Taming Two Warriors (Kindred Tales)

“All right, all right.” Vorn held up his hands. “I won’t try to tell you your business, you know your female better than me. But can I at least tell Jodi to give Melli some reassurance?”

“Of course.” Liosh nodded swiftly. “And I’ll try to reassure her myself tonight. I just need to be careful while I do it.”

“Right.” Vorn nodded and closed his eyes for a moment, concentrating on the silent communication with his mate. “Done,” he said opening his eyes and nodding at Liosh. “Now come on, drink up, Brother—I want to get back to my bride.”

Liosh couldn’t help the stab of envy that went through him at those words. How he longed to Claim Melinda as his bride, the same way Vorn had claimed Jodi! But he didn’t want to frighten or rush her.

He wasn’t sure when he would be able to Claim her, he admitted to himself. He only knew he loved her and wanted her desperately. If only he could find a way to show her without pushing her too far!

Please, Goddess, he prayed, Help me find a way. Help me Claim my bride and show her how much I care…

Fifty-Two

“So that’s why he’s been so stand-offish lately? Because he thinks I’m afraid of him?” Melli asked, surprised.

“That and he thinks you’re still fragile after the, uh, second attack by Jason Sykes,” Jodi nodded. “See? I told you he still loved you. He’s just being sweet and kind and patient.” She took a sip of her tea—she had finally talked Melli into a cup and had given her a cupcake to go with it.

“But…what if I don’t want him to be patient anymore?” Melli asked, frowning as she put down her own teacup. “What if I feel ready to take the next step?”

“Do you?” Jodi asked frankly. “After all, Melli, it’s only been a little over a week since that bastard Jason jumped you again.”

Melli lifted her chin.

“I refuse to let my present be determined by my past,” she said bravely. “Yes, I’m ready, Jodi. I want what you and Vorn have—I want to be bonded to Liosh and know that we’ll never be apart again. After that, I was going to take the semester off and stay up here with Mom, but now I guess I won’t have to—thanks to you giving Amanda Brannigan the stink-eye—literally.” She gave her sister a smile that Jodi returned wholeheartedly. “What about you?”

“Well, I don’t want to see James anymore than you wanted to see Amanda Brannigan, but I’m not letting him run me out of USF,” she said firmly. “I’m going to finish my degree at least—though I might focus more on other kinds of counseling since I don’t think anybody here has much sexual dysfunction.”

“Unless you count having too much sex as a dysfunction,” Melli said dryly.

“Exactly.” Jodi laughed. “Anyway, after I finish my degree, Vorn and I might head back up here to the Mother Ship. Honestly, it’s so much nicer than Earth.”

“It really is,” Melli agreed. “It has everything you need and want with none of the pollution or political nastiness of Earth. Everyone here is just so…happy.” Having finished the blueberry cupcake Jodi had offered her, she reached for another—a pale peachy one that had a faint fruity aroma.

“Oh, wait—don’t eat that one!” Jodi exclaimed, grabbing her by the wrist before Melli could bring the luscious-looking cupcake to her mouth.

“What? Why not?” Melli put it down and turned to her sister in surprise.

“Because, that’s a bonding fruit cupcake.” Jodi blushed a little. “The lady named Lauren, who owns the bakery, only sells them to mated women.”

“But why?” Melli asked. “I thought bonding fruit just helped a girl, er, open up more—especially girls who are mated to Twin Kindred. At least, that’s what Liosh told me.”

“It does do that, but it’s also an aphrodisiac—a really strong one,” Jodi told her. “So you have to be careful. According to Lauren, once you eat it, you pretty much have to have sex. Which is why she only sells them to mated women.”

Melli frowned. “Well why in the world did you buy one? It’s not like you and Vorn need any help in that department. You two are constantly going at it twenty-four/seven—like a couple of bunnies.”

“I know that, but, well…Vorn and I like to try new things.” Jodi’s cheeks were getting red. “We’re very…experimental, if you know what I mean.”

“I think I have an idea,” Melli said dryly. She was pretty sure that the side of herself that Jodi had been suppressing the whole time she was with James was finally coming out into the open. And though she was glad for her big sister, she didn’t really need to know the dirty details.

“So anyway, I just thought I’d try it.” Jodi shrugged. “So pick another one—any cupcake but that one.”