“So what news do you have?” Luca asked her.
“The clans are banding together, they heard of our northern alliance. It doesn’t appear that they are allying under one clan, but simply banding together in a common goal. Though as far as our scouts know that goal hasn’t yet been blatantly stated. They fear it is in response to our alliance, instead of following our lead in the hopes of being a united race,” she said. I quirked an eyebrow, in interest as to what was going on, but remained silent. Simply taking another bite of stew.
“We can’t ignore this information,” Alex said. Luca simply nodded, thoughtful.
“We shouldn’t exactly do anything either. It has too much potential to be taken as a threat. We should however, inform the other clans of the north. Advise them to welcome any southern friendships and reiterate the goal to be a united species. Send your scouts to the borderlands with my authority,” Luca told her and Layla nodded.
“Consider it done. I’ll get back to you with my next update,” she said and got up to bow. Soon she was hastening out with her guard, or whatever he was.
“Are there other…non-human humans out there?” I asked slowly and Luca snorted.
“Have you ever heard the saying ‘truth is stranger than fiction?’” Alex asked me and I nodded. “There’s a wealth of strange things out there,” he said cryptically which sent a small shiver up my spine.
“It’s why our kind should always stick together, who knows when certain beings will want to come out of the shadows,” Luca murmured before taking a bite of his fish. I wondered what sort of world I stepped into, what world my kids will be born into.
***
Luca and Alex took me around their territory after lunch and showed me their hidden kingdom really. Luca’s house was huge, a modern mansion that blended in with the trees nicely. Then they showed me their community center, where they had clan meetings and Alex’s fighters trained and such, and their schools. They had an entire uncharted town intermingled with the reservation.
“So? Our territory is just like any other suburb,” Alex said when we finally got back to the cabin. I was ready to sink onto the sofa and take a nice nap.
“It’s nice, yeah…not what I expected in the least,” I admitted.
“We’re just hidden away is all,” Luca said. I sank down onto the sofa and stretched out. Noting that my belly was finally starting to poke out a bit.
“Look, I have a bump,” I beckoned them over and pointed to my stomach.
“I felt it earlier,” Alex smiled as he knelt down next to me and put his hand on my belly.
“Well let me…” Luca almost pouted. He walked over and put his hand on my stomach.
“Hey…will there be any complications for when I give birth?” I asked them, the thought only then occurring to me.
“No, you won’t give birth to live dragons if that’s what you think,” Alex said with a chuckle to his voice. I stuck my tongue out at him then got distracted by Luca’s rubbing of my belly. It felt nice, so nice that the ever talked about pregnancy hormones suddenly came to life. My skin tingled with an awareness I wasn’t prepared for. I felt Luca’s warmth as if he were pressed against my skin when in fact he only had one hand on me. His icy blue eyes locked onto mine and I knew he sensed my change in mood.
“Um…uh, I think it’s getting…late,” I said, trying not to sound as breathless as I felt with Luca’s gaze intent on me. By then the muscles in my core were clenching with need and my body temperature was rising. I stood up, but Luca was right there and not moving at all. Alex looked up at me with a small smile.
“You can’t expect us to leave, you’d be unprotected,” he said. I glanced at Luca who put his hand on the small of my back, knowing exactly what he was doing.
“No one knows about me…well other than Layla,” I said and side stepped Luca.
“It doesn’t matter. It would go against our nature not to have you by our sides while carrying our young,” Alex said, he stood up on an inhale and his gaze sharpened on me. “Feeling okay?” he asked with a small smirk and I rolled my eyes.
“I’m fine just tired. There are two guest rooms. Make yourselves comfortable,” I said and practically marched away from them. I almost forgot about King and Charles as I passed the kitchen and saw them sitting by their bowls. It was strange that they didn’t come out when I got home. But they greeted me normally when I went to put food into their bowls.
“You have cats…” Luca’s voice came from right behind me and I nearly jumped. King and Charles let him scratch their heads as they ate.
