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  “Wasn’t the sex a clue?” The words came out in a snarl.

  Sarah stopped and blinked, pulling the frenzied captain to a halt. She pitched her voice up hard and strong, more than loud enough to gain attention from passersby. “Do you want to do this here? Because frankly, if you had followed protocol and run me through any kind of medical testing when I got here, it would have showed up then. I had to figure it out alone on Danyo and then call it in to the Nyal satellite, which then passed it to the Alliance. They told me to continue on with my assignment. Every day I worried about what my talent was doing. Don’t you dare bring your temper near me or my baby!” Her hands cradled her belly and the kick that greeted her made her smile.

  The little one agreed with her.

  Audril noted the movement and her hand reached out to touch Sarah’s belly before she could stop herself.

  Sarah sighed. She couldn’t hold onto her temper now. “Come on, little one. Meet your cranky Grandma.” She reached out to Audril and slapped the dhemon’s palm against her belly. The baby obliged with another series of healthy kicks that made its mommy groan.

  The cranky grandma in question leaned forward and pressed both hands against the pumpkin curve of her belly. “I…it seems healthy.”

  “Yes. It does.”

  “Do you know the sex?”

  “Well, I have a hunch it is either a boy or a girl.” She smiled at the face Audril pulled. “My species doesn’t have another option.”

  Reluctantly it seemed, the Captain pulled herself away from her grandchild’s mother. “Please come with me, Sarah. We are going to jump and I want you comfortable.”

  “Jump? Oh hell. Where do you want me?” Jumping while pregnant was not going to be fun. Hell, jumping while normal wasn’t comfortable. It was a nightmare for the talented.

  “This way. I have set the proper quarters aside.” Audril took her by the hand and carefully led her through the bustle of the ship preparing for the jump.

  The proper quarters were a sensory cradle. A semi-reclined seat that was filled to put pressure on all of her limbs so that she could continue to feel the world around her as they jumped. It was very thoughtful of Audril and that was the last thought she had for a while, because as soon as she waved the Captain off and took her place in the cradle, the klaxon rang for the jump and she passed out.

  Chapter Eight

  When she woke Sarah felt like she had been trampled by wild beasts, or at least some toddlers. She groaned and grunted as she fought free of the cradle, successfully gaining her feet with only moderate effort. A beeping from the communications console got her attention. “Yes?”

  “Pyro Anders? Are you all right? I am Com Officer Veral.”

  “I am. Why do you ask?”

  “We have been out of jump for two hours and no one had heard from you. We are about to enter orbit around Nyal. The Captain has requested that you meet her at the shuttle bay.”

  “How am I supposed to manage that?”

  “Follow the red lights to the shuttle.” There was a smile in his voice. “Just joking. Chief of Security Kellan will be there in a moment to escort you.”

  “Oh. You are one of those funny Com Officers.” She could almost see the grin on the other end of the line.

  “Yes. It gets lonely on the aft side of the ship, no one can find me.”

  Sarah was just about to give another snappy comeback when there was a knock on the door. Unsurprisingly there was an officer outside her door that resembled Athon a lot. The red eyes gleamed down at her with an assessing look, in a face that was all too familiar. His startled look at her belly almost made her laugh, “Chief Kellan?”

  “I am.”

  “Pyro Anders. You are escorting me to the shuttle bay?”

  “I am.” He blinked slowly. “You are pregnant.”

  “You are observant. Shall we go?”

  He held out his arm.

  She took it. It was a gesture common on Dhema, but not Nyal and she smirked as her supposition was confirmed. This was Athon’s father. Their walk through the ship was done in silence, the crew did not look at them and gave them a wide berth. Obviously, a human who had swallowed a basketball was a frightening thing.

  When they arrived at the shuttle, Captain Audril was waiting.

  The two older persons simply loaded her onto the shuttle, stowed her bag and set the shuttle checks in place. They weren’t speaking to each other, but Audril and Chief of Security Kellan were obviously communicating.

