She frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Seth and David asked about you.”
Unease slithered through her.
The elders had noticed her absence? She had assumed that Ami occupied all of their thoughts.
Étienne’s look turned piercing. “Why does that make you nervous?”
She frowned. “Are you reading my thoughts?”
“No. You know you have closed your mind to me.”
Concern eclipsed the little bit of relief that spawned.
“Why have you closed your mind to me?” he asked.
“You act like I’ve never done it before,” she stalled, her thoughts still on Seth and David. She would have to put in an appearance to keep one or the other from coming to look for her and finding Zach in her bed.
“You haven’t,” he responded, too somber for her liking, “not for this long a stretch. You know there isn’t anything you can’t tell me.”
Oh, but there was.
He loosed a long sigh. “I suck at this.”
“At what?”
“Talking about feelings. Look…” He ran a hand through his short, dark hair. “When Richart found Jenna, I admit I was…” He frowned. “Not jealous. Envious. I was envious. I hated feeling that way, but I envied the hell out of him.”
Lisette did not like the turn this conversation was taking and searched wildly for a way to escape before he said what she thought he was going to say.
“I felt lonelier than I had in decades and was so thankful when I found Krysta.”
“I’m thankful you found her, too,” she said as she fastened the strap beneath her chin. “You seem very happy together.”
“We are happy together. But now I worry about you. About how that makes you feel.”
“I feel good,” she promised with false levity. “I have a hot bubble bath, a good book, and a ridiculously large pizza waiting for me when the night’s hunt is over. And I won’t have to share the pizza.”
“Lisette—”
“I’m fine, Étienne.” She bussed his cheek, then straddled the bike. “You’re worrying over nothing.”
“You aren’t staying away from David’s because you don’t want to be around Richart and me now that we’re wed?”
“Well,” she teased, “you can be a little nauseating when you get all mushy with Krysta.”
“I thought the same thing about Richart,” he said with a laugh. His smile quickly faded though. “I just don’t want you to feel like I did.”
Lisette shook her head. “I don’t. I was married once myself, in case you’ve forgotten. And I’ve no wish to repeat the mistake.”
His lips tightened. “It doesn’t have to be that way. Marriage can so much more, Lisette. So much better that what you had with Philippe.”
“Perhaps. But I have no interest in it one way or the other.” She gave his arm an affectionate pat. “Stop inventing problems. You’re overthinking things, Étienne.”
“Am I? Then why the absence of late?”
“I haunted David’s, as you put it, because I was concerned about Ami and felt compelled to protect her at all times. You’ve seen her dreams. You know why.”
He grimaced. “They’ve returned, you know.”
Her heart sank. “The nightmares?”
“Yes. They come every night now. Only they’re different.”
“How so?” she asked, concern rising. The last thing Ami needed right now was the stress of reliving her torture and captivity on a nightly basis.
“She isn’t the one being tortured. The dreams are from a man’s point of view.”
That was new. And a puzzle. “What does it mean?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think Seth does either. But they’re bad enough that Krysta and I are spending the day at our place today so I can get a break from them.”
She could certainly understand that.
“But don’t worry, David’s home will still be full of immortals and their Seconds, so she’ll have plenty of protection if anything unexpected goes down.”
“That’s why I haven’t felt the need to spend as much time there lately.” How she hated having to lie to him. “She’s so well guarded now that I thought it safe to finally take a break.”
His forehead smoothed out and a relieved smile tilted his lips. “Do you want to hunt together tonight?”
She forced a teasing grin. “And deny you your make-out sessions with Krysta? I wouldn’t dare.”
He laughed as she’d hoped he would. “As you wish. But the invitation stands. Now and always. Anytime you’d like to hang with us—that’s a saying, right? Hang with us?”
Genuine amusement filled her. “Yes.” He was forever trying to use modern slang so Krysta wouldn’t think him too old for her.
“Anytime you’d like to hang with us, don’t hesitate to join us. You’re always welcome.”
“Thank you, brother.” She started the Hayabusa. “Happy hunting. And beware of pugilistic vampires.”
His laughter followed her as she sped away.
2
This scene originally took place in chapter 6.
Marcus Grayden shifted. Sleep slowly slipped away, dragging him toward consciousness. Groaning, he opened his eyes and found himself sprawled on his back in bed beside his wife.
Odd. Ami’s stomach was so huge now that she couldn’t sleep on her back. She said it felt like she was suffocating when she did. So they usually fell asleep with Ami curled on whatever side was most comfortable that night and Marcus spooned up behind her, one hand resting protectively on their babe.
She must have rolled onto her back in her sleep, forcing him to do the same.
Marcus turned onto his side to face her and closed his eyes, intending to return to sleep.
Then he realized her breathing was labored.
His eyes shot open. He jackknifed into a sitting position. His heart slammed against his ribs.
Was this it? Was she in labor?
She had just begun her eighth month. But since pregnancies on her planet lasted seven months and pregnancies here lasted nine, they had no way of knowing when the baby would or should come.
Ami lay completely still, her arms at her sides, limbs stiff. A whimper escaped her as her brow furrowed.
Marcus gently placed a hand on her bulging belly. Melanie had told him he would be able to feel the contractions. But tonight he felt only his babe’s restless movements.
He studied her pretty face. This must be another nightmare. The fifth in as many days.
He swore.
Why had memories of her captivity—of the torture she had endured for six long months—returned to torment her like this? Why now?
Marcus.
When Seth’s voice sounded in his head, Marcus looked toward the bedroom door. They had slept in David’s home every day since discovering Ami was pregnant, wanting both the added security and the reassurance of having David, an incredibly powerful healer, nearby.
Seth loved Ami like a daughter and had taken to resting here more often, too. Ever attuned to Ami’s welfare, he must have felt her current distress.