Unbondable: Book 1 of the Kindred Birthright Series

One

"O w—you bit me! Again. " Jason jerked away from her, abruptly breaking their kiss.

Kara put a hand to her mouth, horrified at what she’d done.

Oh, I’m so sorry, Jason. I didn’t mean—

Look, Kara, I just don’t think this is working out. He took a step back from her, shaking his head. We’re just…not right for each other. Maybe it’s a cultural thing—you being Kindred and me being human…

I’m half human too, Kara reminded him. My mother, Sophia, came from Earth.

"Well, whatever. You look a lot more Kindred than human."

His eyes hovered on her mouth and Kara closed her lips self-consciously, so her decidedly un-ladylike fangs wouldn’t show. Surreptitiously she ran her tongue over the sharp, double points on either side of her mouth where a human’s canine teeth would be, but she didn’t taste any blood. She hadn’t even broken the skin—so why was Jason breaking up with her?

Jason, please, she began. If you’ll just give me a chance—

"Look, I’m just not into biting. He eyed her mouth again. And let’s be honest, Kara—with fangs like yours, that’s bound to happen at some point. He shrugged. Maybe you should find a guy who’s into pain or something."

Kara wanted to protest that the pain was only momentary—that the instant she sank her fangs into his flesh she would inject a pale blue liquid called essence that would give him immediate pleasure. But she held her tongue…because she didn’t know if that was true.

Certainly, those facts applied to male Blood Kindred—her father, Sylvan, was one and her mother Sophia had told her how she had feared his fangs until she learned the truth about how it really felt to be bitten by a Blood Kindred. But to Kara’s knowledge, there had never been a female Blood Kindred with fangs. They were strictly a male trait and the fact that she had them made her an anomaly…and extremely unfeminine, at least in the eyes of most of the warriors aboard the Mother Ship where she lived.

None of them wanted to date her—though they were all polite about it. At first Kara had thought it was because her father was the Head Chancellor of the Kindred High Council or because her twin brother, Kaleb, was extremely over-protective. But gradually she came to realize that it wasn’t her status or her family that was scaring off the unmated males of the Mother Ship…it was her fangs.

I don’t know why I thought dating a human would be any different, she thought dismally as she watched Jason walk away. He had seemed like a nice enough guy, even though he was about an inch shorter than her. Kara was tall—6’1". But she also had curves in the right places, long, pale blonde hair and her father’s ice-blue eyes.

Jason, who was on a work assignment from a company based on Earth, had seemed willing to overlook her fangs at first. But over time he had gotten tired of being nipped when they kissed and he was always extremely nervous when Kara nibbled his neck, even though she was always careful not to break the skin. Apparently, their kiss tonight had been the last straw.

Kara sighed and looked up into the darkening sky of the parklands in the center of the Kindred Mother Ship. The artificial green sun, the power source of the ship, was dimming as it did every evening to simulate a planetary nighttime, and a soft breeze rustled through the green and purple leaves of the trees of the Sacred Grove to her left.

For a moment, Kara considered going into the Grove and asking for guidance…but uncertainty held her back. She always felt that the priestesses, who were also Kindred females, disapproved of her because of her distinctly masculine fangs. No other female had such a male trait—it was almost as bad as having a penis! No, not quite as bad, Kara admitted to herself, but still—it was bad enough.

Why do I have to have these things? I hate them! Savagely she bit her own tongue but the only result was a mouthful of blood and a needle-sharp pain that made her gasp. Apparently, her essence didn’t work on her own body—and who knew if it would work on a male either? If she could ever find one that wanted to be bitten—which was doubtful since it was seen as submissive and emasculating—maybe she could find out.

She spat blood onto the green and purple grass and sighed as she felt the healing tingle in her tongue. At least she healed like a Kindred—quickly and cleanly. That was definitely a plus for her heritage.

Hey, Sis—what are you doing out here?

Looking up, Kara saw a tall, broad-shouldered shape coming towards her out of the dimness. It was her twin brother, Kaleb who had the same dark brown hair and deep green eyes as their mother.

Not much, she said as her twin reached her. Just getting dumped…again.

