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“I... Elly.”
She looked at him and waited.
“I had to go. I didn’t want to tell you. I had a present in my jacket pocket for you, then he took over, and I woke up on the plane to my mentor. I nearly brought the plane down, buthetold me things were fine. That you were ours and were safe. I could feel something, and I guess that was the link, but you were definitely there. Then, you were gone.” He ran his hand over his head. “My mentor had to hold me down. My full form was trying to rip out to go find you, but he pinned me and kept me there until I calmed. He gave me a lecture about betas being frail, and if you were really my mate, I would have sealed the mark. We trained for months until I could have equilibrium with my two other forms. That was the point where I got my phone back. Keo played the call for me. All the calls to our home were recorded. I had a few stalkers.” He sighed. “My mentor had to keep me down and tell me the call had been months earlier, which was why our link broke. You were gone.” He sighed. “Also, I didn’t know your proper name either. I thought Elly was short for Eleanor. I have had investigators looking for traces of you for years.”
She chuckled and rocked the baby, who had decided to use her as a cradle. “Yeah, Eliana is a little odd, though you are not one to throw stones, Keahi.”
He shivered when she said his name.
“So, you are local?” She changed the topic just like that.
“Yes, second cousin to Syar. There is one of my kind born every generation. We keep the island from blowing up in an eruption. That’s my job, and since there is a volcanic event brewing right now, it is my job to lance the volcano.”
“Delightful. Like a zit?”
He smiled. “Something like that. I had forgotten how easy it was to talk to you. I mean, we were talking together in my dreams, but then you were hot and sexy and climbed all over me.”
She snorted. “Well, none of that is happening.”
Penina snuffled and sucked her fist. Eliana stroked the chubby cheek and looked at Keahi. “There. We have talked. We have closure.”
“Yup. You are really good with babies.”
“I am, and your dragon is an arrogant pain in the ass.”
He smiled. “Where did you learn about babies?”
“Oh, I babysat from the age of twelve until I could get the job at the diner.” She smiled. “Babies like me.”
“May I see the mark? I need to know what he did.”
She narrowed her eyes. “If I feel one spike of heat, I am going to water cannon you right out that door. I am holding a baby, after all. Let that horny salamander inside you know that. I no longer scream and cry. Now, I yell and punch.”
He blinked. “Right. He’s been warned.”
Her hair moved up and out of the way, swaying and waving in the invisible current. Keahi got up and moved around, gasping at the remains of the mark he had left behind. The thick encapsulated spiral was right between her shoulders. She felt warmth, and she snapped quietly, “No touching.” Her hair covered the mark again.
“What colour was it when it was new?”
“Bright orange and red.”
“Ah.”
She turned and glanced at him. She laughed. “You got aroused by seeing a scar?”
He looked at her ruefully. “It is a lovely scar.”
She got a text from Ven and smiled. “Well, that was quick. They are coming home. I need to tell Kane.”
She rose to her feet with the baby in her arms. “Come on, Penina, we have to get the sleeping beauty up, and we need to know if Kane has an extra room for her.”
Keahi followed her. “Do you expect her to answer?”
“No, but she is a wonderful sounding board.” She smiled and swayed into the kitchen to talk to Kane. The family was coming home.
Chapter Four
They greeted the family and new babies as they came into the residence. Reynaldo was carrying his babies, and his grin was going to split his face. Syar supported Ven, and she beamed when she saw Penina. “There’s my big girl. Have you been good for Elly?”
