Page 145 of The Demon's Fire
His eyes lit with fire. “Where is it?”
Skyler pressed a palm to her stomach. “You have to guess.”
“Damn it, female. I hate that game.”
“Okay, snarly. Here’s a clue. If it’s a girl, the doll will come in handy. If it’s a boy, well, he can have the doll, too.”
“No son of mine will… What?”
Skyler opened the bedside drawer. Rummaging through it, she slipped out a piece of paper, handing it to Kole.
He looked at it. At Skyler. At the paper again. “What’s this?”
“It’s a sonogram.” For a moment, Skyler thought Kole swayed. But he caught himself.
“You don’t want children, Frisca.”
“Funny that. I already love the little fetus.” She patted her flat stomach.
The tough warrior who had taken on berserkers, djinn, vampires, gagans, and other demons without blinking swiped a fist across his damp eyes. “You were enough, Frisca. You were more family than I deserve.”
“Well, you’re going to have to open your heart to a bigger family.”
He shook his head, dazed. “Wait. When did this happen? Demons, like other Aeternal breeds, control their seed. I swear I didn’t do this on purpose, Frisca.”
“I know you didn’t. But according to the healer, it seems a demon’s beast is sometimes not in control of its sperm.”
Kole sat speechless. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m not. Ranca’s home is a swinging door for demon children. They come in at all hours for cookies, a game, or a chat.”
“Nothing has changed there. She was always that way.”
“I found out I’m not so bad with them. Our pregnancy may have been an accident, or maybe the beast understands the real me. Anyway, I want us to have children.”
“You do? Wait. Children? More than one?”
Her eyes sparkled. “Maybe. I want our place to be filled with laughter. I know Aeternals have few children, but Ranca told me about demon orphans who need homes. We may have more of our own after this little pea decides to join us, or we may share our love with other children. By the way, before you get it into your head I might give up my career, you need to know I’ll be a working mother.”
When he spoke, his words were halting. “I adore you. And if it had been only us until…” He cleared his throat.
Skyler knew Kole was thinking about how her life would be much shorter than his. But she was okay with that. He would have their child. Maybe more than one to keep him company through the years.
“…Well, I was blessed. But to think you will give me more.” He took Skyler into his arms. “After my parents were killed, I gave up hope. I have waited alone for centuries trying not to dream of my own home and family. But here you are, Frisca, and I am complete.”
ChapterThirty-Four
Ahappy Kole, determined to make Scath a better realm for his mate and child, participated in a catch-up meet with High Commander Cadmon, the other two Firebrand commanders, and Director Alarik.
“My mate, Skyler, had double trouble. Her assistant wanted to toe-tag her with a push from the L. He sent red herring blogger threats and murdered their techie who got too close. On a set-up tour of Darque, he hoped she’d meet her death since he wanted to take her position as chief. When he failed, the psycho got up close and personal with a Glock. He’s dead. She’s alive. Problem one solved. Fairly sure we can lay the other fiascos at Cerberus’s feet. The attack on her office. Trapping us on the wildings’ realm. Sending Dermott and crew to kidnap her. The attempt outside her condo.”
“So, we’ve added a Blood Coven descendant to our list.” Nace’s eyes glowed amber like his beast, the jaguar.
Kole nodded. “But loose ends, too. Braelyn’s find—a Miller Nash—is a descendant who has verified the existence ofCustodes Templii. I don’t know where we go from here. Maybe dragging more intel from the reluctant Brit. Unfortunately, he slipped Rein’s noose. The name Dante popped up in a recent interrogation. Maybe he’s a Cerberus co-conspirator. Also, one of the attackers at Skyler’s office mentioned a group. Arisen Dawn. But nobody’s talking.”
“I can clear up the thread.” Jarek’s war braids tapped against the sides of his jaws as the djinn commander spoke. “My negotiations with Simonis’s Isolationists are at an end. The group is no longer exclusively ylves whose goal is to separate our species from humankind. Instead, they rant about purity. They rant about domination. Scath nationalism. From what I can tell, they now answer to Cerberus, calling themselves Arisen Dawn. Here’s a heads-up. Aeternals in this group are getting access to portal jumpers. How is this happening? We closed the cloning operation.”
Cadmon leaned onto his elbows. The imposing ylve leader bristled with authority. “I called Boden at the Ministry of Compliance with that very question. He said, ‘I don’t know.’ Direct quote.”