What? That asshole human dumped you? Kaleb’s eye flashed angrily. You want me to teach him a lesson?

Kara sighed and smiled as she shook her head. Her twin wasn’t usually violent but he had always been extremely protective of her, especially after puberty hit them both and she started to grow fangs, making her different from all the other females aboard the Mother Ship.

It wasn’t Jason’s fault. He had good reason to dump me.

There’s no reason good enough to hurt my sister, Kaleb growled. Seriously, Kara, let me go find him and pound him.

Now you sound like War, Kara said, half-laughing. With Peace running after him, trying to calm him down. The Twin Kindred brothers were almost like siblings to her and Kaleb—they had all grown up together here on the Mother Ship.

I just get upset when someone hurts you. Kaleb offered her his arm. Kara took it and they began walking compatibly through the whispering grasses of the parklands, heading by mutual unspoken consent for the edge of the park nearest to the public transport. Why did he break up with you? he asked.

I…I bit him, Kara admitted, her voice little more than an embarrassed whisper. "I swear I didn’t mean to, Kaleb but sometimes the urge to bite someone is so strong…" She looked at him hopefully. Do you know what I mean?

Kaleb cut his eyes to the side and shook his head quickly.

Sorry, no. You know a male’s fangs don’t sharpen until he meets the female he wants to bond to him. Guess I just haven’t found the right girl yet.

Um…yeah. Kara wished she could take the shameful admission back. It was kind of like saying that she felt constantly horny, which was not something she wanted to be talking about with her brother, even if they were really close.

But to be honest, she’d been having the almost overpowering urge to sink her fangs into male flesh for the past two years since she came of age and it was only getting worse. Maybe that was why she hadn’t been able to keep herself from nipping Jason when they kissed. She just wanted to bite someone so much but it was completely socially unacceptable—a need that had to be suppressed at all costs.

Well… Kaleb looked down at her hand on his arm. It’s going to be okay, Sis, he said uneasily. You’ll find somebody—you’ll see.

You mean a male who doesn’t mind being bitten? Kara laughed bitterly. Right, I’ve been doing great at finding one of those so far. Why do you think Jason ran away? Even though I bit him by accident, he still didn’t like it.

Uh… Kaleb looked uncomfortable but he didn’t push her away. Talking about biting was like talking about sex among Blood Kindred. It wasn’t something you discussed in polite company but Kara and her twin had always been frank with each other.

Sorry, she said, seeing that she had made him uncomfortable. I didn’t mean—

No, no—it’s okay. Kaleb shook his head dismissively. Anyway, it’s good he left, he said, frowning. You can’t tell me you wanted to bond with a human.

Why not? Kara demanded. Kindred warriors bond with human females all the time. Our father did. Where would we be if Dad hadn’t found Mom?

Yeah, but that’s different. Human females are small and delicate. Human males are puny and weak—that Jacob couldn’t have defended you in a fight, Kaleb said.

"His name was Jason and who says I need someone to defend me?" Kara demanded, glaring at her brother.

Nobody. I’m just saying I’d feel better seeing you with a Kindred warrior—or at least someone who isn’t half a head shorter than you.

Who’s shorter than Kara? rumbled a new voice.

Looking up from her argument with her twin, Kara saw their cousin, Daniel, striding over to meet them. He was the son of their Aunt Olivia and Uncle Baird, a Beast Kindred, and he looked like both of them. Tall, and broad shouldered as all Kindred males were, he had a wild mane of black hair streaked with blond and strangely compelling gold and silver ringed eyes. Kara thought she had never seen a more perfect mixture of two people since Olivia had blonde hair and silvery-gray eyes and Baird had black hair and gold eyes.

The human Kara was dating is shorter than her, Kaleb said, answering their cousin’s question.

Kara gave her twin a quick shake of her head. Daniel was the leader of their circle since he was the oldest and she liked and trusted her older cousin, but she didn’t want him to know any more about her secret shame than he already did.

But Daniel was already shaking his head sympathetically. He put a heavy hand on Kara’s shoulder.

Did he break your heart, little Kara? Want me to teach him a lesson? I’ll go get War and Peace and the three of us will let him know he can’t mess with our kin.

