Healing His Soul's Mate (8 page)

“Sorry to have woken you, Dana.” He kept his voice low and soft.

“I would have been up in a few minutes anyway.” She struggled to prop herself up on a few pillows. Rekkus, by her side in an instant, helped lift her and placed two cushions behind her.

“Before we start, can I ask you to remove the ring around your neck?”

She gripped the ring as if protecting it. “My wedding ring?”

“It belonged to my sister, Eiriana. She gave it to me before she died.” Rekkus stood, arms crossed beside the bed. “Sarka transmuted it for Dana before we mated.”

“If it’s Eiriana’s, that explains it. Dana, you can have it back once I am done with my reading. But, for now, I need to remove anything that might interfere. I am here to read the cubs and see how they fair.”

“Please call them babies.” The hitch in her voice as she said those words told him the sensitivity of the topic.

“My apologies. Perhaps Rekkus could take your ring and order you some breakfast while we get started.”

“Is that your polite way of saying you would prefer me out of the room?”

It was never easy telling a loved one their absence garnered the best results from their significant other while Shade worked, but convincing a shifter—more to the point, Rekkus—to leave his mate and cubs, his babies, he didn’t relish. “Your soul is, how do I put this, stronger than most.”

“Not just his soul.” Dana removed the necklace and gave it in Rekkus. “Perhaps you should take my grandmother’s watch as well.”

Rekkus nodded, opening the nightstand drawer to remove an antique watch. The mysterious hum increased. “Yes, very helpful.”

“Do you want your usual for breakfast?”

Shaking her head, she licked her lips. “Can I get a rare steak and some milk? Make that a lot of milk.”

Rekkus’ eyebrows shot up a bit at the request, but he gave a short bow to kiss his wife’s forehead before walking out of the room, leaving the door open. There were only so many provisions one could ask of the mated shifter.

“May I?” Shade indicated the space on the bed next to Dana. She nodded and followed it with a yawn. “Having a hard time sleeping?”

“For weeks.”

“Sit back and relax. You don’t have to do anything.” Although she tried to relax, he could sense her soul in conflict with his being here. She didn’t understand and was terrified he might find something wrong with her babies. “Because you are the mother, your soul is going to fight against me getting to your…children. If I touch your belly, I will be able to read them better and help put your mind at ease.”

She tensed, and, for a minute, nothing could get through her protections. For a human, she was highly in touch with her inner self.

“Tell me about your family. I understand you haven’t seen them since you left the mainland.”

Dana opened her eyes in shock, as he’d hoped, and he snuck past her defenses. One of the first things his kind learned, the ability to talk to someone, in fact carry on intelligent conversations while letting his soul talk to theirs.

Shade smiled, rubbing her extended abdomen. Closing his eyes, he reached out to the cubs, Dana would deal with terminology later, but, for now, he needed to treat them as young and protective para shifters. He reached out and felt the slight push of curiosity from the first baby. Definite male and strong, he came to the forefront. Shade played it easy, and he spoke to the little one of love and protection. “Easy. I am here to help ensure your mum is safe.”

Dana rubbed her belly, still answering questions Shade verbally asked. She didn’t like talking about her parents. Particularly her mother, but it kept her mind off the babies for a minute. The second cub, more curious, came forward but didn’t block. He pushed back. Shade hadn’t expected this. The first, though an alpha, acted as guard to the second, who he read as a prime. For any prime to stand behind another meant he protected something or someone else.

Shade stopped talking and removed his hand from Dana’s belly before replacing it higher and to the side. Rekkus must have sensed something because he stood at his full, imposing height in the doorway, concern marring his brow as he laid the food tray on the dresser. “What is it?”

As Rekkus’ voice reached the babies, a shift occurred. Not the sudden chill Rekkus’ concern brought to the room but through the protection of the two came…another. “Well, well, well aren’t you a little surprise.”

“Shade, what have you found?” Rekkus growled, and the air temperature dropped until Shade could see his breath.

He beckoned Rekkus over. “Easy, Da. Come rub your mate’s belly and tell your sons to stand down.”

Rekkus climbed onto the mattress on the other side of Dana, rested his hands on her belly, and spoke. “Hawdd fy meibion, gadewch ein cyfaill i mewn.”

