“Leah thought so,” Cobra said smiling. “I took her and all the kids with me this time. The skies aren’t as volatile. Only a few rogue Tonan, scattered Gorgano and a wayward Zargonnii are stirring up trouble but nothing serious. Although, I hear the dark winged warriors are busy with the Angano.”
Becky moved to stand in Huck’s arms. “It will be nice to see Leah again,” she said.
“Actually, I came here to see you, Becky. Jinx tells me Ryker fusses when she comes over. She senses—something.”
Huck stiffened and tightened his arms around Becky. “My son isn’t evil.”
“It’s not evil she senses but anger. Your son may be having difficulty because he can’t feel his father, or perhaps it’s because his father can’t sense him. He may be reaching out to you and feels you’re…”
“He thinks I’m ignoring him,” Huck was devastated. “He’s not even born and already I’ve failed him.”
“No, Huck don’t say that.” Becky turned to press her face against his chest.
“I don’t know what to do,” Huck said. “I lay awake at night with my hand on your belly willing him to know I’m here. I talk to him endlessly, willing him to hear me. If I had my shield he would know with a touch; we would sense each other. I have more understanding about humans. I thought because they couldn’t really connect with their children it made the bond less, but it makes me strive harder for him to know I’m here.”
Cobra strode forward. “Maybe I can help. It’s time he learns I’m leader here, and he can trust me.”
Cobra’s steps were confident. He began to hold his hand out. But at barely a foot away, he was blasted back so far and so hard he left a body-shaped impression in the wall. Cobra fell onto his ass and looked stunned.
“Holy hell, he’s a strong little mite.”
Huck stood wide eyed, with Becky still pressed to him. “Cobra, the shield should have blasted me back as far.”
Cobra struggled to his feet. He chuckled. “Well, I know what’s bothering him. It would appear your son is pissed with me. He blames me for you losing your shield. I guess Ryker senses his anger and it bothers him.”
“But I should have been tossed on my ass,” Huck said wide-eyed.
Cobra placed his hands on his hips and shielded, moved closer; he was shoved back a foot when he came too close to the pair. Cobra dropped his shield and shook his head, his expression thoughtful.
“It would appear for some reason your son can shield you. We have twin girls here who shield another child who was never given a piece of her evil Tonan father’s shield. The Castian warrior her mother mated wasn’t old enough to give the child a part of his shield as your stepfather had with you. But I have never in my life heard of a child’s baby shield protecting a male—ever. A mystery to be sure. You have one very determined son. And if you think about it, you are the most loved male in history. First, you are gifted a shield from a male not of your blood and now your son loves you so much he can shield you.”
For the second time in his life, Huck felt the sting of tears behind his eyes. This time the overwhelming joy in his heart exploded to fill his entire being. His son not only felt his presence, he showed him he did. Huck dropped to his knees and pressed his lips to Becky’s tummy.
“I love you, too, my son. I love you, too.”
Chapter 15
Huck gently held his newborn son in his arms. No other male was allowed near Becky, they were alone in their home. Birthing was a very private experience most times. Becky didn’t need the aid of any other. Huck wasn’t surprised when the baby shield enveloped him instead of pushing him away as was normal for most births. Huck moved to show Becky their clean and wiggly child. She smiled from ear to ear.
“I’m so alive inside, Huck. So happy. Ever since our son shielded you, everything has run so smoothly. Maybe the connection was all he needed.”
So was Huck, relieved all had gone well the last few months, except Cobra kept his distance. No one needed to protect Huck as long as he was with Becky. He was chagrined but they spent the time getting to re-know one another in a different way. Huck buried his face into his son’s sweet neck. The pressure of two single sharp piercing stings startled him. Huck pulled away and put his hand to his throat. There was blood on his fingertips. The effect was immediate. He quickly put the baby into Becky’s arms and flew back from a sharp blast of energy.
“Huck,” Becky cried out. “What happened?”
Huck felt the smile split his features. He stood and closed his fists. Inch by inch, the grey of a shield crept over his body covering him from toe to head. Power engulfed him. He was every inch the warrior he had been.
Hello my friend.
It was his shield.
“Becky, it’s my shield. The shield dust must have followed us home and settled in our son. It wasn’t dead after all, the shield didn’t die. The shield bided its time waiting for the right moment. No wonder our son could shield me. All this time my shield has been with us, me, him.”
“This is incredible.”
An untrue lie is still a lie.
Huck laughed. He did lie to cast off his shield. As the shield separated it grew, nothing dead could grow. As do plants, the shield went into hibernation waiting to grow again.
“What do we call him?” Huck asked. He waggled his talons at his small son from a few feet away. After time the baby shield would let him return to Becky’s side. First she must sleep. Huck dropped his shield and sat near the end of the bed in their room.
“Twain.” Becky grinned as she said this. “Maybe one day in the distant future he and the next generation will have their own story to tell.”
“I have my shield back, Becky, but I will tear it from me again if you won’t mate me. I would rather grow old and die with you than stay young and lose you.”
