The Unveiling (7 page)

"Don't cry, Mom."

His mother sniffed and shook her head. "No parent is perfect, but that was our greatest mistake when it came to you. I'm glad we had a chance to rectify it."

"Me too," he whispered.

A knock on the door signaled his time was up.

"I have to go."

"We love you, son," his father said.

"And I love you." Bastien's voice shook, and he cleared his throat. He blinked back the moisture pooled in his eyes. He turned on his heels and walked to the door with his back straight, refusing to look back, lest he lose it altogether. He walked out into the hallway, nodding his head at Kade who pushed away from the wall and continued inside the ballroom.

"You okay?" Phelan asked.

"Yeah, I am."   His parents’ admission filled a hole inside him. 

"Good," Phelan nodded.

With his focus taken off his parents his attention was redirected to Rivka. She turned her head, and their gazes locked. A sharp stab of pain hit him in the temple. He winced.

"You okay?" Phelan asked again.

"Yeah, just working on a headache.”  Bastien rubbed his temples as dizziness made him close his eyes.

"Is this normal?" Phelan asked.

"Perhaps he's sensitive to the energy," Rivka said. She walked over to stand in front of him. "I'm going to check you for signs of a fever now." 

Her hand was soft and warm on his forehead. It was like someone had lit a fuse. Fire licked at every nerve ending he possessed, and images flickered in his mind. Grainy and out of focus, they taunted him, staying just out of his reach. She gasped and stepped back as if she'd been burned. Their gazes locked. He fell into her purple irises. A sense of recognition and belonging filled him. The door swung open again, shattering the moment to tiny pieces.

"I-I must put them back to rest now." She lifted the hem of her dress and fled.

"You okay?" Kade asked. "It looked like something strange passed between you two."

"I’m fine," Bastien said.
Liar.

When Rivka emerged from the room a few minutes later she looked exhausted.

"They're back where they belong," she whispered.

"Thank you," Phelan said. "Are you sure you're okay to drive right now? I can have one of my brothers take you." 

"I'd be happy to give you a lift," Mars said.

"Really I'm fine, just a little tired, nothing a good night of rest can't fix," Rivka said.

There was no way in hell he was about to let Mars be alone with her in the car.

"At least let me walk you to the door," Bastien said.

She opened her mouth to protest, he was sure. Bastien narrowed his eyes, pinning her with a look that'd made many a man back down. They needed to talk, and he wasn't about to wait until the next time he saw her to do it.

"Fine." She gritted her teeth and shot him a look that told him she was not impressed. It was a blow that struck below the belt.
Wasn't this supposed to be a joyous occasion?
He raised an eyebrow at her scowl.

"I don't know about anyone else, but I'm gonna call it a night," Kade said. "I have a lot to think about."

"I think I'm going to stay here for the night," Mars said. His voice was softer than normal, a toned down version of his normal boisterous, witty demeanor.

"Since Bast is taking care of our guest, I'm going to head over to my wife."

They all parted ways with another round of thank yous for Rivka.  Bastien swallowed hard. The day he'd hoped to dodge had finally come. He felt raw and stripped down from the heart to heart with his parents. His tongue felt stuck to the roof of his mouth as he led her down a number of hallways to the front door. Rivka remained silent as she followed, her eyes trained on the floor. Her brilliant white hair morphed to a brilliant red that told him he should proceed with caution.
What do you say at a time like this? Hi, my name is Bastien. I like spicy food, shooting guns, and I'm your mate
. It sounded lame, even in his head.
He opened the front door, allowing her to walk out first as he cleared his throat.

"Is this where you bring up the subject of The Wanting?" she asked. 

"Yes?"

"I have plenty to say on the subject, and I'm a big girl who can handle whatever you throw my way, so don't worry about breaking it to me gently."

"You're frank. That’s good."

"Hmmm, I wouldn’t be so sure."

Her words intrigued him. "Really?"

"Oh yes, there are two things I've dreamed of doing the day I found my mate."

