They all looked like pleasant people, but Lexi’s eyes were naturally drawn to the two Twin Kindred—one with black hair and one with sandy brown hair—and their mate, a curvy redhead who gave her an open, welcoming smile.
“Hello!” she exclaimed, coming forward to take Lexi’s hands in hers. “I’m Kat and these are my mates Deep and Lock. And this is Sophie and Sylvan and Baird and Liv. Welcome to the Mother Ship—we’re so happy to have you!”
“We hear you’re wanting to open a bakery,” the blonde woman with gray eyes who was called Liv said, coming forward. “And we couldn’t be more happy about it.”
“In fact, we have the perfect spot all picked out for you,” the brunette named Sophie told her. She smiled eagerly “Can you imagine? Fresh baked bread every day!”
“I can’t wait to try some,” the redhead called Kat said, grinning at Lexi. “How soon do you think you’ll be up and running?”
“Now, don’t push her, Kat,” Liv scolded, smiling. “The poor woman just got here and you know she and her mates are still in their honeymoon phase.”
“All right—I didn’t meant to be pushy—I just really love fresh bread.” Kat smile at Lexi. “You and your guys are welcome here—if they need anything, they can ask my guys to show them the ropes. Are the two of them doing other jobs or are all three of you going to work in the bakery together?” she added, lifting her eyebrows.
“Oh, I…I hadn’t really thought about that.” Lexi looked back at Gaze and Bound, who smile back at her.
“It’s up to you, Angel,” the Dark Twin rumbled. “Never baked any bread before, but you know I’m willing to learn.”
“I wouldn’t mind either, the Light Twin remarked. “But we have plenty of time to figure it out.”
“Yes, you do—we never rush newly bonded couples or, er, throuples.” The Blood Kindred stepped forward and smiled at them. “I’m Commander Sylvan, the Head of the High Council. On behalf of the entire Mother Ship, I’d like to welcome the three of you aboard.”
“Thank you. But…” Lexi bit her lip. “You don’t mind that there are three of us? Neither of our home worlds was very tolerant,” she added.
“Of course we don’t mind, doll! There are three of us, you know,” Kat remarked, pointing to herself and her two Twin Kindred husbands. “We have lots of Twin Kindred families aboard.”
“We don’t have any Pitch-Blood Twins—or we didn’t until now,” Commander Sylvan said. “But the three of you are very welcome.”
“Thank you so much!” Lexi felt tears stinging her eyes but they were tears of happiness. As she looked at the smiling faces of the people who already felt like friends, she knew that at last, she had found where she was meant to be.
She and Gaze and Bound had come home.
THE END?
OF COURSE NOT!
There are always more Kindred stories coming.