by Dawn Steele
Her eyes arrested his.
“Something’s happened to the baby, hasn’t it?” she said.
“You were very ill.” He debated how much to tell her.
“What happened?” she cried. “You’ve got to tell me.”
She tried to wrest her hands away from his.
“No, Kate, don’t do that. I’ll tell you everything. We had to abort the pregnancy.” He didn’t want to say ‘baby’. “You were too ill. If we didn’t abort, you would have both died.”
He watched her face. Her expression flitted from incomprehension to understanding, and then to shock and horror. He knew she needed to go through this, just as he had. The main difference was that he was right here with her to help her through this.
She began to wail, and the sound of her cry was like that of a wistful spirit in a howling wind. The sound pierced his bones. And he felt her pain every bit as acutely as though it was his.
“Kate,” he murmured. “Kate.”
He didn’t care about her drips and tubes and sensors. He took her in his arms over the guard rail on her hospital bed. Her EKG became erratic, triggering all sorts of alarms.
The nurse came rushing in.
“Professor O’Brien, I must ask you to refrain . . . oh, she’s awake!”
Kate was sobbing hard. Her body shook and shuddered against his. He had no words to say. He wanted that baby as much as she did.
He finally whispered, “Please . . . just leave us alone for a while. She will be all right. I promise.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
“OK. But just for a while. I have to tell the doctor she’s awake.”
The nurse quietly left them alone in the room as Kate cried her heartache and soul ache out.
25
Kate looked out into the vista of mountain and stream from her hilltop vantage.
It had been two months. Two months of absolute calm in which they could recover, both physically and emotionally. She was regaining her strength day by day, but it was a slow painful process. The wolfsbane had ravaged her kidneys and she had gone into acute renal failure. She had to be dialysed, but luckily, the doctors said it was reversible.
In addition, the poison had ravaged her heart and her liver. It was a good thing that the antidote Rust concocted from the purple flower saved her in time. Still, her heart function was not what it used to be, and her liver still showed elevated enzymes. It was a brutal poisoning she had to slowly recover from and the doctors warned her it might take a year or two.
Oh, and there was one more thing.
She could never have children again.
She was glad to be alive, and yet, when she thought of this new development, she went into heartsick mode all over again.
“It doesn’t matter,” Rust assured her. “I love you all the same. I don’t care if you can’t have children. I was resigned to the fact I would never father a child anyway.”
But she felt inadequate, like she was missing a chromosome.
“Talk to me,” he encouraged her – the psychologist that he was.
She did, but it was difficult. He was a man. He would never understand what it was like to have his child growing inside her womb. He would never understand how, for the longest time, she longed for him so much that she would have done anything to keep him.
He decided he wasn’t helping her after a week, and he asked, “Would you like to talk to another psychologist?”
“Yes,” she said gratefully. “It’s not that I don’t love you – ”
“I know. I understand. I’m too close to the problem.” He gazed at her sadly. “I am the problem. If you hadn’t known me, then none of this would have happened to you.”
“No,” she said with force. “Don’t ever say that. If there’s one thing I never regretted, it’s knowing and loving you. I wouldn’t have lived my life any other way.”
They were in a safe house in a safe location, guarded twenty-four seven by FBI agents. They hadn’t seen Alyssa in a long time. Her job was in New York, rounding up the shifter suspects. She was keeping her promise to Rust.
At the same time, Rust was booked up for every show and interview in the universe, it seemed. Larry King. Leno. Letterman. Ellen. Jimmy Kimmel. Oprah. Authors were lining up, wanting to write his life story. Historians wanted to study his shifter lore.
Rita Cunningham had started a publicity arm and she self-appointed herself to be in charge of Rust’s appearances.
“Fancy that,” Rust remarked. “I actually have a publicist. I’m becoming someone I never thought I’d be in a million years.”
It was not easy to prosecute Aaron Mitchell and the Shifter Council members, but Rust already knew that. There was no evidence, for one, that they were connected to the murders. Nevertheless, that was not what Rust intended. He intended to expose them, and in that, he had succeeded.
He wrestled with his conscience, of course, he told her.
“It was the very thing I allowed myself to be arrested for. The very thing I wanted to protect – the shifter community in large.”
“But they decided you were too much of a wildcard.” It was amazing at how calmly she could talk about it now. “And to think I went to Aaron Mitchell for help. Do you think there’s any chance they were not guilty?”
“No. The wolfsbane is a shifter poison. The shifters are at the root of this, and no shifter entity has more clout and power than the Council.” His tone grew angry again. “I know why they felt they had to do it, but it was cruel and unnecessary. And to do that to you . . . and our child. I couldn’t objectify or rationalize it anymore. I just . . . couldn’t.”
She understood. They did this to her. And Moira and Connor. And the unnamed baby. She couldn’t forgive them either.
Especially Aaron Mitchell.
Rust said, “So I have to do what I’m doing now. I exposed them. I exposed a three thousand year old secret. I have to mitigate this. I have to make sure the humans don’t see us as abominations or demons. And if they can put a face to all this mess I created, then maybe we have a shot at integration. Does that make sense?”
