What on Earth—or on Trevelor—was she going to do now?
Chapter Fourteen
Inzen’s chest ached. As happy as he was to have Lily back in his arms, he couldn’t stand the devastation on Jade’s face. When he saw her sorrow turned to anger, he couldn’t blame her, even though he had not been responsible for the loss of her daughter. Lily’s arms tightened around his neck, and he gave her a soothing pat before remembering it was no longer his place to do so. But how could he give her up? Aside from the biological facts of her parentage, she was his daughter in every sense of the word.
Jade’s hand reached out again, almost tentatively, to stroke Lily’s head, and his tail instinctively brought her closer. The three of them, together like this, felt so right. Like a family. The thought sent a wave of hope through him. Was it still possible that the three of them could form a family? That neither of them would have to lose a daughter?
He raised his head to find Abby staring at them thoughtfully. Did she have the same idea? But the one he wished to discuss it with was Hrebec. His former captain was the best person to advise him on how to approach a human female.
“Lily,” he said gently, “this is your mama. Wouldn’t you like to meet her?”
“No,” came the muffled response from his neck.
The look of anguish on Jade’s face went straight to his heart.
“Lily, you could show your mama where we keep the cookies,” Abby suggested.
That actually resulted in Lily raising her head for a minute, but she looked down at Jade and shook her head. Her tiny arms went back around his neck.
“My dada.”
As much as it warmed his heart to hear her say it, he couldn’t bear the hurt in Jade’s eyes. He reluctantly started to peel away Lily’s arms, but Jade shook her head.
“I should have realized that it would take time. Forcing her will only make it worse.”
To hell with asking Hrebec’s advice. He wanted this resolved.
“Would you care to take a walk with me? With us?” he amended quickly.
“If you think I’m letting her out of my sight, you’re entirely mistaken. But I’m willing to walk with both of you.”
“We will be back shortly,” he said to Abby as Hrebec walked over to join her.
“Of course.” Abby hesitated. “Jade, I don’t want to question your instincts, but are you sure?”
“Oh, yes. She looks just like my husband.” He did not like the reminder of her former mate, but he managed to keep silent as her eyes went to the other little girl. “There weren’t any redheads in his family, and certainly not in mine. But I assume we could do genetic testing if necessary?”
“I would recommend it,” Hrebec said. “It would eliminate any doubt.”
“I want to let Elaina know.” Abby turned to Jade. “She and her mate are the ones who adopted Ginger. Mikey belongs to them as well.”
Jade tilted her head, studying the other two infants, and Abby shot him a startled look. She too had recognized the gesture.
“I’m very sure,” Jade said. “I’m fine with doing the test to make it official, but I don’t need it to know.”
“She’ll be very relieved.” Abby bit her lip as she looked at him again. “I’m sorry. I know it’s a terrible situation.”
He inclined his head, then offered his hand to Jade. Would she take it? Immense relief washed over him when she put her hand on his after a long pause.
As they started to leave, Lily suddenly raised her head.
“Bobo,” she demanded.
“Here he is,” Abby said quickly, retrieving the toy from the blanket and handing it to him.
Jade’s eyes fastened on it, then tears began flowing down her cheeks once again.
“What is it, my letari?”
“The toy…” she whispered, running a finger along the faded fur before Lily seized it. “My grandmother made it for me when I was a baby. I looked for it after Lily was taken, but I couldn’t find it.”
“It is her favorite,” he said softly.
A shaky smile appeared as she watched Lily cuddle Bobo close. “Somehow it makes me feel better to know that she had a part of my family with her all this time, comforting her.” She dashed away the tears with an impatient hand. “Let’s take that walk.”
Together they walked down to the shore of the small river. Multicolored stones in various jewel tones formed a shallow rocky beach, and Lily looked around with interest.
“Down, Dada,” she demanded.
They were so close to the water. Was it safe? He hesitated, and Jade frowned at him.
“Aren’t you going to put her down?”
“But the water is right there.”
“And there are two adults watching her. Do you really think that either one of us would let anything happen to her?”
“I suppose you are right.” He reluctantly placed Lily on the ground and she tugged him down after her, putting Bobo on his lap.
“Dada, stay,” she ordered as she began inspecting the rocks, shooting frequent suspicious glances at him over her shoulder.
“Will you join me?” he asked.
He held up a hand to Jade, and once again she delighted him by letting him assist her as she sat down next to him. They sat in silence, watching his—her daughter playing.
“I have an idea,” he said finally.
“Yes?” She gave him a suspicious look.
“I know you do not have any credits—”
“If you think for one second that I would ever sell you my daughter—” she began, her tone furious.
“No, of course not. I was just thinking about the fact that without credits you may find it difficult to arrange for living quarters.”
She twisted the ring on her finger she always wore, the one with the stone that matched her eyes. “I thought maybe I could sell this.”
“But you said that your grandmother gave it to you and that it had great value.”
She shrugged, but he could see the pain on her face.
“Hana is more important to me than any piece of jewelry.” Then she sighed. “But maybe I should get used to calling her Lily. If that’s the name she’s comfortable with, then that’s what really matters.”
