Stress Relief Read online

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  Saber watched her go and had to force himself not to follow. She is nothing to you now, he reminded himself for the hundredth time. She’s a kinswoman—a member of the same clan. She’s off limits.

  Still, he ached to go and comfort her, as he used to back when they were attending the same school and the bullies came after her. He wanted to fight to defend her honor, to keep her safe and protect her at all costs. If wearing the ridiculous skintight trousers and the black leather leash was the only way he could stay by her side and guard her, he would gladly do it. Why did it bother Lissa so much?

  He wished he could ask her but his hands were tied—he had promised her he would keep his distance emotionally during their mission and he had to keep that promise. He shouldn’t even have called her amalla, but the endearment had just slipped out.

  Even if he could have gone after her, it was awkward to try and comfort someone you couldn’t actually touch. Any kind of touching—physical or mental—between male and female members of the same tribe of the Touch Kindred was forbidden. In the past, Saber had broken that taboo but he couldn’t do it again—not now and not ever again. The thought made his chest tight.

  “Oh dear.” Kat sighed, breaking his train of thought. “I’m sorry,” she said to Saber. “I was going to see if your outfit needed any alterations but I think I need to go check on Lissa.”

  He nodded silently and she bustled away, calling his kinswoman’s name. He turned, intending to go back into the small guest bathroom and change back into his normal clothing, when the door to the suite opened again and two large males walked in. One had light brownish blond hair and brown eyes and the other had black hair and black eyes. Saber had never met them but he guessed from the holo-pics he saw scattered around the living area they must be the Twin Kindred Kat was mated to.

  Saber was standing in the shadowed hallway that led to the bathroom and at first the two were too busy arguing to notice him.

  “I told you, Lock” the dark twin said in an angry tone. “She’s ashamed of us.”

  “She’s not—she never would be,” the light twin protested in a low, vehement voice. “She’s just been distracted by everything else going on lately. You know she’s become the unofficial coordinator of every special event in our immediate circle lately, Deep. It keeps her busy.”

  “Too busy to introduce us to her kin? To busy to—” The dark twin stopped abruptly, appearing to notice Saber for the first time. “Hey—who are you and what the hell are you doing in our suite dressed like that?” His eyes narrowed. “Where’s Kat? If you’ve hurt her—”

  “I’m Saber,” Saber said quickly, stepping forward and holding out both hands, palms up, in a gesture of friendship. “Forgive me for startling you—I’m not here to harm anyone. Your bride was simply helping me prepare for my mission.”

  The light twin snapped his fingers. “You’re the Touch Kindred Baird has been telling us about. The one who’s been addressing the Council and speaking on behalf of Rast about the Hoard problem.”

  “I have been charged with speaking with the Councilor’s voice, that’s true.” Saber nodded his head in agreement.

  The dark twin frowned. “Well Rast may trust you but I don’t. I don’t like having a Touch Kindred on the ship—especially not around my female.”

  “Take it easy, Lock,” his brother said soothingly. “Baird says he felt the same way at first but both Rast and Sylvan have spoken for Saber and he’s promised not to use his Touch abilities on any female while he’s on board.”

  “A promise I have scrupulously kept.” Saber frowned at the glaring dark twin. “If you knew how intimate a mind Touch is, you’d realize I would no more use it on an unknown female than you would go around fondling females you didn’t know at random.”

  Deep continued to frown. “That’s exactly what I’m afraid of. The stories I’ve heard—”

  “Don’t apply to me,” Saber finished for him. “Look, I know you’re not thrilled to have me aboard—none of the other Kindred males are. But I’m here on a mission and I have no interest in molesting any of your females, either physically or mentally.”

  “You should give him some credit, Deep” Locke, the light twin told his brother reasonably. “He has behaved honorably so far. And besides, you’re the last one I’d think would be predisposed to think the worse of our new brother. You and Xairn get along fine and he’s Scourge.”

  “That’s different,” Deep growled. “Xairn doesn’t have the ability to go around Touching every innocent female he sees with his mind.”

  Saber felt a surge of irritation. “Let me ask you something, brother,” he said, frowning at the dark twin. “Would you say you’re physically stronger than any female on the Mother Ship?”

  Deep nodded shortly. “Of course. We love our Earth brides and they have great strength of character but physically, they’re no match for us.”

