Born of Betrayal (25 page)

“Licia!” Talyn breathed before he raced across the room to scoop her up in his arms and kiss her as if his life depended on it. Cradling her head with his hand, he pressed his cheek to hers and held her with her feet suspended well above the floor. “What are you doing here?”

With bright musical laughter that betrayed her happiness, she kept her arms wrapped around his shoulders as she savored his touch and played in his braids. “Your aunt and uncle showed up at the condo and said that your father sent them to ask if I wanted to come stay with you while you were stationed here. I hope it's okay?”

“Of course it is!” Biting his lip, Talyn finally set her back on her feet. Breathless, he cupped her cheek and swept his gaze over her as if he still couldn't believe she was real. “Where are your things?”

She turned to show him her small backpack beneath her cloak. “You know me. Travel light. Besides, I didn't want to waste a single second getting to you.” Wrinkling her nose and giggling in the most adorable way, she danced around to face him again. And Talyn was just as giddy. He couldn't stop smiling at her while he brushed the hair back from her face.

Their obvious love and adoration for each other tightened Fain's throat. It reminded him of how Galene used to look at him when they were kids.

How she still lit up his heart every time she came near him.

And he was grateful beyond repayment to his brother for doing him this favor.

Fain cleared his throat to get Talyn's attention off his female, but it was hard and took several seconds before his son dragged his gaze away. “Go on and see Felicia settled. I'll cover the remainder of your shift.”

Talyn hesitated. “You sure?”

Nodding, Fain pulled his key card out. “And swap keys with me. I had them exchange our quarters earlier. After last night, I figured you'd want more room and privacy while Felicia was here. Mine should be freshly cleaned and stocked for you. If not, let me know and I'll get maintenance right on it.”

Like a little kid who'd just been handed the gift he never thought to have, Talyn slung Felicia's pack over his shoulder and complied. His hand hesitated on Fain's. “Thank you, Hauk. Really.”

Fain clapped him on the shoulder. “My pleasure, kid.”

Talyn returned to Felicia's side and took her hand to lead her out.

Felicia bit her lip in the most precious way as she glanced over her shoulder at Fain. “Um, Talyn? When did you get a father?”

Talyn paused to look back at him, too. It was the first time Fain saw something more than contempt or hatred in his son's eyes as he regarded him. “The minute you walked through the door.” He kissed her hand and left the room.

Fain should probably take offense to the fact that Talyn hadn't introduced them, but given his son's eagerness to be alone with his female, he'd let it slide. He'd have been the same way at that age.

Introductions and manners always took a backseat to stralen hormones and emotions.

Dancer and Sumi closed the distance between them.

“Hi, Sumi.” Fain kissed her cheek.

She gave him a light hug. “That was really sweet. Good job.”

Embarrassed, he shrugged her praise off. “Where are the kids?”

“Kalea saw a candy store out in the mall area so Darice was kind enough to take her for some, while we brought Felicia here.” Sumi stepped back and caressed her slightly distended stomach. “I'm going to go check on them and make sure Kalea hasn't driven him to murder her with her billion and two questions about everything.”

Dancer snorted at that. “Yeah, right. Get me some of whatever you get for yourself.”

She wrinkled her nose playfully at him. “Will do.”

As soon as she was gone, Dancer arched a brow at Fain.

“What?” he asked irritably.

“Nothing.” Dancer pulled out a large envelope. “I picked up those papers you requested. Everything's in order.”

“Thanks. I owe you.”

“Nah. Just sorry it took so long. League has most of this sector locked down tight. We had to do some creative navigating to get here without battle or confrontation, and I wasn't taking any chances, given my cargo.”

That he well understood and was grateful for. “Glad you made it.”

“Yeah. Me, too.”

Fain set the papers aside. “So what do you think of Felicia?”

“Not what I expected.”

“Meaning?”

“She's sweet, Fain. Quiet and bashful. Very, very reserved. For some reason, I'd assumed the Iron Hammer's female would be much more brazen and tough. In your face.”

“Like Sumi?”

