by Shae Mills
The Warlord shook his head with amusement. “I will leave you two for a moment while I check in with Zane.”
Braedon glanced back at him. “Thank you, my Lord.”
Korba nodded and then left.
Chelan looked deep into the Southerner’s coal black eyes. “It has been nearly a year, Braedon.”
“I have missed you.”
Chelan glanced down. “I was afraid you would be angry.”
Braedon took a deep breath. “Anger never entered into my feelings, Chelan. I knew all along what the outcome would be. I am being honest when I say that I am genuinely happy for you. But I am in no way claiming to have come out of this unscathed.”
Chelan shook her head slowly. “I am sorry...”
“No, do not apologize. If anyone needs to apologize, it is I to Korba. I had heard of your beauty and your bewitching ways. Korba and Lethiason had prepared me for all except my own powerful emotions. I knew I could be susceptible, but I failed to control how easily I fell for you. Any pain I felt, I inflicted upon myself.”
Chelan stroked Shanna’s tiny hand. “I genuinely cared for you deeply during our times in the caverns, Braedon. And I still do.”
Braedon peered down at the baby hugged into her breasts. “I know. And I, you.”
Chelan looked back to him. “I would like it if you stayed.”
Braedon’s eyes widened. “Stayed?”
“Here. Permanently.”
Braedon’s features melted. “Oh, my Lady, I would love to. But my family is in the South.”
Chelan was quiet for a moment. “I would still like to meet them some time.”
“They would be honored. It is not every day a common family of the South has the opportunity to be graced by a galactic Empress.”
Chelan blushed. “You know me better than that, Braedon. I seek no such title. I would simply like to meet the family of such a fine man. I never got the chance before.”
Braedon stared at her for a moment, his heart taking off with unspoken thoughts and emotions.
Chelan studied the Southern man in return—his finely chiseled face, his sun-bathed skin, his ebony hair. She saw the wistfulness in his eyes, but there was nothing she could do to console him. “My offer still stands. I know Korba could use your services directly. You are more than welcome to stay. And for that matter, you could even bring your family with you if such a move suited them.”
Braedon hesitated, pondering her words. “Your offer is greatly appreciated, and more than generous.” He glanced away, gathering his thoughts, realizing that old feelings were best left buried. He smiled at her warmly. “My life and that of my family is rooted in the South. I still come here periodically to consult with the Empire on my work, but I think a permanent change would be too much upheaval. But once again, your offer is gracious, and I thank you for it.”
“I understand all too well about upheaval. And if all is to your liking as far as your career and life, why upset any of it?”
“Exactly, my Lady.” Then he reached inside his shroud. He drew out a small blanket, the fabric that of the beautiful Batex. “I thought when she is older she might like to snuggle up to this.”
Chelan reached for the pure white fur. “It is beautiful,” she whispered. “And as a matter of fact, I would love to snuggle up in it with her too.”
Braedon smiled. “How about I bring you a bigger one, my Lady? Then the three of you may use it together.” Not waiting for her response, he rose to his feet. “I should get going. The first transport to my home town leaves early in the morning.”
“Oh, please stay a bit longer,” Chelan beseeched. She hugged Shanna tighter and stared into his eyes. “We have much to catch up on.”
Braedon gave her a small smile. “I will return someday, my Lady. And when I do, we will have a very long conversation.” He bowed and walked away. Then he stopped at the doors, his back still to her. “I have left sensors in the caverns. I check them from my home regularly.” He took his time before he spoke again. “Should you need to get away, or should you return for a time, I will know.” And he left.
Chelan watched as the doors closed, her emotions swirling. She sighed. At times life was so unfair, and she looked down at Shanna. “I suppose you are going to break just as many hearts,” she whispered. Then she laid her head back and snuggled into the pillows. Nestling Shanna to her breasts, she closed her eyes, much-needed sleep claiming her instantly.
Chapter 2
CHELAN JUMPED, A PIERCING scream tearing through her subconscious. She looked up just in time to see a doctor scooping Shanna from her cradle. Then she saw the syringe, and she cried out, “No!”
