She suddenly scrunched her face and gave me the oddest look. “By the way, thank you for putting your life on the line to retrieve the data that helped take down Wuras.”
As one, Linsea and I recoiled.
“How do you know that?” Linsea asked.
She gave her a sheepish look. “I mentioned those weird recurring dreams to Tedrick. His reaction to it had been strange, but I didn’t think much of it. Then last week, when he sent me more files for my reports to the Conclave, heaccidentallyincluded a couple of highly classified files concerning, among other things, an off-the-record, high-risk mission.”
Linsea snorted.
“That little shit…” I whispered, my voice filled with affection and gratitude. “Who else knows?”
“Kronos, but no one else, aside from anyoneyoumight have shared it with,” Malaya replied.
“We will leave it up to you whether to share it with more people or not,” Linsea said affectionately. “We do not wish to cause any distress to your biological parents or make things awkward for anyone. All that matters to us is that we can finally tell you that we love you.”
A knock on the door interrupted us.
“Come in!” Malaya shouted.
I almost rushed to release her, but realized that since her bonding with Kronos, she could also see souls to a lesser extent. She would know that it was her husband at the door.
Kronos stepped inside, his silver-blue eyes scanning the room. He glanced tenderly at his wife before frowning at us with false severity.
“Your little family reunion is nice and all, but you need to tone the happiness down before my Nundars all suffer massive indigestion,” Kronos grumbled playfully.
We all laughed. Nundars were highly intelligent beings who attached themselves to an Obosian household. They performed chores around the house and cooked and could even provide healing or protection when needed. It was in fact they who saved Malaya’s life when she was attacked by a wild beast, keeping her safe until Kronos could intervene. They fed off the energy from positive emotions. And there was no question that the ones emanating from this room had to taste divine.
“You’re one to speak about having indigestion,” Malaya said mockingly at her husband.
“Malaya!” Kronos and Linsea exclaimed at the same time.
I cackled, looking at all three of their embarrassed faces. Obosians fed off emotions too, but usually during sex. That was one of the reasons humans compared them to Incubi—minus the leeching your lifeforce part.
Malaya scrunched her face and muttered something unintelligible.
“How about you go hang out with our guests? I will feed Odessa,” Kronos offered.
“That’s sweet of you,” Malaya said, lifting her face to receive her husband’s kiss.
He turned to the baby, who giggled excitedly at seeing her father. In that instant, I felt the same love between them than the one that had burned so brightly between my Thea and me. As if sensing the weight of my stare on him, Kronos peered at me, and a strange expression flitted over his face.
“Thank you for knocking sense into me when I was being an idiot,” Kronos said.
“Thank you for sparing me from having to escalate things so you would see the light,” I deadpanned.
He snorted and bowed his head in concession.
“Above all, thank you for making my baby happy,” I said, this time my voice filled with sincere gratitude.
“Always,” he replied, his voice solemn.
We walked out of the room to mingle again with the love of my life and my beloved child by my side. As my gaze roamed over the people in attendance—loyal friends who had become more like family to me, I realized I had achieved my impossible dream.
I glanced down at my beautiful mate to find her staring at me with infinite love.
“Thank you, for giving me the world,” I whispered.
“Thank you for giving me the same,” she said, caressing my cheek. “Coo lee coo, Kayog.”
“Coo lee coo, my dove. In this life and every other,coo lee coo.”
THE END.