“Back to mating, eh?”
“Your choice. It’s always been your choice.”
“So, I could love you for sixty or so years or love you for eternity?”
“Yes. But in my defense I did learn to sing ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.’”
Becky laughed. “You do sing a lovely lullaby, too.”
“Mate me?”
“Yes, but I don’t see how with our little monkey keeping you at bay.”
“Give him some time. Soon we’ll have all the time in the world.”
* * * *
The gentleness with which their lips met was serenity. There was no need for urgency. The love was there, it was theirs. During the night, Twain allowed the shield to drop and Huck tucked the blankets around him, then lifting Becky into his arms, he moved them to a pile of comforters in the main room.
“I feel fine, Huck but we did just have a baby,” Becky said. He heard the slight concern in her voice.
“The baby shield should have healed everything; I promise there will be no pain.” Huck meant it. Their mating was to be perfect.
With tenderness he lowered her and for a long moment gazed into her beautiful face. Her exquisite features shone, and Huck trembled when his hand touched her cheek. For hours, he and his shield were reacquainted until Huck couldn’t contain his enthusiasm.
“I missed you old friend,” Huck had said aloud into the darkness while Becky and his son slept. His desire to weep was gone, but the joy in his heart was overwhelming. There had been love all along, Huck embraced the emotion, and in that instance he bonded with his shield properly.
“I can sense you, Becky. Every inch of me wants to claim you. The essence of you is so strong, but it will be stronger.”
He kissed the tip of her nose, her cheeks, her jaw. She was so warm under his touch, so soft. He felt her legs part, and he could have howled his desire. She knew how eager he was, but she was too important. With his arm bent at the elbow, he supported his weight. Using his other hand he trailed a finger from her throat to her belly. In that second, he sensed his son in the other room, the connection would be there between mother and child until the child develop
ed his grey shield.
“I want you, Huck.”
He knew she did and he grinned, he knew she did. He could hear his shield shift between a groan and a chuckle. His hand slipped to her bare mound and dipped between her legs. She was moist with want, and desire lit candles behind her eyes. In a moment, she would be pulling on his arms begging him to fill her. She didn’t need to bother; no begging for his soon-to-be mate. She should have everything she wanted.
Huck rose to cover her. Inch by inch he pressed more of his weight onto her small body. For a second they were nose to nose, and she giggled, making him laugh. It was rare for her to giggle. Cupping her head into his arm, he moved higher until his hard, eager cock pressed against her warm wetness. When Huck entered her, they moved together, her hips rising to meet him. They joined. The sweetness of their action left a sigh in the air.
Each time he pulled back he removed himself completely to kiss her forehead. She whispered for him to make her his.
“Silly female,” he said with a small chuckle. “You already are. You have been since the second you tossed me on my ass.”
“I almost liked you when I saw the expression on your face.”
Huck thumped into her and she squealed. “Will I never tame you?”
“Do you want to?”
“No. Never.”
When Huck turned her onto her belly, his hands roamed her warm, satiny skin from hips to shoulders. Her skin seared his flesh when he touched her in the special mating place she would wear his mark. Her perfection would be complete when the universe knew she was forever his.
The essence of his near action dripped from his fangs to her flesh high on her right shoulder. The secretion would numb any pain. His mouth dipped and he licked her skin. When his fangs penetrated she shuddered and held still. Huck knew his essence was preparing her to be his. Their thoughts mingled and made love in their minds, joining, intertwining. Seeking and searching her memories, Huck finally saw the death of her father. The pain was almost unbearable.
Her love enveloped Huck, the amount she possessed could never be denied and Huck felt the last traces of his biological father fall from him. His shield exploded with emotion, he was reborn. The shroud was no longer his to bear. There was too much love in Huck. His son’s love, Becky’s, his mother and stepfather, his shield. Biology had nothing to do with Huck’s capacity to care, the emotion was there all along. He only needed doubt shoved from his being.
Each mark made to Becky’s fine sweet flesh brought them closer than anything in the universe. The taste of her was twice as delightful when her feelings for their son was engraved in his essence. Huck was part of Twain. Becky loved every inch of their child.
When he finished, the black blazing tattoo shone bright, a glowing beacon of his worth. Someone loved him enough to trust him with their life. His mate. His world. His better half.
Huck turned her within his arms, his shield closed over them, healing her. “I love you, Becky.”
“I’m enveloped in love.”
Becky drifted to sleep. Huck knew the dream would come; there was something he needed to do for her. The place she took them was dismal. Rain fell from a brooding grey sky, and Huck finally understood why Becky hated the color. Greyness encompassed them. It was never because of a Tonan, another mystery solved. It was because of her memories. Becky stood on the crumbling bank screaming, crying to her father. Her feet slipped as the ground moved beneath her, but the mudslide was far worse on the other side of the fast moving water.
Huck’s breath caught and he was glad she was reliving an old memory. If she was truly in this kind of peril, he would feel it in his entire being. Every ounce of him wanted to go to her, to save her, but the nightmare needed to play out so he would know all of it. Only then could he vanquish the turmoil from her dreams. This had to end with her in his arms; she must have his comfort and know she was never alone, anywhere, ever.
