by Bethany Aan
In short order, he removed her IVs, helped her sit up, backed up all his data, and sent Jax to his own quarters for a well-earned rest period.
“I can get someone else to come in and help with the reprogramming and experiments later,” Jace offered. Jax looked as though someone had kicked the kitten in Hunter’s mental picture. Jace grinned, not needing a Reader’s abilities to see that Jax wanted to be there for the rest of this project. “Or I could ask Trey’s team to come in with us later and have them work with us to figure this out.”
“Yes, sir,” Jax said in relief. “That would be preferable, sir.”
Nestling Arianna in his arms, Jace held her close and took her home.
“Hunter is concerned,” Jace told her after they had eaten. She was snuggled in his arms, both of them settled in his bed, naked in deference to the heat, but ready for a nap.
“What’s he worried about?” she asked, looking up at her mate. His tawny hair was loose, as she liked it, falling from a natural side part and flowing thickly over his shoulder, down his arm and chest. She wanted to reach up and muss it a bit, but held back for the moment. He obviously had something on his mind. She’d distract him after he got it off his chest.
“He is worried that too much of this experimentation will have adverse effects on you.”
“Oh.” She yawned, gave him a sheepish grin then continued. “I’ll be fine, Jace, as long as we take it slow and learn from each test. Like today… we found out that while I am capable of doing the projection mostly on my own, it is much better for me to allow someone to both ground and send me energy.”
“You seem to amplify whatever power is fed to you,” Jace nodded, his brow furrowed in thought, his arms tightened just a bit around her. “That is interesting, and we have the data to back up what is happening. I think he’s worried that we will go too far and end up hurting you.”
“You wouldn’t allow that to happen,” she said, certainty in her voice. Shifting her position, she moved until she was laying half on top of him, her elbows bent as she rested her arms on his chest, her breasts pressed to him, and looked down at him. “Hunter can sense when I’m being drained, I think. Maybe we can work out a … sort of a ‘safe’ word, an image or something that he can send to me, to let me know it’s time to come home.”
“Also, I do not think that he is looking forward to the sexual elements of the testing,” Jace said with a grin.
Ri laughed.
“Well, can you blame him? That is usually a very private thing, just between us. Sometimes the three of us, but just us, all the same.” She twirled her finger around his tight button of a nipple as she grinned at him.
“Maybe for those, I should clear the lab, so that it is just us?” Jace suggested. Ri’s eyes went warm and sexy and he felt himself melting. Well, most of him melted. The part that didn’t did just the opposite.
“Maybe we should do several of those tests,” she murmured, leaning down to kiss his chest. “First with Hunter and me,” she kissed his nipple, biting it gently just to hear his hiss of pleasure, then licking it to hear him let that breath out on a shudder. “And then perhaps with all three of us, just to see if having you there adds anything.” He glared down at her. She grinned unrepentantly up at him. “You know, besides unspeakable pleasure for me.”
“That’s better,” he growled, lifting her so that she was close enough for him to kiss. She giggled into his mouth, then lost herself to his loving.
Several hours later, after a refreshing nap, Jace and Arianna met Hunter back in the med center, ready to work on their experiments a bit more. This time, though, their work was being observed by more than just Jax. Bev accompanied Trey and his team, supporting her mates and offering ideas for expanding the medical programs to allow for the incredible numbers Arianna was generating. She even explained a few things to Ri, showing her how to read the chart and educating her on their numbering system and symbols.
“Have you thought about scanning one of us non-psychic human girls, to use as a control?” Bev asked Jace at one point. He turned a startled look toward her.
“I hadn’t really thought about it,” Jace said, “Though I guess I should have. I figured that Arianna was the Reader for your group, and that was that.”
Ri was quiet for a moment, something niggling at the back of her mind. When it occurred to her, she gasped, drawing Bev and Jace’s looks.
“The first day,” she said excitedly, holding Bev’s arm. “Remember when you said you felt me do something in addition to the ‘mom voice’?”
Bev’s eyes widened and she grinned.
“If she felt it, she might have a trace of whatever it is that makes Ri so strong,” Jace said, excited as he turned back to his screen and tapped out some commands. “Trey, if you’ll load the scanner for us…”
The others chuckled as Trey happily moved to Bev’s side and lifted her up onto the scanning bed, his touch lingering a bit longer than strictly necessary. Ri’s gaze narrowed.
“I keep meaning to make some stairs for that thing,” she muttered. Hunter looked up at her and grinned.
“And I keep distracting you when you remember,” he informed her smugly. She blinked at him.
“Why would you do that?” she demanded, her brow furrowing.
“Because it is one more opportunity for our men to hold our women, to feel needed.”
She couldn’t think of a good reason to argue against such a sweet admission, so she simply grinned happily at him and watched as Jace started the scan.
“I’ve reset the scanner for a baseline health scan first,” Jace said, more to himself than anyone else as the first scan processed. “Then I’ll check for…”
His voice trailed off and everyone stopped working, looking up to see what had stopped his words. He swallowed, looking at Bev’s team.
“Bev?” he said, almost conversationally.
“Yes?” she asked from the scanner.
