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“Guide you through your ripening?” He raised his eyebrows. “You mean, if I don’t make love to you, you’re going to die?”
“Yes, yes!” Makenna nodded in relief—at last he understood! “That’s why I did what I did this morning. I know it was wrong, but The Emptiness was tormenting me and I knew the Ripening Fever couldn’t be far behind.”
“Gods, baby girl—I’m so fucking sorry!” Bard murmured, shaking his head. “And I sent you away for it and you had to run for your life while you were so sick. Gods, I’m an idiot!”
“Don’t be too hard on yourself,” Makenna said softly. “You didn’t know because I couldn’t tell you. You—” Her womb twisted as a fresh wave of Emptiness swept over her and her words ended in a low moan.
“Gods, baby girl—what can I do? Is it already too late?” Bard asked, his voice low and anxious.
“No—having The Emptiness return is actually a…a good sign,” Makenna told him. “It means the Ripening Fever hasn’t taken over completely—means that there’s still time.”
“Okay then, tell me what to do, baby girl—whatever it is, I’ll do it,” he swore. “Tell me exactly what you need and I’ll give it to you.”
“First, I need to be cooled off,” Makenna told him weakly. “So…hot.” She felt like her flesh was burning—the Ripening Fever and The Emptiness were neck-in-neck at this point. “After that, make love to me. Please, Bard.” She looked at him pleadingly.
“I will, I swear it.” He cradled her close to his broad chest and his warm, masculine scent made Makenna feel a bit better. Bard understood her now—he knew what she needed and he was going to help. She snuggled closer to him.
“Thank you, Bard,” she whispered.
He kissed her hot forehead gently.
“Come on, baby girl—let’s get you cooled down.”
37
Bard carried her into the fresher and slapped a button on the control panel of the bathing pool. At once, a rush of icy water surged through the steaming pool, cooling it down to lukewarm. Another wave brought the temperature down to positively chilly.
He nodded in satisfaction to himself when he saw the temperature gauge dropping. He had never had cause to use the quick-chill feature of his bathing pool before and he was glad to see it still worked.
Carefully, he sat Makenna down on the bench beside a stack of fluffy towels and then stripped off his clothes and boots. He helped her out of her gown as well and then picked her up again in his arms. Her bare skin was hot against his own and even in the time it had taken to prepare the pool and undress, she looked like she’d gotten weaker.
“Gods, you’re burning up, baby girl!” he muttered, concerned at her heat.
“The Fever,” she murmured, blinking up at him. “So hot, Bard. Please…help.”
Bard felt his heart stutter in his chest.
“I’ll help you, I promise!” he swore.
He barely noticed the chilly water as he carried her into the pool and submerged all but her face. His focus was on the female in his arms and her dire circumstances.
Oh Goddess, let her be okay—don’t let me be too late! he prayed as he supported her slight weight in the big tub.
Makenna floated limply in his arms and for a moment, he really was afraid that he was too late. But then she began to stir and her big, dark eyes opened.
“I’m feeling cooler now,” she whispered and Bard thought she looked a little better. “I…I think you can guide me through my ripening now—if you hurry.”
“Of course, baby girl.”
He carried her out of the bathing pool and got both of them toweled off. Then he took her into his bedchamber.
Tiny was already there, whining uncertainly as he focused on Makenna.
“It’s all right, boy—she’s going to be okay,” Bard told him, hoping he was telling the truth. He laid her in the middle of the bed and ushered the big Ya’greer out. “I promise you can see her in a couple of hours,” he said and shut the door firmly behind him.
Some things didn’t need an audience.
He climbed on the bed with Makenna and was relieved to see that her creamy brown skin was still cool to the touch. Good—there was still time.
But time to do what? Should he throw caution to the wind and bond the little female to him?
Bard didn’t feel right about that. She was still too young for him and there was too much of an age-gap for a soul-bond to overcome. But he could make love to her without bonding her to him—Beast Kindred did it all the time. All he had to do was withhold his Mating Fist—the bulge at the base of his shaft—and he could make love to her all night long—or as long as she needed him to.
And if she needed seed—well, that was no problem. Kindred males were multi-orgasmic and could come as many times as they wanted to without a refractory period in between. They also made plenty of seed—he could flood her womb if she needed him to—and do it over and over until she felt satisfied.
