Alexandre (26 page)

“What happened to your shoulder?” The horrified tone of Janaya’s voice drew Lily’s attention to the large blue area on Alex’s left shoulder. The bruise. It had moved. How strange. She leaned over to finger the discolored area, gently watching Alex for a reaction. His wince brought a shaft of anxiety. He’d said he’d be fine. What if he’d lied?

Obviously sensing her agitation, he leaned over to kiss her lips, ignoring the low growl from Lily’s brother and the squawk of outrage from Janaya. Even Luke’s warning for his wife to keep her weapon holstered didn’t raise much more than a blip of interest.

“I’m fine, moon heart. I’ll prove it soon,” he whispered.

Lily shivered at the promise in his eyes and tried desperately to quell the sudden spurt of nausea in her belly. She closed her eyes and counted to ten, willing the show of weakness away.

Alex turned his attention back to Janaya. “Mattio zapped me with a tranq gun. He’s claiming he’s a son in the Royal House of Dalcon.”

“Fool.” Janaya jumped to attention. Imperial Guard mode, her brother called it. Lily thought she looked plain scary. “That’s treason. I’ll deal with him.” She stormed from the room.

“Perhaps you could help your mate,” Alex said. “You don’t want her to do anything she might regret. Tell her Mattio should have help from us. Tell her he has blue balls. She’ll understand what needs doing. He has a partner somewhere. He shouldn’t give you any trouble. His name is Jabot, and his balls are orange.”

Lily suppressed a grin as Luke hesitated. His mouth opened to ask questions, then he obviously changed his mind and stomped after Janaya.

Alex waggled his eyebrows at Lily. “Alone at last.”

Unaccountably, nerves joined the queasiness in Lily’s belly. “I love you,” she blurted. “I’m sorry for judging you by your appearance. I don’t like it when people do that to me, and it won’t happen again.” Words tumbled out in a rush as she steeled herself to tell him of her suspicions. “I really love you, but could we go a little slower? It takes time to adjust to the idea of loving a prince. Could we work on your business together and make it a team effort?”

“Will you wear my joining symbol?” he demanded, seizing her right hand and pressing a kiss along the inside of her wrist. “I want to mark you.”

“I…yes,” she whispered, acknowledging in that moment that the trial period of courtship she was suggesting was not necessary. “Do I want to know about marking? It sounds barbaric.”

Alex repeated the kiss on her wrist and her insides twisted. Deep in her heart, she sensed he was her other half. Why else did she feel this way—expectant and happy, and full of anticipation at the future? But now came the difficult bit. How would he react? “Um, Alex?”

“Yes, moon heart?”

“I have something I need to tell you.” Fear jostled with the sense of wellbeing for a few seconds before she gathered courage. Alex said he loved her. Everything would work out all right. “I think I’m going…we’re going…to have a baby.” Lily peered at him closely, trying to gauge his reaction. Her heart pitter-pattered, and she had to swallow to ease the dry lump in her throat. “Say something. Please.”

“A baby? Our baby?”

Lily nodded.

“How? Why?” His mouth worked and nothing more came out.

“Sex can and does produce babies,” she said wryly, “although it shouldn’t have with me being on the contraceptive pill.”

“My anti-bonding pills didn’t work either. Perhaps it was something in the spell the old crone sold me.”

“Maybe. Alex, the baby?”

“Our baby,” he mused. To Lily’s astonishment, a lone tear trickled down one tanned cheek. “A baby sounds wonderful. Perfect. We’re going to have a baby!” he shouted, his golden eyes glowing with excitement and such pleasure that Lily grinned and felt her own eyes mist over.

“Will your father disown you?”

“Moon heart, I think you’ve managed the one thing that will make him come around to my way of thinking.” He grinned. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of it myself. For years, he’s wanted a grandundergrown to dangle on his knee. I’ll call him from Janaya’s ship tomorrow. I’m sure he’ll forgive me if it means a royal undergrown in the family. A baby.” He tugged the blankets from her bare belly and leaned closer. “You’re beautiful now, moon heart, but I can’t wait to see you ripe and swollen with our undergrown.” Alex pressed a kiss to her belly than licked and kissed a trail up over to her breasts to her smiling mouth. “You make me whole. I couldn’t be happier.”