“Did the name you gave her have significance?”
“It was my grandmother’s name.” But then she looked up at him, eyes flashing green fire. “But whether I change her name or not, she’s still my daughter.”
“I recognize that, Jade. I would never try to keep you from your daughter.” He reached out and took her hand. “But in every way except birth, she is my daughter too.” She started to draw away and he firmed his grip, not hurting her, but not letting her go either. “I wondered if it would be possible for us to share her.”
“Share her? You mean like joint custody?” Her head tilted as she considered him, and he hoped it was a good sign that she had not immediately rejected his offer.
“I am unfamiliar with that term. I thought that perhaps we could have a mating contract drawn up and you and Lily could live with me.”
“A mate contract?” Her eyes widened. “Are you asking me to marry you?”
“I believe that is the term that Abby uses.” She was still staring at him so he hurried on. “I would assert no claim over you, but you would have a place to live and I could continue to see Lily—I mean, Hana, every day.”
“What if it didn’t work out? What if I wanted to leave? Would you try to keep—” she hesitated, her eyes darting to the little girl picking up rocks “—Lily?”
I would try and keep both of you. But he suspected she was not ready to hear that.
“I would not use it as an attempt to keep her from you,” he said finally.
“Look, Dada.” Lily came up and dumped a handful of sandy rocks in his lap. He dutifully admired them and then suggested gently, “Why don’t you show them to Mama?”
Lily scowled. He thought she was about to refuse, but then she picked over the small handful
and pulled out a green one. She offered it to Jade, although she kept her hand on his knee the whole time.
“Eyes.”
“Yes, baby. It does match my eyes. Thank you very much.”
Lily nodded a few times before she was overcome by a giant yawn, and she climbed up into Inzen’s lap.
“Are you sleepy, little one?”
“Nap,” she said and started to put her dirty thumb in her mouth.
Appalled, he pulled out one of the cleansing cloths he always carried and cleaned it thoroughly before letting her continue. Used to his ways, she didn’t protest but simply popped it in her mouth as soon as he was through and settled back against him. He looked up to find Jade studying him.
“What?”
“Nothing. I’m just surprised.”
“At what?”
She didn’t answer him, her gaze going back to the water sparkling across the rocks.
“Very well,” she said finally. “I’ll agree to this mating contract.”
Satisfaction roared through him and his tail immediately circled her waist, pulling her closer. He would like to have kissed her, but he didn’t want to take any chances on her changing her mind. Once she was his, he would have all the time he needed to show her how he felt. Instead, the three of them sat in silence and watched the water flow.
Jade sat next to Inzen, snuggled against him, if truth be told, and tried to sort out her tumbled thoughts. The last twenty-four hours had been such a roller coaster of emotion. First her happiness at being with Inzen shattered by the knowledge that he’d been keeping secrets from her. And then finding her daughter, only to be rejected by the person she loved most in all the world. But as heartbreaking as it had been to be rejected by her daughter, the love between Inzen and Lily was all too clear, and she found herself softening towards him. And now, he was suggesting a marriage of convenience.
It’s a practical solution, she told herself. Captain Armad had made it quite clear that she couldn’t return to Earth. Right now, she didn’t have any way to support herself, and while she had no doubt that she would manage somehow, it would be much easier to have someone assisting her. And not just anyone, but the male that her daughter obviously loved. If nothing else, it would give her time to get to know Hana—Lily—again and for her daughter to get to know her.
What else would this marriage entail? Obviously, they would be living together, but he hadn’t mentioned sex. Was he no longer interested? For that matter, was she?
His tail stroked the palm of her hand in what was obviously intended to be a comforting gesture, but the nubs caressing her skin were unexpectedly arousing. The memory of those same nubs covering his cock as he plunged it inside her sent a shiver down her spine, and she felt herself dampen.
Inzen shot her a startled look. “My letari?”
Oh, Lord, could he tell that she was aroused? Ignoring his question, she rose to her feet, brushing off the back of her dress. The new outfit she had chosen so carefully was a little the worse for wear, but she couldn’t find it in herself to care. She had her daughter. Even if it took time, she was sure they could rebuild their relationship. And she had what felt like the beginning of something with Inzen. The world seemed a lot brighter than it had this morning when she woke up.
Chapter Fifteen
“This is your house?”
Jade eyed the bright peach-colored building doubtfully. It was one of many on the busy street, all of them ranging from two to three stories, painted in bright colors and topped with thatched roofs. Shops occupied the first floor of each building and the one in front of them was clearly a clothing store. While the outfits on display were bright and appealing, the window was too cluttered to showcase them properly.
“Yes. I purchased it when we decided to stay on Trevelor. Cassie is a very talented seamstress. She and her daughter occupy the second floor.”
He was clearly proud of the woman, and Jade fought back a wave of something that felt uncomfortably like jealousy. That jealousy only increased when the shop door flew open and a tall, slim woman rushed out and threw her arms around Inzen and Lily. Inzen stepped back with a quick look at Jade, but Lily grinned and threw herself into the woman’s arms.