  “So you could, if you wanted, go around raping every female you saw,” Saber pointed out. “I mean, you have the physical strength to do it, don’t you?”

  “You sick bastard,” Deep snarled. “I would never—”

  “I wouldn’t either,” Saber said quietly.

  “I think what he’s trying to say is that just because you have the ability to do something, doesn’t mean you’ll do it,” Locke said.

  “I know what he’s saying.” Deep shot him a mistrustful look. “I just don’t like the way he’s saying it. And I don’t like him being alone with Kat.”

  “I’m not.” Saber held out his hands again, still silently asking for peace. He could understand the dark twin’s anger—after all, he wouldn’t want Lissa to be alone with a strange male, especially not one dressed as he was right now. “Lissa my…my kinswoman is here as well.”

  “Kinswoman?” Locke frowned.

  “Sister. My little sister.” The words seemed to stick in Saber’s throat but he forced himself to say them anyway. After all, by the laws of his people they were true, even if his heart told him otherwise. “She is to be part of the mission to recover the stolen scrolls which were sold to a collector on Yonnie Six.”

  “Yonnie Six, huh?” Deep looked him up and down again. “Well that explains the way you’re dressed, at least. You know what they do to males on that planet?”

  “I’m aware, yes,” Saber said stonily. “I could hardly put on a collar and leash and not have some idea of what I’m getting into.”

  “You’re very brave,” Locke said quietly. “The Yonnites have the correct physical characteristics to make a genetic trade with us but we’ve never even approached them because of the barbaric ways they treat their males. Yet you’re going among them voluntarily.”

  “That does take courage,” Deep said grudgingly. “I don’t know if I could do it. Don’t know if I could submit so completely.”

  Saber took a deep breath. “I don’t expect it to be easy. But I have to keep Lissa safe. For her I would do anything—dare anything. Submit to anything.”

  Deep cocked an eyebrow at him. “You may have to keep that pledge before long. I hope you mean it.”

  “I do.” Saber thought of Lissa, of her wide jade green eyes still so innocent, of her tender pink lips which had never been kissed. They were going to an ugly place—it was opulent and extravagantly wealthy to be sure. But from what he had learned, Yonnie Six was seething with depravity and corruption. He was determined to protect not only Lissa’s life, but her virtue and innocence as well. No matter what it takes, he told himself.

  “She’s more than just a sister to you, isn’t she?” Locke said quietly.

  “Of course not.” Saber shifted uneasily. “We would never…I mean, by the rules of my people…”

  “Uh-huh,” Deep rumbled sarcastically. “She’s just your sister but you’re willing to die for her even though you don’t love her at all. Keep telling yourself that. It’s so obviously true.”

  Saber frowned. “There is no blood relation between myself and Lissa.
But we are connected by more than blood—by the ties of clan and adoption I am her older brother. Nothing can ever happen between us. Nor do I want it to.”

  “Are you sure?” Locke looked at him earnestly. “No one will judge you here, brother. No offense but we find your people’s laws both archaic and much too stringent.”

  “Our ways of thinking may seem outmoded to you but they are the ways I have to return to once this mission is completely,” Saber said stiffly.

  Locke raised both hands in a gesture of reconciliation. “Just trying to help.”

  Saber merely nodded, not trusting himself to speak. As if I needed help to feel more for Lissa than I should!

  “We’d better go find Kat,” Deep said, frowning slightly. He nodded shortly at Saber. “Good luck with your trip to Yonnie Six. I wish you success in your…submission.”

  “Deep…” Lock threw his twin a reproachful glance. “I’m sorry, Saber. Please forgive my brother’s rudeness and accept our best wishes for your mission.”

  “Thank you,” Saber said stiffly. “Excuse me, I need to change.” He turned to go but Deep’s voice followed him down the hallway.

  “You might as well just leave the leash and collar on. You’re going to have to get used to it on Yonnie Six.”

  Saber felt tension creep into his shoulders but he refused to rise to the bait. Clearly the dark twin was spoiling for a fight but Saber was not the one to give it to him. A lifetime of controlling his emotions and restraining his abilities helped him keep his cool. Still, Deep’s sarcastic remark burned. Exactly how far would he have to go with this ruse in order to protect Lissa?

  All the way, he told himself as he turned into the bathroom and looked at the black leash and collar encircling his throat. I’ll go all the way if I have to.