Page 27 of Trak
His gaze was intense and hot—literally, yes, but there was a weight to it that made Anna slightly wary. “When I discovered you were taken, I…don’t have words for how I felt. I was overcome. I turned into this, my primitive form. It has only happened twice before in my lifetime.” There was no humor here. No swagger or smirk or dry boredom. Anna saw vulnerability, even in this fearsome form. She couldn’t miss the hesitant way he held himself away from her, as if expecting her to run, or cringe away from him. “Do you know what this means?”
“Um. No?”
“It means I must be in love with you.”
“Youmustbe?” She shook her head, even as her heart skipped and squeezed. “You don’t sound happy about that.”
“How can I be?” He spread his arms and a wave of heat warmed her face. “The Sage Ferias didn’t just send me a female to procreate with, she sent me a female to share my life with. And no, I am particularly comfortable with this idea, but that’s what it is.” He rubbed his hands over his face, sending up fresh flames. “Thank you for saving my life, by the by.”
By the by?He was an odd one, no matter what form he took. “No problem.” She wasn’t sure what to do with the weapon still clenched in her fist or the turmoil in her heart. Anna had learned to bury her feelings deep andneverexpress them. Here they were, crowding her throat and all but bursting out of her.
“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t share that bit about saving my life with my crew,” he added, cutting her off. “I’d never hear the end of it.”
“No promises.”
He winced. “Figures.”
Good grief, she still had to tell this male that he was going to be a father. As it was, her emotions were so overwhelmed she struggled to find coherent words. Her fingers found the medallion around her neck and stroked the smooth, polished diamond there. “I’m…I don’t know how to say this, but—”
“Bloody hell.” He groaned and his horns shot flames straight up in the air. “You don’t have to say it. I know you have to go back to Earth. You’ve never expressed any interest in staying with me. I will have you know this—I love you, Anna. I love you and I want you to stay with me. For good. I don’t care if we have ten offspring or none. I just want you.”
“Oh.” Warmth spread from her belly up to her chest. It had nothing to do with the heat he was giving off. She suspected she must be in love with him, too.
Seventeen
It would be nice if she would respond with something other than “oh,” but Trak supposed his appearance might be botching his very eloquent declaration of love. He knew he looked monstrous. Perhaps he should have written her a poem.
She looked odd. Her eyes were bright, like perhaps she was going to throw up, or cry—no, not that. Anna had just dispatched a monster of an alien whose body was cooling on the floor behind them. She’d been kidnapped, stolen a weapon—a bloody good one, at that—escaped her kidnappers, and came out of the whole ordeal to find him looking like a demon spawn from hell. She’d had an extraordinary day, but she was not a female given to crying or fainting.
Still, the way she stood there, with those bright eyes and wavering stance. It was as if she wasn’t quite sure of herself, which was distinctlynotlike Anna. She was probably trying to find a kind way to let him down easily.
“I’m pregnant,” she said quietly. A small smile curved her lips. Her hand that wasn’t holding the weapon moved to her flat belly.
The blood drained from his head. “You are?”
“That’s what I said. Pay attention, Trak,” she said mildly.
His head spun. He had to clench his fists to keep from snatching her into his arms and squeezing her with joy. “When did you—”
“Just before they…” she trailed off with a hitched breath, “…took me. I’d opened the door to ask the guard to find you. Only, it wasn’t one of our guards.”
Hope sparked when she said, “our,” and not, “your,” but he forced himself not to let that mean anything. Still, he liked how it sounded. He wanted things to be aboutus, andour, andwe. “I” had become a lonely pronoun in any of the languages he used. “This is wonderful news,” he said, meaning it sincerely, but she still hadn’t responded to hisdeclaration of love. Did the female haveanyfeelings for him? Or was it all about the payment for her? For all he knew, she had a partner back on Earth waiting for her to return home rich.
“Did you mean it?” she asked quietly.
“Did I mean what?”
“What you said.” She sounded raw, weary, but also brimming with emotion. “About…loving me and wanting me to stay with you and our baby.”
There is was again—that “our.” This time, he allowed the hope. She hadn’t rejected him. Not yet.
“I meant it.” He could feel himself begin to cool down, just a little. It could be a full cycle before he was back to his typical form. “We can live wherever you want.” He wanted her and his child to see Virilia, his home planet. The surface was mostly barren with a hot, hostile climate, but great beauty had been carved out in their ancient, below-ground cities.
Anna’s arm curled protectively over her middle, where his child grew, safe and protected. “I want to stay with you—with both of you.” She shook her head, brow furrowed with worry. “I never thought I’d say that. I don’t know how good I’ll be at any of this. I might be a terrible mother.”
“You won’t.”
“How would you know?” Her gaze went sharp on his. “My parents failed miserably at parenting.”
