“I’m not going anywhere with you unless you answer my question,” I said resolutely.
“How about this. We can explain everything to you on the way to the medical center in the territory,” Alex suggested. I stared at them for a while, weighing my options.
“How do I know you guys won’t kill me?” I asked.
“You’re carrying our—you’re pregnant and…you can trust us,” Alex answered strangely. I sighed and decided to take a leap of fate. If they wanted to take me to get a paternity test then fine.
*****
“So you guys can start explaining. Because all of this is really weird,” I said once we were in the car and heading towards Quinault.
“We’ll explain after you see Doctor West,” Luca said.
“That wasn’t the deal!” I protested.
“It’s going to have to be the new deal. Just until you see him,” he said and I actually looked for something to throw at Luca’s pretty head. I pretty much pouted in the back of the Jeep until we pulled into the parking lot of a small urgent care center. As we got to the entrance I noticed how people stared at Luca and Alex. When we stepped inside the building though people greeted them and some even bowed or pressed their fist over their chest in salute. Alex kept glancing at me while Luca just soldiered ahead and led us back to a hallway that was labeled ‘physician offices.’
Luca knocked on a Doctor Lyman West’s office and waltzed in without waiting for a response. I held back and glanced at Alex who sighed and shook his head.
“You’ll have to excuse my brother; he can be…well uptight at times.”
“You’re brothers?” I asked in surprise.
“Well not by blood, I was adopted into his family,” he explained.
“Are the two of you coming in?” Luca stuck his head out into the hall and Alex held the door open for me. I took a deep breath before stepping inside. Doctor West was a tall guy, lean, and he seemed approachable with his welcoming smile and open gaze.
“Hello, I’m doctor West,” he offered his hand to shake and I introduced myself. West glanced at both Alex and Luca briefly before he gestured for me to sit down.
“How about I escort these two out into the hall and then we can talk a bit?” he asked me and I nodded, relieved that I wouldn’t have to be subject to Luca’s intensity while having what would no doubt be a very awkward conversation. The three filed out and the door shut soundly behind them. I figured the doctor’s office must have been sound proof, because I couldn’t hear a thing past the door. I sighed heavily and sat back in the sofa chair. West’s office was pretty swanky; from what I’ve seen of the center it looked pretty nice too. I wondered vaguely if they were in the Quinault reservation or not. Alex and Luca didn’t look very Native American to me.
“Alright, they’ll leave us alone for a bit. How are you today?” The doctor walked back into the office and shut the door behind him. His eyes were keen on me, like any other doctor’s would be. The scrutiny was a little unsettling, especially after being the subject of Luca’s focus.
“Frankly I’m confused, frustrated, and holding off on being freaked out,” I said truthfully. Doctor West actually chuckled as he sat down behind his desk.
“Yes you’re in for an interesting time with those two. How about we discuss your pregnancy?” he asked me politely.
“Yes, I’m having twins and I guess it would be good to have a paternity test while we’re all here.”
“Indeed, but have you entertained the possibility that they may both be father to your twins? Respectively of course,” Doctor West was looking at me as if the possibility were completely plausible.
“This pregnancy was a chance in a thousand though. I know protection was used. And now you’re suggesting that one of the twins is Alex’s baby and the other, Luca’s?”
“Well of course we’d do the proper testing and find out once we get the results…” I stared at him blankly and stopped hearing what he was saying. I’m sure he was telling me about the test. But why would a doctor think that my twins have different fathers without them having even been born yet?
“Can we just do the paternity test?” I cut him off and he nodded slowly.
“Alright we can get started if you’re ready?” he asked and I nodded. We left the office and I saw Alex and Luca waiting outside. The doctor explained my options for a noninvasive test and the accuracy compared to an invasive one. We decided on him taking blood and he did it pretty quickly in a small examination room without Alex or Luca hovering. When I stepped out into the hall after it was all done Alex was quick to my side, holding on to my elbow and Luca was like a wall in front of me.
