The Lasaran (Aldebarian Alliance Book 1)

by Dianne Duvall

  Seth smiled, then released her. “It’s as I thought. Your baby is healthy, as is your pregnancy. The pains were a direct result of that which Taelon experienced. Now that he is well again, you should experience no more until you go into labor.”

  Tears of relief filled her eyes. Lisa blinked them back. “The baby is really okay?”

  He nodded. “Your daughter is fine. Lasaran DNA is actually not that different from gifted one DNA, so the two blend well.”

  “I don’t know what a gifted one is.”

  He patted her shoulder. “You are a gifted one. No doubt that is why the military targeted you. But we will get into that later. Let’s get Taelon settled in your room so you can rest.”

  “Okay.”

  Vampires. Immortals. Taelon’s sister being married to one and having a child. Gifted ones. Healers. Teleporters. Good guys. Bad guys. Antisocial guys. It was all a lot to take in. Lisa still didn’t understand half of it and really just wanted to curl up in bed beside Taelon and wait for him to wake up.

  Seth seemed to understand and swiftly settled Taelon in a king-size bed.

  Lisa pulled the soft sheet and comforter up to Taelon’s chest, then straightened and looked around the bedroom. It was beautiful, like a very high-end hotel room. And large, capable of holding at least three of the cheap motel rooms she and Taelon had been sharing.

  The furniture was expensive and modern: a beautiful dark wood bed, side tables, and matching highboy. A sofa wide enough for Taelon to stretch his long length on. A cushy ottoman. A large flat-screen TV that looked like it cost as much as a semester’s college tuition.

  Seth, Melanie, and Bastien left as soon as Taelon was settled. Ami, Marcus, and Leah lingered. Ami shifted restively, clearly wanting to stay with her brother.

  Marcus touched a hand to her back. Ami glanced up at him. The two stared at each other long enough for Lisa to wonder if they were communicating telepathically.

  Then Ami nodded and gave Lisa another hug. “Thank you for bringing my brother back to me. If you need anything, please let me know.”

  Reluctantly, she left the room, her husband trailing after her.

  Leah remained behind and closed the door. “It’s a lot to take in, isn’t it?” she asked, her smile kind.

  Lisa nodded.

  “Well, we’re all here for you, Lisa. Whatever you need.” She crossed to the highboy. “Speaking of which, I took the liberty of stocking this with clothing for you both. This is David’s home. He’s Seth’s second-in-command and always keeps a large supply of clothing on hand for any immortals who might decide to spend the night. Everyone loves Seth and is very protective of Ami and Adira, so a lot of them like to drop in and stay for a while.” She patted the top two drawers. “These are for Taelon. Pants, shirts, boxers, and socks. I put a selection of boots in the closet.” She patted two middle drawers. “You and Ami are pretty close in size, so I borrowed some of her maternity clothes for you. Some are in here, and some are hanging in the closet. If they fit, I’ll send Sheldon and Tracy out to buy some new stuff for you.”

  Lisa didn’t think she had met a Sheldon or a Tracy yet, but was too tired to care.

  “You look like you could drop at any moment. How about a nice hot shower? Then you can lie down with Taelon and get some sleep.”

  A shower sounded divine, but she didn’t want to let Taelon out of her sight.

  “I can drag the bed to the middle of the room so you can see him from inside the shower,” Leah suggested as though reading her thoughts.

  Lisa stared at her. “Really?”

  “Sure.” Leah offered her an easygoing smile. “If I were in your position, I wouldn’t want to take my eyes off him either. I’ll also keep you company in the bathroom in case you start to feel woozy. But I’ll keep my back to you, of course.”

  At this point, Lisa was too tired to argue. “Okay.”

  Leah reached down, grabbed the foot of the bed, and dragged it halfway across the floor as though it were as light as a folding chair. Then, true to her word, she sat on the lid of the commode with her back to Lisa and kept her company while Lisa showered.

  It was so odd. Leah chatted amiably with her as if they were longtime friends or something.

