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  “Who?” Rast frowned even as he climbed into the tiny structure. It was a good thing he wasn’t claustrophobic—his shoulders touched the walls on either side.

  “My twin. I’m sorry—didn’t Sylvan tell you about us? I’m Lock, his second brother.”

  “Nice to meet you.” Rast nodded.

  “You as well.” Lock studied him intently. “Forgive me for asking, but did you know our father? Our second father, I should say—Sylvan and Baird’s sire.”

  Rast shook his head. “How would I know your father?”

  “He was one of the First Kindred, from the home planet—there aren’t many of them left, you know. And with eyes that color of green, I thought…but obviously I was mistaken.”

  “What does my eye color have to do with anything?” Rast was thoroughly confused by now but the warrior was already punching a series of commands into the panel of buttons on the side of the tube.

  “Never mind—we’re just glad to have you here.” He smiled at Rast. “It’s a bumpy ride but it doesn’t take long. Deep will meet you at the end and get you dressed.”

  “Get me dressed in what?” Rast demanded but the silver door had already whooshed shut before he could get an answer. With a jerk, the tiny tube began to move and there was no time to think—it was all he could do to hold on for dear life and hope he made it safely to wherever Commander Sylvan was waiting for their interview.

  Chapter Three

  Lauren stared at the tall man with pale blond hair and strange purple eyes apprehensively. “How do you know my name?”

  “Many things are known to me, my dear Lauren. But let me introduce myself. My name is Anik Blix but my business associates call me The Spider.” He made a sweeping bow and rose to give her a charming smile.

  “Why do they call you that?” Lauren crossed her arms over her chest protectively. “Are you a splicer? Do you cut people up like flies and suck out their DNA or something?”

  “Heavens no!” Blix looked suitably horrified. “I am a purveyor of beauty. They call me Spider because once I have a customer in my web of goodies, they have no chance to escape without buying.” He smiled. “A little joke, don’t you see?”

  “Uh, well that’s really nice but I don’t have anything to buy or sell so if you wouldn’t mind leaving…” She nodded at the door.

  “On the contrary, my dear.” Blix took a step toward her. “I believe you have some valuable commodities here. Some very valuable commodities indeed.”

  Lauren backed away. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Of course you do.” He took another step toward her and Lauren shrank back. If only she had a weapon of some kind! Xairn had left her the finger-sized stunner but there were no pockets in the voluminous silver muumuu so she didn’t have anyplace to put it. She’d been keeping it on the counter across from the rehydrator machine but now the tall blond alien was blocking her way.

  Blix leaned over her, so close that she could smell the strange, musty scent of his breath. Lauren was about to knee him and hope that it would hurt a male of his species as much as it would a human, when he suddenly reached past her and threw open the cupboard above her head with a flourish. “Food cubes!” he announced in the ecstatic tones of a prospector striking gold. “Genuine Kindred food cubes.” He turned to Lauren. “I knew it—you have hundreds. They’re quite valuable, you know.”

  “They are?” Lauren put a hand to her chest to still her pounding heart. “So that’s what this is all about? That’s what you’re interested in—just the food cubes?”

  “But of course!” Blix laughed. “What else would I want?”

  “I…I don’t know.” There was no way she was going to tell him she’d been afraid he wanted her.

  “I was certain you would have some in a vessel like this. They always stocked this particular model with plenty to spare.” Blix looked around the small ship approvingly. “But you didn’t seem inclined to let me in—which was why I created a small, ah, illusion, to facilitate my entrance into your lovely ship.”

  Lauren shook her head. “I still don’t understand how you were able to do that. How did you make yourself look exactly like a rabbit? Like…”

  “Like Mr. Kittles?” He raised one pale blond eyebrow at her. “It wasn’t hard at all, my dear. You think very loudly. You really should try to stop that.”

  “I do?” Lauren put a hand to her temple and frowned. “But what about the weird dragon thing that was after you?”

  “All part of the illusion.” Blix assured her.

