Page 61 of Aria's Desire

Aria narrowed her eyes at him, trying to read his expression, but it was blank. Even his feelings were locked up tight.

“You saying you didn’t peek at Rellik or Sin to find out?”

“Of course, I did,” he answered easily, looking completely unrepentant.

“Then why ask?”

“To see how you felt.”

Aria growled, feeling… she didn’t actually have a name for what she felt other than flustered. She did know she didn’t particularly like it or the look Kix and Tirox shared.

“What? What was that look? If you’re pissed, just say it. I—”

Tirox cut her off. “We’re not angry with you, my heart. We are… ”

Her nerves strung tight as she waited for him to finish. He didn’t. “You’re what? Just spit it out.”

It was their turn to look cornered. Kix’s bioluminescence pulsed in a way that only happened when he was angry, aroused, or anxious. He’d said he wasn’t angry, and he definitely wasn’t aroused. So what was he anxious about?

“We have waited… ” he started.

Tirox picked up the sentence. “But we have decided that is not what you need from us.”

“Okaay,” she drawled, completely thrown off by that.

Their anxiety was infecting her. What the hell had they been waiting for and what, exactly, had they decided she needed from them?

The first thought to pop into her head was that they’d changed their minds about staying on this planet. They’d talked at length about that, so that one was easily dismissed, but the second…

The second was that they didn’t want kids.

Granted, that thought very likely stemmed from the fact that she’d been thinking about children a lot lately. Still, it wasn’t something they’d ever talked about. What if they really didn’t want a family?

Kix picked up on that thought instantly. Leaning forward sharply, he cupped her chin and growled almost angrily, “Whether we have spoken about it or no, never doubt that we want a family with you, Aria. Tirox and I both long for children. We eagerly await the day we will get to love and nurture a little girl or boy just as fearless and headstrong as their mother.”

Something tight in her chest relaxed even as a knot grew in her throat.

Before she could say anything, Tirox made an angry sound in the back of his throat and sputtered, “Hold a fucking time! You doubted we want cubs? How… you- Gods’, female! We want you to mate Rellik and Sin! Doubted we want young! How could you- That is… ” He was so appalled he couldn’t seem to make full sentences. He finally gave up and thundered, “Most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard!”

Aria’s brows shot up at his genuine ire. It took a second for what he’d said to actually sink in.

It seemed to register for him and Kix at the same time.

“Tirox,” Kix hissed.

Her demon’s stunned expression folded into a grimace. “I did not mean to- It just… I lost my tongue. But really, can I be blamed?” He cut her a narrow-eyed look and grumbled, “Ridiculous!” At Kix’s long-suffering sigh, Tirox patted him on the back consolingly. “It is said. Cannot be unsaid. Anyway, better it’s out. You were doing a shit job.”

Kix whipped his head around and started to retort, but Aria waved her hands, cutting off the argument she knew was about to start. “Hey! Focus! Am I hearing things or did you… say what I think you said?”

They didn’t respond right away, eyeing her with twin expressions of wariness. Seeing, and feeling, she was more stunned than angry, they relaxed. Kix gave Tirox one more irritated glance then focused on her, his face softening.

“Myaessa, we know you care deeply for them. Yet, you push them away. You fight your feelings. We tried to be patient, thinking you would come to us when you were ready. You haven’t. We came to understand you never would.”

Tirox nodded and added, “I-wefell back on the familiar. Even knowing the mating customs of your people are different, we both acted as though you would know what to do. But you are notRukanorCaljaan. You are our Aria, and we should’ve done better to understand what you needed from us.”

Aria didn’t say anything, too dumbfounded to speak.

“My mind has been… clouded,” Kix continued. “I see now my struggles are part of the reason you pushed them away. I apologize for that. I knew you were pained. I knew you were torn between the wants of your heart and the fears of your mind. Yet, I couldn’t… ” He trailed off with a frown, seemingly trying to put his thoughts into words.

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