A scratch sounded at the bedroom door. “Lily, Lily! You tell Alex ’bout baby yet?”

“Baby!” a masculine voice roared from the other room.

“
Oops
,” Lily said in a small voice.

The door crashed open, smashing into the doorstop and shuddering to a halt with a solid thud.

“Hi, Dad.” Lily clutched the white sheet to her chest. This bedroom was like a railway station. It was the solid feel of Alex’s arm around her shoulders that kept her from ducking under the blankets.

Hinekiri, Luke and Janaya crowded into the bedroom.

“Did that dog say baby?” Richard Morgan demanded. “Who the bloody hell are you?”

“No,” barked Killer, peering around the corner of the door.

“Yes,” said Alex. “Prince Alexandre Bellangere at your service.”

Her father ignored the royal announcement and cut to the important part. “Well, which is it? Get your stories straight. Did you get my daughter pregnant?”

“Richard, there’s no need to shout. We can hear you perfectly well,” Hinekiri chirped. “I’m sure they can hear you on Dalcon. They won’t need to make a royal announcement. You’ve already done it.”

“Lily and I are having a baby,” Alex stated in a clear, firm voice. “And we are joining.”

“A baby.” Richard whirled on Killer. “What sort of a spy dog are you? You were meant to stop this very thing from happening.”

Killer stepped into full view and puffed up indignantly. Her fur lifted along her spine. “I did excellent job. Janaya already pay me. Too late now. Not give back.”

Lily bit her bottom lip. Now was not the time to laugh. Alex squeezed her shoulder under the cover of the blankets, and Lily felt the silent amusement in him as they both gazed at Killer’s shiny, new collar. It was made from black leather and had red stitching running down both sides with a row of silver studs in the middle. There was no doubt the collar was a work of art.

“It’s beautiful,” Lily said. Joy bubbled up inside her as she cuddled up to Alex.

“I go show Maxwell.” Killer trotted to the door then turned and winked. “I have hot date. Don’t wait up.”

“I don’t believe my ears,” her father muttered. “Finding out dogs talked was a shock but they have a love life?”

Hinekiri shunted Janaya and Luke from the room before turning her attention to Richard. “Perhaps we could leave Lily and Prince Alexandre to their privacy.”

“But…but…” her father spluttered.

“The damage is done,” Hinekiri chirped with a wink at Lily. “We can plan the wedding tomorrow.”

“But he’s an alien.”

“I’m an alien,” Hinekiri said with a distinct snap in her voice.

“Oh, yeah. Right. Sorry.” Richard allowed her to direct him from the room.

“Congratulations,” Hinekiri said and she too left the room, closing the door after her.

“You have a great family. They care about you.”

Lily pushed Alex back against the pillows and leaned over him, letting her breasts rub against his chest in a suggestive manner. “They’ll be your family, too. I’ll remind you of this moment when they start telling you what to do.”

“But they love you.”

“Yeah,” Lily said. “Enough chatter. I think we’ll have privacy for the rest of the night. What say we make use of it? Maybe you can explain this mark. It sounds intriguing.”

“A good plan.” Alex wrapped his arms around her. Lily melted inside, feeling so happy she wanted to cry. Dreams really did come true if you believed hard enough. Lily believed with all her heart.

The kiss changed in a subtle manner, the pressure increased and something sharp pressed against her lips. She jerked away in surprise. At the same time, a pulse sprang to life against her breast. It felt like the wings of a butterfly flapping between them.

“What’s wrong?” Alex’s voice was husky, the tone lower than normal.

The vibration increased.

“Eek, it feels like there’s an insect in the bed with us.” Lily tugged away from Alex’s grasp and brushed a hand over her breast. She glanced down and stilled. “Um, Alex?”

“
Yesss
?”

Lily’s head jerked up. “Holy moly!” She scrambled away from him and stared, her disconcerted gaze alternating between the mobile bruise that now rested over his heart and his—no other word for it—his fangs. “Um…Alex… I’m warning you now. If you say, all the better to eat you with, I’m gonna pitch a screaming fit and run.” Her voice shook, and Lily didn’t mind admitting her trepidation. She shifted her legs toward the edge of the bed, ready to scramble to safety if he so much as pointed his fangs in her direction.