Talon grabbed for her, and she pushed away in terror. “Leave me alone!” she wailed. “My baby—give me my baby!”
Talon shook her roughly. “Look at me!” he demanded.
Chelan gasped, and her eyes popped open. Korba shook her again. “It is okay; it is me.”
Chelan panted for air; her gown was soaked. “I... The baby... I...” Then through the murk she heard Shanna cry.
Korba held her shoulders firmly. “It is okay. It was a nightmare. She is fine.” Then he grinned. “She is just starving.”
Chelan clutched at her head and then looked down between them at the squirming infant, now clad in a soft white bodysuit.
Korba reached for Shanna, picking her up gently and placing her in her mother’s arms.
Chelan held her to her breast, struggling to remember all Marri’s instructions; the fog of the nightmare lingered, obscuring the clarity of her thoughts. Then, instantly, the crying stopped as Shanna settled to nurse. Chelan grimaced.
Korba looked at his mate with concern. “What is wrong?”
“Ah, I think Stose’s painkiller has worn off. That direct link between my breasts and my uterus is a bitch.”
Korba moved off the bed and immediately summoned the doctor.
Within moments, Stose arrived. “Uh-huh, causing contractions, is she?”
Chelan nodded. “Substantial ones. I am sorry to be so much trouble.”
“It is no problem, my Lady. I will leave some of these with you now. They are analgesics. Take one every time you are going to nurse for the next couple of days. And do not worry, they will not enter your milk.”
Chelan gladly accepted the small blue pills, swallowing one immediately.
Korba sat back down on the bed, his hand stroking Chelan’s golden brown hair. Then he looked to Stose. “Since you are here, other than the pills, what are your orders?”
Stose hesitated. “Well, Chelan should get up and around as much as possible.” He peered at her directly. “You should drink copious amounts of fluids and eat heartily.” He glanced back at Korba. “And she needs rest. Should Shanna decide to keep her mother unduly occupied between feedings, you and Marri should take her somewhere for a time. Chelan’s body has been through a lot. And unlike after the last pregnancy, the nursing will put an additional load on her.”
Korba nodded.
Then Stose addressed Chelan rather sternly. “And heed my words, young lady. We do not know for sure whose biorhythms our little bundle has adopted. If she runs on an Iceanean clock, you are going to require plenty of help. Marri or one of the other women would love to assist. And if necessary, one of the other birthing moms can nurse her at times.”
Chelan’s lips thinned, but Stose shook his head at her. “I know what you are thinking. But we do it all the time. If Shanna is of Iceanea and you try to do this all yourself, you will run yourself into the ground. You are bonded to the Emperor, and you know just how little sleep he needs. And he and I both know you. You will try to do it all until you drop from exhaustion. That helps no one. If you are too tired or your nipples become too sore, you make sure you ask for help.”
Chelan went to speak but Korba interrupted her. “You listen to Stose. He is right. Jason follows our biorhythms. So may she.”
Chelan looked down. “I know. But she is mine, and mine alone.”
Korba frowned. “If someone else nurses her, she will still be yours.”
Chelan bit at her lip. “We shall see,” she whispered.
Korba ran his hand down her back. “I know what burdens you this time, my Lady.” He watched as she stared up at him, her eyes grievous, her expression tugging at his heart. “No one is going to take Shanna from you—no one. She will always be under my strictest guard. And for that matter, no matter what, no one will even touch her without your permission.”
Chelan finally nodded, her eyes misting. “I am struggling to deal with the demons of my past, my Lord. Please have patience with me.” She glanced at Stose. “I am trying to adapt and to accept the fact that this situation is so much different.” She looked back at her mate. “But I also know how quickly things can change, and I know that a present calm provides no guarantees for the future.”
