FavoriteObsession, page 16
He was dreaming again, it was the only explanation. But when had his dreams become so vivid? Or his participation in them feel so damn real?
He shook his head and walked to the other cribs. The one on his right held a sleeping blonde baby in a pink sleepsack. He ran a finger down her chubby cheek. Beautiful. She had a tiny dip in her chin and a delicate nose that reminded him of Mira’s.
Of course. These were Mira’s kids, the prophesized ones. Why he dreamt of them in his house, he didn’t understand. Dreams didn’t always make sense though. They were a jumble of emotions and triggers.
The little girl stretched and rolled onto her back. A black streak showed in her hair. His heart sank. She had Aron’s hair. The confirmation hit him like a physical blow. Josh pushed it away. No matter her father, the child was gorgeous. She brought her fist to her mouth and sucked. He smiled and gave her cheek another stroke. He adjusted the baby still cradled against his shoulder and moved to the next crib.
Patchwork hair covered another little boy’s head. Mira’s hair. He ran his hand over the colorful strands. The baby opened his eyelids. Josh’s heart stopped.
Blue eyes stared back at him.
His eyes.
The child he held wiggled, fussing with a grumble of annoyed sounds that warned he’d soon start screaming again. Josh shifted the small bundle in his arms and glanced into his face. Another pair of dark-blue eyes met his. It couldn’t be. Yet, his mind fed him the details which made the impossible theory grow. The child looked hauntingly similar to his baby pictures. Could this one be his and the other two be Mira and Aron’s babies?
The boy scrunched his nose and bared tiny fangs at him.
“Dear god,” Josh muttered.
The girl cried. He scooped up the other boy, not wanting to leave him, and made his way to her crib. She stopped fussing as soon as he stepped up to the side and looked at him with dark blue eyes that had specks of gold in them.
His. The babies were his.
The dream shattered and he jerked up in bed. He untangled himself from his sweaty sheets and scanned the room. The pants he’d taken off lay discarded on the floor and the laundry basket with his folded clothes sat in the corner. Everything looked the same as it had when he’d fallen asleep.
He jumped from his bed, grabbed his sweats and flung the door open. Brown carpet, white doors, peeling wallpaper. He peeked into Megan’s room and found her sleeping with her stuffed lion. He made his way to the end and opened the door to the room he’d dreamt about. Boxes sat stacked in the center. No cribs, no babies.
He closed the door with a soft click and dropped his forehead against it. “I’m losing my fucking mind.”
Chapter Sixteen
Josh paced the length of his house. His restless path took him from the kitchen to the living room. A few lonely, gut-wrenching hours had gone by since he’d last seen Mira, held her soft body against his and given her pleasure. He ran his tongue along the roof of his mouth. He swore he could still taste her arousal. The memory of their liaison played over and over in his mind.
He halted his clipped steps and stared at his reflected image in the glass above the hall table. With splayed fingers, he traced the four slashes that extended from above his ear to his chin. Because of Mira’s ministrations, only white lines remained. At the moment, the shadow of his beard camouflaged most of it, but the stubble didn’t diminish the response touching the marks elicited. Tingles ignited at the base of his spine and spread to his balls. If he closed his eyes, he could feel each swipe of her roughened tongue as she’d healed the cuts.
He groaned and dropped his balled fist. The erection straining against his zipper demanded relief, but he didn’t have time for a little self-love. That would have to wait until he was locked in his room tonight. Deep breaths and sheer will zapped the horny state thinking about Mira caused.
He resumed his restless pacing. Ever since she’d left him last night, he’d been agitated. Besides his skin itching and muscles twitching, his bones ached. A sharp pain to his chest stopped his strides. Cursing, he pressed a balled fist against his rib cage.
Dammit, it might feel as if he’d aged twenty years in the last few days but he was too young for a heart attack. At least he hoped. Anxiety attack? Nah, the label didn’t exactly fit. Zoe had those from time to time, usually before she grabbed her bag and took off. Whatever this pain was, it sucked.
