Aeromancist (Seven Forbidden Arts 3)

Closing his eyes, he turned his head away.

She bit her lip.

His jaw bunched. It took several seconds before he faced her again. “I’d like to know what you’ve always wanted, what your greatest wishes are, so that I can make them come true.”

“Thank you,” she whispered, not because he wanted to please her, but because he was being honest.

“Tell me,” he urged.

She thought about it. Everything in her life that had seemed important before was trivial now. She wanted his love, but that wouldn’t be fair to him. Besides, love was hardly something she could ask for. Love happened. It couldn’t be forced. What she didn’t want was his guilt.

“Well?” he asked. “There must be plenty of things you want.”

“For starters, I’d like to see my parents.”

“I told you I’d take care of that.”

“Did you?”

He kissed her. “What else?”

“Actually, there’s nothing else. I don’t want to make a big issue out of this.”

“There has to be something,” he insisted, wiping a strand of hair behind her ear. “Many things.”

“I don’t want to go to any foreign destination or experience some last-minute adventure. There’s no object I desire. I just want to be happy.”

And it would be so much easier if he could embrace this road with her, but she didn’t say it as she watched emotions play in his haunted eyes. This hadn’t been his choice, she reminded herself. He’d wanted to terminate the pregnancy. She was the one who didn’t allow him a choice.

He moved his hand from her stomach to her breast. “All right, then. What would you like to do now?”

A small shiver ran over her. “I’d like to stay warm, for starters. It’s so cold in here.”

A strange look crossed his face.

“And I wouldn’t mind a little more sleep,” she said.

He checked his watch. “Eve will need to see us in fifteen minutes. I’ll give you a quick shower.”

She lifted a brow. A shower with Lann was never quick.

After breakfast, Lann took her to a lounge on the first floor where a fire was blazing, and pulled her down next to him on the blanket he’d spread over the rug. He rested her head in his lap, and threw a throw over her body.

“This is cozy,” she crooned, turning so she could look at the fire.

“You said you wanted to get warm and rest.” Lann bent down and kissed her cheek. “I found this in Joss’s library.” He held a book of daemon verses in front of her face. “I’ll read to you.”

They were an hour into the reading when Joss interrupted.

“Cain has arrived,” he said to Lann.

Lann put the book aside and kissed Kat’s hand. “I have to go see him, but I won’t be long.” He got to his feet and pulled her up. “Stay here, where it’s warm.”

The tension in Lann’s shoulders didn’t escape her when the men left together.

Cain stood in front of a window, talking to Clelia. When Lann and Joss entered, he turned. He wore the only garments Lann had ever seen him in—a suit, vest, and tie, all white. He leaned on a cane with a huge diamond head, even if he didn’t need it to walk. The summer in Morocco had done him good. He looked tanned and relaxed. The birthmark on his cheek was visible even on the darker tone of his skin. His black hair was brushed back, curling over his collar. The dark, intelligent eyes that studied Lann took everything in. Lann always had to remind himself that Cain had a reputation for reading minds, or maybe he just had a talent for reading people.

Cain nodded at the men and said in an American accent, “It’s good to see my chicks together. The holiday almost got too long.”

Joss showed him to the armchair facing the fire. “Missed the action?”

“Oh,” Cain smiled, “I had action.”

“Espresso?” Clelia offered.

Cain gave her a curt nod. “You know me too well.”

When Clelia left the room, Joss sat down on the sofa while Lann took the seat opposite him. Lann crossed his legs as he waited for their boss to speak. Cain rarely came straight to the point.

“I believe congratulations are in order,” Cain said, fixing Lann with a curious stare.

Tension pulled every muscle in Lann’s body tight. “Are you kidding me?”

“I see.” Cain rubbed his chin. “I got the progress reports from Eve.”

“There must be more we can do,” Lann said. “There must be someone else.”

“Eve is all we’ve got.” Cain tilted his head. “How is Miss White doing?”

As Lann said the words, coldness engulfed him. “Her body has altered.”

“I see,” Cain said again. “Until Eve comes up with something, there’s nothing we can do. We need to talk about her safety until the baby’s born, and the future plans.”

“I’ve stepped up the security,” Joss said. “She’s safe here.”

Cain tapped a finger on his lips. “Are you marrying her Lann, or are you adopting after the birth?”