Read Their Mating Rituals [Paranormal Protection Unit 4] (Siren Publishing Classic) Online
Authors: Honor James
“Well, first I was thinking I’d mmphle ahg leeffn.” He grinned around the hand covering his mouth and stifling his words.
“Yeah, well you can just wait to do any of that until I’m gone.” Talon chuckled and shook his head.
Lina grinned and shook her head. Blushing, she pressed her face against her mate’s chest and grumbled. “Right, totally forgot.” She had gotten so wrapped up in her man that she forgot everything else around her. “All right, put me down, you big lug, before my father decides that he wants to fricassee your ass.” She looked up and winked. “Besides, haven’t you been the one telling me that patience is a virtue that I need to work on, darling?”
“Yes, darling, you.” He grinned as he set her back on her feet with care. “I’m very patient in comparison, darling but I’m also a man who knows what he wants,” he murmured, stroking her back lightly.
“Me, too,” she muttered and moved to sit back down with her father. “Aiden will bring us our food, so that he can get himself under control and all that. And so that he doesn’t embarrass himself and get himself fried by you because you get upset with him and all that fun stuff.”
Taking her hand in his, Talon chuckled softly as Aiden vanished from sight. “It wouldn’t do any good. He’s a Dragon, sweet. We like fire. Cold, on the other hand, pisses us off to no end,” he told her honestly.
“Right, I will keep that in mind. Have I mentioned I would love to honeymoon in Alaska?” she called with a grin, winking at her father. Her father. That fast her face went serious and she looked to him. “You never would have let me go, would you? Had you known, you truly wouldn’t have let me go.”
“Had I known about you as a babe, I would have fought tooth and nail for you, sweetheart,” he told her honestly. Touching her hair reverently, he smiled. “I’ve always wanted a little girl,” he murmured softly. “Course the Fates may have given me a blessing. I got to skip diapers, the terrible twos,” he teased and pulled her in close. “Not that I wouldn’t have sold my soul to have those years if I could, Lina.”
Lina laughed and shook her head. “You might have gotten to skip my diapers, but you won’t get out so easy when it comes to your grandchild. I’m going to make sure that you get to experience every single moment of grandfatherhood that there is.” She looked up at him and added, “And hopefully you will meet your mate and give me siblings one day?”
“I’d like that,” he murmured softly. “As for the mate…I wouldn’t be holding my breath anytime, my dear. I’ve gone a long, long time without one. I don’t see it happening tomorrow,” he commented. But he did like the idea of the grandbaby. That would be fun and amazing, and he honestly couldn’t wait.
“Well maybe the perfect woman just hasn’t walked into your path yet, Daddy.” Lina tried out the word, and liked it. She smiled as she snuggled against her father and nodded. “I can see it now. When you meet her, your mate that is, she’s going to toss you for an absolute loop and you won’t know up from down,” she teased.
“Oh that’s just mean, darling,” he said, shaking his head as his arms went around her. Leaning back, he squeezed her close and rested his cheek to her soft hair. “You should be nice and think only good thoughts for your father. I’m pretty sure that’s a law.”
“Yeah, I know, and the good thought for you.” Lina looked up at him and smiled. “She’s going to be absolutely unique and she’s going to love you more than a fish loves water. She’s going to be perfect for you because you absolutely deserve perfection, Daddy. You deserve someone to love you more than anything else, even their own lives.”
Talon stared down at her for a long time. “Thank you, baby,” he finally croaked out softly. Pressing a kiss to her forehead, he squeezed her closer. “I think that’s about the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
“Well get used to it, because now that I know that you aren’t as horrid as mother had told me all my life, I plan on spending time with you, Daddy. I plan on making up for the lost years.” Years she had spent in hell with an unloving mother who had kept her only because she had thought one day Talon might walk back into her life. Lina knew that now. She knew that was the one and only reason that her mother had kept her. Not out of love, but out of hope that Talon would return.
“I hope so, baby, because I definitely want to spend time with you and learn everything there is to know about you, Talina,” he whispered softly. Talon lifted her into his lap and grinned at her. “You’re a little bigger than I’d have imagined for having cuddle time with dad, but hell, who cares,” he teased her. “So, tell me about yourself as a child. Were you precocious, a little trouble maker, curious, quiet? Everything, darling.”
