Brides of the Kindred Volume One

by Evangeline Anderson

  Blix began dragging her backwards, deeper into the shadows but Lauren fishtailed her body desperately, fighting with renewed desperation. His hand on her mouth slipped and she was able to clamp down on his fingers. To her disgust, they came off in her mouth, wiggling like worms.

  Lauren spat them out and screamed, “Xairn! Here—I’m here!”

  “Lauren!” He rounded the corner of the empty stall where Blix had been concealing her just out of sight. “Let her go!” he roared, his eyes flashing red-on-black. “Or I’ll rip you into so many fucking pieces you’ll never be able to reassemble yourself!”

  At last Blix released her and Lauren stumbled forward into Xairn’s arms. He snatched her up, holding her by the waist and buried his face in her hair. Lauren felt his broad chest expand like a bellows as he inhaled, breathing her in just as he had when he held the clone.

  When he pulled back there was a look of relief on his face. “It’s really you this time,” he murmured, looking into her eyes.

  “Yes. Yes, it’s me.” Lauren didn’t want to be a cliché or repeat everything the clone had just done but she couldn’t help tearing up just the same. She sniffed and blinked, trying not to let her voice shake too much. “How…how did you know? Blix said even my own mother wouldn’t have been able to tell me apart from that…that thing.”

  “She probably wouldn’t.” Xairn changed his grip on her so that he was cradling her protectively close to his chest like a baby. “She doesn’t have my sense of smell.”

  “What?” She frowned. “We smell different?”

  “The clone smelled like you in your pre-altered state,” Xairn explained. “You smelled different this morning after the DNA alteration had completely taken effect.”

  From the shadows of the empty stall, Blix cursed. “That stupid Bleek! To think what I paid and he gave me a pre-altered finger!”

  Xairn glared at the thought thief. “You took her finger? You harmed my Lauren?”

  “I thought it was a dream,” Lauren confessed. “The weird stork-looking servant gave me a brownie to eat and it must have had some kind of drug in it. I passed out but before I did he…he cut off my little finger. But when I woke up, it was still there so I thought it must have been a nightmare.”

  “He regenerated it, of course,” Blix said. Casually, he reached down for his severed fingers, the digits Lauren had bitten off, and reattached them one by one.

  It’s like he’s made of Play dough, Lauren thought with a shiver.

  Blix eyed her coolly. “No, my dear—plasma. But you’ll have years to find out all the particulars about me, never fear.”

  “What are you talking about?” Xairn demanded. “Lauren is leaving with me. But before I go, I’m going to rip you to fucking shreds.” He started to move forward menacingly but Blix sidestepped him.

  “Oh, I don’t think so.” Reaching into a pocket of his purple cape, he withdrew something. “Pardon me, your Eminence,” he said, nodding to the Judge of the Market who had come to stand in the entrance of the empty stall. “But I seem to have those defective food cubes after all. See here?”

  “Let me examine them.” The Quinlow held out one burning hand.

  Gingerly, Blix dropped several blackened cubes into the Judge’s branch-like palm, being very careful not to touch the pale blue flames. “They’re rotted—see, your Eminence? They can have no possible value at all.”

  After a moment, the Judge nodded. “Blix is correct—these cubes are defective.”

  Xairn set Lauren down and pushed her behind him. “I can’t believe we are even having this conversation. The Spider has just admitted to bribing one of Slk’s servants to maim my female in order to grow a clone to fool me. His crimes should be punished!”

  “I was only trying to get what was rightfully mine without a fuss,” Blix protested. “In fact, your Eminence, I propose an amicable solution. Since the true clone and the original are exactly the same, let Xairn have the clone and I will keep this female.” He pointed at Lauren who shrank back against Xairn.

  “What do you mean, just the same? We’re not just the same!” she protested.

  “I’m afraid you are,” Slk said. Taking the true clone by the hand, he led her forward. “I have been speaking to this female—Blix had even given her your memories. For all intents and purposes, she is you.” He turned to Xairn. “I cannot tell you how I regret this. I will punish the servant Blix bribed in the sternest possible fashion.”

