Chapter Two
The ceremony was actually quite beautiful. The pale green artificial sun shone through the leaves of the blessed trees, making magical patterns on the ground and the green and purple grass was springy under Sophie’s bare feet. Shoes were forbidden in the sacred grove, so the entire wedding party was barefoot. The guests—mostly other Kindred and their families, since the sisters didn’t have many relatives—were seated on rows of purple metal benches arranged in a semi-circle around the happy couple and their attendants.
Olivia’s bouquet of rare lavender roses was beautiful and her white lace dress looked simple yet elegant next to Baird’s dress uniform of black pants and a dark crimson shirt. The statue of the Mother of Life which stood at the head of the sacred grove seemed to preside over everything with an aura of peace and love. Even the stern Kindred priestess who was conducting the ceremony had a look of approval in her green-on-green eyes.
It was picture-perfect and Sophie knew she would have enjoyed it immensely if the damn Luck Kiss hadn’t been hanging over her head. The entire time while the priestess intoned the words of bonding, first in English and then in the guttural Kindred universal language, Sophie kept stealing glances in Sylvan’s direction.
Though she’d had several visits to the Kindred ship in the past month, she hadn’t seen her future brother-in-law since the last time she’d yelled at him and stormed out of the Human/Kindred relations building back on Earth. Just the memory of it made her cheeks hot with shame. I really laid into him. He probably can’t wait for this to be over.
Despite her fear, or maybe because of it, Sophie couldn’t seem to stop looking at him. He looked as handsome as ever and even bigger than she remembered, if that was possible.
Did he grow or something? No, probably not. He’s just freaking huge is all. She wished the Kindred weren’t so physically imposing. Sylvan’s shoulders were fully twice as broad as her own and the muscles bulging under his uniform shirt made it clear he was strong enough to break her in half with one hand. Not that she thought he would hurt her but it certainly would have been easier to kiss him if he was more normal sized instead of being so ginormous.
He was wearing black tight fitting pants identical to Baird’s, but instead of deep crimson, the material of his uniform shirt was a pale azure blue that complemented his eyes. His hair was a darker shade of blond than Olivia’s and it was still cut short and spiky. Looking at him, Sophie couldn’t help thinking that despite the severe cut, his hair looked like it would be soft to touch. In fact, she could almost feel the feathery brush of those blond spikes whispering against her fingers…
She snapped out of the strange fantasy in time to realize two things. One, the ceremony was almost over—in fact, Baird had Olivia bent over one arm and was kissing her for all he was worth. And two, she’d been staring at Sylvan and he was staring right back with an unreadable look in his pale eyes.
Sophie dropped her gaze quickly, feeling her cheeks get even hotter. She wished she knew what he was thinking but it was impossible to guess when he kept his features under such tight control. Probably thinking how much he hates me and how unpleasant it’s going to be to kiss me. God, this is awful .
“And now,” the priestess intoned, breaking her train of thought. “For the future good fortune of the happy couple the unmated male and female who stand with them will perform the Luck Kiss.”
Oh my God, the kiss. It’s time for the kiss! Sophie had thought she would be ready for it when the time came, but somehow the moment had snuck up on her without warning. Sylvan took a step forward but she remained rooted to the spot, staring at him in terror.
He stared back at her and then held out a hand. There was a breathless silence from the assembled crowd, but when Sophie made no move go to him, a soft murmuring began. Staring out at the sea of faces Sophie saw, or thought she saw, looks of disapproval everywhere. Even Kat, her closest friend besides Olivia, was looking at her with uncertainty in her big blue eyes.
Oh my God, Sophie thought, panicking. It’s just like Jillian said—if I don’t do this everyone is going to talk about it and say I gave Liv and Baird bad luck. And just listen to them—it’s already starting. I have to do this. I have to kiss him NOW.
But somehow she just couldn’t.
* * * * *
Just look at her—she’s frightened to death. I’m going to kill Baird for making me do this to her! Sylvan stared in dismay at the female he was supposed to kiss, though he tried to keep the negative emotion off his face. He held out a hand to her but she didn’t come—just kept staring at him like a terrified animal caught in the glare of a shuttle craft’s high beams. It was clear that kissing him was the last thing in the universe she wanted to do.
People were beginning to talk. I’ll have to go to her. Maybe she doesn’t know it’s the female who comes to the male for the kiss? Or maybe she was just frozen with terror. Sylvan’s heart ached at the thought. He was about to step toward her again when her paralysis apparently broke and she ran over to him. But when she reached him she just stood there, her small cool hand clutching his and a look of panic in her large green eyes.
I held her hands once before, Sylvan couldn’t help remembering. In the Human/Kindred relations building back on Earth. I was trying to prepare her to lose her sister to Baird and she was so angry with me—she hated me. No doubt she hates me still. But Gods, I wish she didn’t have so much fear in her eyes. If only I could make her understand that I would never harm her…
“Sophia?” he asked softly, trying to make his voice non-threatening. “Are you all right?”
“I…I…” She shook her head, looking so lost and terrified that Sylvan was almost overcome with a desire to gather her into his arms and comfort her. It was an irrational reaction. He was the one she was terrified of, so how could he possibly give her comfort? Yet he couldn’t help it—the need to protect and soothe the little human female was almost overwhelming.
Just as the whispering from the crowd was beginning again he saw a change on her face. It went suddenly from terrified to determined. Then, rising on her tiptoes she whispered something that pierced his heart.
“I’m sorry. “I know you don’t want this—don’t want me —but we have to do it.”
“I—” Sylvan began, meaning to protest the idea that he didn’t want her. But before he could speak he felt her small, warm mouth covering his and he was suddenly lost.
