Page 30 of Lord of Dance and Desire

I was too relaxed to tense, but some of my glow dimmed.

He met my eyes, his a touch grave. “I must have an Heir, Anah, but not any time soon. My mother will rule for millennia. Thereis time to secure our bloodline, though training a child takes centuries.”

I hesitated, relaxing. I’d probably be dead by then anyway—so this was a non issue. Something niggled in the back of my mind though. . .

“Andrei, how oldisAdoncia?” I forgot about my immediate problem, doing some rapid mental calculations. “She’s in her early forties, I thought. But she’s been with the Arts for at least?—”

I stopped. Jerked my gaze to his shuttered one.

“If Adoncia Vargas is, as we suspect, Lord Iliweh’s bonded as well as consort, then Vargas will share in her Lord’s lifespan.”

Blood rushed to my head. If I’d been standing. . .well.

“You know eventually I may have to have surgery?” I said finally, setting aside the enormous revelation of possible immortality. Not true immortality—the Fae died all the time. But they didn’t die from old age or disease. “If that happens, and you want a child with my eggs, then surrogacy would be an option.”

“Nothing has to be decided now. I’ve been reading on endometriosis. If you’re willing, I want my healer to attend you. If she can help, I’d like you to consider it.”

“Yes. But I still need the meds I’m already on, Andrei.”

He kissed my forehead. “Whatever you need. I can take care of you.”

Then he picked me back up and returned with me to bed. Constin entered the bedroom minutes later, balancing several plates and a pitcher of juice.

Naked.

“I guess we aren’t pretending anymore for the mortal’s sake that we wear clothing in the house,” I said.

“We have to wear clothes sometimes,” Con said. “And the High Lord here never met a dramatic dressing gown he didn’t want to make love to on the fainting couch.”

Andrei snorted. “I only fuck the highest quality silks and velvets.”

Mathen rose to help and they spread the food on the bed.

Men.

“I guess no one is worried about crumbs or spills,” I said, eyeing them critically.

“The comforter is covered in our come, Anah,” Andrei said. “And you happen to be a gusher?—”

“She is indeed,” Mathen murmured.

“—so. . .a few crumbs won’t insult it’s dignity.”

I gave up. Andrei sat against the headboard and pulled me between his open legs, then fed me bites of fruit and cold meat and cheese.

Constin watched with amusement. “Textbook,” he said. “We’re at the feeding her by hand stage.”

“You mean I’ll get to drink my apple juice in my big girl cup all by myself again?” I asked.

“Eventually, darling.”

Andrei nipped my ear. “I like feeding you. Perhaps one day I’ll be feeding you for two.”

“Andrei.”

“I know.” He waved a hand. “It’s wise to wait. There are people I need to kill first to ensure your safety, and then I’ll be embroiled in the fall out for at least a decade.”

Mathen cleared his throat, and gave Andrei a little glare. “She doesn’t want to hear about any of that.”

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