Shallow breaths eased the tingly sensation in his limbs. He dropped his hands and continued prowling his house. At the hall mirror, he stopped once more to study his likeness. Something about it bothered him.
The clock ticked and he stared at himself hoping to pinpoint the difference. Finally, he realized there wasn’t anything different. That was the problem. He looked exactly the same as he had last night and the night before. The stubble on his cheek, the point where the roughness turned to softness, dusted his jawline and chin.
He ran his palm over it and chuckled. It felt exactly how Mira liked it. She’d commented on her preference so often he made a point of letting himself look a little unkempt for her. But still… He could’ve sworn he’d shaved before going to bed last night. His hair didn’t grow that fast.
The front door opened. No knock. Devin walked in and pulled him out of his thoughts. The shifter wore denim bibs, a strap unbuckled, and a white tee. In one hand, he held a bunch of plastic bags from the local hardware store. A soggy, paper-wrapped hoagie from the town’s only deli shop dangled from the other.
Josh glanced over the outfit, focused on the price tag still hanging from the leather tool belt Devin had slung over his hips, and shook his head. “Halloween isn’t for another couple of weeks, buddy.”
“Very funny.” Devin dropped the bags. Rolls of duct tape and plumber’s patty spilled out. He kicked them to the side. “I’m here to work.”
Josh glanced heavenward and counted backward from ten. With his patience held in place, he asked, “On what?”
Devin bent, pulled out a PVC pipe and held it up like some sort of trophy. “The new plumbing, of course. Those lines in your kitchen are old. They make the water taste funny.”
Of course. He ground his teeth. The shifters were a close-knit group, willing to help raise each other’s kids, protect their friend’s mates and back their neighbors in whatever endeavor they attempted.
He’d been awed by the support they’d showed him after becoming an honorary member of their extended family. Josh had been showered with casseroles, offers to babysit Megan and investors for his bar. In some ways, the shifter community was the epitome of what every small town should be. However, the meddling in things they knew nothing about needed to stop.
“I thought I made it perfectly clear I didn’t need any help with repairs.”
A streak of crimson flushed Devin’s cheeks. He rubbed at the back on his neck and glanced out the window in the direction of the garage which boasted a huge hole in its ceiling. “Give me another chance, human. How was I supposed to know the roof wouldn’t hold the weight of two shifters?”
Josh chuckled, despite the annoyance seeing Devin in his house with a bunch of tools brought. “Especially when you decide to fight over whose turn it was to use the nail gun.”
A grin spread over Devin’s face. “It was my turn.”
Josh held his hands up in front of him, his smile widening. The light-hearted expression looked natural on Devin. Since Lena came into his life, it had become the one he wore more often than not. “Hey, I’m not starting that argument again.”
Devin hefted the bags and strode past him toward the kitchen. Josh followed, nerves settling in his gut. He liked Mira’s twin, but Devin wasn’t exactly what you’d call handy, more of a disaster waiting to happen. Josh watched him unload the bags, lining everything up on the table. At least he’d gotten the right supplies this time. Then again, the guy at the local store was better at helping his customers than the big warehouse outlet the shifter had gone to for the roof tiles.
After arranging everything by first color then size, Devin stared at the table. Josh waited for him to broach the subject he’d really come over to talk about. Finally, Devin pushed everything into the center and sighed. “Lena wanted me to see if you’d be willing to let us keep Molly.”
Josh tensed, wondering what brought on the change of heart. “Molly belongs in my family with Megan. I promised Tony I’d take care of his daughter if anything ever happened to him. I don’t break my promises.” He worked his jaw and tried to come up with the right words to express how he felt about the little girls. “I love them. You understand? They’re like my kids.”
“I do, but—”
“No buts. I’m keeping Molly too. I’ll go through Shifter Affairs and adopt her if Kade won’t honor me as her guardian.”
“Nobody’s disputing your claim.” Devin picked up a small baggie of washers, studied it with narrowed eyes as if wondering why he’d bought them before dropping it in the pile. “You are legally Megan’s guardian. That’s been accepted by your government and ours. Nobody wants to split up the girls. So as soon—”
“Then, that’s your answer.”