  Lisa wasn’t accustomed to that level of kindness. The customers in the bookstore were often rude and impatient. The other students in her classes tended to ostracize her because she was always too broke to join them for a cappuccino or to go clubbing, and she couldn’t afford a smartphone, so she couldn’t text and remained clueless regarding apps and social media and whatever else it was that seemed to consume their attention.

  Only Dr. Aguera and Brad had offered her kindness in recent years.

  And Taelon.

  Lisa felt much better after her shower. Exhausted though.

  Leah pushed the bed back against the wall, then smiled. “You look really cute in that.”

  Lisa flushed as she fingered the soft material of the maternity gown she’d donned. “Thank you.”

  Leah drew back the covers on the empty side of the bed.

  Lisa slipped in beneath them and let Leah draw the covers up and tuck her in. Unwitting tears burned the backs of her eyes when Lisa remembered her mother doing the same for her when she was a little girl. Damn pregnancy hormones. “You’re very kind.”

  Leah smiled. “You’ve been through a hell of a lot, Lisa. I think you deserve some kindness. And you’ll find a lot of it here. Just think of us as a great big family with a few weird quirks.” She winked. “I bet you could use a little pampering, too. Can I bring you a snack or a nice home-cooked meal? When was the last time you ate something?”

  “I’m fine, thank you.” She was too damn tired to eat anything.

  “Okay. I’ll let you rest then.”

  Leah strode toward the door.

  “You’re married to Seth?” Lisa couldn’t resist asking. Seth seemed to be the leader of this crew and could be extremely intimidating with all the power he radiated. How exactly did one come to date someone like him?

  Leah turned with a smile. “Yes. We’re newlyweds.” Her smile faltered. She pressed her lips together as her brow puckered. “Which reminds me… We’re hoping you’re going to stay for a while, and I don’t want you to be alarmed when…”

  Lisa’s curiosity rose when the woman seemed torn between amusement and embarrassment. “What?”

  “It’s weird. I’m so used to everyone knowing about this that I’m not sure how to say it.” She wrinkled her nose. “I’m just going to blurt it out, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  When next she spoke, Leah’s words came quickly. “Seth is superpowerful, so much so that he can control the weather. But sometimes his control slips and…” A bit of pink entered her cheeks and she laughed. “Oh hell. It storms and the ground shakes whenever we make love. There. I said it.”

  Lisa stared at her.

  She grinned. “I know. It’s crazy, right? The first time it happened, I didn’t even say anything until after someone else mentioned it because saying”—her voice rose and turned breathy—“Ooh, Seth, I felt the earth move”—then returned to normal—“just sounded too cliché.”

  Lisa couldn’t help it. She laughed.

  “I know, right? Seth thinks it’s because he was celibate for so long before we got together and is hoping it will stop soon. The guys all rib him about it. A lot. But Ami is like a daughter to him, so we spend all our downtime here, and he is way too fantastic a lover for me to abstain. You’re bound to hear the thunder and feel the tremors, and I don’t want you to be afraid.”

  Lisa wasn’t quite sure how to respond. “So everyone knows whenever the two of you make love?”

  “Yes. I was pretty dismayed at first, but…” Leah’s eyes acquired a faint golden glow as she sighed dreamily. “Damn, that man is talented in bed.” Then she blinked, and the glow receded. “Anyway. Get some rest. If you need anything—food, something to drink, someone to chat with or to check on Taelon
, anything—just poke your head out the door and give a shout.”

  Lisa stared at the door after Leah departed. This was not at all what she and Taelon had expected to find here. It almost seemed too good to be true.

  Hell, it did seem too good to be true. But exhaustion kept muddling Lisa’s thoughts.

  Rolling onto her side, she scooted over and snuggled up against Taelon. She tugged his arm around her, wanting to rest her head on his shoulder instead of one of the cushy pillows. She drew a knee up and draped it across his thighs. Her palm she rested on his chest where she could feel the slow, strong beat of his heart.

  Her eyelids drooped as her own breathing slowed.

  Then darkness embraced her.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Taelon sighed. Consciousness beckoned, urged on by a low rumbling and subtle shaking. A loud clap of thunder struck, sounding almost like an explosion. His eyes flew open.

