Found(142)
“But he won’t hurt you.” Kat snapped her fingers. “Can’t believe I almost forgot to tell you the most important part. I brought you a secret weapon.” She patted the large purse she was carrying over one arm.
“A secret weapon?” Laure looked at the purse doubtfully. “Like some kind of special gun I can hold on him to make him take me?”
Kat laughed. “Of course not! Let’s just say it’s something to get you ready for his visit—something that will allow you to have bonding sex with him without pain or injury.” She winked. “And I promise you, it works.”
Lauren had been working as they talked and now she let out a breath and put down the last cupcake. “Really? You’re sure?”
“I’ve tested it myself extensively.” Kat smiled. “It’s foolproof and delicious. And speaking of delicious…” Reaching out, she snagged one of the chocolate, green-frosted cupcakes off the tray Lauren was holding. “I’m sure Liv won’t miss just one.”
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Lauren said but Kat had already taken a big bite of the cupcake.
“Mmm-mmm…ugh!” She swallowed with difficulty and looked up at Lauren. “I don’t want to be rude but your mint chocolate cupcakes could use some work.”
“My mint chocolate cupcakes are delicious—but those aren’t mint chocolate.” Lauren nodded at the half eaten cupcake in Kat’s hand.
“Not mint chocolate? Then what the hell are they?”
“It’s a new flavor I call ‘pregnant lady surprise.” Lauren grinned. “They’re devil’s food chocolate cake…with dill pickle icing.”
“Oh my God!” Kat made a face and then started laughing. “You know what? Liv is absolutely going to love these.”
“I have some other flavors that I baked this morning I think you’ll love.” Lauren nodded at the door. “Come on, let’s go give her these.”
As they walked through the doorway back into the main room she couldn’t help casting a sidelong glance at Kat and wondering what her friend meant by a ‘secret weapon’ and if she would ever get a chance to use it.
* * * * *
“So you’re just going to run away without a backward glance.” Deep’s voice rang out, echoing in the vast docking bay.
“What?” Xairn turned from the small space cruiser he’d been given as a gift from the Kindred High Council. It was a token of their appreciation. In effect, he and the warriors who had helped him had ended the Scourge threat—the war was over. The Council had offered him much more than the small ship but he had declined. He didn’t want riches or fame—he just wanted to go.
“I said, you’re running away.” Deep came up beside him and patted the little ship’s sleek silver side.
“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Xairn said stiffly. “I have fulfilled my obligations here. I have buried my mother in your sacred grove and seen my father’s body jettisoned into space. I have spoken to your Council and given them the codes to the Fathership so that they can do as they see fit with the rest of the vat grown and the urlich that remain. What else is there to do?”
“What else is there to do?” Deep raised an eyebrow at him. “Come on, Brother, you know very well what else there is to do. Don’t play the fool with me.”
Xairn frowned. “I am no fool. And I am not your brother so do not refer to me as such.”
“You’re right.” Xairn crossed his arms over his chest. “I’d be ashamed to have a brother who was such a coward.”
“First you call me a fool and then you call me a coward?” Xairn glared at him. “Have a care, Kindred. My patience has limits.”
“The humans have a saying, you know,” Deep continued, ignoring his threat. “They say, ‘it takes one to know one.’ I’m calling you a coward because you’re acting the same way I did and you’re making the same mistake I made.”
“Oh? And what was that?” Xairn demanded.
“You’re running away from the one female in the universe who was made for you—the one being who makes your life meaningful.” Deep sighed. “Remember how when we met back on the Scourge home world, I actually wanted you to use the psychic knife on Kat and Lock and myself?”
Xairn nodded. “I thought at the time that it was a strange request.”
“A stupid request, more like,” Deep said savagely. “I was taking the coward’s way out—running from Kat. I had convinced myself we didn’t belong together—that she would be better off without me. But that wasn’t true.”