“Real men love strong women,” he stated matter-of-factly. “Real men admire them. Your strength is one of the many things that drew me to you, Kayla. Gaining more of it won’t turn me off. It will turn me on.”
“What doesn’t turn you on?”
He winked. “With you? Nothing. You’re a walking, breathing aphrodisiac. I love everything about you and want you constantly.” His smile faded a bit but didn’t disappear entirely. “I do wish I could give you children though.”
“Me, too.” She had been a mother for eighteen years. Nick had never had the chance to be a father. She wished she could give him that.
“We could always adopt,” he suggested hopefully. “Roland and Sarah adopted a little boy, a gifted one who lost his mother. I heard one of the other immortals mention that sometimes the network has a hard time helping orphaned gifted one children find new families because their abilities can cause problems when humans adopt them. Maybe we could do that. Maybe we could adopt an orphaned gifted one.”
She smiled. “Maybe we could. You’d make a great daddy.”
He smiled back. “You’re already a great mother.” He kissed her. “So are we doing this? Will you let me ask Aidan to transform you?”
“Yes.”
Again he hugged her tight. “Thank you.”
Nick stared down at Kayla. After sleeping for a few hours, the two of them had availed themselves of one of the network’s showers and donned clean clothes.
The only garb the network kept on hand was standard hunting blacks. Seeing Kayla in a tight black T-shirt that hugged her full breasts and small waist, cargo pants that molded themselves to her lovely rounded hips and thighs, and black boots made his body burn. She looked like a hunter. She looked like she was already one of them.
Damn, that turned him on.
Resting a hand on her back, he motioned to the couple that had joined them in the infirmary. “Kayla, this is Aidan and Dana O’Byrne. Aidan, Dana, this is Kayla.”
Kayla smiled at the couple and held out her hand. “Nick told me what you did, how you helped him find Oliver and me and rescue us. Thank you so much.”
Aidan bowed over her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “You’re very welcome. We always support our brethren, and Nick was damned determined to get you back.”
Dana nodded and shook Kayla’s hand. “I haven’t been immortal for very long but have come to understand that Immortal Guardians are basically one big, tight-knit family that would do anything for one another. And it’s clear that you and Nick love each other. So you’re part of that family, too, now.”
Aidan nodded. “Whether you transform or not.”
Kayla sent Nick an uncertain glance. “Did Nick speak with you?”
Aidan smiled. “About transforming you? Aye, he did. And I’d be happy to do it if you’re certain.”
She relaxed. “I’m certain.”
“Excellent.” Aidan leaned forward and clapped Nick on the back. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
Kayla bit her lip and sent Dana a cautious look. “Sooooo, you’re okay with that?”
Dana raised her brows. “With Aidan transforming you? Sure.” She sent her husband a sly smile. “I’m always up for a threesome.”
Kayla’s eyes widened. “Wait. What?”
Nick tried to keep a straight face. He really did. But the dismay on Kayla’s features was too funny to ignore. He burst out laughing.
Aidan and Dana did, too.
Nick curled an arm around her. “She’s teasing you, sweetheart. Transforming you won’t involve anything of a sexual nature.”
“Oh.” Wilting with relief, she smiled. “Good.”
Aidan dropped a kiss on Dana’s lips. “As if I’d ever want another woman.”
Still smiling, Kayla narrowed her eyes at Dana. “You’re evil.”
Dana grinned unrepentantly. “I know. I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist. Plus, I can tell you’re a little nervous, so I thought I’d try to lighten things up a bit.”
Kayla wrinkled her nose. “I am pretty nervous.”
Dana waved a hand. “That’s natural. Did Melanie tell you what to expect?”
She nodded. “The bite will make me loopy, then I’ll be sick for a few days.”
“Very sick,” Dana said. “I don’t remember much of my transformation. But I do remember feeling like I had the worst case of the flu ever. High fever.”
Aidan frowned. “Dangerously high.”
“Nausea. Vomiting. A pounding migraine. Even my teeth hurt.”
Aidan hugged her. “That’s because your fangs were coming in.” Then he smiled at Kayla. “But Nick will be there with you the whole time. And the rest of us will be nearby if you need us. I’m going to teleport the two of you to David’s place once I drain you, then transfuse you with my blood. David and Seth both spend a lot of time there and have had quite a bit of experience helping gifted ones through their transformations.”
Dana straightened away from Aidan and reached out to take Kayla’s hand. “Why don’t we find you a nice comfy bed to recline on?”
Nick caught Aidan’s gaze and tapped his temple as the women walked away. Are you reading my thoughts?
Yes, the Celt responded.
Did Seth tell you the poison weakened her heart?
He did. It may make the transformation a bit trickier, but I’m a powerful healer in my own right. If her heart begins to fail, I’ll know it in an instant and can keep it pumping for her. If necessary, instead of draining enough blood to carry her close to death, then returning it to her infected with the virus, I can do it in stages: drain less blood, return it to her, wait until she stabilizes, then drain blood again, return it to her, and wait some more. The blood exchange will take longer that way, but it may be safer in the long run.
Nick nodded. Thank you.
Aidan smiled. I won’t let you lose her. She’ll be healthier than she’s ever been in her life in a few days.
The two of them joined the women.
Kayla reclined on one of the beds the recovery section of the infirmary boasted.
Dana piled another pillow behind her. “How’s that?”
“That’s good. Thanks.”
Nick rounded the foot of the bed. The mattress dipped as he sat beside Kayla, his hip brushing hers, and clasped her hand.
Aidan took her other hand and raised her arm until his lips hovered above the bend of her elbow. “Ready?”
She smiled and clutched Nick’s hand tighter. “As I’ll ever be.” She winced when Aidan sank his fangs into her pale skin, then sent Nick a wry smile. “For some reason, I thought that wasn’t going to hurt.”
Dana grinned. “It’s because the movies always make it seem orgasmic.”
“Orgasmic, my ass,” Kayla muttered.
Though Nick laughed, he watched both Kayla and Aidan carefully, searching for any sign that it wasn’t going well.
“Ooh,” Kayla breathed. “I feel…” Her eyelids lowered slightly. “I feel so relaxed all of a sudden.” She smiled. “Sooo relaxed.” Her head fell back against the pillows. Rolling it toward Nick, she smiled. “Hi, handsome.”