"Do tell," he said as they came to a halt beside her car.

"It's more of something I have to show."

Her eyes were glossy with passion. The pheromones she'd begun to excrete tickled his nose and weaved a spell of desire. She batted her lashes, leaned in, and inhaled. "You smell delicious, like a Havken pastry filled with the sweetest Tisen fruit."  Rivka rose on her tiptoes, leaning closer. The swell of her breast brushed up against him. Her mid-sized pebbled nipples pressed into his shirt, teasing him. He craved skin-to-skin contact. Bastien muffled a moan, eyes glued to the lips that curved into a wicked smile. She wrapped her slender arms around his neck and pressed her lower body into him. A roll of her well-formed hips, and he was hard, pressing into her cleft. Her heat seared him through the layers of clothing. She licked his lips, and his breath hitched.

"Mhmm. You taste even better than you smell."  She twined her fingers in the hair at his nape, pulled his head down and pressed her lips to his. Heat spiraled through him. She traced the shape of his mouth with her tongue before she slipped inside. It was more than a kiss. She took possession of his soul with every swipe of her tongue and caress of her lips.  She pulled away, and he was breathless and dazed.
Smack!
  His hand flew up to clutch the right side of his face, where pain exploded.

"No amount of hormones could make me forget the suffering, loneliness, and pain you've inflicted. Right now I don’t even want to hear your lame excuses. I want you to sit here and think about the pain you've caused the one person you were meant to love, and ask yourself this question—was it worth it?"

He opened his mouth to speak, and she shook her head violently.

"No, this is my moment. You've made me wait for thirty-five long years. Now, it's your turn."  Anger and hurt crashed into him like a ton of bricks. Her words haunted him as she got into her car and drove off. 
How can I start to repair the damage I’ve already done?

Chapter Nine

Tears trailed down Rivka's face, blurring her vision as she drove. It should have felt good to leave with the last word. She'd waited a long time to deliver that speech and well-deserved slap. Instead she felt deflated and depressed.
Should I forgive him because he was the General? Understand that he'd given his all to a cause greater than himself?
Logical perhaps, but her heart wouldn’t allow her to give in so easily. He owed her a debt, and she'd be damned if she didn't collect. He could have her body, the chemicals would see to that, but he'd have to work his ass off if he
ever
intended to possess her heart and her soul.

She swiped away the tears, angry at her weakness.
Now is not the time to break down. I need to be strong and resolute in my decisions
.
I owe myself at least that much.
By the time she reached her dwelling she was completely drained. The last dregs of her energy were used to carry her body to the bed where she collapsed, still clothed. Rivka kicked off her shoes and allowed sleep's sweet embrace to take her down into the darkness where pain couldn't follow.

Moonlight caressed her skin like a lover's fingertips. The sweet smell of the succulent, pink blossoms of the star flowers made her smile. She lived for evenings like this when she was free to bask in her element and wait for him. As the princess she was supposed to be a symbol for her people. Able to control the weather and give predictions she was "protected" almost twenty-four hours a day. It left her feeling caged, controlled, and bored, until he came along and saw the woman behind the legend. She pulled her cape tighter around her body, sticking to the shadows as she crept to the arch where they often met when he came through this area. As the commander of a powerful mercenary force, her lover was away more than he was around. His current assignment and sibling status to her lead protector, Peri, kept him close. When she reached the arch and spotted his familiar silhouette her breasts grew heavy. Hot, sticky nectar flowed between her legs. The fragrant musk of his pheromones made her center throb, and she took a deep breath, filling her lungs with his scent. His head snapped toward her, and she knew it was having the same effect on him.

He came toward her like a lion stalking his prey. Her stomach flipped, and she took a step back. A giggle formed before she spun and he gave chase. She dodged his lunges, running around the Crisna trees with their brilliant yellow leaves. She was tackled by the pink pond that reflected the full moon.

"I caught you, my love."