As the story played out Huck stood his ground watching, though the agony in his mate hurt his soul. His sweet little fire cracker was wounded this day. A brave human male was calling to her and telling her she would be fine. Her father was so passionate with his words. Every thought was for her, not him. Every last second of his breath was centered on his beloved child, and Huck knew this was the man who taught Becky unconditional love. His mate would be the best mother in the universe, and with all his heart he wished he could reach out and tell this wonderful soul his daughter was forever safe, loved and wanted.
Becky couldn’t be soothed no matter how hard her father tried. She was, after all, watching him die in front of her. Her screaming intensified as her father told her to say goodbye, say goodbye, sweet little kitten, daddy loves you; now look…look, sweetheart. Her arms reached to him, her fists balled and she slammed them onto her knees in rage and pain. Her father called to her, a loving cry. For an instant Huck saw him, her father, look right at him. Huck stood behind Becky—he sees me, her father is seeing me.
Huck felt his heart pound, he took a step forward. The man was almost enveloped in muck, brownish black ooze slipped past his lips but Huck heard him—he heard him call as he choked.
“Just turn around, baby girl, and look,” her father was calling. “Turn and look, baby, he’s right there. Have faith and trust. I love you.”
Becky fought hard to resist the temptation to spin around. Huck could feel it in his veins. The fear of the unknown was too great within her. She searched for her dad, willing him to reappear, but he was gone and Huck was still stunned. Slowly Becky dropped to her knees, her head bowed and he felt her confusion. Turn around, please. His entire being reached for her in his thoughts. His shield pulsated inside his veins.
Huck’s breath caught as Becky turned her face, craning her neck to look back behind her. She stared from his feet to his hips to his chest and settled on his features. She cried out and jumped to her feet. Huck had her crushed to his chest in seconds.
“He was telling me to turn around,” she said sobbing. “I thought my dad didn’t want me to watch him die. But he wanted me to see you so I wouldn’t be so scared. How did he know? I saw him pointing with his fingers. How Huck?”
Huck swallowed hard. He’d seen the man do the same thing.
“I don’t know, Becky. I don’t know how he saw me but he did. Love can go where nothing else can. I felt him. I could feel in my heart how happy he was you weren’t alone. Fate gave him a gift. A premonition.”
Huck had her up off her feet, his fist buried into her hair. His arm squeezed her to his chest never wanting to let go.
“You were mine all along. Mine!”
“And you’re mine.”
Huck lifted Becky higher. He turned, but as he began to leave something made him look back. Becky’s father was standing across the flood of mud. Only he stood on green grass with a pure blue sky overhead. With him was a sight Huck knew he would see again perhaps in thousands of years. His parents were watching him. His stepfather lifted his hand. Huck’s heart skipped a beat. An evil Tonan went nowhere in death.
Becky wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his throat. Huck tilted his head toward his father, his real father. His shield closed over the both of them in a hug.
You did well.
Huck heard the hushed voice. He smiled.
* * * *
“The Tonan and Gorgano will regroup. But by then, our little warriors will be a force to reckon with. We’ll annihilate the bastards. Your son will stand side by side with his brothers. Castians and our Tonan brothers will be protectors of the galaxy.” Cobra was smiling. Huck was grinning at the look on his face; he was intense. Becky’s features were screwed up into an expression Huck was familiar with.
“My son’s not even walking, and you have him road warrior of the century,” Becky said, her tone dripping in sarcasm. “You need to change more diapers.”
“Your son will be a powerhouse, an icon. All our warriors will be.” Cobra waved his hand toward the sky. “We’ll be
invincible with our Zargonnii allies. Next, we move on to help the dark warriors who will wipe out the Angano. No more shit. We’ll blow the bastards into itty bitty pieces so small rodents won’t find a decent meal.”
Becky blinked. Cobra’s chest was heaving, puffed in pride, his features animated. Becky stood before Cobra for a second. Her gaze was unreadable until she spoke.
“Don’t sweat it, cupcake.”
Becky sauntered past Cobra, smiling; she winked at Huck.
Cobra spun to gaze at Huck. “Did your mate just call me cupcake?” Cobra stood open-mouthed, eyes wide.
Huck threw back his head and howled with laughter.
About the Author
C. L. Scholey
Please call me Connie! It’s been fantastic working with great publishers and following my dream of writing. When I’m not writing, I’m busy looking after my children, husband, grandkids, and the family pet, a head strong, 116 pound mastiff named Aramis, after the Three Musketeers.
I’m currently working on way too much, as normal, but I love every second of it. Please feel free to contact me at [email protected] Look me up on my web page www.clscholey.com or join me on Twitter and Facebook. I look forward to hearing from you.
For your reading pleasure, we invite you to visit our web bookstore
TORRID BOOKS
www.torridbooks.com
MINE! [New World Book 8] Page 16