Korba nodded. “I understand. But constant fear will attack you at every corner if you allow it to continually seep into your thoughts. And that fear will rob you of what pleasures are at your fingertips now.” He looked down at Shanna, his hand smoothing over her tiny head. Then he glanced deep into Chelan’s eyes. “I once again am in control of the Empire, and it is stronger than ever. I was caught unprepared once before, with devastating consequences for us all. That will never happen again.”
Chelan exhaled sharply, tension leaving her body like a river bursting its banks.
Korba smiled at her and then glanced back at Stose. “Anything else we need to know?”
Stose nodded at Chelan’s damp gown. “May I ask what happened, my Lady?”
Chelan refocused on the doctor. “I had a bad dream. I could hear Shanna screaming, but I could not wake up.”
Stose sighed. “There is another good reason for getting lots of quality sleep. You are dealing with the past and all the associated trauma. Every interaction you have with your daughter is going to dredge up grievous connections. With time, and Korba’s help, you will learn to sever those cognitive connections, but adequate sleep is an integral part of that process. As his Lordship mentioned, the past and all your fears will haunt you relentlessly if you are worn down.”
Chelan finally gave both men a small smile. “I get the picture.” She looked down at the baby just as Shanna let go of her breast and opened her little eyes. Chelan gasped. “Oh my god! Look.”
Stose and Korba straightened and peered down at the infant.
“My word,” whispered Stose in astonishment.
Chelan glanced at Korba, his surprise just as plain as hers. She looked at Stose. “Where did she get those from?”
Stose shrugged. “I do not have a clue, my Lady.”
Chelan stared down at the sated little one, her sparkling eyes returning her mother’s gaze. “They are like the emeralds of Earth,” she uttered.
Korba nodded. “I have never seen such beautiful green eyes.”
Chelan squinted at them, and then she waved frantically at Stose. “Turn down the lights. Turn them off!”
The doctor scampered away to do her bidding, and the light faded.
“They glow!” Chelan squeaked with glee. “They glow a pale blue-green.”
The lights came up as Stose returned.
Chelan’s gaze darted between the two men, her delight spilling over to them. “Oh, I do not know if she can see in the dark, but they are simply the most gorgeous eyes ever!”
Stose looked at Chelan. “No green eyes in your family?”
Chelan shook her head. “No, none.”
Stose studied Korba. “Well, we know they did not come from you. She must be a hybrid.”
Korba shrugged. “Either it is an expression of a gene in Chelan’s ancestry from long ago, or it is something to do with a genetic mutation on my side.”
Chelan spoke. “I suspect it is an Iceanean mutation of some sort. Green eyes on my planet do not manifest this bright. I mean, green eyes in my world are indeed green, but Shanna’s are a deep emerald green with an azure cast. The color is strikingly intense, and ever so beautiful!”
Stose smiled. “The specifics of the genetics aside, the glow certainly indicates the possibility of our visual acuity.”
Chelan was in awe. “Well, regardless, they are exquisite.”
Korba peered down at his baby girl. Then he sat back heavily.
Stose and Chelan both stared at him. “What is wrong?” the doctor asked.
Korba drew a deep breath. “With her mother’s looks and complexion, and those eyes, I think I am going to become old before my time.”
Stose chuckled. “I just hope she does not combine all that with her father’s temperament. Then all hell will really break loose.” The three of them laughed.
Suddenly, the intercom flashed and Korba moved to it. “Yes?”
“It is Zane, my Lord. We have something for you to look at.”
Korba’s expression tightened. “Can it not wait?”
“Oh, it could, my Lord, but I think it is something you would be more than a little interested in.”
Chelan smiled at him. “Get out of here. Shanna and I are fine, and Stose is here.”
Korba nodded. He came back to the bed and looked down at the little wriggling girl, her emerald gaze still fixed on Chelan’s face. Korba then kissed them both and headed toward the doors. “I will be back as soon as I can,” he informed them, and he left.
Stose folded his arms across his chest. “Now, my Lady, the truth: how do you feel?”
Chelan shuffled more upright and laid Shanna down on the bed between her legs. “Like I have been through a meat grinder.”
