by Ruby Dixon
Always ready. He wraps an arm around my waist and presses a kiss to my cheek. “We’ll be staying overnight,” Liam tells Benny. “And we’ll be coming in regularly a few times a week, so no rush on the list. Take your time.”
“Cool, so you guys aren’t staying?” Benny looks impressed. “You got a home set up somewhere else, then? Amy says her sister has a place at the top of a skyscraper with all kinds of furniture.”
“Liam has a place about two hours from here,” I tell him. “We’re still setting up. Maybe you can come visit for a few days sometime.”
“Wicked. It’d be nice to have my own room for a while.” He nods at me. “Glad you two finally got together. You seem happy.”
What a surprisingly mature and sweet thing of my brother to say. I beam at him. “We are. Now fill me in on what we’ve missed since I’ve been gone.”
Liam and I walk with Benny towards the main building, and he tells me all about what’s been happening. I’ve only been gone for a few days, but Benny talks about everything that’s been going on for the last few weeks and I realize he’s filling in Liam, too.
Gwen’s birds are mostly gone, so the old choir room has been cleaned up and adjusted so now all of the chickens share the much-larger indoor coop with the pigeons, and the cow has a stall there. The kids in the fort take care of the animals, and the cow’s not producing anything right now, but they’re hopeful to find a bull and get a calf—and then milk—out of her.
Scooter’s great and loves being in the fort, Benny tells me. No one seems to mind that the dog’s a bit slow, because he’s super friendly and great with even the babies. Major, Lester, and Charlie brought two cats with them, but the others were hard to catch and they’re talking about going back and getting the rest and bringing them to Fort Shreveport.
Gabe’s red dragon has been flaming less, but she’s still lurking, which means Rast is constantly on alert.
That worries me a little. Is Gabe going to get booted out of the fort for the trouble he’s bringing in? People have been kicked out for less, and I’m sure Gabe could handle being on his own, but it still seems unfair.
Liam touches my hand, his fingers lacing with mine. Rast says no. He says they’ll figure it out, but no one’s being kicked out.
Oh good. So the red isn’t as lost as the others?
Oh, she is. Liam squeezes my hand. I can feel her thoughts and they’re completely and utterly chaotic. There’s no reasoning with her or talking to her. I might as well talk to air. But I’m guessing Amy and Rast have a plan of some kind.
“I think Amy’s in the kitchens,” Benny says a brief moment before he opens the door to the cafeteria.
I’ve been so distracted with my mental conversation with Liam that I didn’t notice where we were. It’s lunchtime, so the cafeteria is full of people, young mothers and children, Luz and her wife, Melissa and her sister, the survivors from Fort Justice, and in the corner I see Major, Lester, and Charlie, who raise a hand in greeting.
Everyone’s staring, and for a moment, I shrivel inside. I freeze up, because my mind can’t help but go back to Fort Tulsa, and the smirks whenever I was with a man. The trouble those rumors caused. The men who’d confront me late at night or sneak into my room, wanting a “taste” of what I was handing out, and how unsafe I felt.
That’s not going to happen, Liam says in my mind, and his thoughts are possessive and fierce. He loops a casual arm around my shoulders and pulls me close even as Benny strolls in, and holds me against him, nibbling on my ear and making it quite clear to everyone that I’m his and his alone. Those people aren’t here. These people know I’m a drakoni warrior. They know you’re mine, and I’ll gut anyone that tries to touch you. Just because you weren’t safe in the past doesn’t mean I’ll ever let you be unsafe again.
I relax. He’s right. I look at the faces in the cafeteria, and while there are knowing smirks as Liam makes out with my ear, for the most part, people are smiling in our direction. They look happy for us.
That’s…new.
It’s because they like you, Liam tells me, nipping at my earlobe. They want you to be happy. Even if it’s with a freak like me.
For some reason, tears rush into my eyes. I sniff. I am happy. And you’re not a freak.
I can be, my sweet human. He leans back and winks at me.
And now I’m turning bright red again.
“Damn, Andi, are you gonna sit there and make out with Liam in front of everyone or did you want to talk to Amy?” Benny’s disgusted voice cuts in.
