by Yvette Hines
She gripped the material of his coat. “You can’t leave me too, Haulcon. I can’t take another loss. My mom, my dad, my grandparents. I didn’t watch the news in the days you were gone. I was so afraid you—you—” Her voice broke. She didn’t want to even say the words.
I am here, sweet Adair. I won’t ever leave you alone again.
Holding him tighter, she drew from his strength something she’d never allowed herself to do before—need someone else.
“Let me feed my heir and then we need to go. My people have been anxious to meet the human female that can carry a valf child.”
His words lightened her heart, even though she was apprehensive about meeting his clan. With him by her side she could handle anything.
Tilting her head to the side, she angled herself to give him access to her neck.
“I much prefer burying my fangs in the vessel at the bend of your hip.” He slid the tip of his tongue along the skin of her throat.
She shivered at the rich, seductive texture of his voice. It brought with it images of the last time they were together in her bed.
“Don’t even think about it, valf man, you’re still not completely out of the dog house yet with me.”
“Dog house? Is that a reference to me having wolf shifting ability?”
“No.” She laughed, not even realizing the correlation. “It’s just a human saying meaning you are in trouble.”
“Oh.”
“Can you get to providing sustenance to your son before I go get a triple cheeseburger?”
Chuckling, his laughter vibrated against the column of her neck. “You got it.”
He sank his teeth into her artery. She first felt the intense draw as he pulled blood from her then the warmth that spread through her body as his serum saturated her veins.
She no longer feared his feeding from her, but reveled in the bond they shared.
When he finished, he licked the wounds helping them to heal rapidly. Something she recalled he hadn’t done to the marks on her left breast. It had taken almost the whole week for them to go away. Every time she undressed they were there to remind her of what they’d had together, making the desolation she experienced while he was away even grander.
He turned on the lamp beside her bed. Cupping her cheeks he stared deeply into her eyes, his pale green gaze tinged with the blackness of desire. “Never again. I promise.”
“Thank you.” She caressed his features—strong, prominent angles. She had missed seeing him immensely. Everything about him was so different from hers and she loved it.
“Are you ready to go?”
Smiling, she allowed her voice to drop seductively. “Are you ready to take me?”
He growled and pulled her into his chest. “Keep it up and we will not be leaving for days.”
Sliding off him, she stood on the side of the bed. “No way. I’m going to meet your people today.”
“All right.” His gaze traveled along her body.
The oversize gown wore ballooned around her body.
“Take off your sleepwear.”
She stepped back. “Why? I told you there will be no hanky-panky before we go.”
“Hanky what?” He waved a hand disregarding the word play. “Never mind. I just want to see how my son has blossomed your body.”
“Oh.” She felt heat rise to her face, but she didn’t hesitate. Haulcon said he enjoyed how she looked and she was going to take him at his word.
“Clothes?”
Seeing the big valf Alpha tap his foot almost made her laugh. Grabbing the hem she swiped it over her head and stood nude before him. There was only a slight tremble in her lips as she let him look his fill.
“You were lovely before, but now you’re even more breathtaking.” He reached out and brushed his fingers over her belly—his touch ginger.
Staring down at his pale hand contrasting her dark stomach she said, “Even though I’m only technically a month along, I’m the size of a five month pregnant woman.”
“I told you that our females only carry for five months.”
“Do you think I’ll do the same?” She glanced up at him.
“I don’t know. When we get to the mansion I will introduce you to the medical man, Hessel. He will be able to observe your pregnancy and help us all answer some questions.”
“Good, because I have about a half million questions.” She went to her dresser and pulled out some sweatpants and a big t-shirt. They were the only thing she could fit into. After putting on socks and hiking boots, not caring how crazy she looked, she said, “Let’s go.”
“You will need a jacket. Where we will be traveling to in the mountains is colder than down in the city.”
Going to her closet she grabbed her hoodie.
When they got to the front door, Haulcon grabbed her backpack.
She took one final look around. She’d paid her rent and utilities up for six months. She figured by then the baby would be born. Even though Haulcon had said they would always be together. There wasn’t any declaration of love so she didn’t want to let go of her apartment just in case she needed somewhere to return to. Purposely, she worked hard at keeping those thoughts out of her mind.
She walked over to the end table by her couch. She left her cell phone, figuring she wouldn’t need it. Instead she picked up the framed picture of her parents on their wedding day.
“You ready?” He looked at the picture in her hands then his gaze met hers with a smile.
“Yes.”
~YH~
“Marema and Haulsto, my parents.” Haulcon pressed a hand to her back and escorted her deeper into a room that appeared to be some sort of antechamber where a man and woman stood, waiting for them. “This is Adair, my mate.”
Adair moved forward hesitantly. Both of them were dressed in formal clothes. Black. It seemed to be the color of choice for valfs. She wished she had decided to put on something a lot less frumpy, especially meeting her child’s grandparents for the first time.