Her heart ached. On the trip back to Wiang, Lily had refused to be separated from Inzen. During the procedure to sign the mating contract, she had sat on Inzen’s lap and ignored Jade completely. Jade had done her best to hide her hurt as she studied the papers. No matter how much they protected her custody rights, they couldn’t make her daughter hug her. Her daughter appeared to have no such reservation about the new woman.
Barely a woman, she realized as the girl turned to face her. Her young face hardened as she studied her with distrust.
“Cassie, this is my mate, Jade. She is Lily’s mother.”
“You don’t look like her.”
“No,” she agreed, ignoring Cassie’s attempt to goad her. “She takes after my husband.”
“Yeah? Where’s he? Does he know you ran off and mated someone else?”
“Cassie—”
“It’s all right, Inzen,” she interrupted, leveling a look at Cassie. “He doesn’t know because he’s dead. He was killed when Hana—when Lily—was abducted.”
A flash of sympathy crossed the girl’s face before it hardened into a sneer. “So now you’ve found yourself a rich warrior to take care of you?”
“Just like you did,” she snapped, then immediately regretted the words. “I’m sorry. I just meant that this is a new world for all of us.”
It was too late. Cassie scowled at her and then turned to Inzen. “We’ve all missed you. Why don’t you and Lily come to dinner tonight?”
“If my mate wishes,” Inzen said firmly. “Would that please you, Jade?”
She would rather be nibbled to death by ducks, but she forced a pleasant smile. If they were sharing the house, they would need to get along.
“Sounds delightful.” The words came out more sardonically than she intended, and Cassie arched a skeptical brow at her before turning back to Inzen.
“Why don’t I keep Lily while you show your… mate your house?”
A spiteful part of her rejoiced when Lily immediately threw herself back towards Inzen.
“Dada!”
Cassie laughed and smiled triumphantly at Jade. “She’s such a daddy’s girl.”
“This way,” Inzen said, his tail curling around her waist and steering her to a small gate to one side of the shop that she hadn’t noticed before.
“See you in an hour!” Cassie called after them, and Jade looked back to find the girl frowning after them.
“That did not go as well as I had hoped,” Inzen admitted as he opened the gate and led her along a gravel path.
“You think? Are you sure she isn’t in love with you?”
“I am quite sure. But she was treated poorly on that Earth of yours and she finds it difficult to trust people.”
She felt a pang of unwilling sympathy as she thought about her own trust issues.
“I’m sure she’ll come around,” she said, mentally crossing her fingers, then pushed the thought aside as Inzen opened a second gate to reveal a beautifully landscaped garden. “Oh, this is gorgeous.”
A fountain sparkled in the center of the garden, surrounded by a smooth oval of low-cut blue grass. Planting beds filled with flowers and more grasses curved sinuously against the outer walls. The main building formed one end of the garden while a small yellow cottage occupied the other end. Behind a shaded pergola, doors that reminded her of shoji screens lined the front of the cottage.
“Down, Dada,” Lily demanded and Inzen obeyed, setting her carefully on the grass. She toddled off to the fountain, trailing Bobo behind her.
“You need not worry,” Inzen said reassuringly. “There is mesh over the water so she cannot fall in.”
“Of course there is.” He was so protective—perhaps a little too protective—but she couldn’t fault his determination to keep her daughter
safe.
“Would you like to see our home?”
When she nodded, his tail tightened around her waist, then he led her to the cottage, throwing open the screens to reveal a large, comfortable room with a seating area at one end and a kitchen area at the other. Behind the main room, a short hallway led to a big bathroom and two bedrooms. One bedroom was obviously Lily’s, decorated in pink and white and overflowing with toys. In addition to a beautifully crafted crib, a canopy bed looked fit for a princess. The other bedroom was larger, with a massive bed and more screens, these opening out to a little pocket garden in soothing tones of gold and green.
She eyed the bed thoughtfully, then realized that Inzen’s tail had slipped down from her waist to stroke lightly across her bottom. Did he assume that now that they were officially mated she would be sharing his bed? Her nipples tightened as she remembered their time together on the ship. She couldn’t say she was entirely opposed to the idea—but she also wasn’t sure if she was ready to fully embrace him as her husband.
“My letari.” Inzen’s voice deepened and she looked up to find him watching her, black eyes hungry with desire. Logic disappeared and an answering flare of need had her starting to sway towards him when Lily wailed from the garden.
“Dada! Bobo wet.”
He hesitated, clearly torn, and she gave him a gentle push. “Go on. Go rescue Bobo.”
Why the hell did I agree to this? Later that night, Jade scowled up at the canopy of Lily’s princess bed and wondered if she made the wrong decision. Dinner had been an unmitigated disaster. Inzen had failed to mention that the top floor of the main house was occupied by TeShawna, another human woman, her Cire mate Mekoi, and their daughter Vanessa. Jade found the fact that TeShawna had taken on the challenge of studying to become a medic on an alien planet with alien patients very impressive and would have loved to talk to her about it. Unfortunately, the other woman had clearly picked up on Cassie’s hostility and wanted nothing to do with her.
Daughter of the Alien Warrior Page 10