Unbondable(Kindred Birthright #1) - Evangeline Anderson Page 0,74

Sophia said.

“But then your trail went cold and we had no idea where to look!” Kaleb exclaimed. “All we knew was that Great Uncle Grennly and Great Aunt Zeelah said you’d run off with that Unbondable bastard!”

Kara took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves.

“First of all,” she said, “Uncle Grennly and Aunt Zeelah tried to have my fangs pulled. Secondly,” she went on, speaking over their shocked exclamations of dismay. “That ‘Unbondable bastard’ saved my life. Not only that, but he’s now my mate.”

“What? Oh, Kara, no!” her mother cried. She took a closer look at Kara. “Oh, your eyes! Please tell me you didn’t Join yourself to a male you can never bond with!”

“Well, that’s kind of the third thing.” Kara smiled at her. “It turns out Raak isn’t unbondable after all.”

“He’s not?” Sylvan asked blankly. “And how would you know that?”

Kara shrugged, grinning at all of them.

“I know because we’re bonded.”

This caused so many questions, all shouted at once in the echoing confines of the Docking Bay, that she had to hold up her hands for silence and practically yell to be heard.

“Take it easy, you guys! I promise I’ll explain everything.”

“For now, all you need to know is that it involves the Goddess,” a deep voice said behind her.

Turning, Kara saw her new mate coming up behind her with Silki scampering at his side. When Raak reached her, he put an arm around her shoulders and drew her close.

“Hey, I thought you were going to wait for my call,” she sent through their link.

“Got tired of waiting. And it seemed like you could use some backup.”

He smiled at her family and then spoke to her father.

“Forgive me for not asking you formally before taking your daughter as my mate,” he told Sylvan. “But please let me assure you that I love her with all my heart and we were bonded in the sight of the Goddess.”

“And we want to have our Joining Ceremony here in the Mother Ship—in the Sacred Grove,” Kara put in quickly.

“Oh, well…of course, I guess.” Sophia looked flustered. “We’ll have to ask Kat to plan it, I suppose. I mean, there’s so much to do…”

Kaleb was still frowning at Raak distrustfully, however.

“Kara,” he growled, “How do we know the two of you are really bonded and not just pretending?”

“Kaleb! How can you even say that?” She gave her twin brother a little shove, just as she had back when they were kids and he was being a pain.

“I’m saying it because this ‘mate’ of yours is supposed to be Unbondable.” Kaleb frowned stubbornly. “Which means he shouldn’t be able to bond!”

“I know what Unbondable means,” Kara snapped. “Honestly, Kaleb! What do you want me to do—prove it?”

“Exactly.” He frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. “Come with me and I’ll whisper something in your ear—something only I could know. If you can send it by your bond-link to your new ‘mate’ over there, I’ll believe you’re really bonded.”

“Honestly, Kaleb—I don’t believe you!” Kara bristled but Raak squeezed her shoulders gently.

“It’s all right, baby—I don’t blame your family for doubting and this is as good a way as any to prove ourselves. Go on—go over there with your brother and then send me what he tells you.”

The echoing Docking Bay was suddenly silent as her family waited to see what would happen. Furious with her twin for doubting, Kara grabbed Kaleb by the arm and towed him behind one of the parked ships where they could be alone. She didn’t want her brother to accuse Raak of lip-reading to find out what he was saying to her when they spoke. Things were crazy enough as it was.

“All right,” she snapped in a low voice. “Speak! Tell me something and you’d better make it good.”

Kaleb scowled back.

“I’m trying to think of something—you already know almost everything I do because we’re twins. And twins tell each other everything—especially when they’re planning to run off and leave the ship!”

Kara felt herself melting a little. Of course her brother was mad—he’d been worried about her and had rightfully thought that she ought to have included him in her plans.

“Okay…” she sighed. “I know—I’m sorry. I should have told you I was going but I was afraid you would try and stop me. And Kaleb, I had to go.”

He frowned. “You could have told me. I wouldn’t have betrayed your trust.”

“Unless you thought I was in danger,” Kara pointed out. “In which case you would have