Their Mating Illusion [Paranormal Protection Unit 2] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Honor James

  Chewing his lip, he nodded. “I could do that if you’d like,” he agreed. “But if I get too overprotective and step over some imaginary feminine boundary line, just tell me. Don’t knock me unconscious and then glower at me for the next month, all right?”

  “Don’t worry, love, I will tell you,” Maya promised him with a wink. “Now then, I think that for now we will worry about each other and then later, when we make it to the gym, we will worry about training, deal?”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Leaning over, she let go of another heave. Her stomach once more emptied its contents, which happened to be nothing at all. Leaning back, she then curled up in a ball on the floor and cried. Gods, what was wrong with her? She had been perfectly fine an hour earlier, an hour earlier when they had made love before Quincy had to leave.

  Getting up and off the floor, she walked shakily back to the bed and dropped down and wrapped her body up in the blankets. Reaching a shaking hand out, she grabbed the phone and dialed Quincy. “Honey, I hate to bug you,” she murmured softly. “But is there any way that you can come home? Bring some saltines and tea maybe? I think that I’ve caught a flu bug.”

  Dropping the phone, Quincy didn’t even think, just did, and was at her side in seconds. “Baby,” he whispered, leaning over her slightly. Stroking her hair gently, he waited for her to shift so he could see her better. “Maya, love, talk to me, sweetheart.” Their kinds, changers and Magic Users, didn’t get sick often, which was why he was already freaking out. If she was sick it would not be good.

  Maya looked up at him and sighed. “I was perfectly fine this morning. I’m not running a fever. I’m not anything except so very tired and I just puked my guts out.” Weirdly though she was already beginning to feel better. That’s when it hit her. “Oh god,” she whispered. “Pregnant. I’m pregnant.” After doing a bit of mental math she knew that it was true, and paled just a bit. “Oh lord, love a duck, we are pregnant.”

  Staring blankly at her, he started to smile. He probably shouldn’t but he couldn’t help himself. “Really?” he asked. At her look and nod he did a little happy jig and crouched down to give her a gentle hug. “I love you, Maya, darling mine.”

  Maya grinned and hugged him right back. “And I love you, too, Quincy.” She pulled back and frowned. “Talon. Oh that dirty rotten…” She now recalled what had brought Quincy into his power and she said, “I think that you have known all this time, at least subconsciously. That is what saved me that day from the Jeep.” She grumbled. “You knew that I was pregnant with our child.”

  “Babe, I swear to all the Gods and Gaia that had I known I would have told you, flat out,” he said, holding his hands up in a peaceful gesture. He’d heard pregnant women were hormonal and unpredictable. Best not to upset her too early on. “But maybe that’s why I reacted as I did,” he admitted with a frown. Why else would he have turned the offending Jeep into dust that hadn’t even hit the dirt as it disintegrated?

  “It’s all right, love. All that matters is we know now.” She paused and sighed. Leaning back, she put her hands to her eyes. “Gods, we are pregnant.” She was beyond shocked. Good lord, she wasn’t sure that she was ready to be a mom.

  “I’m definitely not ready to be a dad,” he admitted, settling down next to her. “I really didn’t have the best role models growing up and, if you count those I work with, our kid will need therapy before he or she is out of the womb.”

  Maya couldn’t help but to snort and shake her head. “You silly, silly man. Haven’t you realized yet that the men and women that you work with as well as yourself are exactly what our child will need? Honey, this baby is going to know nothing but love, acceptance, and truth. This child is going to be in such a better place than normal human children are because he or she will know the truth of the world and they will learn from the womb that you are always honest and upfront about everything.”

  “And crazy,” he muttered, stroking his fingers up and down her arm. “I just hope I don’t screw up like my folks did,” he whispered. “It’s always been my biggest fear that I’d do or say something to drive you away. Now I’m about to have a child to worry about, as well.” He was going to start hyperventilating any second and it wouldn’t end well.