“Hello, Marema and Haulsto. It is nice to meet you both.” Besides Haulcon and the two guards at the gate, who Haulcon had moved her quickly by without introductions, this was the first valf she’d met. What was the protocol?
Relax.
She glanced briefly at Haulcon who gave her a smile of support.
“Come here, Adair. I will not bite I promise.” Haulsto beckoned her forward.
“Oh, mate, do not scare the girl. We can’t bite you at all. It’s against the rules, you being Haulcon’s mate.” Marema stepped forward and took Adair’s hands in her own.
Adair couldn’t deny the relief she felt at hearing that. Haulcon was the only person she wanted sinking his teeth into her.
We both agree on that.
This time she did not even glance in Haulcon’s direction.
“Hello, dear. You’re an unexpected mate for our Alpha, but we’re still happy to have you among us. And carrying our son’s heir no doubt.”
Marema’s hands were warm and soft as she wrapped her long, strong fingers around Adair’s hands.
“It was a shock to me as well.”
“Absolutely fascinating. In my time I have met several humans. But, I can see why my son was drawn to you.” His father said, assessing her with an intense gaze that was just as pale green as Haulcon’s.
“You do?” Adair asked.
“I don’t know what it is.” Haulsto moved his head and sniffed. “Something is different about your scent.”
“I experienced the same thing.” Marema squeezed her hands.
“I’m hoping that Hessel can shed some light on it.” Haulcon stood behind her with his hands on her shoulders.
Adair leaned back into him, enjoying his support.
“I know you still have a clan to meet. So, we will allow you to go. But tomorrow we look forward to spending more time with you.” Haulsto told her.
“Yes. Haulcon you must bring her for sunset meal in our quarters.” His mother released her a
nd leaned toward her son, kissing him on the cheek.
Bowing his head to both his parents, he curled his fingers around Adair’s waist and led her out of the room.
“That went well, I think,” she whispered to him as they headed to some stairs.
She was amazed at the opulence of the valf ‘mansion’. What she had expected to see once they got to the top of the mountain, where it definitely was a lot colder than in the city, was a big house. However, when they had finally made their way through the forest that continued up most of the mountain, as if hiding the valf territory, there was a thick wrought iron gate where four men were standing guard. Once they had passed them they entered a door that was carved into the side of a hill. They went down a set of stairs into a wide foyer decked out with sconces and lovely paintings on the walls. If she would have been blindfolded she never would have known she was inside a mountain. There was nothing of the rocky surface anywhere.
“It did. Very much so. You will have more time with my parents.”
They continued down the winding staircase, passing one beautiful level after another. As valfs watched them come by, eyeing her more than Haulcon, he simply nodded to them, ‘Greetings, Alpha’.
“Where are we headed to now?”
“I will take you to put your things in our suite and rest for a moment before we meet with Hessel.”
Finally the steps ended and there was a wide door before them. She realized the mansion had been designed in an upside-down fashion. The bottom floor was the top floor and the rooms descended instead of ascending.
After he opened the door he waved her inside.
Her breath caught in her throat.
“Welcome to our room.”
“This room is bigger than my apartment. Twice.” In the center of the room she turned in a circle almost making herself dizzy trying to take it all in. There was a sitting room to the side that could comfortably host fifteen people on two large, wide plush sofas.
There was an area on the other side of the space for bathing. A big tub, grand enough to fit three full-grown male valfs, sat perched on clawed feet looking inviting.
“I will have a bath drawn for us so you may enjoy it before you meet with the full clan.”
“Thank you. If your bodies self-clean then why the bath?”
“We enjoy water and it is very soothing and refreshing to us.” He set her bag beside a dresser.
It seemed so diminutive and paltry compared to the size of everything else around it. What was worse was that she knew what was contained inside of it. As clothes went, it was pathetic.
He moved toward her and pulled her into his arms. “What is wrong, mate?”
“Your mother and the others we have passed are dressed so elegantly. Even you in all your black and this long duster you wear. What I brought will make me stand out like an ugly duckling.”
Frowning, he said, “Ducks are not ugly?”
“A phrase. It means I will be an oddball in the land of beauty.”
“You are lovelier to me than anyone. No matter if you are dressed or nude.” His eyes darkened a little, showcasing a hint of onyx.
She laughed and shoved him away. “Well, I am not going to meet your people in the buff you can be sure of that.” Sighing, she said, “I’ll figure out something.”
“I’m sorry you are unhappy.”
“It’s fine. With the baby growing so fast there isn’t much in my wardrobe I could have brought anyway.” She rubbed her stomach as she walked toward the enormous bed. It was a California King two times over. He must have felt confined in her simple king size bed. Sitting on the side, enjoying the softness she didn’t realize just how exhausted she was from their travels. It had taken almost eight hours nonstop to get there, Haulcon graciously pausing to allow her to snap a picture every now and then.
“You need some rest.”
“Just a blink or two. Then I’ll be ready for the interrogation of your clan.”
Crossing the room to her, he lifted her easily in his arms and laid her down against the pillow. There was only a sheet on the bed, but before she could ask for a blanket he removed his coat and laid it over her.
