Page 52 of Dark Destiny: The Turning Of The Loom

"More than love."

"Love is everything."

Annani smiled. "Yes, but in Mia's case, love alone was not enough. She was ill. Her heart had failed her, and the doctors had taken both of her legs to save the rest of her. Her friends bought the adventure for her because that was the only way she could experience it as though she had legs. She had no way of knowing that the man she would meet inside the dream would make her immortal and that she would regrow her legs."

"Thank the merciful Fates," he said, and Annani's heart skipped a beat again.

Had he heard her or the medical staff say that, or was it a memory from before?

"Yes, the Fates were merciful and rewarded Mia's suffering by matching her with a god. But thanks to their weaving, Toven and Mia also found their way to my clan."

He nodded. "Perhaps the Fates also helped the people who built the machines."

"That has occurred to me. The humans who invented it did so to help a friend. Their original goal was a game, but when their friend lost the use of his legs and could not be with his wife, they realized that their invention could be used for that. People with compromised mobility could make love in the dream machine, and it would feel as real as real life."

"Then perhaps I should answer the questions." He smiled sheepishly. "But since I cannot read yet, you will have to read them to me and write down my answers."

"Oh, my." Annani put a hand over her heart. "I have not blushed in five thousand years, but I have a feeling I will soon be doing a lot of blushing."

21

KHIANN

The table at Kian and Syssi's was long enough to seat twelve, and tonight it did, if one counted the two highchairs and the small girl who refused to sit in either of them.

Brandon had taken Morelle, Ell-rom, and Jasmine to see a musical in the city, so they could not join them tonight, which was just as well because there was no more room at the table.

Khiann had been placed at Annani's right, with his wheeled chair drawn up where a dining chair had been removed, and from there he could see all of them.

Before this evening, he had met every one of Annani's children and had met Syssi and Allegra, but tonight was the first time he had seen Dalhu, Amanda's mate, and their sweet little daughter, who was not nearly as outgoing and friendly as Allegra.

It seemed the girls took after their aunts rather than their mothers. Allegra had her Aunt Amanda's boldness and Evie had Syssi's reserve, though Evie was not Syssi's blood.

Dalhu was huge, and he had 'warrior' written all over him, despite how attentive and doting he was toward his little girl and his wife. Orion, Alena's mate, looked so much like Toven that father and son could be twins, and adorable little E.T. was cut from the same cloth.

His mate's family.

His, now. By any measure, for a male who had been as good as dead for five thousand years and had returned to find that his wife had created a nation, it should have felt overwhelming. But it did not, because he was still riding the high from the kiss in the closet and from his body's unexpected awakening.

Khiann felt on top of the world.

He had asked Annani whether they were still mated, and she had put her hands on his knees and told him their bond was eternal. The proclamation, along with the absolute conviction in her voice and eyes, had ignited something in him that had been still asleep, lagging behind the rest of his body on its journey of recovery.

It had been an impulse to pull her into his lap. He had not thought about whether he could hold her. He just wanted to kiss her, and even though his mind did not remember ever kissing her before, his body remembered and responded unexpectedly.

Annani had laughed with joy, and he had felt whole for the first time since opening his eyes in this new world five thousand years in the future.

It had not lasted long, but Annani was not disappointed.

She had told him it did not matter, and he believed her because what mattered was that it had happened at all.

Annani was talking to Alena about E.T.'s birthday tomorrow when her hand found his knee under the table and stayed there.

"You look pleased with yourself," Toven said from across the table in the old tongue.

Khiann's earpieces let Toven's words through unfiltered, and suddenly all other conversations at the table became incomprehensible.

"I am pleased with the company," Khiann said.