  “Illusion? But that thing was real. The door cut off a piece of its tongue.” Launre pointed to the slimy black chunk still twitching on the metal floor.

  “That did smart a bit.” Blix went to stand by the chunk of tongue. Pointing one foot delicately, he touched it with the toe of his brown boot. There was a faint but disgusting sucking sound and the slimy mess was somehow suddenly absorbed into his foot. “It was me,” he explained as Lauren’s eyes got wide. “All of it. The bunny, the dragon—this form too. Don’t I look slightly familiar?”

  Lauren looked at him, frowning. “If you had brown eyes instead of purple I’d say you looked like a grown up version of—”

  “Scott Snyder—the first boy you ever kissed.” Blix smiled at her, his purple eyes flashing briefly brown. “He was a senior and you were just a freshman. You weren’t supposed to be out with him at all but you couldn’t resist—he was forbidden fruit. And the way he kissed. Just thinking about it still makes your toes curl, doesn’t it, my dear? Positively yummy.”

  “Don’t do that.” Lauren frowned. “Don’t go into my head. I don’t like that.”

  “I beg your pardon,” Blix managed to sound contrite and amused at the same time. “I didn’t mean to upset you. On the contrary—I wish to put you at ease.”

  “Well you’re not doing a very good job.” Lauren put a hand on her hip. “Look, it was nice of you to drop in and all but my, uh…” She started to say ‘boyfriend’ but that description of Xairn didn’t really fit. “My protector who happens to be a very large, aggressive Scourge warrior will be back at any second,” she continued. “So it’s probably better if you leave. Now.”

  “Very well.” Blix nodded humbly. “I realize that I used trickery to gain entry to your ship and my harmless little illusion has made you angry so I will go. But please consider doing business with me in the future. For just a few of those food cubes I’d be willing to give you enough creds to live comfortably here in O’ah for a year.”

  “A year?” Lauren looked at the cupboard filled with cubes uncertainly. It wasn’t like she could eat them all. And maybe she could just sell him the ones that rehydrated into worms. Those she was never going to eat. If Xairn really was gone, she’d need a way to survive. No, don’t think like that. He’s not really gone—he’ll be back. But she was no longer so sure.

  “Indeed.” Blix nodded gravely. “And a year on my planet is the length of five of your Earth years. As a token of my good faith and willingness to do business with you, please accept these.” With a flourish, he produced what looked like a stack of colorful scarves from beneath his purple cloak and pressed them into Lauren’s hands.

  “What are they?” She frowned at the neatly folded bundle.

  “Contemporary fashions from the Narn district right here in the city. If you put them on, you can blend right in at the marketplace.” Blix sniffed delicately. “I’m afraid the outfit you have on now would brand you as something of a country bumpkin. Only peasants and old ladies would wear such a thing.”

  Lauren looked down at the shapeless silver-blue muumuu and made a face. “Yeah, on my planet too.”

  “Well then.” Blix smiled at her and made a low bow. “I’ll take my leave. But please feel free to visit my booth in the marketplace. It’s just to the right of the mouth of the alley. And bring a few food cubes if you’re willing to sell. Only…” He hesitated dramatically.

  “Only what?” Lauren asked, tryi
ng not to sound impatient. Though Blix was turning out to be harmless, she still didn’t like him invading her space.

  “Only you’ll need to come today if you want to make a sale. I’m leaving the district tomorrow for an interstellar buying trip and I won’t be back for quite awhile—what would amount to a year in your Earth time.”

  Lauren bit her lip. “I don’t know…”

  “Well, take your time and think about it.” Blix smiled. “I’m sure you have enough food cubes to keep you alive until I come back. I mean if your paramour never returns, which is a distinct possibility since he has gone to the splicing district alone.”

  “Stop that.” Lauren put a hand to her head. “I told you I don’t like it. And Xairn is fine. I know he is.” She lifted her chin, trying to make herself believe it.

  “Forgive me. A force of habit and nothing more, I assure you.” He made another bow. “If you wish to do business with me, I’m just around the corner, as you know.”

