I feel the sincerity of your words. The voice sounded approving now. And so I will honor them in the spirit in which they are spoken. I will give to you, my errant son, what I have given to few others.
What do you give? Deep asked after a moment when the voice appeared to have finished speaking. Do you mean you’ll allow me to switch places with Kat? Please, Goddess, please, let it be so.
Remember my words, the voice whispered, not answering his question. Listen carefully that you may hide them deep in your heart. A war is coming—a conflict that will make the battles you have had with your enemy thus far seem like the battling of children at play with their toys.
Am I to play a part in it? Deep’s heart sank. Does that mean you won’t allow me to die in Kat’s place?
Many will have a part to play. Not least of all this one. The image of Kat melted away to be replaced by one of Xairn.
Him? Deep couldn’t help feeling doubtful. But he’s one of them—a Scourge.
Has he not conducted himself as a true Kindred would? the Goddess demanded. I tell you, Deep, this male is close to my heart. Much grief and pain has he borne, yet he remains bowed but not broken.
He did seem to revere Lauren as a proper male should his female, Deep admitted grudgingly. Still, I don’t see—
His heart is in conflict, the Goddess continued. Though I have planted light within him, there are seeds of darkness as well. The outcome of the conflict I spoke of will hang upon his will. Her voice grew stern again. I charge you, Warrior, that you give him aid if he asks it of you. That you help him in any way you can. And that you not speak of this until the time is right. Do you understand?
I understand. Deep wanted to ask how he would know when the time was right but he had a feeling the question was unnecessary. The Goddess would let him know when it was time to reveal what she had showed him. Until then, for however long he had, he would keep the secret in his heart.
A long, lonesome time, he thought, feeling an ache when he thought of Kat. An eternity without my Kat. Unless I am given the opportunity to speak at once and then I die in her place. Anything was possible, he supposed. He only hoped he wouldn’t have to live without the woman he loved and the brother that was still so dear to him—even if the emotional bonds between the three of them were cut.
It is time for you to return, the voice murmured in his ear. Remember all that I have told you. Remember that I give to you what few others receive.
But what…What
“Is it?” he finished aloud.
“Wh-what’s what?” Kat was sobbing uncontrollably and Lock was holding her in his arms with a look of pure misery on his face.
“Forgive me, my lady,” he murmured. “But I said nothing.”
“Yes you did.” She looked up at him, sniffing. “You…you said ‘what is it?”
Deep cleared his throat. “Actually, I said that.”
The expressions on their faces when they looked at him made Deep wish he had a recording device. Shock and dismay were followed by fear, disbelief, and finally, burgeoning hope.
“D-deep?” Kat whispered, her voice scratchy from crying. “Deep, is that you?”
“It certainly looks like it.” Glancing down at himself, Deep saw that he was still nude, though he and Lock were no longer fused or joined to Kat.
“Are you all right, Brother?” Lock’s voice sounded strained and hoarse. He put out a hand as though he could scarcely believe it. “Are you…really all right?”
Deep seized his hand and squeezed it tightly. “I feel fine, Brother. Never better.”
“Yes…” Lock looked at him in wonder. “You do feel fine. I feel it in my bones—your wellbeing. Your happiness to see us again.”
“What are you talking about?” Kat asked uncertainly.
“The bond. The emotional bond between us,” Deep said slowly. “I don’t know how it’s possible but it’s back. It’s been restored.”
“I…I think I can feel him too,” Kat said hesitantly. “Only I can hardly tell if it’s just me or both of you. I feel…I’m so filled with joy. And gratitude. Oh, Deep!” She threw herself into his arms and he caught her and held her tight. “You’re back. You’re really back and all right!” Her voice trembled with emotion.
“Yes, I am.” Deep stroked her shining hair gently, so filled with joy he could barely speak. But then he had a new thought. If he was back in his physical form with not a cut or a scratch on him, did it mean that the Goddess had decided not to let him trade places with Kat?
Surely she wouldn’t be that cruel, he thought, carefully shielding his thoughts. To bring me back and let me hold the woman I love and then take her away again. Oh, please Goddess…
Kat, who had had her face buried in his chest, pulled back to look up at him. “You’re upset now. What’s wrong?”