“Thank you.” She curled to her side and settled in under his warmth as his scent wrapped around her.
“Rest. I will be back in a moment to wake you.”
“You’re leaving?” Her heart fluttered, uneasy about being left alone in a strange place. What if one of his valf members that didn’t like humans or wanted to get back at them for killing some of their people came for her?
“None would dare enter my suite without invitation,” he said stroking the side of her face.
“I trust your word.”
Leaning in, he kissed her on the forehead. “I’m not going far. The door to our suite will always be in my sight.”
“No deep…parting kiss?” He question broken apart by a yawn.
“No. I want you to be able to sense that I am near. When I kiss you the other way, it is called a mate’s parting kiss. We temporarily break our connection with the exchange of serum so we do not get ill from the absence of the other.”
“Oh.” Now she understood why he’d done it from the first time when he walked her to her jeep.
“Is that why I felt so ill and was able to locate you after I left the cave?”
“Yes. I didn’t understand why it was possible that you as a human had been experiencing the effects of a bond with me. I tried to deny it. Fought against it.”
“But when you escorted me to my jeep you kissed me that way, after we…” Her pulse kicked up with the memory of him burying himself inside of her the first time.
“I didn’t want to risk you coming back for me. Maybe even tracking me to our territory. That would not have been a good thing. Not then. Not with Jacin still needing to be taken care of.”
“I understand now. Thank you for explaining it to me.” She fingered the gray lock at the front of his hair. Remembering what he told her about the reason for its appearance.
“Sleep.” He rose, then went to the door and left.
Adair didn’t fight against her lids sliding shut. Following a single long exhale she drifted off.
Chapter Ten
“Now Hessel is some sort of medicine man of your clan?”
“No. He’s closer to one of your human doctors than someone that mixes together potions and herbs. Just like your kind, we have evolved with advancements that parallel your own.”
“I believe it. You all have electricity inside of a mountain.”
“What did you expect candles and torches?” He chuckled.
She elbowed him in the side as they arrived on the landing two floors down from the great hall above. “Hey, you can see clearly in the dark. I wasn’t expecting any light.”
“Just because we can see in it, doesn’t mean we choose to walk around in it.”
“Well put.” As they journeyed down a hall, she asked, “What is the point of a doctor if you all can heal yourselves?”
“The care of our expectant females and handling of the weak. Over the later centuries there have been more and more valfs born with some sort of frailty.”
“What do you mean?”
“Unable to shift to their wolf form. High allergies to sunlight.”
She halted their progression, needing clarity. “But you all don’t burn up in sunlight. I’ve been with you in the day.”
“We were in a den out of the light and when you came upon me at dusk I was in my wolf form. We still can only be in the sun for a very limited amount of time.”
“Oh. I see. You told me before that the sun can kill you but never explained how.”
“The sun, which is a lot stronger now than it was centuries ago, causes our blood cells to constrict drastically and lose oxygenation. Soon our hearts seize and our lungs stop functioning and we die. Stone corpses.”
“Like Ziplan.”
He glanced away for a moment as shadows crossed his features, proof that
he was still warring with the grief inside of himself. “Yes. Just like Ziplan and others.”
“Have you discovered what is happ—”
“Welcome, Alpha!” The door at the end of the hall swung open. “I have been looking forward to your visit.”
“Hessel, greetings.” Haulcon smiled at the long, gray-haired male standing in the doorway.
Adair moved forward with Haulcon as he spoke to the man.
“This exotic creature must be, Adair.” Hessel studied her with perceptive pale blue eyes.
A strange turn of events. Now she was the one that was looked at as a creature. She understood how Haulcon had felt hearing Princess say it. “I am.” She held her hand out to him.
I would never let anyone make you feel out of place here.
Thank you.
Grasping it in both of his, Hessel drew her forward. “I have been waiting to meet you since Haulcon announced to the clan that you were expecting. Amazing. He drew her deeper into his clinic.”
Unlike other places in the mansion that was decorated in dark colors, the area reminded her of a cross between a human doctor’s office and her father’s lab. There were examination tables in the middle and a wall full of more scientific accoutrements.
“I’m glad to meet you as well. Haulcon tells me you’re the person who can answer my questions about the baby.”
“Most of them I’m sure, but a lot of it I will be studying and discovering along with your advancement.” He patted one of the examination tables.
She took that to mean he wanted her to sit, so she climbed up on it and sat down.
“You are one of a kind. There’s never been such an occurrence before between a valf and human.” He rattled on, excitement lacing his voice and making his eyes bright.
“I guess someone has to be the first.”
“True, true.” He produced a light from a drawer in the table and shined it in her eyes, ears and mouth. “Lay down please.”
Doing as she was told, she was thankful that Haulcon stood beside her giving her the comfort of his nearness.
Hessel glanced at Haulcon then her as he pulled up her shirt and pushed down her sweats revealing her round belly. “I see the mate bond is also alive and well between you to.”
