Kail glanced at Kyra, giving the other woman a mischievous wink before striding across the dance floor to where Churr stood. The young man glanced down at the armored woman who stopped in front of him, and grinned at her. She smiled back, cocking her head, and leaned a little closer.
“Do you want something, Kail?” Churr asked, responding to her body language by leaning his head toward her.
She shrugged. “Are these dances always so...stiff?” she asked, glancing at the waltzers swirling around the dance floor.
His mouth quirked a bit. “Not usually. This is a human piece. Dragons usually dance to faster ones.”
“Oh,” she said, nodding, then reached up and pulled his head down to hers for a kiss. He blinked in shock for a moment, but only a brief moment. Then he held her close and returned the favor, pressing firmly against her, wondering at how fate had made her just the right size to fit under his chin. Her hair was soft against his hands, and he didn’t even notice how her armor pressed against him. He just wanted to hold her like that forever.
Then she pulled away, though she seemed rather reluctant, and Churr noticed Kyra glaring at them for the first time. His twin stood across the hall from them, her arms crossed against her leather overdress, frowning at them with all the ferocity she could muster in her opalescent eyes. Churr almost balked at the infuriated expression dominating his sister’s features, but Kail leaned her head against his chest and he glanced back at her. “You know,” he whispered, “Kyra doesn’t like it when you do this.”
“Hmm? Do what?” She glanced up at him with her hypnotic green eyes. “I’m just showing you how much I like you,” she said in an innocent voice. “How can your sister not like that?”
He looked into her eyes, immediately whispered, “What sister?” and bent down to kiss her fiercely, oblivious to anyone else in the room.
Kyra narrowed her eyes, but Churr didn’t look at her anymore. The young man was too wrapped up in the warrior-woman he held to notice his sister in the slightest. I knew it, she thought to herself. I just knew it. She’s seduced him. That little harpy! Why, if I ever get my hands on her for one minute, I’ll—
A man interrupted her violent thoughts, stepping in front of her and holding out his hand. “May I have this dance, milady?”
Kyra glanced up at the man, wondering what idiot would interrupt a fuming dragon female, and felt her knees melt at the sight of the man’s handsome features. If his broad chest and powerful arms weren’t enough, his strong nose and intelligent brown eyes were sure to catch her attention and hold it as firmly as Kail held Churr. Churr who? her suddenly-muddled thoughts wondered as she took the man’s callused hand and followed him onto the dance floor. By the grey color of his hair, she guessed him to be a thinker or a warrior-mage. The calluses on his hands led her to believe the latter.
And then he whirled her around to place his arm around her waist, and all thoughts fled her mind as she stared into his strong gaze, and she completely forgot about Kail, Churr, and the rest of the world.
The moment Churr sat down on the sofa, Kail curled up in his lap. She’d thankfully removed her armor, leaving only her sleeveless top and leggings on her slender body. Churr didn’t mind her sitting in his lap. In fact, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. Their silver marriage bracelets chimed against each other as Kail leaned up for a long, passionate kiss. Churr ran his fingers through her silky hair, toying with the gold lovelock in her chestnut hair as she pressed closer.
She shifted position, and was running her hands down his back now, soothing away some of the knots of tension that had developed during the day. He allowed her to, running his own hands across her back, seeking out the newest bruises from her sparring with some of the younger dragons, advancing them in their healing with his gift.
Hmm...thank you, she murmured into his mind as she leaned into the kiss. That feels better. Some of those kids know how to hit hard.
He smiled against her mouth. Don’t mention it, liyari, he replied, sliding his hands down to her waist. His gift was still unshielded, and what he felt when his fingers brushed across her stomach made him freeze.
She pulled away. “What is it?”
He sat up straight and held her shoulders. “Kail, how long has it been since you last bled?”
“Huh?” She stared at him. “I don’t know. I wasn’t counting. Why?”
“Liyari, you’re pregnant.”
She gasped and backed off of the couch, standing on the rug in front of him. “What?” she demanded. “I can’t be pregnant! I...I....”
He rose and moved to stand in front of her, pulling her back into his arms. “Yes, you can be. You haven’t let me get to bed early since we were married. I think that’s reason enough.” He brushed his hand across her midsection again. “I feel it here, liyari. Nature can’t fool my gift.”
“But I....” she protested weakly.
He used his hand to lean her head against his chest. It’s all right, liyari, he whispered into her mind, resting his cheek against her hair. I’ll be here with you for this. It’ll be all right. You’ll see.
Thank you. She glanced up at him with wet eyes, and he immediately bent down to kiss her and to comfort her. He rocked her in his arms until the tears finally ceased to flow. |