She snaked her hand under the sheet and found my wet boxer briefs that covered my semi-hard cock. “Did we just have sex? Because I dreamt we were in a sixty-nine position.” Her sleepy blue eyes were high beams in the darkened room.
A corner of my mouth turned upward, the blood rushing to my dick as her lust wafted into my nostrils. “I was curious if we were having the same one. Fucking hot, wasn’t it?”
“For sure,” she said. “I really wish we could replay that scene in real life.”
My eyes were rolling back in my head as she rubbed my cock. “Oh, we will when you’re ready. For fucking sure.” I was ready to blow my load again.
“You know you’re sticky,” she said with a giggle.
“That’s what you do to me even in my dreams,” I said as another text message came in.
She sat up. “Who keeps texting you? Your dad?” She lost that seductive tone. “Is it a 911?”
Blowing out a frustrated breath, I opened up my message app.
Dad:Son, I’m still knee-deep in meetings. We’re waiting for the Secretary of the Navy to show up. I might be here for a few more days. We haven’t talked about you yet. The human government is up in arms over the missing officials. But I’m still working on my plan in the background. I will message you later. Oh, and forgive me for not meeting my grandkids. But I will soon. Please tell Layla I’m sorry. I’ve ordered Webb to assign a guard to my grandchildren at all times. He should’ve posted one in the infirmary. And Conrad will be heading to Maine to help out. Give him a call and fill him in. I wasn’t able to explain everything.
I silently thanked the gods that the council’s attention was diverted to the missing DOD officials, which would give me time to pack up Layla, ready my go bag, and spend time with my kids.
Me:Thanks, Pops. I’ll call Conrad and fill him in.
Conrad, a scout who worked for my father, had for many years been assigned to watch the Aberdeens. He’d helped me when I flew to Montana for Layla.
“I like Conrad,” Layla said as she laid her head on my arm and read with me. “And your dad shouldn’t be sorry. He’s trying to save your life, and that is a huge priority. I can’t lose you, Sam.”
I draped my arm around her and tugged her to me. “We can’t lose each other, baby doll. But we might need to be apart for a while.” That would gut me. Hell, I was already feeling like someone had carved out my insides with a serrated-edged blade.
She rubbed my bare chest. “It’s going to suck the big one, but rest assured, I’m ready to fight. Well, once I get my body back in shape, of course.”
“You’ll have Conrad, George, Jo, and Harley. They have great skills. Jo will also help draw out any magical powers you might have.”
She sat up. “You think we should be worried about anyone in our circle? I mean, the part about a guard in the infirmary raises the hackles on my neck.”
We weren’t immune to moles in our ranks. We’d had two during the Edmund war. “My dad is always extremely cautious.” But I wasn’t arguing. “I know trust is hard to come by, even when it comes to the closest people to us. I’m not about to say don’t worry because I want you on your toes.”
She let out a nervous laugh. “I will be. Remember Rianne.”
I growled. “If you’re up for it, want to go with me to our apartment? We’ll check in on our kids first, but I would like to pack while it’s quiet.” I didn’t anticipate any craziness at three that morning, but I hadn’t twenty-four hours before either.
She swung her legs out of bed. “Hell yeah, I would love to change out of this hospital gown, and I need my phone.”
“I’ll duck into the shower quickly.” I climbed off the uncomfortable pullout couch.
She skirted around the bed, throwing on her robe. “I’ll meet you in the nursery.”
Before she walked out, I blocked her, flattened my hands on her warm cheeks, and stared into her electric-blue eyes. “No matter what happens from here, know my life is a better place with you in it. You are the brightest star in my universe. I’m so in love with you, even more today than yesterday. We will survive what we’re facing.”
Her pulse kicked up as she shivered. “You’re scaring me, and you know I don’t get frightened easily, vampire.”
I ghosted my lips over hers. “Forgive me. That’s not my intention. I never want to go a day without seeing your beautiful face or telling you how much I love you. But we might be apart for some time.”
She rose up on her toes and kissed me. “I’m the luckiest woman ever, and you’re right. We will survive what’s ahead. I have to believe that. Our children need us. We need each other. And the love we have for one another will only strengthen our powers.”
I mashed my mouth to hers and kissed her hungrily and passionately.
My chest clenched at the notion that I might not see her and our children for a while. But if it kept them safe, nothing else mattered.
19