“As soon as Molly shifts back,” Devin went on ignoring the interruption, “Kade will file the paperwork. Until then, we think it’s in Molly’s best interest if she remains in a shifter home.”
“No. Being with her sister on a full-time basis is what Molly needs. The twin bond is powerful. You know that.”
“In a perfect world, I’d agree.” Devin rubbed the back of his neck. “Actually, Lena was wondering if Megan could stay with us for a while too.”
Josh fisted his hands and growled. “No. Fucking. Way.”
Devin tilted his head, the cat assessing his prey, and studied him for several long heartbeats. Josh held the other male’s gaze while he tamped down his temper. Logically, he knew Devin didn’t want to steal his nieces. Instinctually, he saw the move as a threat to his family. At the moment, attacking Devin sounded like a damn good idea. Josh wouldn’t, though. Devin was important to Mira. That meant Devin was important to Josh.
“You’re being unreasonable.”
Was he? Dammit, with the itch crawling over his skin and the pressure in his chest, he couldn’t tell. He only knew that Megan and Molly belonged with him, were his family. Not that he had one beyond the two little girls. Still, the rightness of the thought resonated through him. Instinct, maybe? No, it was more than that. He pictured both girls as he’d last seen them. Megan had been giggling and Molly had been…playing, even while Zach had sat on the couch watching TV.
“No, I’m not. Molly tries to attack every male shifter except you and Kade.”
“That is why we need to get her used to other shifters.”
“But she doesn’t when she’s with me. She’s ignored both Xander and Zach while they were at my house.” Josh let that sink in. “You see? She feels safe with me.”
Devin watched him for several long moments. Finally, he broke his focused study with a small shake of his head. “So be it. I’ll bring Molly over later so she can get used to your home. I do think we should make the transition slowly. She’s had too much stress in her short life.”
Josh unclenched his fists. “Agreed.”
Devin leaned against the counter, ankles and arms crossed. He pointedly glanced from Josh’s white knuckles to his face. “You’ve been spending too much time with shifters, human. You’re picking up our traits. That was a damn realistic growl.”
Josh forced a chuckle. “Hey, maybe I’m turning into one.”
“You know that’s impossible.”
Impossible and fucking depressing. Josh had asked if he could be converted—a desperate request in his bid to find a way to be with Mira. Everyone had told him the same thing. Being a shifter wasn’t a disease or a contagious condition. Their bodies housed animal spirits—separate entities that lived and died with them. Unless he was born with them, he was shit out of luck.
Josh shrugged. “So I’ve been told.”
Sympathy filled Devin’s eyes. “I wish it weren’t, Josh. If I could pick a male to be my sister’s mate, it’d be you.”
Josh pressed a fist to his chest before he could stop the reaction. He dropped the balled hand and jerked the fridge open to get a bottle of water. Devin’s words made that ache he’d developed worse. He hated dealing with emotional crap, but he couldn’t help feeling a wave of…he wasn’t sure what. Relief, maybe? Happiness? He’d worked so hard to earn the shifters’ respect, Devin’s especially. Knowing he’d finally gotten it made him feel…good.
“Thanks, cat.”
“I still think it’s a bad idea.”
So much for the elation. He slammed the door, rolled Devin’s water across the countertop then twisted the top on his. “Gee, thanks for the support.”
“I fear Mira will try to share her cats with you. It would support Kade’s vision.”
He took a swallow of cold water. It did little to soothe his dry throat or wash away the lump lodged there. “Because you think it’s impossible?”
Devin took a sip, capped it and rocked the bottle back and forth. He watched the air bubble see-saw inside the plastic. With a sigh, he let it clunk to the surface next to him. “I don’t think it’s impossible. I know it is.” He held up his hand, stopping Josh’s retort. “I’ve checked with several elders sympathetic with Mira’s circumstances.”
“And?”