“When were you going to tell me you were pregnant?”
There was absolute silence from the men and women in the room, then Trey’s whoop of joy echoed out into the courtyard and beyond.
For a few loud, raucous moments, Bev was passed happily among her team, each one planting a kiss on her lips, hugging her, and dancing for joy. Ri’s eyes misted as she watched her friend being overwhelmed with the happiness of her men. Every woman should be cherished like this when she discovered she was with child. Hunter caught her thoughts and moved to her side, wrapping a long arm around her waist and holding her to him.
“We will have a new soul four months from now,” he said quietly. Ri stared up at him in shock.
“Four months?” she cried softly.
“How long do humans gestate?” he asked, curious.
“Nine months,” she told him.
“Nine months?” he asked, incredulous. “How do you stand it that long?”
“It is how we’re made, Hunter,” she said acerbically. “What else do we do but stand it?”
“I would want to see my child earlier than that,” he snorted.
“It’s not like we have control over the process,” she chuckled, rolling her eyes at him. “I suppose you do?”
“No. But four months is long enough for us, I assure you!”
“Jace,” Bev called, her face wreathed in a beautiful smile. “Can you tell what it is?”
“You mean Thorsani or human?” he asked.
“No, silly!” she laughed. “Boy or girl?”
“Oh. Of course. It’s a girl.”
Trey’s eyes went soft and gooey, his hand on Bev’s belly.
“A girl!” He turned bright eyes to his team. “We will have a tiny little daughter!”
The men began celebrating again.
“Why are the others so excited?” Arianna asked Hunter, her voice soft.
“Because their family will gain a girl child,” he said, perplexed because to him, the answer was obvious. “Why else?”
“Well, they don�
�t know who the father is,” she pointed out reasonably. “So why would they all cheer?”
“Firstly, because we now have definitive proof that our species’ can interbreed, and secondly, because all three of them will be fathers to the child.”
Ri had to wrap her brain around that concept. Oh, he had told her about their attitudes, but she’d thought he was exaggerating. Apparently not, though. These men were each as happy as if they were certain it was their child growing in Bev’s belly. They didn’t seem to care at all that it might not be.
“So how will they know who the biological dad is?” she asked. “Testing?”
“They will know as soon as they see the baby,” Hunter said. “The fur patterns and colors are indicators.”
“So… you and Jace have different colorings because you have different fathers, right?”
“Yes.”
“What if the children have the same father?”
“Their markings are similar, but unless they are identical twins, they will have differences that the parents are easily able to discern.” He grinned down at her. “Now, enough of this. If we are to do these experiments, we need to do them.”
“Hunter, I know that this is important to you,” Trey said softly as the others quieted. “But I was wondering if we might take a break to celebrate this wonderful occasion? It is the first child conceived between our people. Isn’t that worthy of acknowledgement?”
Hunter looked toward Jace, questioning. Jace shrugged, then smiled and shut down his screen.
“This will wait another day.” He said, rising. “You’re right, Trey. This is worthy of a compound-wide celebration. Maybe even an outing.”
The girls grinned and as Trey moved away from her side to shut down the parts of the system he had been working on, Bev fell into Ri’s arms and the women hugged each other, hard.
“I’m scared!” Bev admitted to her mentor in a whisper. Ri closed her eyes, stroking the younger girl’s hair.
“Don’t be,” Arianna sighed, smiling wistfully. “I know what to do, and we have plenty of medical help. You are going to be fine!”
Bev grinned at her friend, laughing and swiping at the few tears she’d shed during the excitement.
“Promise?” Bev asked.
“I promise.” Ri responded, squeezing her friend’s hands. “Now, let’s go figure out how we’re going to celebrate!”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
The celebration that night was simple but lively. The men were thrilled that after all the time they’d been on this remote planet, they were finally going to hear the cries and laughter of children again. Arianna knew that their society was very family oriented, but it hadn’t really sunk in until just now. The entire colony celebrated Bev’s announcement, each warrior personally congratulating her and speaking a tiny prayer to their gods as they reverently touched her belly. At first, Bev was startled by this behavior, but after Rom explained that it was their way, she loosened up and simply accepted all the love and delight that came her way.
As the evening wore on, several ladies took Jace aside and blushingly asked if they could be scanned, as well, that they thought they might also be carrying. Not one to waste either an opportunity or a reason to prolong a party, Jace led a group of women and men into the med center and, after less than an hour, had confirmed at least twelve more pregnancies.
That’s when the party really got going. Ri and Hunter sat off to the side, not imbibing the wine the men had brought out for the special occasion, but watching their people in joyous celebration.
“This is what we wanted,” she said quietly, twining her fingers in his, watching several couples dancing to a slow Thorsani love song being played by a trio of warriors. “Our people integrating, our species’ combining… it’s actually happening!”
“Yes, it is,” Hunter said, tugging her to his side and cuddling her. “But I do have one question.”
“What?” she asked, looking up at him.
“Why have you not asked for Jace to scan you?”
“Because he’s been scanning me for the past two days, Hunter. If I had been pregnant, wouldn’t he have told me?”
