Healing His Soul's Mate Page 13

“Not here in the lobby.”

  “Don’t you dare yell at her,” Ashlynn demanded. “She at least answered my question.”

  Crouching, he cupped her face in his hands. “I didn’t know how to break it to you, but I had planned to do it this week. On my time.”

  “Well, your time sucks.”

  Shade cursed, picked her up, and carried her off. She fought for a second but didn’t want to around a lot of people anyway and didn’t think her legs could carry her.

  “Push the fucking button,” he bit out.

  He was mad, no, furious. Reaching out, she did as he demanded. Otherwise, they would be standing here forever as the elevator to her floor wouldn’t work for him. She laid her head on his shoulder and held her peace until they were ensconced within the privacy of her room. He lowered her with great gentleness onto the bed.

  “How can you be over a century old?”

  “My people are called Shenshaw. We are ancient, dating from the Middle Kingdom of Egypt, maybe before. We aren’t immortal, but we live a very long time.”

  “There is more, isn’t there? I’ve sensed it since the other night when we first made love. You pull away as if you are afraid of hurting me.”

  “There is something else.” Walking to the windows, he closed the drapes before lowering the lights then returned to her side. He lifted her from the bed and carried her to the large, comfortable chair. She adjusted herself on his lap so she could see him. He removed her glasses and looked into her eyes. “I love you. I have told you numerous times, and I know you feel the power of my feelings for you. You overwhelm me.”

  She cupped his cheek and placed her lips against his forehead. “I love you, too.”

  As the words washed over him, his head went back, and he breathed deep. She hadn’t said them to him before. She had felt the emotion, but, until now, hadn’t understood the need to say and to hear them. She knew he struggled with words to tell her something, but what could be harder to tell her than he happened to be a century and half old? But she always felt secure in his love.

  “My people don’t feel strong emotions. Sex is a physical release but not emotional.”

  “That’s awful.”

  “Yes and no. Can you imagine how hard it would be to do my job if I had Cemil’s empathy? The depression my kind would endure would be overwhelming. The goddess knew and understood we could only take so much. She wasn’t without sympathy, though. Every once in a while we find someone who gives us emotions. Lets us feel.”

  “And that’s me for you.” Elation wrapped her.

  “It is.” He didn’t appear overjoyed. “But I only feel it for you. I will be happy when meeting the new babies. I am saddened by the loss of a friend. But I can only feel strong emotions when associated with or around you.”

  If it was a good thing, why did he refuse to meet her gaze, and when she went to touch his cheek pull away? “There is a but coming.”

  He leaned back in the chair. “There is. If the person who gives us the emotion isn’t our soul mate, our true soul mate, we lose the emotion after the first full moon passes.”

  “Meaning?” She dreaded hearing what it meant, but they needed it on the table. Better she know than worry.

  “Meaning, when the moon crests tomorrow night, I will either be still madly in love with you or feel nothing again.” He reached out and ran a finger down her scar. “I don’t care about me. It’s you I worry about. You are human; the moon will have no effect on how you feel.”

  “So, tomorrow night, I will either be loved or heartbroken.”

  “Yes.”

  “Well.” She laid her head on his shoulder. “Let’s not waste any more time. If I only get your love for another day, then I don’t want to talk about losing it. I want to feel your love.”

  He held her close, and, for a moment, she let herself believe they would get lucky. She asked him about his life, discovered he was in fact one hundred and sixty eight years old and, to his people, he hadn’t even entered middle age. They both had been devoid of feelings until they met each other. It made the idea of losing him so much harder to deal with.

  “Don’t think about it.”

  “I thought you couldn’t read me.” She reached for a hot, crusty roll. Jarred from their embrace by a knock on the door, they’d opened it to find Sage holding a tray of delicious food and the news they were excused from the dining room for the evening. Myron had convinced her to make the exception.

  “I can’t read you, but it doesn’t take para power to make an educated guess. Come on, let’s head to bed.”

  They undressed each other, anticipation building, but, in the end, they held each other tight. She needed to feel a closeness to him which had nothing to do with sex.

