Untitled by Unknown Author Page B

Despite all my training, I lose my dignity when you enter the room.‖
       ―Is your dignity that important?‖
       Eden sighed. Regret for everything she'd lost clogged her throat. ―For someone who hoped to replace Tante when she retired, yes. For someone who eventually wanted to teach, dignity is critical. Students respect dignity.‖ Blinking back tears, she asked, ―What is keeping us floating up here?‖
       ―Force field.‖
       The men pointed and they all gently floated to the bed. Each slipping an arm under her, they snuggled her. A little heartache eased out with her sigh.
       ―There's something—among the many things I don't understand—I need to know,‖ Eden said softly, questioningly. Even barely touching them, she could feel their reluctance. And yet again she sensed their silent communication. ―You're talking to each other, aren't you? But I can't hear you. That's unfair and rude.‖
       They flinched , t hen sighed.
       Kamal, still looking hesitant, took the lead. ―Kaliq and I are almost twins. Our father made love to our mothers and planted his seed in them on the same night.‖
       ―Practically at the same moment,‖ Kaliq
    interjected.
       ―Certainly within a very short time,‖ Kamal corrected.
       ―Our births occurred in the same manner. Kamal's only one minute before my own.‖
       They looked at her as if that explained everything. Saying nothing, Eden stared back.
       Raking his hair, Kaliq said, ―Studies have shown that twins have an incredible connection to each other.‖
       ―Even those separated at birth and raised lightyears apart feel each other's emotions. Sometimes that connection is so intense, they can hear each other's thoughts.‖
       After a long moment Eden said, ―Even though you have different mothers, came from different eggs…you can share your thoughts?‖ They nodded. ―Are your mothers related?‖ Anything to support the impossible.
       ―No,‖ they said together.
       ―We know of at least twenty more like us on Al Sufi, our home world. Some are of different sexes—male and female.‖
       ―But most are the same sex.‖
       ―Like you.‖ Frowning, feeling frightened and repulsed at even thinking such a thing, she asked, ―Can you hear my thoughts?‖
       ―No.‖
       ―Sometimes it must seem as if we can. When we touch you—‖
       ―Which is what got us into this—‖ mess, she thought, but said, ―situation in the first place.‖
       They grinned, making her wonder if they'd lied about reading her mind.
       ―Which is the first question I meant to ask you. Does your touch arouse every woman? Rob her of all common sense?‖
       ―While we might wish that were true—‖
       ―It isn't. It happens only when we—and those like us—‖
       ―Touch our soul mate.‖
       ―Oh…my.‖
       ―Kamal sensed it when we received Tante's invitation,‖ Kaliq admitted reluctantly.
       ―You sensed it could be Azura. We knew, however, the only way to know was to touch you both.‖
       ―Intimately.‖
       ―Before the auction ended.‖
       Her inclination to forgive them for seducing her into leaving Rising Moons vanished. ―So! Azura was late for breakfast the other morning because you'd taken her to some private room and—‖
       ―No!‖ they shouted.
       ―We knew the first night that Azura wasn't the one.‖
       ―Her touch never made lust so much as flicker.‖
       ―Yours lit an inferno.‖
       Not knowing if she could believe them, Eden kept silent.
       ―Maybe we should tell Eden a little about her new home,‖ Kamal suggested.
       ―You mean how green the countryside is? How several natural moons cast their silvery light over various parts of our home world?‖
       ―About those things, aye. And the blueprints awaiting her approval. The shovel our sisters designed for Eden to break ground