“A true wordsmith,” Len said with a smirk. Just as the pregnant and hormonal goddess reached out a hand to smack him, he hurriedly added, “and no one really knows why Reece is more powerful than any other in the deserts. For some reason, he has a connection to the ancients, and with that, control over all the sands. Reece is the strongest of his dynasty. He’d be their leader if he wanted the role.”
“Which he emphatically does not,” Lucien drawled, shaking his head. “Ever since he lost his brother, Reece has chosen a nomadic life.”
Mera let out a low breath, the sound sad. “He wears his losses like a shield, stopping others from getting close to him.”
That day in the Delfora when I’d lost my sister was also the day his brother, Rhett, was injured in battle. A battle Reece thought I could have prevented.
It was no surprise that Reece still hated my guts, but even so, I remained loyal to him. Len had said that no one knew why Reece was considered a god, but that wasn’t strictly true. Two of us knew.
It was a secret I’d take to my grave.
4
By the time the guys were done filling Mera in on the politics of Reece's land, Shadow had returned, and we all followed him into the dining hall. Reece wasn’t back yet, and I didn't bother to examine the lack of joy I felt at seeing his empty seat. Every part of me was just too aware of him now.
For centuries I’d been a robot, pushing all of my pain and loss down, pretending I didn’t care, but the truth was I did care and always would.
As we entered the brightly lit room, I noted the way Shadow’s gaze followed the exaggerated sway of Mera’s hips. She wasn’t waddling yet, but she was damn close. Fire filled his eyes, fire only for his mate, and I hid a smile as he hurried his stride to lift her into his lap before she could take her own seat.
The moment their bodies connected, his energy relaxed, and he leaned in to breathe deeply, clearly needing this moment after being separated from her in the realm.
“Don’t mind us,” Lucien said drily, sliding into one of the chairs opposite the loved-up couple. Len took the one next to him, Galleli another on that side as well, and I ended up beside the handsy couple in my regular spot. "We'll just be here,” the vamp continued, “jealous bastards secretly lovingandhating the fuck out of your happiness."
Mera's eyes were warm, sympathetic even, when she finally tore her attention from Shadow. "You know, you could still tell me what the hell happened with Simone, and maybe together we'll figure out how to rectify it."
Whatever teasing spark had been in the vampire's face faded into nothing, a blank slate of hidden thoughts. "There's nothing to talk about there," he said stiffly. "We might as well discuss the possibility of a relationship between a human and a pet dog. It's not going to happen, no matter how much it's searched for in your human porn sites."
Mera wrinkled her nose, shaking her head a few times like she was hoping to clear that imagery. "Firstly, what the fuck, Lucien? What sort of porn are you watching?" She shuddered. "And secondly, you’d better not be referring to Simone as the dog in that scenario, because you know I'll gut you. I love you, for sure, but she's my lifelong BFF. This girl throws down for her besties."
Shadow shifted in his chair, straightening to bring Mera and his body in line with Lucien, and I think that was the moment the vampire realized he was in trouble. Not that Mera needed a guard beast—she could handle herself, no issue—but facing the two of them together was not for the faint of heart.
Lucien held both hands up, the smallest of smiles playing around his lips. "I don't know whether to be terrified or turned on right now. I think it’s both." Mera snarled, and the vampire-with-a-death-wish laughed. "Calm down, preggo. I would never refer to Simone as a pet dog. She's a gorgeous, strong, funny, and fiery shifter. She's just not the shifter for me. Now leave it alone."
With a frustrated look on her face, Mera let out a sigh and, for once, didn’t push her luck. She just settled into her mate like he was a comfy couch, despite the fact that there was nothing soft on Shadow. The beast reached out and placed his hands on her belly, the size of them spanning nearly across the width. As he started to massage the swollen area, Mera’s eyes fluttered closed, and this time her moan was not one of annoyance.
Leaning forward, I gently patted her cheek, and as her hazel eyes came into view again, I said, "Stop that, or Shadow will whisk you away. And we don't have time for that just yet. I need to know what the plan is for the Desert Lands."
She exaggeratedly pouted at me. "Awwww, you're no fun, Angel-face."
My chest tightened as warmth trickled through my center. Her nicknames meant more than I’d ever tell her. Mera had turned me into a sap, and after so many years of hardening my softer emotions, it was the oddest sensation to embrace them now.
"Reece has smoothed the way for us to be at the meeting of the dynasties," Shadow said, getting to business, and everyone shut up to listen. "This was one of my requirements if Mera was to be part of these proceedings. I don’t want to fight the dynasties as well as whatever else waits for us there. Normally this sort of meeting would be for Desertlandians only, but Reece, being who he is, got special permission by citing that this was not one of the regular, sanctioned gatherings and therefore didn’t fall under the same rules.”
"So, we’re leaving the day after tomorrow?" Mera asked, reiterating what Galleli had said earlier.
Shadow nodded. "That’s the plan, but we can’t do anything until Reece returns. Best to be prepared just in case.” His hands had slowed as they stroked across her stomach.
Mera pushed herself up from where she'd been completely slumped into him. "I need to visit Simone and Sam first. You know I check on them every few weeks. I can't disappear into the deserts for who knows how long and not let them know what's happening."
Len jumped to his feet gracefully, silver eyes alight. "Right! I almost forgot. I made you some new papers to communicate through. Wait right there."
He was gone just as Mera shot a rueful smile toward her baby belly. "Don't worry, I won't be rushing anywhere."
Shadow's hands drifted up from her stomach and over her chest to rest against the sides of her neck and face, holding her from behind. Mera's pupils dilated because, no doubt, this position reminded her of the many,manyways Shadow had brought her to screaming orgasms. We'd all heard it. We were all jealous of it. Their sexual chemistry and love of voyeurism had been harder to take since my rebirth because as the robot faded, the wants and needs of my body had begun to make themselves strongly heard.
An ember burned low in my center, and for the first time in… well, forever, I was ready to experience and experiment with my own sexuality.
My steamy thoughts were interrupted by Shadow. "If you need to move fast," he breathed into Mera’s ear, "I will carry you. You and our baby."
