Page 33 of Bradi

“So, Nina didn’t tell you everything after all. Did she?”

Bradi glanced at his sister and gave her a questioning look. “Huh?”

“Did Nina tell you how it is that you sit here before us?”

“Yeah, Marisa saved me. She gave too much of herself during the transfer of her power and now…” He couldn’t bring himself to say it aloud. Now Marisa was dying.

“True, but did Nina tell you why she allowed Marisa to order them all away?” He shook his head and Lorelei nodded. “She asked Marisa if she loved you, and Marisa said yes. Nina then told her what you are, Bradi. She told her that you’re a shifter, a werepanther, and she still saved you.”

The notion of that sounded very romantic, but Bradi knew better. The woman only tolerated him. She didn’t love him. “She probably said that she loved me to get them to leave us alone. She doesn’t want anyone knowing about her gifts. And if I’d have died, she wouldn’t have any way off the planet. She’s resourceful.”

Lorelei shrugged. “I suppose you’re right…but then that wouldn’t explain why, when Nina ran to check on you, she found Marisa wrapping her body around yours and telling you that she would follow you into the spirit realm if you tried to leave. Do women who don’t care for a man often do that?”

He stiffened, doing his best to absorb what he was hearing. “She said that she’d follow me?”

“She did.”

Bradi stood and took his sister in his arms. Her belly was round and he didn’t want to hurt her, but he had to hug her. “Bloody hell, I can’t lose her, Lorelei. I can’t. She’s my mate. She doesn’t know it yet, but I marked her—claimed her. I can’t lose my wife. I love her so much that it hurts to breathe without her next to me. Tell me what to do. I’ll give my life for her. I love her that much.”

Lorelei patted his arm and nodded. “I’ll do what I can for her.”

“No!” Bradi shouted, remembering what Nina had warned him about. “You aren’t to put any strain on your body. You almost lost your child once. I’ll not let you sacrifice it for us.”

“Well, it’s good to know that someone in the family has some sense,” a male voice said from behind him. Bradi turned to find a tall blond man standing in the doorway. He tipped his head to Bradi and looked at Marisa. “She is beautiful. I can see why you love her.”

Jealously hit Bradi like a train and he felt his lip curling. Lorelei laughed and patted him on the chest. “Brother, this is my husband, Sevan. Sevan, my brother Bradi.”

“Good to meet you, Lieutenant Commander.”

“Don’t call me that. I have no title anymore. When Marisa returns and tells the Commission what I am, they will hunt me down and execute me.”

“So sure that she’ll disappoint you,” Lorelei muttered, shaking her head. She put her hand out to Sevan and walked to him. “My brother is so bullheaded.”

“Wow, a member of your family is bullheaded? You don’t say?”

Bradi couldn’t help but laugh. He liked Sevan and knew that the man loved his sister.

---