"But speaking of that, how can she possibly just choose one?" Kat protested. "That's like saying you'll choose which half of your body to keep."

"It might seem like that to you, Kat. But I..." Becca shook her head. "I can't be with both. It's already killing my family to know I failed to take my vows. I can't tell them I want to be with...with two men at once on top of that."

"I used to feel the same way." Kat nodded. "I was worried about my grandmother-she's really strict."

"Not as strict as my parents, I bet." Becca looked down. "You know they sent me away to convent school when I was just seven? I never even saw a boy who wasn't my brother until I was eleven or twelve." She sighed. "That was because my father wanted to keep me pure. And he thought he had succeeded. Until now."

"Oh, hon..." Kat reached over and squeezed her hand. "You can't beat yourself up over what happened with Truth and Far or about how you feel now. After all, the heart wants what the heart wants."

"But I don't know what my heart wants," Becca protested, pushing a reddish-brown curl behind her ear. "When I'm with Truth, I'm so drawn to his fire but when I'm with Far, I love his quiet intensity. And I just-"

Suddenly there was a soft chime at the door and all the girls but Becca groaned.

"And there they are," Sophia muttered. "Becca can you please tell them to keep it down? Kaleb and Kara are napping and if they wake up too soon I'll have a terrible time with them tonight."

"I'll do better than that." Becca put down her half eaten donut. "I'll take them on a walk and keep them away entirely."

There was a chorus of protest.

"Oh, no, hon-you don't have to do that," Olivia protested.

"As long as they keep their voices down it should be all right," Sophia said.

"We know how you don't want to be alone with the two of them at once," Kat remarked. "I mean-have you ever, since the, uh, wedding?"

Becca shook her head. "No, I've spent time with them one-on-one and I've spent time with them together when we were in a group of people, but I haven't been alone with both of them at once since our first meeting." She took a deep breath. "But it's time I started facing my problems and stopped using my friends as a buffer."

"But you don't have to-" Sophia began.

"Yes, I do," Becca said firmly. "Maggie was brave enough to face certain death when her man was indwelled by a demon. I can at least be brave enough to face the two men I have to choose between."

"All right then," Kat said doubtfully. "Good luck, doll."

"Do you want any of us to put on a think-me and bespeak you after a little while-you know, pretend there's a problem and we need you back here?" Olivia asked practically.

"No. I'll be fine." Becca didn't know if she was trying to convince her friends...or herself. Her heart was pounding as she made her way to the door of Sophia's suite but she forced herself to keep moving. She let her hand hover over the door release and took a deep breath. Here goes. Then she pressed the latch.

Chapter Two.

When the door whooshed open, Becca saw that Truth and Far were already in mid-argument.

"...think you should leave her alone," Far was saying, his pitch black eyes filled with icy anger.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you? If I'd just step aside and give you a free shot with my female," Truth growled, his white-gray eyes snapping with fire.

"She's not your female. She's-"

"Stop it, the two of you," Becca said sharply. "I don't belong to either one of you so stop fighting over me like a couple of dogs with a bone."

Truth frowned. "What's a dog?"

"You know-one of those yapping, growling little animals from Earth. Always barking and sniffing around places they don't belong." Far gave his brother a significant look and then smiled at Becca. "I prefer cats myself."

"Well, I prefer not to be out with a couple of squabbling children." Becca put a hand on her hip. "Look at you two-you're grown a.s.s men. Now act like it."

She saw the brothers exchange a surprised look and felt a surge of triumph. Olivia was right-it was time to take control of her life. And part one of that plan was getting these two in order.

"We're sorry," Far said contritely. "At least, I am."

"I am as well. Apologies if I have offended you." Truth made her a short bow.

"You're both forgiven-for now." Becca took a deep breath. "Now, I thought it would be nice if we took a walk."

"Oh?" Truth frowned. "Which one of us did you wish to walk with? Actually, I think it's my turn."

"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, gra.s.sy 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 s.e.xually-or rather, they had touched her. She knew Truth and Far were thinking of it too.

"Look what you've done-you embarra.s.sed 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 chast.i.ty-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 gra.s.sy 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 s.p.a.ce 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 amus.e.m.e.nt 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 s.e.xually 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 d.a.m.n 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 cushion her blow.

"Becca? Mi'now?" That would be Far, Becca knew. The name he called her was a word in the Twin Kindred dialect which meant something like "cherished one" or "beloved."

"Get off her, you oaf," growled another voice which was certainly Truth. Then he was on the other side of her saying, "Are you well, Rebecca?" He only called her by her full name when he was worried or really serious about something.

"Fine...I'm fine," Becca tried to say but the words came out so faint she couldn't even hear them herself. Her throbbing head was being cushioned in someone's lap and someone else was propping up her knees.

"Leave her alone," Far was saying as he stroked her hair gently away from her hurt forehead. "Go call the nearest Med Station."

"I'm not leaving her," Truth's deep, growling voice sounded angry and belligerent. "You go run for help. I'll stay here." As he spoke, he lifted her knees a little higher, trying to make her comfortable on the gra.s.sy ground.

Becca felt a surge of warning zip through her. They were close-way too close, the both of them. If they both touched her at the same time...

And then they did.

To be continued...sometime in early 2014 ; ).

Brides of the Kindred Glossary.

AllFather-the evil head of the Scourge, a race that are the byproduct of a failed genetic trade. The AllFather is one of the Old Ones and has the power to reach into a person's mind to harvest emotional pain and trauma. He lives for the fulfillment of the Scourge Prophesy.

Ancient Ones-beings which live in the Deep Blue-the darkest and most inaccessible part of the Rageron jungles. They are sentient but not related in any way to the Kindred. Each Ancient One has two forms-a bipedal form which resembles a human or Kindred and a beast form which can be deadly and they can change between forms at will. The Ancient Ones predate even the First Kindred and revere the skrillix plant, which they guard jealously.

Bespeak-to contact someone mentally using a Think-me device. It is considered rude to bespeak someone you don't know intimately.

Beast/Rager Kindred-come from Rageron-a jungle planet full of beautiful but deadly flora and fauna. They have dark hair, golden eyes, and hot tempers but their most defining characteristic is the mating fist. The mating fist is an area at the base of the Beast Kindred's shaft which engages fully only during bonding s.e.x with his chosen mate. When engorged it swells to keep the Beast Kindred and his bride locked together until she is completely bonded to him. This ensures s.e.x that is both extremely long lasting and multio.r.g.a.s.mic for both partners.

Blackness between the Stars-another name for the h.o.a.rd or Grimlax, an ancient enemy of the Kindred. These beings have no souls and so are considered demonic by the Kindred.