CONCEPTION (The Others) (16 page)

He made it sound so easy. Beneath her palm his heart beat
with the same surety in his gaze. But he didn’t know what he was up against. “I
can’t.”

His hand traveled the length of her spine with excruciating
slowness, reaching the base of her skull, stroking the nape of her neck before
tangling in her hair. He pulled her head back, fully exposing her
vulnerability. “You will.”

“I know you think you’re strong and can take on anything,
but—”

He shook his head, brushing his lips over her cheek and
finally her nose. The kisses were so light as to be chaste. There was no reason
for her pulse to kick into overdrive or her breath to get caught in her lungs.
“You will not deny me my pleasure.”

“Getting killed gives you pleasure?”

“Having you and Jalina does.”

She was beginning to accept it really was that simple for
him. That straightforward. She kissed his breastbone where the bulge of his
pectoral muscles carved out a seductive channel. Overwhelmed and grateful to
God or his Maker, to whoever had chosen him to be her daughter’s protector.
“Thank you.”

He held her mouth to his skin, moving it a little to the
right, the hard flesh under her lips swelling with his indrawn breath. “I would
prefer your thanks without sadness.”

She propped her chin on his chest to meet his gaze, running
her tongue over her lips, her senses delighting in his lingering taste. “I’ll
work on it.”

His eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared as his hand opened
over her right buttock. His fingertips lid into the crease, riding it down
before snagging on the slight indentation of her anus. Her knees buckled. He
caught her weight on his middle finger. Shock and a dark desire held her
immobile as her muscles parted the tiniest bit. Red lights flashed in his dark
eyes. He tugged her up against him, so the hard ridge of his cock bit into her
stomach. “See that you do.” The baby whimpered. He stepped back, his hand
gliding away from her ass. Eden grabbed the bedstand to steady herself.

Deuce cast her a knowing smile as he reached for the infant.
“She chills,” he explained as he picked her up.

The fog around Eden’s brain cleared. “You called her
Jalina.”

“I apologize.” He tucked the infant against his chest. The
baby immediately snuggled in, her fussing quieting.

“It’s a pretty name.”

He paused, his hand on the baby’s back freezing mid-rub
before slowly resuming. “There are many choices.”

But he liked this one. From the sudden poker face Deuce had
adopted, he’d probably been calling their little girl Jalina in his head for a
while. “What’s it mean?”

“The best translation would be the light of hope.”

“I like it.”

“It is a strong name, signifying the hope she brings to the
Others and the Chosen, and the hopes they have for her.” Still that too careful
tone.

She put her hand on his arm. “Deuce?” For the first time
ever, he was slow to look at her. Could he be embarrassed? She squeezed his
arm. “It’s a good name.”

“You do not object?”

How could she? It was perfect. “Not at all.”

“It is decided then.” He held the baby away from his chest,
cradled on her back in his big hands. “Step into my arms.”

“Why?”

“It is custom.”

She knew how strongly he felt about custom. She ducked under
his arm.

“Turn your back to me and hold the baby as I am.”

She tried to do as he ordered, but her hands weren’t as big
as his. Jalina wobbled. Her limbs jerked out straight, and her face screwed up
as she teetered. Oh shit, she was going to drop her!

The thought didn’t reach completion before Deuce was there,
his hands under hers, lending his support to hers as naturally as breathing.
Jalina settled, her breath pushing her little ribs against Eden’s hands, her
skin the softest thing she’d ever felt. Deuce pressed up with his palms,
raising her hands and the baby until they were face level. His voice flowed
into Eden’s ear and over her skin, into her mind, becoming more than sound and
less than substance. Becoming part of her. “The Chosen welcome you, Jalina
Knight. May the Maker smile upon your existence and rejoice in your life as we
do.”

The edges of the room shimmered with an ethereal glow. Power
radiated inward, raising the hair on the nape of her neck. The shimmer turned
to a pulse and then exploded. Eden staggered under the flood of energy that
surged into the room, falling back against Deuce, who stood solid against the
wave. Even Jalina didn’t move, as if she were too in awe of what was happening
to fuss. Deuce held them within that incredible field until it slowly ebbed,
and then with a flash, it winked out as fast as it had appeared.

