Destin slowly walked into the room. He grabbed one of the chairs by the table as he walked by and positioned it next to them. He sat down and gently picked up Kali’s left hand. He ran his thumb over the dark symbols circling her wrist as he thought about what to say to her. Drawing in a deep breath, he looked up into her swollen eyes.
“Kali, everything is going to be alright now. I… I need you to know that I love you. It is because I do that I want you to stay with Razor.” His eyes locked with Razor’s darker ones. “He has sworn to protect you. Earth is not such a good place to be right now, especially Chicago. It may be selfish of me, but I need to know that you are safe.”
“I can help you,” she murmured. “I have stood by your side and protected you for the past six years.”
Destin’s eyes returned to her. “I know and I love you even more for that. Now it is my turn to protect you. It isn’t like I won’t ever see….” Destin drew in a deep breath before he tightened his grip on her hand. “We’ll see each other again, but for now I need for you to go with him. I need to know that you are safe and protected. I need to be able to focus on rebuilding our home so that when you return, it will be ready for you.”
“Destin,” Kali started to argue in confusion. “Why? Why are you suddenly so concerned about me getting hurt? Why are you wanting me to leave when there is still so much that needs to be done?”
“Because you are carrying our babe,” Razor replied suddenly, looking back at Destin. “I gave my seed to you and Patch confirmed that it has taken hold in your womb.”
Kali jerked forward, almost falling out of Razor’s lap as she twisted. Only his arms and Destin stopped her from sliding off onto the floor. Her mouth hung open like a fish out of water as she looked at Razor in shock before shaking her head in denial.
“How can he tell so soon? I mean we’ve only…” She blushed a deep red and glanced at her brother. “It’s only been four days,” she mumbled.
“Yes, and we have been together frequently over those four days,” Razor pointed out, ignoring her deepening blush. “He picked up a change in your blood and did a scan. It confirmed that you are pregnant with my child.”
“But… but…,” Kali stared at him in shock. “How? I mean I know how but… how can it be possible?”
Razor’s eyebrow rose as he looked at her pale face. “It is possible. My brother and Jesse have proven that it is possible for a child to be created between a human and a Trivator.”
“What… will the difference between us cause any problems? I mean, I’ve heard that people with different blood types here can have problems,” Kali whispered with a worried frown.
“I talked to Patch about that,” Razor admitted. “He explained that our blood types were compatible. There is no danger that we are aware of at this time. Lyon, Hunter and Jesse’s son, is very happy and healthy. My biggest concern is the trauma you have endured and the amount of blood you have lost. Patch wants to monitor you to make sure everything will be well for both you and the babe. He also wants you to get plenty of rest. You need to let the healing process complete and give your body time to recuperate from the blood you have lost.”
“I’m happy for you, Kali,” Destin added with a smile. “You deserve to be happy.”
“Yeah, but… a baby!” She exclaimed in a dazed voice as she sank back in shock. “I… I don’t know anything about babies.”
Razor slid his arms around her and pulled her protectively closer to his body. He felt the trembling in her slender frame as shock and fatigue washed through her. He would talk to Patch again before he retired tonight. He wanted Patch to check Kali one more time to make sure she was going to be alright.
“We will learn together,” Razor whispered in her ear as she sank back against him. “I will be there for you, Kali. This is a gift no warrior would want to miss.”
*.*.*
What little energy Kali had seemed to desert her as she sank back in Razor’s arms in stunned disbelief. She listened as the men talked quietly about what happened after Razor took her. Most of the men who were under Colbert surrendered and pledged to work under Destin. The few that continued to resist were slowly being hunted down by a combination of Trivator and Destin’s forces.
After a short time, her eyes grew too heavy to keep them open. The combination of blood loss, her body healing from its injuries and her crying had exhausted her. Soon, their quiet voices lured her into a light sleep.
“You promise you’ll keep her safe?” Destin asked as he watched Kali breathing evenly. “She loves to run and explore. I really don’t see her slowing down much. If she becomes real quiet, just be there for her. She is working things out on her own. She needs her space. She can’t stand being cooped up. She hates broccoli and peas, but loves spinach with cheese in it and egg drop soup.”
“I will make sure I download the ingredients and how to prepare them before we leave,” Razor replied. “Is there anything else I should know?”
“She loves mint tea, but hates mint,” Destin said with a chuckle. “It relaxes her.”
“I will get a crate of it,” Razor assured him.
“She also likes to hog the covers when she’s cold. Razor,” Destin started before releasing a deep breath and staring into the other male’s eyes. “Please, keep her safe. She is everything to me.”
“I swear on my life, I will protect her. She is my life, Destin,” Razor murmured, holding Kali’s relaxed body closer to his. “I will do everything I can to protect her.”
“But remember to let her fly,” Destin said, rising out of his chair and bending to brush a kiss across Kali’s cheek. “She is a free spirit. She needs to fly.”
“I will be right beside her when she does,” Razor assured him as Destin picked up the chair and replaced it by the table. “Cutter will make sure you have all the support you need.”