“Yes, what is troubling you, Brother?” Lock leaned forward, frowning.
“This.” Lifting Kat’s chin, Deep brushed his fingers over her right cheek…and then realized that it was smooth and unmarked. Had he mistaken which cheek had been wounded with the kusax? Quickly, he turned her chin to look at the other cheek—nothing. So the Goddess had honored his request. Knowing what he would see, Deep turned to look at the viewer which was still humming beside the bed. He examined the angular planes of his own cheeks and found…nothing.
So he wasn’t to trade places with Kat after all. Instead, they were both to live. The soul poisoning was gone. Healed. And the Goddess had restored their bonds. Oh thank you, Mother of All Life. Thank you so much!
Lock, who had been watching him and Kat in the viewer, seemed to realize what was going on at the same time. “My lady…” His voice trembled with joy and disbelief. “Kat, your cheek.”
“What?” She put a hand to her right cheek, frowning. “Has it spread some more?”
“No,” Deep brushed her hand aside and pointed at her reflection in the viewer. “It’s gone, little Kat. It’s completely gone.”
“Oh my God. What does that mean?” She examined her unblemished cheek in the mirror. “Has it moved somewhere else?” She looked down at the rest of her body and then examined herself in the viewer, looking for the green spiral of the soul poison.
Deep already knew she wouldn’t find a thing. A puff of air so soft that no one but him could hear it blew gently against his ear. I give to you what few others receive, Deep, it whispered. A second chance. Use it wisely and well. Love your lady and your brother and treat them with respect and kindness as a true Kindred should. And do not forget your promise.
I won’t, Deep sent, his heart filled to overflowing with gratitude. Thank you so very much, Goddess. I won’t forget.
“You won’t forget what?” Lock was frowning at him and Kat was still searching her body uncertainly.
“Stop.” Deep, lifted her chin and kissed her gently on the forehead. “Stop looking, little Kat. You’re not going to find anything—you’re cured.”
“Cured? Are you sure?” The light of hope shone in her eyes. “But how? By who?”
“By the same one who sent me back to both of you.” Deep hugged her tightly and then beckoned with his free arm to Lock. “Come here, Brother.”
Lock joined their embrace with tears in his eyes and they held Kat tightly between them in the way of the Twin Kindred when they find their true bride.
You’re ours now, little Kat, Deep sent her through the new and very permanent bond that had been formed in their joining. Mine and Lock’s forever.
You mean…we’re bonded? Completely bonded this time? She looked up at him, uncertainty filling her lovely blue eyes.
I hope you don’t mind, my lady, Lock sent anxiously. But it’s true—feel the depth of the bond between us. This connection is to the soul bond we shared previously as a rope is to a thread. It binds us tightly and permanently together.
Lock’s right, Deep told her. I’m afraid there’s no going back.
No going back? You idiots! Kat was laughing and crying at the sa
me time as she pulled them both close again. I don’t want to go back! I just want to spend the rest of my life with the two most wonderful guys in this or any other galaxy.
Oh? Deep raised an eyebrow at her. And who are they? Have we met them?
You…Kat shook her head, still laughing through her tears. I swear one of these days I’m going to kill you, Deep.
I’ve already died. He made his mental voice serious as he looked into her eyes. But I came back for you, little Kat. You and Lock. And to keep a promise.
“A promise?” Lock said aloud, frowning. “A promise to who?”
“Never mind.” Deep shook his head. “I’ll tell you when the time is right. And it isn’t yet.”
“I know what the time is right for.” Kat’s eyes were suddenly half-lidded with desire as she smiled up at him and Lock. “It’s time for another session of bonding sex between the three of us. I want to feel both of you in me again.”
Deep smiled. “You want to ‘renew our vows’ as they say on Earth, already?”
“Absolutely.” She smiled. “And do you think this time we could manage to do it without anybody being dead for a couple of minutes and giving the rest of us heart attacks?”
“I think that can be arranged, my lady.” Lock smiled and stroked a strand of silky red hair out of her eyes. “And this time I want to be in front.”
