Page 5 of Jace

Her voice quavered slightly, and it occurred to him that the attraction might be mutual.

His body surged with need again, and he tightened his jaw and stalked a few paces away.

“Well, I guess we should get on the road,” she said. “I’ll definitely get my exercise in for today, and my weight training.”

She was indicating the baby and she had a half-smile on her face.

Was she joking again?

He fought back the uncomfortable feeling of uncertainty for the second time.

Jace didn’t really understand jokes. His Invicta squadron had often teased him for being too serious.

Though he loved his brothers, Jace couldn’t pick up on what made them laugh. Being serious wasn’t a choice. He just… didn’t have much of a sense of humor.

And he had been told he should not pretend to understand jokes out of politeness, because his laugh was startling. That was probably because it was a false laugh, learned from watching others. It was a relief that they didn’t expect him to use it.

“Are you certain you do not wish to ride the float-ray?” Jace asked the Terran patiently, hoping she might forget her joking. “He is very tame. I am told they are like a gentle swimming creature from the Terras that schoolchildren visit in water zoos.”

“No thank you,” she said. “I had to jump out of a spacecraft today. My feet belong on the ground from now on.”

He nodded and swung himself up onto his float-ray. Foot soldiers never scoffed at a free ride.

Though of course, when he wanted to, Jace could have wings of his own.

He clucked to the float-ray and it began moving toward the trees.

Susannah followed, leading her float-ray by his traces.

“You don’t have to hold the traces,” he told her. “The float-ray will go where his brother goes.”

“That’s his brother?” she asked with interest.

“Maybe not biologically,” he told her. “But they work together always, just like my squadron and myself.”

“Do you think of them as brothers?” she asked. “The other soldiers in your squad?”

“I was not blessed with brothers at home,” he told her. “My fellow soldiers are the only brothers I have.”

She nodded and he noticed her glance down at Zeke with a worried expression.

“Is he unhappy?” Jace asked, willing himself not to leap off the float-ray and address the little one’s needs immediately.

“No,” she said. “I think he’s going to sleep. I was just thinking about him, how it will be to grow up so far from other children.”

A warm burst of approval blossomed in his chest. She was already thinking ahead to what the whelp might need in the future.

“Will he wish he had brothers and sisters?” she continued worrying out loud.

I will fill your belly again and again with my seed. He will be surrounded by so many brothers and sisters, that he will never be alone.

The thought came from deep within, in a voice heavy as lead and ancient as the stars.

My mate.

“No,” Jace said out loud.

“How do you know he won’t wish for siblings?” Susannah asked, looking surprised.

---