Brides of the Kindred Volume One

by Evangeline Anderson

  A wedding.

  Rast stared blankly at the assembled group of people. Yup, no doubt about it, for some reason he was about to take part in a Kindred wedding. The groom was Commander Sylvan and his best man was Commander Baird. Both of them were dressed in the same fur kilt and boots outfit that Rast was wearing but the bride—one of Lauren’s cousins—was wearing a traditional white lace wedding gown and her bridesmaids were wearing simple pale gold sheaths.

  It was obvious what was going on, but not why he was being made to take part in it. “Hey,” he whispered to Deep, who was already pushing him into line beside Commander Baird. “I think there’s been some kind of mistake.”

  “No mistake,” Deep growled softly. “Just stand there and shut your mouth. You don’t have to do a damn thing until the luck kiss.”

  “The what?”

  But Deep had already faded back into the trees, leaving Rast to watch as a beaming Commander Sylvan said his vows to his bride in front of a very stern-looking priestess.

  He looked around uncertainly. Should he just stand there and do nothing? He didn’t want to make a scene and, regardless of how strange the situation was, he was a nice enough guy not to want to ruin someone else’s big day. But what was it that the dark Kindred had been saying about a kiss? Was he supposed to kiss someone? And if so, who?

  Rast looked speculatively at the two bridesmaids standing across from him. One was Lauren’s other cousin—he recognized her from the conversations they’d had on the viewscreen. The other was a tall, slender girl with long, pale blonde hair that flowed over her shoulders like a golden shawl. She had sharp, clever features and bright blue eyes which were currently fixed directly on him.

  Why is she staring at me? Rast thought uneasily. He returned her look, giving her a challenging gaze in return. But instead of dropping her eyes and blushing like most girls would have done, the blonde bridesmaid stared back. A teasing little smile curved the corners of her lush mouth and Rast couldn’t help thinking she had the softest, pinkest looking lips he’d ever seen.

  The rest of her wasn’t bad either. She might be slender, but she had curves where it counted. The pale gold dress clung to her lovingly, making it apparent she was all woman. He raised his eyes to her face again and saw her arching an eyebrow at him. Obviously she’d seen him checking her out. Rast felt his cheeks burning—he’d been ogling her like a horny teenager. But he refused to look away. Instead he looked into her eyes, taking their staring contest to the next level.

  He willed her to drop her gaze but the blonde girl clearly wasn’t one to back down from a challenge. Rast wasn’t either. Though it was uncomfortably intimate to look into a stranger’s eyes for such a long time, he held her gaze unflinchingly.

  He was dimly aware that the priestess performing the ceremony was saying something that sounded final. Then, from the corner of his eye, he saw Commander Sylvan lift his bride’s veil and kiss her passionately. Funny, he hadn’t seemed like the type for such effusive public displays of affection, but Rast supposed allowances had to be made considering it was his wedding day. And also—

  But his train of thought was cut off abruptly when the blonde girl came toward him. Rast thought she was finally going to say something now that the ceremony seemed to be wrapping up.

  Instead, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.

  He was so surprised that at first he couldn’t do a thing. Then his heart thudded in his chest and his body took over.

  Rast wrapped his arms around her, crushed her to him, and kissed her back.

  She felt warm and soft against him, the curves of her breasts pressing against his bare chest. And her lips tasted like cherries—not artificial cherry lip gloss but real ripe cherries—sweet and succulent and completely irresistible. And her scent…God, he’d never smelled anything like it in his life. Warm and sweet and devastatingly feminine, it seemed to go straight to his cock, which was rock hard against her thigh.

  Rast was really tall—every bit as massive as the Kindred warriors that surrounded them. But the girl in his arms was tall, too. He liked that—liked that for once in his life he didn’t have to stoop over to get a good kiss. And the way she was running her fingers through his hair and scratching his bare shoulders was driving him fucking crazy.

  Despite the fact that he always kept a rigidly tight rein on himself, he was rapidly losing control. He wanted the girl in his arms. Wanted her with an intensity and single minded need that he’d never felt before in his life.