Did I say I wanted to live near my brother? Clearly I’m delusional. I can feel Liam’s rumble of amusement as we start forward again. “Sorry,” I say meekly. “Show me the way.”
It looks like a meaty chili is on the menu for the fort today, and it smells delicious. We find Amy ladling out portions, talking with Retha in the kitchens, and her eyes widen with pleasure as she sees us. “Oh, you’re back! Great!” She hands the ladle over to Retha and wipes her hands on the white apron that covers her pretty yellow dress. “Do you have a minute to talk?”
“Of course,” I reply automatically, and Liam gives my hand another squeeze in agreement.
“I’m going to eat. I’ll catch up with you later, Andi,” Benny says, but he’s not looking at me. He’s looking past my shoulder. When I glance over, I see Katrina waving from a spot in the cafeteria, indicating he should join her. My brother grins at me, pats my shoulder, and then heads off.
I’m definitely second place now. Maybe I should feel a little more hurt, but I’m mostly relieved that he’s preoccupied so I can spend my time with Liam. Is that wrong?
You’re allowed to be happy and do as you please, Atalim tells me. It’s your life, too.
It sounds so practical and obvious when you say it like that, I grumble.
Amy’s quiet as we head down the halls. Our pace is slow so we can keep up with her limp, but I don’t mind. I suspect she’s lost in conversation with Rast as I am with Liam. It’s weird, too, because as we walk, I feel a curious sense of relief that I can’t quite figure out. Is it seeing Amy again? For some reason, the relief continues to grow as we head toward the quarters Amy shares with Rast.
It’s Rast, Liam tells me, and he’s surprised. He is pleased we’re here because now Amy will worry less. You can pick up his thoughts?
No? Not really. It’s just a general feeling I couldn’t quite place. I can’t hear him. But now that Liam mentions it, that reminds me. All of us that took your blood, though, we can sense when a dragon attack is coming. The air feels heavy. It’s like we’re all a bit more sensitive to emotions now.
Interesting. Your scents are all different, too. Benny smells slightly changed. You do, too, but in all the best ways. And his eyes gleam with a heat that makes me blush…and makes me aroused, too.
Save it for later, or else we’re going to freak out Amy, I tease him as we enter her room.
Liam just sends his amusement to me. There’s that “freak” word again. I’m starting to get excited every time I hear it, wondering what you have in store.
I’m blushing as Amy sits down heavily in a stuffed, padded chair. My brain’s completely distracted, but I do my best to pay attention as she gives us an awkward smile. “Thanks for coming back here with me. I’m sure we could have talked in the cafeteria, but there are far too many ears, you know? Plus, I really wanted to sit down.” She grimaces, rubbing her bad leg.
I feel a bolt of displeasure out of nowhere and step closer to Liam.
Rast again, he tells me. He doesn’t like that she works so hard. You’re sensing that, too?
Yeah, it’s weird. I rub my aching forehead. I don’t like that I’m picking up Rast’s emotions. That’s…new and more than a little unsettling. Maybe it’s heightened because I took your blood and now we’re mated?
And your mind is connected to mine. Interesting. Except Liam doesn’t sound interested.
He sounds a little displeased.
Not displeas
ed, he corrects, picking up my thoughts. Worried for you. Is it too much for you to be here?
Only way to find out is by being here.
“Everything okay?” Amy asks, watching us closely.
Should we tell her? I ask Liam. When he agrees, I’m relieved. I don’t like secrets, and I’m glad we’re on the same page. I pull up a chair across from Amy and sit down. “Minor problem,” I tell her, and confess the emotions I’m picking up.
She comes to the same conclusion that Liam did. “Something with the blood, then? It amplifies your psychic connection to Liam? And through him, you can pick up traces of the others?”
I spread my hands. “Your guess is as good as mine.”
Amy drums her fingers on her lips, her expression distracted, and I can feel that she’s having a conversation with Rast. “Is it going to be a problem for you to stay here for a few days?” she asks. “Because I have a favor to ask.”
She looks at us expectantly and Liam turns to me. Is it my decision, then? “I’m not sure,” I admit. “It might be hard for Liam to be here with Rast here, and I don’t want him to suffer.”