Destin looked over his shoulder at the huge male holding his sister. They looked – right. A small smile pulled at his lips and he bowed his head in acknowledgement before walking out the door. For the first time since their mother's death, a huge weight felt like it had been lifted off his shoulders. Standing tall, he nodded to Tim, who was standing waiting for him further down the hall.
“Everything good?” Tim asked quietly as Destin walked up to him.
“Yeah,” Destin replied, glancing over his shoulder at the closed door before turning back to Tim with a small smile. “Yeah, everything is good.”
“You know Jason is going to be pissed,” Tim commented casually. “He wanted Kali.”
Destin chuckled. “After the beating he got, I don’t think he is going to try to tangle with that huge bastard again. He’ll get over it. She didn’t love him like she does Razor.”
Tim grinned. “I hope he knows he is one lucky bastard then,” he said as they stepped out into the frigid air. “Kali is one very special gal.”
Destin looked up at the stars in the sky. It was hard to believe that one day soon Kali would be up there flying through the solar system. Life had changed a lot for them, but change could be a good thing. Perhaps one day he would get a chance to go see it for himself. Until that day, though, he had a lot of work to do.
“Yes, she is,” Destin agreed, pulling his sock cap on. “Let’s go. We have a lot of work ahead of us.”
Chapter 24
Kali fumbled with the comlink that Razor had given her right after they arrived on board his Flagship. The Journey was an experimental prototype warship that he was overseeing. Razor explained that while it was smaller than most of their other warships, it was much faster and was equipped with the latest advancements in Trivator weaponry. All Kali knew was Razor’s definition of small and hers were not the same. She had spent the last three days exploring and she still hadn’t seen a quarter of it!
It was going to take a while to get acclimated to what was happening. Everything was so foreign to her and she was feeling more than a little intimidated by it. Hell, she was still trying to get oriented to t
he feeling of being in an enclosed area. She was used to being able to step outside and feel the sun on her face and the wind in her hair any time she felt like it.
To make matters worse, she hadn’t seen much of Razor since they arrived. She understood he was busy with the preparations for the departure and everything, but it wasn’t much comfort to her growing unease. The problem with him being gone so much during the past three days was she couldn’t help but wonder if she was making a huge mistake. After all, it wasn’t like she could just hop on the metro, if it had been working, and go home.
As the view of the Earth began to fade from the viewport she was looking out of an hour ago, her doubts and fears escalated. It had taken everything inside her to keep from screaming out that she had changed her mind, that she wanted to go home.
There were so many things that could go wrong, she thought as she fumbled with the comlink attached to the collar of her shirt. All I have are the few things that Destin brought me before we lifted off. I don’t know anything about spaceships and alien planets and…
She groaned in frustration when the metal clip holding the comlink on caught on the button holding her collar down. She was about ready to just rip the thing off.
She wanted to run. She wanted to feel the cold wind on her face and the thrill of moving through the ruins of the city. She thrived on the challenge of finding the best way to maneuver through the only place she had ever known. Here she couldn’t even figure out how to take off a stupid communication’s device!
“Do you need some assistance?” Razor asked as he walked into the bedroom of their living quarters.
Kali looked up with a tight smile. “I’ve got it twisted and can’t figure out what is going on. Are you here to stay or are you leaving again?” She asked, as he carefully removed the comlink and set it down on the bedside table.
Razor bent and brushed his lips across her slightly parted ones. “I have finished what needed to be done for the moment. I did not mean to leave you alone for so long. Some critical information came in that needed my attention,” he murmured in a husky voice filled with need. “I want you. I cannot stop thinking about you. Even when I was reviewing the information and meeting with Hammer, you were in my thoughts.”
“I was thinking about you too,” she admitted softly. “I... Razor, are you sure about this? Maybe it would be better if someone took me back. I mean, you have a lot to do and....”
She gasped when he suddenly wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off the floor until she was pressed against his hard body. His lips claimed hers in a passionate kiss that left her shaken and dazed by the intensity of it. She held on to his shoulders as he continued to press hot kisses along her jaw before rubbing his nose back up the curve of her neck to her ear.
“Never!” He growled in a low voice. “You are mine and you will stay by my side. I have apologized for leaving you.”
“You don’t have to apologize for doing your duty,” Kali whispered, pulling back so he could see the sincerity in her eyes. “I understand duty and the need to place it before all else. I also understand that having a distraction can be dangerous, even deadly. I don’t want to be the cause for either. There are things back on Earth that I can do to help Destin that are not as dangerous. When you are finished with whatever you are working on you can come back for me.”
Razor rested his forehead against hers. A deep sigh escaped him as he realized that he was to blame for her feeling like he did not want her. The past three days had been filled with meetings and preparations. The mission to the Tressalon galaxy was filled with danger. Even with the Journey’s capabilities, it would be a challenge to get in, find Trig and Jordan, and get out again in one piece. He hated that there was even the slightest chance that he might be risking Kali and his unborn child. He had no choice after talking to Hunter again last night.
*.*.*
Trig had finally responded to Hunter’s continued attempts to contact him. Jordan was with him. From the look on his younger brother’s face, the meeting hadn’t gone very well.
