Lover Awakened

'Again… please,' he whispered. 'I need to hear it… again.'

'I love you…'

His response was to start praying to the Scribe Virgin in the Old Language.

Holding Bella tight, burying his face in her hair, he gave thanks with such eloquence she started to weep all over again.

When the last laudation had been murmured he switched back into English. 'I was dead until you found me, though I breathed. I was sightless, though I could see. And then you came… and I was awakened.'

She touched his face. In slow motion he closed the distance between their mouths, pressing the softest of kisses on her lips.

How sweetly he came to her, she thought. Even with his bulk and his power, he came to her… sweetly.

Then he pulled back. 'But wait, why are you here? I mean, I'm glad you—'

'I'm having your young.'

He frowned. Opened his mouth. Shut it and shook his head. 'I'm sorry… what did you say?'

'I carry your young.' This time there was no response from him at all. 'You're going to be a father.' Still nothing. 'I'm pregnant.'

Okay, she was running out of ways to tell him. God—what if he didn't want this?

Zsadist started to sway in his shitkickers and the blood ran out of his face. 'You carry my young within you?'

'Yes. I'm—'

Suddenly he gripped her arms hard. 'Are you all right? Did Havers say you're all right?'

'So far. I'm a little young, but maybe that'll work to my advantage when the time to deliver comes. Havers said the baby is well and I'm under no restrictions… well, except I'm not allowed to dematerialize after my sixth month. And, ah…' Blushing… she was seriously blushing now. 'I won't be able to have sex or be fed from after the fourteenth one until the birth. Which should be around month eighteen.'

When the doctor had given her those warnings, she'd thought she'd never have to worry about either of those things. But maybe now…

Zsadist was nodding, but he really didn't look well. 'I can take care of you.'

'I know you will. And you're going to keep me safe.' She said this because she knew he would worry about that.

'You will stay here with me?'

She smiled. 'I would love to.'

'Will you mate me?'

'Are you asking?'

'Yes.'

Except he still looked green. He was literally the color of mint ice cream. And these rote words of his were beginning to freak her out. 'Zsadist… are you okay about this? Um… you don't have to mate me, if you don't —'

'Where is your brother?'

The question startled her. 'Rehvenge? Ah… home, I guess.'

'We go to him. Now.' Zsadist took her hand and dragged her out into the foyer.

'Zsadist—'

'We will get his consent and we will be mated this night. And we will go in V's car. I don't want you dematerializing again.'

Zsadist was pulling her to the door so fast, she was having to run. 'Wait, Havers said I could until month —'

'I don't want to take any chances.'

'Zsadist, that's not necessary.'

Suddenly he stopped. 'Are you sure you want my young?'

'Oh, yes. Oh, dear Virgin, yes. Even more now…' She smiled up at him. Took his hand. Placed it on her lower belly. 'You're going to be a wonderful father.'

And that was when he fell over in a dead faint.

Zsadist opened his eyes to find Bella looking down at him with love shining out of her face. All around his periphery there were other members of the household, but she was the only one he saw.

'Hi, there,' she said softly.

He reached up and touched her face. He was not going to cry. He was not—

Oh, to hell with it.

He smiled up at her as the tears started rolling. 'I hope… I hope it's a little girl who looks just like—'

His voice cut out. And then, yeah, like a complete flipping nancy, he broke down totally and wept like an idiot. In front of all the Brothers. And Butch. And Beth. And Mary. He was no doubt horrifying Bella with his weakness, but he couldn't help himself. This was the first time in his whole life that he had ever felt… blessed. Fortunate. Lucky. This moment, this perfect, shimmering moment in time, this one, sublime moment where he was flat on his back in the foyer, with his beloved Bella, and the young inside her, and the Brotherhood around him… this was his very luckiest day.

When his pathetic sobbing dried up, Rhage knelt down, grinning so wide his perfect cheeks were about to split. 'We came running when your noggin cracked into the floor. Put 'er there, daddy-o. Can I teach the little bugger how to fight?'

Hollywood held out his hand, and as Zsadist took hold of it to shake, Wrath got down on his haunches. 'Congratulations, my brother. May blessings from the Virgin be upon you and your shellan and your young.'

By the time Vishous and Butch offered their laudatory words, Z was sitting up. Mopping up. God, he was such a pansy, crying all over himself. Shit. Good thing none of them seemed to mind.

As he took a deep breath, he looked around for Phury… and there his twin was.

In the two months since Phury's night out with that lesser, his hair had already grown down to his jawline, and the scar he'd put on his face was long gone. But his eyes were flat and sad. And they were sadder now, too.

Phury came forward and everyone got quiet.

'I should like to be an uncle,' he said quietly. 'I'm so happy for you, Z. You too… Bella.'

Zsadist grabbed for Phury's palm and squeezed so hard he could feel his twin's bones. 'You're going to be a fine uncle.'

'And perhaps the ghardian?' Bella volunteered.

Phury bowed his head. 'I would be honored to be the young's ghardian.'

Fritz bustled in with a silver tray of slender glass flutes. The doggen was glowing and all atwitter with happiness. 'To toast the occasion.'

Voices mixed and mingled and glasses were passed and laughter sounded. Zsadist looked at Bella as someone put a flute in his hand.

I love you, he mouthed. She smiled back at him and pressed something into his hand. Her necklace.

'You keep this on you always,' she whispered. 'For good luck.'

He kissed her hand. 'Always.'

Abruptly Wrath rose to his towering height, lifted up his champagne, and tilted back his head. In a tremendous, booming voice, he hollered so loud, you could have sworn the walls of the mansion shook.

'To the young!'

Everyone shot to their feet, raised their glasses, and yelled at the top of their lungs, 'To the young!'

Ah, yes… Surely their chorus of voices was bold and deafening enough to carry to the Scribe Virgin's sacred ears. Which was precisely as tradition demanded.

What a true and proper toast, Z thought as he tugged Bella down to kiss her on the