Kate looked at her mate’s concerned features, seeing the worry in his gaze.She knew that he sensed something was wrong.She could feel him reaching out to their blood bond, but she shook her head, cutting him out.
“I’m fine,” she tried to assure him, touching his forearm.“I just need to sit down.”
Vaxa frowned, looking towards their hovercraft, which seemed miles away.“I will carry you.”
Kate stepped away.Luxirians already thought humans were weak.How would it look if Vaxa had to carry her out of the market?
“No, I can walk,” Kate protested.“Just take me back.”
Vaxa’s nostrils flared, but then he began to guide her through the market.People parted for them, all of them staring.She felt the weight of a hundred eyes on her, but she made herself smile.
Keriva touched her arm as they neared the hovercraft.“Are you sure you are well, Kat?”
“Yes,” Kate murmured, plastering on another smile.“Go.Don’t worry about me.I’ll see you when you get back.”
Keriva hesitated for just a moment, but then nodded.“The Fates are with you,” she said and then she stepped back, watching as Vaxa got them both into their hovercraft and powered it up.They left the market behind a moment later.Kate couldn’t help but peer down at the crowd, searching for the man.He was no where in sight.
“I should not have taken you here,luxiva,” Vaxa said, his tone gruff.He was angry with himself.“Not in your state.”
She leaned her head against his arm, feeling his hand clasp her hip.Her wrist throbbed and she knew there would a nasty looking bruise in the morning.She tucked it against her side, concealing it in the folds of her dress.
“It just happened so suddenly,” she murmured.“I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” he growled.
Kate blew out a breath, feeling a little bit better now that she was away from the crowd, away from thatman.Under any circumstances, Vaxa could not know what happened down there.He had enough to deal with.It would only enrage him and there was no telling what he would do if he found out.
No, Kate decided.It was best if he didn’t know.
“Will you take me back to the archives?” she asked.“I have those—”
“Nix.You will rest at our dwelling.”
“But I promised Bruxilia that—”
“Do not argue with me, female,” Vaxa rasped in a tone that Kate recognized.She wouldn’t win this argument, so there was no use in fighting.
Kate nodded, pressing herself closer to his comforting body, wondering how the hell she was going to hide her bruise from her very protective, very observant mate.
FOUR
Vaxa’an summoned Privanax the moment they arrived back to their dwelling, despite his Kat’s protests that she was fine.
He wouldn’t take any chances when it came to the health of his mate.He remembered the way his stomach became heavy at the sight of her pale face in the middle of the market and he cursed himself for the thousandth time, for leaving her.
Privanax arrived swiftly.The doctor held his scanner and screen, but not much else.After a distracted, mumbled greeting at Vaxa’an, he hovered the scanner over his mate’s stomach, slowly running it up and down.
He was silent for a moment, checking his scanner, while Vaxa’an paced around the hub. Then Privanax said, “The offspring is growing very rapidly.It has only been a few span since I last monitored you, but at this rate…I would guess that there is another three, maybe three and half, lunar cycles before you will be birthing.Perhaps the rapid growth is weakening you, making you more sensitive to our environment.”
“What do you recommend?” Vaxa’an asked.
“Rest,” the doctor said, turning his head to address him.“As the offspring grows in size, your mate will have a more difficult time.Her physiology is not meant to fully gestate young in as quickly a time as Luxirians.”He turned his eyes back to Kat.“You will begin to feel more tired soon, weaker.The offspring will begin to grow at seemingly astonishing rates to you.”
Kat didn’t say much and Privanax didn’t offer much more.Vaxa’an walked the doctor out to his hovercraft once he gathered his supplies.
Just as they stepped outside his dwelling, Vaxa’an caught his arm, stopping him for a brief moment.
“Prime Leader?”