Stose nodded. “What plagues you most?”
Chelan shook her hair from her face. “Lack of sleep, I guess... and fear.”
“Fear of what?”
“Fear of that—sleep, the very thing I need most. My sleep is infused with nightmares, terrible nightmares about the past.”
Stose looked down. “How about I run some endocrine tests on you?”
“How will that help? Even after all these years you know so little about my alien physiology. You have only a sketchy database from the Telesians for comparison.”
“True, but I could easily pick out blatant hormone imbalances. Birth can throw a lot out of kilter. Even our women have trouble at times.”
“That does not explain the nightmares.”
“It could easily explain them, my Lady. Couple physiological imbalances with what you have had to deal with over the years, and I would almost say the nightmares would be normal. As we alluded to before, you are probably having a degree of difficulty with trauma also. You were not conditioned to the harshness of our ways.”
Chelan sighed. “I am sure the dreams will fade. But right now, I need to get up and stretch.”
Stose reached for Shanna and cradled her expertly in his arms. Chelan rose stiffly from the bed. She arched her aching back. “This pregnancy business is for the birds. Once your stomach muscles are thrashed, everything breaks down.”
Stose chuckled. “I am sure your perfect form will return shortly.” Then the doctor took a moment to appraise her thoroughly. “Actually, I should get you something to help support your breasts.”
Chelan looked at him rather shyly. “What made you think of that?”
Stose grinned. “It does not take a trained eye to tell that you are going to have a problem with the sheer weight pitted against gravity. And your milk has yet to fully come in. You have always been ampler than our women, but the effects of the pregnancy on you have far surpassed what happens to our women.”
Chelan glanced at herself. “I will not argue. I can already feel the strain. What do you have in mind?”
Stose shrugged. “I am not a tailor, my Lady. And our women are mere shadows compared to you. Even fully swollen they require no support.”
Chelan’s eyes lit. “In the caverns, I used to make and wear exactly what I need.”
Stose smiled. “Well then! Problem solved.”
Chelan paused. “I
wonder if Braedon would retrieve them for me.”
Stose swayed gently, little Shanna’s eyes barely open. “My Lady, whatever you wore there will not come close to covering you now. I will send someone to you and you can instruct them as to your needs.”
Chelan nodded and then glanced toward the en suite. “Do you mind looking after her for a bit? I could use a shower and a fresh gown.”
Stose grinned down at Shanna. “Of course, I do not mind. We will get along just fine.”
Chelan smiled back at them and then headed straight for a long, hot shower.
Stose ambled about the beautiful Imperial suite a long time, and then the main doors opened. Stose turned to greet Korba and a very enthusiastic five-year-old boy hanging off his arm. “Well, well, Master Jason. Come to see your sister?”
Jason’s eyes bugged. “Yes, sir.”
Stose sat on the bed as Jason approached quietly. Korba stood behind him and watched as the boy studied his new sister. “She is so small,” he commented.
Korba brushed at his long silver-blonde hair. “You were once also.”
Jason smiled. “She has pretty skin, just like Mom.”
Korba squatted down beside him. “Yes, she does. But I am afraid she has my hair.”
Jason grinned. “It will not be special like mine.”
Korba chuckled. “No, but she has special eyes.”
Jason looked down at the sleeping infant. “Can I see them?”
“Not right now,” interjected Stose. “If we wake her she might cry, and that would disturb your mom’s quiet time.”
Jason was a bit disappointed, but he understood.
When Chelan finally finished and returned to the bedroom, Jason ran to her and hugged her tight about the legs. “She is beautiful, Mom.”
Chelan knelt down to him and hugged him back. “Yes, she is. I did the best I could.” She looked into his bright azure eyes. “Will you help me look after her?”
“Can I?”
“Well, I am sure there are a few things you can do for me. Entertainment would be a big help.”
Jason jumped with delight. “Can I take her swimming?”
Korba laughed. “I think we will have to wait on that one a bit, my boy.”
