Switched: Brides of the Kindred 17 (45 page)

“
Well, there is
one
possible way,” the
priestess said hesitantly. “But given the animosity the two of you
seem to feel for each other, I am not certain you will want to try
it.”

“
Anything—we’ll try
anything,”
Frankie
said.

“
Just tell us what it is,”
Kerov demanded. “Anything is preferable to being trapped in each
other’s bodies indefinitely.”

“
Really?” The priestess
raised an eyebrow at him. “Even giving each other the Kiss of
Intimacy?”

“
The
what
now?” Frankie asked
uncertainly. “What—is that like a French kiss or something?” The
idea of tongue kissing Kerov while she was in his body and he was
in hers was a little disturbing to say the least. How would it be
to kiss herself that way? What if she found out her body was a
terrible kisser? But no, since Kerov was in her body, wouldn’t it
be
his
fault if
she was a bad kisser? It was all so strange it was hard to imagine,
let alone contemplate actually
doing.

Then she caught sight of Kerov’s face and
realized that something was wrong—really wrong.

“
What? What is it?” she
asked anxiously, looking at him. “What do you know that I don’t?
What is this ‘Kiss of Intimacy’ anyway?”

“
It
is
a form of what you call ‘French
kissing,’” he said reluctantly. “But…we would not be kissing each
other’s mouths.”

“
What? Then where would
we…” Frankie trailed off, looking uncertainly at the priestess. “Oh
no…no, tell me he’s not saying what I think he’s
saying.”

“
Think of the prophesy, my
daughter,” the priestess said mildly. “‘Unless they are one, apart
they’ll not be.’ That makes it very clear that you must share deep
intimacy in order to be separated.”

“
But I…but we…” Frankie
was at a loss for words.

“
My Mother and Sire, who
are Switch Kindred, warned that the only way to separate ourselves
and get back to our own bodies was to bond,” Kerov said flatly.
“But we cannot do that as Frankie has no wish to be bonded to one
of my kind.”

“
Stop talking like that,”
Frankie snapped. “You don’t want to be permanently ‘bonded’ to one
of ‘my kind’ either. So don’t put it all on me.”

The priestess frowned again and hushed them
both with a gesture.

“
Very well, warrior,” she
said to Kerov. “I agree with your Mother and Sire that such a
bonding would indeed separate you—it would also allow you to Switch
bodies with each other at will as often as you wished. But clearly
you do not wish this.”

Frankie shook her head firmly and Kerov
said, “No.”

“
Very well, then. I
believe that giving each other the Kiss of Intimacy and bringing
each other to the pinnacle of pleasure will be enough to facilitate
your separation without bonding you together permanently.” She
spread her hands. “And the prophesy supports my
statements.”

“
So let me get this
straight,” Frankie said, frowning. “You want me to, uh, go down on
myself and Kerov to do the same. I mean, at the same time or
what?”

“
I do not think it matters
whether you take turns or bring each other pleasure together,” the
priestess said gently. “Only that you must help each other reach
the pinnacle.”

“
So…we have to make each
other come.” Frankie’s cheeks were flaming and she couldn’t
remember when she’d been more embarrassed. But embarrassing as it
was, it was important to get this exactly right and be sure she
understood the priestess completely. She didn’t want to do this
wrong and pay for her ignorance by never getting back to her own
body again.

“
Correct,” the priestess
said mildly. “By worshiping your partner with lips and tongue, you
will give honor to the Goddess. Not only that, the pleasure in your
body calls your spirit home.”

“
We can do it, I suppose,”
Kerov said grimly. “But it’s going to be Goddess-damned awkward to
say the least.”

“
As to that, do not fear,
warrior,” the priestess said. “As soon as the pleasurable
connection between the two of you begins, you will in all
likelihood Switch back into your own bodies. But…” She raised a
finger warningly. “That does not mean you can stop. Both of
you
must
reach
the pinnacle of pleasure in order to be anchored to your true
forms.”