  Rubbing her hands up and down his back, Maya spoke quietly to him. “Well considering that I have no issue telling you when you piss me off and helping you get back on the track to making me happy, I don’t think we will have to worry about that. All I ask is that you talk to me. That you love me. I know you are going to love our child so that’s not even something that I have to ask for. You aren’t going to screw up because I won’t let you.”

  Laughing softly at that, he hugged her gently to him, careful not to squeeze too hard in case she still felt the need to throw up on him. Brushing a kiss to her cheek, Quincy leaned back. “I’m glad you realize you need to keep me in line, darling. Sorry I’m so high maintenance.”

  Maya shrugged. “Darling, trust me. I’ve grown up in a family of high-maintenance men and women. I had to learn really, really young to deal with them.” She winked at him. “And I love you, darling. You are more than worth taking care of.” She moved so that she could curl into him more and sighed. “How about you pull the blanket up and over you, too, so that we can have a bit of a nap together, please?”

  Shifting her gently, he tugged up the blankets and wrapped her tight in his arms. “I probably should have called Talon and told him where I was going,” he said. Not that he cared but he had a feeling his boss was going to have words for him. “Though he might be able to figure it out, considering the state of my office when I bailed.”

  Maya shrugged. “You have your cell, honey. Shoot him a text message or just use your magic to leave him a note on his whiteboard. That would freak him the hell out.” A sleepy yawn escaped her and she snuggled against him again. “Goodnight, darlin’. Shoot your boss a message so that he doesn’t come here searching for you.”

  “Yes, love.” He chuckled quietly. Digging out his phone, he sent off a text to Talon that something had come up and he’d been needed at home. He also asked his boss to ensure that his office was locked because Quincy couldn’t honestly recall if he’d done it or not. Tossing the phone aside, he turned back into his mate and hugged her to him. “Sleep, my love,” he whispered against her cheek.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “What are you eating?” Quincy asked, wrinkling his nose as he peered down at her tray. Collapsing into a chair next to her, he popped the tab on his energy drink and downed half of it in one go. “I was serious, love. What is that horrifically colored monstrosity you have upon your plate?” It looked like Crayola had puked or was the victim of one of those horror-movie whack jobs. He realized she was pregnant, but seriously? Why did that mean her entire diet had gone from mildly odd to terrifyingly bizarre and exotic?

  “This is a blend of fruits and veggies,” Maya said with a happy grin. “I’m craving colorful and seriously sweet things right now. I swear I think it’s because of you and your candy addiction.” And hers, but she wasn’t even bringing up her gummy worms, not after he found some in his shoes. How they got there she really didn’t know, but the way he had jumped, god, she had wished she had been able to take credit for that one!

  “Pretty sure it’s your addiction to gummies that has you on this kick,” he said, pointing at her plate of…stuff. Shaking his head, he looked at her, “You are looking more rested, love.” Thank the Gods. The doc would have killed him otherwise, he was sure. “I’m glad you got some sleep last night, baby. I was more than a little worried.”

  “It comes and it goes.” Which was one of the sucky parts of pregnancy. “I swear I think that there are days that I could sleep the entire day away and others where I can’t sleep to save my life.” It was weird, too. On the days when she couldn’t sleep, it wasn’t because she wasn’t tired. She just couldn’t fall asleep.

  “I’m sorry, love,” he told her quietly. “I would help
if I could.” But he was leery of doing any sort of magic around her and the baby. The Gods only knew the effects. Reaching out, he ran a finger down her cheek gently.

  “It’s all right. I’m doing fine and our baby is perfectly happy and healthy, so it’s nothing to worry about. I just don’t sleep sometimes. It’s something we need to get used to anyway, since when the babe comes along we will be lacking sleep anyway,” she teased.

  “Thank you for reminding me of that.” He groaned, slouching down in his seat. “We’re never going to sleep again, are we?” He knew the answer even as he asked the question. According to everything he’d researched, they wouldn’t sleep again for too many years to even contemplate.

