Her happiness was a tangible thing, her laughter bright and happy. He did love this, and he wanted to keep it forever.
This time, Mercury thought maybe he could do it, if he tried really hard.
Chapter
Eleven
Talon rolled over to reach for Mercury, the early morning light just beginning to show through the blinds that covered the windows. He frowned, because all he encountered was cool, empty sheets.
Where was his mate?
He rolled to the edge of the bed to sit up, stretching. Then he rose, padding toward the door leading to the hall.
That was when he heard Mercury in the bathroom, he thought. Making horrible noises. So he hurried his steps, going to see what was wrong.
He found his mate bent over the toilet, tossing his cookies.
“Mate, are you well?”
Mercury gave him a side-eye, and he realized what a stupid question that was.
“Sorry, sorry, shall I call a doctor?”
“If I keep barfing, yes, but right now I’m sure it was just something I ate. I bet something had fish in it, so I don’t need a doctor. We didn’t even know it, but they snuck fish into some of the food.”
“I don’t think that they snuck fish into the lasagna, hailee.”
“Don’t talk about lasagna.” That set Mercury off, and Talon was going to die.
“Let me get you some Sprite, or something.”
He ran away to the kitchen, feeling like a big coward, and he reached out to his best friend.Kami! Kami, are you awake?
I am now. What’s wrong?
He shook his head, swallowing hard.Mercury’s sick, and he’s barfing. I don’t know what to do.
You’ve never dealt with anybody who barfed?
He could see Kami’s arched eyebrow in his mind’s eye.I’ve never dealt with my own hailee who barfed.
Okay. Kami’s amusement bubbled across their bond.You can try rice, toast, crackers. Bubbly lemon-lime soda, ginger ale—any of those things. Do you have any of those things?
I have crackers and Sprite.
Start with that. Wash your hands a lot.There was a pause, then.Is he pregnant?
What?
No, he didn’t think so. Mercury didn’t smell pregnant.
Pregnancy doesn’t smell,Kami told him.
Babies smell.
Maybe. But pregnant people don’t smell.
I—What is he supposed to say to that? He didn’t remember Kami smelling particularly different. And Kami was the only pregnant person that he had known very well for any length of time.