“What was that?” she asked when she could catch her breath.

“The Chosen have welcomed our daughter.”

Eden straightened cautiously, half afraid the tremendous
energy would come back. “Humans just send a card.”

She glanced up quickly enough to catch what just might have
been a smile on Deuce’s mouth. “Chosen ways are different.”

“I’m beginning to see that. So what was…that?”

“A greeting.”

He lowered their hands, bringing the baby against Eden’s
chest. The baby’s face worked. She was either trying to smile or pass gas. Eden
gave her a smile, surprised when the child stared as if fascinated. “That was
more than a greeting.”

“All Chosen recognize Jalina’s energy now. She can never be
alone or lost.”

It was the nicest thing he could have said to her. Eden
tugged her hands free. As soon as she was sure Deuce had Jalina, she turned and
wrapped her arms around his lean waist and hugged him with all the relief she
felt. Nine months’ worth of worry rolled off her, leaving her lightheaded. She
could trust her child to this man. Her baby was safe. Jalina was really safe.
“Thank you.”

Deuce didn’t move for a heartbeat, then his lips brushed her
head. “You are welcome.” He raised his arms so she could duck under. “When our
daughter is settled, I would not object to a demonstration of your gratitude.”

Eden bit back a grin and shook her head. “You just had to go
macho on me again, didn’t you?”

He shrugged. “It is the Chosen way.”

“That must be a damn handy excuse to have on hand to trot
out.”

His head tilted ever so slightly to the side and he smiled.
She supposed she should take that as an answer.

* * * * *

Eden watched from the bed as Deuce lay the satisfied,
sleeping baby in the crib Dak had brought. She was thinking about nominating
him to sainthood. He’d handled changing a diaper with his usual calm
efficiency, demonstrating none of her disgust. He’d even praised Jalina for the
size of the deposit, rebutting her shock with the calm truth that it indicated
a healthy digestive system.

She shifted higher, smiling when Deuce glanced over. She
didn’t know how much longer she’d be able to hide her weariness from him, but
she wanted to try. He was so pleased with his daughter that she hated to do
anything that would ruin this moment.

As soon as he looked away, she closed her eyes briefly and
leaned back against the headboard, fatigue beating at her resolve. She pushed
it back with the ease of long practice, again meeting Deuce’s gaze with another
easy smile. Deuce frowned as he straightened, his black eyes raking her from
head to toe and then back up again. When his gaze stopped at her chest and a purely
predatory smile turned up the corners of his sensual mouth, she looked down.
The neckline of his too big shirt had slipped again and damn near half her
breast was exposed. She yanked it up, ignoring the hot flare of interest her
body expressed at catching his eye. “Pervert!”

His laugh was a seductive blend of low tones that skated
along her nerves in a tangible caress. “A man noticing a beautiful woman is
normal.”

“But you’re not a man, are you?”

He stalked toward her—at least she thought he stalked. She
had the impression of being stalked but in reality he seemed to glide with an
effortless grace that was hypnotic to watch. In the time it took to blink he
was in front of her, his hand cupping her cheek, his thumb tilting up her face,
locking his gaze to hers. “Chosen or man, however you choose to think of me, I
am all you will know from here on out.”

That was just too much. She caught his wrist and pushed.
“Who I date is my business.”

She should have saved her strength. Her hand slid down his
arm, but he didn’t budge. He was incredibly strong. Physically and mentally.
But she was no weakling. She’d blocked him before. She could do it again.

“As long as you date only me, our future will be
harmonious.”

“Maybe I have a thing for someone else.” The effort of keeping
him out of her head was making it ache.

His touch softened and his gaze rested on her mouth. “You do
not.”

“There’s no way you can know.”

His thumb came to rest on her lips. “I know.”

She didn’t know if he was reading her mind or not, but she
knew there was one thing he could never know for sure. “You can’t know about
the future.”

