by Mikayla Lane
Chapter Twenty One
Chance awoke to Mikal’s hard body cuddling up to her own and she snuggled deep into his warmth and sighed contentedly. It’d been hours since they’d taken Chris’s advice and snuck off to eat alone with Mikal’s father.
The meal had been a lot more pleasant than Chance had hoped for with all of them laughing at Indrid and Mikal’s stories of things that they’d done in their lives. It had been eye opening for her to see how alike the two men were, even though Mikal had not been raised by Indrid.
After their meal, when Charlie had fallen asleep in Mikal’s arms, Chance had taken the child to bed so the two men could spend some more time together. By the contented feel of Mikal’s energy, Chance assumed the encounter had gone well.
“Are you OK?” she whispered.
Mikal sighed and gently squeezed Chance to him. He couldn’t think of a time when he’d ever felt more OK than he did now. He felt complete. He nodded his head and gently kissed the curve of her shoulder.
“I am definitely all right,” Mikal said.
“Your energy feels so much calmer,” Chance said as she snuggled closer to him.
Mikal smiled as he thought of the conversation he’d had with Indrid.
“Yes, I feel calmer. Turns out that there isn’t much difference between what our people do and what I do as a Dranovian. Each hunts the evil among the humans and beast species, and eradicates it. It could be why the energy between my siblings and us is so similar. Indrid said that he believed my mother was a Dranovian as well, even though she didn’t understand what she was,” Mikal said, thinking he was in good company either way. Being Hyperborean and Dranovian.
Chance rolled over and looked in his eyes as she smiled at him.
“Is he going to stay around here?” she asked, wondering if Indrid would go with them when they left Base Beta.
Mikal sighed into Chance’s neck.
“He has work to do. The sentinels live out among the humans just as we do. They pretend to be exorcists, shamans, ghost hunters, demon hunters . . . anything to get the humans to let them help them,” Mikal said, still surprised that their people traveled all over the world, helping in their own way.
“When is he leaving?” Chance asked.
“Tomorrow. He wants to say goodbye to you and Charlie. He’ll be back to visit though,” Mikal said with a smile.
“I am glad that you and he are together again,” she said, giving him a kiss. “What happened with the whole Dree and Angel thing? It sounds like all sides finally stopped fighting.”
Mikal winced at the image that flashed through his mind of the last time he’d seen Drago and Liam.
“Lara and Chris finally got everyone separated, but not before Angel let loose with her unstable prime powers and flared the fire in the hearth of the dining room. A couple of my brothers got a little charred, and Alex had to shave off what was left of his hair, but they survived,” he said.
“What about Liam and Drago?” Chance asked.
“They’re sporting a few bruises, but so is everyone else. I think Liam is currently the only target though. Everyone is a little more accepting of our sister and Drago because they are mated. Liam and Dree . . . that kind of blindsided all of us,” Mikal admitted.
“Why? Couldn’t you see how they felt about one another? They are always holding hands, always together and whispering to one another. It’s obvious they’re in love. They act no differently than Lara and Viper or Angel and Drago,” Chance said, surprised that they didn’t notice.
Mikal shook his head while his mind ran through his memories, finally noticing the things that Chance mentioned.
Hell, he thought, how did we miss it?
“You’re right. I guess we just kind of put it in the back of our minds and didn’t think about it. It’s still a shock that she’s already mated and pregnant, and Trick and Mir didn’t notice,” Mikal said.
“She was avoiding them. I wondered why she was always throwing things at them, but was never close enough to touch them. She was keeping them from sensing her energy. And with so many of you, it was easy for her to put a few of you in between her and them,” Chance said, admiring Dree’s thinking.
“Damn,” Mikal said, seeing it the way Chance did. “She was smart. Her brothers are the only ones who know her well enough to have sensed the change in her.”
“I think it’s wonderful. Charlie will have family to play with,” Chance said with a smile as she tucked her head into Mikal’s shoulder.
Mikal chuckled at the thought of how much things were going to change with 23 Dranovian and 5 Tezarian men chasing after 3 small children in their down time.
“I think they are going to be the most spoiled kids around,” Mikal said, with a grin.
“We won’t let it get too bad,” Chance said with a smile.
Mikal laughed heartily, knowing that none of them were going to be the problem.
“I bet you that when we end up at our new base tomorrow, my father will have already installed a nursery for Charlie, Dree, and Angel. It will be stocked with everything you can imagine, and more will be coming for weeks until he’s bought everything available on this planet, Valendra and Tezaria,” Mikal said.
“You’re kidding. Right?” Chance asked, unsure if he was or not.
Mikal shook his head.
“Nope, not kidding. Charlie is his first grandchild, and his oldest baby girl is having her first child. Then there’s Liam and his first child with Dree. That’s three of dad’s kids giving him grandchildren at the same time. He’s going to go way overboard, and if he doesn’t, my mom will,” Mikal said with a smile.
“What about us? Do you think we’ll be able to have children?” Chance asked. It was something she’d been wondering for days.
