Page 14 of Wed to the Bullman

I laugh. “Yesterday you refused the meat pie at lunch.”

She turns and makes a gagging noise. “Sorry, but the thought of eating meat is just gross.”

“You may very well be pregnant.”

“Are you happy?”

A rumble of laughter rolls through my body. Holding my mate who just told me she might be pregnant makes me the happiest minotaur on Alia Terra. “Yes! But this will change things around the ranch.”

“What do you mean?” Her brow furrows.

“I mean, I’m not having my pregnant wife out there doing hard labor. I want you and the baby safe and healthy.”

“I’m not so fragile that I can’t put in a good day’s work. Maybe I shouldn’t lift heavy things, but I can certainly help feed and water the animals and weed and water the garden. And when the time comes, I can help harvest the vegetables.”

“Okay, okay. All I ask is that if you need a break, you take a break. And if you need to stick close to the house, you can.”

“I know, love.”

Her naked body moves on top of me. With her potentially being pregnant, I don’t want to risk hurting her by being in control. Sweet love flows between us as she climbs on me, and with my help, she gingerly lowers her tight, soft tunnel over my rock-hard cock. I nearly lose control, but with her on top, she’s safer. Together we rush through the layers of pleasure, her body rocking first as she comes and then me. I hold her hips, helping her move until I drain my cock.

She snuggles into my arms, falling asleep with a satisfied smile on her beautiful face. I gaze upon her for a long time, thankful she’s my DNA match. A baby will bring us closer, and seal our fate.

We head back home the next day and Agnes makes an appointment with the minotaur healer who is also married to a human midwife. It’s a perfect match, and they moved into our area right after I arrived on Alia Terra.

Sara and Janos have full schedules with all the minotaurs having pregnant mates. There’s a boom of half-human, half-minotaur babies increasing Taurus Terra. They will see her later in the week.

“I’ll talk to Auryn.” My bright-eyed mate smiles at me, the excitement of a possible pregnancy certainly becomes her.

“First, let’s tend the livestock and check the garden. Only if you’re up to it?” I don’t want to flex my domination over her, but I will if I think she’s hurting from doing too much ranch work.

Agnes wanders into the garden carrying a basket to harvest cucumbers and cherry tomatoes. I move over to the cattle range and take care of fencing repairs. Turning to look at her as I walk away, my heart swells seeing my mate, potentially pregnant, happily kneeling and plucking the cucumbers from the vines.

The overcast skies keep the glare at bay, a soft breeze breaking the heat that tends to swelter by mid-afternoon. Out of my periphery, I spy something moving in the distance. For a split second, I thought I heard Agnes crying for help. But listening, I hear nothing and shake my head. Thoughts of Agnes thinking she saw something when she first arrived dart through my mind. I quickly rush back to the garden.

“Agnes?” Nothing but the breeze answers and the lowing of the cattle behind me. The sun slips in the west, casting long shadows. “Agnes?”

A glance at the garden and I see it’s empty. She must have gone back to the house. I turn, but something catches my eye in the tomatoes. A basket, her basket, which she would not have left if it were filled with vegetables. Icy fear claws down my spine when I arrive at the basket and see it’s partially turned over, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes spilled out all over the ground.

CHAPTER 12

Agnes

I couldn’t wait to see Janos and Sara to find out if I’m pregnant. Tonight, I’ll venture over to Auryn’s and talk with her about it. We’ve both been busy. I enjoy working outside. Back home on the eastern seaboard, the homes and apartments in our little community were so close, there was nothing but concrete outside. The community garden was the only spot of ground and it was tiny. Out here on the ranch, the land stretches as far as the eyes can see, and we can’t even see our neighbors. It’s pastures full of animals and the garden that’s five times bigger than the community back at my parents' home.

The basket filled halfway with cucumbers. I move to the tomatoes because I’m craving a salad. Surely, I’m pregnant. Happiness flows over me as I kneel at the tomato plants. I love growing our food and raising our meat. Vozak is talking about getting some chickens.

Suddenly, something goes over my head and pulls me back. I start to scream. “Help!” A hand goes over my mouth, dragging me backward. Struggling does no good, they have a tight grip and pull me away. When I try to run, they roughly pull me along, causing me to stumble. For fear of hurting myself and my baby, I don’t fight too hard.

I can’t talk, I can’t run. Someone lifts me, throwing me over a shoulder. My arms are free, and I beat whoever it is on the back. They slam me down, and my head hits something hard. Blackness takes over as I pass out.

Jostling around, I wake up still with the hood over my face and hear the sound of a slight unrecognizable hum. I move and brace myself for the impending hit, but nothing comes. My hand reaches up and pulls the hood from my face. I’m lying on a pad on the floor of a metallic room. Oh no! I’m nowhere near the ranch, and I fear I’m far from home by now. How long was I out?

My legs wobble as I stand, the pounding in my head throbs with my heartbeat. Reaching up, I feel a lump on the side of my head where they must have hit me when I passed out.

Two doors are adjacent. I try one and realize it’s a bathroom with a metal toilet and a tiny sink. I’ve never seen this type of thing before. Since it’s a bathroom, I take advantage. Pregnancy causes one to pee a lot. I really need to talk to Auryn. But first, I need to ditch this place.

The other door opens, and it’s a hall winding around in a circle. Chattering comes from the double door, the place lurches, and I topple over, yelling as I fall.

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