Kate gazed at his handsome and earnest face – an extremely saleable face. Yes, that was the face of a superstar. The cover boy of the shifter world.
“I believe you of all people can do it,” she said.
He put his arm around her shoulders. “Only if you’re here with me.”
There was a different timber to his voice when he said this. She turned her face towards him in curiosity.
He cleared his throat and suddenly turned pink.
She was amazed.
Rust never blushed!
He said, “I know I haven’t always been the greatest boyfriend in the world. In fact, there were times when I treated you really badly. I never understood why you stuck with me throughout it all.”
Her throat went dry. “I stuck with you because I knew you would eventually see that I was the only one for you, and that you would eventually come to love me as much as I love you.”
“I do. I do love you. I’ve loved you for a long time. Longer than you know, and certainly for a much longer time than when I finally said it to you.” He paused. “So . . . do you want to be married to me, Kate Penney? I don’t think I’ll be the best husband in the world, but I’ll certainly give it my best shot.”
She was speechless, unable to believe her ears.
He said in a rush, “You don’t have to answer right away. I know these past few weeks have been tough for you. And I know I can’t offer you much in the way of freedom, or anonymity, or – ”
She placed her finger on his lips.
“Hush,” she said. “Yes.”
“‘Yes’ in ‘I want to marry you’ or ‘yes’ in ‘I know you can’t offer me much’?”
“Yes, I want to marry you. I’ve wanted to marry you from the moment I laid eyes on you . . . back before you knew I existed. I’ve wanted to marry you since I first entered your class. Yes . . . and all those thin
gs.”
She stopped, wondering if she had given too much away.
For answer, he grabbed her and kissed her. Long, deeply – on the lips. It was a kiss of hope, and of love, and of all the things which could and would be promised by their union.
When they parted for air, she smiled at him, and he smiled back. And they knew that together, whatever the world threw at them, they would prevail as a couple.
EPILOGUE
Alyssa saw them from afar at the courthouse. They were there as witnesses for the prosecution of Aaron Mitchell and the other members of the Shifter Council.
So much had happened since the murders ten months ago. Shifters had come out of the woodwork everywhere in the world.
Some did so for their fifteen seconds of fame after seeing how Rust O’Brien had exploded into the world’s consciousness (and the multiple endorsement offers he was getting from the big firms – from Puma to Nike to Coca-Cola – not to mention all those movie and HBO series offers).
Some, like Carlo Estez, fared better than others in this aspect. He was a natural in front of the camera, and so was his human girlfriend, the marginally slutty Fiona Montgomery.
The humans responded in various ways. Some started virtual Shifter Friends groups, which trended on Twitter and populated websites. Michaela, Kate’s best friend, was one such founder, and she wore the ‘Friends’ badge proudly everywhere in campus.
Yet others started hate groups. And Bridging groups. And groupies – girls who hung out with shifter men, hoping to procreate with them.
Everyone had an opinion on the shifters, and the shifters had opinions on everything.
Such as the fate of Aaron Mitchell and the Shifter Council. Did they have a right to execute the O’Briens to protect their identities? It was a hot topic at TV talk shows. ‘#shifter’ hadn’t left the Twitter Top 10 since this all began.
Rust and Kate saw Alyssa and waved.
Oops. She wasn’t planning to bump into them this way, but it was too late. She was glad there were no hard feelings between them and herself. She had done a lot to bring the Council to court. She wasn’t sure they would be brought to justice. The evidence was circumstantial, to say the least, and they never found the guy who actually poisoned the steaks.
But at least they were in court.
Rust and Kate came ambling up.
“Alyssa,” Rust said. “Haven’t seen you for . . . well, since.”
He smiled, and her heart swelled with familiarity and emotion.
God, she was still in love with him.
“Hello, Alyssa,” Kate said warmly.
They shook hands all round.
“Thank you for doing this.” Rust indicated the ceiling of the courthouse.
“It’s the right thing to do,” Alyssa said. “I’ve seen you both around. A lot. Congratulations on the wedding.”
“Thank you,” Kate said. She linked her arm with Rust’s. “Rita felt our wedding needed to be televised to a worldwide audience so that humans everywhere can see the union of our species, and how it can be possible.”
“It achieved even higher ratings than the Royal Wedding. Your gown was absolutely beautiful. Vera Wang, wasn’t it?” Alyssa wouldn’t know a Vera Wang when she saw it, but the publicity was that great.
“Yes. I keep getting clothes and shoes from designers who want to show their gowns off on me. And I don’t even wear gowns most of the time.”
Alyssa felt a pang. Kate envy again. It was becoming a habit.
“We have a lot to catch up,” Rust said.
“Sure. Let’s do it after the session.”
They all went into the courtroom together, and Alyssa felt almost a part of their family.
*
Home for Alyssa was a modest New York apartment. She had asked to be put off active duty. She had other priorities these days.
She unlocked the door.
The babysitter looked up from the sofa. “You’re home early.”
“And you’re supposed to latch this door.”