  Lauren frowned indecisively. “But I was told not to leave the ship under any circumstances.”

  “Very wise advice—as long as your lover is here to serve as a go-between to the outside world. Of course if you’re on your own—and I’m sorry, my dear, but you very well may be—you’ll need to get out and learn to fend for yourself. You’re sitting on a goldmine here.” He nodded at the cabinet full of food cubes. “But you can’t do anything about it if you just stay inside your ship and eat up all the profits.”

  “All right. But, uh, is it safe? For me to go out there alone?”

  “As long as you blend in.” He nodded at the stack of colorful clothes in her hands. “Wear those and you won’t have any problems. If anyone asks, say you’re an associate of mine and they’ll treat you appropriately.” He pressed the release for the door to the ship and it slid open silently. “I hope to see you soon, Lauren. Until then I bid you adieu.”

  He stepped to the open doorway and shimmered as he had before. Suddenly Mr. Kittles was back, his whiskers twitching. The rabbit bowed low again and then hopped down the steps and into the dim alley where he disappeared into the violet gloom.

  * * * * *

  Xairn finally reached the edge of the splicing district, his lungs burning in his chest. The plasti-glass tube he was in ended abruptly and his forward momentum almost took him over the edge. He gripped the sides of the tube tightly and looked down into the purple gloom hundreds of feet below, searching desperately for an air-cab or a cloud cushion which would have been the fastest way down. But neither was apparent.

  He cursed softly in his native tongue. There was no time to wait around, hoping for quick transportation. Lauren was in danger. Even now she might be—Xairn cut off that train of thought ruthlessly. He couldn’t think about what might be happening to her. Not if he didn’t want to go completely mad. He would have to climb down the long, latticed tube support system and hope he got to her in time.

  “Should have told her more,” he muttered to himself as he swung out onto the ledge and gripped the first slippery metal rung tightly. He felt for a lower rung with his foot and found it, his boot scraping against it loudly in the empty air. “Should have told her what goes on in this damn city.”

  Yes, he should have told her more. Should have told her the reason she shouldn’t go outside the ship. Most of all, he should have told her the reason she shouldn’t bargain or trade with anyone. But he hadn’t wanted to frighten her. Hadn’t wanted to tell her that the splicing sheds weren’t the worst place a visitor to O’ah could end up if they weren’t careful.

  “Be careful, Lauren,” he begged under his breath as he began the long, dizzying descent. Not for the first time, he wished he had a telepathic link with her, like the Kindred had with their brides. It would be so convenient to be able to contact her mind-to-mind. Of course that kind of intimacy only came with bonding and he knew no female as beautiful and perfect as Lauren would want to bond with a Scourge. Especially not one with such twisted urges…

  Stop it. Stop thinking about it and concentrate on climbing. One wrong move and you’ll be splattered like a bug on the pavement. Who will help Lauren then? Who will save her from that bastard, the Spider?

  Xairn knew the answer to that question—no one. He had brought Lauren to a strange and dangerous planet lightyears from her home and she had come with him willingly and trustingly. Because he had promised to keep her safe. When he had made that promise, Xairn had thought the worst thing he’d have to protect her from was himself. The dark desires she woke in him made him fearful and wary of getting too close to the tempting little female. But the things Spider would do to her…

  Don’t think about it. Just climb!

  Xairn tried to take his own advice but it was hard. So damn hard when he knew she was in terrible danger and there was nothing he could do to help her.

  Be safe, Lauren, he thought, wishing he could send the thought across space and somehow reach her. Be safe and whatever you do, stay inside the ship!

  Chapter Four

  “Good, you’re finally here.” A Kindred warrior with coal black hair and eyes dragged Rast out of the transport tube. “I’m Deep, Lock’s brother. Cutting things a little close, aren’t you?”

  Rast was so dizzy from the jerky motion of the tube he was seeing double for a moment. “What are you talking about?” he growled, frowning at the warrior. “I came on the day we agreed on.”