  “Nope,” Maya muttered. “Not for a long time at least.” She let out a sigh and said, “So we should enjoy every moment of sleep that we can get now because, when our child comes along, we won’t get any unless they are zonked out, too.”

  “That can be arranged,” he muttered and then grinned big at her suspicious look. “We will survive it, darling. Besides, rule number one, always ensure momma sleeps when the baby is sleeping. Dad will survive with no sleep as long as mother and child are well rested and cared for.”

  Winking at him, Maya said, “And they all tried telling me that you weren’t the bright one. You get it, far more than any other expectant father has ever before gotten it, darling mine. See, this is why I love you. You know what’s needed for a happy and healthy relationship,” she teased.

  “I have read all the material many times over, love, just so that if needed I could quote it all by heart as required,” he told her honestly. “Unfortunately I haven’t yet found a manual on how to raise a kid. A bunch of semihelpful advice, some not so helpful, and a crap load of absolute bull snot. It’s amazing how many people think that kids should raise themselves so that they understand responsibility and are self-sufficient.”

  “Well, darling mine, I truly believe that as long as we are just simply happy together and give our child the values that we want him or her to have, we will be fine. I wouldn’t worry too much about it, darling. Together we will raise our child with the right set of values and just hope that it will turn out all right.”

  “So basically,” Quincy eyed her suspiciously, and speaking in a dry tone he said, “what you’re telling me is it’s a bloody crapshoot? Babe, that isn’t all that reassuring, I’m sorry to say. But I hear where you’re coming from, and while I see your point of view, I’m kind of hoping we can figure something out that’s a little more solid.”

  “Honey, it isn’t a crapshoot. We will give our child everything that they need and want. We will show them what being a good person is by our actions, my love. All we can do is give our children good role models, and between us and the men and women in this base we will have very good ones, darling.”

  “Gods, I hope so, love. I’d hate to have to be responsible for raising another snot-nosed asshole that believes everyone owes him for merely being alive and breathing. I’d hate to have to beat my own child,” he muttered under his breath.

  “Don’t worry, love, you won’t have to beat your child. We will raise a very, very good and loving child.” Together the two of them could do anything and they both knew it.

  “You may know it, darling, but I’m still mildly dubious, not of you but of me all the way.” Quincy had a feeling he’d be that way for the rest of his life. It was so ingrained that he didn’t see it going away any time in the next however many years he lived.

  “One day I’m going to make you see that you are the most amazing and lovable man. You do believe that you deserve this love that I give you and the happiness that I’m bringing by being here in your life, right?” She needed to know that he wasn’t completely morose about life and always thinking that he was going to fail in everything.

  “I do believe it,” he murmured quietly. “Though sometimes it does still feel a little like a dream.” He smiled, shifting to lean his cheek to her shoulder. “You are too good for me, darling, but it’s Gaia’s screwup and I’m bloody well keeping you.” Resting his hand on her belly, he let out a breath. “I’m absolutely terrified, love. I don’t like this feeling of fear I have when it comes to the unknown. I hate not knowing the answer to the question.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Quincy, honey, I’m fine,” Maya grumbled as she leaned against the wall, watching her bond-mate teetering between going to work and not going. “Honey, you know that you can’t stay home again just because I have the sniffles. Talon is already pissed off at you because you stayed home the last three days, love. I’m fine. Junior here isn’t due for three more weeks. I just have a cold and because of it my back hurts. Go. To. Work.” She enunciated each and every word.

  “I can work from home and T-Rex knows it,” he said with a grumble as he watched her. “Besides, I’d feel better if I was here with you when you’re not feeling well.” Quincy had woken with a bad feeling that morning. It had been culminating into a solid trouble warning in his gut. “I love you, Maya, and knowing you’re not well doesn’t sit well with me.”

  “I know, honey, but you are driving me crazy. I love you like nobody’s business but you’re driving me nuts, love.” He wouldn’t let her sit without fluffing a pillow for her, wouldn’t let her eat unless he tested the food first. It was sweet, but she needed a break. God love the man, but he was more nervous than she was about the baby coming into the world. “I do love you, Quincy, so very much, but you’re driving me to distraction. Go to work, love. I will be okay and if I’m not I will call and you can be here in a second flat.”

