“Charity,” he whispered, leaning close to her as she trembled beneath his hands. “You have your hopes set that there is a cure for this need you have of me. There is no cure. It is natural. Whether you admit it or not. ”
He heard her breath hitch as though she were holding back tears. He didn’t check to see if it were true, didn’t want to know if it was. To know she cried because of the bond they shared would shatter something inside him, he thought. He had somehow, in the space of a few short days, lost the hatred that had sustained him for six long years.
That change alone was abrupt enough. To realize his acceptance of her as his mate, and to have her deny it, more than bothered him. It infuriated him.
“It’s a virus,” she said simply. “I’ve tracked it that far. It’s triggered by a hormone in the male semen that infects the ovaries…”
“Stop, Charity. ” He smiled, though with an edge of sadness as helay his finger against her lips. “I don’t have any desire to know how or why it occurs. If you need this to accept what cannot be changed, then I won’t fight you. But neither will I allow you to harm yourself in the process. Armani knows this, and she knows to take care. But you will hear it as well. If I see it affecting you adversely, then I will put a stop to it. ”
She lifted a brow mockingly, causing his cock to twitch at the implied defiance. “I’m weak, Aiden, not stupid. ”
He sighed wearily. “No, you are not stupid, just incredibly stubborn. That stubbornness makes me horny, Charity. ”
“Well gee, Aiden, why not just be romantic about it,” she snorted as her face flushed with arousal and shyness.
He couldn’t help himself. He knelt before her, took her face in his hands and laid his lips on hers. He felt the silken curves tremble as they parted beneath the touch. And he waited. He went no further, just the gentle stroking of lips against lips until her tongue peeked out and stroked timidly at him. Her hands rose to his shoulders, slid to his neck as he fought to keep the kiss soft, comforting, despite the heat that rose between them. He could feel her in every cell of his body as her kiss stroked the fire in his cock brighter. Finally, in desperation he pulled back.
His thumb slid over the moist curves.
“Perhaps I missed the romance classes during training,” he said regretfully, moving away from her as a knock sounded at the door. “That would be the good doctor,” he sighed then and headed for the door. He had promised himself he would allowthis, that he would tamp down his possessive instincts, his fury that somehow she would be weakened further. He strode quickly for the door and swung it open. Armani stood there, that damned mocking glint in her eye, a smug smile about her mobile mouth.
“You trained her too well,” he bit out as he moved aside for her to enter. She didn’t enter. Instead she watched him closely.
“Before I see her, I want to know if you have taken her anally yet. ”
Sometimes the damned woman could be too nosy. He often wondered if she didn’t do it deliberately, just to keep the rest of them off balance.
Aiden clenched his teeth. “No,” he finally bit out. “Not yet. ”
She nodded abruptly. “Another thing. Physically, how is she holding up?”
Why the hell was she asking him?
“See foryourself ,” he growled.
She shook her head. “Your opinion first, Aiden. I don’t ask lightly. ”
He breathed in deeply. “She’s trembling, even now. She’s pale and weak, and the arousal is draining her strength. I worry…” And for that reason he had allowed the testing to begin. She nodded abruptly and forged into the room, breezing past him as though he was no longer there. Aiden shook his head and closed the door. He knew that as far as she was concerned, he was no longer there.
Now, did he leave, or did he stay? He turned and paced to the kitchen table and sat down to wait. No way in hell was he leaving.
* * * * *
“Charity, it’s good to see you. ” Nikki’s smile was wide, her black eyes filled with humor and more knowledge than she likely needed, Charity thought as the other woman walked into the room.
“’Bout time you got here,” she griped. “I can’t believe you let Aiden hold you off that long. ”
She knew Nikki. She could have easily steamed right over Aiden at any given time. Nikki shrugged. “Stubborn man. Breeds are not always logical, Charity. Of course, we’re talking the male Breeds here. Often the females show a bit more sense. ”
“How often?”Charity asked in amusement.
“Hmm, sometimes,” Nikki laughed as she dragged the chair from the wall over to the bed. “There. ” She sat down heavily, leaning back in the padded comfort of the seat. “Tell me. ”
Charity sighed. Nikki didn’t have to say what she wanted to know; Charity knew the drill by now.
“Keegan knows much more than I do,” she sighed wearily. “All I really know is that the incision made
into the womb was to apply the drugs directly and to view certain changes within the womb. They didn’t check the ovaries, though, which is where I believe the change is occurring. Those tests were scheduled to begin soon. They were beginning to suspect many of the conclusions I’ve come to myself. ”