“Yeah. But I think a strong breeze could knock Felicia over and scare her. I've never met anyone more timid, especially not an Andarion female.”

Dancer was right about that. Most Andarion females were tougher than the majority of human males. And he noticed Gavarian was choking as they spoke as if he knew something they didn't.

Ignoring him, he continued to speak to his brother. “What did you find out about her?”

“Her father's Saren ezul Terronova and her mother was born Marna eton Nykyrian.”

Fain's eyes bugged at
that
noble lineage. Those were two of the original royal bloodlines that were only trumped by that of the current queen of Andaria. In fact, Cairistiona was an ezul Nykyrian—through her father, who was descended from the daughter of the first Nykyrian who'd been granted a royal title. An eton Nykyrian meant that Felicia's mother was descended from the original prince … damn. Felicia's mother was more noble than the current tadara's father had been.

As for the Terronova lineage …

It was only trumped by the eton Nykyrian and eton Anatole lineages.

“Are you shitting me?” He glared at Gavarian, who grinned at him.

“Oh? Did I fail to mention that Felicia is my aunt?”

It took everything he had not to shoot the kid where he so smugly sat. “Yeah. You left that bit out.”

“Oh … By the way, Hauk, Felicia's my aunt.”

No wonder Gavarian was so close to Talyn, and that they trusted him so completely. The little shit
was
family. It was all starting to fall into place now.

Dancer scowled at him. “Your father's Lorens ezul Terronova?”

Gavarian nodded. “All my life … since birth.”

He looked back at Fain. “Lorens is her older brother, who adores her.”

Fain let out a low whistle. “I give Talyn credit for choosing so well.” But why a female with a lineage
that
impressive would be a paid companion boggled his mind. Even being bastard-born, Felicia could have negotiated marriage with any male she wanted.

Hell, she could have probably commanded a prince.

“She really loves him. I wish you could have seen her face when we went to pick her up. At first, I thought she was going to call security on us. But once I proved to her that I really was his uncle, she packed so fast, she left a vapor trail.”

Fain laughed at that.

Until the door opened and showed Galene entering the room. She stalked toward him like a feral lorina out for blood.

Had he not been standing with a wall at his back, he'd have fled from the steeled look on her face.
What the hell did I do now?

A little scared, he was frozen to the spot. Until she stopped in front of him, reached up, and pulled his lips down to hers. Fain relaxed as she kissed him with a passion he hadn't tasted since they were kids. It left him breathless and hot, and with a hard-on that should be declared illegal. And no doubt was obvious to all.

Pulling back, she smiled up at him. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Making Talyn so happy.” She hugged him like she used to do. Her breath teased his ear, sending chills all over his body. “I passed him in the hallway, with Felicia. He was practically dancing.”

Fain savored the sensation of her body pressed against his. The only way to make this better would be to have her naked in his arms. “Anything to make you smile at me.”

She rolled her eyes at him until she noticed Dancer. “And thank
you
. Felicia said you were a sweetheart to her the whole time, and that you and your wife and kids treated her like family.”

“You don't have to thank me. I don't see how anyone could be unkind to her. It'd be like kicking a toothless kitten.”

Galene let out a low laugh at that. “Yeah, you keep thinking that.”

“Meaning?”

“Felicia's not as meek as she seems. Threaten Talyn and you'll find that out
real
fast. Even Qory's afraid of getting her riled.”

Dancer scoffed. “I'd have to see it to believe it.”

The door opened.

Galene turned to look past Dancer. The moment her gaze focused on the newcomers, her entire world shattered in a blinding wave of pain.

It was her worst nightmare.

Fain's ex-wife.

Worse? The pregnant human bitch stood there with a dark-haired girl in her arms, and an Andarion boy by her side who was almost identical in looks to Fain.

Vasectomy, my ass!

 

C
HAPTER
10

For a full minute, Galene couldn't breathe as she stood face-to-face with the last person she'd ever expected to see again.

Omira Hauk. Fain's human
wife
.

“Stormy,” Fain said in a low tone. “It's not what you're thinking.”