  * * * *

  Audril was busy tearing her mate a new one. I can’t believe that you convinced Athon that he needed to start looking for a new mate.

  She left him. He was aggrieved.

  She had to. She was needed on Danyo.

  I know that, now. But at the time I thought his moping was due to his being rejected by that creature.

  She is not a creature. She is the woman who is carrying our first grandchild. You had best remember that or she will bolt. Audril grabbed at the controls and set up the launch sequence that would take them from the ship.

  What if he has found a mate in our absence? Kathak was growling. He always did it when he was losing a battle with her, which was often.

  He will know his true mate when he sees her, but I want to make a good impression on this Terran. She has the resources to take the child away and we would never see it.

  He could keep her as concubine.

  She flexed her hands on the controls to keep from slapping her mate. She is a Pyro of the Citadel, a scorcher. She has more to offer the world than her cunt.

  Kathak winced. If she was using blunt language outside the bedroom, he was in trouble. She announced her title as a Pyro, but I wasn’t listening. Her belly is huge!

  She still has two months to go according to the research I did on her species. They carry out front until the baby drops.

  Are you planning to deliver it yourself? He let a chuckle fill his mind.

  If I have to. I am hoping that she chooses to stay. I have made arrangements for her if that is what she chooses.

  Audril, what did you do?

  Made a few offers to the right people. Trade with Dhema is restricted since the Alliance has refused Nyal entrance, I simply offered to grease some wheels, as it were.

  I have known you for well over three decades and you have never offered to do that.

  I want my grandchild nearby. Sarah gets whatever she wants to make that happen. The set of her mouth was adamant. She wanted it near and she would make war on the Nyal Imperium to get it if she had to.

  * * * *

  Yup. They were having a conversation. They had occasional glances and Audril huffed enough for an attacking bear. Whatever their silent discussion was about, it was ticking the dhemon off. Her husband was going to get it when they were alone. Sarah could tell.

  She tried to look at the planet that they approached, but her mind kept drifting to one particular view, that of Athon leaning over her right before he thrust into her that last time. It was a good memory.

  Sarah didn’t delude herself with the thought that he was still unattached after all this time. She could hope, but she wasn’t going to hang her future happiness on it. She would have their child and raise it using the considerable stipend that she had earned as a scorcher. She didn’t care where, she just wanted to spend her time with her baby. She wondered if he would have his father’s horns?

  Chapter Nine

  Time stopped as they landed on a private field. It must have been the Captain’s private airfield because shuttles were not allowed to land willy-nilly planet-side. Sarah took a deep breath as the baby started kicking madly, it seemed happy to be back in stable gravity.

  “Sarah, this way please.” Audril was gesturing to a winding pathway that led to a house on the side of a mountain. The views from the home would be lovely.

  With an eye to the steepness of the climb and another to her belly, she nodded to begin the arduous hike. She was absolutely sure that her
lungs were going to pop out and kill her by the time they reached the summit. But she had been right. The view was lovely. “Well, that will keep you in shape.”

  Kathak smiled at her and led her gently by the arm to a nearby bench on the outside of the massive deck. “We have a skimmer, but it is out for repairs right now. The grade on the other side requires it.”

  “Well, that explains the hike.” A servant came rapidly to her with a beverage covered with condensation. It was similar to lemonade and it went down just as smoothly. The servant was Nyal and female, but her demeanour was that of a beta female. A subservient member of the community, but probably a first rate housekeeper. “Thank you.”

  “You are welcome.” She bowed formally and then left, just as she entered the house she turned and winked.

  “That is Ona. She runs the house, even when we are here. Her husband keeps the grounds for us and used to keep an eye on Athon when he was young.” Kathak winced as he mentioned his son’s name and she obviously reacted.

  So this was where he had grown up. On the side of a mountain amidst wild beauty. No wonder he was such a strong fighter, she would battle, too, to return to a place like this. Unlike the plague worlds she frequented, this one was fresh, clean and alive. She gulped down the rest of the beverage and set the glass aside. “This is lovely and all, but why am I here?”

