He hated himself for playing that card, even though it was the truth. “I’m so sorry, I can’t imagine how hard this is for you.”
“How long?”
“I don’t know—as long as it takes for you to drop off Toltec’s radar. I wish things could be different. But for now… there isn’t any other option. We can set you up here in the meantime. You’ll still have your work.”
She looked at him with an ironic smile. “Well, now that’s a relief. Playing medic to a football team. At least I won’t be bored.” She shook her head. “That wasn’t fair of me. I know what you do here is important. I just…”
Diesel ran his hand through his hair. Part of him wanted to bolt out the door. The rest of him wanted to comfort her somehow. Christ, he sucked at this. He found himself reaching out, but he quickly pulled his hand back.
“Is there anything you’d like me to pick up for you from your home or office?” he asked. “I can make a last stop at each.” What a total douche he was to make it sound like some fucking act of chivalry. Like he didn’t have to go to each and scrub them of any information about her anyway?
“Thanks. I’ll make a short list.”
“Don’t worry about medical supplies. We can get you anything you need. I should move you upstairs into the mansion, too. It’s a lot more comfortable. There’s no reason for you to be stuck down here with the guys.”
She put her glasses back on and started to look for a pen. “Don’t worry about that. My room down here is fine. I’m closer to the facility.”
“I’ll drop by later for that list.” He turned in the doorway. “I’m really sorry, Helen.”
And he meant it. Mostly.
James looked around at the big table at dinner and was struck by how much this collection of warriors looked like a family. Ana sat next to him on one side and Helen on the other, while Diesel and Pax sat across from them.
“Oh, my God. Roast beef! Yes! Bless you, Geoffrey!” Diesel called.
Geoffrey’s face lit up. “Well, I thought your first meal back together called for everyone’s favorite.”
“Jesus, Diesel, have a coronary,” Pax laughed.
“There’ll be none of that. I’m hungry,” Helen said.
James looked across the table at Pax. The male caught his glance and James looked away. It was amazing the way he had saved him from that cell. He imagined himself doing something like that someday. He had to smile and shake his head at that. It just seemed so…ridiculous.
“You okay?”
James jumped when he realized the question was for him.
He looked up into Pax’s big brown eyes. They were…glowing. “Yeah, I’m good.”
Pax gave him a wink and passed the gravy boat to Diesel.
“Helen, let me know what kind of equipment you’ll need while you’re with us and I’ll get right on it,” X said.
“Oh, all right. Shouldn’t I have some kind of budget first?”
Dimitri shook his head. “Nope. Just let X know what you’ll need and he’ll find a good distributor.”
Helen looked shocked. “Oh, okay. Thanks.”
James had met Helen just once when she had checked him out after he was rescued from the asylum. He didn’t realize she’d be staying, too.
There was a sudden dinging sound from the foot of the table and he turned his head to the pregnant female, who was holding her glass in the air.
“I would like to propose a toast,” Adriana said, “even though it’s with apple juice.”
As everyone laughed, James felt a sudden warmth inside.
“To Ana, SE, and Pax for getting us all home safely. Including Baby New Breed here. Cheers!”
James picked up his glass of sparkling cider and raised it high.
“Cheers!” they all chorused.
“Ihkweea?” SE said.
James looked up at Ana who was leaving the table.
“I’m sorry,” she said with a yawn. “Still recuperating, I guess.”
James thought the female looked so tired.
“Go get some rest,” Adriana said.
Helen nodded. “I’ll come up and check on you later.”
“Do you want me to come up?” SE asked.
“No, no, it’s okay. Enjoy your dinner. I’ll see you in a bit.”
James couldn’t help but pick up on the vibe at the table. Could liquid silver really do all that? Of course he’d heard stuff about it, but he wasn’t sure what was true and what was just talk. One thing was for sure, that female did not look right to him. There was something off, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. The whole time he’d been sitting next to her he’d felt it. It was like her energy was somehow wrong. Had the others sensed it? All he needed to do was look at the faces around him. They’d all sensed it. And they were worried as hell.