“You can both take turns being in front and back all night long.” Kat smiled and gave them each a long, slow kiss. “I drank a whole glassful of that bonding juice, remember? I don’t think the effects will be wearing off any time soon.”
“I hope not, little Kat,” Deep murmured as he and his brother lowered their bride gently to the bed and prepared to bond her to them all over again. “I certainly hope not.”
Epilogue
“So Sylvan gave you and Deep both a clean bill of health?” Olivia chose a homemade soft pretzel from the tray and added a tiny dollop of horseradish mustard before taking a big bite.
“Yup. We’re good to go—not a trace of soul poisoning anywhere.” Kat smiled happily.
“But how?” Sophie asked. “What healed you?”
“Mother L’rin told Deep that if the three of us had a bond we could dilute the poison. We didn’t think a bond was possible when we, ahem, had bonding sex, but apparently we formed one anyway. So that’s the official theory. But Deep seems to think there’s more to it.”
Like what?” Liv asked
“I don’t know and he’s not telling. I guess the important thing is that we’re all healthy and together.” Kat sighed happily. “I’m just so glad everything’s okay. And I can even act as their focus as often as I want—now that we’re bonded it’s safe. So it looks like I have a whole new career in front of me.”
“I thought you wanted to go to law school,” Sophie said.
“Nope. Having hot three-way sex in order to find missing persons is way more fun than torts and tax law.” Kat grinned.
“My, my. You’re grandmother will be so proud,” Liv said dryly, adding more mustard, a splash of soy sauce, and some creamy peanut butter to her next bite of pretzel.
“She’s just happy I’m not going to die,” Kat said seriously. “I don’t think she cares what I do for a living as long as I live.” She made a face as Liv added even more condiments to her pretzel. “Uh, don’t take this the wrong way, hon, but that looks disgusting.”
“It may look awful but it tastes like heaven.” Liv smiled.
“She’s been craving salty instead of sweet lately,” Sophie explained taking a dainty bite of her own soft pretzel. “I swear I’m going to become a master baker just trying to keep up with her pregnant whims.”
“You’re the best sister ever.” Olivia smiled at her gratefully. “And you’re the best friend,” she told Kat. “Although you should have told us the minute you knew you weren’t going to die instead of spending the rest of the night having wild three-way sex with your men.” Her gray eyes filled with tears. “Sophie and I sat up all night talking about how much we were going to miss you. And…and…” She sniffed. “Sorry. Hormones again.”
“Aw, Liv, I’m so sorry. Really I am!” Kat leaned over and hugged her. “I know it wasn’t very nice of me but I was so happy that Deep was back from the dead and I wasn’t going to die. Plus, I drank like a whole glass full of horny juice—you know, from the bonding fruit? And it kind of…clouded my judgment.”
Sophie shook her head. “You and that bonding fruit. I honestly think you’re addicted, Kat.”
“Better addicted to bonding fruit than pretzels with horseradish, soy sauce, and peanut butter,” Kat pointed out, laughing.
“I guess so.” Liv stopped eating and stared at her pretzel thoughtfully. “You know what this needs? Some hot sauce. Do you have any?”
“I don’t think so.” Sophie got up to look. “Tranq Prime food is pretty bland…except when it’s completely disgusting, which is most of the time. Sylvan doesn’t care much for condiments.”
“I can run get some from our suite if you want. I think I have a tiny little bottle of Tabasco somewhere,” Kat offered.
“No!” Sophie yelled at the same time Liv said, “Not on your life.”
Kat looked at them in surprise. “What? You changed your mind?”
Sophie came back to the couch looking sheepish. “No, it’s just that Liv and I made a pact not to let you out of our sight for a little while. Since every time you leave you wind up doing crazy things like getting soul bonded or poisoned.”
“We’d just feel safer if you stayed right here with us for awhile.” Olivia smiled and squeezed her hand.
“Fine with me,” Kat smiled and settled back against the comfortable cushions. “But if you want to keep me in your line of vision every single minute I’m afraid you’re going to have a fight on your hands. Deep and Lock are expecting me back in time for dinner…if we even manage to eat. I swear those two are insatiable.”