“I’m going to kill him,” Hunter had said as an opening line.
“I take it Jordan is with him,” Razor had responded.
“Yes, that bastard refuses to return her. He says she threatened to go on her own if he didn’t take her,” Hunter had grunted out. “The trouble is, she would. I never knew Jordan could be so stubborn. She has always been the quietest one of the group.”
“Trig will protect her,” Razor assured him. “He is deadly. He will not allow any harm to come to Jordan.”
“Even he is no match for the number of cutthroats on the Spaceport,” Hunter pointed out tiredly.
“Are you alright, Hunter? Something else is bothering you,” Razor observed, his eyes narrowing on the lines of fatigue around his brother’s eyes and mouth. “Have other problems developed that need my attention?”
Hunter shook his head and glanced over his shoulder to make sure he was still alone. When he turned back, there was a slight glint in his eyes. A small smile tugged at his lips.
“Jesse is expecting our second child,” he shared quietly. “She has been sick and I’ve been getting up with Lyon, who has more teeth coming in. I’m worried about her. She has been very sick this time, but she never complains. Yesterday, the healer came and recommended she remain in bed for a short time. It tears me up to see her like this.”
Razor’s stomach had twisted in fear. His thoughts had immediately turned to Kali. What if his child made her sick as well? What if…
*.*.*
“I want Patch to examine you,” he said suddenly, tightening his arms around Kali.
Kali frowned in confusion. “What does Patch examining me have to do with you sending me back to Earth?” She asked, puzzled.
Razor’s face darkened at her insistence to be returned to her planet. “I am not sending you back to your world! You will remain here. It is too dangerous to send you back.”
“Too dangerous? I already told you I can do things for Destin that aren’t dangerous,” she pointed out.
“No!” He growled. “You need to rest. I will have Patch come here to see you. No, I will carry you to him. That way he will have any equipment he needs when he checks you,” he murmured distractedly.
“Whoa, we are definitely on two separate pages here,” Kali replied with a confused shake of her head. “What are you talking about? I don’t need to see Patch.”
“Yes, you do,” Razor said, suddenly anxious as his mind flooded with all the things that could go wrong. “You could become very sick, even worse.”
“Razor, look at me,” Kali said gently, cupping his face between her hands. “What are you talking about? I’m not sick. I’m fine. What is going on?”
Razor buried his face in her neck again and groaned. A shudder went through him when he felt her thread her fingers through his hair. Ever since he met her, one thing or another involving her seemed to send him careening out of control.
“Tell me what’s wrong?” She murmured quietly as she stroked him. “I’m a lot stronger than I look. Tell me.”
He drew in a long, shaky breath before he slowly lowered her to the floor and gripped her hands in a fierce but gentle hold. Staring down into her upturned face, he realized that she was strong. She had proven time and time again that she wasn’t as delicate and fragile as she appeared, starting when she risked her life rescuing him from the helicopter.
“I talked to Hunter,” he said gruffly.
Kali tilted her head and waited. When he didn’t continue, she squeezed his hands in encouragement. Whatever they talked about had really shaken Razor up. She had never seen him so… vulnerable.
“He’s your younger brother, right?” She asked.
“Yes, he has taken a human female as his Amate as well,” he said, carefully studying her face.
“And,” she encouraged.
“Jesse is expecting their second child. She is very sick. Hunter is worried about her. The healer has
placed her on bed rest,” he added.
Kali’s mouth opened in an ‘O’ as the light came on. Razor was worried about her. He was afraid that she was going to be the same way.
“Razor, each pregnancy is different for a woman. Even if a woman has more than one child,” she said in a gentle voice. “Just because Jesse is sick doesn’t mean I will be. I mean, I will be, but it might not be as bad. I remember some of the girls who were pregnant and had babies. It isn’t often that a woman dies during childbirth anymore.”
“Die?” He repeated, latching on to her last word. “You will not die. I will not allow it.”
Kali laughed and shook her head. “I don’t plan on dying, but there are no guarantees in life. Is this why you don’t want me to go back home?” She asked.
“Yes. No.” He let go of her hand and rubbed his own across his face in frustration. “Yes, I don’t want you to return to your world. The medical treatment there is not good. Patch can care for you much better.”
“And the no?” Kali said, trying not to grin.
Razor’s eyes softened as he wound his hand around the back of her neck and pulled her close enough so he could rub his nose against her cheek. He loved the feel and smell of her. When he touched her, it felt so – right. It was as if she had been created just for him. She… completed him.
“I do not want to be away from you. I can’t be away from you,” he admitted huskily. “The past three days have been torture. The only thing keeping me sane was watching you on the vidcoms.”
“You were watching me?” She breathed out. “How? When?”
His eyes flickered to the comlink. “It tracks you. I used the onboard systems to locate and watch you. I never left your side,” he confessed.
“Oh Razor,” Kali said, her heart melting at the silent plea in his gaze. This warrior, a man stronger and more powerful than she had ever met before, loved her. She could see it in his eyes and hear it in his confession. She reached up and touched the corner of his bottom lip. He was so different, but so perfect. He was a combination of the darkness and light. “I love you.”