Page 29 of Spirit Island

Her son lookedso small against his father. The video continued to play.

“So, you madeit without me.”

Jane nodded. “Idid, but I didn’t think the mask was a birthmark. That would havemade it so much easier.”

He smiled. “Itruns in the family. We keep to the islands for a reason. Here, weare just part of the background. Out there, we are freaks.”

“My boy is nota freak. He’s unique, charming, cheerful, and mine.”

“And mine.” Hestroked Terro’s head. “I can’t believe I have a son.”

“A tiny terror,but everyone loves him so far.” She smiled. “So, you rememberedmore than I did?”

Tenec nodded.“Yes, but I had no idea how to find you.”

“My looks arerather generic, and there was no record of me leaving thehotel.”

He grimaced.“And there was no image of you coming into the hotel. I wasblocking every angle. We checked.”

“We?”

“My securityteam. I couldn’t remember every detail, but brown hair and browneyes is a difficult demographic to sort.”

She smiled. “Itis. Blending in has always been easy. Having Terro with me makes mestand out. It might be all the yelling and chasing.”

“So, do youwant to become mates?”

She glanced athim. “I am content on my own if you don’t want to. Terro and I havea rhythm, and I guess visitation can be worked out.”

“You will haveto move to the islands. Will that be a problem?”

She smiled.“The move is already underway. I was going to be staying withSerin, but then, Deno manifested, and now, I am going to hang outhere until I can sort lodgings. I work from home most of the time,so my laptop is set up, and I have edited a lot of workalready.”

“You are avideo editor?”

“Yeah. Veryglad about it when he came along. I was doing commercial cuts forvideo games when he happened.” She stroked Terro’s cheek.

“Did youmind?”

“Once I figuredout that you and I happened to sync up by chance, I couldn’t be madand just dealt with the fading marks and widening midsection.”

“I marked you?”He blinked.

Jane blushed.“I was covered in hickeys from my earlobes to the back of my knees.There were a few marks around my hips and waist. Luna explainedexactly how those marks were made, and then, she laughed at myexpression.”

His expressionindicated he had caught on. “I would apologize, but I would verymuch like to try that again.”

She chuckled.“Not with Terro around. Children. Nature’s birth control.”

He looked downat Terro, and the toddler stretched. “I see your point.”

“All of hisusual babysitters who are in the islands are newly mated, and Idon’t want to disrupt them for this sort of thing.”

He looked ather for a moment. “My parents live near me in the Blackridge chain.Would you care to go visit so they can meet their grandson?”

“Oh. Shoot. Um.I guess so? Wait, do they know about me?”

“Yes. I toldthem last night. They were very interested in you.”

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