  She broke the kiss for a moment to look into his eyes. “I knew it,” she whispered in a low, lovely voice that made his cock throb with need. “I knew it would be like this from the moment I saw you.”

  Rast didn’t know what she was talking about but by this time he didn’t care. He only knew that she had him so aroused he felt like he could fuck a hole through a concrete wall.

  “I want you,” he growled, looking into those gorgeous, deep blue eyes again. “Now.” Then he took her mouth again, possessively. He didn’t care that she was a complete stranger. Didn’t care that he didn’t even know her name and they were surrounded by people. He wanted to lower her to the ground and have her here and now in the green and purple grass and damn the consequences.

  But just as he was about to put his lascivious thoughts into action, someone tapped him on the shoulder. Rast ignored them so whoever it was tapped again, this time much more insistently.

  “Detective Rast?” a vaguely familiar voice said. “Is that you? What are you doing?”

  * * * * *

  This is it—he’s here, Nadiah had thought excitedly the minute Deep shoved the Kindred with the truegreen eyes into line beside Baird. He looked exactly as she had forseen him.

  He had a warrior’s build with a muscular chest and arms and well developed legs that did the tharp he was wearing justice. His thick, golden-brown hair was tousled, as though he’d been carelessly running his fingers through it and his eyes were a shade of green so deep it was almost black. Around his iris was a thinner line of pale green that gave his gaze an intensity so powerful it was very difficult to meet his eyes.

  But meet them she did, and she refused to drop her gaze even when he frowned at her. She sensed that this was a male she could never back down from—not if she wanted to win and keep his respect. So she lifted her chin and stared harder even though the way he was looking at her made her nipples feel tight and achy and the vee between her legs hot and wet. Goddess but he looked so primal standing there wearing nothing but the short tharp and boots. The big muscles of his arms and thighs were bunched tight with tension—tension she was causing, Nadiah could tell.

  Maybe he’s the one, she couldn’t help thinking. Maybe he’ll challenge the blood bond and set me free. Looking at this male she was certain that if he made a challenge he would win it. There was a fierce determination about him that told her he didn’t back down for anyone.

  When it was finally time for the luck kiss her heart was pounding so hard she could barely breathe. But Nadiah was determined not to show how nervous she was. It was the female’s responsibility to go to the male and she didn’t intend to mess up her part in the ceremony. Taking a deep breath, she swept forward and wrapped her arms around his muscular neck. A look of surprise filled his truegreen eyes and then she kissed him hard on the mouth.

  At first she was afraid he wasn’t going to respond. He stood absolutely rigid—doing what appeared to be the galaxy’s best statue impersonation. Then, suddenly he came to life.

  Nadiah gasped in surprise as he bent her over his arms and plundered her mouth, kissing with a passion that belied his stoic outer appearance. His arms around her felt like warm, flexible iron and when his tongue demanded entrance to her mouth, she parted her lips with no hesitation at all.

  Goddess, she was melting…burning…being utterly consumed in the heat of passion. It was exactly as she had always known her first kiss from a Kindred male would be. The instant heat between them, the sudden
lust, was as rapid and devastating as a lighting strike. It was amazing…incredible…

  And then Olivia ruined it by tapping the big male on the shoulder and breaking their kiss.

  “Detective Rast,” she said, frowning. “Is that you? What are you doing?”

  The male pulled away from Nadiah and as quickly as the luck kiss had begun, it was over.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” Olivia repeated. “Why are you even at my sister’s wedding?”

  “I don’t know.” He scowled at Olivia in a very unfriendly way. “I just came up here to interview Commander Sylvan and Commander Baird. But before I knew it, I was being forced into this ridiculous get-up and pushed into the damn wedding.”

  “This ‘ridiculous get-up’ happens to be the native costume of my planet,” Sylvan said mildly, as he and Sophie joined the conversation. “Though I don’t know why you’re wearing it instead of my good friend, Merrik, who was supposed to be here to perform the kiss.”