“Sergei, Amun, and Lauren said there’s nothing wrong with you. You were never crossed with human DNA, only Hyperborean and Dranovian - the same as me, so we should be perfectly compatible. Do you want children?” Mikal asked.
Chance sighed and leaned up to kiss him gently on the lips.
“Not now, but at some point, yes. There’s too much I need to learn right now, and with Charlie we’ll be busy enough. But when I’m more comfortable in the world and with working with your family, then yes. I would love to have a little you growing inside of me,” Chance said with a shy smile.
Mikal rolled Chance beneath him and stretched himself above her before kissing her. She pulled away and grinned up at him.
“What?” she asked with a sparkle in her white eyes.
Mikal slid his body up, then back down hers and he moaned at the contact before he looked down at her lovingly.
“I was just thinking that while you’re learning everything else that maybe we should practice conceiving a child now, so that we’ll be experts at when we’re ready,” he said with a grin, knowing how corny it sounded.
Chance giggled, her body flushing at the thought. She reached up and put her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her.
“That’s the worst excuse ever,” she said before she kissed him passionately.
Mikal became lost in the kiss until a thought suddenly popped into his head, and he jumped up from the bed, causing Chance to sit up and look around for what startled him.
“What is it?” she asked, reaching over to the bedside table and her trusted haladie.
Mikal stalked the room, looking in the closet and behind the heavy curtains that blocked out the perpetual light of the second sun.
“I’m making sure that damn cat isn’t lurking around,” Mikal said, looking under the bed and other furniture for the crazy feline.
“Why would he be in here?” Chance asked with a laugh as she watched Mikal look for Ranger.
“The crazy cat is . . . he’s nuts and could be lurking anywhere. He heard us the last time,” Mikal said as he finished looking around the room and peeked out the window, scouring the shadows outside.
“Oops,” Chance said as she giggled and dissolve
d into air and reformed behind Mikal.
She put her arms around him and kissed his naked back.
“Why does he bother you so much?” she asked.
Mikal sighed and shut the curtains, turning to take Chance into his arms.
“It’s just kind of creepy. He’s a lot scarier than Gibly. I know he said he was doing what Dad asked him to do, but there’s an underlying fierceness in him that the other cats don’t have,” Mikal admitted.
“You think he’s dangerous to us? To Charlie?” Chance asked, suddenly worried.
Mikal chuckled and gave her a swift kiss before he pulled her back towards the bed.
“Of course not! The Sibiox are amazing with all children. They don’t believe in harming innocent people creatures that can’t defend themselves. Children of any kind-even prey-are safe from the Sibiox. He’s just so sneaky and . . . smart,” Mikal said, trying to describe the odd cat.
He sat down on the side of the bed and pulled Chance towards him until he could reach up and slide the robe from her shoulders as the energy began to pulse between them. He leaned forward and kissed her stomach as Chance wrapped her arms around his head and kissed the top of it.
“I think you’re just not used to him and his personality because he’s so different from the other cat,” Chance said with a sigh as Mikal continued to kiss her stomach, his hands running up her back.
“No more talk about the cat,” Mikal whispered, his breath skittering across her stomach and creating goosebumps.
Chance shivered and allowed Mikal to pull her onto the bed beneath him as the energy beat around them like a drum. She looked up into his beautiful face and smiled as his skin shimmered as she ran her hand down his cheek.
“You’re a beautiful man,” she whispered and smiled when he grunted.
“You’re the beauty in this family,” he whispered back before he took her lips in a kiss that sent their body heat soaring.
“I love you, Mikal,” Chance whispered as she pulled away from his lips.
“I love you too, baby,” Mikal answered before he sent her body humming with pleasure.
“Please,” Chance whispered, trying to pull him up her body.
Mikal chuckled as he stalked up her body and drove inside of her wet heat. Her moan of pleasure and whispered words of encouragement drove him on until their world lit and shattered into glittering shards of energy around them.
Mikal collapsed to the bed and pulled Chance into his arms, unwilling to let her leave his side.
“Is it normal for us to make fairy dust like that?” Chance asked with a satisfied smile.
Mikal huffed out a breath, trying to calm his breathing.
“I don’t know, but I like it,” he said with a grin.
“Me too,” Chance whispered back.
Epilogue
The next morning Mikal and Chance had just entered the dining room with Charlie when he looked up and saw Indrid walk into the room followed by a half dozen Hyperboreans.
As if on autopilot, Mikal walked towards his father, staring curiously at the mix of men and women behind him. One of the women looked like Chance, with the alabaster skin, and the other had the same midnight skin as he and Indrid. Two other Hyperborean men shared the same dark flesh.
The room became deathly quiet as Indrid smiled at Mikal and his family before motioning to those behind him.
“Most of our people rest in a state of hibernation in a chamber beneath the castle. It is the guardians who are charged with awakening them as they are needed. These are the family members of the females that you found. It is the DNA of their loved ones that was used to create them. The guardians awakened them to care for the girls and teach them,” Indrid explained.
Mikal clutched Charlie tightly to him, determined that he would not give up his daughter to a family she didn’t know. He glared at Indrid, wondering why he hadn’t warned him and Chance.
