Brides of the Kindred(10)

“You collapsed.” There was a look of concern in his amber eyes. “How do you feel?”

“How do you think I feel? I’m here against my will in nothing but my underwear,” Liv threw at him.

“So I see.” Hot amber eyes raked her body again, making Liv flush when she realized she’d practically just given him permission to stare.

“Who are you?” she demanded, pulling her thin lace robe tightly around her. “And what have you been doing in my head?”

“The dreams you mean?” he asked, as though it was the most natural thing in the world for her to dream of him.

“Yes, of course,” Liv snapped. “What the hell are those all about?”

“I dreamed of you, too,” he said simply, ignoring her question in the most infuriating manner. “It was the only thing that kept me sane.”

“I…I…” Liv had no idea how to answer this bizarre statement but the standoff was broken suddenly by two familiar voices behind her.

“Liv!”

“Olivia!”

Sophia and Kat rushed up behind her, surrounding her protectively and glaring at the big warrior sitting on the too-small powder blue sofa.

“They wouldn’t let us in at first,” Sophia explained breathlessly, wrapping her arms around Liv in a trembling hug. “We had to go back and get our ID to prove who we were. We were in such a hurry to follow you we forgot it.”

Liv realized that her twin was still wearing her Sesame Street pjs, the ones she’d gotten as a gift the last Christmas they were in high school. They were old and worn but Grover and the Count and Cookie Monster still looked pretty fresh, grinning up from the ragged t-shirt and loose pajama pants. She gave a shaky laugh and hugged Sophia back.

“It’s okay. I’m okay now that you’re here.”

“Friends of yours? Nice of them to make it to our claiming ceremony.” The deep voice behind her made Liv whirl around. He was directly behind her, looming over her and nodding at Sophie and Kat as though they were at a wedding or something. Well it is a wedding, isn’t it? Or the next best thing to it, chimed in the little voice. Liv was beginning to wish she had an ice pick so she could dig it out once and for all. Then she realized that was a crazy thought—and yet, she was in a crazy situation. How else was she supposed to react?

“I’m her attorney, you asshole,” Kat lied with abandon before Liv could say anything.

“And there’s not going to be any ceremony,” Sophia added, speaking up even though she was usually a total wallflower around strange men. She turned to Kat. “Is there, Kat?”

“I’m afraid there is.” The big Kindred warrior had a neutral expression on his face but there was a warning rumble in his deep voice. “She’s my bride. I’m claiming her today.”

“Excuse me? Claiming her? Like she was a lost piece of luggage at the airport or something?” Kat demanded.

“She’s not lost anymore,” the big warrior said with certainty. “Now that I’ve found her she’s mine.”

“Liv doesn’t belong to you or anybody else,” Sophia hissed, glaring up at him and keeping her arms protectively around Liv. “She’s my sister—you can’t step in and take her away, just like that!”

“Actually, I’m afraid he can.” The new voice caused all of three of them to swivel their heads. Another Kindred warrior with blond, spiky hair and ice blue eyes was speaking. “You made a legally binding agreement when you enrolled in the draft,” he told Liv. “Not to mention just now when the officers picked you up and you signed the contract of claiming.”

“I what?” Liv demanded. “What are you talking about? I didn’t sign anything. Did I?”

The blond Kindred held out his hand and one of the Kindred officers put a thick sheaf of papers in it. “Does this look familiar?” he asked, holding it out to her.

Liv felt her heart sink. “But I thought I was just signing to verify my uh, identity. See, they showed me this picture—”

“Let me see that.” Kat snatched the papers away and began scanning through them rapidly. Liv and Sophia watched her hopefully but Liv could feel the hope in her chest turning to despair as Kat’s pretty face grew more and more blank. At last she looked up.

“Well?” Liv felt like someone had deposited a fist sized ball of ice in the pit of her stomach.

“Liv, honey—” Kat began and Sophia began to sob.

“I can’t believe this,” she gasped, tears pouring down her face. “Can’t believe that they can just drag you out of your house without even giving you time to change clothes and force you to go with some strange man. This is horrible!”