  “I don’t know either,” the big male protested. “Ask that guy.” He pointed at Deep, who was standing with Lock and Kat at the far end of the sacred grove, talking to some of the other wedding guests. “He’s the one who made me wear a fur skirt and these damn matching boots. And he’s the one who told me to just stand here until the, uh, the ‘luck kiss’ thing. Which I guess is what we just did?” He turned to Nadiah, one eyebrow arched in question.

  Nadia had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. “Yes, that was the luck kiss. But…are you saying you’re not a Kindred?”

  “He’s human,” Sylvan assured her. Then seeing the disappointed look in her eyes, he put a hand on Nadiah’s shoulder comfortingly. “Sorry, daughter of my mother’s sister.”

  “Oh, this is all my fault.” Sophie bit her lip. “I’m so sorry, Detective Rast. I knew you were coming up here today but then it just completely slipped my mind. Deep and Lock must have thought you were Sylvan’s old friend who was supposed to come in time for the ceremony.”

  “Don’t worry, Talana, there’s no real harm done.” Sylvan put an arm around his new bride and hugged her consolingly. “After all, even though he wasn’t meant to be in the ceremony, Detective Rast certainly did credit to our traditions.”

  “I’ll say.” Olivia laughed. “After a kiss like that, there’s no way you could have anything but good luck in your marriage.”

  The tall male’s cheeks went dark red with embarrassment but he held his head high. “About that,” he said to Nadiah in a low voice. “I’m sorry. I don’t know…I’m not sure what came over me. If I hurt you—”

  “You didn’t,” she said quickly, crossing her arms over her chest. A human. He’s just a human—not a Kindred at all. But how is that possible? I was so sure. So sure…

  Detective Rast cleared his throat. “All right then. Good.” He turned away from her to face Sylvan. “I can see it’s your wedding day and you’re somewhat, ah, preoccupied, but I still have a few questions I’d like to ask about Lauren. I know you believe her to be safe but she’s still missing and her mother is very upset.”

  “Of course she is,” Baird rumbled, coming up to put an arm around Olivia. “But why don’t you let me handle the questions, Detective? I’ll be happy to tell you anything I can—you’ll have full Kindred cooperation.”

  “I’ll come with you and tell you everything I can too,” Olivia offered. “We want to see Lauren get home safely as much as you do.”

  At the mention of the missing girl’s name, Nadiah began to have a strange feeling. It started as a tingling in her fingertips and spread up her arms to encompass her entire head and face. Oh my Goddess…what is it? What’s wrong? The others were still talking about Lauren and every time they mentioned her name, the feeling grew stronger. Then Nadiah remembered something her grandmamam had told her when she came of age.

  ‘You may have an al’lei my child,’ she’d said when she was explaining about the manifestation of Nadiah’s powers. ‘A waking dream. They’re very rare but not unheard of among those with the Sight. If an al’lei comes upon you, don’t try to fight it. Let the power flow through you. Speak the words that come to you and hold nothing back.’

  Lauren couldn’t have held back if she wanted to. A vision rose before her eyes, blotting out the sacred grove and everyone in it. Suddenly she saw a narrow, crooked alley wrapped in violet shadows. A girl was there, a human girl with smooth, light brown skin and warm amber eyes and she was following another female who was leading her…leading her…

  “Into danger,” Nadiah heard herself speak the words aloud but somehow the voice that came from her throat was not her own. It was deeper and filled with authority. It tolled like a bell in the sacred grove. All conversation stopped and every eye was on her but she couldn’t stop.

  “I see her,” she went on in the strange, sonorous voice. “Lauren—the missing one. The chosen of the Scourge. She with the star between her breasts. He has taken her to O’ah where the purple darkness never recedes.”

  “What…Nadiah, what are you saying?” She heard Sophie ask in a small, trembling voice. “Why are you talking like that?”

  Nadiah couldn’t answer—the al’lei wasn’t over yet. “He has tried to safeguard her but another has deceived her,” she went on, still seeing Lauren before her eyes. “She is in danger…so much danger. If he does not return to her soon it will be too late. Too late…too late…” The vision faded as suddenly as it had come, leaving her feeling weak and lightheaded. “Goddess!” she whispered in her own voice. The world went gray and swam around her and then her knees gave out and she collapsed.