  “Death is too good for him,” Xairn snarled. “This female is the only one I want.” He put an arm around Lauren and pulling her protectively close. “I brought her here and I have sworn to see her safely home which I still intend to do.”

  Suddenly the Judge, who had been standing silent and thoughtful, spoke in his creaking, sonorous voice. “Blix makes a valid point. As the cubes are defective, it should be his right to take the female into his possession. Xairn the Scourge may have the true clone to do with as he pleases.”

  “What?” Lauren felt like hear heart was going to stop. “Surely you can’t be serious.”

  “Do you dare to doubt my judgment?” The Quinlow strode forward, its arms outstretched, the blue flames crackling like deadly lightning between its fingers.

  Lauren bit her lip. Somehow she knew that if it touched her with those hands, that if even one twig-like finger brushed her cheek, the results would be horribly painful, and quite possibly fatal.

  “We are not doubting, your Eminence.” Xairn’s voice was low with barely controlled fury and his grip on Lauren’s shoulders tightened until it was almost painful but he didn’t display any outward signs of anger. “But I regret to say that I cannot comply with your ruling. This female, and no other, is bonded to me. So I cannot let her go.”

  The Quinlow’s mouth yawned wide in fury and Lauren saw that it was burning inside as well. She could feel the flames against her skin—not hot but cold. So cold it made her lungs ache to inhale the air around it. “You dare defy me? Death is the penalty, as you well know, insolent Scourge.”

  “Of that I am aware,” Xairn said evenly. “And if a life is needed to satisfy, then you may take mine. But not until I am guaranteed that my female, Lauren, will be treated with respect and kept safe from the Spider.”

  “No,” Lauren protested. “Xairn, you can’t!”

  He gave her a brief glance. “I will be glad to die if it ensures your safety.”

  “I will care for your female as I would my own progeny,” Slk said, his three eyes blinking. “Blix shall never have her. The clone either.” He turned a disapproving look on the thought thief. “I claim her—for the material that made her was harvested illegally under my own roof. You shall have neither of them.”

  “Slk makes a telling point and his claim is valid.” To Lauren’s immense relief, the Judge of the Market drew back, its bark-like face creased into a frown. “Slk has decided to assert his rights. It seems that defective food cubes or no, you cannot have either female, Blix. One is bonded to another male—I cannot break a life bond. And the other was grown illegally.” It turned its attention to Lauren. “You must, however, return the slippers.”

  “They’re in our ship, your…your Eminence,” she managed to say. “I’ll be more than happy to return them.”

  Blix arched one pale blond eyebrow at them. “A moment, your Eminence. Of course I am pleased to comply with your rulings, but are we certain the Scourge is telling the truth? He claims to be bonded to this female but I see none of the Scourge marks of possession on her.”

  Lauren felt herself freeze inside. Oh God, the marks of possession. What had Xairn said they were? A collar and a brand? Not to mention the various piercings. And she had none of them.

  “I only bonded her last night,” Xairn said, frowning. “I have not had time for such things. She wears my scent on her skin—that is enough for the time being.”

  “A brand, at the very least, is necessary to prove possession.” Blix crossed his arms over his chest. “A collar and p
iercings may be removed but a brand is permanent. If the female does not display your brand then I contend she is not bonded to you.” He looked at the Quinlow. “Your ruling, your Eminence?”

  The Judge frowned at Xairn. “Blix speaks the truth—your female will need to be branded in order for your claim to be validated.” It held up one long twig-like finger, tipped with blue flame. “If you wish, I can brand her for you myself. But she must be marked before I can allow the two of you to leave.”

  “I think that is an excellent idea, your Eminence.” Blix nodded.

  “You sadistic bastard.” Xairn glared at him. “You just want to see her pain.”

  Blix shrugged and gave him a nasty grin. “Why not? If I can’t have your sweet Lauren, I might as well get some fun out of your farewell.”