The babysitter was holding the baby in her arms. Alyssa felt a rush of love when she gazed upon Hank. He was a month old, and he was her son.
Hers and Rust’s.
She didn’t know if there were other half-shifter babies in the world, if history had engendered them. But Hank was hers.
Maybe one day she would tell Rust.
And maybe she wouldn’t.
As she took Hank in her arms, all felt right in her world.
Dear Reader, thank you so much for reading this story.
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WORKS BY DAWN STEELE
NEW ADULT ROMANCES
Burn
Burn 2
Burn 3
Burn 4
Burn 5
Forbidden
Marooned with the Rock Star
PARANORMAL ROMANCES
Wanted by the Alphas (An Extremely Sensual Paranormal Shifter Romance)
The Pretend Marriage: A Werewolf Romance
The Impending Marriage: A Werewolf Romance
The Alpha Dating Game (An Extremely Sensual BBW Shifter Romance)
The Alpha Mating Game: A BBW Shifter Romance
Mail Order Tiger Bride Wars (A BBW Shifter Romance)
The Alpha Men’s Secret Club (A Scorchingly Hot BBW Paranormal Shifter Romance)
The Alpha Men’s Secret Club 2: Desire Games (A Scorchingly Hot BBW Paranormal Shifter Romance)
The Alpha Men’s Secret Club 3: Fallout (A Scorchingly Hot BBW Paranormal Shifter Romance)
The Alpha Men’s Secret Club 4: Intrigue
The Alpha Men’s Secret Club 5: Final Capture
PARANORMAL ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
Strange Moon: Part One (A BBW Werewolf Romantic Suspense Mystery)
Strange Moon: Part Two (A BBW Werewolf Romantic Suspense Mystery)
EROTICA and EROTIC ROMANCES BY APHRODITE HUNT
Dark Romance
Dark Alpha: Dragonfly
The ‘Eight Tasks for the Blushing Virgin’ series
Now on Amazon as The Dangerous Billionaire Series
Deflowered -- The Dangerous Billionaire
Debauched -- The Dangerous Billionaire 2
Deceived -- The Dangerous Billionaire 3
Desired -- The Dangerous Billionaire 4
Declawed – The Dangerous Billionaire 5
The ‘Romanced by the Damaged Millionaire’ series
Damaged Beauties
Seduced by His Two Personalities
Broken Flowers
The ‘Bound and Shackled to the Billionaire’ series
His Indecent Proposition
His Indecent Demands
His Indecent Desires
His Indecent Secrets
His Indecent Revelations
Bound and Shackled to the Billionaire Box Set
‘The Billionaire Marriage’ series
His Indecent Proposal
The ‘Initiation’ series
Open Your Legs for Me
Blindfolded and Spread-eagled
Thighs Wide Apart
Teacher, Please Spread my Pussy
The Final Initiation
The Initiation: A Bundle of 5 Stories
The ‘Initiation 2’ series
Open Your Legs for my Family
Bend Over for my Family
Publicly Display Yourself for Me
Sex Slave at Sea
Paraded before the Billionaires
Sex Slave at the Auction
The ‘Initiation 3’ series
Sex Slave to the Dictator
Shackled by the Dictator
Punished
by the Dictator’s Daughter
Bartering the Slave’s Freedom
The ‘Alice BDSM’ series
Alice: Opening my Legs at Your Wedding
Alice: Milked and Gang Banged at the Sex Farm (released as ‘Alice: Slave at the Farm’ at Amazon)
Alice: Slave at the Marketplace
Alice: Slave at the Castle
Alice: Slave’s Final Revenge
The ‘Royal Captive’ series
Prince Miro’s Capture
Prince Miro’s Submission
Prince Miro’s Enslavement
Prince Miro’s Punishment
Prince Miro’s Escape
Prince Miro’s Final Confrontation
The Royal Captive: Vol 1 to 3
The Royal Captive: Vol 4 to 6
Prince Miro Boxed Set
The ‘Naughty Nymphomaniac’ series
I was a Naughty Nymphomaniac
Officer, Please Spread and Cuff Me
Gang Banged by the Chain Gang
Tempting the Hot Navy SEAL
Bred to the Billionaire Maharajah (released as ‘The Billionaire Maharajah’s Concubine’ at Amazon)
The ‘Delicate Piercings’ series
Her First Delicate Piercing
Her First Delicate Piercing 2: Menage
Her First Delicate Piercing 3: Desensitization
Her First Delicate Piercing 4: The Final Party
The ‘Alien’ series
Trapped with Sex-Starved Aliens
Trapped with Sex-Starved Aliens 2
WORKS BY ARTEMIS HUNT
EROTIC ROMANCES
The ‘Inhumanly Handsome, Humanly Flawed Alpha Male’ series
Enslaved
A Virgin Enslaved 2 (Entwined on Amazon)
The Pretend Boyfriend
The Pretend Boyfriend 2
The Pretend Boyfriend 3
The Pretend Boyfriend 4
The ‘Maid for the Billionaire Prince’ series