Devin gave the bottle a twirl. He watched it until it stopped spinning. “When the gods speak outside of the realm they own, their words become divine law. The decree involving human-shifter matings was specific to their royal sons, not their daughters.” He lifted his gaze and focused on him. “None believe the prophecy meant she’d be the first female to bind a male to her. Even the gods cannot break their laws. That’s why they rarely speak to their children outside of their dreams. It’s too dangerous.”
Josh heard the words, waited for a sense of defeat to settle over him. It never came. Eternity with Mira would’ve been a miracle, but he’d settle for now. Being human and mortal, he might not get another tomorrow. Having Zoe home reminded him of that cruel fact. Death could snatch their loved ones away in the blink of an eye.
He allowed the determination to fill him. Rightness came with it.
“I don’t suppose I can get an audience with your gods?” He wasn’t above begging.
Devin chuckled. “Sorry, doesn’t work that way. It’s a one-way communication path with pride leaders only.”
“Another divine law?”
“Yeah. Besides, they’ve delivered their warning. Maybe they’ll choose to elaborate by sending Kade another vision. Maybe not. But I know if I were in Mira’s shoes, I wouldn’t risk your life or your soul, which is what will be on the line if she decides to test the gods’ decree.”
Josh ground his teeth. It didn’t matter what anyone else thought, including Mira. He’d bet money she’d been debating her options since the night in the bar when he’d fought with Aron. No way was he going to allow her fears to get in their way, but he also sensed her anxiety. If he pushed too hard while she was in that state of panic, he’d lose her to another man.
She’d had her space. It was time to claim her as his—girlfriend, lover, wife—he didn’t care what tag he put to her. They belonged together. Simple. Everything else would work itself out.
Josh jerked his chin in the direction of the sink. “You need help with the plumbing, cat?”
Devin shook his head. “I have a couple of wolves coming over.” He bent his head and studied him with narrowed eyes. “No comments about the vision or Mira?”
Josh slipped his water bottle in the back pocket of his jeans and grabbed his keys. “Nope.” He walked to the rear stairs. “Megan, grab your bag. We’re ready to rock and roll.”
Megan came bouncing down, lopsided pigtails and all. She had an infectious smile on her face, a tee with a cat on it and the pink capris Zoe had bought for her. A pack stuffed with toys was slung on her back and her favorite stuffed lion was clutched under her arm. She hopped up and down in front of him, the bag flopping with each bounce. He tugged it off her arms and motioned her forward.
“Let’s go, munchkin. Molly’s waiting.” He followed his niece to the door, paused with his hand on the knob and glanced over his shoulder. “Try not to burn my house down while I’m gone.”
Devin spread his hands out, all innocent. “Have a little faith, human.”
Josh grinned. “I do, cat. I do.”
About time he convinced Mira to take a leap too.
* * * * *
Mira reached for the door handle of Kade’s house. It opened before she touched it. Zoe squeaked and jerked back.
“Oh… Hi, Mira.” Zoe ran a hand through her tangled hair. “You startled me.”
Mira stood there with her mouth hanging open. Her gaze drifted from Kade’s button-down, haphazardly fastened, to Zoe’s bare legs and finally to her untied sneakers. Silently berating herself for being rude, Mira jerked her attention back to Zoe’s face. Her flushed skin and the edge of a hickey peeking from behind the upturned collar added details Mira didn’t need. The scents of Kade and sex surrounding Zoe told Mira everything.
She snapped her jaw closed. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you. Kade asked me to—”
“No need to explain.” Zoe pulled the lapels of her shirt closed. “I hadn’t realized how late…I mean early…” She groaned. “I’ve got to go.”
Zoe squeezed past her and strode to the garage.
“Don’t say anything.”
Mira glanced at Kade. Sleep pants, hanging low on his hips, and his disheveled blond hair finished the tale of what had happened between him and Zoe. Mira grinned. “Does this mean—”
“Nothing. It means nothing.” Kade turned and headed toward the library.
She’d beg to differ but the tension radiating off him stopped her. She followed him and took a seat on the couch.
“Why did you order me over here?” It had to have been important to pull him out of bed when he had a female warming it.
