Page 6 of Dreaming of His Omega
I turned it over and over.
“Wow, that’s lucky,” Rory said.
“Yeah… I was sure it was destroyed…” I laughed in disbelief. A tear of joy escaped and I wiped it away, with another laugh. I turned it on, certain that it wouldn’t work. It came to life, faster than ever before. My book was still open, right where I left off. “It’s okay…”
“Who is Traviel?” Rory asked, leaning over the table.
I quickly closed it. “It’s stupid.”
Rory crossed his arms over his chest, obviously waiting.
“Traviel is a character in a book I’m writing. He’s sort of…” I laughed in embarrassment. “I guess I wrote him to be like a… a fantasy version of me. To escape from…” I gestured around us and, to my relief, Rory nodded in understanding. I smiled sadly at my laptop. “I wish I was him,” I said softly.
“In your dreams,” Rory chuckled, back to his usual self.
“Yeah. In my dreams,” I added.
I felt a strange sensation, like a breeze, even though we were inside. It wasn’t a chill, exactly, more like a warm summer breeze, passing over me and, somehow, through me. I looked around for the source. An odd light made the rain hitting the window look purple. For just an instant, I swear I saw a silhouette outside. I blinked, and it was gone.
With the unsettling feeling thatsomethinghad just happened, I collected my laptop, bid Rory goodnight, and headed into my room.
Chapter Three
Elarian
A shaft of sunlight came in though the window and landed right across my eyes. I groaned and flung an arm over my face. With my other arm, I reached out, feeling the bed for my mate. Gone.
“Damn it, Traviel,” I muttered. With some difficulty, I rolled to my other side and looked at my clock. Much later than I preferred to get up. I needed the sleep, but I still hated knowing I was lounging about in bed while Traviel was up working.
I rocked myself out of bed and padded straight for the bathroom. I felt like I spent as much time peeing as I did sleeping. When I was done, my next stop was the kitchen. Over the last couple of months my morning routine had changed significantly. No more up at sunrise and playing in the garden for me. No, now it was pee, eat, rest, repeat.
I found that eating cereal as soon as I could kept nausea at bay. A bowl and spoon were waiting for me at the table, next to a box of my cereal of choice. Traviel’s gesture made me smile. After downing a couple of satisfying bowls, I filled a coffee mug halfway with ice. Not only was iced coffee perfect for an warm spring morning, it allowed me to have an extra cup or two, without going over my caffeine limit.
Just for fun, I held the mug of ice against my stomach. After a moment, the baby kicked it angrily and rolled around.
“Sorry,” I chuckled fondly, patting my belly. “That’s a reminder to cooperate today,” I teased.
At every appointment so far, the baby had been in the wrong position to tell the gender. Traviel and I were eager to know it. With any luck, we’d find out at the appointment this afternoon.
Coffee in hand, I went outside to find my mate. It wasn’t tough. He was in the greenhouse, tending to some of our plants. I really did sleep in late; the morning watering was already finished. Traviel was bent over a vase, urging blossoms and grasses into an arrangement.
“Good morning,” I said.
“Good morning!” He was up in an instant, taking my hand and leading me to a stool. After I was settled, he knelt and pressed a kiss to my stomach. “And good morning to you.”
“That looks beautiful,” I said.
“Not as beautiful as you, glowing like that.”
I chuckled. “Sap.”
An unfamiliar voice called out, “Hello?” A moment later, a man entered the greenhouse. He ran a hand through his wavy hair, eyes darting around suspiciously.
“Can I help you?” Traviel asked, stepping protectively in front of me.
“My name is LaMarkus Vale; I’m the Town Sheriff.”
Traviel and I exchanged a glance. “Is there something wrong?” I asked.
