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  Sylvan smiled at her. “More than all right. Forget about my worries, Olivia—go tell my brother that he’s soon to be a father.”

  “All right.” She patted his arm. “But just know that I’m rooting for you.”

  “Thank you.” He nodded. “Go—and don’t say a word. Just hand Baird the flower. He’ll know what it means.”

  Still feeling troubled for him, Liv left the med station. She couldn’t wait to tell Baird they were going to be starting a family but as happy as she was, she wished her sister could have the same joy. If only she and Sylvan could find a way around their differences…but Liv couldn’t imagine how they could. Sylvan’s need to bite every time they had sex was a serious issue for the needle-phobic Sophie. Although if Liv could get used to Baird’s mating fist, it seemed like her twin could find a way to cope with being a pin cushion. Couldn’t she?

  For Sophie and Sylvan’s mutual happiness, Liv hoped she could.

  * * * * *

  “A year? Really? A whole year?” Kat’s eyes were as wide as saucers. “That is seriously messed up, Liv.” She scooted forward on the couch to pour herself another tiny cup of klava. Olivia had mysteriously told them she had some very important news and suggested a breakfast get together at her suite. Baird had been called away early to some sort of conference so they had the place to themselves. But so far they were doing a lot more talking than eating.

  “I don’t think it’s so bad.” Sophie hugged her again—it seemed she hadn’t been able to stop ever since her sister had told them the news. “It gives you more time to get everything ready. The nursery and baby-proofing the suite…”

  “It’s easy for you to say it’s not so bad. What if you were the one that was going to be preggers for a solid year?” Kat objected.

  “I hear it’s longer if you’re mated to Twin Kindred.” Olivia nudged her playfully. “Takes more time for the babies to develop because you always have twins.”

  “Ugh, don’t even joke about that!” Kat glared at her. “You know it’s not funny.”

  “Deep and Lock might think so,” Sophie said with a little smile.

  “Speaking of which, are you still reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum’s feelings loud and clear?” Olivia asked.

  “No, thank God.” Kat put a hand to her head and sighed in relief. “It finally stopped. I know this sounds strange but I never thought I’d be so glad to be alone in my own head.”

  “Honey, nothing sounds strange when you’re mated to a Kindred,” Olivia said, sweeping a strand of blonde hair behind one ear. “But what about the headache?”

  Kat frowned. “Still just the tiniest bit—like a dull throbbing at the back of my head. But it’s not nearly as bad as it was.”

  “That worries me.” Sophie frowned at her. “Couldn’t that be the sign of something bad?” She looked at her twin for confirmation. “Like a subdural hema-whatsit or something?”

  Olivia smiled. “Subdural hematoma, you mean? Not to worry, Sophie, that’s an injury you usually get from bumping your head really hard—not from having a kinky alien ménage with hot Kindred twins.”

  Kat crossed her arms over her chest. “Again, not funny. As if I would ever go there—they’d freaking split me in two.”

  “Sorry, couldn’t resist,” Liv looked like she was trying not to smile again. “You know, Jillian never has any complaints about her Twin Kindred hubbies. Practically all she can talk about is how wonderful three-way sex is.”

  “Yeah, but let’s be honest—Jillian isn’t the brightest crayon in the box,” Kat said. “I mean, there’s a reason she was captain of the cheer squad instead of captain of the chess team, you know?”

  Sophie tried not to laugh. “Kat, you’re so bad.”

  “All right, that was kind of bitchy of me,” Kat admitted, one corner of her mouth twitching. “It’s just that this whole thing has me so freaked out. I mean—”

  “Lilenta?”

  They all looked up to see Baird standing in the doorway to the food prep area. Right behind him was Sylvan, who Sophie tried unsuccessfully not to look at. He was looking especially handsome in his pale blue uniform shirt, but he and Baird both had grave looks on their faces.

  “Baird, there you are.” Olivia jumped up from the circular bench and ran to give him a kiss. Then she drew back and looked at him worriedly. “Is everything all right?”

  Baird sighed heavily and ran a hand through his thick black hair. “You’re probably not going to think so. The High Council has finished their analysis of what happened when Sylvan and Sophie crashed and what it means in terms of security.”

  “We’ve just come from giving testimony,” Sylvan said. “I’m afraid they weren’t pleased when I told them all the details of what happened.”

  “What does that mean for us?” Olivia asked anxiously.

  Baird put an arm around her shoulders and drew her close. “It means they want to send Sophia away.”

  “What?” all three girls exclaimed at once.

  “Send her where exactly?” Kat demanded.

  “Someplace the Scourge can’t find her,” Baird said.

  “Someplace safe,” Sylvan added.

  “I’m sorry kin-of-my-mate,” Baird said, turning to Sophie who was sitting there numbly at the table, trying to process the information being thrown at her. “The Council has determined that as long as you’re here in Earth orbit, the security of the entire Mother ship is compromised. They don’t know why the Scourge are after you but until they do, they want you someplace else.”

  “Where?” Sophie asked, trying to keep her voice even. “I mean, I guess I can go back to Earth. If there’s a place the urlich can’t reach me…”

  “They don’t want you on Earth either,” Baird said. “You’re to go to Tranq Prime. Don’t worry—it’s only about fifty light years away.”

  “Only fifty light years?” Olivia struggled to get out of Baird’s hug in order to glare up at him. “Are you seriously telling me the Kindred High Council has decided that we’re in so much danger Sophie has to be sent to a galaxy far, far away?”

  “It’s okay, Liv.” Sophie held up a hand before her twin could really get going. “Look, I don’t mind—really I don’t.” In fact she was scared to death but she kept her chin up and tried to hide it.

  “Well I do,” Olivia protested. “This is ridiculous!”

  “Liv…” Sophie went to put an arm around her sister. “I don’t want to stay and put you and the baby in danger. If they think I should go, I…I’ll go.” She looked at Baird. “Do they speak English there the way you guys all do?”

  “No. But we’ll give you a universal translator implant before you go,” he assured her. “And besides, you won’t be going alone. Tranq Prime is Sylvan’s home world—he’ll be taking you.” He nodded at Sylvan who nodded back gravely.

  “I hope you don’t mind, Sophia,” he said, addressing her for the first time. “I made it very clear to the Council that you were in no way bound to me, but they still thought it was best because I had been your protector before.”

  “Oh.” Sophie was flooded with a mixture of relief and dismay. Not going alone! sang a little voice in her head. On the other hand, now she had to deal with being in close proximity to Sylvan again. And last time that had ended badly—very badly.

  “Sylvan has been charged with Sophia’s safety,” Baird said to Olivia. “He has accepted the charge and sworn to do everything in his power to protect her.”

  “Well, as long as Sylvan’s going to be with her…” Olivia sounded slightly mollified.

  “I will shield her with my life,” Sylvan promised seriously.

  Olivia smiled at him. “I know you will. I just…don’t like the idea of my womb-mate being so far away.” She hugged Sophie, who hugged her back tightly. Kat joined in the hug as well and for a moment Sophie felt completely surrounded by their love and support.

  Taking a deep breath, she looked up and met Sylvan’s eyes. “All right. When are we leaving?�€