  “Wow,” Lisa muttered, burrowing into his side. “She wasn’t kidding.”

  They were in bed, but he didn’t recognize the room.

  And the bed was shaking.

  He gave their surroundings a quick look.

  Everything was shaking. Was this an earthquake?

  He tightened his hold on Lisa.

  Stiffening, she raised her head. “You’re awake.”

  He nodded, alarm rattling him as much as the damn bed did. “What’s happening? Where are we?”

  Relief blanketed her features as she slid over on top of him and hugged him as tightly as her tummy would allow.

  He winced in anticipation of the pain it would cause… then blinked. The pain was gone.

  All of it.

  Wonder filled him. Pain had been a constant companion for so long that he had forgotten what it felt like to be free of it.

  He frowned. Wait. Why was he free of it?

  The earthquake intensified, as did the storm outside the windows.

  “Lisa? Where are we? What’s happening?”

  She sat up, dragging her hands down his chest as she did. Her nose was pink. Her eyes glistened with moisture.

  When her fingers rasped across the stubble on his chest, he glanced down.

  Shock tore through him, widening his eyes. “What the drek?” His wounds were gone. The ugly incision, the half-assed stitches… Not a trace of either remained.

  He stared up at Lisa, seeking answers.

  “We found Amiriska,” she said, sniffing back tears. “She goes by Ami now. She’s healthy and happy and not here against her will. You collapsed. Then Seth healed your wounds. Every single one of them, even the tiniest scratch or bruise. He just laid his hands on your chest and your head and the wounds disappeared like magic. And he said the baby is healthy and—”

  “Wait.” Tucking his hands under her arms, he lifted her easily and shifted her back a bit onto his thighs so he could sit up. And so her every movement wouldn’t stimulate his already hard cock and distract him further. “We’re…” He combed his fingers through his hair. “Where are we?”

  “At David’s house. He’s Seth’s second-in-command. Seth is the leader of the Immortal Guardians.”

  Taelon clasped her upper arms. He remembered coming here and climbing the gate, but nothing after that. “You’re okay? They didn’t hurt you?”

  She smiled. “I’m fine now that you’re awake. And no, they didn’t hurt me. They’ve actually gone out of their way to be kind to me and to help you.”

  He struggled to grasp it. “So Seth is an immortal, not a vampire?”

  “Yes. So is Roland. And Marcus. Most of the men and women here are immortals, I think, with a few humans mixed in. Leah is Seth’s wife and has visited me twice while we waited for you to wake up. She’s been explaining it all to me. Apparently Immortal Guardians hunt and kill psychotic vampires to keep them from preying upon humans. Both groups get their speed, strength, and regenerative capabilities from a virus, but it isn’t contagious.”

  He shook his head, trying and failing to catch up. “Where’s Riska?”

  “She’s here.” Smiling, Lisa raised her voice as the storm intensified. “And she’s well. Really well. Seth and David are the ones who rescued her from the base where she was tortured. They burned it to the ground, Taelon. She’s like a daughter to them now.”

  “Why the hell is the ground shaking, and why aren’t you concerned about it?” Was he dreaming? Or hallucinating? This seemed so unreal.

  She grinned. “Because this sort of thing happens a lot around here. I’ll explain the cause later.”

  Confusion buffeted him. “Am I dreaming?” he asked finally.

  Her expression softening, she cupped his stubbled jaw in her hands. “No, you aren’t dreaming.” She brushed her lips against his. Once. Twice. Then deepened the kiss until he forgot everything but the feel of her in his arms.

  How glorious was it to be able to wrap his arms around her and press her close without having to bite back a moan of pain? Her full breasts rubbed against his chest, her nipples hard beads beneath the thin material of her nightgown. He wanted to taste them and lick them and suck them.

  She moaned when he slipped his tongue past her lips and stroked hers.

  Sliding his hands down to her bottom, he dragged her tighter against him, trapping his hard cock between them. Drek, he wanted her. Without the pain dampening it, his lust roared to life, even stronger than before, chasing everything from his head except the need to be inside her.

