Bonding With the Beast_a Kindred Tales novella Read online

  “Wow…” Kat ran a hand through her auburn mane. “I have to admit, you’ve got me stumped. I’ve never heard of anyone dream sharing but the two people the Goddess wanted to put together. Unless…” She frowned. “Do you know if your little boy has any special gifts?”

  “Special gifts?” Isobel frowned. “What does that even mean? Other than being on the Spectrum, Brandon also has sensory processing disorder and dyspraxia but I don’t know—”

  “No, like gifts gifts,” Kat said. “Like my Shad—he’s a shadow twin, a third born when there were only supposed to be two. Of course, that makes it hard for him in Twin Kindred society. War and Peace will grow up together and eventually call a bride together, the way their fathers, Deep and Lock did. But Shad will be a loner in a world where everyone else has a partner.”

  “I’m sorry.” Isobel felt her friend’s words like a knife. It was her most constant fear for Brandon—that he would never be able to connect enough to find someone to love.

  “No, it’s all right.” Kat lifted her chin. “Because even though Shad is different he has…special abilities. He knows things sometimes—things he should never be able to know. He can always find things I’ve lost or mislaid—he just goes right to them. And then sometimes…” She broke off, shaking her head. “Never mind. The point is, I believe Shad is special because he’s different. Maybe it’s the same with Brandon.”

  “I don’t know,” Isobel said doubtfully. “He’s never had any, uh, precognitive dreams before.”

  “None that you know of, you mean,” Kat pointed out. “We know how incredibly bright he is. And how creative.” She shrugged. “Or maybe he’s just in tune with the will of the Goddess. I’ve heard it said that little ones are more attuned to her—easier for her to reach.”

  Isobel shifted uncomfortably. She didn’t like to disparage Kat’s religion but she didn’t know if she could buy into it just because her friend did.

  “Now I made you uncomfortable,” Kat said, clearly reading her body language. “Sorry, doll—didn’t mean to. Look, all I’m saying is maybe you should give Commander Hail a chance.”

  “He did hit it off with Brandon remarkably well,” Isobel admitted. “The two of them seemed to really like each other.”

  “That’s good!” Kat exclaimed. “You know, every boy needs a father or two around to help raise him.”

  “You’d certainly know about that,” Isobel said dryly. “With three sons and two husbands.”

  “Yup, I’m completely outnumbered,” Kat said cheerfully. “But I don’t mind. Deep and Lock are really good dads and they make sure I get plenty of girl time with Liv and Sophie and our whole group. Look…” She put a hand on Isobel’s knee. “I wouldn’t be so quick to push you in the direction of a strange guy if he was human. But Kindred are different—they’re more honorable, more trustworthy. It’s in their genes.”

  “But that’s just it,” Isobel protested. “Hail told me his genes aren’t all Kindred. He said that part of his DNA is, um, Bolaxian.”

  Kat frowned. “Bolaxian?”

  “He said it’s a race of semi-sentient beings who have these awful urges,” Isobel told her. “To fight and to…to breed. He called that part of himself a beast.”

  “Hmm. I think I’m beginning to see why you’re worried.” Kat frowned. “Did he say anything else?”

  “Only that he would never hurt me because he kept his emotion damper turned down low enough not to let those urges overcome him.” Isobel shook her head and sighed deeply. “Don't get me wrong, Kat—Commander Hail is incredibly attractive.”

  Kat grinned. “In a strict, cop-about-to-give-you-a-ticket kind of way. I mean those mirrored shade things—his oculars—”

  “I know, right?” Isobel exclaimed. “Those are really intimidating when you first seem them. But he’s scarcely less intimidating with them off—or retracted, I guess.”

  “You’ve seen him with them off?” Kat’s eyes widened. “I never have.”

  “His eyes are gorgeous,” Isobel admitted. “Pale blue, like a Husky’s. But how gorgeous he is isn’t the point. The point is, if I was on my own I might be willing to give him a chance. But with Brandon…” She shook her head. “I just can’t take chances.”

  “I understand,” Kat said quietly. “You should do what you think is best, hon.”

  “What?” Isobel was confused. “So you’re not going to push me to give him a chance again?”

  “I’ve said all I’m going to say.” Kat held up her hands. “If the Goddess wants the two of you together, it’ll work out somehow. In the meantime, I’m just an innocent bystander. Now tell me again about the baby food tasting game? This shower is going to be so much fun!”

  Isobel could tell her friend was deliberately changing the subject but that was all right with her. She decided she needed some time to think about everything Kat had said. But she knew one thing for sure—she wasn’t about to trust a man who had what he called a “beast” inside him. No matter how handsome or strangely compelling she found him to be.

  Still, she couldn’t help the little pain in her heart when she thought of how he’d told her how beautiful he thought she was…or how well he and Brandon had gotten along…

  But no. She had to be a responsible mother and do the right thing—she had to protect her son from any possible threats, she told herself.

  Even if it broke her heart to do it.

  Chapter Six

  Kat walked her to the docking bay and gave her a hug goodbye. Hail was waiting for her by his ship and Isobel wondered if he had been there all along or if he’d gone and done something else while she visited with Kat. She opened her mouth to ask him but then closed it again. Somehow even casual conversation with the big Kindred seemed dangerous. As though if she opened her mouth something she didn’t mean to say might come out.

  Maybe something along the lines of, ‘Hey, why don’t you come by my place for supper tomorrow night?’ whispered a little voice in her head. ‘Or I was wrong earlier, maybe we could just try going out for a drink.’

  Yes, maybe something like that.

  Isobel kept her mouth closed and tried not to notice how big and muscular he was or how good he smelled when he leaned over her to fasten her safety harness in place. God, what was that cologne he was wearing? It smelled sharp and fresh and clean and utterly masculine—utterly appealing.

  Hail, for his part, was silent except for a few words at lift off. Isobel wondered if he was angry with her—if he hated her for rejecting him. But he didn’t act cold or angry—just withdrawn.

  She wondered if he had turned down his emotion damper so he couldn’t feel the negative emotions their last encounter must surely have caused. She supposed she couldn’t blame him if he had—there were plenty of times in her life when she would have liked to turn off her feelings. Hail was actually pretty lucky he had that option.

  They were halfway back home and the viewscreen was showing the blue-green ball of the Earth growing ever closer before Hail really spoke to her. There was a little white dot on the viewscreen that appeared to be circling the blue globe she called home but Isobel assumed it was a satellite. And soon her attention was drawn away from the viewscreen to look at the man beside her.

  “Isobel,” he murmured, looking away from the complicated array of instruments “I know you have no interest in seeing me again but there’s something I want you to have.”

  “You do?” She looked at him uncertainly. Was he about to give her a keepsake to remember him by? Some awkward gift that would make her feel guilty and regretful every time she looked at it, wondering what might have been if she’d been brave enough to give him a chance?

  “Yes,” Hail said. “But it is not for you.” Reaching into an inside pocket of his uniform shirt, he withdrew a folded piece of paper and handed it to her.

  “What is it and who is it for if not for me?” Isobel held the folded paper in her hand, uncertain if she was supposed to open it or not.

  “