Reclamation (The Ravening #3)(37)
Author: Erica Stevens

Darnell’s scowl deepened as he rubbed thoughtfully at his chin and focused on Bishop and Lloyd. "You agree with this?"

"I don’t agree with any of this, it goes against everything in me to work with them, but I think this may be our best chance and I really think they want what’s best for their… what would you call them? Your people?" His blue eyes focused on me as he asked this question.

"No, that is not what I would call it," I informed him.

"Apparently not," Cade replied. I frowned as I looked back up at him. He’s starting to get a sense of humor, I realized. I didn’t know if it was because of what we had exchanged or if because for the first time there wasn’t as much pressure on him anymore. He could finally give into the urges that he had been fighting for so long with no fear of what would happen to me.

"Perhaps it’s the closest thing to an actual soul mate any of us will ever see," Bishop said as he rubbed at his chin. "Perhaps this alien-human connection is what spawned that term in the first place." I felt my eyebrow quirk as I glanced at Cade and wondered if Bishop was right. "It may actually be her soul you see."

"Well it sounds like I have a lot to learn." Darnell lowered his gun to his side. I couldn’t meet his gaze as he continued to stare at me as if he didn’t know me. It would be a long time, if ever, before they forgave me or at least started to trust me again. "And I’d like to start hearing it."

Cade nodded his agreement as the others gathered around us. "Away from the gates would be preferable."

Darnell nodded and fell back as Cade led the way toward the edge of the forest. They gathered in a circle around us while Cade, Bishop and Lloyd began to fill them in on the details. I settled onto the ground and pulled my knees against my chest as Abby sat beside me. "You could have told me," she whispered.

I couldn’t bring myself to look at her as I shook my head. The firelight played over Cade’s skin, highlighting the contours of his face and the shadowy hue of his eyes. Though he didn’t seem to radiate the warmth of Rosemary, there was something different about him as he actually conversed with the others instead of remaining distant and cold.

A child, we could have a child. My heart soared like a bird just freed from its cage as dreams I had thought impossible unfurled before me. There were many things I had thought impossible now but to have this one thing back was one of the greatest gifts I’d ever been given. To bring a child into this world wasn’t something that I wanted to do, but if we won, if we managed to somehow beat them back we could have a child, a family. It was one of the best things I’d heard since this entire mess had started.

"No, I couldn’t have. It wasn’t my secret to tell." The look of betrayal in Abby’s eyes was a knife to the chest but there was little I could do to ease that. "I’m sorry, I really am. But just as I’ll always protect you, I’ll also protect him."

"You don’t need to protect him from me though."

"No, but I had to protect you. It was a big secret Abby, one that you shouldn’t have been burdened with. You have enough on your plate right now."

"I’m not a child anymore."

I took her fingers within mine. "I know, but I would like it if you could be for just a little while longer."

Some of her anger with me seemed to ease as she leaned against my shoulder and rested her head against mine. "Are you going to be ok Bethany?"

"Of course."

"The side effects that you’ve been experiencing…"

"I’ll be fine Abby, they’re not so bad. At least I don’t walk into everything anymore and I don’t trip over my own feet. You heard Rosemary, I’ll be fine," I assured her with a smile.

Her breath was warm against my chilled cheek as she chuckled. "True. That little girl was cute."

"She was," I agreed.

I closed my eyes and inhaled the smoky scent of her hair. I didn’t realize I’d drifted off until I felt the solid strength of Cade’s arms wrapping around me. Sliding my arms around his neck, I buried my face in the hollow of his throat and sighed contentedly. "Do they forgive us?" I whispered.

"That will come in time."

I shivered as he pressed his lips against my temple. My toes curled as I felt the increase of his pulse beating against my lips when I pressed my mouth to his neck; I wasn’t sure if it was passion for him though, or the spark of hunger that shot through me at the smell of his blood that caused the heightened beat of his heart. His hand tensed on my thigh as his heated mouth brushed over my forehead.

"Bethany," he whispered against my skin.

I reluctantly forced myself away from him. My eyes fell to my hands as they lay curled within my lap. He stepped around a large oak and settled the two of us onto the ground. I found myself unable to meet his gaze as he seized hold of my chin and turned my head toward him. There was a gleam in his eyes that made my stomach feel as if there were thousands of butterflies fluttering within it.

I could see the flicker of the torches from the compound as they sparked and danced amongst the trees. They were a reminder that we weren’t alone out here but when he was looking at me like that I felt as if we were the only two people in the world.

He brushed the hair back from my face. "Why didn’t you tell me about the side effects?"

His thumb rubbed over my cheek as his lips brushed over mine. I didn’t know if he expected an answer, but when he was kissing me like that there was no way I could think of a reply. My fingers curled into his shirt, a small mewl of protest escaped me as he pulled away. My gaze focused on his full mouth as I trailed my finger over his bottom lip.

"Because I didn’t want to burden you," I finally lifted my gaze to his. "And because I didn’t want to acknowledge them either."

His hands clasped hold of my cheeks as he pulled me away from him. There was a fever in his eyes that I’d never seen before as anguish caused his mouth to purse. "I didn’t… I never meant…" his voice broke off as he kissed me with an intensity that robbed me of my breath. "I never meant to burden you with this. I never meant for you to know what it was that I lived with."

"Don’t," I managed to gasp out. "This is why I didn’t tell you. Don’t blame yourself, there’s nothing else you could have done."

"Apparently I could have given in and tasted you," he whispered. His mouth tickled against mine as he spoke. "You wouldn’t have to be going through this right now."

I clasped his hand against my face and turned my mouth into his palm. "You couldn’t have known," I assured him. "You did everything you could to keep me alive, and I’m here. I can live with a little craving for raw meat as long as I have you."