“Yeah…I do,” I said and took a deep breath.
“You know; you shouldn’t shy away from your needs. You have two of us here,” he said with a hint of humor in his voice.
“My needs?” I played dumb, trying to avoid the conversation entirely and retreat to my room for the night.
“Aren’t you hungry again by now?” he asked me and squinted at his innocent expression. “As far as I know you’ve only eaten that stew from lunch.”
“Well it was quite filling along with the bread,” I said slowly…wondering what his game was.
“Alright…and the other thing?” he asked while taking a slow step towards me. I opened my mouth to say something, but I drew a blank. Luca moved very deliberately, backing me against the counter, until he was barely a breath away from me. I inhaled his scent, which smelled like warm pine and clean skin. I swayed into him and he lowered his head to mine, his lips hovered directly over mine.
“You smell really good,” I said softly and he chuckled.
“Do I?”
I nodded and he ran his thumb up under my jaw, tilting my head to the side. He put his nose to my throat and inhaled. Never would I have found a guy sniffing my neck to be such an incredible turn on. But everything south of my belly button seemed to quiver.
“Luca…” I breathed his name, unable to speak like a regular person. His hand slid around my waist and he pressed his erection against my belly. My breathing hitched and a slow burn began to work its way through my veins. He trailed kisses up from the base of my throat to my jaw and finally his lips sealed over mine.
*****
Luca’s hands slid down from my waist then and right at that moment my stomach decided to growl as if I was carrying two baby dragons inside of me. I pulled back a fraction, pressing my lips together in embarrassment. Luca simply chuckled and he took a step back while taking a deep breath.
“Let’s get some food into you,” he said. I pouted, wishing my stomach hadn’t complained at all.
“Right now? This second?” I protested and Luca chuckled.
“Yes, I can’t have you enduring hunger pangs,” he said while going around the kitchen and looking in the fridge and cabinets for food. “None of this will do…” he murmured, then called for Alex who appeared in the kitchen a moment later.
“We need to get her some proper food,” Luca told Alex, who nodded. “I’ll be back in a moment,” he said, much to my displeasure. I didn’t want food as much as I wanted…well him. Luca gave me a small smirk before he left and I simply glared at him.
“What’d he do to you?” Alex asked with a chuckle.
“A very mean thing,” I murmured. “Is he always so…” I grasped for a word that would describe Luca and came up with a blank.
“Luca? Yeah he’s pretty much always like that,” Alex said with good humor. I sighed and walked with Alex back into the living room.
“Does he think that I’ll be his…”
“His mate? I don’t think he expects it, no. But you’ll have to ask him that yourself,” he said as we sat down.
“I mean…how are you guys treating this whole…situation? Especially since you think that you both have a baby in me.” Alex laughed at that and he shrugged a fraction.
“Well if either or both of us grows feelings for you Chloe it’d be up to you to decide what to do with that,” he said frankly. I hoped things wouldn’t get that complicated. But th
en King, the least friendly of my cats, jumped into Alex’s lap and actually curled up for Alex to pet him. Purring and all. I was already more softened towards Alex because he was the warmer of the pair, more personable.
“I’m going to go shower,” I told him and left the room before he could give much of a response. The shower turned out to be what I needed to settle my nerves. When I got out of the bathroom I nearly ran right into Alex.
“I’m sorry,” he said, quick to apologize, but his eyes were busy traveling the length of my body. “Luca is back with dinner,” he said.
“Okay…” I said and glanced away from him a bit awkwardly. He left the room quietly and I pulled on a pair of pajamas, which was an oversized shirt and boy shorts. I found Luca and Alex at the small kitchen table and joined them.
“What did you bring?” I asked even though whatever it was smelled amazing.
