ELIA

Elia woke to the cave bright with the lights of the lanterns, but no noise. No Aymora bringing medicine, and no Reth having whispered meetings with anyone. Everything was… quiet. Peaceful. Lovely. She sighed happily.

Though Elia's first few days back in Anima were a blur now, the last few had been… almost peaceful. She still found herself hunted by fear, but all the rest was doing her good. She had gained a little bit of weight and was sleeping better. And as she assessed herself she was certain… she felt better today than she'd felt in weeks—and stronger, too. It helped that she hadn't had any contractions, or had to take any tonics for several days. She didn't even get the cramps on the side of her huge belly when she breathed deeply. Elia felt almost normal—and definitely rested, a sensation she hadn't enjoyed since before she left Anima to begin with.

The same couldn't be said for Reth. She was worried about him. He'd been running from one end of the City to the other every day to be with her as much as possible, never leaving her for more than two or three hours. But it meant he crossed the City several times a day, and often met with councils at night there in the Cave. It seemed like every time she woke in the night he was already awake—and usually before she woke in the morning as well. She'd caught him taking deep, slow, intentional breaths more than once, and he'd admitted he was feeling the stress of everything that was happening. But he assured her it was just an exercise to calm his body and allow him to rest.

But the night before he'd finally slept. And this morning when she woke she was careful not to move. Not that it mattered in the end. Reth was still deeply asleep. She thanked the Creator. This was the first morning since she'd returned that he didn't have any meetings and they'd both been eager to spend it together. But she was determined to make sure he slept as long as he could. The shadows under his eyes and lines in his face had been frightening the night before.

So she lay as still and quiet as she could, but watched him, his massive chest rising and falling slowly. His handsome fast half-hidden by a curtain of his hair that had pulled out of its tie in the night. His great shoulders, rippled even when they were relaxed, curled forward.

Staring at him like this, she ached. Her eyes followed the deep lines down his neck to that divot between his collarbones, then traced the muscles in his broad arm that lay on the bed between them, fully relaxed. His thick, but so talented fingers, half-curled into the furs.

The furs had slipped down almost to his waist, baring his bronze chest and that bare spattering of hair across his pecs that was so soft and always seemed vulnerable to her. A strand of his hair fluttered in front of his mouth and she wanted to push it back off his face, but was afraid she'd wake him if she did.

So instead, she just lay there and took him in, shaking her head in disbelief that this adonis loved her.

The tingling began between her legs and she wanted to curse. The better she'd felt, the more rested she'd become, the more her body began to ache. She knew they weren't supposed to in case they started the contractions again. But the night before when she'd lain there, awake as Reth slept, her breath had come faster, imaging his hands stroking her sides, her breasts, sliding up the inside of her thigh…

She almost groaned as desire for him flared in her belly and her whole body came alight. She was torturing herself with no way to—

"Well, good morning.

" Reth's voice was rough and husky and only made her heart leap higher—which in turn just lit the fire insider her hotter.

"Did I wake you?

" she whispered.

"You can go back to sleep—

"

But Reth growled and reached out, cupping his hand at her lower back and sliding her right up against his belly—where his own body made it very clear what had woken him. With a low growl, he nuzzled at her neck, holding her against him.

"I can smell you,

" he rasped in her ear, then teased the lobe with his teeth.

Elia's breath caught and she smiled.

"I'm feeling good this morning,

" she whispered, then caught his neck when he started to pull away and took his mouth.

For a long moment they kissed, their tongues dancing lazily. Elia sighed into his mouth and arched—still no pain—pulling him closer, her breath coming faster.

She could feel his arousal pressing against her belly, and it made her ache. She wanted him, so badly. She needed him.

It was, she realized, part of why she was still afraid. Although having sex with Reth wasn't going to magically remove her trauma of the past few months, there was no doubt that having him inside her, connecting with him that way was crucial. She needed to be close to her mate—needed to know he was close to her. And there was no closer they could get than to join.

But as she slid her hand down his belly to take him in hand, Reth hissed and pulled away.

"Elia, stop,

" he croaked.

"We can't. Aymora said I can't even pleasure you in case it brings the baby early.

"

Elia groaned—and tears pinched her eyes.

"Reth, I miss you so much,

" she breathed.

"It's been almost ten days—and she said two weeks was safe. I haven't had a cramp or a contraction in days, and I my beast hasn't been a problem either. I've been laying on my ass all this time and… I need you. I love you and I need you,

" she whispered.

She pushed herself up on one elbow, letting the furs slide down to her waist so she was bare to his eyes—that immediately dropped to her breasts—and she took his face in her hands.

"Please, Reth.

" Then she kissed him.