She was inexperienced—he could tell that much from the way she trembled in his arms. For some reason that only fanned the flame of lust and need that flared suddenly to life inside him.
Sylvan pulled her closer, slanting his mouth over hers for greater contact. He forgot that the woman he held didn’t want him, forgot that they were engaged in a ceremonial kiss that was purely for show. All his brain registered was the delicious feel of her soft, luscious curves against his own hard warrior’s body. The press of her ripe breasts against his chest, the sweet taste of her tongue as he parted her lips and entered her. Her warm secret female scent filled his senses and his cock hardened, pressing against her belly shamelessly, but Sylvan didn’t care. He was consumed with a new sensation—a pleasurable pain he had never felt before.
It was a hot, prickling feeling centered around the double set of vestigial fangs which grew in his mouth where a human’s canine teeth would be. They were joined together, rather like a cat’s back teeth, and the second set was slightly shorter than the longer, more prominent fangs in front. Sylvan had felt them sharpen before but this was different—suddenly and without warning they lengthened into finely honed daggers that filled his mouth as surely and completely as desire filled his body.
Careful, he thought or tried to think through the haze of lust that clouded his reason. Sophia’s so small, so delicate. If I’m not careful I’ll crush her or—
“Ow! You bit me!” Sophia pushed against his chest with one hand and cupped her wounded mouth with the other. For a moment he couldn’t make himself let her go but then the expression on her face finally registered. The fear was back in her large green eyes and this time it was mixed with pain. “That really hurt ,” she whispered.
“I’m so sorry.” Sylvan’s voice sounded strange even in his own ears as he tried to get used to talking with his new fangs. Damn it, why wouldn’t they shrink again? And why had they grown in the first place? Anyone would think he wanted to bond her to him. But that wasn’t true— couldn’t be true.
He was aware of the whispering going on around them again but he didn’t care. All he cared about was the wounded look in Sophia’s eyes. The look that said she was in pain and he was the cause of it. It was almost more than he could bear.
“Please,” he said, reaching for her. “I’m truly sorry. It was an accident.”
She pulled away before he could touch her. “It’s all right.” But her voice and actions said it wasn’t. Said that it would never be all right. And why did that tear at his heart so?
“Hey, what’s happening over here? That was some kiss.” Apparently the ceremony was over because Kat, one of Olivia’s best friends from Earth, was suddenly beside them. Her full curves were draped in a sapphire blue gown and her deep red hair was piled becomingly atop her head. She was followed by two warriors that Sylvan knew well, though he hadn’t seen them in several cycles.
“Deep, Lock,” he greeted the Twin Kindred, relieved to find that his fangs had finally returned to their normal size. “It’s good to see you, brothers.”
“We had to witness our brother’s bonding.” Stabs Deep, the dark twin of the two, nodded formally. He had black hair and eyes and a brooding look on his strong features.
“We had to see what kind of female would agree to take Baird as a mate.” The gleam of good humor in the warm brown eyes of Locks Tight, the light twin of the pair, let Sylvan know he was joking. Though he resembled his twin closely in the face, he had dark blond hair and stood about an inch shorter than Deep. Both of them towered over Kat and Sophie however—like all Kindred males they were muscular and well over six and a half feet in height.
“Baird’s bride is a worthy female,” Sylvan said, trying to sound normal, though he was still disturbed over what had happened during the Luck Kiss. “Her name is Olivia. Would you care to meet her before she and Baird cut the bonding confection—er wedding cake?”
“Lead the way, Brother.” Deep made an expansive gesture with one hand. “But before we go…” He turned to Kat. “Forgive me but what did you say your name was my lady?”
“Katrina. But I usually go by Kat.” She smiled in an open, friendly manner. “And you two are…?”
“Stabs Deep and Locks Tight,” Sylvan supplied the introduction politely. “They are second brothers to Baird and myself. Our father married their mother.”
Lock frowned. “So you said your name was Cat? Like the Earth animal you humans keep as a pet?”
“Not quite. It’s spelled K-A-T, not…oh never mind. It doesn’t matter.” Kat shrugged.
“About cats…” Deep leaned closer and gave Kat a speculative look. “Isn’t that the lovely little animal that makes soft sounds of pleasure when you stroke it?”
For some reason Kat’s cheeks grew pink and she seemed embarrassed, though it was a simple enough question in Sylvan’s estimation. Maybe it was the intent way both Deep and Lock were looking at her that made her blush.
“I…I suppose. Yes, they d-do,” she stammered. “It’s called purring.”
“I see.” Deep smiled at her. “I’ve often wanted to stroke a cat just to hear those sounds. I’m certain the vids we have of it on Twin Moons don’t do it justice.”
“I—” Kat began but before she could say more Lock grabbed hold of his twin’s arm and began towing him away.
“Forgive him, my lady,” he said, winking at Kat. “Extreme beauty makes him extremely stupid. Come on,” he said when Deep started to protest. “You’re making her uncomfortable.”
“I’m not—”
“Just come on.” Lock looked at Sylvan. “I believe you were about to introduce us to the bride?”
“Oh, of course. This way.” Sylvan cast one last look over at Sophia, but she had already turned away and was talking quietly with Kat.
He wished desperately that he could apologize one more time, that he could explain to her what had happened. Unfortunately, he still couldn’t explain it to himself. Why had he reacted so strangely to a simple Luck Kiss? And why could he still taste the single, salty drop of blood he’d drawn from her lower lip on his tongue?
With an unhappy sigh, he decided to let the matter rest and turned toward the place where Baird and Olivia were receiving the well wishes of their guests and kin. He still had no idea why the kiss had gone so strangely, but of one thing he was certain—if Sophia hadn’t hated him before, she certainly did now.