“Said the girl who can’t get enough kinky threesome sex,” muttered Liv.
“Liv!” Sophie nudged her sister and grinned. “We agreed we weren’t going to keep on teasing her all the time about that. We have better things to talk about.”
Olivia raised an eyebrow. “Than sex? I don’t think so.”
“How about how Lauren’s mom reacted to the news that her daughter is headed for the Maw Cluster—wherever that is,” Kat said soberly. “Do you guys think I was able to give her any hope at all? I feel so bad about the whole thing.”
“I think she took it reasonably well,” Sophie said thoughtfully, breaking off another piece of pretzel and popping it into her mouth.
“You told her that her daughter was safe and with a male she trusted. And that she’d be coming home eventually,” Liv spoke distractedly, busy with doctoring another pretzel into submission. “What about maple syrup, Sophie? Got any of that?”
“Actually, I do.” Sophie popped up again. “But please tell me you’re not going to mix it with soy sauce and horseradish.”
Liv gave her a mock glare. “Just get it. Anyway, as I was saying, Kat,” she continued. “You did the best you could. I mean, you risked your life to get that information. And I think Aunt Abby was grateful that you tried.” She sighed and took the maple syrup Sophie was offering her. “Thanks. Detective Rast is still coming up in a couple of days to check things out, though. I think he wants to make sure we’re not hiding Lauren somewhere on the ship or something.”
“What? Why would we do that?” Kat protested.
Liv shrugged as she added the syrup to her nightmare of a pretzel. “Dunno. I get the feeling he doesn’t quite trust the Kindred.”
“That’s because he doesn’t know them like we do,” Sophie said, watching as her twin took a big bite of the dripping concoction in her hand. “I swear I’m never going to bake for you again, Liv—you’re ruining my perfectly good pretzels.”
“I’m improving them,” Olivia corrected, licking her fingers. “God, that’s good! Anyway, Rast
should be here on Friday.”
“What? You never told me that!” Sophie put down her pretzel and frowned. “He’s going to be here right in the middle of my bonding ceremony.”
“You’re bonding ceremony?” Kat and Liv said at the same time.
“When were you going to tell us? Where are you going to hold it?” Kat demanded.
“And how do you think you’ll get an entire wedding together in just a few days?” Liv asked.
Sophie blushed. “It’s not going to be a big to-do, you guys. Just something small and intimate—only friends and family. And since Nadiah is on her way, we thought this would be the perfect time.”
“So she finally came of age?” Kat remembered the way Sophie had described Sylvan’s cousin, who had helped her out considerably on Tranq Prime. With her bubbly personality and multicolored hair she sounded like fun.
Sophie nodded. “Yup. Her mother is having a fit, too. Apparently she wants Nadiah to settle down and marry some stodgy full-blooded Prime guy they have all picked out for her. In fact, I think there was some kind of childhood engagement or something and she’s claiming Nadiah has no choice.”
“Is that true? Will she cave and marry him?” Olivia raised her eyebrows.
“Anyone else might but not Nadiah.” Sophie laughed. “She told me all that from Tranq Prime and then the next time I heard from her, she was aboard a cargo carrier bound for the Mother ship. So I’m guessing the Prince Charming dear old Mommy picked out is going to be left standing at the altar.”
“Well you won’t be.” Kat kissed her cheek impulsively. “You’re going to make a gorgeous bride, Sophie.”
“Thanks.” She smiled. “I just wish there was someone Nadiah could do the luck kiss with during the ceremony. I know it would give her such a thrill, but all of Sylvan’s brothers and second brothers are spoken for now.”
“Isn’t there anyone?” Liv asked, eyeing the last pretzel.
“Well, Sylvan does have an old friend he wants to ask but he’s having trouble getting hold of him. Apparently he’s doing some kind of religious retreat back on the original Kindred home world. You know—wearing special clothes, eating special foods, purifying himself. That kind of thing.” Sophie shrugged. “We’re hoping he’ll come but it’s kind of iffy right now. I told Nadiah not to expect too much but she says she’s just happy to be in the ceremony—even if she doesn’t get to kiss a Kindred.”
Brides of the Kindred Volume One: Books 1-4 Page 126
