Daughter Trilogy Bundle (120 page)

“
Here,” Jace says while patting the spot on the couch between Kry and him.  “Grab a seat and get to logging.”

I smile appreciatively, and he gives me a wink.  Kry leans up against me to demonstrate his exhaustion, and then he yawns ferociously.

“It sounds like you could use some sleep,” I suggest.

“
I could, but I’m not resting until we find out what this bitch wants from you and Devin.  Nothing makes sense, and the more we discuss it, the more confusing it all becomes,” he gripes.

“
It would be nice if I could get a vision of what’s going on,” I murmur helplessly.

“
You’ve already figured out more than any of us.  We’re all starting to feel a little inferior by comparison.  The journey you and Jace took through the Fury minds was a revelation, but now we’re trying to piece it all together.  There are just so many contradicting variables.”

“
Maybe you should all take a break and let the better rested ones take over for a while,” Devin says as he enters the room.

Oh, damn him.

He’s shirtless, and the water still drips from the wet hair he’s drying so casually. 

His loose jogging pants dangle almost too low, and I
’m forced to look at those exquisite, defined hip lines.  His ripped stomach begs to be touched, and his smoky eyes smile when they catch my peeping ones.

I jerk my head straight, and Jace rolls his eyes at my incredulous behavior.  A woman should be able to marvel at her husband without feeling foolish.

“We’re fine,” Nina yawns as she walks in with a cup of coffee, and my smirk has left my face completely.

Her eyes catch Devin
’s immaculate body, and her coffee tips to spill a fourth of the cup before she realizes it.  I almost want to growl, but Devin walks back into the bedroom and then returns with shirt on.

I breathe out a sigh of relief to know I don
’t have to stare at that mouthwatering temptation, but I know he only did it to rid Nina’s eyes from him.

“
Maybe we should try a different approach,” Persia says while coming in with two cups of coffee.

She hands me one, and I mouth,
“Thank you.”

She smiles warmly at me, and then she takes a seat beside Devin as he sits on the couch adjacent to mine.

“What do you have in mind?” Devin asks in response to her vague statement.

“
There’s something we’re missing, but we’re too focused on the big picture to notice the details.  Just like Adisia’s vision - Aphrodite had to specifically show her the two shadows.  No one else noticed because it was a minute detail in big, catastrophic scenario.  Where’re the details?” she explains.

“
I don’t know,” I sigh.  “I wish Aphrodite would give me another vision, but I can’t even provoke her powers anymore without Devin’s help or without her being stirred of her own free will.  My mojo is out of whack or something.  The power of my lightning has lessened, and my storms are more docile.  I think my goddess is on the fritz,” I grumble.

“
Not when she makes the world crumble to their feet,” Kry adds, and then he pats my shoulder as his arm rests across it.

“
What?” Persia muses.

“
Yeah, sorry.  I never did tell you about my new power,” I murmur reluctantly.

I really don
’t feel like discussing this right now.  It’ll just give everyone false hope, and I can’t control the power.

“
What do you mean it sent everyone crumbling to their feet?” Persia prompts.

Theia walks over to listen in, her eyes gauging Persia
’s odd reaction.  Persia’s acting a little too curious.

“
It was pretty incredible actually,” Devin adds.  “The first time she brought the Furies to a bow, and the second time she took down a hoard of harpies and hellhounds.  I’ve never seen anything like it, and it seemed as though she was acting out of her protectiveness for the child.”

I slump nervously as all eyes pin me down, and Jace pats my leg encouragingly when he sees my discomfort.

Persia’s face is almost white, and Kahl seems to be suffering from a mouth as dry as a desert.

“
Is something wrong?  Is someone else waking up inside me?  To be honest, I’d almost welcome that right now,” I mumble.

“
Not exactly,” Kahl almost whispers, and his knees seem to be buckling to the point he has to take a seat.

Not exactly?

“What is it?” I prompt.

“
Adisia, that’s Aphrodite’s power,” Persia mutters, but her face is still in shock.

“
Okay… Why are you both acting so weird?” I gripe.

Finally Persia
’s mouth starts to move, though it’s a hesitant motion.

“
You’re right, Devin.  She was acting out of protectiveness for a child, but not Nadia,” she says with her face distorting more.

“
Huh?” he asks with the same confusion I’m experiencing.

“
That power is only aroused when an Aphrodite is with child,” she says, and I almost hear the ocean trying to break into the house.

“
That’s not possible.  As I’ve already stated once, we’ve not opened ourselves up to that,” he adamantly objects.

“
Are you sure?” Theia asks Persia while ignoring Devin’s rebuttal.

“
Positive.  It’s a defensive mechanism.  It’s how we survived for so long while carrying a child.  We’re so weak when we’re pregnant, just as all immortals.  Aphrodite adapted to her hunters’ threat, and this power was formed.  It emerges when it feels a threat too close to the child, and it subsides after the term of the pregnancy has finished.”

“
I’m not pregnant,” I declare in a near screech.  “You heard Devin.  We’ve not even come close to considering a child.”

“
The fish,” Theia mumbles in a tone of realization, and then she slumps into Phillip’s lap.  “I should have known.  She’s been hooked on fish for months, and she’s weak.  She’s tired and hungry too often for an immortal.  Why didn’t I see it sooner?”

“
Because it’s impossible,” Jace growls.  “If they’ve not opened themselves up for child bearing, then they can’t be pregnant.”

“
They can if they’re drugged,” Theia murmurs with reluctance.

“
Drugged?” I squeal.  “As in roofied?”

