“Look, Larem, I know about the pregnancy and that you’re the father. The ER doc saw no sign of any problems, but I’ll be setting Sasha up with an obstetrician for a full workup as soon as possible. It would help if you made a list of anything you know about Kalith pregnancies that might be helpful. For example, the normal human gestation period is nine months. If it’s different for your people, we’ll have to keep that in mind.”
Okay, he hadn’t had time to think that far ahead. In fact, he hadn’t let himself think beyond the next few minutes since the time of the accident.
“I’ll do that. I’ll also ask Hunter to contact Sworn Guardian Berk to obtain a medical book on the subject from my world.”
“Good thinking.” Laurel knelt down to pet Chance again. “And I think it’s wonderful that you’ve been practicing your mojo on the animals at the vet’s clinic. I assume you’ve also used it on Sasha.”
Larem nodded. “I eased the bruising on her ribs, slowed the bleeding on a few cuts, and repaired some of the damage to her head. My gift wasn’t strong enough to completely heal her, though.”
Judging by the way Laurel hesitated, she was about to venture into awkward territory. “And I’m guessing that’s how you discovered she was pregnant.”
“Yes.”
“Does she know about your gift?” Laurel stood and picked up her purse.
“Not yet. I was going to tell her, but it never seemed to be the right time. Now I guess I’ll have to.”
“You think?” Laurel said with a small smile. “And, Larem, sooner would be better than later. I don’t know how things are in your world, but the women here tend to take it badly when they find out their men have been holding out on them.”
“As I already pointed out to your mate, I doubt Sasha considers herself mine.”
“Larem, I don’t know what has happened between the two of you. Obviously you’ve got some serious stuff to work through, but stop and think for a minute. After almost being killed, Sasha has to be terrified, especially when she has no idea who’s behind the attack. Right now, she’s vulnerable, hurt, and barely able to take care of herself.”
Laurel tilted her head to the side as she looked up at him. “So who is the one person she trusts enough to protect her tonight? You. Just you. And don’t think we didn’t offer to run you off and take your place if she wanted us to.”
Then she gave him a quick hug. “Now, I’d better get out there before Dev decides to leave without me.”
They both knew her warrior husband wouldn’t do any such thing, but it was nice to part on a teasing note. He locked the door after Laurel and set the alarm.
“Well, boy, let’s make the rounds.”
The dog followed him from room to room as Larem checked to see that the windows were locked. It seemed unlikely that anyone knew for sure where Sasha was living now, but on the other hand, someone had evidently been following her.
He saved Sasha’s room for last, not wanting to disturb her. It was still another hour until the time Laurel said he should check on her. Chance quietly stalked into Sasha’s room, acting like a perfect gentleman. He walked around the periphery of her bed, testing the air and whining softly. Obviously, Larem wasn’t the only one who wished he could crawl under the covers and lay his head on the pillow beside hers.
After checking the window lock, Larem allowed himself the small privilege of watching Sasha sleep. The room was dark except for the light that poured through from the hallway. That didn’t matter; his eyes functioned better in dim light than a normal human’s, allowing him to drink in Sasha’s beauty. He wanted nothing more than to gather her up in his arms and hold her tight.
The thought of how close he’d come to losing her made him physically ill.
Chance moved up next to him and rested his head on the foot of the bed. Larem smiled at the dog. Boy, talk about kindred spirits. Both of them had it bad for the same woman. That was okay—he was more than willing to share her with his four-footed friend.
Sasha might not appreciate waking up to the two males standing over her, although she probably wouldn’t mind Chance sticking close by.
“Stay, boy. I’ll check in on both of you soon.”
• • •
The living room was a lonely place with both of the other occupants of the condo sleeping down the hall. Larem made the rounds again, more because he was restless than because he thought there was any immediate danger.
He stared across the street, trying to see where their Paladin guards were hiding. Even with his superior night vision it took him a while to spot them lurking in the shadows. It was doubtful that anyone passing by would see them at all.
Larem went back to trying to outdistance his demons.
Half an hour later, he finally admitted that no amount of pacing was going to help and stretched out on the couch. It was a few inches too short for comfort, but he needed to wake Sasha shortly anyway and didn’t want to risk falling asleep.
