Brides of the Kindred Volume One Read online

  “Do you usually have more than one prophetic dream in a night?” Sylvan asked.

  She shook her head. “No, not usually. But nothing about this is usual for me. I’ve only had the gift for a short time.”

  “Let’s trust that one dream a night is your limit.” Sylvan smiled gently and came to sit beside Sophia on the side of Nadiah’s bed. “Come, close your eyes and I’ll sing to you.”

  “All right.” Reluctantly, Nadiah lay back on the bed and allowed Sophia to tuck the covers around her again. Sylvan hummed experimentally and then his warm, soft baritone filled the quiet room.

  “Sleep my little one,

  Close your eyes and rest.

  Night has come and the grotto is dark.

  Follow your dreams to Hush-a-Bye Mountain.

  Climb to the top

  And make your best wish.

  The stars overhead will speak if you listen

  And the moonlight will carry you home.

  Sleep little one, sleep little one

  And the moonlight will carry you home.”

  When he was finished, he leaned over and kissed Nadiah’s forehead exactly as he used to when she was a tiny, frightened girl. It made her smile and she noticed that Sophie was smiling too.

  “You have a beautiful voice,” she murmured to Sylvan as he rose to leave. “Why haven’t you ever sung for me before?”

  He shrugged. “You never asked.”

  “Well you can bet I’ll be asking from now on.” She looked at Nadiah. “Are you all right now? Or would you like me to sit with you until you can get back to sleep?”

  “I’m all right.” Nadiah smiled at her. “Although…if you want to stay a little while I don’t mind.”

  “I’ll stay.” Sophia looked up at her mate. “You go back to bed, hon. I’ll be there in a bit.”

  “All right.” He looked at Nadiah. “Sleep well, my kin. We’re just in the next room if you have another vision.”

  Nadiah shivered. “I hope I won’t. But thank you, Sylvan. And thanks for the song.”

  “Anytime.” He grinned. “As long as you don’t tell Baird and Deep and Lock about it.”

  “I’ll keep it to myself,” Nadiah vowed solemnly. “After all, if they knew what a sweet voice you have, they’d all be wanting a lullaby before bedtime.”

  Sophia burst out laughing. “Sorry, I just had this mental image of all three of those huge Kindred warriors tucked into one bed with Sylvan serenading them.”

  Nadiah laughed too. “That would be a sight.”

  “And on that note, I am leaving.” Sylvan smiled. “No pun intended.”

  After he left, Nadiah squeezed Sophia’s hand. “Thank you so much for letting me stay here in your suite. I was afraid I’d get in your way at first but now I’m really glad I took your offer.”

  “You’re never in the way,” Sophia said. “And just think, if you hadn’t stayed with us I never would have found out what a gorgeous voice Sylvan has.”

  “Yes you would have,” Nadiah protested. “As soon as you have children he’ll be singing them to sleep just like he sang to me when I was young.”

  Sophia looked troubled. “I hope you’re right. I really do.”

  “Did I say something wrong?” Nadiah asked worriedly. “I’m sorry.”

  “No, hon, there’s nothing to be sorry for.” Sophia gave her hand a squeeze. “It’s just that Sylvan and I have been trying for awhile and I still haven’t gotten pregnant. I mean, it’s probably not a big deal. I just wish I was going to have a little boy like Liv is.”

  “Of course you do.” Nadiah sat up in bed and looked at her earnestly. “Then they can play together and be like brothers.”

  “Exactly.” Sophia smiled. “You understand.”

  “I want sons too,” Nadiah said. “Not right away, of course. And certainly not with that horrible Yo-dah my parents picked out for me.” She shivered. “I want my first sex to be special and perfect. And if I wind up with him…Ugh, it would be like making love with a skinny, obnoxious tree.”

  Sophia laughed. “Nadiah, you crack me up.”

  Nadiah looked at her anxiously. “Are there cracks in your skin? Did I put them there?”

  Sophia shook her head. “No, silly—I meant you’re funny. You make me laugh. Sorry—I guess the translation bacteria doesn’t cover everything, huh?”

  Nadiah shook her head. “Not everything but I usually manage to get what you mean from the context.” She sighed. “I’m just tired right now.”

  “Well go to sleep.” Sophia pushed Nadiah’s hair away from her forehead. Her hand felt cool and soothing. “And try to have good dreams this time.”

  “I don’t try to have the visions—they just come to me,” Nadiah said fretfully. “I wish the Goddess had not chosen me for the Sight.”

  “She must have done it for a reason,” Sophia said reasonably. She looked troubled. “Maybe…maybe you can stop him before he takes another girl.”

  “If I can get anyone to listen to me.” Nadiah shook her head. “But from Detective Rast’s reaction I get the feeling that your law enforcement personal aren’t likely to believe anything I say.”

  “Unfortunately not.” Sophia frowned. “But I promise you, Nadiah, if you have another one of these…these visions and it shows someone being taken, we’ll do everything we can to stop it. With or without help from the police or Rast or anybody else.”

  “All right.” The idea put Nadiah’s mind at ease. “Thank you, Sophie,” she said, smiling up at the mate of her kin. “You’re going to make a wonderful mother someday. And don’t worry too much about it not happening yet—sometimes it takes awhile with Blood Kindred.”

  Sophia smiled. “You would know. You’re the expert on them, right?”

  “I’ve done a little research,” Nadiah admitted, smiling. It had been her ambition to be mated to a Kindred warrior—especially a Blood Kindred—from the time she was a little girl. Of course, her parents would be horrified at the thought of her polluting her pure blood lines by joining with a Kindred but Nadiah didn’t care. The huge, virile warriors were her ideal and even if they hadn’t been, anyone would have been better than the skinny, sniveling Yo-dah her parents had promised her to.

  “Research, huh?” Sophia grinned. “Well then, go back to sleep and try to dream about your ‘research’ and the perfect Kindred warrior who’s going to sweep you off your feet.”

  “All right.” Nadiah snuggled back into bed and sighed. “Good night, Sophie.”

  “Good night, sleep tight.” Sophia smiled as she left the room, closing the door gently behind her.

  Nadiah closed her eyes and tried not to dwell on the disturbing vision that had disrupted her sleep. Please Goddess, she prayed silently. Be with that girl. Protect her or at least let her torment be swiftly over. And please help me to prevent this from happening again. If you have given me this gift for a reason, please help me to use it wisely.

  She felt a sense of peace after she prayed, as though the Goddess of All Life was listening. But sleep still eluded her. Turning on her side, she tried to picture the perfect Blood Kindred warrior. He would be tall and strong and he would sweep her off her feet and go with her to Tranq Prime to challenge the blood bond between herself and her betrothed. Then he would take her back with him to the Mother ship and they would live happily ever after in mated bliss just like Sophia and Sylvan.

  But somehow, no matter how hard she tried to picture her perfect Kindred, he was always wearing the face of that annoying Detective Rast.

  Nadiah fell asleep frowning but at least she had no more dreams.

  Chapter Twenty-two

  “Good morning.” Nadiah smiled as Sylvan came into the dining area. She and Sophia were already up and enjoying a traditional Earth breakfast. Well, traditional to Sophia’s part of Earth, anyway. Apparently different regions of the planet had different cuisines.

  Nadiah wasn’t a big fan of the yellow fluffy stuff the mate of her kin had called scrambled e