  Lauren’s heart, which had already been racing, began to beat so fast she thought she might faint. God, she didn’t want the tree thing to touch her, to burn her! But if it was the only way they could get out of here alive, what choice did she have?

  “All right,” she whispered, having trouble making the words come out. “If…if you have to.” She started to step forward but Xairn pushed her back.

  “With respect, your Eminence,” he grated. “That is not how things are done among Lauren’s people. I have said that I was bonded to her but not that I owned her. In point of fact, it is Lauren who owns me.”

  The Judge frowned. “This is highly irregular. The Scourge always own their females.”

  “Not in this case,” Xairn insisted. “In fact, if either of us should wear a brand, it should be me.” Pulling his shirt open, he knelt suddenly before the tree-like being. “I submit to your ruling, your Eminence, and ask that you brand me now with my female’s name.”

  “Xairn.” Lauren whispered his name through numb lips. “Xairn, please…”

  He glanced back at her. “It is my wish, Mistress. And you would have branded me anyway, once we reached your home planet. This simply saves time.”

  The Quinlow frowned. “I am willing to make the substitution but for the brand to be meaningful, I must know what to write.”

  “Her name.” Xairn lifted his chin. “Write it in the language of her people, here, across my chest.”

  “Then I must have knowledge of this language.” The Judge held out one burning hand to Lauren who was still standing beside the kneeling Xairn. Its creaking voice softened slightly. “Come, child, I can read your thoughts, but in order to make your mark properly I need a direct transference.”

  Lauren looked at the flame-tipped fingers. “You want me to…to touch you?”

  “Not the hand,” Xairn said sharply. “Brush your fingertips over its arm—that should be sufficient.”

  Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Lauren reached out to do as he said. The Judge leaned forward obligingly, reminding her of a tree bending in the wind. Careful to avoid its burning hands, she let her fingertips brush lightly over the knotted, branch-like arm. Her whole arm went instantly numb and she gasped as she felt something pass between them—like a burst of electricity. Then it was over and she pulled back her hand and tried to massage some life back into her tingling fingers.

  “That is well.” The Quinlow nodded at her. “I have what I need. Scourge, are you prepared? I warn you that my brand will not be light or painless. Many have died at my hands. I have no easy touch to give.”

  Xairn’s face was like stone. “I understand, your Eminence. I am ready.” He looked briefly at Lauren. “Step back. I don’t want you hurt by the energy transfer, Mistress.”

  Feeling numb, Lauren did as he asked. Me, he’s doing this for me. So I won’t be hurt, she thought as the Quinlow bent to press its burning fingertip to Xairn’s broad, bare chest. There was a hissing sound like burning flesh, but he didn’t even flinch as the moving finger began to write.

  Lauren watched in mingled parts horror and fascination as her name slowly appeared in two-inch high letters across Xairn’s muscular chest. It was terrible to see because she knew he must be in agony—her name was being literally burned into his body, after all.

  But though the whole scenario was surreal, the strangest thing was that the Quinlow was writing in her handwriting. The same loopy scrawl she used when signing letters and checks was what came out of the burning blue fingertip. It made her feel like she herself was doing the branding, as though she was disfiguring Xairn’s body like a vandal would mark a priceless piece of art. Her hands clenched into fists and tears sprang to her eyes again as she watched helplessly.

  Xairn bore the agonizing operation in silence and when the Judge was finished, her entire first name was there, in raised black lines on his flesh. The pain must have been almost unbearable but he only nodded his head and said, “My thanks, your Eminence. I will wear my mistress’s name with pride.”

  “Go and do not return.” The Quinlow frowned and stepped back. “Your welcome in O’ah has expired.”

  “We’re going.” Rising stiffly, Xairn took Lauren by the hand and pulled her away, through the milling crowd of seed clones.

  Lauren had to run to keep up with him but she didn’t care. All she knew was that they were finally getting out of this strange and dangerous place. But as relieved as she was, she was still horrified by the price Xairn had paid for their freedom. God, how could he do that for me—let my name be burned into his flesh and never even flinch? He must hate me now!