  “Yes but these things always take time to prepare for, no matter how ‘simple and elegant’ they’re supposed to be. But that’s how it goes when it comes to Earth females.” The warrior called Deep sounded like he was complaining but there was a fond smile on his face as he spoke. “Well, come on—you’re here now and that’s what counts. But you can’t wear that.”

  Rast frowned down at the conservative black pants and gray sports jacket he was wearing. “Excuse the hell out of me. I didn’t realize seeing Commander Sylvan was such a formal occasion or I would have brought my tux.”

  Deep shook his head. “That wouldn’t be appropriate attire either. Didn’t anyone tell you the males are all wearing the native costume of Tranq Prime?”

  Rast was getting more and more irritated. “No. I don’t know what the hell the ‘native costume’ is and I don’t have one with me either. So I guess I’ll have to see him as is.”

  “And ruin everything? I don’t think so.” Deep glared at him. “Lucky for you, I have an extra tharp and some boots Sylvan said should fit you on hand. Come to the changing area and hurry—we don’t have long to get to the sacred grove.”

  Before Rast could protest, the large Kindred had turned and was leading the way through a park-like expanse of green and purple grass. They appeared to be headed toward a sheltered area filled with well tended trees where presumably Commander Sylvan was waiting. It was irritating in the extreme, but it seemed there was little choice but to follow him.

  * * * * *

  “Oh my God, Sophie—he’s here.” Kat rushed back into the changing area bubbling with excitement.

  “Who’s here?” Olivia asked. “Sylvan’s friend?”

  Kat nodded. “Lock just bespoke me. He got him off the shuttle and sent him through the transport tube to Deep. He’s getting dressed right now.”

  “Thank God!” Sophie looked relieved. “But the ceremony’s about to start. Will he be ready in time?”

  “Don’t worry about that,” Kat said. “Deep says he’ll shove him in a tharp and sneak him into line right beside Baird and no one will even notice. Because all eyes will be on you, my darling gorgeous Sophie.”

  Sophie smiled and Nadiah, who had been standing quietly in the corner of the changing tent thought that she really did look radiantly lovely.

  “So you were right,” Olivia said, turning to her with a friendly smile. “He did make it here on time.”

  “I knew he would,” Nadiah said quietly.

  Olivia arched an eyebrow at Kat. “And are his eyes green like Nadiah, uh, forsaw?”

 
“Hang on, I’ll ask.” Kat put a hand to her temple and closed her eyes briefly. Clearly she was using the mental link all Kindred brides got when they bonded to their males to communicate with one of her mates. She opened her eyes after a second. “Yup. Lock says his eyes are truegreen—the color of the First Kindred males. The ones who started out on the Kindred home world before they made any genetic trades.”

  “Wasn’t Sylvan and Baird’s father a First Kindred?” Olivia asked.

  Sophie nodded. “I’m pretty sure he was. It’s too bad he died before we got to know our guys.” She turned to Nadiah. “You really predicted that perfectly—I’m impressed.”

  “Thank you.” Nadiah beamed. Her grandmamam had told her there would be skeptics if she revealed her powers and she had been right. It was nice to feel vindicated.

  “So is he one of the First Kindred?” Kat asked curiously. “I mean, could you see that when you, uh, forsaw him?”

  Nadiah frowned. “The Sight can be tricky—it’s not like someone injecting a huge dose of information into your head. I see things—mostly in dreams or visions—and I have to interpret them. But I did get a glimpse of his standing before the throne of the Mother of All Life wearing the ceremonial robes of the First Kindred.”

  “That doesn’t prove anything,” Olivia objected. “He was just there on a pilgrimage.”

  Nadiah shrugged. “I can only tell you what I saw. And the only other glimpse I got was of me kissing him.”

  “The luck kiss.” Sophie smiled sentimentally. “It seems like just yesterday I was scared to death about having to perform it with Sylvan.”

  “Well, I’m not scared.” Nadiah gave her a grin. “I’ve been looking forward to my first Kindred kiss since I was a little girl. I promise you, Sophie, I’ll make sure your union to Sylvan starts off with a bang.”