  ***

  “She’s in labor and she hasn’t told anyone yet,” Myron said as soon as they came out of the elevators. “And, no, Rekkus doesn’t know or he wouldn’t be off with the teens on the training field.”

  “Why haven’t you told him?” Ashlynn asked, wondering why Myron would be telling them first.

  “’Cause I promised I wouldn’t read Dana anymore, or him, for that matter.” She held up the cards in defense. “And I wasn’t reading her, I swear, but the vibe became so strong the cards told me what needed to be shared. I can’t always control what they tell me. I hoped perhaps you could go down and confirm she is in labor and send up the alert.”

  Shade eased the cards from Myron and, with care, left them on the desk. “Stop fretting. Your cards will tell you no more than they have. Ashlynn will go down because a sister going to visit is normal and no one would think anything of it.”

  Myron had the good grace to blush. “I’m using you to avoid getting into trouble with the great big puss in combat boots, but….”

  “No worries but…can you maybe answer a question for us?” Ashlynn asked, chewing on her cuticle. Maybe Myron already knew if they would remain soul mates in the morning.

  “She can’t,” Shade said, and her hopes fell. “I already asked her.”

  “I guess we should head down to the cabin and find out how fares my dear sister, then.”

  When they reached the lagoon, they could hear labored breathing and moans coming from inside the cabin. Bursting inside, they found Dana doubled over, holding her side, grasping the countertop so hard her knuckles were white. “Dana.”

  “Ash.” Tears filled her eyes.

  Ashlynn rushed to her side. “Shade, go get…everyone.” She’d expected to find Dana in early labor, the type she had heard her father talk about when on call. The go bake some cookies and phone again when the contractions are closer together kind of labor. Dana had reached the meet me at the hospital phase. No wonder Myron’s cards were reading what was going on. “How long have you been in labor?”

  “Since last night.” She took a big cleansing breath and straightened, breathing out a sigh. “I didn’t want anyone to fuss.”

  “Well, prepare yourself. The fuss is on its way, and I expect your husband is going to freak.”

  As if on cue, the door flew open and the black tiger filled the doorway, his immense chest heaving. Ashlynn had no clue how far the training fields were, but they couldn’t be close and, even if Shade had the guards at the top of the hill call Rekkus, it took him a minute or two tops to arrive. The tiger continued to stare, but, when Dana squeaked in pain, he shifted and strode to her side.

  And, as nice as his ass might be, having her sister’s mate standing so close to her naked was still disconcerting. “Get. Dressed.”

  “I will when this contraction is over. Relax. Remember what Trixie said.”

  “Fuck Trixie and get dressed,” Dana barked.

  “I got her. You go get some pants on.” When he didn’t move, Ashlynn stared him down. “She is never going to relax with me here and you naked, and in about three minutes there are going to be a hell of a lot more people here. This is about her needs, not yours.”

>   “Sorry, you’re right. Be back.”

  Once he was out of the room. Dana exhaled. “Nicely done, but did he just walk into the pantry instead of the bedroom?”

  “I didn’t want to say anything but, yes, yes he did.” She fought a giggle, but when Dana laughed, she grinned. “I guess he’s a little overwhelmed.”

  Dana paced around the room, Ashlynn at her heels.

  “Do you want to sit?”

  “No, walking helps. Perhaps outside.” Dana made her way out of the cabin, stopping when another contraction hit. Rekkus came running outside, apparently having found the bedroom. He clutched one of her shirts in his hand. He stared at the flowered blouse and threw it to the side. He’d tried—even if he didn’t realize he’d grabbed the wrong shirt until he’d almost tried to put it on. Not completely dressed, but at least the man had pants on. And his chest came a close second to being as nice as his ass. Not as nice as Shade’s, in her opinion, but enjoyable nonetheless. And she wouldn’t demand he cover up. She might love Shade, but it didn’t mean she couldn’t still appreciate fine art.

  Of course, Shade chose the very moment to arrive. “Myron says we have hours yet. Sage is getting some things together and will be down in a few minutes.”