  “Touch me,” she murmured.

  Grasping the hem of the nightgown, he whipped it over her head. He stared at her full breasts, then met her heated gaze. “You’re so drekking beautiful.” He captured her lips in another long, devouring kiss.

  “Taelon,” she moaned.

  He trailed a series of hot kisses down her neck. Bending her back over one arm, he took a taut pink peak into his mouth and sucked hard.

  She squirmed against him, shoving her fingers into his hair and tugging him closer.

  It was such a relief to be able to hold her without pain constantly battering him, to feel only desire and affection and ever-deepening love. He cupped her other breast in his free hand, kneading it and teasing the tip with light pinches.

  “Yes,” she breathed.

  Energy thrummed through him, along with desire. He hadn’t felt this good, this alive, in years.

  He lay back, taking her with him. Rolling them onto their sides, he slipped a knee between her thighs and drew one of her legs up over his hip.

  “I want you,” she moaned. “Inside me. Now.”

  He didn’t think he had ever wanted anything more. But… “We can’t. The baby.”

  She shook her head. “Seth said the baby’s healthy and that my pregnancy is fine. Do you know what that means?”

  He stilled. Fear, fury, and jealousy rushed through him. “It means,” he growled, “that I’m going to have to kill Seth if he gave you a personal exam.” What the drek had happened while he’d been unconscious?

  Eyes wide, she shook her head. “He didn’t. He just touched my stomach—”

  “He touched you?” Taelon thundered.

  “Just my stomach! He just touched my stomach. And Amiriska and Leah and Melanie and some others were right there. He didn’t do anything inappropriate. He just touched my stomach and told me everything is good.”

  Taelon tried to clear his lust-fogged brain. “The pains—”

  “Are gone. I’m fine now. The baby is fine now. She’s healthy.”

  As if the baby wished to confirm it, she gave a hearty kick where Lisa’s tummy touched his.

  “I’m good, Taelon,” she said, her voice calm. And he realized the shaking had ceased and the storm was subsiding. “I’m rested. I’ve been eating like there’s no tomorrow. The baby is good. The pregnancy is going well now. So…”

  He stared at her. “So we can make love?”

  “Yes.”

  “You’re sure we’re safe here?”

  “Yes.”

&nb
sp; He trusted her judgment and offered no further objections when she kissed him deeply. He could bond with her now. He could finally bury himself in her tight, warm sheath and—

  The door burst open.

  Taelon and Lisa both jumped and looked toward the door as Amiriska raced in.

  “I sensed you were awake and—Oh!” She skidded to a halt. Color flooded her face as she spun around and gave them her back, bumping into the man who entered behind her. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to… interrupt.”

  Taelon stared.

  Marcus—one of the immortals who had come to their motel room—looked as though he were struggling not to laugh as he took Amiriska by the shoulders. “I told you to ring the bell first.”

  Amiriska popped him on the chest. “I didn’t know they were… that they were going to be…” Groaning, she buried her face in his shirt.

  Shaking his head, Marcus smiled and curled an arm around her. “We’ll just let you get back to what you were doing,” he said as he began to back toward the doorway, taking Amiriska with him. “Sorry for the interruption.”

  “Wait.” Taelon sat up. He had no memory of seeing Amiriska and didn’t want to let her out of his sight. She looked good. Embarrassed as srul, but good.

  Why was she letting Marcus touch her like that? Even casual contact was forbidden between unmarried males and females on Lasara.

  He glanced down at Lisa, who was doing her damnedest to burrow beneath the covers in embarrassment.

  Taelon had long since broken the no-touch rule himself, so he knew protesting would be hypocritical… but Amiriska was his little sister.

  This man dared to touch her so familiarly?

  And she allowed it?

  “Amiriska, don’t go.” His fist clenched in the sheet. He wanted the throw back the covers and follow her, but he was naked and very aroused. He looked at Lisa.

  Lisa turned her gaze upon Marcus. “Just give us a quick minute to put some clothes on.”

  Marcus sent her a good-natured smile. “Don’t rush on our account. We can wait.”

  “I can’t,” Taelon snapped.