Lying on his back, he laced his fingers behind his head and stared up at the ceiling. It was the first time since discovering Sasha carried his child that he’d had a chance to really think about things. It was almost impossible to sort out the tangle of emotions knotted up inside him.
Starting with the fact he was going to be a father. A child that he and Sasha had created in a moment of angry passion. He tried to picture an infant with his eyes and her hair or the other way around. The images made him smile even as they scared him.
True, he’d always imagined a day when he’d find the right mate and start a family, but that was before his life had been ripped out of Kalithia by the roots. After that, he’d pretty much given up looking beyond the day at hand. Despite his efforts to find a place for himself in this world, somehow, someday, he’d always hoped to find a way to go back home and pick up the pieces of his life.
As unlikely as that possibility had been, it had kept him moving forward one day at a time, but now he’d been cut completely adrift. How could he return to Kalithia and leave his son or daughter behind? Here, half-Kalith children could blend in and live a normal life. In his world that wouldn’t happen, and he’d never subject a child of his to the pain of prejudice.
He would’ve expected to be angry over having the decision made for him, but oddly enough, all he felt was relief and maybe a bit of excitement. It didn’t really matter to him where he lived; the why was far more important. A child gave him a new sense of purpose, a new focus for his future.
But what if Sasha decided to return to her life back in Missouri to be closer to her father and friends? She might not want him to follow, but he would. Granted, the move would be hard. At least here in Seattle, the Paladins were willing to accept him as part of their inner circle. That was unlikely to happen anywhere else, but it was a risk he’d have to take to remain near his child—and the woman who held his heart.
From the beginning, he’d been fighting the attraction he felt for Sasha, but no longer. His feelings for her ran deep and true. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do to keep her and their child safe.
Anything, that is, but walk away.
• • •
Closing his eyes, Larem reached out with his senses to listen to the night. When he’d first arrived in Seattle, it had taken him weeks to grow accustomed to the noises that humans took for granted. Right now it was quiet except for the buzz of the city in the background. But for a second there, he could’ve sworn that something had jarred.
Sitting up, he waited to see if he heard it again. There. It was coming from down the hall. A soft moan and a whine. The first was Sasha, the second a worried Chance. Immediately, Larem was up and running.
He paused in the doorway. Chance stood beside the bed watching Sasha thrash around, twisted up in the sheets. The dog looked relieved to see Larem and backed away to give him space at the head of the bed.
“Sasha, wake up.”
She stilled briefly but then started struggling again. Larem drew on his replenished pool of energy as he cupped her face with his hands and used a small trickle of healing warmth to soothe her. It didn’t help.
He said her name louder this time. “Sasha, it’s time to wake up.”
No response.
“Please, honey, I just need to make sure you’re all right.” He shook her shoulder slightly, just enough to break the hold sleep had on her now.
Finally, she blinked up at him. “Larem? What’s wrong?”
“Sorry to wake you, but you were having a nightmare.”
“Yeah, I was.” Her eyes looked haunted. “I keep hearing that car and then I jerk awake just before it hits me. Then I’m back down in the tunnels with someone following me. I keep running, but I end up going in circles. It’s all mixed up together.”
“I’m not surprised.” He brushed her hair back from her face. “Are you hurting?”
She nodded, her hand straying up to where her head had hit the curb. “A little, but I don’t want to take any more pain medicine. You know, because of the baby.”
“That’s probably wise.” He wondered if he should risk giving her another dose of his energy. Maybe it would be better to wait until she was asleep again.
She petted Chance, who’d worked his big head under her hand as soon as Larem stepped back out of his way. Her eyes followed him to the door. “You’ve got to be exhausted, too.”
“I’m all right. I was stretched out on the couch.” He remained in the doorway. “If it helps ease your mind, Chance and I made sure everything was locked, and I set the alarm after Laurel and Devlin left.”
“Thanks, I really appreciate all that you’ve done, Larem.”
“I was happy to stay.” He backed into the hall. “I won’t be far. Don’t hesitate to call if you need anything.”
Clutching the covers with her hands, Sasha sat up. “I’d really sleep better if you stayed closer.”
He blinked in surprise. “Okay, I’ll go drag a chair in from the other room.”
“That’s not necessary.” She flipped back the covers from the empty side of the bed. “I was thinking a lot closer. Besides, we need to talk.”
