Dark and Light (A Kindred Tales Duet)

No more fucking ‘beating around the bush’ as I believe your people say.”

“I…I’m not used to talking that way.” Alli felt her cheeks getting hot. “And who says I wanted to see your, uh, package anyway?”

“It’s ‘shaft’ or ‘cock’,” he emphasized, frowning. “No more euphemisms, remember?”

“Fine!” Alli snapped, her cheeks flaming. “Well then, who said I wanted to see your cock?”

He grinned at her, his mirror eyes sleepy with amusement and lust.

“You did, baby. And don’t worry—you’ll see it soon enough. And feel it, too. Now, come on…” He made a “hurry up” gesture with one hand. “Let’s go—get undressed.”

Unwillingly, Alli pulled the silky nightshirt over her head. But then she clutched it to her chest, hiding herself as well as she could with it. She didn’t hate her body but she didn’t love it either. She was on the far side of forty and a lot plumper than she wanted to be.

In fact, hadn’t Douglas just told her she looked like she’d gained weight not that long ago? No, she really didn’t want to be naked—especially in front of an intimidating physical specimen like Kane. He was what she’d heard some women call “prison ripped”—so in shape it was almost scary.

Then she realized Kane had his head cocked to one side and a frown on his face. Oh God, had he been listening to all her thoughts about being naked and the way he was so in shape and she wasn’t?

“Of course I have,” he growled, as though in answer to her question. “Did that fool of a fiancé of yours really tell you that you were too plump?”

Alli felt her cheeks get hot.

“I thought you knew all about me and Douglas.”

“I do—mostly. But I had no idea he…” Kane shook his head. “Never mind. Believe me, Allisandra—you’re beautiful. Come into the fresher and let me show you.”

Reluctantly, she followed him through a door at the far side of the large viewscreen. What she saw took her breath away.

There was a vast, round, marble bathing pool with a padded seat running around the inside. Also, a large shower stall which looked a lot like the one she loved on the Kindred Mother Ship back home. But unlike the bathroom in her suite back home, all the walls were mirrored. Every…single…one.

Still clutching her discarded nightdress to her chest, Alli let out a shaky breath as she looked at the multiple images of herself and the big Kru’ell One reflected again and again and again.

“This…is a lot,” she said, shaking her head.

“Too much?” He raised an eyebrow. “Then fix it.”

“Oh—you mean the, uh, speech to matter transference thing?”

He nodded.

“No mirrors,” Alli said at once.

Immediately all the walls were an opaque gray.

Kane frowned.

“No—that’s not enough. I want to show you yourself.” He raised his voice. “Mirrors on one wall,” he directed.

Immediately the wall in front of them was suddenly floor-to-ceiling mirrors again. Alli gave a little gasp but she wasn’t quite as startled this time. Could it be she was getting used to this?

“Now, look…” Kane was suddenly behind her with his big, warm hands on her shoulders. “Let go of this,” he murmured, tugging at the nightshirt still clutched in her hands. “See yourself, Allisandra. See yourself as I see you.”

Alli didn’t want to see—but it didn’t seem she had much choice. Slowly, she let him slide the nightshirt out of her hands until her fingers were empty. She kept her arms crossed over her breasts for a moment…then slowly let them drop.

“See?” Kane murmured in her ear. “Beautiful.”

Her reflection didn’t look all that gorgeous to Alli. She liked her breasts well enough—they were still pretty perky with their dark pink nipples. But her tummy wasn’t as firm as she would like and her hips and ass were much too large.

“If you say so,” she muttered, feeling embarrassed.

“I do, baby. Now…see yourself as I see you.” Kane’s gravelly voice was soft in her ear. Gently but firmly, he put his hands on either side of her head and placed his fingertips on her temples.

Something happened to Alli’s vision. It flickered for a moment—as though all the lights had gone out for a split second. But before she could get worried or upset, she looked at her reflection again. What she saw made her draw in a deep breath.

Her curves were luscious, her breasts were full, her nipples were taut, pink peaks that looked deliciously suckable. Her long red hair flowed around her shoulders like a river of fire and her eyes were like emeralds. She really was beautiful.

“Wow…” Her voice was shaky. “How did you do that? And is this really how you see me?”

“Of course.” Kane smiled and ran his hands down her shoulders and along her arms until they landed on her hips. He was still standing behind her but Alli no longer thought their reflections looked so very mismatched. Her own curvy body seemed to compliment his muscular frame. They were like the very definition of male and female—hard and soft… angular and curvilinear.