SE woke up suddenly. It was still pitch dark outside. What time is it? His night vision kicked in and he looked over at his mate. She had kicked off all of the blankets, even though she was shivering.
“Ana?” He slid over and felt her forehead. She was on fire. “Ana? Ana!”
“Mm?”
“Do you feel all right? You’re so hot.”
“Achy,” she mumbled.
SE leaned over and turned on the lamp. “Burning like before? From the silver?”
“No…achy.”
He shot up and ran to the phone.
“Helen?”
“SE, are you all right?”
“It’s Ana.”
“I’ll be right there.”
He sat back on the bed and pulled Ana’s head onto his lap. Her hair was soaked with perspiration, her cheeks flushed. Helen must have been there in a matter of minutes, but it gave him plenty of time to think about what he’d been trying so hard to ignore. Was there something in that IV? No, he had to stay strong and keep it together, for Ana’s sake. If she knew how scared shitless he was, it would only make things tougher on her. Please, Goddess, if you’re there, help her. Please. I’ll do anything. Just make her healthy again. Where the fuck was Helen?
As if the doctor heard his plea, Helen burst through the door. “Okay, help me lay her out.”
As his mate moaned softly, SE wanted to jump out of his skin. He flashed back to the night he’d found her at the penthouse. Then his thoughts went back to seeing her lying on that goddamn table in the asylum. He was out of his mind with worry. He stood up and began pacing back and forth, breathing hard, trying to deal with the adrenaline in his system, because no matter what his fucking New Breed instincts were screaming at him, he knew there was nothing he could do.
Helen looked up. “She’s tachycardic and her breathing is labored. Her temperature is 103.”
“Jesus. You don’t think—”
“I know what you’re thinking, SE. Right now it’s too early to tell. There’s no vomiting. And I can tell you from when we were in that cell, vomiting is a major side effect. Right now it looks like pneumonia. She may have been sick all along and made matters worse by being outside yesterday.”
Helen ran her hands along Ana’s chest and lower abdomen. Ana tried to push her away, eyes still closed, legs sawing on the mattress.
“Yes, I know that hurts, honey. I’m sorry.”
Just as Soaring Eagle started to close his eyes, he felt a hand on his arm. It was Richard.
“Helen called us on her way up,” he said. “I know this is hard, but you can’t help with her pain. Not now. The doctor needs to know where it is to figure out what’s wrong.”
SE shook his head. “I have to do something. I’m going out of my fucking mind here.”
Adriana slid her hand into his. “Have faith, SE.”
Richard turned to Helen. “What are her symptoms?”
Helen looked up. “Fever, chills, rapid heart rate, difficulty breathing.”
Suddenly, Richard’s head whipped around. He looked at Adriana, and then back at Ana.
“Richard, what is it?” Helen asked.
He leaned ov
er, picked up Ana’s right arm, and shoved the sleeve of her sweatshirt up. There on her right shoulder was the mark of a New Breed.
Richard turned to look at SE and smiled. “She’s going through the transition.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
SE looked at Richard. “I don’t believe…my ihkweea is...”
Adriana smiled and looked up at him. “The first female New Breed.”
There were tears in her eyes.
“Incredible,” Helen added.
SE’s mind worked furiously to connect the dots. She could gleam, her burns had healed quickly, she had an extra ability, and even her glasses didn’t work anymore. It all fit, but…
“But why so long? How could the transition take months?”
Richard shrugged. “You’d have to ask the Goddess that one. Ana’s in the final stage now. No question.”
Adriana nodded. “He’s right. All of her symptoms match Richard’s. She should be fine by morning.”
SE shook his head in disbelief. “Is there anything I should do?”
“Just be with her. Hold her. We know what’s going on, but she doesn’t. It’s pretty intense,” Richard said.