“
And…you really think this
will work?” Frankie asked, biting her lip.

The priestess made a
graceful shrug. “As to that, I cannot say. I
hope
that it will for your sake, my
children. I have no other advice to give at this time.”

“
Okay. Well…thank you, I
guess,” Frankie said doubtfully. “I, uh, guess we’d better go
then.”

“
I suppose we should.”
Kerov gave her an unfriendly look and Frankie wondered how in the
world they were going to manage this—especially when he was clearly
so angry with her.

* * * * *

“
So? What did the
priestess say?” Olivia, one of Frankie’s new friends, asked as soon
as they emerged from the Sacred Grove.

“
She, uh…” Frankie
faltered, clearly not sure how to answer.

“
She gave us a possible
solution but we will need privacy to try it,” Kerov said firmly,
determined not to give away any more than he had to. “Can you
procure us a room?”

“
I’m sure we can get the
two of you into a guest suite,” Liv said. “Let me call Sophie and
ask her to bespeak Sylvan and—”

“
No need for that,” Terex
said, stepping forward. “I can install them in a suite without
bothering Commander Sylvan. If you will just wait a moment for
Elaina—she does not know the Mother Ship and I wouldn’t like her to
get lost.”

“
Of course,” Kerov
growled, shifting impatiently from foot to foot. He couldn’t help
wondering how the priestess’ orders were to be accomplished. Would
he have to kiss his own body? He hadn’t liked it at all when he
came back into his own body and found himself kissing Jorn. He just
wasn’t wired to want another male sexually. Of course, the male
body he would be caressing and kissing would be his own…but that
just made things stranger.

He fervently hoped the priestess was right
and that he and Frankie would Switch back into their own bodies the
moment they started pleasuring each other but what if she wasn’t?
What if he was forced to suck his own shaft? What if—?

A rustling of the green and purple leaves of
the Sacred Grove diverted his attention. He looked up to see the
human woman who had escorted him up from the HKR building on Earth
emerging from the trees. Her eyes looked red and there were tear
streaks down her cheeks but it was clear she was trying to appear
calm.

“
Hi there.” She gave a
forced smile to the assembled party. “I, uh, hope I didn’t keep you
waiting too long.”

“
Of course not.” Terex
strode forward to take her arm but Elaina drew back a
little.

“
I’m sorry,” she said in a
low voice. “I just…need a little space right now. After talking to
the priestess…”

Commander Terex didn’t seem offended.

“
Of course. I understand.
Such encounters can be…difficult.” He looked back at Kerov and
Frankie who looked nearly as jittery as Kerov felt. “Well, now that
our party is all together again, let’s get the two of you installed
in a guest suite so you can follow the priestess’ orders…whatever
they might be.”

Kerov took a deep breath
as Commander Terex led them away from the Sacred Grove. Whatever
happened and no matter how awkward it was, they had to do as the
priestess had ordered. Otherwise, they would never get back to
their own bodies. But Goddess, he wished there was another way.
This was just so damn
strange.

Chapter Twenty-one

“
Well…here we are,” Kerov
muttered the moment the door to their new guest suite slid shut
behind them. Commander Terex had stayed only long enough to show
them the amenities and then he and Liv and Kate and Elaina, the
woman from the HKR building, had left them alone.

“
Yeah, here we are…”
Frankie echoed, but she made no move to do anything. It just seemed
too strange and awkward.
Dios,
how in the world were they supposed to manage
this?

“
I have no idea how to do
this,” Kerov said flatly.

“
Neither do I,” Frankie
admitted. “Um, it’s really awkward. Like,
beyond
awkward.”

He sighed. “We must make an attempt,
however. As I know neither of us wishes to be stuck permanently as
we are now.”

“
True…” Frankie bit her
lip. “Maybe…maybe we should move to the bedroom?”

