Brides of the Kindred Read online

  “You can’t do that,” said Jillian, butting in where she was least wanted—at least in Sophie’s opinion. “It’s been added to the printed program. If they don’t do it you’ll have bad luck for your entire marriage. And besides, people will talk and talk and—”

  “I don’t care if they talk—I care about Sophie.” Olivia frowned. “And I don’t believe in bad luck. That’s just silly.”

  Jillian rolled her eyes and gave Sophie a pitying glance. “All right then, if you really feel like you can’t handle it…”

  “Enough.” Sophie raised her hand. “I’ll do it.”

  “No, you won’t,” Olivia said decisively.

  “Oh, yes I will.” Sophie shot Jillian a glare. There was no way she was backing down now. “It’s just one kiss. I can manage that,” she said, hoping it was true.

  “Are you sure?” Olivia looked at her uncertainly.

  “Sure, I’m sure. We’re not in third grade anymore you know, Liv.”

  “No, we’re not, are we?” Olivia sighed. “I can’t believe how fast the time has gone. It seems like yesterday you were fainting in that stupid play. And now we’re all grown up and I’m about to get married. I just wish…” Her voice wavered. “I wish Mom and Dad were here to see it.”

  “Oh, honey, I know.” Sophia put an arm around her sister’s waist and gave her a hug. Their parents had died in a car wreck—victims of a drunk driver—when the girls were in their last year of high school. “But I know they’d be proud,” she said, giving her twin another squeeze. “Look at you—you’re so beautiful in Mom’s wedding dress.” She nodded at the viewer again where they were both reflected.

  The twins looked so much alike in the face it was hard to tell them apart. Only the fact that Sophia had brown hair and green eyes while her twin had blonde hair and gray eyes let people know who was who. Today the white lace dress had transformed Olivia’s appearance—making her look radiantly happy and so gorgeous Sophie wanted to cry. Blinking back tears, she kissed her sister’s cheek. “Baird is going to go crazy when he sees you. I hope he knows how lucky he is to be getting my sister as his bride.”

  “He knows.” Olivia gave her a watery smile and then sniffed. “Oh God, I can’t cry—I’ll ruin my make-up!”

  “Then cheer up,” Sophie commanded. “You’re not allowed to cry—that’s my job, remember?”

  The soft strains of Pachelbel’s canon began drifting through the air, signaling the start of the ceremony and pulling her out of her sisterly reverie. She’d been so caught up in the moment with Olivia she’d almost forgotten what she had agreed to do. Now it all came rushing back. The Luck Kiss…crap—why did I say yes?

  “Hey, enough with the heart to heart sister stuff,” Jillian hissed. “It’s starting.”

  “Oh my God, it is.” Olivia fluttered nervously. “Is my veil straight? Does everything look all right?”

  Her sister’s nerves helped steady Sophie. “You look wonderful and everything is going to be fine,” she said firmly. “It’s your day of all days. And it’s going to be perfect—I just know it.” All except the part where I have to lay a hot one on my future brother-in-law. But she refused to let herself think about that. If she did, she was liable to freak out like she had way back in third grade. And she was determined not to ruin her beloved sister’s wedding—not even if she had to kiss a hundred huge Kindred warriors. Except she only had to kiss one—the one who just happened to invade her every waking thought.

  God, what was she going to do?

  * * * * *

  “What’s this?” Sylvan stared down with dismay at the thick, creamy sheet of vellum the bonding-ceremony program was printed on.

  “What’s what?” Baird was busy buttoning his crimson formal uniform shirt up to his chin, but he spared a glance at his half-brother as he worked.

  “This.” Sylvan pointed to a part of the program. “You told me you weren’t going to have the Luck Kiss in your ceremony. You practically guaranteed it.”

  “Really? Olivia put it in?” Finished with his buttons, Baird took the program and glanced over it rapidly before handing it back. “Guess she must have decided she liked it after all.”

  “Decided she liked it? You didn’t even tell me she was considering it.” Sylvan kept his voice low and controlled with an effort that usually wasn’t necessary. Almost nothing phased him—Tranq Kindred were known for having ice water in their veins and he was no exception to his kind. But his natural calm had left him the minute he found out he’d be kissing Sophia. “I can’t do this,” he said, gesturing with the program. “She hates me.”

  “Oh come on, no she doesn’t.” Baird blew out a breath and tugged at his collar. “This damn thing’s so tight I can hardly breathe. Sure will be glad when this is all over and I can get Olivia back to our suite and take it off”

  “You haven’t even had the bonding ceremony yet,” Sylvan said dryly. “I’m afraid you’ve got a while to go before you can strip down.”

  Baird’s golden eyes lit up with a mixture of love and lust. “Believe me, I won’t be the only one stripping. Olivia hasn’t let me have any for the last Earth week—said it’s some kind of tradition so we’ll be ready for the wedding night. I tell you, Brother, at this point I’m so ready I’m about to explode if you know what I mean.” He arched an eyebrow and did an impromptu bump and grind which made Sylvan hope that no one was sneaking a peek into the male’s tent.

  “Baird, please—is that all you think about?”

  “Sex? Making love to my beautiful mate? Hell, yes.” Baird was clearly unashamed of his one track mind. “And that’s all you’d be thinkin’ about too if you’d have the good sense to call a bride.”

  “How many times do I have to say it?” Sylvan said through gritted teeth. “I have vowed never—”

  “Never to call a bride,” Baird finished for him. “I know, I know. I just wish you would change your mind, Brother. Wish you could experience the joy I feel when I hold Olivia in my arms.”

  “I wish it too,” Sylvan admitted in a low voice. “But even if I hadn’t made a sacred vow to the Mother of All Life, I could never call a bride. That part of me is…broken. Damaged beyond repair.”

  “Don’t you think I was broken too?” Baird demanded, frowning at him. “After what I went through on the Scourge Fathership? Hell, I was shattered into a thousand pieces but Olivia fixed me. I’m telling you, Sylvan, the right female can heal your wounds if you’d just give her a chance.”

  “No such female exists.” Sylvan stared down at the program clutched tightly in his hand. “Not for me.”

  Baird sighed. “I’m sorry, Brother. I get so caught up in my love for my bride and I can’t help wishing the same love for you.”

  “Enough about that—I want to get back to this.” Sylvan rattled the piece of vellum in his half-brother’s face. “You should have informed me about the Luck Kiss. It’s going to be excruciatingly embarrassing for both Sophia and myself.”

  Baird frowned at him. “You really don’t want to kiss her, do you? What’s wrong—don’t you find her attractive? She looks just like Olivia in the face, even if they do have totally different personalities.”

  “No, no—it’s not that,” Sylvan protested. “She’s beautiful—gorgeous.” In fact, just the thought of Sophia’s curvy figure and lovely face made his shaft harden uncomfortably in his dress slacks and the double set of fangs in his upper teeth sharpen alarmingly. And then there was the matter of those troubling dreams he’d been having lately…but it was better not to think about that. “I just don’t want to kiss a female who doesn’t want me to kiss her,” he ended stiffly.

  “Loosen up, Sylvan—it’s just one kiss. And it isn’t like you two are going to be spending a lot of time together afterwards.” Baird slapped him on the back. “Come on—I hear the music starting and my bride is waiting for me. Are you going to stand with me or not?”

  “Of course I will.” Sylvan frowned, stung that his half-brother would think he