Pregnant By The Panther

“I was part of Black Ops,” Diesel nodded. “We were a team of Shifters.”

“It get stuck in your throat, doesn’t it?” Andrew murmured, “Like a bone,”

“You can’t swallow it, you can’t vomit it out either,” Diesel finished.

Andrew beamed at him.

“I never thought I’d get to discuss this with my sons; the harrowing experience. Heck I wished I’d never have to,” Andrew hesitated then put a hand on Diesel’s. “But I’m glad I have you, I’m glad Martha decided to have you and keep you, I’m glad you survived the war and I’m glad your girlfriend found me.”

“She’s very special,” Diesel grinned. “And she’s having your grandson.”

Andrew nearly skipped at that news.

“Oh, I know its unseemly for an old man like me to be so happy but I am,” Andrew laughed. “A son and grandson in the same day; that kind of happy news comes once in a blue moon. You’ll come and visit us often won’t you?”

Diesel nodded.

“You’ll be welcome all year round,” Andrew said. “I know I want to know everything about you but you remind me of me and I was mighty stubborn about revealing too much about myself too soon. Sonya complains about you not talking much?” he asked suddenly.

“Yes,” Diesel laughed.

“My Sarah does the same,” Andrew shook his head ruefully. “So I’m counting on getting to know you little by little and Diesel,” he squeezed Diesel’s hand and looked him in the eye, “I do want to know you, completely, like I know my other sons. I want to know you.”

Diesel nodded, not trusting himself to speak. In that moment he was the most happy and he had Sonya to thank for it. Sweet, thoughtful Sonya; the mother of his child, who’d united him with his father and brothers.

They joined the rest of the party; Keith waving Andrew over to a table he was eating at with Claus and Katherine. Diesel searched for Sonya and found her standing with Samantha and Larry, talking to the Tyler’s.

“Where’d you disappear to?” Melanie placed both her hands on his shoulders, leaning in provocatively; Diesel could see her nipples through the dress.

“Excuse me,” Diesel said politely removing Melanie’s hands. He walked over to Sonya, taking her on to his arms from behind, kissing the nape of her neck. “Hey.”

“Hi,” Sonya turned her head and smiled up at him, her eyes twinkling.

“Thank you,” he whispered in her ear.

She turned and hugged him.

“I’m so glad,” she said and when Diesel turned her face up he saw tears in her eyes. “I was worried that he might not be what you were looking for in a father,” Diesel pressed a finger on her lips.

“After you,” he said looking in her eyes meaningfully, “I don’t care what the world is like. All of this,” he waved at the people around them, “that’s just a bonus.”

Sonya laughed and stood on tip toe to kiss him lightly on the lips.

Chapter Eight

Fatal Attraction

Sonya undressed and slipped on her warm slippers. The night had been a resounding success. Diesel and Andrew had really hit it off and Keith was hilarious. She had noticed Diesel looking at him with wonder and she knew he must be thinking: this is my brother; he’s funny and he’s my brother!

Diesel had gone to drop Andrew and Keith at their hotel in Waterville and Sonya was sure he’d be gone a long time. They had over thirty years of catching up to do. Sonya pulled on her nightgown, made herself some hot chocolate and settled in the living room.

The snow was coming down faster now, blanketing everything in white.

Sonya must have fallen asleep because she got up with a sudden jerk. The room was dark except for the icy blue light coming from the French windows that lead to the porch. It had stopped snowing and the moon was glowing.

Sonya felt cold. There was a frigid breeze in the house. She pulled her nightgown closer around her and looked around for the source. She saw that the front door was wide open, drifts of snow swirling on the cabin floor, footprints in the melted snow drew a track from the door to her bedroom.

“Diesel!” she called a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.