The Bond That Consumes Us (19 page)

Haylie stepped beside her, shifting Orya to the other shoulder. “Would you like to hold her?”

Fallon’s hands began to itch and she automatically reached out before stopping herself short. “You don’t mind?”

“Hell, no. She’s already heavy and my arms could use the break. I think she’s going to take after her father for height.”

Orya shifted and sighed when Haylie deposited her into Fallon’s arms. Her coal black hair was a stark contrast to her pale skin.

“I can’t believe she’s only a few days old,” Fallon whispered.

“Neither can I. It hardly seems real in a way. She was inside me for so long, I sometimes feel like I’m missing something.” Haylie reached over and brushed a lock of her daughter’s hair from off her forehead. “Do you want to have children?”

Fallon’s stomach flipped and her chest tightened. She’d never really talked to anyone about her dreams. “I’d love to.”

Orya turned her head and began to root against Fallon’s chest. She began to smack her tiny lips, turned her head. She smiled and touched her finger against Orya’s little cheek.

“I think someone is hungry. And I’m afraid I’m not much good to you.”

129

Reluctantly, Fallon handed the baby back to her mother. She instantly missed the loss of her warmth, and for the first time in a long while, Fallon felt the flood of painful memories return.

“I wanted to have a baby once, but it didn’t work out. The guy I was with wasn’t…ready.”

It felt odd telling this to a complete stranger, but there was something about Haylie that she just knew she could trust. That she would understand without judging. Haylie reached down and rubbed her daughter’s cheek and smiled.

“I’m sorry it didn’t work out. For what it’s worth, I think you’d make an excellent mother.”

Fallon shrugged, not really knowing what else to do. “I was really young, so it was probably for the best. I would love to try though, someday.”

“All you need is to find the right guy.”

The way Haylie said that gave Fallon the distinct impression the other woman felt she’d already found him in Taber. Feeling a tad uncomfortable, Fallon looked around at the passersby before she screwed up her courage to ask the one question she’d been wondering.

“What’s it like? Being with someone so…different?”

“You mean alien?”

Fallon nodded and leaned back against the window. “Things must be so unusual for you. For him.”

“It took a lot of adjustments, on both our parts. I wasn’t used to having someone else stuck in my head. And poor Kamran wasn’t used to my mental chaos.”

“But you worked it out?”

“We still have our problems from time to time, but yes. Any particular reason you’re curious?”

Fallon didn’t miss the amused expression on Haylie’s face. And while there wasn’t anyone else out there who could give her answers to the questions she wanted to ask, Fallon still wasn’t ready. Not without knowing Taber’s heart. With a sigh, Fallon wrapped her hands around her waist.

“Just curious.”

“Well if you ever want to know anything about, oh I don’t know, Briel customs or mating rites, just ask.”

Fallon couldn’t help but chuckle. “If someone had told me four years ago I’d be having this conversation, I’d have called the cops on them.”

“I think I told Sara something similar two years ago.”

“Do you regret it? If you could change how things happened between yourself and Kamran, would you?”

130

Haylie bent her head and kissed the top of her daughter’s head. “Not in a million years.”

“There you are!”

The two women turned to see Davin marching toward them, a lopsided grin stuck on his face. The clothing he had on barely contained the massive muscles that made up his powerful body. He wasn’t as tall as Taber or Kamran, but Davin definitely had his appeal.

“I have no problem seeing why Sara likes
him
,” Fallon said under her breath.

“You have no idea. The stories she’s told me…what are you up to, pirate?” Haylie said the last with a chuckle as he got into hearing range.

Davin reached down and ran a finger over Orya’s nose when he reached them, before turning his attention to Fallon. “I’m chasing our lovely bartender halfway across the station.”

“Is there a problem?”

“Captain Zane is on the station and is asking to see you. Taber is busy tearing his ship apart and asked me to escort you.”

Fallon’s blood began to hum through her body. “How is he?”

“Captain Zane?”

“Taber.”

Davin immediately frowned and met Fallon’s gaze straight on. “I’ve known that
ravak
for over a year now and I’ve never seen him like this before. I hate to say it, but I’m worried.”

Oh my god.
“What is it? Is he hurt?”

Davin shook his head and looked to Haylie, who nodded and shifted Orya.

“I better get her home. She’s going to want to eat soon and her father is anxious to hold her again.”

Fallon turned and, on impulse, gave Haylie a hug. “Thank you.”

“I just hope we get to continue these conversations. Don’t be too quick to hurry away from our station.”

She started to leave when Fallon stopped her and leaned in close. “I meant to ask you, what does
mi tramsi, shalla
mean?”

Haylie’s eyes widened for a moment before she smiled. “It basically translates to I love you, beloved.”

Fallon’s stomach did a flip. “Oh.”

“Any reason in particular you were wondering about that?”

She shook her head, needing time to think about what it all meant. “No. Just something I overheard. Thanks.”

131

Davin led Fallon in the opposite direction from Haylie. He kept his pace slow, in no apparent hurry to get her to her destination. When she looked over at him, she could see he was struggling with something.

“Is Taber okay?” She hated that her voice shook as she spoke. She knew he didn’t want everyone to know what was between them, but she couldn’t help it—Fallon was worried about him.

“I’m not sure. How much do you know about my people?”

“A bit more than the Briel.
Damara
spent quite a bit of time in that sector. Your world is made up of a caste system?”

Davin nodded. “I’m a part of both the healer and warrior castes. I have the ability to heal bodies as well as psychological injuries.”

Fallon shivered. She couldn’t imagine having that sort of responsibility thrust on her. But when he looked over at her and smiled, she knew he didn’t see it that way.