“
As in ambrosia and pomegranate,” Persia sighs.  “Not all immortals had the same
oomph
Aphrodite possessed which kept things… spicy for all eternity,” she murmurs hesitantly.  “As a favor to some of them before the wars, Aphrodite secreted her passion into a tree.  From that tree grew pomegranate and ambrosia.  In the years after, people learned if they mixed the two, a pregnancy could be invoked without consent.  Tricky women used this to produce powerful children.  It’s how Rhea tricked Safina’s father.

“
Ambrosia was the stronger of the two fruits, and it was far too potent for mortals.  The ambrosia was banned from use, and since then only trace amounts still remain in existence, hidden in places mortals are unable to travel.”

“
This can’t be right.  There’s no way,” I panic, and Jace’s hand tightens on my leg.

Nina seems to be suffocating as the air smothers her, and Kry
’s jaw is almost unhinged along with most everyone else’s.  Devin is silent - catatonic almost.

His whitewashed face shows no emotion and his stare is focused on the empty space in the room as his hands clamp together in a white knuckle clasp.

“I’m going to be a grandmother,” Persia giggles with tears streaming from her eyes.

“
Wait, whoa.  Stop.  First of all, this is just a theory.  Secondly… I have no secondly.  This can’t be possible.  The last thing we need is a child, and who would have motive to drug us?” I ramble.

“
That’s a good question, but they didn’t have to drug both of you.  The female is the only one required to take the mixture of fruit, and the math has to be exact.  If you put an ounce too much of one fruit, then the drug is ineffective.  This is more than a theory, it’s an obvious truth.  Now the question is, how far along are you?” Persia counters.

Devin is still stuck in a far off land, and I
’m on my own while they all push me to the edge of the ledge.

“
No.  It’s not a truth.  I would know if I was pregnant.  I’m not,” I growl.

“
It would have been disguised.  Neither Adisia nor Devin would have noticed or questioned it.  It would have been concealed in a bite she was sure to take in order to make sure it worked,” Theia assesses, and Persia nods in response.

“
Have you tasted fruit when you shouldn’t have?” Persia asks.

“
No.  I mean, I don’t think so.”

Again I look to Devin, but he still remains in his state of speechless and motionless shock.

“It would have been small,” Theia murmurs while thinking aloud.  “When did you start craving the fish?”

“
I don’t know,” I whimper, and I feel the tears beckoning to flow.

“
Two weeks after the beach,” Jace answers.  “That was the first time.  When do the cravings usually kick in?”

“
It varies, but usually a month after conception,” Theia responds while calculating time in her head.

“
So, it would have most likely happened the second week of your honeymoon.”  Her lips purse as her eyes intensely focus on mine.  “Try to think.  Did you eat anything that shouldn’t have tasted fruity then?” she repeats with more urgency.

“
I don’t know,” I grumble while burying my face into Jace’s shoulder.  Then it hits me, and I look back up with a face I know has to be ashen as all reality crumbles into rubble before my eyes.  “The chocolate.”

Devin
’s eyes widen, but he still keeps them focused on the other side of the room.

“
What chocolate?” Kry prompts.

“
Devin and I just went out a couple of nights.  One night we went in to see the nightlife, and a woman offered us a sample of chocolate.  I took it, but Devin didn’t want any.  I remember it now.  It was a small, round sample, and I popped it into my mouth without hesitation.  I remember tasting such sweet erotic flavors bursting into my mouth, and I wanted more.  Devin looked for her so he could buy me some, but we never found her,” I almost whisper in disbelief.

“
In order for it to work, there has to be… um… well… you have to… within an hour of consumption, you have to…” Theia stammers, and then she gives up all together and just leaves her unfinished ramble suspended while staring expectantly.

“
She’s an Aphrodite on aphrodisiacs.  Of course they did it within an hour,” Kry exasperates.

That
’s what we did for the majority of the honeymoon.  Oh hell.  I’m pregnant. 

“
So this is real?” I whisper with my ghastly tone.

“
Very much so, I’m afraid,” Phillip murmurs softly so as not to aggravate my breaking state.

“
Why don’t I have a bump?” I ask hopefully while staring at my perfectly flat belly.

I can
’t be close to five months pregnant without a bump.

“
The body of an immortal doesn’t change externally.  Room for the child to grow is made within you.  That’s why you’re so weak.  It’s actually a more fatiguing process for an immortal than it is a mortal.  Our gestation period is shorter than a mortal’s.  By my estimations, you’re a month away from having this child.”

I feel like I
’m attempting to suck air against the hose of a vacuum cleaner - I’m losing more air than I’m taking in.  I feel sick, dizzy, and completely terrified at this moment, and Devin isn’t being anything but distant.

“
Devin, please say something,” I whimper as the tears finally fall freely.

He looks up, and I see tears wavering on his eyelids.  Then he flashes over to me and pulls me from my place on the couch to wrap me up in his glorious arms.

His soft, comforting lips consume mine, and I can taste my salty tears sneaking into our divine kiss.

“
We’re having a baby,” he breathes into my mouth, and then his arms tighten around me again while resuming our kiss.

“
I suppose we’ll need baby supplies,” Ther chirps.

“
I’ll go,” Persia giggles out, acting as if this is supposed to be an exciting moment.

“
We can’t have a baby now,” I softly sob to Devin.  “It’s too dangerous.”

He strokes my hair, and his eyes stare fearlessly into mine to give me strength.

“We’ll make it through this.  Our daughter will be safe,” he soothes very confidently.