Water Dragon (The Bride Hunt Book 2) (26 page)

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Authors: Charlene Hartnady

BOOK: Water Dragon (The Bride Hunt Book 2)

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“Can you give us a moment please?” Candy looked down at her daughter as she spoke.

“Yes, but I can’t stay away too long. You still need to birth the feeding sac.”

Candy nodded. “Thank you.” The older woman walked to the door. Candy looked back down at the child in her arms. The healer was right, she was perfect. Her eyes were big and very blue. The little cherub was almost bald with just a few strands of hair on her head. The soft downy tufts were blond.

Her baby stared up at her with what looked like wonder. Her heart squeezed so tightly. She needed to hold it together. Needed to be strong for her daughter. Candy swallowed thickly. “It looks like it’s just you and me, kid. We’ll be okay though.”

“Can I hold her?” Torrent stood at the doorway. He looked stricken. His eyes were dark and anguished. His jaw tight. There were two deep lines on his forehead.

A tear slipped down her cheek. Was this him saying goodbye? Was this Torrent double-checking that her baby was, in fact, human before he turned his back on them or was it… She chewed on her lip and nodded once, holding the little one out to him.

He took the baby from her. Holding her like she was the most precious thing in all the world. His eyes were filled with tears, his gaze firmly on her daughter. Seeing the baby in his arms, against his huge frame, made her look even tinier.

Candy could hardly breathe. Her eyes stung and there was a huge lump in her throat.

“I’m sorry I left just now.”

“It’s okay,” she blurted.

“No, it’s not.” He lifted his gaze from the infant in his arms and directed it on her. “I scared you, hurt you.”

“It’s… understandable.”

“I didn’t leave because I’m angry or hurt. I don’t blame you for anything. I left because I…” He cradled her daughter more firmly against his chest. “The truth is, I was scared, petrified.” He paused, his throat working. “I’m not her father.” He stumbled on the words.

It hurt her to hear him say it. Her lip trembled and by some miracle she managed to keep from crying all over again.

“I want to be though. I really want to be, Candy. I hope that you’ll let me. It doesn’t matter to me that she—”

“Yes, of course I want that…I want it more than anything…” A tear escaped. So sue her, she couldn’t help it. “I don’t know how it happened. I was always so careful. It must’ve been that last time, with Charles. The timeframe works.” Her mind raced through all that had happened. “I must have arrived here already pregnant. I…”

“It doesn’t matter. I have a daughter. We have a daughter.” He looked down at their baby with adoration in his eyes. “I’m the luckiest male on the planet because I have you. It doesn’t matter to me that she is human. Our daughter is a part of you and that makes her a part of me too.” He scooted closer and kissed her. Torrent broke the kiss and looked deep into her eyes. He grinned. “Besides, we’ll make a little brother for her to play with…”

Candy gave him a playful slap on the arm. “Don’t you dare talk about the next one. I still have to give birth to a placenta.”

He kissed her again. “I will hold my daughter. I might never put her down.” His whole face softened as he looked down at her.

Candy laughed. “The scary thing is that I think you mean it.”

“Of course I mean it.” Then he locked eyes with her. “By the way, I have some news.”

She frowned. “What news?”

“I ran into Lake earlier.” He grinned. “Sky is pregnant. She is already a few weeks along. After you jinxed them so badly the last time, they decided to wait awhile before telling anyone. I didn’t even know that she was in heat.”

She had to laugh. “That’s amazing news. It makes sense now. Remember, that little vacation they took. We had to look after Maggie.” She paused, remembering how well the three dogs had gotten along. “It was because she was in heat.” Then she pulled a face. “I didn’t jinx them that first time.”

“You so did.” He nestled into her neck and kissed her just under her ear. Then he looked down at their daughter. “Your mom is a jinxer.”

Their daughter made a little noise that sounded like an agreement.

“You tell your dad that he talks through his… you know where.”

Just at the second, there was a farting noise. The little one had farted. They both looked at one another and laughed.

“You take after your mom,” Torrent managed to get out between chuckles. Then he looked down at the little one and turned serious. He even made a strange noise.

“What’s wrong?” She’d had enough surprises for one day.

“Um… it’s nothing.” He gave a small shake of the head. Candy could see that he didn’t mean it.

“Tell me and right now.” She leaned forward but something inside her spasmed. It felt like the start of a contraction.
Shit!
“I’m about to get seriously cranky.”

Torrent licked his lips. “I’m sure I just saw her eyes slit… like dragon eyes but that can’t be, on account of her being human.” He pointed out unnecessarily. “I’m sure I was just seeing things.”

“Yeah, you must have been.” Torrent was looking intently at the little one. “How would that even be possible? I mean…” The contraction worsened and she gripped her belly. “…could it be possible?”

“I don’t think so.” He shook his head.

Candy tried to suppress a groan as the contraction grew worse.

“Should I call the healer?” Torrent looked concerned.

“In a minute. Hypothetically speaking, let’s say what you just saw was real.”

He nodded.

“How would it be possible?”

“Well.” He shifted in his seat, moving the baby to his other arm and snuggling her to his chest. “You’ve changed in the last few months because of our bond. It’s normal after a mating that the human takes on some traits of the male she is mated to.”

“My eyes haven’t slitted or anything.”

“Yeah, but you are a fully grown adult. It might have affected…changed her more than you, on account that she was still developing in your womb. She’s very much a human, but”—he inhaled deeply—“there might be more to her in some way. Maybe.”

Candy grit her teeth and moaned.

“I’m calling the healer. We’ll talk about this later.”

Candy nodded, her contraction was reaching its peak. Not nearly as bad as the ones she’d experienced earlier, but her body was so bruised and battered that it hurt anyway. Candy made a grunting noise. The baby cried out from Torrent’s arms.

Torrent stumbled as he walked towards the door but quickly righted himself. “Oh hell,” he growled. “Shit.” He chuckled and shook his head before turning back towards her. “I know what I saw this time.” He was smiling broadly. “A tiny patch of scales, beneath the little one’s skin when you made those noises. She doesn’t like that you are in pain.” His eyes were wide. “I guess there is a part of me inside her after all. She must’ve experienced changes because of our mating.”

“You’re saying your DNA affected her, just as it affected me?”

Torrent nodded. “Although she isn’t my biological daughter, there is some of my DNA in her bloodstream. That makes her all the more my child.” He was beaming.

She leaned back against the bedding, her contraction over for now. “I’m not sure what it means exactly but I’m glad.” Candy had to smile back at him.

Torrent shook his head in disbelief. “We’ll have to wait and see just how much my DNA affected her. She smells of human, yet…”

“She’s a miracle.”

Torrent grinned. “Our little miracle.”

Another contraction started up. “Call the healer,” Candy moaned. “This thing is coming.”

Torrent nodded. “I must inform my family, my people. I must meet with Blaze to discuss what has happened. This could change things for non-humans. We will have to wait and see.”

“Call the healer.” Candy would have thrown something at him if it weren’t for the fact that he had precious cargo onboard.

“I’m sorry, my love. I got carried away. I am filled with excitement.”

“I’m filled with something else and it’s coming out as we speak. Call the healer.” Candy fake growled, she couldn’t help but to smile even though it hurt like hell.

“Oh yes.” He walked back to her and kissed her. “Fuck, but I love you.”

“Go now before you make me a widow.”

He grinned wider and finally did what she asked.

Dragon King is available for pre-order
now
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About the Author

T
hank
-you for reading the second book in the series. I hope you enjoyed Torrent and Candy’s story. Blaze is up next, his book is going to be a little bit different.

Thanks to my readers and to everyone who made this book possible.

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