DeepBlue—the darkest and most inaccessible part of the Rageron jungles

DreamSharing—occurs when a Kindred warrior’s mind aligns with that of his brideand they begin to see each other’s day to day activities and memories in theirsleep. However, the alignment of the two (or three in the case of the TwinKindred) minds can take several forms and is not limited to sleep.

FireflowerJuice—an alcoholic beverage made from the Fireflower plant native toRageron. It resembles milk in appearance but has the flavor of honey, vanilla,lavender and blueberries.

HighCouncilor—the rightful ruler and defender of the Kindred home planet, First World. Only the High Councilor may sit upon thethrone of wisdom and see with the eye of foreknowledge. Without a HighCouncilor in place, First World and the restof the Kindred race cannot be adequately protected against the evilmachinations of the Hoard.

Hoard—anancient enemy of the First Kindred also known as the Grimlax or the Blackness which eats the Stars, they are evil,demonic beings with ravenous appetites and a desire to conquer, devour, anddestroy every living thing in the universe. They are divided into tribes withthe lowest echelon being the most numerous and primitive. The elite or upperechelon tribes are more sophisticated and intelligent but also much moredangerous. They are notoriously manipulative and able to change theirappearances using a technique called “shadowing” to look like anyone oranything they choose.

Kindred—arace of genetic traders who have traveled the universe for centuries lookingfor viable matches to expand their gene pool. Since a genetic anomaly ensuresthat their population is ninety-five percent male, they are specificallylooking for women.

The three genetic trades theKindred have already made have resulted in three very specific types of men.But though they take on some of the physical characteristics of the race theyare trading with, the Kindred gene always ensures three things: physical prowess,extremely large and muscular body structure, and undying loyalty to the femaleof their choice.

Krik-ka-re—aScourge tradition in which the mind life of one being may be traded for orransomed by another.

Kusax—aspecial knife made from the tainted metal at the core of the Scourge homeplanet. One scratch can be deadly as it infects the wounded person with a soulpoison which ensures a slow, agonizing death.

Lawof Conduct—the Kindred law whichsays every warrior is responsible for the good behavior of his bride and giveshim the right to punish her—within reason. Often the “punishment” is sexual innature and some brides become serial offenders simply to experience theirKindred warrior’s particular form of discipline. ; )

LuckKiss—a kiss performed by the best man and maid of honor at a KindredBonding Ceremony in order to bring the happy couple good luck.

Mateof my kin—the way Kindred warriors refer to the brides chosen by theirbrothers. It is analogous to the English term sister-in-law.

Marksof Possession—the Scourge way of marking a female as their mate. The Marksof Possession include a close-fitting collar, piercings in the nipples andclitoral hood, and a brand on the inner hip or the top of the buttocks. Scourgewith Kindred blood also desire to scent-mark their mates but they require thetraditional marks of their kind to really feel bonded to the female of theirchoice.

Motherof All Life—the main Kindred Deity, a kind and benevolent goddess whoseteachings include respect and reverence for all things female.

Numala—aBlood Kindred name which means “liquid pussy.” It refers to a female whoproduces more than the regular amount of lubrication when aroused. Numalas are much prized by the BloodKindred and sought after as mates because they are more likely to be able toaccommodate a Blood Kindred warrior’s larger than average cock.

Psychic-Knife—atorture device developed by the Scourge which is able to break the mental andemotional bond between a Kindred and his bride.

Rage—alsoProtective Rage or Berserker Rage—a state of altered consciousness thatcomes over a Kindred warrior when his bride is threatened. It floods thebloodstream with endorphins and causes such intense anger and aggression that aKindred in this state becomes a killing machine who will die to protect thewoman he has claimed.

SacredGrove—an area of green and purple trees that houses the temple of theMother of All Life. The Kindred Mother ship has been equipped with anartificial green sun like the one on their home world in order to allow theseholy trees to grow and flourish.

Scourge—agenetic trade gone wrong, these menacing outsiders have twisted desires andsexual needs fierce enough to frighten away even the most adventurous. Theirneed to dominate and possess their women completely has led to a strangeprophesy that they must fulfill…or die trying.

ScourgeProphesy—“One of two, alike and yet different—the double fruit of a singlewomb from the third planet of a yellow sun. She shall be marked with a whitestar between her breasts.” These words were spoken by Mee’ah—the last livingfemale of the Scourge race who was believed to be a great seer. The Scourge area dying race, forced to create new members in artificial wombs called fleshtanks or vats because they have no females. Yet, because they have some of thesame genetic characteristics as the Kindred, they are able to create only malechildren and each new generation is weaker than the last. The prophesy refersto the woman the Scourge believe will be able to mate with the AllFather andbear only daughters to rejuvenate their race.

SkrillixPlant—also known as the Pain Vine. This plant is found only in the heart ofthe Rageron jungles called the Deep Blue. The brilliant crimson berries of the skrillix are said to cure manyillnesses, including stasis sickness and can also dissolve an improperly placedor artificial soul bond. The thorns are said to be as poisonous as the berriesare helpful. One prick from a skrillix thorncan give waking nightmares, forcing the victim to relive painful memories. Whenminds are linked by the juice of the berries, these visions can be shared withothers who can witness them via a chemically induced neural link.

Take-me—ananimal native to Twin Moons that has been domesticated by the Kindred fortransportation aboard their ship. The Take-me has green fur and two heads, oneon either end. Each head has three purple eyes. The Take-me has the uniquefeatures of being to expand and compress its mass which makes it ideal for storage.Because they originally lived in caves, most Take-mes stay very contentedly insmall dark areas in the Kindred food prep areas where they live off the scrapsand leavings of their master’s meals. They can eat almost anything exceptbanana peels which they are allergic to.

Tharp—ananimal that looks very much like a thin fur blanket which can be worn as agarment. Tharps are cultivated onTranq Prime and prized for their ability to multiply their host’s body heat andkeep them warm in even the most frigid conditions. A tharp can be worn by only one person— as a neophyte or youngster itimprints upon a host and will slowly starve if parted from them. Tharps are intelligent and capable oflimited movement. They live as long as their host and subsist only on bodyheat, needing no other form of sustenance to survive.

Think-Me—athin silver wire worn around the temples which facilitates mental communicationbetween people who already have an intimate connection.

Touch-U—aflat black mat-like animal native to Tranq Prime which the Kindred have adaptedto be a home health appliance. The Touch-U is capable of giving a gentlemassage or an all-out erotic experience depending on which button is pushed.