Page 35 of Bradi

Chapter Fifteen

Marisa moved around the compound slowly. Her entire body still felt like it’d been trampled by an angry herd of elephants, but other than that, she couldn’t complain. The bug she’d contracted seemed to be easing up and the people here—or rather shifters—seemed friendly enough.

“Good morning, Marisa. How are you feeling today?”

She turned to find the blond healer and leader, Christian, standing behind her. When she’d woken in the infirmary a few weeks back, she’d found him sitting in the corner of her room. At first, he’d scared the hell out of her, but once he’d shown her that he possessed similar gifts, she’d accepted his offer of friendship. “I’m good, and how are you today?”

“Don’t you mean how is Bradiainn?”

“No, I said what I meant.” She narrowed her gaze on him.

The men on this planet seemed to share a common bond—being pigheaded. Christian winked at her and she couldn’t stay mad at him. “Is there any chance that you might want to tell me why everyone’s in such a hurry around here?”

“Some things are better left for your mate to tell you.”

“Yeah, when I get one of those, I’ll be sure to ask him.”

Christian put his hand on her shoulder and smiled down at her. “Go to him. He is in the training yard with the others.”

Marisa huffed. “He’s known where to find me for the last few weeks. The one time I did see him, he turned and ran in the other direction. He’s a stubborn jackass and I’m tired of dealing with him. When the next cargo ship leaves for Margaidia, I’ll be on it. Before you say anything, know that I’ll wipe my memory clean of this planet. I won’t risk the Commission finding out about any of you or your secrets.”

Christian’s eyebrows rose. “You can do that?”

She held up her hand to him. “The med chip that’s embedded in my skin has options for me to erase used information. I’ve been studying it when I have the chance, since you people seem to be experts at jamming it.” She gave him a hard look. “And I think I can get it to wipe out my short-term memory—at least several months’ worth.”

“So, you will not only forget Sargaidia, you’ll forget all that has occurred with Bradiainn as well?” Christian asked, his face void of emotion.

She patted his mammoth arm gently and smiled. “Now you’re getting the picture, champ.”

“I see. Does Bradiainn know about this?”

“I think that would require him to come within a twenty-foot radius of me, don’t you?” Marisa turned to head back to her room when she felt her stomach flutter. Glancing down, she attempted to access her med chip. It immediately fizzled out.

“Marisa, there you are!”

Marisa turned to find Lorelei coming toward her. The woman was as tiny as could be, all except for the swelling mound of her stomach. She claimed that she was only entering her sixth month of pregnancy, but she looked closer to nine months. If Marisa hadn’t been assisting Christian during one of Lorelei’s check-ups, she’d have never believed the news.

“How are the twins doing?” she asked.

Lorelei touched her stomach and rolled her eyes. “When one stops kicking, the other one starts. I don’t know how my mother did it. Three sets of twins would push me over the edge. If Sevan thinks for one minute that I am letting him impregnate me again, I’ll chop his—”

Christian cleared his throat and put his hands down over his groin. “Some things are better left unsaid, Lorelei.”

“Men,” Marisa snorted, “are all the same.”

“Care to try another one on for size, Doctor?” Christian asked.

Marisa balked playfully. “Like you could handle me.”

He reached for her and she stepped away. Marisa giggled. “So slow. Is that because you’re not a shifter? Are all Chieftains as pokey as you?”

Christian’s eyes lit up and he laughed. “Careful, little doctor. I would hate to have to teach you a lesson.”

Marisa laughed and took a fast step toward Christian, teasing him. He grabbed hold of her and spun her in a circle. “Ah ha, what will you do now?”

*

Bradi walked up from the training fields with one thing on his mind—checking on his wife. He’d spent more time lurking in the shadows over the last several weeks than not. He knew he was being a coward, and the fact that Nina had come right out and called him one to his face didn’t help either.

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