“Sometimes, when I touch someone, I can feel a wound. The mental ones are the hardest to detect and the hardest to fix. But sometimes things pop out at me when I touch someone.”

“There’s something wrong with Taber?”

Davin stopped walking and pulled her to the side to let a couple pass. “I’ve known him for a while and I’ve never been able to get past his mental control before. Not that I’ve tried or anything. This time, when I touched his shoulder, all I could feel was guilt, anguish and chaos.”

“From Taber?” That didn’t sound like the in control man she’d come to know.

“Did something happen to him on the
Damara
that would have hurt him?”

Fallon’s mind raced. “No, I mean other than the murders. He seemed quite happy.”

She looked up when Davin squeezed her arm. “Happy?”

“Is that a problem? I mean he was smiling, teasing me. He was a pain in the ass too.

Kept following me, making sure nothing happened.” Fallon stopped when Davin gave his head a shake. “What?”

“Nothing and everything. We need to get you to your meeting and then to Taber. I think the two of you need to talk.”

“What the hell is going on?”

Davin sighed. “I didn’t push into his mind. I wouldn’t do that to a friend. But when I touched him, I got the distinct impression he was on the edge of…something important. He was dealing with something he’d refused to acknowledge for years. He needs your help.”

She almost asked if it was about Taber’s mate, but she stopped herself short. If Davin didn’t know, the last thing she wanted to do was expose something Taber hadn’t shared with anyone. Instead, she gave Davin’s arm a squeeze.

“Thank you.”

132

“If you are able to help him with this, then it’s we who should be thanking you. I doubt anyone, including Kamran, knew he was carrying around this sort of guilt. Now, let’s get you to your meeting.”

Fallon’s mind kept turning over the possibilities of Taber’s problem. She couldn’t reconcile the man who she’d come to know on the ship with the all business, unemotional man of Eurus.

When they approached the observation room, Fallon took a deep breath before she went in. “So much has happened this week. My head is spinning.”

“Your friends are here to help. Take your time and relax. I’ll be here when you’re ready to find Taber.”

Fallon entered the observation room to find Jenny sitting there alone. She looked around as she made her way to the table, but Zane and Tony were gone.

“I thought the captain and Tony were here too.”

“Tony went to the lavatory and Zane and that Briel administrator will be right back.

Something about a bottle of booze.”

The whoosh of the door made the two women look as all three of the men in question walked in.

“Fallon!” Zane roared as he rounded the table and clasped her in a bear hug. “I’m so pleased to see you safe and sound.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, Captain.” Kamran said with humor in his voice.

When Fallon looked over at him, though, she could see something was bothering Kamran. She opened her mouth to ask, but he stopped her with a single look. This wasn’t the time or place.

“I hope my wife didn’t talk your ear off too much, Ms. Reist. She’s been known to chatter away.”

Of course he would have known about their conversation. He was always with her.

Right now she couldn’t help but wish Taber was with her as well like that. She missed his strength and his subtle humor. Strange how quickly she’d grown accustomed to him.

“Not at all, Administrator. We had a lovely chat. Thank you for bringing the captain, Tony and Jenny here for me.”

“You didn’t think we were going to leave you here, my girl?” Zane patted her shoulder. “The ship isn’t the same without you.”

They spent the next forty minutes talking about the ship and what had happened over the past few days. Poor Lance had been beside himself trying to train her replacement and had begged Zane to bring her back.

“The poor boy doesn’t know what to do without you.”

“Well, I’ll be back soon enough, once all this craziness is dealt with. Have you been to your quarters yet?”

133

“No, but I think that should be our next stop. Then I can let these two young people go off duty and enjoy their evening,” Zane smiled over at Jenny.

Fallon was about to say something else when Kamran’s communicator sounded. He smiled, got up and took the call once he reached the far corner of the room. The group chatted for another few minutes when Zane let out a big yawn.

“My poor body doesn’t know what time of day it is.”

“We best get you to your quarters then, Captain,” Jenny said with enthusiasm.

“You’d think the girl wants to get rid of me so she can explore the bars I noticed on our tour. Do you think you’d be able to show us the way, Fallon?”

“I’m afraid I need her here for a moment, Captain.” Kamran said, smiling as he returned. “I hope you don’t mind, but I have a problem that requires her assistance.”

“The bar run out of mix?” Jenny said under her breath.

Kamran leaned forward, his eyes locked on the other woman. “No, my wife has need of her. And that is a good enough reason for me.”

Jenny swallowed hard and straightened slightly. “Yes, sir.”

Fallon didn’t move while Davin showed them to the door, a security team waiting to lead them to their quarters. Kamran didn’t say a word until the door whooshed shut behind them.

“What’s wrong?” Both she and Davin asked at the same time.

“Sean just arrived. He said there is a problem and wanted to meet us here.”

“Sean?” Davin said, crossing his arms across his chest. “It must be serious for him to leave the ship.”

“Is Taber coming?” Fallon said, a tad more excited than she should have been.

Kamran reached out and squeezed her hand. “I put out a call to him, but he hasn’t responded yet.”

They waited in silence for almost ten minutes before Sean walked through the door of the observation room. A scowl was fixed on his face as he nodded to Kamran and Davin and walked to Fallon. He crouched down in front of her, forcing her to look solely at him.

“I have more bad news. Commander Bruce is dead.”

Fallon felt the blood drain from her face and pool in her stomach. “Oh my god,” she whispered.

“Has anyone approached you? Tried to get you alone since you arrived?”

She shook her head, tears making Sean’s face blurry. “No. I’ve been with Taber almost the entire time I’ve been here. It wasn’t until he went to meet Zane’s ship that we were separated.”

Sean looked over at Kamran. “Can you get Taber on the communicator? I’ve been trying since just before I landed.”