“Ninety-nine point nine percent accurate.” Sylvan’s deep voice was hushed and Sophie couldn’t help biting her lip as she looked at the man she loved. What is he thinking? What is he hoping for?
“And…here it is.” The machine emitted a few beeps and the lights on its front panel blinked. Sylvan reached into the small slot where he had put the vials of blood he’d drawn from her arm earlier. Sophie was no longer afraid of needles—though she still didn’t love being stuck. But this time she had barely felt the needle, she was so anxious to get the results of the test Sylvan was running.
She held her breath as he closed his large hand over the contents of the slot and held it out to her. “What is it?” She was nearly dancing with impatience when he unfolded his fingers to reveal…a small white flower.
“White.” Sylvan spoke gently, saying it aloud. “You’re not pregnant, Talana.”
“Oh.” A strange combination of relief and sorrow rushed through Sophie. So I’m not going to be a mom after all. Not now, anyway. Then she looked up at Sylvan’s face. Though his features were impassive, she knew him well enough by now to see the disappointment in his ice blue eyes. She opened her mouth to speak…and a sob rose in her throat.
“Sophia?” Sylvan leaned down, a worried look on his face. “Are you all right?”
“I…I think so. I don’t know why I’m crying.” But she couldn’t seem to stop.
“You don’t know why?” He took her by the shoulders and looked at her worriedly.
“Yes, I do. I know,” she said through the sobs that shook her. “It’s because I know…know you wanted a son. One who could grow up and play with Liv and Baird’s little boy. I’m sorry, Sylvan. So sorry I disappointed you.”
“You didn’t disappoint me!” He swept her into his arms and held her close, his face pressed to her neck. Pulling back, he looked into her eyes. “You could never disappoint me, Talana. I have you, and you’re all that I need.”
“But I know you want a family too,” Sophie said, sniffing. “We can try again as soon as you want.”
“We weren’t trying in the first place,” Sylvan pointed out, giving her his little one-sided grin.
“No, I know.” Sophie blotted her eyes on her sleeve. “I guess I just got so used to the idea in the past few days. And Liv is so happy to be pregnant.”
“Olivia is ready to be pregnant,” Sylvan said. “I get the feeling you’re not. Not quite.”
“Maybe I’m not.” Sophie looked down at the little white flower which indicated a negative pregnancy test. “But I want to be ready. When I look in your eyes and see how much you want a son, I want so much to give you one. A little boy with blond hair and blue eyes, just like you.”
“No, he should have green eyes and brown hair with red highlights—just like his mother.” Sylvan smiled again and swept a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Or, you never can tell—we might have a daughter. It’s extremely rare but it does happen from time to time.”
Sophie shook her head. “I’d rather have a little boy. I think I would worry about a boy less than a girl.”
“I doubt you’d worry less if you knew some of the things I got up to as a child.”
“Yes, well you were killing abominable vrannas by the time you were nine. I hope you wouldn’t expect to let our son do anything like that.”
“No.” Sylvan looked thoughtful. “There aren’t any vrannas aboard the ship. I suppose we could devise a different manhood ritual for him, though.”
“Over my dead body!” Sophie pushed away from him. “Listen, Mister, if you think for one minute I would let you take any son of mine into that kind of dangerous situation—” She broke off because Sylvan was laughing softly. “What?” she demanded.
“Nothing. I’m just thinking what a wonderful, protective mother you’re going to be when you’re ready to have children. When we’re both ready.” He pulled her close again and Sophie buried her face in his broad shoulder and breathed in his familiar, comforting scent.
I love you, she sent through their link, because it was so much more intimate to use mind-to-mind communication. Love you so much. Thank you for understanding.
Talana. Blood of my blood… He buried his hands in her hair and eased her head to one side, baring her throat for his teeth.