No. Goddess! Kara twitched her shoulders irritably, shrugging off her cousin’s hand. Why are you all so over-protective of me? I can take care of myself! Getting dumped isn’t the end of the world—it’s just part of life.

Which was true. It was the reason she had been dumped which really stung—and which she also really didn’t want to talk about in mixed company.

Sorry. Daniel shook his head. Just trying to help, Kare-kare.

Her childhood nickname drew a reluctant smile from Kara’s lips.

All right, thanks, she told her cousin. I know you’re trying to be nice. I just…need to deal with this myself.

What are you doing out here anyway? Kaleb asked Daniel. Looking for us? Did our mother send you? Because she could have just bespoken one of us.

Nope—looking for War and Peace and Ziza, Daniel answered, smiling. War and Peace are supposed to be coming from Seeker-Finder training so of course Aunt Kat couldn’t bespeak them for fear of messing up their connection. And wherever the two of them are, Ziza can’t be far behind.

Are you supposed to get everyone rounded up for the family dinner? Kaleb asked. Every Wednesday night their parents got together for a dinner in the largest suite, which was their Aunt Kat’s since she was mated to Twin Kindred—their Uncles Deep and Lock. For as far back as Kara could remember they had been eating together and sharing fellowship and fun—it was one of the reasons she was so close to her cousins and friends.

But Daniel was shaking his head.

Nope—this week’s dinner got pushed to Thursday night. I’m supposed to tell everyone so they don’t all converge on Aunt Kat—she’s got a headache.

Oh, okay. Kara felt a strange mixture of relief and disappointment. Part of her was glad she didn’t have to face her friends and family and explain about the break-up. But another part was sad that she would be away from her support system.

Of course, she always had Kaleb—she and her twin had never been separated, not even for a day. Kara couldn’t imagine going anywhere without him. They would probably have to mate siblings so they could all stay together on the Mother Ship and raise their kids together, the way their mothers, who were also twins, had done.

As if sensing her thought, Kaleb squeezed the hand which rested on his arm reassuringly.

Everything’s okay, that gesture said. Everything is going to be all right as long as we stick together.

Kara squeezed back gratefully. It was good to have a twin to count on. She felt sorry for only children like Daniel and their second cousin Ziza, who was the daughter of Aunt Lauren and Uncle Xairn. It must be awful having to go through life alone without someone always by your side to stick up for you.

Well, consider us told, Kaleb told Daniel. I guess we’ll see you tomorrow night at Aunt Kat’s then.

See you. Daniel smiled at them and reached out to give Kara’s shoulder a squeeze. Hey, Kare-kare—it’s going to be okay. You’ll find a warrior who’s worthy of you—I just know it.

Kara rolled her eyes.

Now you sound like Shad when he’s being all mysterious and Shadow-twin-y.

Shad was the brother of War and Peace and he was also the first one in their circle to be mated. He had found a girl on Earth named Harper and after a very brief courtship—so brief nobody even actually heard about it—he had gotten bonded and settled down. By all accounts he and his new bride were deliriously happy but they saw a bit less of him now that he was mated. Still, Kara hoped he would come to the family dinner on Thursday—he always seemed to know more about what was going on than anyone else somehow.

Shad has his ways, Daniel said, smiling mysteriously, showing white teeth, gleaming in the gloom of the artificial twilight. But I have mine too—and I know the Goddess has someone for you, Kara. She has someone for everyone.

"Everyone normal you mean." Kara sighed and ran her mostly-healed tongue over her fangs again.

Daniel frowned.

Kara—

Never mind. She waved a hand at him and tugged with her other at Kaleb. Come on—we need to get home. Mom and Dad will be worried.

Despite being fully grown, the two of them still lived with their parents. Part of it was because the massive Mother Ship had begun to fill up with all the mated couples and part of it was because Kara just didn’t feel quite ready to leave the nest yet. She liked looking around the dinner table and seeing her family’s familiar faces. Her parents were in their mid and late forties now but they were still wildly in love—Kara couldn’t help wishing she could find such love for herself someday.

Not that it will ever happen with these, she told herself ruefully, running her tongue over her fangs once more.