Lina laid her head on his shoulder and sighed. “I really don’t think that you want to know that,” she told him honestly. “I had to grow up far before I should have because mother wouldn’t and didn’t want to deal with me,” she stated bluntly. “I never really got to have a childhood because I was always the one who had to ensure that the bills were paid, groceries were in the fridge, and laundry done. It sucked, but I learned how to deal so that’s all well and good. I’m a woman who’s self-sufficient and able to take care of myself.”
He definitely didn’t like hearing that in the least, but…he could do something about it now. “You do know it’s never too late to have a childhood. Oh, it won’t be exactly like it would have been when you were little, but we can still do some of the things you always wanted but couldn’t ever do.”
“I’m here with you and I have a man that loves me more than the sun and the moon. I don’t need a childhood. I will get to experience all that happiness and joy with the little guy that I’m pregnant with. And I honestly look forward to experiencing that with this little one. I look forward to every single part of the life that is to come.”
He kept his mouth shut as Aiden reappeared to let them know dinner was ready. Talon was more than sure he’d had the talk with her about the likelihood of it being twins. If not, well that was one conversation he’d love to be a fly on the wall for, with a video camera of course.
“Just because I’m pregnant does not make me a freaking invalid,” Lina growled at her father a few days later for the fifth time in less than three minutes. “I really and truly can get my own food, carry my own freaking tray, you know.” They were in food services and her father was acting as if she were spun glass, and it was really, really starting to get on her nerves. At first she put up with it because she knew how much it meant to him to have her there and have her in his life finally, but now it was just driving her bat-shit crazy. “I love you, Daddy, but I’m ready to beat you,” she muttered. “I think you need a damn vacation before more than just me is ready for that.”
Staring at her with shock on his face, Talon sighed and gave her the tray. “I’m sorry,” he said honestly. “I just know that Aiden said you were to have as little stress as possible and not to put a strain on your back,” he muttered. Waving her forward, he stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I know I’ve been trying your patience, baby girl. I don’t mean to, but this is a first for me. I’ve never been a dad before.”
Lina put the tray on the line and leaned in to hug her father. “And I love you, Daddy. I love you so very much. I’m happy that I’m your little girl, but between you and Aiden I’m about to kill someone. He even carries me when he thinks that I’ve ‘walked too much,’ and it’s driving me batty. Women have been having babies since time began, so why is he acting as he is?”
Hugging her tightly, he nodded against her hair. “Baby, I hate to ask this with witnesses around. But you do realize that you are more than likely carrying twins, right? Allister and Aiden are twins, their father was a twin, their father’s father was a twin, and so forth. It’s extremely likely you will be carrying twins, which is why he’s pampering you more than you can seemingly stand.”
If a person’s head could have spun around on their shoulders, hers would have. “
What
?” she screamed. She hadn’t meant to scream. Really looking back she hadn’t thought of it, but shock disengaged her brain. “
I could be carrying twins? Are you kidding? Where the ever-fucking-well hell is he?
” She was going to brain him, beat him bloody, kill him.
Talon blinked at her and noted about a half dozen people digging out phones to send off texts. He had a feeling they were either telling Aiden to run or to get his ass over to the cafeteria. “It’s a genetic probability and quite high at that,” he told her honestly. “I would have thought he’d had this discussion with you already, love. You are pregnant after all.”
“Discussion hell!” She placed one hand on her forehead and the other on his arm. “I’m so going to beat the hell out of him.” She began to waver, blinking her eyes nearly constantly and appeared unable to focus. “If I pass out, you get to beat on him, Daddy,” she whispered only half a second before fainting dead away.
Catching her up, Talon sighed. “Tell Aiden to meet us in medical,” he told those frantically texting a mile a minute. Carrying her out of the cafeteria, he shook his head. “Aiden will blow a gasket, you know that, right, baby?” he murmured to his daughter as he carried her easily through the halls.
When Lina finally woke up, she was in her father’s arms. “I need food, Daddy,” she whispered with a low moan. “My blood sugar is too low.”
