Page 39 of His Human Librarian

“Sten,” my mother admonishes with a frown.

“Sandstone family meeting,” my father’s voice booms. He blasts a flame out of his jaw. I take Taylor’s hand and lead her inside. Soon everyone walks quickly toward the front living room of the ranch house and we close the door behind us for privacy.

My female instantly begins chatting with my two human sisters-in-law. “She brings out a side of him I’ve never seen,” one female says.

“Sten is usually so gracious and polite.”

Taylor snort-laughs so hard she sprays out a bit of her drink. “Since when?”

“Oh, I’ve seen this side of him plenty,” Thorn growls. “But usually, he only lets close friends and family see his bad side.”

“I don’t have a bad side.”

Rake throws back his head and laughs. “Yes, you do. I think you’ve always secretly liked her. Why else would you allow her to see the real you, not simply the formal mask you put on for the guests?”

I fall back into a chair because now that I know about the baby the true memories of what happened in that cave are hitting me hard. I look up at my female. “I’m remembering everything now. Taylor, why didn’t you tell me? You’ve been letting me walk around for three full moon cycles without thisknowledge. Letting me treat you as if we were simply coworkers and nothing more.”

“You didn’t remember me,” she cries. “It was terrible.”

“You rejected her when she greeted you when you awoke in the cave,” my brother reminds me.

I put my face in my hands. The memory is too bad to bear.

“Oh, this is awful,” my mother exclaims. “You had a fiancé this whole time and I didn’t know and I was trying to set you up with possible mates? I’m so sorry Taylor, I didn’t know either. That must’ve been so painful for you too. No wonder you left so quickly. I wouldn’t want to be around all of that either if I were you.”

“And then later you discovered you were carrying his child and you came back?” my father questions.

“Yes,” my female answers, placing a hand on her stomach, “that’s why I’m back. I wanted to tell Sten about this and give him the chance to be a part of this baby’s life, if he wanted.”

He nods. “This is good. I was ready to punish the male who had mistreated you, even if it was my own son. But at least I know Sten did this only because of his amnesia. And… he as the ability to make it all right.”

I stand up. “I do have the ability to make it right and I will do so right now.”

Taylor looks back and forth between me and my father. “What are you two talking about?”

I take her hand in mine. “I love you, Taylor. I told you, in that cave, that you were mine. And when you questioned me later because you were human and didn’t understand, I was trying to tell you before that last aftershock happened, that I wanted you to walk to the courthouse with me.”

There is a loud gasp from the humans. The other Hyrrokin in the room nod in agreement.

Taylor stares at me in shock. “You…you…” Takes a deep breath. “No, I can’t…What would I do here? I still…I still want to be a Librarian, of some sort.”

My mother speaks up. “There is much that this Librarian can do after her work with the tablets is complete. She can categorize our private library. And I’ve been meaning to start a local library in Fire Creek.”

“You want a human to do all of that? Not a Hyrrokin?” I challenge.

“She’s a professional. I’m certain that if there’s anything she knows will need direct Hyrrokin advice, that she will seek out that advice.”

“If you were to be my bound, you’d be stuck here on Tarvos for the rest of your life. I can’t leave this job and follow you around to all your positions on far off planets. You could leave, but I can’t.”

“I understand.”

“And I’m essentially a host. There are at least five different events that are held here at this ranch where the whole town is invited onto the grounds. There is a field specifically for this. And we often have VIP visitors to fire wine and dine. I need a bound who would gladly stand at my side and tirelessly greet all these Hyrrokin.”

“On top of that I need someone who will get along with my family and enjoy the workings of the ranch.”

“All of this is moot, she’s already your bound,” my older brother, Rake, snorts.

Taylor’s eyes widen. “I’m not his bound.”

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