  Audril took up a seat on her right, which left Kathak on her left. “We are here to offer you a home on Nyal. We want you to raise our grandchild here, where its father grew up.”

  “Whoa. And for that you hauled me off of a job and across the galaxy?” She rubbed her belly protectively. The child was quiet now.

  “We applied for a replacement for you and got permission for you to raise your child here as a child of the Alliance. It will also have citizenship with the Nyal Imperium so it will be well protected.”

  Sarah blinked. “Dual citizenship? You don’t even know if Athon is the father.” She was just throwing it out there to see if Athon had mentioned her. It was pathetic, but she wanted a bit of proof that their time together had stuck in his mind as it had hers.

  “You are joking. It was obvious to me the day you stood outside the tank that you two had a bond that went far beyond a one-night stand, or whatever you call it. It was not a mating of convenience, it was a true bonding.”Audril was looking irritated and Kathak looked shocked. “Ignore my mate. He is an idiot when it comes to women. I should know.” She rubbed her horns in agitation.

  “Okay. That was a cheap shot. I am sorry. Yes, it is his child, but I don’t know how I would make a life for myself here. The Citadel contract will call for me to attend more worlds that require me.”

  “Not for five years. We have bought you some time.” Kathak had gotten over his shock.

  His skin was still flushed though, nothing like a woman who knows you inside and out to embarrass you in front of witnesses. She absorbed that and grunted as the baby gave her a solid boot to the ribs. “Does Athon know I am here?”

  “No. We found out your condition while on assignment and diverted immediately. We have not been in communication with him since we last left.” Kathak was blushing even harder now.

  Sarah pondered it a moment and then got a sinking feeling in her stomach. “You have been trying to get him to match with a Nyal woman?”

  He muttered unintelligibly and almost ran into the house, leaving the women staring at his retreating back.

  “Don’t worry. We have to approve any matches that Athon makes as his parents. He hasn’t requested our presence yet so there is still time. He will be here tomorrow for dinner. Perhaps we should get you situated.”

  “Wait. So he doesn’t know I am here? And he is dating? And he doesn’t know I am pregnant? Geez. That is a lot to take in. I think his horns may blow off.” She rubbed gently at the scars left on her shoulder from his bites. She still wore his marks, but if he was interested in this next woman, she would surrender him for his own good. Eh, who was she kidding. He was in for the fight of his life.

  Sarah’s stomach was so knotted that she could barely contemplate dinner, but she dressed formally in clothing provided by Audril and delivered by Ona. The maid had been efficient and didn’t even mind the head butt provided by the mystery bump when she bent forward to help straighten the hem on the formal robes.

  She merely smiled, rubbed at her head and said, “It’s a strong one. Athon will be proud.”

  “I am just glad that the horns will grow in later, if at all. If I hadn’t found out that tidbit, I may have freaked out.” She turned to look at her reflection swathed in layers of jewel coloured silks. From the waist up, she didn’t even look pregnant. She could pull this off.

  Ona led her through the cavernous house and to the formal dining room. She was seated and talking with Audril and Kathak about trade formalities between Nyal space and the Alliance when a skimmer sounded outside and the main door opened a minute later. Sarah felt cold. This was it.

  As the footsteps came closer, she fought the urge to bolt. Kathak put his hand on hers and held her in place. The warmth seeped from his skin to hers and calmed her.

  When Athon came into the formal dining room, her heart leapt in her chest and then sank as she noted the Nyal woman curled around his arm. She was too late.

  * * * *

  He was stunned. She was here, the woman who haunted his dreams and the only one he could imagine in his bed, was sitting with his parents. In his home. One hundred and thirteen feet from his bedroom. Before he knew what he was doing, he started forward only to be brought up short.

  “Athon? Do you know her?”

  Miya was cute, sweet and the perfect Nyal woman. A daughter-in-law that any parents would welcome. She was a little clingy, but he could simply request off-world assignments.