“Something not too heavy for this time of night,” Luca said and pushed a plate of lentils and steamed cabbage my way. The dish sounded simple, but my goodness the flavors. I practically inhaled the food and got a huge dose of food fatigue afterwards. After dinner I went right to bed and curled up on my side, eager for the sleep waiting for me.
Come morning I woke up feeling really hot. When I opened my eyes I found myself sandwiched in between both Luca and Alex. They were awake. Luca reclining against the headboard with one hand behind his head and Alex was stretched out on his belly. His head propped up on his crossed arms.
“I’m sweating,” I murmured and Alex smirked at me mischievously.
“Well next time wear less to bed.” Luca chuckled at his brother’s comment and I rolled my eyes, but couldn’t help my small smile.
“You both are very presumptuous,” I said and sat up with a yawn.
“We get to be with you,” Luca said and smiled with a playful arrogance that came easily to him. I realized then that I had a really good night’s sleep, the best I’ve had since being pregnant. I filed that fact away and scooted out of bed.
“What are we doing today?” I asked them.
“Going to introduce you to our parents. Word has gotten out about you around the community of course. Our mother is very curious,” Alex said and my eyes widened a bit in mild alarm.
“I’m meeting your parents today?” Luca laughed at me while Alex got up and took my hands in his.
“They aren’t scary at all. You don’t have to be worried,” he said reassuringly.
“And what do the rest of your people think?” I asked worriedly.
“Well the females I’m supposed to be courting aren’t pleased in the slightest. The rest are very blasé about it as long as their future ruler is raised within our territory and to know the culture,” Luca said frankly.
“Wow that’s…well heartening,” I said.
“Our people aren’t usually dramatic when loyalties are involved,” Alex said confusingly.
“…okay then,” I said and walked towards the bathroom to freshen up and not freak out about meeting Luca and Alex’s parents. As I lifted my head after brushing my teeth though, my stomach did several somersaults and I hurried over to the toilet. I groaned more in annoyance than anything. I should be shaking the morning sickness already. Another wave of dizziness hit me and was quickly followed by more heaves of my stomach. Soon enough I felt hands on my shoulders and one holding my hair while another rubbed my back.
“Oh my goodness go away,” I groaned and tried to push them away. Of course neither budged until the heaving subsided. Luca helped me to my feet and I tried to brush them off while I went to the sink.
“How do you feel?” Alex asked me, almost anxiously.
“I’m fine it was just a bout of morning sickness. I’m glad it didn’t happen while I was meeting your parents,” I said before brushing my teeth all over again.
“Isn’t morning sickness supposed to subside this far along?” Luca asked me softly. He still had his hand on my back and his gaze never left my face.
“Sometimes it can stick all the way through…as long as I don’t get dehydrated or faint because of it, it’s technically okay,” I told them, hoping the words wouldn’t apply to me as I said them.
“Maybe you should stay in today then,” Alex suggested.
“No, no I want to go. I can’t stay confined to this cabin all day,” I said, “I’ll be ready in a sec.”
I quickly brushed my hair out and pulled on the best pair of jeans I brought with me. As I rummaged through the drawers in the closet I realized I only brought flannel shirts or something thin and long sleeved to wear under a vest or jacket. I planned to hike and be with nature, not meet the parents of the father of my children. Frustrated I stepped out of the closet in nothing but a pair of jeans and my bra. Both Luca and Alex stopped their conversation immediately to look at me.
“All I have are flannel shirts…” I said.
“Don’t worry about that. Flannel is perfect,” Alex said with a reassuring smile. I nodded then went to go button one on and pull on a pair of boots. Luca was right outside the closet door when I reemerged.
“You’re perfect,” he said then took my hand.
“Where’s Alex?” I asked.
“Outside, waiting in the truck.” Luca led me to the kitchen, seemingly reading my thoughts on my wanting some saltines for my stomach. After that we stepped outside and I discovered that they’d brought their own truck to the cabin. It was a huge white Ford, the kind that could probably tow an entire house. Once we were all inside of the thing we were off. I had to say I really hoped their parents weren’t as intense as Luca often was.