The two boys moved to the side as Rekkus continued to chant in Welsh. Easy, my sons, let our friend in. “There you are, my sweet.”

“Rekkus?” Dana asked eyes wide with concern.

“Everyone is fine, but you appear to have three babes inside this beautiful round tummy of yours.”

“That’s not possible. They did an ultrasound.” Rekkus’ head shot up.

“You would believe a machine over me? Easy, tiger, your daughter has been hiding or has been hidden by her brothers to protect her. Have either of you noticed strange weather events or unexplained temperature changes?”

“This is the Wiccan Haus. Most of what happens here I cannot explain,” Dana grumbled, eyeing the plate of food across the room. As if sensing her need, Rekkus rose from the bed and brought the tray forward. Dana, ignoring the fork, picked up the steak and bit into it. “Oh, so good.”

Shade shook his head in a silent communication to not say anything. She might be human and a perfect lady, but it took a lot of food and strength to nourish three cubs. After a few bites, she came up for air. “I have noticed a lot more changes in the weather, quicker and more changeable, if that makes sense. Especially when Rekkus is angry or upset.”

“Thunder and rain, maybe?”

“I guess, I mean it rained last night,” Dana muttered between bites as she tore into the steak like a tiger in the wild tore into its prey.

“Did it? Because it didn’t rain at my cabin or at the main Haus.”

“Are you saying one of the cubs is an elemental empath?” Rekkus asked.

Dana lifted her face from chugging her milk. “A what?”

Rekkus reached over with a napkin to wipe her away her milk moustache. “ Elemental empath or EE. It’s a special power. The bearer can affect the weather with their emotions.”

“Was one of you upset last night?”

“You would have thought with my family’s sudden appearance on the island it would have been me. But I was too exhausted to care by the end.”

When Shade moved his attention to Rekkus, the man shrugged. “I might have some pent-up anger directed toward the Stones.”

“They aren’t all bad, Rek. My father and sister genuinely want to make amends. My mother….” She shrugged but her soul screamed out in pain.

“The bitch is…a bitch.”

Thunder rolled outside, and rain hit the window panes. Baby C had attuned itself with Rekkus, which cemented the thoughts forming in his head. “Rekkus, this babe is affected by you. Your sister had the powers of an EE, didn’t she?”

“Eiriana was a very powerful EE.”

“You were close?” Shade almost doubled over as pain so raw and close to the surface ripped through Rekkus. Taking a deep, cleansing breath, Shade put up a hand. “Easy, I believe your sister has chosen to return to you.”

Shade explained in terms Dana could comprehend that some souls returned when their time had been cut too short. But all memories would be wiped away at their first breath. “I think you two have some information to process, and I’ll leave you to do so. But should you have any questions—”

The door to the cabin flew open, and a soaking-wet Cyrus strode into the bedroom. The tiger would not let any other man into his mate’s bedroom. Cyrus’ presence played testament to the pair’s relationship. “Do you realize it’s raining over your cabin again? What the hell, Rekkus?”

Shade excused himself, leaving it to the couple to share or not as they chose. But he did catch Rekkus saying in a tone befitting a king, “I believe it’s time to start the process of shutting the portal down if only temporarily.”

A great plan. Rekkus couldn’t protect the Rowans while his mate labored, and her time approached. Word would have circled the gossip mills, and, even with no one knowing the gestational times for mixed breeds, people would guess she was growing close.

The deep-tissue massage had been what Ashlynn needed, but within five minutes of sitting at the lunch table with her mother, every one of her muscles locked right back up again.

“Really, Ashlynn, those are the most hideous sunglasses I have ever seen. Do take them off. They are ruining my appetite.”

“They help my head,” she said, refusing to remove them.

“I don’t particularly care, dear. They make you look like a bag lady.”

“I think they are rather cute,” Shade’s deep voice said from behind her. “May I join you?”

“Please.” She indicated the empty seat across from them then closed her eyes and allowed the appearance of him last night to fill her senses. When she opened them, she saw a better image of him through the shimmer. Cyrus had been correct. Her brain would fill in the areas her optic nerve missed. “I understand I have you to thank for rescuing me last night.”