I’ll do my best if you’re needed here, he tells me silently, brushing a finger over my cheek.
Just because you can try doesn’t mean that I want you to. I love you too much to watch you struggle, and you’re still re-learning a lot about your control. You’re having a hard time right now, aren’t you?
Maybe. Behind his amusement, I can feel a hint of strain. It’s Rast’s presence, he admits. It didn’t bother me before, because I couldn’t feel him. My instincts were turned off. But now that they’re awake…
Everything’s a mess, I agree.
Amy raises a finger to get my attention, and I sheepishly realize we’ve been silent, lost in a mental conversation. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. I know how it feels.” Her smile is full of sympathy and understanding. “But before you dig in too deep with an argument, I wanted to point out that I’m asking you to stay because the fort needs protecting and Rast and I want to leave for a few days.”
“You won’t be here?” I echo, confused. “What do you mean?”
“My sister’s pregnant,” Amy says. “We’ve been trying to keep in contact via Gwen’s birds, but the last one she sent was a few weeks ago. She mentioned she wasn’t feeling well and that her belly had swelled up quite a bit. It’s concerning to me because she’s only been pregnant for about four or five months. She’s definitely not due anytime soon. I sent a message back, but I haven’t heard anything and I’m worried.” Amy bites her lip. “So we want to go visit and stay for a few days, just to make sure everything’s all right, but with the female dragon camping out right in front of the fort, I feel like we need someone here to watch over things and protect everyone in case she tries anything.”
“And since we showed up…”
“Exactly.” She gives me a hopeful look. “Would you mind? We promise to come back as quickly as possible. I just need to know that Claudia’s all right. She’s the first person to be pregnant with a half-dragon baby and I worry about her.”
And she touches her stomach.
Oh.
I’m thinking her sister isn’t the only one pregnant with a half-dragon baby. “I’m fine with it if Liam can handle it.” I turn to my dragon—my mate—and I feel a fierce sense of pride at the thought. He’s all mine.
He smiles at me, all gorgeous golden skin and flashing teeth. “If Andrea doesn’t mind the stress of keeping me grounded, I’m good to stay.”
“Stress?” I sputter. “How is it a stress for me?”
Because you’re going to have to keep me preoccupied.
Oh. I blush again. That doesn’t sound bad to me at all. It sounds like…a pleasure.
For both of us, my dragon-man agrees.
32
ANDI
The afternoon turns into busy distractions, as Amy rushes about to prepare for her trip. She packs a bag while telling me all of the things going on in the fort, some of which I’m aware of, and some I’m not. Melissa’s daughter just started menstruating and is a bit hormonal. Dani and Mara moved in together (which I knew about) and are wearing rings, which I did not know about, but I’m happy for them both. I knew they were close, but I guess I didn’t realize how close. Gwen will be thrilled, and I wish she was here to share with. Maybe once we’re done here, we can visit Claudia and Kael ourselves, and somehow get word to Gwen and Vaan in Fort Dallas for a meet-up…but only if it’s safe for Liam.
I won’t risk him.
Some of the food has gone bad, so Amy’s been scouting local areas and has a marked map of places with supplies. If the red takes off, we can head out to pick some up. If not, well, there’s still plenty of unexciting corn and beans and the occasional deer that wanders too close to the fort. Amy’s fussing like a new mother that’s never left home before, though, and it’s kind of amusing. “Jemma’s baby is teething,” she reminds me. “So she’s going to be fussy. There’s been some griping by her roomies, so you might have to step in.”
“Or give her a new room,” I joke. “She can have mine.”
Amy blinks, then grabs my arm. “You’re a genius. You have the space?”
“Dani moved out weeks ago to be with Mara, remember?” I point out. “And Gwen’s gone. And I’m going to be with Liam, so I can stay with him. Problem solved.”
She smiles brilliantly, then hauls her overstuffed bag off her bed. She said she was only going for a week, but in true female fashion, she’s packed enough clothing to supply a fort all on her own, plus food supplies, a canteen, toiletries, and extra shoes. The moment she hefts it onto her shoulder, though, Rast comes storming into the room, an irritated look on his face. He’s utterly naked, his big, wild mane of hair cascading down his back. He snatches the bag from her, a growl erupting from his throat.