  In the time he’d know her he had lost his father, his race, and his entire way of life. He’d even had to alter his entire appearance. And now this.

  Was it any wonder he wanted to leave her on Earth and never come back?

  Chapter Sixteen

  The burning pain of the Quinlow’s touch still lingered on his chest, setting his nerve endings afire, but Xairn didn’t care. The agony he had endured to be branded with Lauren’s name was nothing compared to the fierce ache around his heart. Gods, to think that I almost lost her again, and for good this time! If the DNA alteration hadn’t changed her scent—no, he couldn’t allow himself to consider it. Not now.

  They reached the ship and he pushed Lauren inside as quickly as possible, wanting to get her to safe territory. The Judge had made what he considered to be a fair ruling but it was based on a lie—he had not bonded Lauren to him. And I never will, he vowed to himself. There would be too much chance of losing control. But bonded or not, she was still his. Or rather, he was hers. Xairn knew that now and there was no going back from that knowledge, no matter how it pierced his heart.

  Just as he was about to enter the ship himself, he felt a light tap on his shoulder. “What?” he snarled. He turned to see Blix standing there, smirking.

  “I simply wanted to remind you to return the slippers. Unless you wish me to make a short visit to your lady love’s home planet someday soon?”

  Xairn’s hands curled into fists and he felt his eyes growing hot—almost as though some other part of him was trying to get out. He wanted to rip the calmly smiling bastard into a thousand tiny pieces and listen to each one scream but there was no time. “If you come within a hundred light years of her again I’ll fucking kill you,” he grated. “That’s a promise, Spider.”

  “One I’ll remember.” Blix nodded, still smirking. “You’re a worthy opponent, Scourge—you countered every trick I had. I can’t remember the last time anyone was able to do that. And now, the slippers if you please?”

  Xairn turned to get them but Lauren was suddenly standing at the doorway of the ship. “Here they are!” With surprising speed and accuracy, she flung both of the crimson-soled slippers in quick succession. Both hit Blix in the face and the second one knocked his nose completely off. It lay twitching on the ground beside him like a slug.

  “Why, you—She’s not really bonded to you!” he shouted at Xairn. “No female truly subdued by a Scourge would act like that!” He started to surge forward but Xairn put a hand on his chest and pushed him back. The thought thief stumbled and fell on his ass, an almost comic
al look of surprise on his noseless face.

  “Thanks for the shoes,” Lauren told him, her eyes flashing. “But I’ve never been into designer footwear. Especially if it costs me my freaking life.” She looked at Xairn. “Come on, let’s get out of this crazy place!”

  Xairn gave her a look of admiration and then glanced back at Blix. “Forgive me, Spider but I have to go. My mistress calls.”

  “Come back!” Blix stormed, spitting into two and then three and four other Blixs in his fury. “I am calling for a re-judgment on this case. I want that female thoroughly examined. I’ll—”

  “You’ll rot in the seven hells,” Xairn growled over his shoulder. “Now get the fuck out of way or I’ll fry you with the ship’s engines.” Not waiting to see if the thought thief complied, he slapped the door switch closed and turned toward the pilot’s chair. “Strap in,” he told Lauren who was already sitting in the passenger seat. “We need to get out of here quickly. The Spider wants to reopen proceedings with the Judge.”

  She shivered as she pulled the safety harness in place. “I can’t believe he got so upset that I pegged him with a couple of overpriced slippers. I mean, I bit his fingers off earlier and he didn’t care about that.”

  “The slippers he gave you had crimson soles—they were footwear reserved exclusively for whores,” Xairn explained as he started the ship. “Hitting him in the face with them was a grave insult.” He gave her a quick smile. “It made him angrier than anything else you could have done—you hurt his pride.”

  She tried to smile back but her lovely face looked uneasy. “Good for me, I guess.”

  “Hold on.” Xairn gunned the engines and the ship went racing down the long stone corridor. Both of them were thrown back against their seats. The pressure eased as the ship lifted up into the purple haze of the O’ah sky. “We’re leaving now before things get ugly.”