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  Chapter Five

  As the Black Planet grew larger in his viewscreen, Donald K. Mahoney, PhD grew more and more impatient. There it was—an entire planet made of pure Titanium Dioxide. It was superheated to a scorching temperature almost as hot as the surface of the sun it orbited. At such extreme conditions, it shouldn’t have been able to survive at all. Yet, here it was, appearing in his viewscreen like a fist made of black ice.

  Not that any ice could form at such extreme temperatures. Donald snickered to himself at the little joke. Indeed, the extreme temperatures kept the planet from forming even ammonia clouds which could have reflected incoming radiation—the result was that the Black Planet absorbed 99% of all heat and light it received and reflected back only 1%. Truly, it was a strange phenomenon, one Donald was eager to study.

  Of course he had no plans to actually step onto the surface—that would be instant suicide. But the Kindred ship he was flying was a scientific vessel which meant it had the ability to collect long range specimens. And Donald needed a lot of specimens.

  A ton or so of the shadow stone should do it, the dark voice that had been speaking in his brain lately whispered. It must be pulverized…then refined and turned into dust. What is left will be pure evil.

  Yes, Donald had equipment that could do that. Absently he scratched the black mole at the base of his right thumb. Actually, it really couldn’t be called a mole anymore—it was more like a patch that covered most of his hand. Donald kept meaning to get it checked out but there were always more important things to tend to.

  Like harvesting the shadow stone.

  Soon, crooned the voice in his head. Soon the entire Mother Ship will be ours. And then they will pay. All of them will pay…

  Yes. Donald liked the sound of that. The image of Maggie’s new paramour—that ridiculously muscle-bound Kindred called Kor—rose in his mind’s eye. He had taken Maggie away but worse, he had changed her. She had been the perfect fit for Donald—running errands, organizing his transportation, complying with his schedule without complaint—before Kor had come into her life. Now she was a changed woman and not for the better, in Donald’s estimation.

  You shall have her back, promised the dark voice. All shall be exactly as it was.

  Good. Donald nodded to himself and nudged his ship closer to the planet he was orbiting. That’s all I want—for everything to go back to normal. And if Kor happened to meet an untimely demise…well, he wasn’t opposed to that either.

  Everything would be fine if he listened to the dark voice. Somehow, Donald was certain of that.

  He scratched the black growth covering his right hand absently and prepared to lower the collection arm.

  It was time to begin.

  Chapter Six

  Truth paused a long moment before knocking on the dull silver door that led to the suite of Commanders Deep and Lock and their bride, Lady Kat. He didn’t want to be here. In fact, every fiber of his being rebelled at what he was being forced to do.

  A male doesn’t mate with another male and he doesn’t share a female with another either. It’s sick—perverted.

  His years growing up in the Rai’ku colony on Pax had taught him that. The Rai’ku were a proud people with noble traditions and unbending ideas about what was right and wrong. Truth’s father had upheld those traditions and ideas and taught Truth to do the same. In fact, the only reason he had agreed to come to the Mother Ship when Far first found and contacted him was from a simple sense of curiosity.

  He had heard much of the Kindred growing up—there were several other warriors besides his father in the colony. A Blood Kindred and two Beast Kindred who fit in especially well. Truth had often wished he was Beast Kindred—their savage temperament meant they adapted best to life among the Rai’ku. Even the Blood Kindred did well because of his fangs. But what did Truth have to show for his heritage? Nothing but a missing twin and an absent bond—a bond which would be considered a disgrace among the Rai’ku.

  And now he was being ordered to join in such a bond. What would the warriors on his home colony think of him? How could he ever show his face again if he was forced to bring a male bond mate back with him—if he could even bear the shame well enough to return?

  Truth didn’t know and he didn’t want to find out. But along with everything else, his father had taught him respect for the Goddess. It was she who guided every warrior’s life from the cradle to the grave. Truth didn’t feel he could ignore her orders, even though they seemed completely wrong to him.

  With a deep sigh, he squared his shoulders and knocked on the door. He would honor his promise or at least try to. What else could he do?

  * * * * *

  Far turned his head to watch as the door slid open, admitting his twin. As always when he saw Truth, his heart thumped painfully. Their features were so much alike it was like looking into a mirror—except for the hair and eye color, that was.

  Far could still remember his extreme joy at seeing his long lost twin. His elation at finding that the brother he had longed for, for so many painful, lonely years was a reality, not just a figment of his overactive imagination.

  He remembered well their first meeting. It had been in an agreed upon location in the parklands just outside the Sacred Grove. Far had not been able to restrain himself when he saw the other male—he had thrown his arms around Truth, pulling him close, hungry for contact with the brother he had lost at birth.

  And Truth had pushed him roughly away.

  “What’s wrong with you?” he’d spat, glaring at Far. “A male does not touch another male in such a fashion. I don’t even know you!”

  “It’s me—I’m Far. Your brother. Your twin.” Far had held out his hands imploringly. “Forgive me it’s just…I’ve dreamed of this moment for so long. Dreamed of finding my other half so we could at last become whole.”

  Truth had given him a cold look. “I don’t know what you are talking about. I came to meet you out of curiosity and because I have never seen the Mother Ship before. I have no wish for anything else.”

  “But…” In that moment Far had felt every one of his dreams crumbling, had seen every hope and wish he’d carried since childhood melting away like so much snow in the sun. “But….” he’d said again and then his attention was taken by a soft, hurt cry—the cry of a female in distress.

  Truth’s head had gone up too—clearly hearing the same compelling sound. Without a word, both brothers had turned as if by instinct and gone to find the source of that soft, anguished moan. Lying on the grass, a little ways away, they had found Becca. Again, without a word, they had lain down on either side of her and both had touched her smooth, silky, light brown skin.

  It was the first and last time they had ever willingly worked together on anything, Far thought bitterly. After that first partial joining with Becca, he had hoped that Truth would come around. Instead, he found his twin brother even more resistant to the idea of ever forming a bond or indeed, having anything to do with him at all. Shortly after their first encounter, Truth had announced his intentions to bond Becca to him and have her for his bride and only his. Clearly he felt there was no room for Far in the relationship—or in his life, for that matter.

  The rejection of his twin, the one male he should have been closest to in the universe, had left Far bitter, sarcastic, and withdrawn. And now, finally, they were supposed to form some kind of a bond.

  It’ll never happen, Far thought, eyeing Truth’s proud, sharp features so alike and yet so different from his own. He wants nothing to do with me—he never has. All those years growing up alone he was happy—content without a twin. Why should he want to bind himself to one now? He doesn’t need me—doesn’t need anyone but himself.

  Truth must have felt his brother’s eyes on his face because he looked up briefly, flashing Far a hostile glare.

  Far sighed and looked away. This bond was never going to happen. It didn’t matter what they had promised or how eloquently Commanders Deep and Lock spoke—