  Running full speed, Cyrus stopped before Dana and doubled over, attempting to catch his breath. He raised a finger. “Give me…a second.”

  “By the goddess, Cyrus.” Rekkus threw a bottle of water at him from the cooler outside the cabin. “Did you run all the way from the training field?”

  “You…bat…hell.”

  Which she interpreted as, You ran like a bat out of hell.

  Rekkus eyed him. “Yes, but I’m her mate. It’s not like we were under attack.”

  “Didn’t…know….” He threw the empty water jug at Rekkus before finding a seat and dropping into it.

  The next few hours flew by in a mix of contractions lasting forever and time flying by while standing still all at the same time. Stupid, but no one would leave. Dana seemed to have found her inner focus which included watching her husband but not hearing him. She insisted his voice made her want to do ultimate bodily harm to him. Yet if he moved out of sight, stopped touching her, she burst into tears.

  “Hormones are a crazy thing,” Sage said when she had been down to make sure Dana ate. With Shade’s help, she checked on the welfare of the cubs. Dana’s dad accompanied Sage at each visit but stayed in the background, prepared to assist if needed but informing them Sage had control.

  What did her dad know about delivering paranormal babies?

  “This wasn’t how I imagined spending today,” Ashlynn said, laying her head on Shade’s shoulder as they watched Rekkus support his wife, from a distance. Serena had been pacing her cottage porch for the last hour, biting her fingernails in worry. Even her husband hadn’t been able to calm her. “She is going to chew her thumbnail down to the cuticle.”

  “She can’t deal with a woman in trouble or pain.” His fingers in her hair forced a sigh from her. “It doesn’t matter how I spend today, as long as I can feel.”

  They hadn’t talked about the soon-to-be setting sun, or the ticking time bomb that stood between them. She loved the simple ability to rest her head on his shoulder and touch him as she wanted. Her stomach clenched at the thought he might pretend nothing changed to prevent from hurting her.

  Shade stood up and broke into a run seconds before Dana gripped her belly and threw her head back with a quiet scream to the sky. She panted and sweat broke out on her skin. “They’re shifting. The males are scared.”

  Rekkus turned to Shade then to Cyrus. “Prepare the surgical theater.”

  “No!” Dana begged.

  “We are getting it ready.” Sage stayed calm and in control. “We don’t have to use it.”

  “Let me help.” Serena came over. “I know I can.”

  Ashlynn, who stood a few feet away, could only imagine how the sweet yet naive blonde planned to help. But she intended to find out. Besides, she had no doubt in about ten minutes Rekkus would carry Dana into the OR. She watched Rekkus and Serena argue over her “helping.” In the end, Shade spoke up for the other lady.

  “She might be the best person to help. We should try. Rekkus, we don’t know how the cubs will react to the anesthesia. They could shift immediately.”

  The number one fear, the babies shifting into their animal state now loomed before them. If Dana had been born a shifter, it wouldn’t be an issue. Her uterus would have been designed to deal with teeth and claws. But, if they shifted, they could tear her human uterus apart from the inside. And, if they sedated her, it could kill the cubs. In Ashlynn’s mind, it would have been safer for them to have adopted.

  “Rekkus.” Serena laid a hand on his arm. “I can do this. I can help.”

  “Fine.”

  “You have to release me. You have to say it.”

  “I release you from your contract.”

  Serena let her hair down and walked to the water. It seemed to come alive around her. “Bring her in. Wherever is comfortable.”

  Rekkus lifted her into his arms and waded until he stood waist-deep. Serena who, oddly enough, remained fully dressed moved deeper before diving in. A second later, she crested with a tail. A bright shimmery tail of fins.

  “Did she…? Holy hell.”

  “She’s amazing, isn’t she?” Kaleb arrived at Ashlynn’s side. “If Rekkus has released her to sing, then things can’t be going well.”

  “They aren’t.”

  “My money is on Serena. Come on.” He led her to the water’s edge where she could see and hear better.