Sophie offered her neck eagerly, wanting to feel the rush of pleasure as he bit her and injected her with his essence. Before they had gotten bonded, she had been under the impression that Blood Kindred only bit at the moment of climax. But it turned out, biting—at least the deep, intimate biting done between a warrior and his mate—was almost like deep kissing for them. And now that he knew she truly didn’t fear it anymore, Sylvan was prone to sinking his fangs into her any time they had a moment alone. The sharp little prick of his four sharp points penetrating her flesh was like foreplay for her now. In fact, just the feel of his double set of fangs tracing her sensitive skin was enough to make her shiver with desire.
I want you, Sylvan said through their link, tracing his tongue over the delicate blue veins pulsing in her throat. I want to take you to bed and fill you all night. Want to pump you full of my essence and my cum over and over.
I want that too. Sophie thought her mental voice sounded rather breathless but she couldn’t help it—Sylvan made her weak in the knees, literally. She could barely stand, she wanted him so badly.
Obviously sensing her dilemma, Sylvan swung her up into his arms. Sophie gasped and then snuggled closer to his broad chest. She loved how strong he was—and how gentle he could be despite his immense strength.
“You’re strong too, you know,” he whispered, apparently catching her thought. “Stronger than you know. You’re going to make a wonderful mother when the time is right.”
“Maybe it’s right tonight,” Sophie suggested, kissing him eagerly. “We could try.”
“We could,” he agreed. “I’m not adverse to ‘trying’ all night long, if you wish, Talana.”
“Yes,” she murmured, kissing him again as he carried her from his office to the bedroom. “Yes, let’s try.”
The only thing that bothered her as he laid her on the bed and began undressing her was the thought of Kat. I’m not pregnant. I should have gone with her. She’s all alone and it’s my fault.
Then Sylvan’s hot mouth closed over one of her aching nipples and all coherent thought left her as he bonded her to him again…
* * * * *
“So you’re not preggers.” Liv looked down at the small, white flower, looking slightly disappointed.
“Afraid not.” Sophie handed her twin a plate before sitting down beside her on the couch. Today Liv was craving pancakes and nobody made better blueberry buttermilk pancakes than Sophie—or so she had claimed over the Think-me when she begged Sophie to come make her some. “Anyway, I wasn’t when we did the test. After last night, all bets are off again.”
Liv laughed. “You decided to try again?”
“And try…and try…and try…” Sophie laughed and then suddenly sobered. “I feel bad about it, though.”
“Why should you?” Olivia took a bite and closed her eyes to savor the delicious taste. “Mmm, you’ve outdone yourself, Sophie!”
“I’m glad you like them. Wasn’t that what I was making the morning Baird first claimed you? Blueberry pancakes?”
“Could be.” Liv took another bite. “Mmm. But I seem to remember that Kat wanted to make some kind of quiche. Something with way too many ingredients…ugh.”
“Kat is always so crazy in the kitchen.” Sophie sighed. “Poor Kat… That’s what has me feeling so bad. I’m not pregnant, Liv—I should have gone with her.”
“You couldn’t have known,” Liv said reasonably. “It was too early to take a test and we couldn’t wait to make the decision. It was send her to Twin Moons or lose her—personally, I still feel like we did the right thing.”
“I’m worried about her, though. When will we ever get to talk to her?”
“Soon.”
Liv took a drink of milk. She had told Sophie she still couldn’t get Baird to try it. He didn’t like the idea of drinking something that came from a bag between a cow’s legs, though he ate cheese like it was going out of style. “Baird said that he had a call from Lock a little while ago,” she continued. “He and Deep are taking her back to see the holistic healer woman—Mother L’rin—again. They’re going to call us on their viewscreen on the way back.” She shrugged. “Who knows—if Kat gets a clean bill of health she could be back aboard the Mother ship with us before you know it.”
“I hope so,” Sophie said earnestly. “And I hope she can forgive us for sending her off with Deep and Lock in the first place.”
“Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dee?” Liv grinned and cut another wedge of pancake with a particularly plump blueberry right in the middle. “Don’t worry about them. This is Kat we’re talking about—she can hold her own against anyone. I’m sure she’ll have some interesting stories to tell us when she gets back, though.”