Helen moved toward the door. “I won’t stay. You two need to be alone. I’ll be in the empty bedroom next door catching some shut–eye if you need me.”
“Same for us, SE. Just call if you need anything. We’ll, ah, keep this under our hats. It’s your news to tell,” Adriana said.
He nodded. “Thanks.”
Alone with his mate, SE lay down on the bed and gently pulled Ana against him. She sighed softly as his arms went around her.
“You’re okay,” he whispered. “Yoohi netai.” He stroked her hair softly as he thought about how proud he was of her. The thought of his ihkweea out there in the night, fighting against the growing evil in the city terrified him, but he knew that’s what she was born to do. She would never be happy as just his female, raising a fuckload of offspring at the mansion.
And he was so totally cool with that.
He loved all of her— the soft, gentle female he held in his arms during the day and the kickass warrior she was at night. SE smiled to himself. They were the first New Breed mating. Holy shit. He shook his head in amazement. The two of them dealing with the protective instinct was sure going to be interesting. He kissed the back of her ear that had been burned in the warehouse fire but was now completely healed. He wondered if she would grow taller, and how strong she would be, but none of that really mattered. She was safe. As her eyes closed and she finally slept, he quietly thanked the Goddess and drifted off with her.
When Ana woke and felt her mate’s arms around her, she looked around the room and wondered why everything looked like it was in HD. As she stretched, she immediately noticed her body felt…good. Great, even. No aches, no chills. She quietly slipped out of bed and went into the bathroom, where she flicked on the light and turned on the shower, adjusting the temperature.
Then she pulled off her sweatshirt.
“What the hell?”
She stared at her shoulder. She ran her hand gently back and forth along the mark as if she might wipe it off if she rubbed too hard. Is this a dream? Then she sensed SE standing in the doorway. She looked at him and stifled a gasp, but she couldn’t stop the tears from coming to her eyes.
“You’re so beautiful,” she said.
SE smiled and she almost fell over.
“Come here, female.”
He didn’t have to ask her twice. Ana ran to her mate and leapt into his arms.
SE crushed her against him. “Thank the Goddess you’re okay,” he whispered.
“I’m a New Breed? For real?”
“For real. You were sick because you were hitting the transition.”
Ana slid down and walked over to the full length mirror. “But only males are New Breeds. And, look, I’m not any taller.” She stood on her tiptoes.
He walked behind her and ran his hands down her arms, his fingers exploring her sleek new muscle. “I’m pretty sure there’s no law about that. The first female New Breed.”
Ana turned and reached for him just as he went for her. As his arms came around her, she was swept against the expanse of his broad chest, and a rush of emotion hit her so hard she could hardly breathe. As their mouths came together, the energy around them crackled and the lights in the bathroom flickered. It was like she was kissing her mate for the first time. Every sensation was heightened, his scent, his warmth, his taste. Oh, God.
“Has it always been like this for you?” she asked.
“More or less.”
Ana’s eyes widened. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I don’t know. How would you explain it?”
He had a point.
SE smiled. “Have you got enough of a hold on your new senses to go to breakfast? I think the brothers would like to know you’re okay.”
She grinned. “Let’s make the lights flicker a little more first.”
“Shit, let’s blow the whole fuse box.”
Lights restored, SE followed Ana into the formal dining room. Normally dinner was the only meal to be served in the larger hall. Something was up. He looked down at the table and took in the spread. There was enough goddamn food for three Orders and then some. Then it dawned on him. Someone had leaked the news. They all knew Ana had gone through the transition.
The brothers rose from their seats and, in unison, placed their fists over their hearts.
“In lak'ech,” they said in unison.
“Ala k'in,” Ana returned, her fist over her heart.
“Booyah!” X yelled, reaching for Ana and picking her up so she sat on his shoulder.
Pax grinned. “Welcome, sis!”
As the brothers passed her around, laughing and marveling at the idea of having their first female member, SE watched quietly from the sidelines, so fucking proud he actually had to wipe a tear from his cheek.
