Divided Read online

  Becca was very much afraid he was right but what could they do? Clearly Truth wasn’t prepared to forgive the emotional intrusion of the night before, but they couldn’t just leave him behind—they needed him. Vashtar had been very specific—the three of them were going to have to work together even if Truth hated their guts.

  “Well,” she said reluctantly. “I guess I’d better go pack. Sounds like I might have to borrow some cold weather things from some of the other girls. I never did get around to bringing my winter clothes up to the Mother Ship.”

  “You’ll probably be wearing protective gear for most of the trip. A rogue planet has no atmosphere because it gets stripped away when the planet is flung out of orbit.” Far looked thoughtful. “Still, it might be wise to bring some warm clothes. Clearly the inhabitants have some means of staying alive—maybe they have an atmosphere dome.”

  “Would that keep us warm?” Becca asked.

  “Warm enough to survive, maybe, but it still might be uncomfortably cold. It takes a lot of power to heat a dome and the citizens of Orthanx have been without an atmosphere for millennia. If I had to bet, I’d guess that whatever controlled environment they’re living in is on auxiliary power by now and putting out the bare minimum of heat and light.”

  Becca nodded. “Okay, like I said, I’ll be sure to bring something warm.”

  Far nodded shortly. “That’s probably wise. But don’t be too long—Sylvan is speaking to the Council even now. They’ll probably want us gone within the hour.”

  “See you soon, then,” Becca said and hurried off. Who could she borrow some winter clothes from? Liv and Sophia were out—they were too thin. Becca’s wide hips and full behind would never fit into their skinny clothes…

  Of course! I know just who to see… and maybe she can give me some advice too.

  Becca hoped, anyway.

  * * * * *

  “So you’re asking if I have any warm weather clothes?” Kat asked. “Why me?”

  “Because we’re almost the same size. Well, in the hips anyway,” Becca said.

  Kat snorted. “Yeah, you’re not nearly as big up top as me. Lucky for you, you don’t need to borrow my ‘over the shoulder boulder holder,’ as Liv calls my bra.”

  Becca smiled. “I guess you’re right—not that I’d try to borrow a bra anyway. Unless you have a fur lined one?”

  “Hmm, that would be really sexy.” Kat smiled. “I don’t have one but I might want to make one.”

  “Oh, do you sew?” Becca asked with interest.

  “Nope. Who needs a sewing machine when you’ve got a clothing pattern replicator?”

  “A what?”

  “This. Look.” Kat led her to a strange looking machine in the corner of her living area. It had a screen on one end and a wide slot with a tray at the other. “See…” Kat was rapidly typing something into the touch screen. “It has connections to the Earth and Kindred Internet. Anything you can think of you just type in the search engine. When you find what you want, you input your measurements and hit the replicate button.” She pressed a button and the machine began to hum. A moment later something popped out of the slot at the other end of the machine and landed in the tray. “Go on,” she nodded at Becca. “Pick it up.”

  Becca picked it up and burst out laughing. “You actually made a furry bra?” She held up the undergarment which had white fur covering the shoulder straps and the outside of the cups.

  Kat frowned. “Well, I wanted a fur lined one like we talked about but this was the closest thing I could find.”

  “Looks like something a cavewoman would wear in a really bad B movie,” Becca said, handing her the bra. “But this is amazing, Kat! I had no idea the Kindred had technology like this.”

  Kat grinned. “I know, right? We’re grateful for all the advances they’ve given us in science and medicine but I think this has to be my favorite piece of Kindred tech, hands down.”

  “It’s great,” Becca agreed. “So can you replicate me some warmer clothes?”

  “Sure, doll. And why don’t I make you some fur panties to go with the bra while I’m at it.” Kat winked at her. “If you’re going on a secret mission with your two guys, you want to have something hot and naughty to slip into—not just long underwear.”

  Becca bit her lip and looked away. “No…no, just some warmer clothes will be fine,” she said quietly.

  “Hey…” Kat peered at her anxiously. “What’s wrong? Are Truth and Far still at each other’s throats? I thought they made some real progress yesterday.”

  “They did.” Becca cleared her throat. “And they made even more, uh, progress after we saved Truth from being possessed last night.”

  “What?” Kat demanded. “You should have led with that instead of all the stuff you told me about the weird vision you guys had! Tell me all about it and don’t leave out any details.”

  Blushing, Becca recounted how she and Far had claimed Truth and cast the demon out, then the way things had turned sexual afterwards.

  “Truth seemed to feel so close to us after we came together to save him,” she said. “He was much more open to the idea of…of sharing.”

  “Sharing you, you mean,” Kat said.

  Becca nodded. “But I don’t know, maybe it went too far. I know I thought it did.”

  Kat frowned. “You didn’t do the deed, did you? I mean, you probably couldn’t have bonding sex without the fruit but you could still…you know.”

  “Oh, no—of course not! Nothing like that but we did…do some things I might not have done if I wasn’t so…if being between them didn’t make me so…”

  “So horny,” Kat finished for her matter-of-factly. “It’s all right, hon—you can say it. I like being between my guys too.”

  “But I shouldn’t.” Becca twisted her hands in her lap. “I mean, I swore to myself I wouldn’t go too far with them. And then I sort of just…lost all control.”

  Kat grinned. “That tends to happen around Kindred warriors for some reason. They’re so big and intense and sexy that before you know it you’re out of your panties and having the time of your life.”

  “That’s exactly what I shouldn’t be doing, though,” Becca exclaimed. “I know I promised to help them bond but this is going too far.”

  Kat looked thoughtful. “And yet, after you went ‘too far’ is when you had the vision, right?”

  Becca nodded reluctantly. “That is true.” She frowned. “And this Vashtar person said that he was finally able to get through to us because of the, uh, pleasure we took in each other.”

  Kat snapped her fingers. “See? And that follows what the Goddess said through Nadiah—she said that once the guys were bonded they would have true visions. Didn’t she?”

  “Um, something like that, I think.” Nadiah’s words came back to her… “Your visions hold the key. When you are bonded then they will reveal more than passing shadows.”

  “So don’t you see? By allowing Truth and Far to share you, you opened yourselves up to a vision that could possibly save the lives of every unmated Kindred on the Mother Ship.” Kat sounded excited. “So you’re doing the right thing, Becca, even if you feel guilty about it.”

  Becca shook her head. “I guess. I just can’t…I spent so much time trying to avoid these feelings. Trying to…to…”

  “To keep your virginity?” Kat raised an eyebrow at her.

  “No.” Becca sighed. “I know you probably have that idea of me because I was going to become a nun but I’m not a virgin, Kat.”

  “What? But isn’t that like, a requirement or something?”

  “For some orders, maybe. Mine simply demanded chastity and virtue. I haven’t been doing very well in either department lately.” Becca hung her head.

  “But can you tell me—I mean, if you don’t mind me asking—how…”

  “How did I lose my virginity?” Becca laughed sadly. “It’s a fairly standard story. My parents kept me in an all girls school right through high school and I was