She raked a hostile glare over him as her fury erupted. “You faithless bastard!” Unable to deal with it, she stalked from the room with his lies ringing in her ears.

Fain followed her out into the hallway. “Galene, please!”

“Go back to your human! Or else I
will
kill you!”

“She's Dancer's wife!”

Galene stumbled at the last thing she'd ever expected to hear.

Dancer's wife? What the hell?

How sick were they?

Catching herself against the wall, she turned back toward Fain, stunned beyond imagination. “What?”

“That's not Omira. I swear! It's her sister Sumi, and she's Dancer's wife. Not mine.”

Galene scowled as she tried to digest his explanation. Could it be true?

Dancer and the tall, lithe blond woman who was still holding the little girl in her arms approached them slowly. The boy stayed back as if he was afraid she might harm him.

“I'm not Omira,” the woman said slowly. “I know I look a lot like my sister, but I'm quite a few years younger.”

She was also taller, now that Galene saw her with less fury in her heart. And much prettier.

Completely dumbfounded, she turned back toward Fain for more explanation.

The little girl frowned at Dancer. “Paka? Why's the pretty lady so mad at everybody? What did we do to her?”

He took her from her mother. “No one's mad, Lee-lee. Just a little misunderstanding.”

Galene shook her head as she finally accepted a harsh truth. “This must be awkward at family reunions.”

Sadness darkened the woman's eyes. “Not really. My sister died a long time ago. The only family I have now is standing in front of you.” She gestured at the boy with them. “This is our son, Darice.”

Galene felt an instant kinship with the woman who had no other family. “Sorry…” She hesitated, trying to recall the woman's name.

“Sumi.”

“Sumi, I know what it's like to be alone. I didn't mean to overreact.”

Fain let out a reserved sigh. “I should have warned you, Galene. But honestly, I don't even think about them being sisters. It just doesn't come to my mind at all.”

That more than anything told her that he was being truthful about his feelings toward Omira. If he'd really loved her, he wouldn't be able to stand being around Sumi. Seeing her pregnant with his brother's children. The pain of it would be unbearable.

Instead, he really didn't care.

She smiled at Sumi's stomach. “When are you due?”

“Next year.”

“Congratulations.”

Rubbing her belly, she smiled warmly. “Thank you.”

Fain took the little girl from his brother and brought her over. “Kalea, meet your aunt, Galene.”

With her finger in her mouth, Kalea frowned at her. “Are you a girl aunt or a boy aunt?”

“Beg pardon?”

Sumi, Dancer, Darice, and Fain laughed.

Sobering, Fain explained it for her. “She knows Maris Sulle as Aunt Mari.”

“Oh.” Galene joined their laughter. Maris was the Andarion ambassador for Caron. He was also flamboyantly gay. “I would be a girl aunt.”

Kalea launched herself from Fain's arms into Galene's. “Nice to meet you, Aunt Galene.”

Closing her eyes, Galene savored the sensation of holding a small child again. She hadn't held one this age since Talyn had been a toddler. And Kalea weighed a lot less than he had at her age. She was so incredibly tiny and delicate. “It's a pleasure to meet you, too, Kalea.”

She dug a handful of hard candy out of her pocket and held it up to Galene's face. “Would you like some? My brother kept most of it 'cause he said I'd eat too much and get a stomachache, but I think he's going to eat it 'cause he always does. Darry's mean that way.”

Laughing again, Galene shook her head. “No, thank you. You can keep it.”

“Okay.” Kalea kicked her legs to signal she was ready to be set down.

Galene put her on her feet and watched as she ran to Dancer.

“Paka? Lee-lee needs a bathroom. Quick!”

He passed an irritated smirk to Sumi. “Why does she always come to me with this?”

With an evil laugh, Sumi held her hand out to Kalea. “Come, sweetie. Mommy needs one, too.”

Dancer sighed. “Now that I'm not afraid for Fain's life, I'll see them settled. You two … play nice.” He chucked Darice on the shoulder and led him in the direction Sumi and Kalea had taken.