“And I was about to tell you that the exact opposite, Talina,” Dr. Heidi Mahon said as she walked in with Lina’s chart. “Your blood sugar levels are far too high, dear. I have now diagnosed you with pregnancy diabetes. I hate to be the one to tell you that, but there it is.” She took a seat and looked up at Talon with an arched brow. “How long until Aiden gets here? I need to go over her diet with all three of you.”
“Given when the marathon texting started and where he was, he should be barreling in any moment now,” Talon said, looking to the doctor. Stroking Talina’s hair back lightly, he smiled at her. “How are you feeling, love?”
“Like crap. Like I should have shared that I was borderline diabetic before today.” She closed her eyes again and sighed. “Twins, really?” She felt panic once more. Goodness, she was already scared to death about having one baby, but two? She wasn’t certain that she would be a good mom, and to think that she might screw up two lives instead of one had her nearly in a panic attack.
“More than likely, sweetheart,” he told her softly, continuing to stroke her hair. “But it’s not all bad. You have your bond-mate who will be attentive and with you as much as you need, or as little. You just need to let him know if he’s driving you insane, Talina.” Talon grinned. “Changers tend to get a mite overprotective when their bond-mates are with child.”
“Talina!” Aiden yelled. “Baby, answer me.”
Lina grinned and looked up at her father. “You mind stepping out and letting my yelling mate know that I’m in here before he hurts someone?” At her father’s look she snickered and then called out louder, “In here, Aiden. Don’t know what room.” Lina watched as the doctor stepped back, out of the way and, funnily enough, behind Talon. Smart woman.
Aiden burst into the room, the door slamming against the wall and sticking, the handle buried in the plaster. Rushing to the bedside, he leaned in and kissed her. “Are you all right?” he breathed out, softly running his hands over her arms, neck, and face. Breathing her in, he paused and inhaled slowly. “What is wrong with your scent?” he growled, the Dragon coming to the surface as he looked at the doctor hiding out.
Dr. Mahon waved her fingers and said, “I can answer that.” At the growl from the man, she stepped behind Talon again. She had learned the lesson a long time ago that you didn’t poke a bear, shifter, wolf, whatever where his mate was concerned. She had the scars to prove it, too. “Your mate has gestational diabetes that stems from her borderline diabetic condition prior to the pregnancy. I’m ordering bed rest for her with very minimal movement. She can do her yoga classes, but only if she eats beforehand and has either you or her father there with her. I will want her entire diet to change and will submit that to food services as well so that they can stock your fridge and freezers for you.” She told the man, “And I want her sugar to be checked every two hours from now on, or if you scent a scent like this one on her again, bring her straight here. She will also need insulin for the duration of the pregnancy to keep the levels down where they should be. I’ll arrange for several ampules, needles, and instructions to be delivered to your house.”
Petting Lina’s hair gently, Aiden sat on the edge of the bed. “I can do that,” he said softly as he watched his mate. He would never let anything happen to his little angel. The woman had saved his life and he could do no less for her. Leaning in, he pressed a kiss to Talina’s lips. “I will ensure she rests as she should and does everything required of her.”
“Oh God,” Lina murmured. “You are going to become even more protective, aren’t you?” she asked with a smile and looked up at him. “I love you, honey. I will do whatever is necessary to ensure that our child is healthy.” She hesitated and then narrowed her eyes. “And when were you going to tell me that we might be having two babies?”
“Yes,” Talon said softly, “just when were you going to mention to her that twins run in your family with scary regularity?”
Clearing his throat, Aiden shot his King a nasty look. “I was sort of hoping I could slide until the day of the delivery. I figured if you were going to be screaming and bitching me out anyway may as well really make it worth it,” he muttered under his breath.
Rolling her eyes, Lina shook her head. “Never, ever hold anything like that from me again, mister man,” she grumbled. “I love you, honey, but when Daddy told me that, I swear that was what sent me over the edge and had me passing out,” she admitted. “I love you, darling, so please don’t ever do that to me again.”
“I won’t, I promise,” he murmured, stroking her cheek gently while staring down into her eyes. “I love you, Talina. I never meant to hurt you, baby,” he whispered. Brushing a kiss to her lips again, Aiden lifted his head and pinned the doctor with a look. “Can I take her home?” he asked in a way that sort of said he really wasn’t asking.