"Ahh, but that was what I intended." She caressed the planes of his face, drinking in the sight of his strong jaw, dark hair, and piercing hazel colored eyes. He pressed his lower body close, and she felt the thick length of him against her.

"It's been far too long since I've been inside you, love."

She spread her legs wide, eager to be one with the man who meant everything.

"I count the hour until I can be with you again. I long for the day when we can leave our positions behind and simply be free."

"Once your younger sister comes into power I'll take you away from this place." His hands crept up inside her dress, and she shivered.

"No undergarments?"

"Waiting even a second longer than I have to is a tragedy."

He stroked her with his calloused finger, moving inside her sheath.

"You're ready for me, aren't you?"

"Always."

He reached down between them to free himself from his britches.

He pressed into her entrance with his thick head and pushed inside her, inch by decadent inch. Her muscles protested before they gave and he sank inside, filling her, chasing away the emptiness that lived inside her when he was gone. He pulled out and pumped inside her.  It was a slow, steady pace as they rediscovered each other. Six months without his touch, or hearing his voice. Tears ran down her face as the pressure built and she teetered on the edge. She tilted her head up to accept, and they made love with their mouths. All too soon it came to an end when he stroked the spot inside her and she exploded, dragging him with her. Warmth flooded her channel as he released with a low groan. "When I'm inside you like this, I'm home." His words were muffled, his face buried in her neck.

****

Present

Rivka woke with tears on her face.  The sweet scene that’d transpired between the two lovers in her dream made her heart ache.
Why am I dreaming about this?
There was a familiarity to the scene, though she couldn’t place why. Their faces were obscured by the darkness.
Had she seen them on a t.v. show or a movie? No.
Perhaps it had been more than a picture painted by her overactive subconscious. Now that The Wanting had begun, perhaps it was a soul memory. Was Bastien someone she'd known before? The words of Estria haunted her once more. They had a dark past between them. She would meditate on it.

Chapter Ten

Zasha chewed over the new information she’d received from Phelan while she prepared to go in to work. After a year and a half dating and mating she was still amazed at the things the Shar were able to do. Contacting the souls of their slain parents had come at a great personal price, but it also gave them a starting point. They had a motive. It'd make it easier to find a pattern and figure out their next move. She smoothed back the stray hairs of her braid and began to secure the rope-like length into a bun. She'd been toying with the ideal of bringing in the top geneticist, Dr. Guerin, for a while, but needed the justification to do it. Now she had good reason. After she delivered the brief she'd send a request in to her commanding officers. Then hopefully she could get started on the process of contacting the woman and getting her brought on to their team.

Zasha studied herself in the mirror as she worked on pinning her bun. A slight swell had begun to transform her once toned abdomen. It wouldn't be much longer in regular clothes. Her breast had grown a cup size. They were often tender, along with her sore nipples. These were the not-so-wonderful things people didn’t tell you about pregnancy. She'd read
What to Expect when Expecting
, but they didn't have a section on interspecies pregnancy. Done with her hair she grabbed the gun holster off the dresser, slipped it on, and added her detective badge. She'd been moved to desk duty after she'd announced her pregnancy to the chief. It was the stipulation he and Phelan insisted on, not that she'd put her child in danger.

She rested her hand on the swell. He or she was the reason she'd been burning the midnight oil and pushing everyone so hard. They would never really be safe until Tavel was caught. The mad man still haunted her dreams, and at times her waking hours. All it took was the sight of a close shaven blond head to set her on edge when she was caught off guard. It was no way to live. The thought that Tavel might have captured others who weren't lucky enough to get away pissed her off and made her sick to her stomach.

"I swear we'll bring him to justice, little one. You will never know what it feels like to constantly look over your shoulder and live in fear," she whispered.

"We'll get him, Zash." Her husband came up behind her, wrapping his strong arms around her body.  Used to his ability to walk soundlessly she allowed her head to rest on his chest for a moment, basking in his comforting smell and support.