Cain smoothed his hand over the mark, wishing he could wipe it away.
If he’d been a little faster the night he’d met her, she never would have been stabbed by the demon. Her blood would be safe, and she would be awake and as feisty as ever. Instead, she was locked in an unnatural sleep, possibly with those nightmares Ronan had warned them about.
As much as Cain wished there had been something he could do, he wasn’t that powerful. All he could do was make sure Ronan got what he needed to help her.
No, that was wrong. There was something else he could do—something he knew he should do.
Cain dialed Joseph, but the leader of the Theronai did not answer his phone. Cain left a message, telling Joseph to find Gilda’s list of magical artifacts and search for one that could help Rory. With that chore done, he eased her out of her spiked leather coat and tugged off her shoes to make her more comfortable. He pulled the blankets up to her chin and went to figure out just how much blood it was going to take to fix his precious Rory.
In the living room, Paul was already rolling down his sleeve after feeding Ronan. A flush of color stained the Sanguinar’s cheeks, and a faint glow lit his eyes.
“Is that enough?” asked Cain.
Ronan shook his head. “It was all I dared take from Paul. He needs to be able to fight.”
“Take my blood,” offered Andra.
“No,” clipped Paul.
Cain should have been right there with his brother, defending Andra’s blood, but he couldn’t do it. If the choice was a small sacrifice from Andra to save Rory suffering, it was an easy one to make.
Paul took Andra’s hand in his. “You’re too tired. You haven’t been sleeping or eating. It’s not safe.”
Ronan stayed where he was, his body still. Excitement and hunger shone in his eyes, but he made no moves to take what he so clearly wanted. “If not Andra, then you will need to call someone else. Not a Gerai, either. I will need more power than that if I’m to fight this demon.”
Andra gave her husband a hard look. “I’m doing this. I can’t help Tori right now. At least this way, I’ll be helping someone.”
Paul shook his head. “I don’t think it’s a good—”
“I need this, Paul. Please don’t fight me.”
He let out a long sigh, but gave a grudging nod. He looked at Ronan, warning clear on his face. “Don’t push it.”
* * *
Ronan had lied, but for all the right reasons. He could hear the heartbeat of Andra’s child and needed to reassure himself it was safe. The strain of Andra’s grief was weighing her down, exhausting her. It was obvious in her listlessness and the heavy fatigue riding her features. That strain wasn’t good for the child she carried, which meant it was his duty to do what he could to rid her of it.
And the only way to do that was by having access to her. And her blood.
Paul was overprotective of his wife, and the only person who could have swayed his decision was Andra herself.
The setup had been too perfect for Ronan to resist, so he’d woven the lie, refusing to feel even a moment’s guilt. Every Theronai child was a gift, and Andra needed to be strong right now to ensure that child was healthy.
Ronan didn’t dare go for the woman’s throat. Instead, he held out his hand for hers, and bent over her wrist. Hot, potent power flowed into him, clouding his thoughts for a moment. The baby was a boy, and the strength of that little life was shocking. It seeped into Ronan, filling him with a giddy sense of hope. He knew he wouldn’t have long before Paul intervened, so Ronan gathered his wits and moved past sensation into pure intellect.
Weariness pounded through her with every beat of her heart. Grief. Guilt. Loneliness for her baby sister. All of it swirled together into a tight knot he wasn’t sure he could loosen. He was inundated with input, with emotions so raw and ragged they were nearly overwhelming.
Using a burst of power fueled by Andra’s rich blood, Ronan went straight for the source of her anguish—her baby sister—and laid a muting veil over it. The fix wouldn’t last long—only a few days—but it would give her time to rest and regain her strength before those deep, searing feelings of guilt and loss came back to haunt her.
Ronan sought out the new life, needing to reassure himself it was safe. As he did, he felt a curious stand of magic winding through her.
Someone had altered her, and based on the familiar feel of it, Ronan was sure that either Logan or Tynan was to blame. Or thank, depending.
Whatever had been done to her, she was fine. The baby was fine. And taking more blood would not be good for either of them. If her emotions interfered with the safety of the child, then he was sure that Paul would not stand in the way of Ronan doing what needed to be done.
With a thought, Ronan closed her wounds. He sat back on the couch, feeling a wide grin stretch his face.
“What?” asked Paul, his hand on his sword.
He didn’t know. There was no way he could know. Andra didn’t even know.
Ronan considered not telling them, but there seemed no point in waiting. Good news might be just the thing for them right now—something to help them through these trying times.
He looked at Andra, who sat calm and still. A soft, sleepy look tugged at her eyelids. “You’re pregnant.”
She blinked slowly, as if not understanding his words.
Paul’s body went still in shock. “What? Are you sure?”
“I am.”
Andra looked up at her husband. There was no accusation in her eyes, only faint curiosity. “How? I thought you couldn’t get me pregnant.”
“I was with you when you found out Nika was pregnant. I’ve been with you as you watched her over the past few months. I felt what you did.” He sat down beside Andra and took her hands in his. “You know I would do anything for you. Give you anything you wanted. And you wanted this. I bargained with Tynan for the serum.”
Andra’s words were slow and halting, tinged with guilt. “I didn’t want you to know how I felt. The timing was bad. The war . . .”
Paul gave her a lopsided grin. “To hell with the war and the timing. Our child will grow up with Nika’s. I’d say that’s all that matters.”
“Your son,” said Ronan.
A smile quivered on Andra’s lips. Tears flooded her eyes. “Our son.”
Ronan saw Cain leave the room in a rush he tried to hide. The Theronai disappeared into the kitchen. Ronan decided it was his time to leave the couple alone to absorb the news as well. He had a call to make. Tynan was going to be overjoyed.