Page 31 of Mated to the Alien Warlord

"Hmm," she slung her arms around my neck, caressed my skin, and pulled herself up to kiss me. "Right back at you."

"Ah, these are going to be my downfall," I said a little while later as we sat up and I cupped both of her breasts, teasing her nipples and relishing the supple feel of her soft flesh before she could tug them away again.

"Sometimes I wish we had the stronghold to ourselves; I would make you walk around naked all day," I dreamed out loud, but then I frowned, holding her breasts in both hands. "Either they grew bigger, or my hands shrunk."

She laughed and slapped my hands aside to lace her dress. "You're not wrong," she mumbled, lowering her head to watch what she was doing.

This time, I slapped her hands aside lightly to help her.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I have a gift for you too."

Her head lifted, and I knew her well enough by now to read the mischief in them.

"A gift?"

"Yes, you know how we have been doing this," she spread her hands between us and encompassed the fur coat we lay on, "a lot?"

A warm suspicion grew inside me, but I kept my lips sealed, not wanting to say it and be disappointed. I nodded reluctantly. "Kar."

"And you know what happens when a man and a woman do this kind of thing a lot, right?" she teased.

My lips spread as I allowed my hope to grow even further. Gathering my courage, I asked, "You are with child?"

She beamed at me.

"Damaris." I took her hands reverently, squeezed and kissed them. "Are you sure?"

"As sure as I am that I love you," she nodded.

I rose, pulling her up with me and swinging her in a circle. Happy giggles escaped her as I roared for a second time into the sky; this time to announce to the world that my mate was carrying the fruit of my loins. I twirled her until we were both dizzy.

"I take it you're happy about this," she teased.

"How long have you known?"

"I wasn't sure until a couple of days ago when I didn't bleed again. I should be about three months along now."

"Damaris, I thought you had already made me the happiest man alive, but I was wrong. You never cease to amaze me, czira. Thank you!"

"I'll remind you of that when you have to carry both of us up and down those hellish stairs of yours," she laughed.

"Czira, I will gladly carry you every day of my life." I said, meaning it, because I knew she would always be safe in my arms.

And later wished with all my heart I had done so. It would have saved us both a lot of heartbreak.

AftertellingVandoraboutmy pregnancy, he was adamant that I return to Wyrkymburg as I had feared he would. He was right though. A campaign trail was really not a place for a woman, especially not a pregnant one.

We did spend the rest of the day and night together, but he didn't touch me again, explaining that he didn't want to hurt our child. He already felt guilty about having done so last night.

"I wish you would have told me sooner," he said, believing in the old wives tale that a husband could hurt his unborn child by making love to his wife while she was pregnant.

I laughed. "Vandor, it's an old wives tale. You can't hurt the baby."

But he was adamant, and I didn't want to spoil his raw happiness over me being pregnant and argue with him during the little time we had left, so I relented but swore that we would revisit this as soon as he was back home with me.

Even as much as I had emotionally prepared myself, it still hurt when he lifted me on top of my horse, he placed his palm on my barely extended stomach. "Watch over your mother, little one."

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