“No doubt,” Sophie said, taking a nibble of her own pancake. “Not to change the subject but have you heard any more about Lauren? When I think about what might be happening to her…” She shivered.
“I know,” Olivia agreed soberly. “Baird’s been working with the High Council but so far they’ve determined that we can’t make any overt moves on the Scourge without having proof of where they’re holding her.” She sighed and put her plate down on the coffee table. Apparently, the thought of their unknown cousin being subjected to the probes of the AllFather took her appetite away.
“Well, have you heard any more from Aunt Abby? I don’t know how much longer we can keep what really happened to Lauren from her,” Sophie said.
“As long as possible,” Liv said grimly. “Think about it. What’s worse—thinking that your only daughter has disappeared into thin air? Or knowing that she was kidnapped by an evil, malevolent…thing for purposes too horrible to think about?”
“I see your point.” Sophie nodded sadly. “But poor Lauren! I was looking her up on-line, you know, wishing we could have gotten to know her. She looks so happy and bright in all her pictures. And did you know she dropped out of business school to start a specialty cupcake shop in Sarasota?”
“Specialty cupcakes? Mmm.” Liv nodded. “Sounds like a woman after my own heart.”
“Or a woman after your pregnant stomach.” Sophie gave her sister a little smile. “I just hope she’s all right somehow. And that someday we get to meet her.”
Olivia nodded. “I hope so too. I feel so bad for Aunt Abby, though. She still thinks Lauren is on Earth and she’s certainly sparing no expense to try and find her.”
“What do you mean?” Sophie took another nibble of her pancake.
“We got another vidcall last night. I meant to tell you earlier but I forgot,” Liv said. “Baird took it. It was a private investigator Aunt Abby hired —a specialist in finding missing persons.”
“Really? What did he want?”
Liv shrugged. “More information and Kindred cooperation. Baird said he was a real hard-ass. But he seemed to think that was a good thing. You know—like he respected him.”
Sophie sighed. “Sounds like an alpha male thing to me.”
“Of course.” Olivia smiled. “And we should both know about that, right womb-mate?”
“Yup.” Sophie allowed herself a small smile. “And to think, I used to believe an alpha male was the last thing I wanted.”
“You just had ‘alpha male’ confused with ‘asshole,’” Liv said comfortably, picking up her pancake plate again. “They don’t always have to be the same thing, you know.”
“I know that now,” Sophie agreed. “But it took Sylvan to show me.”
“And Baird to show me.” Liv sounded thoughtful. “I wonder what Kat is learning from Deep and Lock?”
Chapter Fifteen
“You’re telling me we have what kind of a bond?” Kat stared at the two of them in disbelief.
“A soul bond,” Lock said quietly. “It’s only half a bond, really—incomplete without the physical aspect.”
“Which, as you may remember, we have all agreed we’re not going to pursue,” Deep said dryly, his arms crossed over his broad chest. “It’s really not that important.”
“If it’s no big deal then why are you telling me now?” Kat demanded.
“We thought that since you’re going to see Mother L’rin again today—” Lock began.
“We thought you’d rather hear it from us than her.” Deep frowned. “Speaking of which, if we don’t get to the shuttle soon, we’re going to be late. They’re not going to let us land in the middle of the Healing Gardens again, you know. We’re going to be doing some walking to get to her.”
“Oh no, you’re not brushing this off so easily.” Kat put a hand on her hip. “I want to know more about what you two did to me and why you didn’t tell me first.”
“Let’s talk and walk, then,” Deep suggested. He was being infuriatingly calm about the whole thing—as though he and Lock bonding her to them against her will was of no importance whatsoever. Which of course made Kat suspicious.
“Please understand, my lady—we were saving your life,” Lock pleaded as they all left the house and headed for the waiting shuttle. It had taken the form of a smallish car, as all Kindred shuttles did when not in use for flight. “Mother L’rin told us it was necessary. Your spirit had fractured—forming a bond with you was the only way to mend it.”
“I don’t know if I believe that,” Kat snapped as she climbed into the back of the shuttle.
