Aeromancist (Seven Forbidden Arts 3)

Cain kissed the back of her hand. “How are you feeling?”

Lann watched their exchange like an arrow arched in a bow, ready to fly at Cain if he said a wrong word.

“Fine, thank you.”

Besides the nausea, tiredness, coldness, and heart palpitations, Lann thought.

Kat looked pissed off. “Who are you?”

Joss stood. “Let me introduce you to Cain Jones.”

“I know what his name is.” She looked at Joss. “I’m asking why he’s here.”

She acted brave, but she couldn’t hide her fear from Lann. Joss gave him a look that said the situation was his fault for not telling her the truth. Cain regarded them with curiosity.

Lann intertwined his fingers with Kat’s. He worried she was going to reject his touch, but she allowed him to pull her under his arm. Her hand was cold. He led her to the sofa near the fire.

“Sit down,” he said.

Lann took the seat next to her, rubbing his hand over her arm.

“Lann?” she said, insisting on an answer.

He took a deep breath. There was no easy way to tell the truth.

“I work for a paranormal crime task force,” he said. “Cain is our leader. Joss is my commander.”

Kat stared at her hands that were folded in her lap, seeming to absorb the news. Finally, she turned to Clelia. “You too?”

Clelia nodded. “Lann was trying to protect you.”

“Keeping the truth from me is not protecting me.” Kat gave Lann a stern look. “Keeping me in the dark is more dangerous than risking my fragile disposition with the facts.” She said fragile disposition like it was an insult.

He knew she wasn’t fragile. She was in a delicate condition with the baby. Still, he never wanted her to get this deeply involved, and he sure as hell would never endanger her. She didn’t understand. The more she knew, the less safe she was.

“I have to agree with Miss White,” Cain said somberly. “My apology that you had to find out like this.”

“So, you fight people who are like you?” she asked Lann.

“Sometimes,” he said evasively. “It depends.”

“Now you want to go after David?” she directed at Cain.

“Yes,” he said.

“You’re not using Lann as bait.”

“If the choice is between him and you,” Cain said, “I’d rather choose him.”

Kat’s brow furrowed as she seemed to wrestle with the truth. Her heart beat with a fast rhythm where her body pressed against Lann’s side. Her respiration increased. If at all possible, she was even paler than before.

“Katherine?” Lann gripped her chin and turned her face to him.

A bolt of shock ran through him. Her lips weren’t red any longer. They were white. He tilted her head. What the fuck was happening?

“Breathe, krasavitsa.”

In a flash, Joss and Clelia were at his side.

“Get Eve,” Joss said, his voice clipped.

Cain was already on his way to the door.

Lann helped Kat to lie down on the sofa. She clasped his hand tightly, her wide eyes fixed on him with a soundless plea as her chest heaved with the effort of dragging oxygen into her lungs.

“Hold on,” Lann said, fighting to keep his voice calm. “Eve is on her way.”

Eve came rushing into the room, clutching a doctor’s bag. She went down on her knees in front of the sofa, threw the bag open, and took out a stethoscope. Pressing the instrument to Kat’s chest, she listened with a furrowed brow.

“What’s going on?” Lann asked.

“Her heart. Too fast.” Eve pushed him away. “Get her warm.”

Clelia grabbed a throw from the back of the sofa and draped it over Kat.

“Breathe, Kat,” Eve said, her voice authoritative. “Slow. In, out. That’s it.”

Lann moved to the armrest and wiped Kat’s hair from her face. “Listen to her, Katherine,” he urged. “Come on, sweetheart, nice and slow.”

After a few seconds, the worry lines on Eve’s face smoothed out. “The worst is over.”

“Is this normal?” Clelia asked.

“Yes,” Cain answered for Eve.

Lann stared at Eve, the unspoken question stuck in his throat.

“It’s the adjustment,” Eve said. “All of this will stop after the first trimester.”

Kat sat up, pushing Lann’s hand away. “I’m sorry for giving everyone a scare.” She seemed embarrassed.

Lann tensed at her rejection, but he took a step away to give her space.

“No need to apologize,” Eve said. “It’s not your fault. It’s a biological reaction.”

“How’s the progress on finding a cure?” Cain asked.

Eve pursed her lips.

“It’s all right,” Kat said. “You can be honest. I have no illusions.”

Lann’s gut twisted. He was drowning in helplessness.

“Too slow,” Eve admitted.

“Maybe there’s another way,” Clelia said.

Lann looked at her. “What are you talking about?”

Clelia turned to her husband. “You can taste her blood.”

Joss regarded them from hooded eyes, his hands resting on his hips. “I’ve thought about that.”

“But?” Clelia asked.

“But tasting gives me different information, not medical solutions.”

Clelia sounded hopeful. “You could try.”

Lann pleaded silently with Joss. He’d try anything.

When Joss nodded, Lann placed a hand on Katherine’s shoulder and explained, “Joss can tell certain things by tasting people’s blood.”