Dimitri clapped his shoulder. “She really is something special, my brother.”
“That she is, D. That she is.”
Of course, some things never change. Once the meal began, they all ate like it was the last food they would ever see.
SE held out a piece of bacon and Ana took a bite.
“Aw, man,” Diesel moaned. “Next thing you know, they’ll be mauling each other in public.”
Troy snorted. “You’re one to talk. Your bromance with Pax is a well-known documented fact.”
Xavier laughed. “He ain’t lyin’. I think I read about it on Wikipedia.”
Pax put down his juice and feigned offense. “Are you objectifying me?”
Diesel grinned. “Sorry, dude, I don’t swing that way.”
“Be very afraid,” Richard said to James.
“So,” Reyn said between bites. “I was thinking. What do you all think of having their initiation tonight?”
“Sounds good to me,” Richard said.
“I second the hell outta that,” Troy added.
Reyn grinned. “Good. I’ll just check with Geoffrey and make sure there’s enough time to get everything in order.”
As everyone started to get up from the table, Adriana took Ana by the hand. “The first thing we need to do is find you a robe that’ll fit you. They might all be enormous, but I can always cut one down for you. And then I have a surprise I think you’re going to like.”
“Like is such an insipid word,” Pax said coming up behind them.
Ana raised a brow. “What are you two up to?”
“You’ll see,” Adriana sang.
“Oh, SE, I’ve got your robe,” Richard said. “It’s in Dimitri’s room. Let’s head up and see if it fits.”
Ten minutes later Ana was standing in Adriana’s suite draped in a giant white ceremonial robe with pins all over the place. “I feel like a porcupine.”
Adriana smiled and stuck another pin into the silky white fabric. “Well, they clearly weren’t expecting you.”
Ana let a gig
gle escape. “Yeah, I get that a lot. Um, what exactly is Pax doing in your closet?”
“Don’t ask. Okay, let’s try to get you out of this thing without impaling you on these pins.” She reached past her pregnant belly and helped Ana slide out of the robe.
“Thanks, Adriana.”
“Anytime, my dear. Now, let’s go kick Pax out of my closet and find you something to wear tonight.”
“What?”
“A dress,” Pax said. “You know, females wear those sometimes?”
Ana walked into the closet and stuck her tongue out at the brother.
Pax pushed through a rack of blouses. “Do you actually have more clothes since the last time I was in here?”
“Only if you count the hot maternity wear I’ve been sporting lately.”
He walked over to the dresses. “Hmm. She needs elegant…sexy, but not too over the top.”
Adriana pulled a dress from the rack. “What about the vintage de la Renta?”
“The black one?” Pax asked. “I don’t know. The beaded bodice is gorgeous, but the skirt is really full. It’s a little too ball–gown for tonight.”
Ana wanted to tell them what her style was or at least what kind of thing she liked, but the truth was she hadn’t worn a dress since she was about ten and she had no idea what her frigging style was. None. Nada. There was nothing in the closet that spoke to her. Fashion was not one of the three languages she was fluent in.
Pax was shaking his head at something. “Don’t you dare put her in the god-awful ill-fitting Prada thing.”
“It’s not ill-fitting, Pax.”
“Please. I so saved your sorry ass from wearing that mess to your mate’s initiation.”
As they argued about the dress, Ana saw a very slight shimmering toward the back of the closet. She didn’t want to be rude, but her curiosity got the best of her. She slipped past Adriana and Pax and ran her hand along the full length dress. It was an antique gold with a faint sheen.
“Oh. My. God. Is that the Gianfranco Ferré column dress from his 2010 fall collection? How did that get in here?” Pax asked.
“It’s been here all along. It turned out there was no way to hem the damn thing. Do you like that one, Ana? Pull it out. Let’s take it into the light.”
Forbidden Call (New Breed Novels, Book 1) Page 17
