Chained Read online

  “No, it’s not.” Far glowered at his brother. “It’s my turn.”

  “Boys…” Becca held up her hands to stop them. “You’re doing it again.”

  They both muttered apologies but neither looked happy.

  “Good.” Becca took a deep breath. “Anyway, I don’t want to pick just one of you to go on a walk with. I thought it would be nice if we all three went.”

  “Really?” Far looked surprised.

  “Is this really necessary?” Truth’s face was like a thundercloud.

  “Yes, it is,” Becca said firmly. “Now, let’s go. Maybe we can go down to the common area and get some sun.” She was referring, of course, to the artificial green sun that hung in the center of the Kindred Mother Ship. It was the ship’s power source and it also shed light over the Sacred Grove and the vast, grassy parkland that surrounded it.

  “What—down by the Sacred Grove where we first met?” Truth asked, looking at her significantly.

  “Um…yes.” Becca felt her cheeks heating in a blush when she considered what their first “meeting” had entailed. It was the first and last time she had touched either of the brothers sexually—or rather, they had touched her. She knew Truth and Far were thinking of it too.

  “Look what you’ve done—you embarrassed her,” Far accused his brother.

  “Apologies,” Truth murmured, his eyes still trained on her face. “I just wanted to be certain I knew what my lady wanted.”

  “That’s right, Becca is a lady and you should treat her as such—not some automated pairing puppet you want to—”

  “Enough!” Becca held up her hands again. “Come on, let’s walk. And listen, boys—if you can’t say anything nice to each other then don’t say anything at all.”

  That shut them up at last and the three of them walked in silence down the long, curving metal corridor towards the transports that would take them to the common area.

  Becca walked between the brothers but she was very, very careful not to touch them. She kept her hands securely in her pockets and her elbows tucked close to her torso to avoid brushing either one of the big male bodies bracketing hers. She was wearing a t-shirt and a modest knee-length denim skirt but her casual clothing didn’t feel like nearly enough of a barrier. She wished she hadn’t forgotten her cardigan back at the guest suite she was staying at—not because she was cold but because it would have formed another layer of insulation…protection between herself and the men.

  Anyone watching her careful avoidance would probably think she was being so cautious because of her background as a novice and her attempt to retain her chastity—but they would be only half right. Becca had other reasons to avoid contact with the two of them.

  As they walked, she reflected that she didn’t have to be nearly so careful when she was with either one of them alone. Far liked to hold her hand and stroke her fingers when they talked and Truth loved kissing the pulse point of her wrist—probably because that was the only place Becca would allow him to kiss her. But though both of these contacts made her heart quicken pleasantly, neither one felt dangerous. Being with the two of them—especially being between the two brothers—did.

  Even now, Becca wished she could walk on one side or the other and not be in the middle but that was impossible—she always had to act as a buffer between them or they fought like cats and dogs.

  You’re not a buffer, whispered a little voice in her head. You’re a conduit. A catalyst. A channel between the two of them. And when they touch you both at once…

  Becca shivered, trying to push the thought away but she couldn’t help remembering the one and only time she had touched both brothers skin-to-skin at the same time. The electricity that had jumped between them, the pleasure so intense it was scary, not to mention the way they were suddenly all in each other’s heads and the things she had seen…felt…experienced…

  It was only that way because I ate the bonding fruit cake, she told herself uneasily. I’m sure it would be perfectly safe for me to touch them both now.

  All the same she kept her hands in her pockets. She might be brave enough to go out with both of them at once, but she wasn’t that brave. Small steps—she would take small steps and see where they led her. And there was no way she was risking that scary pleasure again—not today, anyway. It was too easy to lose herself that way and after finally deciding not to take her vows, Becca felt like she was just beginning to find herself. She didn’t want to lose the ground she’d gained.

  “Well, here we are,” Truth said as they stepped out onto the park-like common area.

  “Thank you for that, Captain Oblivious,” Far muttered.

  “I believe the Earth term is ‘Captain Obvious,’” Truth growled, frowning.

  “No, I think I got it right the first time.” Far raised an eyebrow at his brother meaningfully.

  “Boys, please!” Becca glared at the two of them. “I swear—it’s like being with a pair of Kindergarteners!”

  She stalked off, heading over the grassy plain dotted with green and purple trees and happy Kindred families, leaving them to either catch up or argue.

  Unfortunately, they did both.

  “I think we should stay away from the Sacred Grove,” Far was saying under his breath as they came up to her again. “It might bring back…memories.”

  “What’s so wrong with that?” Truth demanded. “I swear that was the only time I could stand being in the same space with you.”

  “And I, you, Brother,” Far spat.

  Becca sighed mentally. Back in high school she might have thought that being fought over by two hot guys was a rush but she was well past that stage now. The constant bickering between the two of them was really getting old. Trying to tune them out, she watched as a human girl tried to show her Beast Kindred boyfriend how to play Frisbee.

  “Look,” the girl was saying. “You hold it like this and then just give it a fling—it’s all in the wrist.”

  “What is the point of this game?” her Kindred boyfriend growled, his amber eyes flashing.

  “To catch it and throw it back, of course.” The girl was half exasperated, half laughing. “Come on—it’s fun.”

  “So you say. I fail to see the inherent amusement in throwing a flat disk back and forth.”

  “It’s good exercise too!” the girl said.

  “I prefer shedding the blood of my enemies.” The Beast Kindred glowered. “It is not nearly so…ridiculous as jumping and running after a plastic disk.”

  “I’m sure shedding enemy blood is more aerobically effective but no enemy is going to kiss you like I do when you make a good catch.” The girl batted her eyelashes at her Kindred who looked suddenly more interested.

  “Is that so?”

  “Yeah—that’s so. Come on, what do you say?”

  Becca felt a flash of envy run through her as she watched the flirty little exchange.

  She only has one guy to worry about. One sexually confusing partner to deal with. Why did I have to get stuck with two? Why did I have to get stuck at all? I would have taken my vows and become a good nun. Now I have to doubt myself and everything in my life—all because of what happened when I mistakenly ate the wrong piece of cake. It’s not fair!

  “Are you ready?” the girl asked her boyfriend.

  He sighed, though Becca could tell he was really enjoying himself.

  “I suppose. Fling it, then.”

  The girl wound up and threw the Frisbee in a comically high arch which was destined to go right over her boyfriend’s head. Despite his initial reluctance, however, he appeared determined to do his best. The look on his dark face seemed to say that if she wanted him to play such a foolish game, he was damn well going to play it to the best of his ability. Accordingly, he took a running jump for the Frisbee…

  And crashed right into Becca, one thick, meaty elbow hitting her right in the forehead.

  “Oof!” she gasped, going down hard. Or she would have, if there hadn’t been a big male body to