He nodded, his forehead furrowing. “The
sleeping chamber would seem to be the optimal place.”

“
And…maybe if we turned
the lights down?” Frankie asked, inspiration striking her. “I mean,
I think it would be easier to do this if we uh, couldn’t see each
other quite so clearly.”

“
A good point—I really
have no wish to give the Kiss of Intimacy to another male, even if
that male is me,” Kerov growled.

“
Maybe we won’t have to,”
Frankie said hopefully.

“
How do you mean?” he
asked as they entered the bedroom, which held a perfectly enormous
bed, and called for lower lights. “You heard the priestess—this is
our only hope.”

“
I know, but she also said
that once we started giving each other pleasure we might Switch
back into our own bodies,” Frankie pointed out. “So maybe we won’t
have to, uh, go that far before we get back in our own
bodies.”

“
We still have to bring
each other to the brink, no matter what body we are occupying,” he
pointed out.

“
True…” Frankie bit her
lip. “Look, let’s just take it one step at a time, okay? Let’s
start by just…just hugging. Is that all right with you?”

“
I suppose so,” he
grumbled, but made no move to come near her.

Frankie sighed. Was he really going to make
her take the lead? Apparently so. Stepping forward, she reached for
him and pulled him into a stiff embrace.

It felt really strange to be the larger one
in the hug—to put her arms around him and hold the much smaller
body to her own. For a minute Frankie almost felt like she was
hugging one of her nieces or nephews. That was how big the size
difference was between their bodies. But of course, she and Kerov
were going to have to get over their awkwardness and do much more
than hug—she just wished he would loosen up some.

“
Hey, take it easy,” she
murmured, holding him close. “Try to get into it, all
right?”

She felt him making an almost visible effort
to relax and then he sighed and put his arms around her waist.

“
All right,” he muttered.
“I’m trying.”

“
I am too,” Frankie
assured him. “Come on—just close your eyes and relax.”

Then she took her own advice and let her
eyelids drift shut, concentrating on the feeling of holding him and
being held.

The first thing she noticed was that it
wasn’t so bad. Her body was warm and small and soft against Kerov’s
broad chest. It felt…nice even if it was weird. She felt a surge of
protectiveness go through her and then a warm feeling of pleasure.
Their bodies felt good together—they fit perfectly—even if they
were currently occupying the wrong ones.

Without thinking about it, she let her mouth
drift down to his and captured his lips in a kiss. Kerov flinched
at first but then, after a moment, he began to kiss her back.

Earlier Frankie had been afraid that she
would find out she was a bad kisser. But strangely enough, she had
completely forgotten what body she was in. The pleasure of the
kiss—of finally being face to face with the man she’d been sharing
lives with for so days—made everything else drift away. A warm,
delicious feeling began to grow in the pit of her stomach—an almost
electrical hum of power that built and built as the kiss went on
until suddenly…

Frankie realized she was no longer bending
down to kiss Kerov. Instead, she was looking up—reaching almost on
her tiptoes to put her arms around his neck as their mouths pressed
together.

“
Oh!” she exclaimed
breaking the kiss. “Look—we Switched! We Switched back to our own
bodies!”

“
So we did,” Kerov
rumbled. His deep voice sounded right, coming from his broad chest
and Frankie could feel the immense power in his arms as he held her
to him.

Frankie ran her hands over
his chest and shoulders in wonder. She’d been
in
this body but she found herself
much more able to appreciate it from her current vantage
point.
Dios,
he
was
huge
and so
muscular! He smelled good too—something she hadn’t noticed earlier.
He had a warm, spicy scent that made her senses tingle and seemed
to urge her to get closer to him.

Kerov seemed to be taking her in too, his
pale gray eyes roving over her body. Frankie hoped he liked what he
saw, although she knew she looked nothing like his ideal woman. His
big hand stroked over her hair lightly and then caressed her
shoulder, making her shiver.