“You guys, wow…I could use some space,” I said, Alex gave me a sheepish smile, but didn’t let go of me. Luca simply glanced over at the doctor.
“Do you need samples from us?” he asked. West produced two cheek swabs and collected saliva from them both. I wished it were that easy for me.
“I was hoping that…we might be able to see the young? On an ultrasound?” Alex glanced at me with a small hopeful smile. I glanced at Luca who had no objections seemingly.
“I took a bit of blood from Chloe, she should go rest and have something to eat. Perhaps when we get the results you can come in for an ultrasound,” Doctor West gave me a nod and I smiled at him gratefully.
“Thank you, see you in…” I tried to remember the time it would take for the results, but he helped me out anyway.
“About two weeks,” West gave me a kind smile before very deliberately saluting to both Alex and Luca with his right hand fisted over his heart and a slight bow. With that Alex and Luca escorted me out, back to the Jeep.
“So…now can I have some answers?” I asked in frustration. I refused to get into the back seat without explanations. Luca ran his fingers through his perfect hair and Alex shoved his hands into the front pockets of his jeans, rocking back and forth on his heels a bit.
“Fine, but we have to show you something first,” Luca said. He took my hand and led me away from the medical center, towards the cover of trees, with Alex following behind. They began speaking in some foreign tongue that sounded like a mix between a native language and some romance language I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Either way it made both of them that much sexier because they spoke it so beautifully.
“What are you saying?” I asked them. Luca stopped walking once we reached a tiny clearing in the trees. He put his hands on my shoulders and turned me around then took a deep breath and walked behind me. Alex touched my chin, almost playfully, and I turned forward to look at him. “What is he doing? Oh my goodness, is this where you guys are going to tell me that you’re vampires?” I asked. Alex burst into laughter and I heard a deep growl from behind me. Goosebumps raced across my skin when I felt a hot gust of air billow over me. I turned slowly, reaching out to hold onto Alex. Who quickly secured an arm around my waist, his hand clamping a hold on my belly. My knees almost gave out when I fully faced what stood in Luca’s place.
“Oh my god is that a…did it—Luca?” I babbled in my shock, unable to process all the possibilities that flew through my mind at once. Was that a real dragon? Did it eat Luca? Was it Luca himself? I stared at the large beast that looked like any other dragon you’d imagine. A fierce beast with tough skin and wide bat like wings made to accommodate an animal of its size in flight. Though it’s skin was all white and it had eyes exactly like Luca’s. Piercing blue that seemed to glow as it gazed at me.
*****
“Luca?” I whispered hoarsely. The dragon took two steps towards me and I realized that his big body barely fit inside the clearing. He stretched his neck so that his head was right there by my chest. He sniffed my belly and seemed to purr almost, his breath gusting out in a soft rumble. Honestly I had to say I liked the dragon form of Luca better than the silent intense human one.
“You guys are dragons? Like shifters?” I asked in a barely audible tone.
“Yes, but that’s only part of wh
at we have to tell you,” Alex said. Luca’s gaze swung over my shoulder to Alex and the dragon’s nostrils flared as a low warning growl left his chest. Alex spoke to him in their language and Luca backed up a few steps and I watched as his body seemed to crumple in on itself until he was just Luca again. Well…a very, very naked Luca. My wide gaze took in all of him. I knew he must have had a great physique from what I’ve seen of him clothed, but I wasn’t prepared. He had not one ounce of fat on him. The term ‘his muscles had muscles’ couldn’t be more true in Luca’s case. Then of course I glanced down to his groin and had to glance away, blushing. Luca certainly had nothing about his body to feel bad about that was for sure.
“Um…I think I can stand now, on my own,” I told Alex. He removed his hand, almost reluctantly, but didn’t step out of my personal space at all. Luca pulled on his clothes quickly and walked over to me a bit slowly.
