Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 128413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 514(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 514(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
But Auden shook her head. “I had the same idea, but he’s a pure telepath. Extremely high-Gradient—9.7—but that’s not rare in terms of the donors my mother earmarked for me. Not a single unusual thing about him. All his medical and psychic records are on our system and will be updated until my baby is of age. Part of the fertilization agreement.”
Remi shook his head. “It’s much more fun making cubs the old-fashioned way.”
A whisper of scent from Auden that made his entire body tighten. Strangling the desire that crept over his skin, he said, “Bed’s done. Come test the frame so I can put the futon on it, and then you can tell me what you think might be going on, and we’ll come up with a plan to help you and your child.” Because Remi was in this to the end.
For Auden. For her cub.
And for the whispered promise of a future that clawed at his heart.
Chapter 26
Eastern Europe is too thin to hold. Failure imminent.
I’m forcing an emergency psychic migration to the nearest safe zones by utilizing my own power to move people—but it’s a stopgap measure. They can’t remain in a different part of the psychic network than their physical location for too long.
Kaleb, Nikita, I need your assistance.
Payal, watch the Substrate. Ivy, we need the Honeycomb to move with these people.
Anthony, it might be time for you to consult your foreseers as you offered. Perhaps they can see something that’ll help us.
—Emergency alert from Aden Kai to the Ruling Coalition (10 November 2083)
THIRTY SECONDS AFTER Auden pronounced the bed frame safe for her, he had the futon on it, along with her pillow and blanket. Ten seconds after that, she was lying on the bed with a sigh of satisfaction.
Her feet did a happy little wiggle.
Half a minute later, while he was checking every seal and join a third time over, she curled over onto her side and her eyes fluttered shut. He figured she was testing the bed by really sinking into her ability—but by the time he finished his final check and came around to face her, it was to see that her eyes were still closed, her breathing deep and even.
She’d fallen asleep.
Protective warmth spread through him as he picked up the blanket at the foot of the bed and spread it out over her. Making a little murmuring sound in her sleep, she snuggled deeper into the bed.
Didn’t look like she was having trouble with his imprint.
His entire body tightened with a raw possessiveness.
But much as he wanted to, he couldn’t stay and watch over her sleep. He’d been away from the den for most of the day, needed to go and deal with multiple small matters. It was early enough that a juvenile who needed to be disciplined would still be up—and Remi would never leave the boy hanging overnight—and all the adults would be available for various discussions.
More than that, his young pack needed to know their alpha slept close by. It wasn’t that he could never be away from them at night, but this proximate to all the nights he’d spent away because of business commitments? It was necessary. His presence while they slept would calm their animals, allow them to rest in truth. The cubs, especially, reacted to Remi being in the vicinity.
But leaving Auden alone wasn’t an option.
Stepping outside, he closed the door behind himself, then made a call. Angel didn’t answer; his best friend was probably running in tiger form. Remi was considering who else might have availability when a tiger prowled out of the trees.
Of course Angel had figured out that Remi might need backup tonight. That was why he was RainFire’s second-in-command. “Keep an eye on her?” Remi crouched down, put his hand on Angel’s back.
Because Angel was a tiger—tigers were far more reclusive than leopards when it came to changelings—their bond wasn’t the same as the alpha-sentinel one he had with Lark, Theo, and Rina. It was that of equals, especially given their history together. Angel would always be Remi’s friend first, his sentinel second.
Tonight, the tiger nodded to show he’d accept the charge.
“Shouldn’t be any problems,” Remi said, “but I’ll leave my phone here in case you need to call for an assist.” He’d have access to his main comm at the den, and Angel could always call one of the other senior people directly, who’d then contact Remi.
Angel waited with feline patience as Remi walked into the shadow of the trees.
Stripping, he left his phone on the pile of his clothes, then shifted. His body disintegrated into endless pieces of light in an ecstasy of pain, only to become again a heartbeat later.
His leopard stretched, flexing its back, before padding out to meet Angel in the clearing. They brushed past each other in silent greeting, then Remi took one last look at the cabin before turning toward the forest and breaking out into the leopard’s ground-devouring lope.