*****
“There’s going to be food at your parents’ house right?” I asked them while munching on the saltines, more out of hunger than anything else at that point.
“Yes they have breakfast prepared, we’re almost there,” Luca said. He passed by his huge house and a few others before pulling into the drive of a quaint cottage that looked like it grew out of the forest floor.
“Your parents live in Snow White’s cottage?” the comment slipped out before I could check it. Alex burst into laughter and Luca actually chuckled.
“They do and they love it. Less to clean my mother says.” He gave me a fond smile before we all got out, Alex had to literally carry me to the ground, the truck was so high. My palms were sweating a little, I couldn’t remember the last time I had met someone’s parents. The front door opened before we could actually make it there to knock. I was a little taken aback though, their parents were a really attractive couple. Not to mention they hardly looked a day over forty. Luca’s dad is where he got the silver white hair from, but his mom had the blue eyes. He resembled his father a lot with similar angular masculine features. His mom was a knockout honestly, she was almost model tall, with a svelte figure and a timeless porcelain face.
“Mother, father, this is Chloe,” Luca introduced me as we walked up to them and Luca’s mom embraced me in a hug as soon as I was close enough.
“Oh it’s so good to meet you! I’m Marissa, this is Abe. But you can call me Mari if you like,” she said after she pulled back a fraction. Her hands still on my upper arms. Abe simply gave me a polite smile and inclined his head in greeting.
“Welcome Chloe,” was all he said. I realized then that Luca was definitely a lot like his father.
“Thank you for having me. I have to admit I’m a bit nervous,” I said with a small smile.
“Oh don’t be! You’re family now,” Mari said and she put her arm around my shoulders and led me inside. I couldn’t help but smile genuinely, Mari was infectious.
“So how far along are you now? How are you faring with the pregnancy?” She asked me as we all walked back to the intimate dining room to have a seat.
“I’m close to ten weeks now…” I began, but Luca cut me off.
“And she’s still having morning sickness,” he said. “Don’t you have something that can remedy that mother?” he asked her.
“Oh yes, a simp
le tea that works wonders,” Mari smiled at me then in sympathy. “When I was pregnant with Luca I had morning sickness all the way through.”
“So Chloe, do you plan on moving to the territory once the young are born?” Abe asked me curiously and I floundered a bit before getting a straight answer out.
“Well I know it’s very important to Luca and Alex that they be raised here. But I’m still thinking about it,” I said truthfully and bit my bottom lip. Hoping Abe didn’t fault me for not saying yes right away. Alex nudged my side briefly and I realized he had made me a plate of food from what was set out on the table. I smiled at him gratefully and took a bite of the buttery croissant and eggs.
“It’s not only very important, but imperative. You carry the heirs to both the leader of our clan and leader of our fighters,” Abe said, though not unkindly.
“I know…I guess I just have to get used to the idea of moving away from Seattle,” I said, the thought sending a sad pang through my chest.
“So do you have any inclination as to what you’re having yet? Two boys? A boy and girl?” Mari asked me curiously. Everyone else had finally started eating and I felt some of my nervous tension draining a bit.
“Strangely enough I haven’t had any dreams or anything to give a hint. Though Alex and Luca are both sure it’s two boys,” I glanced at them both. Alex grinned proudly, Luca simply smirked.
“Well do you have any brothers or sisters?” Abe asked me.
“No, I’m an only child,” I said.
“And your family lives in Seattle as well?” he looked at me curiously, though his dark brown gaze was intent. Reminding me of the way Luca sometimes stared at me.
“My father and step-mother do. Though it’s their cabin that I’m staying in now just outside of Neilton. I do have a few cousins on my real mother’s side. But they live out of state. My father was an only child as well.” Abe nodded thoughtfully and there was a lull in the conversation as we ate.
Pregnant to an Alien King Box Set Page 188