Bought By The Zandians (Zandian Brides 2)

“She has purple eyes!” Gorde shouts it out, a grin spreading across his face. “They were wrong, Benn. All wrong. She is Zandian!”

“She’s complicated.” I put a hand on his arm to calm him. “She started out Akronian and human. But along the way…when you two mated me, she incorporated your DNA as well. And changed herself.”

“But that’s impossible.” Gorde reached out a finger to her horns, pulls back. Extends it again. “Can I touch her?”

I laugh. “Of course you can. You’re her father.” I flush and lower my voice, feeling a surge of new emotion. “Both of you are. She’s unique in the galaxy now. There’s nobody like her, ever, anywhere.”

“Unique like Zandia.” Gorde puts both hands under her little body, then pulls back. “Ah, I don’t know how. Show me?” He flushes purple. “This is new to me.”

“To me, too. To all of us.” I smile at my two mates. “Like this, see? You have to support her head with one hand. Scoop with the other.” I lift and place the baby in Gorde’s arms.

The sight of my strong, fierce warrior holding a tiny girl makes my heart sing. “You’re a natural.”

“I want a turn, too.” Benn runs one finger down her cheek. “She’s such a light purple color.”

At the touch, the baby opens her eyes. I feel her surprise and joy when she sees Benn and Gorde. Here! Mine!

“Yes, yours,” I agree, squeezing her little foot softly. “Your fathers are here now.”

“Is she talking to you?” Gorde’s eyebrows go up.

I flush. “She communicates with me without talking. She already knows you two from your voices. She missed you.”

Gorde transfers the baby to Benn’s arms, and they both bend over, staring into her face. Smiling at her. Talking to her, saying their names. When each of them touch her small cheek, I almost choke up.

“So we need to talk about these, ah, powers you seem to have.” Gorde raises one eyebrow, a few minutes later.

“It started when I became pregnant.” I stroke her little toes. “I could hear things, even really far away. And I can communicate with her. Sometimes, I can make things move.” I think back to the cuffs. “Or hold them in place.” Taxx. “Not all the time, and I can’t direct it. I don’t know; if I practice, I might get better. But I was trying to pretend it didn’t exist.”

“I knew there was something else going on.” Gorde’s voice is triumphant. “Something you weren’t telling us.”

“I’m sorry.” I look up at him. “It was too strange. No way to explain it, and it was confusing to me.”

“It’s in the past.” He looks down at the child, then to me.

“Well, not really. It’s still here, now.” I smile and touch his face.

“I know.” He laughs. “What I mean, is that the secrets are in the past. Yes?” He looks down at me.

“Yes.” I smile, relieved. “Definitely.”

Benn strokes my thigh, holding the baby with one hand. Already comfortable with her. “What’s her name?”

I pause. “I didn’t pick one yet. I was waiting, just in case you two…” I trail off.

Gorde clears his throat. “There’s an ancient Zandian word, marea. It meant future.”

I try it out. “Marea. That’s lovely.”

Benn squeezes my leg. “I like it too. Marea.”

The baby waves her tiny fists. Then she squeals out a little peal of laughter.

“I think she agrees.” I touch her chin. “Do you like your new name, Marea?”

Happy. Sleep. Marea closes her eyes in Benn’s arms.

“Well, I guess it’s decided.” I laugh.