The pledge may have surprised everyone present, but none doubted the veracity of it. Roland may be antisocial and grumble, but he could be ruthless when defending a loved one and was a man any warrior would feel fortunate to have guarding his back.
“Thank you.”
A faint thumping began to distract Étienne. It took him a moment to realize it was the heel of Ami’s boot striking the floor as her knee bobbed up and down.
She stilled as everyone looked at her. “I’m sorry. I’m nervous.”
Marcus glared daggers at everyone.
Hell. This was going to be big, wasn’t it?
“As you know, Ami was a primary target of Emrys, who gained knowledge of her association with us through Montrose Keegan, then passed that knowledge along to Donald and Nelson.”
All nodded.
“Because mercenaries who may be linked to Donald and Nelson’s group have risen against us, I feel compelled to explain why it is more important than ever that we keep Ami out of their hands.”
It was unusual to order immortals to risk their lives to protect Seconds instead of the other way around. Immortals were very rare in the greater scheme of things, so the loss of even one had great impact.
Richart frowned. “Why did they want her so badly before? Did they find out she’s a gifted one?”
Seth leaned forward. “Ami is not a gifted one. She’s an extraterrestrial.”
Étienne stared at him blankly.
And he wasn’t the only one.
“She’s from another planet,” Seth clarified.
Dead silence.
Ami nibbled her lower lip. Marcus . . . was preparing to kill them all by the looks of his darkening features.
“That is so cool,” Krysta said, daring to speak first.
Étienne glanced over and found her staring at Ami with a combination of awe and delight.
“What planet are you from?” she asked.
Across from Ami, Sarah nodded. “Are you from Jupiter? Because I’ve always wanted to know what’s at the center of that big-ass storm.”
Some of the anxiety left Ami’s face, replaced by a tentative smile. “No, I’m from a planet called Lasara in another solar system. But I can tell you what’s in the storm on Jupiter.”
Seth held up a hand. “Let’s save that for later.”
Roland leaned forward. “Are there others from your world here?” His gaze remained on Marcus, though he spoke to Ami.
If either immortal were telepathic, Étienne would swear the two were silently communicating.
Then again, they had known each other for eight hundred years. Speech may no longer be necessary.
Ami shook her head. “No.”
“Will there be others?”
“No.”
Étienne felt Krysta tug his hand and listened to her thoughts.
She’s all alone? Do you think she crashed?
I don’t know.
A slew of questions leapt from lips all around the table.
David cleared his throat. “Your questions can wait. And, if Ami isn’t comfortable answering them, I trust none of you will press her.”
In other words, leave her the hell alone. Message received. Ami wasn’t comfortable discussing her origins. Not surprising, considering she had been tortured by the humans who had captured her. Or, at least, he assumed Emrys and his men had captured her.
That also explained why they had pretty much dissected her, taking advantage of her regenerative capabilities to learn everything they could about her alien race, the bastards.
“There’s more,” Seth said, face somber.
More?
Everyone gave him their full attention.
“Ami is pregnant.”
Several immortals gasped.
Sarah’s face lit up. “Oh, my gosh! Congratulations!” She started to jump up, intending to run around the table and embrace the couple, but Roland stopped her.
Étienne peeked at her thoughts and caught her confusion, then her understanding.
Krysta squeezed his hand. Is this as bad as I think it is?
Yes. He felt for Marcus. No wonder he had been so tense lately.
They don’t know how the virus will affect the baby?
Right.
Or what will happen with the whole human and alien DNA combining thing?
Gifted one and alien DNA. Yes.
“Jenna,” Melanie said. “You’re the only immortal we know of who has ever had a baby, so I would appreciate your input as I guide Ami through her pregnancy.”
Jenna nodded. “Of course. I don’t know how much help I’ll be though.”
Bastien spoke up. “Did you cramp when you were pregnant?”
“Yes. Throughout most of the pregnancy.”
“How severe were the cramps?” he pressed.
She thought for a moment. “They were like mild menstrual cramps. In fact, for the first two weeks I was pregnant, I kept thinking I was about to get my period and didn’t realize I was pregnant. So they were more annoying than painful. Nothing that would make me reach for pain relievers or anything.” She grimaced and glanced around the table. “I’m sorry. Is that too much information?”
“No.” Bastien turned to Melanie and raised his eyebrows.
She smiled. “I know. I know. You’re brilliant.” Bastien brilliant? Must be an inside joke. “Thank you, Jenna.”
Nodding, Jenna turned to Ami. “Congratulations, Ami. How bad is the nausea?”
Ami grimaced. “Pretty bad.”
“I’m surprised you made it through dinner.”
“I almost didn’t. The smell of most food tends to make me gag.”
Jenna nodded. “I was the same way. I threw up half a dozen times a day sometimes in my early weeks.”
Some of Marcus’s tension eased. “That’s normal?”
“Sure. It—”
“Is Ami infected with the virus?” Roland interrupted.
Marcus met his gaze once more. “No.”
Melanie shook her head. “I’ve found no trace of it in her blood.”
“If she were infected,” Roland asked, “would she turn immortal or vampire?”
“We have no way of knowing,” Seth answered.
Somber stares all around. So she couldn’t be transformed.
“If you’re worrying about me growing old, dying, and leaving Marcus alone in a few decades . . .” Ami began.
Yes, they were. Marcus had come very close to the edge after losing a woman he had loved for eight centuries. Like Étienne, everyone present feared what losing Ami would do to him.
“Then don’t,” she continued. “My race is very long-lived. It will take me centuries just to get my first gray hair.”
Their time together would still be finite, but at least they would have centuries rather than decades.
“Ami and the baby are both doing well,” Seth announced. Thus far went unspoken. “I trust you understand now why I want Ami to be protected at all costs?”
Everyone nodded. This was unprecedented. Étienne didn’t remember ever having heard of an immortal female giving birth or an immortal male fathering a child with a mortal. And he would have heard it if it had happened.
“Then you also understand why she will not be aiding us in tracking down the mercenaries this time.”
“Of course,” Roland voiced, and glared at everyone else until they nodded or said the same.
Antisocial, but loyal. Roland was going to be protective as hell of that baby once it was born.
If it was born.
Étienne silently prayed that all would be well with Ami’s pregnancy and that she would give birth to a healthy babe. She had suffered tremendously at the hands of Emrys and his doctors. He hated to think of her suffering more.