“Last night?” her mother asked in a tone usually reserved for Dana alone, leaving Ashlynn to wonder how her sister had dealt with it for all those years.

“Your daughter had an episode last night. I happened to get her help before it got too bad.” The calm strength in Shade’s voice eased something within her.

“I see.”

What did her mother see? Did she see things the same as others did? Ever since being hit on the head by the Fresnel light, the item which somehow managed to break not only its C clamp but also a safety strap, Ashlynn had seen life in a different manner. Her mother had never been a kind person, but she had never realized how rude, arrogant, and downright unlikable she was.

Shade thanked the waiter before digging into the exquisite salad which had been brought out for him. “What I would do for some chicken. But I understand it’s off the menu for the foreseeable future. Your sessions this morning, were they helpful?”

“Wonderful. Lakshmi is gifted in the art of massage.” And she had been. It wasn’t the young woman’s fault her mother ruined her mood.

Shade faced her mother. “And you, Mrs. Stone? Did you have successful sessions this morning?”

“I had meditation, a stupider thing I’ve never heard of. A complete waste of time, in my opinion. As are most things on this island. But, as I’m stuck here for six more days, I shall make the best of it.”

“I find meditation centers me. Interesting you are unable to find the benefits from such a simple thing as being with yourself.”

Ashlynn almost choked on her food, which brought her mother’s attention straight back to her and her empty plate. “How much have you eaten?”

“Enough.” Yes, over the last four months she’d put on weight. A lot of weight. Before, she’d eaten next to nothing but rabbit food and employed all the model tricks to stay thin. Now she could barely work out because of the pain. She found simple enjoyment in eating. She didn’t find solace in food but in the sustainable nutrients she had lacked for so long.

“May I say, you are far more appealing than the woman I remember form the billboard. Even with the small scar, your beauty is always there,” Shade said between bites.

“She’s the size of a car.”

Shade stood up and leaned over the table. “I do not understand this need in you to belittle and destroy your children. You lost one daughter. If you want to lose another, keep this up. But you will find the upcoming years are cold, lonely, and unkind. You are about to be a grandmother. Perhaps that should give you food for thought.”

“Mrs. Stone, Cemil is waiting for you in the yoga room,” Sage said, eyeing Shade.

When her mother got up and left without another word, Ashlynn sat amazed. No one spoke to her that way, no one she knew of, anyway. The people in her mother’s circles were afraid to say anything, scared the wrong word would put them in the bad social sphere. But Shade’s concern had been for Ashlynn.

“My apologies, Sage,” he said. “It is not my place to school your guests.”

“You may school Mrs. Stone all you wish. But be careful she doesn’t affect you.” Without a pause, she continued, “Ashlynn, drink your shake. It will help. The kitchen has been instructed to keep chocolate off the menu for you. Not because of your waistline but because it might be a trigger to your headaches. There are lots of chocolate-free desserts for you, here.”

The choice between the chocolate cake from last night and her headaches might be a toss-up. The cake had been divine. “Sage, where might I find my sister?”

“I believe she’s with Serena this afternoon. Myron can tell you where she is and give you directions.”

“I can take you to her,” Shade said, pushing his plate away and standing up.

Sage smiled. “Excellent. Keep those glasses on. They might be awkward, but we need to gauge if they’re working.”

Ashlynn managed a weak smile. “I will thank you.”

They walked out of the dining room in silence. She was unsure what to say to a man who stood up for her one minute, talked about speaking to souls another, and was so handsome it made her head spin and butterflies churn in her stomach. That said something. All the men on the island were a modeling agent’s wet dream. But this one did things to her no man ever had. It both terrified and excited her. As they approach the front desk, Myron, who now wore Tonga’s name tag, smiled. Before she could ask or question the purple-haired woman, she stated, “The lagoon. And you have a second session with Lakshmi this afternoon at four seeing as the first one was ruined by a certain lunch companion.”

Uncertain how to react to either of those two things, she thanked her.

“Think nothing of it.” She flipped a card. “Could you ask Dana what she would like for lunch? The first tray Cherry sent down went untouched. Reese is hoping he will have better luck with the next one.”