Brides of the Kindred Volume One Read online

  “I know I am,” Kat said confidently. “Now go get ready! He should be there at any minute.”

  “Okay. Kat?”

  “Yes?”

  “Thank you.” Lauren wished she could give her a hug. “Thanks so much for helping me.”

  “That’s all right,” Kat said cheerfully. “You can pay me back in cupcakes. Talk to you later!”

  And with that, the connection was broken as suddenly at it had been established.

  “God, I don’t have much time,” Lauren muttered, hurrying to change. She had told Kat earlier that she’d made certain arrangements in case Xairn ever did come home and buying just the right outfit was one of them. She hadn’t been sure when she was shopping for it that she’d ever have the chance to wear it. Now she couldn’t wait to put it on.

  She stripped and then grabbed the red see-through outfit from the top drawer of her small dresser. She pulled it on quickly and then went into the bathroom to look at herself in the mirror.

  When she was looking for just the right ‘welcome home’ outfit, Lauren had considered many different styles. She’d tried on a lot of black leather and white lace but neither seemed to fit the bill. Finally she’d found the gauzy red top and pants combo at an upscale costume shop in downtown Sarasota. It was meant to be a harem costume straight out of the Arabian Nights and it suited her perfectly.

  The blouse had long sleeves and a low cut, scooping neckline which stopped just above her nipples. A red bikini-type top was supposed to go under the silky material but Lauren didn’t even consider wearing it. She had one chance to get Xairn back—she wasn’t about to play hard to get. Her bare breasts could be seen through the translucent red material, clearly displaying one of the changes she’d made in preparation for his homecoming. She hoped he would be pleased by what she’d done but at the very least she knew he would be surprised.

  The bottom of the outfit was a pair of loose, blousy pants made of the same silky see-through crimson material and gathered into cuffs at the ankles. They had come with a tiny red thong to wear underneath but Lauren had left it in the drawer along with the bikini top that was supposed to go under the blouse. She was going to be completely bare beneath the naughty outfit. Completely bare and completely irresistible—she hoped.

  Instead of a button and zipper, the pants had a long slit down the center of the crotch and a silk cord tie at the waist. When tied in a bow, the cord kept the pants closed but the unfastened slit in the crotch offered easy access to a seeking hand.

  And God, Lauren certainly hoped that Xairn’s hands would be seeking! Seeking, touching, feeling and exploring every part of her body. Already she was feeling hot and bothered, her nipples hard and her pussy throbbing with need. The fruit that Kat had given her to eat was really working on her! Not to mention the fact that she loved Xairn and couldn’t wait to see him again.

  Suddenly, she had a spasm of anxiety. If he won’t make love to me I’m really going to be in trouble! Then again, if he left her for good, never to return, she was going to have a lot worse problems to deal with than just a terminal case of horniness.

  Taking a deep breath, Lauren went to the bowl on the kitchen counter and took out the last, triangular fruit. Kat had given her several of them, telling her that they were usually reserved for brides called by the Twin Kindred. She’s also warned about eating too many of them—something she herself had apparently done on at least one very memorable occasion. Still, Lauren had wanted to be prepared so she’d eaten all but one. Now she looked at the last fruit, clutched in the palm of her hand.

  “Oh, what the hell,” she murmured and took a big bite.

  The juicy, sweet fruit had barely hit her tongue before the doorbell rang. Little One started barking immediately but Lauren shushed her. “Stay,” she told the puppy in a shaking voice. Could it really be Xairn already? There was only one way to find out.

  Clutching the fruit in one hand, her heart beating so hard she was sure it was shaking her entire body, Lauren went to the door.

  * * * * *

  Xairn sucked in a sharp breath when he saw her. Her long black hair flowed loose over her shoulders and she was wearing silky, sheer clothing which clearly showed her bare flesh beneath.

  “Xairn?” she whispered, her amber eyes wide and hopeful. “I’m so glad you’re here. I…I’ve missed you so much.”

  It was on the tip of his tongue to say that he had missed her too but just then Little One jumped off the couch and came running up to him. Barking joyfully, she jumped into his arms and licked his face.

  Lauren laughed. “It looks like I’m not the only one who missed you. Look at her—she knows her master is home.”

  Xairn frowned, the words of love dying on his lips. “I am not fit to be anyone’s master. Not even a dog’s. I’ve changed, Lauren.”

  “Yes, I can see that,” she said quietly. “You look the same way you did when I first fell in love with you.”

  “Lauren—”

  “It’s true. You know the color of your skin and eyes doesn’t matter to me.” She crossed her arms over her breasts. “I…heard about what happened on the ship. To your mother. I’m very sorry, Xairn.”

  “I was unable to save her,” he said stiffly. “Though I did get to speak to her briefly—very briefly—before she died.”

  “Oh, baby,” Lauren whispered. “I wish so much I could have been there with you—to help you through it.” Little One whined softly at her mournful tone and licked Xairn’s face again.

  He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. It’s over now.”

  “That doesn’t make the pain less,” she said. “If I could have come with you…but I know that would have played right into your father’s plans.”

  “Actually, it was me he was trying to lure to the Fathership. Me he wanted.” Xairn stroked the puppy gently. “He wanted to absorb my power—I suppose it would have given him a kind of immortality.”

  “Oh my God, I didn’t know that.” Lauren put a hand to her mouth. “What happened?”

  Xairn shrugged. “I absorbed his power instead. Or rather, I started too. But my mother…” He had to clear his throat before continuing. “She…she begged me with her dying breath not to take his essence into myself. She said it would corrupt my soul. So I let it go instead.” He sighed. “When it did, my own power went with it. I can no longer read minds or compel anyone to do my bidding.”

  Lauren looked at him hopefully. “So…you let that part of yourself go?”

  “Only the power left,” Xairn said flatly. “My Scourge instincts and urges remain. And now that the small strand of human DNA which I got from you has been broken and overwhelmed by my own genetic material, I am worse than I was before.”

  “I never thought you were so bad,” Lauren said softly.

  “That is because you don’t know what is in my heart,” he said grimly.

  “I want to, though. I want to know it all.” Scooping the wriggling puppy out of his arms, she set Little One down in the small patch of fenced in grass that served the condo as a front yard. “Stay,” she told the puppy. Then she motioned to Xairn. “Come in?”

  “I shouldn’t.” He tried to look anywhere but at her beautiful body. “I…I only came to say goodbye.”

  Lauren took a deep breath and he had the feeling she was fighting back tears. Then she lifted her chin. “You can’t say goodbye without talking to me one last time and I can’t keep standing out here like this.” She indicated the sheer red costume. “If the neighbors see me—”

  “All right.” Reluctantly, Xairn went with her into the condo and shut the door behind them. He could hear Little One whining fretfully on the other side of the door but he knew the puppy would be safe in the tiny front yard. “Let’s talk.”

  “Fine.” Lauren led the way into the kitchen and put a strange piece of fruit she’d been holding down on a plate. Then she turned to face him. “So you came just to say goodbye? You’re leaving because you don’t…don’t love me anymore?” H