I ignored the faintest pinch in my heart.
I’d spent twenty-nine years abhorrently disgusted with the idea of having any offspring, yet hearing her say never...
“You know...” Rook tapped her finger against her lips. “We just discovered our blood is corrosive separately and regenerative together. We either have a fifty percent chance we would never get pregnant or—”
“A fifty percent chance that you already are,” I cut in. “Do we assume the corrosive blood prevents conception? Or does the whole ‘we create life when combined’ situation suggest strongly that we need to abstain?”
“Abstain?” Her nose wrinkled. “Eh...no. We’re notabstaining, thank you very much.”
I kissed her forehead and climbed out of bed.
Her eyes immediately dropped between my legs.
“Stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?” She blinked innocently.
“Like your abstinence can’t last more than two seconds.”
“I clearly remember saying Ididn’twant to abstain.”
“Then I guess we need to come up with a solution. And quickly.” Heading toward the bathroom, I said over my shoulder, “Uncle Wen mentioned Auntie Mei has been studying TCM. She’ll know of some herb or tonic that can act as protection.”
“TCM?”
“Traditional Chinese Medicine.”
“Oh—”
A thundering roar rattled the windowpanes as a machine suddenly flew overhead.
“What on earth?” Rook grabbed the blankets from the bed and darted to the circular outlook that peered down the entire valley. “Oh my God, he wasn’t lying.”
Whisper leapt to his feet, prowling to stand watch with her.
Another helicopter swooped overhead, its rotors loud and battering the sky. A third one joined the cacophony, their engines sending thunder echoing around Ashfall Cliff.
My temper sparked.
Heat coiled under my skin, preparing for violence.
Turning to face me, Rook grinned. “Dillon did say he had reinforcements coming. I guess they’ve arrived.”
Smoke curled from my skin.
Stalking toward the bathroom, I went via the wardrobe.
“Wait. Where are you going?” she called after me.
Opening the huge redwood cabinet, I grabbed a fresh shirt and trousers. “To kill someone, of course.”
“Not Dillon, I hope.”
I didn’t answer her.
Taking my clothes into the bathroom, I closed the door and prepared for war.
Chapter Fifty-Seven