  Damn her. She had valid points, all of them unfortunately. “Fine,” he grumped with a glower in her direction. Moving to her, he rested his hands on her belly and sighed. “I’m sorry, Maya, I know I’ve been a complete and absolute wreck, but I hate not having something to do. You’re carrying the baby, growing the baby, keeping the baby safe, and I’ve been here sitting out here for nine months twiddling my thumbs.”

  “You have done a great deal more than just twiddle your thumbs, love,” Maya assured him as she cupped his face in her hands. “You completely did his room. Which I absolutely love, by the way.” It was her favorite part of their home right now, the soft colors, the beyond-comfortable chairs. She loved it. “And you have all but waited on me hand and foot, love. I’ve not had to do much of anything at all while pregnant. Goodness, you even went out and got me gummy worms in the middle of the night. Tell me that’s not a man who loves his woman like crazy?”

  “Actually that’s a man that’s terrified his woman would geld him.” He grinned at her sheepishly and chuckled. “It’s all for self-preservation, my sweet,” he spoke quietly, leaning in to kiss her. “If anything is wrong, let me know. Even if you have gas, call me.”

  Maya snorted. “I will not call you if I have gas,” she grumbled. “But I will call you if there is anything at all wrong. Don’t worry so much, darling.” Cupping his cheek in her hand, she added, “Now give me a quick kiss and go and soothe your Dragon boss. Ask him over for dinner tonight as well. We are having lasagna and garlic bread.”

  “He likes lasagna.” So did Quincy, but that was beside the point. Kissing her again slowly, he lifted his head. “I want to know if there is gas, damn it. If I’m not here then you have to give me a full report on any and all happenings, woman.”

  “Fine, fine, fine.” Maya grinned and winked. “The lasagna I’m making for you, love. I know it’s one of your favorites and I want to give you something good to show you how much I love you. Now.” She shooed him again. “Go. Invite Talon over so that he won’t be so angry with you for calling off these last few days.”

  “I didn’t call off. I’ve been working, just not where he wanted me, but it was fine.” Mostly. “I will go in and make him all happy again. It will be fine,” he said softly. Dropping another kiss to her lips, he breathed her in slowly. “I love you and I will see you for dinner.”

  “Good.” Maya smi
led and then hugged him again. “I do love you so very much,” she admitted honestly to him as she held onto him. “And I really will be fine. I’m just coming down with something.” She had found that while pregnant she seemed to pick up any and every single bug that might be going around, something Magic Users never did…get sick.

  “I hope so,” he whispered softly to her. “You call me if you need anything at all.” Stepping back, he grabbed up his bag. “Anything, Maya, and I mean anything.”

  “Anything, promise,” Maya assured him with a wink. “I love you. Come home for lunch.” She added, “Then you can go back to work and come home for dinner.” She hated eating without him. She needed him close and she very well knew it.

  “I will,” he said with a smile. Stepping back another step, he opened a slipstream and went from their home to the office in a single blink of the eye. Sitting down behind his desk, he let out a breath. He didn’t want to be there and his bad feeling was getting worse.

  Maya shook her head and grinned. “God, I love that man, but he needs to take a chill sometimes,” she said and then turned from where Quincy had disappeared and moved back to the baby’s room. She loved the room so very much. Taking a seat in the rocking chair, she began to rock, her hands on her belly, and talk to her son.

  Just before lunchtime, the pains in Maya’s back had gotten even worse. Rising from the chair, she walked to the door and braced her hand there. Sweat broke out on her forehead and she began to pant. Quincy! she yelled through their link. Oh God, I’m in labor. Need you, now.

  “I told you I shouldn’t go to work,” he said as he appeared behind her. “I said I had a bad feeling. I said I should stay here with you,” he muttered, moving in closer to wrap her in his arms. “Slow your breathing and admit that I was right and you were wrong. We’ll both feel better.”