Indrid patted Mikal on the shoulder.
“Don’t fear, son, the guardians did not awaken anyone for Charlie. It seems they also believe she is better with you and Chance,” he said with a smile as Mikal breathed out a sigh of relief.
“Will they remain here?” Mikal asked, knowing that Katie and the others wanted to stay at Base Beta.
Indrid nodded and watched the newly awakened families tentatively reaching out to Katie and the others.
“Yes, they will do what is best for them. Families are strong among our people, and they will be welcomed for the gifts that they are. Here, they will be able to learn of both of their people-the hybrids and the Hyperboreans,” Indrid said, well pleased with the care and love the females would receive here.
Indrid turned to the hybrids that had made their home here.
“That is, if you do not mind their presence among you. I believe they would be happy to share what knowledge they can with you,” Indrid offered.
Lauren stepped forward as the highest-ranking hybrid.
“We are grateful that you are allowing us to stay in the home of your people. It would be an honor to learn from you and live among you as we raise our people together,” Lauren said then bowed in respect to Indrid and the other Hyperboreans.
“It is an honor for us to consider you as friends,” Indrid said, returning Lauren’s bow before he turned to Mikal.
“Son . . . I would like to come see you, maybe see what your team does. I think there is much we could learn from one another,” Indrid asked softly.
“I would like that very much,” Mikal said, surprised at the request.
“I definitely would like to see you again and again,” Indrid said with a smile as he tickled Charlie’s belly.
Mikal barely held on to Charlie as she lunged out of his arms and into Indrid’s. He hugged her close and kissed her cheek.
“You be a good girl for your mommy and daddy,” Indrid whispered as he gently formed a mental connection with the child.
Charlie nodded her head and hugged him back before Indrid handed her back to Mikal and took Chance into his arms, gently forming a connection with her as well. He was taking no chances of losing them; this time he would be there immediately if one of them needed him.
“Thank you, for making my son happy,” Indrid whispered to Chance as he hugged her.
“He’s a wonderful man; he made it easy,” Chance said as she smiled up at Mikal.
Indrid cleared his throat and pulled away from Chance, turning to look at his son.
“I have missed you every day since you’ve been gone. This is the first time I will start my day looking at you and will end it knowing where you are and that you are safe. I love you, son,” Indrid said hoarsely.
“Thank you for never giving up on finding me. You’re welcome to visit or help, anytime. Be safe in your travels, Father, and we will do the same,” Mikal said, watching the tears well in Indrid’s eyes when he called him “father” for the first time in 147 years.
They turned at the commotion in the doorway and saw Liam running half naked from the hallway that they’d come down, through the dining room and out of the door, followed by an angry Trick and Mir.
Moments later, a robed Dree stomped into the room, heading towards the same door they’d left from.
“I thought this was worked out last night?” Mikal asked as Dree passed him.
Dree snorted and continued out the door without a word as Chris came in from the outside, shaking his head at her.
“I hate to get in the middle of your goodbyes, but we should go,” Chris said as he walked up to Mikal.
“What’s wrong?” Mikal asked, noting the concern in his brother’s energy.
Chris shook his head and tried to ignore the others in the room who were listening to every word. Not that it mattered if they were because he was sure the information was going to be all over the Shengari’ soon enough.
“Dad took over everything to do with the labs. Including the hunting of the DNA donors, and you know Dad, he went in with a bomb when a thumbtack would have w
orked. He forced the orange-tinted ass to resign, released a sex tape on another to make him resign, and he’s let loose a ton more deleted emails from that hidden server, because that pathetic bitch still won’t give up her personal crusade to rule the world. We need to get in the middle of this before he inadvertently takes out one of our informants,” Chris said in frustration.
Angel walked in with Drago and almost spat her disdain.
“That haggard old broad still has a ton of delusional people donating money to her and that’s why she’s still in it. She’s broke, remember?” Angel said sarcastically.
Chris ran a hand down his face, frustrated that things were getting so out of control. He was desperate to keep some of their informants safe and needed to get a handle on things immediately.
“I want us to finish off the rest of these assholes-not Dad so gear the hell up and let’s go!” Chris shouted to the room in general, knowing his siblings would hear and send the message to the ones lagging behind.
Chance looked up at Mikal as Chris left.
“Are you guys always in such a hurry?” she teased.
“Not always,” Mikal said as he leaned down to give her a kiss.
To my Readers:
Thanks so much for all of your patience with the changes that we’re making to First and Second Wave. We have a lot of exciting things that we’re hoping to have live for you all next year including a wiki with character details, relationships, and book and chapter summaries, as well as a very talented professional artist who will be bringing our characters to life!
We’re still averaging a new release every 8-9 weeks and will continue that into the new year.
Mac
Coming in December 2015
Manipulating Mikey
Private first class Mikey Davis had known something was wrong when he stumbled upon a roadblock in the White River National Forest. The soldiers and deputies blocking the road didn’t look quite right, and everything in his instincts told him something was wrong. The last thing he remembered was a flaming alien craft headed straight for him.