  Strong arms caught her and someone held her protectively. “Are you all right, uh…”

  “Nadiah,” Sophie said. “Her name is Nadiah.”

  “Are you all right, Nadiah?” the deep voice repeated.

  Her eyes fluttered open and she saw that the human called Rast was holding her. He was looking down at her anxiously, a worried expression in his truegreen eyes.

  No, not truegreen, Nadiah reminded herself with a spasm of regret. Just green. He looks Kindred but he isn’t, not really. And despite the intense heat she’d felt from him during the luck kiss, only a Kindred warrior would be able to challenge her blood bond.

  “What happened?” she asked weakly. The events of the past minute were strangely fuzzy in her mind.

  “That’s what we’d like to know,” Olivia said.

  “You started speaking in a weird voice and then you fainted,” Sophie told her. “You were talking about Lauren. Saying she was in danger.”

  “Omigoddess!” Suddenly the vision rushed back. Nadiah put a hand to her head. “I saw her, Sophie! I saw Lauren. She was wearing blue and red and she was following a female who was leading her into danger.”

  “Danger? What kind of danger?” The human was staring down at her with a disbelieving frown on his face. “Are you trying to say you’re psychic or some kind of bullshit like that?”

  Nadiah frowned back. “I have the Sight,” she said stiffly. “Although it’s never manifested quite so strongly before.”

  He arched an eyebrow at her incredulously. “And you expect us to believe you suddenly saw Lauren, wherever she is?”

  “I did see her.” Nadiah struggled to get out of his arms. “Don’t look at me like that. And put me down.”

  “With pleasure.” He sat her on her feet and crossed his arms over his broad, bare chest. “You should know something, lady—I worked long enough at the PD to see this kind of thing a lot. People lose a kid and they get desperate. Desperate enough to call in some fake who claims to be able to locate their child through ‘astral projection’ or some shit like that. But you know what? It never pans out. It just gives them false hope.”

  “She’s not trying to give you any ‘false hope.’” Sophie put herself between Nadiah and the human detective and glared at him angrily. “She’s just telling you what she saw. Nadiah has a gift.”

  “She saw you coming,” Olivia put in,
joining ranks with her twin sister. “She even knew the color of your eyes. Although she didn’t say anything about you being a jerk.”

  “All right now, this isn’t solving anything.” Sylvan put a hand on his bride’s shoulder. “Come, Talana, I think the detective is simply upset because he’s been searching so long and hard for any trace of Lauren’s whereabouts.”

  “Are you siding with him?” Sophie frowned at him incredulously.

  “I’m not siding with anyone,” Sylvan protested. “I’m just trying to defuse the situation.”

  “Consider it defused.” Detective Rast gave Nadiah a cold look. “I apologize if what I saw was offensive—it’s just that my experience leads me to disbelieve these kinds of claims.”

  Nadiah lifted her chin. “That’s quite all right, Detective. I don’t expect a mere human to understand my gift.”

  “A human? Who’s a human?” Deep and Lock came up with Kat between them.

  “He is.” Nadiah nodded at Detective Rast who was still frowning at her.

  “He is?” Lock looked confused. “But I thought…with his eyes that color of green…”

  “So did I,” Deep put in. He look at Sylvan. “Forgive me, Brother. I was certain he was your friend, Merrik.”

  “No harm done,” Sylvan said in a tight voice.

  “If there’s no harm done then why are you all so upset?” Kat asked, her blue eyes flicking over everyone’s faces. “And what was that you were saying a minute ago?” she asked Nadiah. “Something about danger?”

  “She saw Lauren,” Sophie said eagerly.

  “I had an al’lei,” Nadiah said stiffly. “A waking dream. My grandmamam warned me I might have them when I came into my powers. I saw Lauren in an alley filled with purple shadows. She was wearing red and blue and I had the feeling that she was in terrible danger. She…” A feeling of dread rose in her throat and Nadiah put a hand to her chest, trying to hold it back. “She’s in trouble.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “He’s not there to protect her. I don’t know where he went but—”