Deep turned from the driver’s seat, his dark eyes narrowed. “Are you calling us liars?”
“Well, it’s not like you can actually prove what you’re saying,” she pointed out. “I mean, if I’d broken my arm and woke up with a cast on it, I could buy that. But this whole ‘fractured spirit’ thing—”
“Came straight from Mother L’rin herself,” Deep said, frowning. “She can explain all about it when we get to the Healing Gardens. Until then, don’t call us liars until you know what you’re talking about.”
“Deep, please, I’m sure the lady Kat didn’t mean to offend,” Lock said quietly from the passenger seat. “She’s just upset, that’s all.”
“Damn right, I’m upset.” Kat glared at both of them. “After all that high-sounding talk about how you would ‘never bond an unwilling female to you…’”
“We meant a physical bond,” Deep growled. “Which we could have formed last night if we’d wanted to instead of—”
“Don’t start.” Kat lifted her chin. “I told you I didn’t want to talk about…about what we did last night.” In fact, she preferred not to think about it either. Stupid bonding fruit! She’d been completely out of control, letting the two of them fuck her with that huge wooden dildo. It made her cheeks hot with shame just remembering it. Don’t think about it, she told herself. Just put it behind you and never let it happen again.
“Don’t want to talk about it, hmm?” Deep’s eyes were angry in the rearview reflector. “Why not, little Kat? Don’t you want to discuss the way you spread yourself for us? The way you gave it up so sweetly while Lock fucked you—”
“That’s enough!” Lock’s voice was almost a shout. Kat and Deep both stared at him, surprised. “Why,” he continued in a lower tone. “Can’t the two of you just get along for two minutes? Why can’t you stop fighting and admit that you care for each other the way…the way I care for both of you?”
“Because we don’t,” Deep said coldly, before Kat could answer. “I know you have this sweet, pathetic fantasy that the three of us are going to end up together, Brother but it’s not going to happen.”
Lock shook his head. “Don’t,” he said in a low voice. “I thought after last night…”
“You thought wrong.” Deep’s eyes clashed with Kat’s in the rearview again and then he turned his attention back to the curvy, winding road.
“I’m sorry, Lock.” Kat
reached up to put a hand on his broad shoulder. “I didn’t think—”
“And you don’t care, either.” Deep’s eyes were still angry and the emotions coming from him were like a black cloud, filling the interior of the car. Filling Kat herself with hurt and anger and misery.
“Deep…” Lock’s voice held a warning note but Deep shook his head.
“She doesn’t, Brother—not the way you want her to. So leave it alone. The sooner we get to Mother L’rin and have her dissolve our partial bond the better.”
Kat couldn’t have agreed more. But she still felt horrible as the little car made its way to the Healing Gardens. I never wanted it to be like this, she thought miserably. Never wanted to care for either one of them. I don’t know how my life got so screwed up. Well, it was about to get straightened out, she comforted herself. According to Deep and Lock, this Mother L’rin person could fix everything.
Kat just hoped they were right because at the moment, a lot more than just her spirit felt broken.
* * * * *
“Looking better today, you are.” The wizened old woman with strange, jewel-like eyes and pink-tinged skin circled Kat slowly, watching her sharply as though looking for some invisible defect. “But deceiving appearances can be.”
“Oh really?” Kat said politely, glad she could understand what was being said. She’d forgotten all about the convo-pillar still stuck in her ear until Mother L’rin had started speaking. Deep, of course, had wanted her to take it out. He’d said he or Lock could translate for her, but Kat had refused and demanded to speak to the healer alone.
She wanted to be able to talk confidentially with the old woman the twins said had saved her life. There were things she wanted to say and questions she wanted to ask that she didn’t feel comfortable having Deep and Lock hear. Besides, she was dying to get away from their suffocating emotions. After the fight she’d had with them, riding in the tiny shuttle car all the way to the Healing Gardens had been like breathing in choking lungfulls of second hand smoke. Putting some distance between herself and the two brothers was a breath of fresh air.