She felt his start in his touch. At last a weakness. ‘“You
can force me now all you want, but eventually, I’ll be strong and when I am,
I’ll make my own choices, which may or may not involve another man.”

His expression went from fierce to calm. His thumb pulled
her lower lip down. Fire pooled in her belly. His smile broadened as her breath
caught. “Determining your preference will be my responsibility.”

“You can’t control everything.”

“I can control you.”

“Like hell!” Pain shot through her temple. The good
old-fashioned kind that came when she tried to do too much on too little food
and too little rest.

He frowned. “You tire.”

“I’m fine.”

His fingers skimmed up her cheeks. “Your head hurts.”

“I’m hungry.”

“I will have food brought.” His fingertips brushed her
temples, once, twice and then settled into gentle soothing circles. She didn’t
bother to protest or pull away. Healing a headache was no doubt high on his
mate to-do list and she didn’t need another argument right now.

“What would you like?”

“You have food here?” Saliva flooded her mouth. Her heart
picked up its pace and her breath shortened in breathless anticipation. “Real
food?”

“This surprises you?”

“I just don’t think of vampires as eating.”

“Chosen do not, as a rule, but the Pride and Pack do.” He
smiled. “An inordinate amount of food.”

His fingers pressed a little deeper, drawing her pain and
discomfort away.

All
the cravings and dreams she’d had over the eight months she’d been on the
feeding tube rushed her defenses and spilled into that zone.

“Do you think I could have a salad?” She tried to keep the
hope down to a minimum. Paranormal critters were probably big into meat. “And
maybe some fruit?” Oh God, it had been so long since she’d had fruit. She
curled her fingers into a ball to hide the shaking the thought of eating again
brought.

Deuce’s fingers on her temples missed a beat, and then
resumed. “You will have whatever you desire.”

“I’d like a salad, then.”

His lips brushed her forehead. Her breathing eased and the
shaking stopped, but she still wanted that salad with a vividness that defied
belief.

“Then you shall have it.”

Her “Thank you” didn’t begin to convey what she felt inside.

He smoothed her hair away from her face. His expression was
set in that neutral pattern she couldn’t decipher. “There is no need to thank
me. It is my duty to see to your needs.”

She sighed as his dismissal of her appreciation pricked her
nerves. “You make it very easy to dislike you sometimes.”

“That was not my intent.”

“Well, intent or not, that’s what you’re accomplishing.”

He leaned her back against the headboard. “You will sit here
and rest while I order your dinner.”

Pressure from his palms gave her no choice but to do as he
said. He crossed the room in that easy mouthwatering glide that emphasized the
masculine beauty of his form. His hair fell in a thick skein of black to just
below his shoulder blades, swinging with his movement, giving her intermittent
glimpses of the carved muscles above. She followed that flow of strength as it
gathered on either side of his back down to the hollow of his spine, licking
her lips as it disappeared beneath the waistband of his jeans, tracing an
imaginary path until she came to his ass. The well-worn jeans clung in all the
right places to emphasize how that part of him was as perfectly cut as the
rest. He paused at the intercom, legs slightly spread. If she looked really
closely, she could just detect the bulge of his balls.

He pushed his hair back as he spoke into the intercom,
allowing her a view of his profile. The slight hook to his nose and the full
set of his lips added to the impression of wild, untamed masculinity. When he’d
courted her, he’d tamed that side of his personality, but here in his home
environment, he looked every inch what he was. A leader. A warrior. Chosen.

She sighed. It was amazing how love could blind a woman. And
not in a good way, though truth be told, if she had to make a choice between
who she’d thought Deuce was and who he actually was, she’d choose the man
turning to her now.

“Your food will be here soon.”

“What about you? Don’t you need to…eat?”

“I will feed when Bohdan returns.”

He just had to use that terminology. Just like he had to
come back to her. The man didn’t seem to be able to function unless he was
touching her. The mattress sank as he sat beside her. She leaned away,
countering the pull of gravity. He made mincemeat of her efforts by putting his
heavy arm around her shoulders and tucking her into his side.