Page 177 of Smoke and Lure

Aodh raced into the doorway and took the stairs three at a time.“Tana!”

“I am right behind you, Mckenna.”Rapid steps echoed behind Aodh.“I’ve already given instructions for the items I need and sent for your mother.”

Kai couldn’t see the attendant or anything since she kept her eyes closed and face buried against Aodh’s broad, hard chest.She took deep breaths to fill her lungs with his roasted, sweet-cinnamon scent, using it to soothe herself.

Once they were in the small suite, Aodh rushed in and stood in the front room.As if confused about what to do, he turned right, left, and right again and decided on the large wicker bucket seat in the middle before the fire.

“Not there, Mckenna.”Tana stopped him as he leaned forward, prepared to set Kai down.

When Aodh rose, Tana crossed the room and waved him behind her.

Kai ground her teeth together and tried to relax between the tightening of her stomach and the stabbing pain.

“We will start here.Bring her to the bed, please,” Tana directed.

Aodh moved toward the bed and waited while Tana pulled out the stack of sheets and towels, then laid them out over the bed.

Aodh gingerly settled Kai in the middle of it when it was set.

When he shifted as if he was going to release her, Kai quickly gripped his arm.“Please, don’t leave me.It hurts so bad.”

Her body trembled, and she wanted to tell him that the pain in her belly was great, but minimal compared to the excruciating fear in her heart.She knew the cause of her early labor was the attack and her falls, and she was afraid something might have happened to the baby.

“I’m not going anywhere, mate.”He stroked along her back.

There was a knock at the door.Tana hustled away to answer.

What if I’ve lost—?

Shh...our offspring is tough.Everything will be alright.

Another pain slammed into her, a knotting pressure in her back that throbbed into her hips and down her legs, even as the searing pain between her thighs stole her breath.She dug her nails deep into Aodh’s thick skin and cried out until it subsided.

Aodh brushed her damp hair away from her cheek as he blew soft streams of smoke around her face.Breathe.Just breathe.

Trembling, Kai followed his orders.

“You are mine, love.My everything.The mother of my people.You reconnected us all in a way we thought lost, andyougave us hope.Never doubt your importance to our Thunder.”His determined gaze held hers, while a moss-green flame flickered in his irises, as he caressed her face, giving her his calm.

His words were a balm to worry that had resided in her for too long.It was clear he’d heard the whispers in her mind.

“Myhnn,” she confirmed in Drahk.“I love you, Aodh.”

“I love you.”Those pale flames shifted and flickered into a ruby hue in a blink.“No one hurts you.I promise, I am going to kill every fucking one of them for touching you, love.”He brushed his lips over her temple and held her close to his chest.

Tears burned in her eyes before they ran down her cheeks.This man would take on the world and fight for her because he loved her, and she realized she’d been a fool to doubt her place in his life because of jealousy.It wasn’t the Drahk way; shewasa Drahk no matter what changed for her after the baby was born.

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