“If he was looking for that,” Hunter said, shrugging. “He was concentrating the scans on your brain, not your body. Remember? He had to reset the machine for a regular health scan for Bev? So I ask again…Little one, why do you not ask to be checked?”
She blinked in surprise, then touched her belly.
“It really hadn’t… occurred to me,” she admitted. Her tentative smile wobbled, then fell upside down and Hunter held her closer. She looked up at him, her head leaned back on his shoulder. “Hunter… what if I’m still unable?”
He kissed her soundly, reinforcing his thoughts, reminding her of his desire, his love for her.
“If you are unable, you will be auntie to everyone else’s babes, and we will not have to worry about dirty diapers in our quarters.”
“And if I am?” she asked softly, worried about his reaction, for some reason. His smile was beautiful, warm.
“If you are, I shall begin weaving the diapers myself.”
It was all she needed to hear. Nodding shyly, she let Hunter take her hand and lead her from their spot in the courtyard over to the med center. The warriors assembled took note, and the party grew a bit quieter as they parted to allow their Commanders through to the med center. The entire way, Ri was bombarded with hope, prayers for a positive result, and genuine love for both herself and Hunter.
Jace was just finishing up with the last of the women when Hunter arrived with Arianna. For a long moment, the three looked at one another, their expressions showing their hope and assurance that it would not make a difference in their relationship. Then Jace took her shawl from her and gently lifted her up onto the scanning bed. Before he performed the scan, he and Hunter both gave her encouraging smiles.
“If not now, then later,” Jace said quietly, squeezing her hand. “I would not be sad if we had you all to ourselves a bit longer.”
“Nor would I,” Hunter said huskily, making her heart speed up a bit. She nodded, then took in a deep breath and lay back onto the scanner’s bed. Jace started the scanning cycle.
A minute passed before the scan was complete. Jace had been running scans for awhile, and because the sun was down, he’d had to go to a lower power setting to be able to check all the women. He helped her down and Hunter wrapped the shawl around her shoulders as they waited silently for the results. It seemed to take forever, but finally, the machine beeped completion and Arianna squeezed her eyes shut, strangely afraid of the diagnosis.
They popped open again when Hunter dropped to his knees in front of her and pressed a worshipful kiss to her lower belly. When she looked up in surprise at Jace, he had tears in his eyes. She let out a soft cry as he turned the screen and showed her the tiny mass that meant she was pregnant.
The party got a bit more raucous after the announcement of Ri’s pregnancy, but wound down surprisingly early. The compound became curiously quiet as the family groups settled in to celebrate in their own intimate ways, or to try again for a baby, now that they knew it was possible.
Hunter and Jace sat beside Arianna on the couch in the living area, taking turns talking about what needed to be done before their babe arrived, who would do what, how they would break down their responsibilities and share the load as Arianna became less able to handle the more physical chores.
“Guys,” she finally said on a sigh when they had enthusiastically discussed who would deliver the baby and who would get to cut the cord, since both men had experience at both. “I appreciate your happiness over this-”
“Elation, really,” Hunter mused, grinning.
“Joy. Pure, raw joy.” Jace agreed. Arianna couldn’t help but smile at their enthusiasm, but doggedly continued.
“We should probably wait to be sure I can carry it to term, shouldn’t we?”
For a moment the men simply looked at her, as though she’d said
something strange.
“What? Miscarriages happen.” No one knew that better than she did, unfortunately.
“We have medical knowledge that prevents such things,” Jace assured her firmly, “And we are very careful with our women, to be sure that nothing happens to harm them or the babes.”
“Oh.”
Comforted by that, Arianna finally allowed herself to dream about the little life growing in her.
“I guess we’re a family now, huh?” she asked shyly, her eyes shining with hope.
Arianna’s pregnancy halted plans for more experiments, at least until she was further along and Jace could monitor the baby as well as Ri during the testing. Both men felt that they would be better off postponing the research until after the babe arrived. Arianna sighed at their over-protective attitude, but agreed with them. She didn’t want anything happening to this baby, either, and would do everything in her power to ensure that.
But the cessation of the experiments also meant that the all-too-brief distraction from the summer heat and her injured hand was over with.
Life moved along fairly smoothly for another month or so. Arianna’s hand was healing nicely, enough that she was able to discard the bandage after a week, and within two she was back to her crafts, though she was still a little stiff and the new skin was definitely tender. She had to be careful with it, but she was determined to make sure that the skin healed as elastic as possible, so that she could continue her crafts. One of her favorite books was about a young musician who’d cut her hand by accident but the healing had been purposefully mangled so that she wouldn’t be able to play her instruments again. Arianna thought of that young heroine and her struggles to learn to use her hand for what she loved again, every time Ri had to force herself past the point of comfort to accomplish something with her hand.
She would definitely carry scarring from it for quite awhile, though. The plant had destroyed a lot of the flesh, and even with nanos and the remarkable salve Jace slathered on it day and night, the flesh would take awhile to build back up. On Earth, she would have been scarred for life. Here, with Jace’s medical knowledge and advanced treatments, she would merely have to worry about the scarring for several years, possibly. But that was infinitely better than a lifetime.