“You have nothing to fear from us…” he said cautiously.
“Well I know that, I’m carrying the children of one of you,” I said. Luca actually smirked while Alex chuckled.
“You handled that a lot better than I expected you would,” Luca said respectfully, his strong and silent demeanor slipping a bit. I had hope that I’d see the real Luca soon enough.
“Well I knew something strange was up…” I said slowly. I was distracted, also realizing that I really should have fainted or something. Any other person who was firmly secure in what they knew of the world most likely would have.
“Well let’s get you back to the cabin, Doc West said you should be taking it easy,” Alex said.
“Are you hungry?” Luca asked me and I nodded, I was actually. “I know a place,” he said and we made our way back to the Jeep.
“So why was everyone bowing to you guys and such?” I asked them, unable to hold back my curiosity. A thousand questions jumped to the forefront of my mind.
“I lead our clan and Alex leads our fighters. We command great respect in the north,” Luca answered as he held open the door for me to get in.
“The north? So your territory spans…?”
“We hold alliances with all the dragon shifter communities across Canada and the northern U.S.” Alex glanced back at me from the front seat and pointed to Luca with his thumb. “Luca was the first leader to unite this many dragons. As you can imagine our kind can be quite temperamental, doesn’t usually lead to much unity. But we are loyal,” he smiled at me warmly and I found myself hoping that the babies were Alex’s. I knew he could make a great father.
“So you guys operate your territory under the guise of a Native American reservation?” I asked.
“No, our clan in particular has held a long standing treaty with the tribe. We can live amongst them so long as we offer them protection and we have for many, many decades. It’s easier to keep our culture in the modern world this way,” Luca answered.
“Oh…well where do you originate from then?” I wondered about their language, obviously it was ancient and probably kept to the dragon shifters alone.
“Europe, but our kind has spread out through history. We’re everywhere, our numbers larger than anyone would think,” Alex said.
“Does your kind…ah…mate with humans often?” I asked curiously. They both glanced at each other briefly before Luca answered.
“Yes and no. It’s not often you come across a half breed shifter, but our males are males and if confronted by a beautiful woman? Well no one can blame a shifter for their more carnal nature.”
I considered that and gazed out the window while Luca drove. Soon we turned onto a dirt turnoff and drove through a small township. Luca pulled into the lot of a large cabin, to me it looked like a Cracker Barrel sat out in the woods. There were a lot of other cars and such parked in the lot too.
“Is this a restaurant?” I asked.
“Yes, the only one of ours that serves traditional foods…I hope you aren’t vegetarian?” Alex asked me before we got out and I laughed.
“No…though really I should be considering what I do for a living,” I said and got out.
“What’s that?” Luca asked me as we walked up to the building.
“I’m a vet.”
Luca snorted and Alex chuckled behind me.
“Perhaps we can teach you how to patch up a dragon,” Luca said in a slightly teasing voice.
“Will the babies be able to shift?” I asked him as the thought popped into my head.
“From what we’ve seen only male half breeds can. Females have some traits, but are mostly just carriers of our genetics. If you were to have a daughter and she were to have a male child with a human, then that child would be shifter. If she were to have children with a shifter, then they’d most likely have our active traits,” Luca stopped walking though, just as we were about to go inside. “But I believe my child is a boy,” he smirked at Alex then who laughed.
“I believe mine is a boy also,” he said and I shook my head at them both.
“You really think one of the twins is yours and the other one yours?” I glanced at them both and they nodded. Not an ounce of doubt in their eyes.
“We cannot explain the intricacies of our senses, but a dragon knows his young, the connection is forged when the heart starts to beat,” Luca said sincerely. Alex nodded, backing up his claim and I simply stared at them both, a little incredulous.
“You do not have to believe right now. Not even when Doc West proves it. When the babies are born you’ll see,” Alex said confidently.