See you later, Kaleb said to Daniel as Kara dragged him out of the parklands. Talk to you tomorrow.

See you at the family dinner. With a final wave, Daniel wandered off, probably following his sensitive Beast Kindred nose to sniff down War, Peace, and Ziza.

Come on, Kara tugged at Kaleb again. I want to get home. I’m tired.

Okay. Her twin shrugged compatibly and they walked in comfortable silence towards the public transport station, which was unusually crowded, Kara saw.

Hey, what’s going on here? she asked, watching as a trio of strange, long-necked aliens with purple skin ducked into the glass-walled transport beside them.

The Convention of Acceptance, Kaleb explained in a low voice as the transport hummed to life and started moving them smoothly through the Mother Ship. Don’t you remember Dad talking about it? It’s the one time of year when the High Council accepts applications for acceptance from other species—especially ones we Kindred have made a genetic trade with. If the Council votes to recognize the trade, they can consider themselves a new branch of the Kindred with legal rights to representation, mediation, and protection from the Kindred as a whole.

Oh, right. Kara’s eyes flickered around the crowded transport and lighted on a large male who was facing away from them. He stood a head taller than anyone else in the crowd—even Kaleb—and he had long, wild dark hair and very broad shoulders, made even broader by the heavy, silver-toned uniform shirt he was wearing. The shirt was trimmed in black and tucked neatly into tight black flight leathers, which most Kindred warriors wore as part of their uniform. Was he a Beast Kindred?

But when the male turned towards them, she saw that his eyes weren’t the pure liquid gold of a Beast Kindred but midnight-black ringed in pure silver. The strange combination gave the stranger a piercing look that made Kara want to drop her eyes the moment she met his.

But she didn’t like feeling intimidated. Instead of looking down or away, as would be polite on a crowded transport, she lifted her chin and gazed evenly at the big stranger, giving stare for stare and refusing to look away. She had the strangest feeling she had seen him somewhere before but that was impossible—she would have remembered such a striking-looking male, she was certain of it.

The silver-ringed black eyes, as dark as bottomless pits, widened slightly in apparent surprise, and then crinkled at the corners. The strange male had strong features to go with his striking eyes—a knife-blade nose and a full, sensuous mouth with naturally red lips framed in a neatly trimmed black beard and mustache. Seeing that she was still studying him, he bowed mockingly, as though saluting her bravery in some way.

Kara, what are you doing? Kaleb yanked on her hand, drawing her attention away from the handsome, irritating stranger.

What? Kara jerked guiltily. What do you mean? I was just looking around.

Looking at that strange male, you mean, Kaleb growled, frowning. He’s a Y’lyn—one of the Unbondable.

Unbondable? What are you talking about? Kara snuck a glance at the stranger again who appeared to be listening, though he was surely too far away to hear their conversation. There was a faint smile on his sensuous mouth, as though he found them amusing.

Unbondable because they’re part demon, Kaleb explained impatiently. Demons have no souls. You can’t form a soul bond with someone who has no soul.

Oh…I guess not. How can you tell, though? Kara risked another glance and the stranger gestured subtly at his eyes, as though trying to answer her question.

The black, silver-ringed eyes, Kaleb said at once, though he was looking pointedly away from the stranger and hadn’t seen the gesture. As well as the extra height and mass. Unbondables are always on the larger side.

Shouldn’t you call them Y’lyn Kindred instead? Kara asked. The term Unbondable seemed rude to her, especially since she was fairly certain the stranger was hearing their conversation.

No, Kaleb said shortly. Because they haven’t been recognized by the High Council as a legitimate branch of the Kindred. And they won’t be, either, he added. The Council will never allow Unbondables the legitimacy they’re seeking—that would send a clear signal that it’s all right for other Kindred males and females to mate with them.

Are they really so bad? Kara couldn’t help looking at the stranger again. He wiggled his bushy black eyebrows at her and made a mock-evil face, pretending to twirl his mustache. She started to giggle and put a hand over her mouth self-consciously to hide her fangs.

"They’re unbondable," Kaleb repeated patiently. That means they can abandon their mate at any time.

Humans do that when they mate with other humans, Kara pointed out. They call it divorce.