  Serena rubbed Dana’s belly, closed her eyes, and smiled. She asked Rekkus to let Dana stand on her own and turned to the other men on the shore. “Cyrus, are you ready?”

  “Wh-what did you say? I can’t hear you. I have earplugs in.” Cyrus’ voice echoed through the cove.

  “Shade, you might want a pair,” Kaleb said.

  “No, I won’t need them.”

  “What are the earplugs for?” she asked.

  “Serena’s talents lie in bending men’s souls to her will. The only ones she can’t are those who are gay, or have found their soul mates. In those cases, their souls aren’t interested in what she has to offer.”

  “While she is singing, I’m going to get something to eat,” Cyrus yelled before heading into Rekkus’ cabin.

  “Probably wise. He gets louder and louder.” Kaleb smiled at his wife, the love obvious to anyone who cared to pay attention.

  Serena made light patterns through the water on Dana’s belly. “Relax, my friend. You are safe. I won’t let anything happen to you. Lean into Rekkus and let him support you. Ah, there you are, my little tigers.”

  Come, babes soon here,

  Your time draws near.

  Your mother grows weary

  We know you are leery

  Embrace the love around.

  Come now it’s time to come down.

  “Don’t stop, Serena. It’s working.” Shade waded out to join them and placed Rekkus’ hand upon the extended belly. “Rekkus, your daughter is scared now. She doesn’t understand why her brothers are suddenly so docile. You must talk to her. You must reach out to her. She needs her alpha.”

  Rekkus spoke in another language Ashlynn thought might be Gaelic. Dana laid her head back resting it on Rekkus’ chest as the sun shone on her face. Ashlynn would have given anything to have a photographer present. Her sister had never been more beautiful, more at peace, or more powerful.

  Contractions came and went with Dana cradled in Rekkus’ loving arms. Her sister and brother-in-law worked as a team. He rubbed her head and spoke to her of love and admiration, stroking her damp hair from her face. Time seemed to both stand still and move at the speed of light.

  Shade, Ashlynn, and Kaleb, sitting in the sand, still watching and listening, were joined by Sage and Dr. Stone. “Myron said it’s t
ime to get her into the house. The moon is rising. Let’s hope these babies are more agreeable than their da.”

  Sage soaked the bottom of her skirt, approaching the trio as she entered the shallows of the lagoon. “Serena, how long will your song affect them?”

  “It’s hard to tell. They are so little but they’re strong willed like their parents. I can assure twenty minutes, but not much more.”

  “Go rest and get something to drink, but we might need you again.”

  She nodded. Kaleb jumped to his feet to assist his wife out of the water.

  Shade informed Ashlynn, “She has never sung so long. I also suspect there might be a slew of men in the vicinity who have all been lulled to sleep. Shame her song doesn’t work on everyone. It might be a better means of having people sleep through the portal opening.”

  “Come on, Dana. Let’s see if you can’t walk into the cottage. Unless you have changed your mind and wish to deliver here?”

  Dana shook her head and took three steps before Rekkus lifted her high into his arms.

  “Rekkus, I said for her to try and walk. It’s good for her to—”

  “Sage, I have her.”

  Sage glanced at the sky. “Give me strength as I deal with protective men.”

  Despite his overprotectiveness and surliness, he alone inherently knew what she needed. Ashlynn had been surprised to see her sister so peaceful, almost as if asleep in his arms as they passed. Sage and two other women Ashlynn had never seen before followed him into the cottage. The doors and windows closed behind them as if by…magic.

  Cyrus came out a second later, pulling his earplugs out. “All right, Sage,” he called over his shoulder. “No need to be bossy.”

  “So now we wait.” Shade settled on one of the Adirondack chairs near the house. “I need to stay close to read their souls in case Serena needs to come back, but you are welcome to take a walk if you need to, Ash.”

  “No, I want to stay. With you.” She climbed into his lap, laying her head on his shoulder.

  “I am betting the Haus is an understaffed place right now. Poor Myron is forced to hold down the fort tonight.”