  “Yes. Yes, I do know her. Her name is Sarah Anders and she is my mate.” The words came out of his mouth in a rush and he watched Sarah for her reaction. Relief was what he read in her eyes, and then a strange sort of anger.

  Chapter Ten

  Sarah couldn’t help herself, she was on her feet and walking toward him, her belly leading the way. She flared her hands as she approached her lover. “If you are telling me that you brought this woman here to introduce to your family and are now discarding her because I am here --”

  She didn’t get to finish. He embraced her, fiery hands and all. His mouth covered hers. She sighed and let her hands go out. The taste of him was heaven and she smiled as her passenger started kicking like mad. That got his attention.

  “You are pregnant?”

  “No. It is just one heck of a parasite. Of course I am pregnant. Twit.” She smiled at the Nyal woman who was watching them wide-eyed. “Hello. I am Sarah.” She held out her hands for formal greeting.

  The woman must have been raised in a formal household because she greeted her in reflex. “Hello, I am Miya.”

  “Pleased to meet you.” She left Athon and took the other woman’s arm, escorting her to the table. “It is so rare to meet a woman of your genteel upbringing in such circumstances.”

  “Why thank you.” Miya gave a timid smile and Audril looked really confused.

  They had a strange and terribly polite dinner. Sarah dropped the bomb over the sorbet. “So, Miya. What would a nice pure-blood Nyal be doing in a mongrel community like this?”

  Audril looked amused, Kathak looked offended and Athon looked at Sarah like the sun was rising behind her.

  “Well, I wouldn’t normally have considered someone of Officer Kellan’s background, but my father said it would help his company with exports. He said that Captain Lennick had connections that we would have access to.” Miya blushed and then looked over at Athon. “Not that you aren’t very attractive in your own right. But my family wouldn’t have let you near me otherwise.”

  Chuckling ruefully, Athon put his glass of water down. He had kept to water, matching Sarah glass for glass. “I was a little surprised when your father approached me, but I
was so miserable that I was willing to overlook the coincidence.”

  “You are not mad?”

  “No. Vaen will take you home.” Athon’s attention was firmly on Sarah.

  “But that is most inappropriate.”

  “So is admitting that you were after me for my money. Let’s just call the last few weeks a wash and go our separate ways. Vaen can bring his mate if that will be more appropriate for you.”

  “Yes. Thank you.”

  Sarah blinked as Miya rose to her feet. That was that. She was leaving with no bitterness, crankiness or burning Athon’s balls off. She was much more lady-like than Sarah would have been in the same situation.

  Kathak smiled and escorted the young woman to the skimmer pad. He seemed pleased with how the evening had played out.

  “So I guess I will leave you two, or three to get reacquainted.” Audril nodded to them both, kissed her son on his cheek and patted Sarah’s belly.

  Finally, they were alone. “So, Athon. I suppose you have been busy looking for the perfect woman.” She leaned her head on her hand and batted her eyelashes at him.

  “No. I already know where to find the perfect woman, it was just a matter of getting her to come to me.”

  His voice was deep and husky, stroking parts of her that she had forgotten all about. “Well, technically, your mother dragged me here.”

  “Yes. How did she manage to find you?” He was up and pacing, getting closer with each pass.

  “I had to send an update to the Alliance when I was rescued and when my medical status changed. Audril received a copy and came to get me.” She smiled wanly. “Your father was less than impressed with me.”

  “He will adjust. It was from his example that I craved a strong mate.”

  He was so close now she could smell him. His horns gleamed in the light and his eyes were glowing red. He had never looked better to her. “Really? Because I think Miya could have kicked my butt.” It was a lie and a little prod at him. She had a wince of regret that was buried under a burst of adrenaline when he lunged to catch her and sweep her into his arms. She squeaked in surprise. The world spun around her, but by the time she had her bearings, they were down a hall and entering what had to be his rooms. Incidentally, they were also her rooms.