Temal laughed.“That is not what I thought to hear on a bonding night.”
“Are we bonding?I thought we were playing.”
Yeskin chuckled.“With your sister advertising sex with every step and you two looking identical, bonding will happen.”
“Cousin.Not sister.”
Temal sat up and frowned.“You smell very similar.Like siblings.”
Piper groaned.“That’s an explanation for another time.”
Yeskin sat up and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her shoulder.“Why not now?”
“Because it’s a long story, and I am sleepy.”
“Where did you want your braid?”
“Well, I wax, so that leaves the head or eyebrows.”
Temal grinned.“Interesting thought.Do you need your hair for images?”
“Yes.I guess a lock under the back of my hair would be good.At the nape of my neck?”She yawned.“Maybe off to the side?”
She hadn’t even finished talking when Yeskin’s claws were brushing through her hair.He sectioned it, and she smelled blood, and then a light tugging indicated he was making tremendous progress.
Then she had braided a lock of Temal’s hair right over his temple.She did the same for Yeskin while he continued braiding until he grinned with triumph.“Done!”
She laughed and extended her finger toward Temal’s mouth.There was a flick of pain, and then she stroked her blood down the braids.The moment that each had the blood of each of their grouping, she felt the link snap between them.“Whoa.”
They surged into her thoughts, and she felt them discover the reason why Harper and Piper were so close.She learned about their time on her world and in the oceans and learned how to raise sunken ships and return them to their country of origin for a price.
She laughed and kept laughing.Yeskin pulled her back and kissed her.When he let her go, she was still giggling.
Temal touched her thoughts and snorted.“No, we are not repo men.We are ocean salvagers.”
She shrugged.“Tomato, tomahto.”
Temal laughed.“I look forward to you using those talented hands on us.”
“Yeah, well, let’s hope I don’t want to sculpt something specific.”
Yeskin said, “So Harper designs enamels, and you make the structures beneath?”
“Yup.I can enamel as well, but my colour selections are a bit brighter than hers.Not to every taste.”
Yeskin stroked her ribs.“Is that an enamelled bikini?”
She blinked.“Yeah, it was proof of concept.That is the size the leaves and petals have to be to avoid cracking.”
Temal asked, “Is it here?”
“Um, I think Harper has it in one of her cases.”
“Can you dance in it?”
“Yeah, I think that is what Harper is being sneaky about.”
Yeskin grinned.“I think I like your kinswoman.”
