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  “And they have found her, haven’t they, my sssweet?” The red-black bubble floated over to Lauren who shivered and tightened her grip on Kat. “Sssoon,” the AllFather hissed at her. “Sssoon I will have you, my lovely. And you will bear me many, many daughtersss. And I ssshall have them too—until the entire Ssscourge race is replenished, ssstronger than we ever were before.”

  Xairn wanted to kill him—to break through the fragile, glistening shell of the dravik and wring his neck, but he held himself in check grimly. Once released from the bubble of blood and power, his father would be a much greater threat. As it was, all he could do was issue orders for his rather stupid vat-grown guards to carry out. But if the bubble burst…Well, Xairn just hoped it wouldn’t until they were well clear of the Complex and on their way into space. In the mean time, he waited to see what his father would do next.

  The AllFather drifted closer to Lauren and Kat. “Ssso beautiful,” he hissed, looking hungrily at Lauren. The sense of dread and horror in the room was almost palpable—the AllFather carried it with him wherever he went like a nauseating scent that permeated everything. Xairn could see that it affected both the human women but neither of them cried or panicked. Instead, Kat raised her chin and looked his father squarely in the eyes.

  “Leave her alone.”

  “Ah, thisss one hasss ssspirit.” Skeletal hands reached out from behind the bubble and Xairn knew if the wall of the dravik had not been in the way, his father would have caressed Kat’s cheek with his scabrous fingers.

  Kat seemed to know it too because she flinched back, ever so slightly, but never broke eye contact. “You’re a sick, crazy bastard and you need to step back before I pop that weird blood balloon thingy you’re floating around in and you go down like a ton of bricks.”

  The sense of gleeful lust radiating from the AllFather shifted subtly to irritation. “A bit too much ssspirit, it seemsss. And which of these is your mate?” He looked at Deep and Lock—both of whom were poised for a fight. Xairn knew that if his father came even an inch nearer their human female, they would spring and all would be lost.

  “They both are,” he said, moving subtly to put himself between the AllFather and Kat, while still keeping his weapon trained on the Kindred. “I believe they are Twin Kindred.”

  “Isss thisss ssso?” The AllFather looked at Deep who nodded shortly.

  “It is. Which means both of us are ready to kill you if you so much as lay a finger on her.”

  The bubble glided backward and Xairn breathed an inaudible sigh of relief. “I will not touch her,” the AllFather said, still staring at Deep. “But you will not, either. Ever again, my brave warriorsss.”

  “What do you mean?” Lock asked.

  “You ssshall sssee.” The AllFather nodded at Xairn. “Take them to the cutting lab and prepare the psychic-knife. And bring the girl.” He nodded at Lauren. “Ssshe ssshall watch as their bondsss are sssundered.”

  Xairn nodded shortly. “Very well.” He looped an arm around Kat’s neck and waved his weapon at the warriors. “Do as my father says or your female will pay the price.”

  Deep’s hands curled into fists and the pupils of his black eyes turned red. “Take your hands off her! Now.”

  “I’ll release her when you do as you’re told.” Xairn kept his voice steady and hoped the dark twin would understand. “I believe I know what my father has in mind—you and your female are going to be taking a turn in the psychic-knife.”

  Lock touched his brother’s arm. “Be calm,” he murmured. “He won’t hurt her as long as we do as he says.”

  “Indeed.” The AllFather nodded within the dravik. “Listen to your twin and behave yourself, warrior. I may even let the three of you go once your bondsss are cut. The thought of having my own bride to breed makesss me feel almossst merciful.”

  Xairn was sure the two Kindred would have fought to the death for their female—it was the Kindred way. His way too, he thought, looking at Lauren who was standing beside him shivering. But since a trip inside the psychic-knife was what they had come for in the first place, he was fairly certain they would play along. Up to a point. It was going to be up to Xairn to gauge when they should make their move—he only hoped they could do it before the slimy bubble of the dravik around the Allfather burst, releasing him in a state of supreme metal power.

  “My guardsss and I will retire to the viewing area beside the lab.” His father’s hissing voice broke into his frantic train of thought. “The girl will come with usss. Alpha—take her.”

  “That is not necessary.” Xairn struggled to keep his voice even as the huge vat-grown guard took Lauren’s slim shoulders in its huge hands. Gods, just seeing another male touching her was enough to send him over the edge! But he had to stay calm. “I have the situation in hand, Father. I do not need help.”

  “Of course you do, my ssson.” The AllFather’s red eyes gleamed evilly. “And even if you do not, I feel better with the girl in my own cussstody. Alpha, come.”

  Lauren threw a pleading glance over her shoulder as the huge guard marched her away. Xairn could do nothing but watch her go. The muscle in the side of his jaw clenched so hard he could feel his teeth grinding together and his grip on the shocker tightened until he was sure he was leaving fingerprints in the metal itself. He couldn’t even say anything to reassure her—though the AllFather had turned his back and was gliding into the cutting lab, he was still within earshot. Xairn felt like he was being torn in two as he watched her go but he nodded at Lauren as reassuringly as he could.

  Trust me—I will keep my promise! Gods, how he wished he had a link with her—the same kind the Kindred were said to have with their bonded brides. Some way to communicate his true intentions other than just his eyes.

  But Lauren seemed to understand him somehow. She nodded back and the look on her face became a little less desperate.

  She trusts me, Xairn realized, feeling like someone had stabbed a thorn in his heart. Despite the hopelessness of the situation, she still trusts me.

  As he watched her go, he swore to himself not to betray that trust.

  Even if it meant his death.

  Chapter Thirty-three

  The huge blackish-red bubble that floated into the cutting lab through the open double doors reminded Kat of a spider’s egg sac. It was slimy and glistening and beyond its mostly opaque surface she could see the skeletal shape of the AllFather moving. It seemed to bulge as it moved, as though it might burst and vomit out some vile abomination at any moment. She just hoped they were far away by the time it popped.

  In the mean time, it looked like she and Deep and Lock were going to have the soul bond between them cut after all. She felt her heart sink as they entered the lab and Xairn marched her up to the large silver drum of the psychic-knife. So this is it. This is how it ends between us. She felt tears threatening but she didn’t want to cry in front of the horrible AllFather.

  He and three of his guards had mounted a small platform to one side of the room, separated from the rest of the lab by a low wall. It was like an observation area in a regular operating theater. Standing by the bottom steps of the platform were the huge guard the AllFather had called Alpha, and Lauren.

  Lauren watched what was going on with uncertain amber eyes and Kat reflected that she had the same delicate bone structure as Liv and Sophie. She hoped with all her heart that they all made it back to the Mother ship for a family reunion. Already she was sure that her two best friends would love their new cousin.

  “We are ready,” the AllFather called, breaking her train of thought. “Proceed with the cutting, my ssson.”

  Xairn motioned to Lock. “Open the door of the mechanism and the two of you climb inside.”

  The light twin did as he was told but Deep wasn’t so easy to persuade. “Send me Kat first. I want to know that she’s safe.”

  “Very well. But if you try anything, she dies.” Xairn’s big hand tightened on her shoulder and he hissed in her ear, so softly she c