call myself L.”
“L.” Lauren smiled. “I like that.”
Sylvan, who was still in Sophia’s body, came forward and addressed them both. “You realize she’ll probably have to go before the Kindred Council?”
Lauren bit her lip. “I hadn’t thought about that. I don’t want anything bad to happen to L.”
Sylvan shook his head. “It probably won’t—if she can fix what she’s done. No deaths have resulted from L’s mischief, which is very lucky for her.” He looked at L. “Can you fix it?”
“Yes.” L lifted her chin and nodded toward the door. “All of you come with me right now—we’re going to take care of this.”
“Wait for me!” Lauren grabbed her hand and smiled at L’s surprised look. “I’ve waited years to have a sister and I let you go once. I’m not letting go again.”
The tentative smile that L returned warmed her heart. “Okay,” she said softly and squeezed Lauren’s hand. “Let’s go.”
Chapter Twenty-eight
“So they’re going to change us back?” Baird couldn’t keep the hopeful sound out of his voice as he struggled to sit up in bed.
“That’s what they say.” Olivia sighed and then smiled at him and pressed his hand. “I’m glad. I didn’t want to miss giving birth to our son. Even if it probably is going to hurt like hell.”
Sophia, who was still in Sylvan’s body, nudged her in the ribs. “Don’t talk like that. At least not until after everyone is switched back.”
“Right. Sorry.” Olivia nodded. “Sylvan’s at the scene, right? Are they doing it yet?”
Sophia closed her eyes for a moment, concentrating on the mental link she had with her husband. “Sylvan says they’re in the sacred grove and Lauren’s clone is showing them the device. She’s going to try and switch it off—everybody get ready!”
Baird and Olivia held hands tightly.
“Ready!” they said in unison.
“Okay.” Sophia got a look of anticipation on her face. “She’s switching it off…now.”
Everyone waited tensely, expecting to be catapulted into their respective bodies but nothing happened. Then Baird let out a horrible groan.
“Honey, are you okay?” Olivia opened
her eyes and looked anxiously at her husband, who was still stuck in her body. “Did whatever they did to the device hurt you?”
“I…I don’t think so.” He groaned again. “I just had the worst pain—a massive cramp, like someone stabbing me in the back.”
“Oh God.” Olivia looked up at her sister. “Get Sylvan here quick. I think he’s in labor!”
* * * * *
Sylvan stepped out of the bedroom and swiped at his forehead with the back of one arm in a most unladylike way. “He’s all right for now. I’ve given him something to delay the labor but it won’t last for long.”
“What are we going to do?” Olivia was practically wringing her hands with worry. “I feel awful! I was so glad to have some time off from being pregnant but I never meant for it to go this far. I never meant for him to actually have the baby!”
“I know you didn’t, mate of my kin.” Sylvan squeezed her arm reassuringly.
“It’s not your fault,” Sophia chimed in, putting an arm around her sister.
“I know it’s not but it feels like it is. I was so tired of feeling miserable all the time.”
“Of course you were,” her twin murmured. “I’m sure we’ll all feel that way in our last quadmester. The human body isn’t really meant to spend a whole entire year being pregnant.”
“Sophia is right.” Sylvan nodded. “But don’t let guilt overcome you yet, Olivia. There is still a chance that we might get the two of you switched back in time for you to give birth. We just need to study the scrolls from First World and see what they say about how to defeat the Hoard Master.”
“I’ll tell you what they say,” a new voice said from the doorway. They all looked up in surprise as Lissa came in, a copy of the ancient scrolls dangling limply from one hand.
“Lissa, honey, are you all right?” Sophia asked carefully.
“Sorry for coming in unannounced.” Lissa’s eyes were red, as though she’d been crying. “But since everyone has been busy with everything else, I decided to study the scrolls myself.”