They led me inside then. The restaurant was basically a large cafeteria like area and I slowly realized that people were speaking the same language Luca and Alex had been. And whenever they noticed them walk by their conversations became hushed and they saluted or actually got up and bowed. That was definitely something I had to get used to. As well as the curious and almost suspicious stares that landed on me once they got past their leader and fighting commander.
We found a booth and Luca made sure to tuck me in next to the wall so that he was on the outside.
“So why’d you guys visit Seattle then?” I asked once everyone was settled.
“Well…ah…” Alex glanced at Luca who suddenly glowered in annoyance.
“We were celebrating my last days of freedom. Before I had to sequester myself in our territory for the courtship ritual, which lasts until I find a mate to rule alongside me and carry my heirs,” he practically growled the words.
“Wait…you’re looking for a wife?” I asked. He definitely didn’t seem to be enjoying that fact. I glanced over at Alex who simply ran a hand through his curls and kept quiet.
“Looking for, doesn’t mean I’ve found one yet,” Luca murmured. Just then a server appeared with a huge tray of food.
“My lords, miss,” the server was just a teenager, he respectfully inclined his head towards Alex and Luca with his greeting as his hands were full. “We have goat stew today as well as flaked fish and everything potatoes. I hope you’ll enjoy.” He set everything down as well as a pitcher of water and beer. I wondered if he was a dragon shifter as well, that tray had to be heavy.
“I suggest you try the stew, it’s amazing,” Alex said, doling out a portion for himself as well as taking some bread.
“Sure…” I took some stew, it did smell really good, and glanced at Luca. He was back to being silent as he took some of the fish and potatoes. “So…what happens when I have these babies? Say one is yours, what happens?” Luca looked at me then, but took a drink of beer before answering me.
“He…or she will be raised here as my first born. They will be heir to my position in the clan and loved by our people regardless of their blood.”
Strong emotion flared in my chest. I wasn’t sure if it was indignation or what, but I didn’t like the idea of being separated from my kids at all. I had a good life in Seattle and didn’t want to give it up.
“You both would insist that the kids be raised here in the territory?” I asked.
“Well how else
would they know of their culture? Of what they truly are?” Alex asked me.
“I don’t know that I’m willing to just give everything up in Seattle to move out here…”
“I’m sure you can find work in Neilton or Quinault outside of the reservation,” Luca said. “We wouldn’t think of separating you from your children, but it goes against what we are to have them raised away from our people, from family,” he added.
“And what about my family?”
“We aren’t saying you’d be prisoner here Chloe, of course you can visit your family,” Alex said. I took a deep breath and sighed, deciding to let the conversation go for the moment. I put a spoonful of the stew into my mouth and nearly melted into the seat.
“Oh my word…” I practically moaned, the stew was literally the best food I had ever tasted.
“Anyway you might like it here…” Alex smirked at me as I took another bite of the magical stew.
*****
“My lords,” A woman came walking up to our table, flanked by a guy just as big as Alex and Luca. She was really pretty in a face like way, with big eyes and porcelain features. But she held herself fiercely and her gaze was focused in a way that reminded me of a police officer or something of the like.
“Layla,” Alex acknowledged her and she glanced at both him and Luca.
“Our scouts have returned from the south and I have a pressing report,” she said in a quietly urgent tone.
“Of course, feel free to join us,” Luca said and Layla’s gaze finally touched on mine. Luca made a quick introduction in a no nonsense tone.
“Chloe this is Layla she heads our scouts. Layla this is the mother of our young.” Layla’s eyebrows arched and I glanced at Luca with wide eyes. All he did was shrug and gesture for Layla to sit. She glanced at Alex for a moment and then seemed to collect herself and gave me a respectful nod.
“It’s good to meet you,” she said, shock evident in her tone.
“Likewise…” I said with a small smile, feeling incredibly awkward. Especially as the guy she walked up with just stood by the table in watchful silence.
Pregnant to an Alien King Box Set Page 187