“Lily. Trust me.”

His fangs drew her gaze. They extended downward past his bottom lip, looking sharp enough to draw blood. Her blood. As she watched, a brilliant blue flooded the milky-white fangs, and gradually the white faded entirely. Black humor bloomed up inside Lily. The big blue strikes again.

“Lily.” His words sounded different, but then why wouldn’t they with those bloody huge daggers poking from his mouth?

She swallowed and backed away. Her legs tangled with the bed linen, and suddenly she ran out of bed. An undignified shriek escaped as her arms clutched at empty air. But before she hit the ground, Alex caught her in his arms. Tenderness filled his golden eyes, and he smiled as he placed her safely in the middle of the bed.

Lily frowned. At least, she thought it was a smile. It was a bit difficult to tell with the sharp fangs ruining the line of his beautiful mouth.

“Love you, Lily.” Alex held her gently in his arms and rubbed his hands up and down her naked back until her startled heartbeat calmed. “Always love you.”

“Are you going to…?” Lily swallowed. “Bite me.”

“
Yesss
.”

Lily’s eyes widened. Not quite the answer she’d expected even though the evidence was right in front of her eyes. “You could have lied.” Slowly, she reached out an unsteady hand to touch one bright blue fang.

The heat coming from it seared her fingers. Then, he hissed, his startled reaction making Lily jerk her hand away. Surreptitiously, she checked her fingers—all present and accounted for.

“What’s happening?” she demanded in a terse whisper.

“Mark. Pleasure. Trust. Lily.”

The fangs reduced him to single words. A shiver racked his muscular body, and worry replaced her fear. “Are you going to be all right? Should I call Janaya?”

“Need you,” he forced out. He writhed on the bed, and Lily saw to her horror that the blue from the bruise over his heart was spreading outward at a rapid pace.

“You’re turning blue all over.” Curiosity bloomed in her. “Does it hurt?”

“Need you. Now. Kiss me.”

Lily cast a doubtful look at his mouth. It didn’t look quite so sexy and tempting with the sharp protrusions.

“Lily.” The heartfelt groan that followed his plea galvanized her to action. She leaned over his shaking body and pressed a cautious kiss to a flat, blue, masculine nipple. When he didn’t attack her with his teeth, she relaxed and trailed kisses across his broad chest. The contact soothed them both. She let the uncertainty about his fangs float away and concentrated on giving them both pleasure.

She trailed her fingers across his pastel blue skin in fascination. Her tongue flicked out to tease the circumference of his belly button, dipping inside then lightly nipping his muscular belly with her teeth.

Alex’s tortured groan throbbed in the air between them. “Again. Please.”

Lily scored her teeth across his flesh then tugged the cotton sheet away from his body. A grin escaped. “The big blue is bluer than normal.”

Alex snorted his amusement and reached out to caress her breasts, cupping one plump globe in each hand. His thumbs massaged both nipples, and Lily felt herself becoming wet.

“Trust. Me?”

Lily’s eyes drifted to his fangs. She loved him. He was the father of her baby. Her gaze traveled upward to meet his eyes. The silent pleading she saw made up her mind. “I trust you, Alex. You are my love. I trust you with my heart and soul.”

The worry in his golden eyes faded, and his lips curved up in a positive, definite smile. She was certain this time since she glimpsed the entire fang from root to tip. Lily squeezed her eyes shut. She trusted him, but they were two big suckers.

He leaned over her body, his chest brushing sensitive nipples. She felt his erection brushing her entrance and shifted to allow him better access. Her body trembled, but it was no longer fear and she opened her eyes again. Alex kissed one breast. The scrape of a fang across her skin brought pleasure instead of pain. A repeat of the caress doubled the exquisite sensation. Her heart raced while each of Alex’s kisses made her hotter than she’d ever felt before. The lap of his tongue across her breast made a pulsating ache spring to life deep in her pussy. She ached for him. Her hips shifted. A groan emerged.