“Oh, you,” Amy says, exasperated. “It’s not that heavy.”
I say nothing. It looks rather heavy, and Amy’s slender and delicate. I glance over at Liam to see how he’s handling Rast’s appearance.
I’m fine, he promises me, and his thoughts are strong and untroubled. He clasps the back of my neck, though, in an intimate and possessive gesture, and I decide I like it. If being manhandled and possessed and constantly claimed as his property keeps my Atalim calm, I am all for it.
I secretly like it, anyhow.
You have no secrets with me, he purrs in my head. I’m going to remember that you like being manhandled the next time I’m between your thighs.
You…I begin, and then stop. I can feel Rast’s flare of annoyance as he silently argues with Amy, but beyond that, there’s something else. Something…new.
Liam’s eyes flare black, and Rast goes still.
I go still, too. It’s like there’s a ripple going through all of our minds.
“What is it?” Amy asks, curious. “What’s going on?”
I shiver, suddenly cold. And ravenous. My mouth waters and I’m so upset that I feel like crying. It’s so strange. I rub my arms, puzzled. “I’m freezing. And hungry.”
“It’s…a child,” Liam says slowly. “A new one.” He looks at me with wonder. “That’s who’s speaking.”
“A child?” Amy asks, and then sags. Her mate catches her before she tumbles down onto the bed. “Claudia’s child?”
A newborn, Liam tells me, his thoughts full of wonder. Its mind is so strong…I’ve never felt anything like it. He presses a hand to his brow as another rush of anger and hunger rolls over me. “She’s quite the little broadcaster.”
“But she’s okay?” Amy asks, and then before anyone can answer, she looks at Rast and nods.
She’s fine, Liam reassures me before I can ask. Just hungry and cold and angry at the world, like all new young.
“I can’t believe you’re hearing her from here,” I tell him, surprised. I can’t believe I’m picking her up, either.
“Perhaps it’s the mix of bloods,” Liam says slowly, his gaze f
ocused on me. “Your abilities have been magnified with my blood in you, and increased now that we’ve mated and you’ve taken my fires. Maybe this is what human and drakoni create when they get together.”
A baby with a strong mind and enough psychic power to touch people from hundreds of miles away.
And a name, Liam tells me. She’s all but shouting it in our heads. He winces, and as he does, I get a faint mental “glimpse” of what he’s hearing. It’s the psychic equivalent of an angry baby’s wail, and through it all, there’s a name. She’s practically bludgeoning my poor Liam with it.
Sallavatri.
A good, strong, long name, Liam tells me, and then gives me an awed grin. Her sire is going to have his hands full with that one.
Amy and Rast eventually leave, after Amy’s re-packed her bag, this time stuffing as many baby things as she can possibly fit into one satchel. Sallavatri’s mental “shouting” continues for a while, but the hunger fades and I’m guessing she settled down enough to eat. Thank god babies sleep a lot, because I don’t know how I’d handle the constant blast of hunger and newborn crankiness. I can only imagine what Liam’s feeling.
It’s not so bad, actually. I like it. It reminds me of home. Young ones there would touch minds with their community, but not nearly so vocal as Sallavatri. His thoughts are amused. She’s a strong one.
Strong despite how “early” she is, though no one’s entirely sure that she is early. It seems that drakoni gestation is a lot shorter than human gestation, though Liam can’t say how short. I’m no female. I don’t know these things. A month? Two months? The fires quicken swiftly in our females, though.
Which means if we have a baby, I get a few months to get used to the idea, and then boom, I’m a mom to someone that arrives with the psychic equivalent of a bullhorn and her own name to boot.
I…actually don’t hate the idea.
I don’t either, Liam tells me. He’s playing with my fingers as we lie up on the roof, watching the stars. Jemma’s taken over my old room and I’ve packed my things into my trunk, which sits in Benny’s room, waiting to be taken to our new home. We’ll stay in Fort Shreveport until Rast and Amy get back, but then we’re off again to make our nest in “our” territory. It’s another idea I don’t hate. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I like it. Alone time with Atalim? Living without walls and fences for the first time in years and years? Privacy to make love as noisily as we like?
