the hurt boy who’d nonetheless thought of others. She was glad, so glad that he’d found joy, that he’d found love. “You will always be a part of our family, and I hope you’ll accept that invitation in the spirit it’s given.”
Kaleb’s eyes left hers, found his mate’s, and Annie had the sense he was talking to her. When he looked back at her, he said, “Thank you.”
“We’ll send you our details, in case you’d like to visit.” She didn’t think Kaleb Krychek was the visiting-babies-and-friends kind of man, but he was family now and would be treated as such. “I hope you come.”
“Yes,” Zach added. “You’ll be welcome.”
• • •
AFTER Kaleb inclined his head in acknowledgment of the DarkRiver couple’s offer, the male—Zach—began to coax his mate to head back to her seat. Having noticed how heavily Annie leaned on the cane and was now leaning against her mate, Kaleb said, “Would you like a lift?”
They both stared at him before grinning in concert. It was Zach who said, “Why the hell not?”
It took less than a heartbeat. He could see the destination and they were standing in front of him. Even as Annie opened her mouth to speak, the couple and their baby found themselves by the comfortably cushioned wicker chair from where Annie had walked over. Laughing, the couple waved at him before Zach helped Annie into her seat, then handed the infant to her.
An infant named Rowan Kaleb Quinn.
That was the first time I exercised my own free will, he said to Sahara as his heart walked toward him, a woman of about five two in a strapless gown the color of ripe cherries that set off the warm shade of her skin. She’d chosen the black-on-black suit he wore, caressing her fingers over his pectoral muscles before she buttoned up his shirt.
I glimpsed news of the train derailment on the comm screen, he told her, saw that a small girl was trapped underneath all that twisted metal. A child just like him, hurt and broken. So I snapped the chains on my mind and for a small fraction of time, I was free and I was doing something good.
Flowing into his arms, Sahara looked up at him with eyes that had always seen him for exactly who he was—a man who lived in the gray but who loved her with every dark corner of his soul. “You were being true to yourself.” She spread her hand over his heart. “Even in the horror, you found the will and had the courage to fight for what was right.”
He brushed his hand over her hair. Here, with the changelings, such contact between mates was accepted—expected even. They were a highly tactile race, and while Kaleb would’ve found that strange before Sahara came into his life, she’d long ago taught him the value of a touch given in affection and love.
Let’s be young and happy today, Kaleb. Sahara’s mind speaking to his, her telepathic voice poignant with memories of all the celebrations they’d missed, all the pain they’d survived. Like we were in that market in Istanbul. Forget about everything else for one night.
Kaleb was always on alert for threats, but that didn’t mean he’d deny Sahara. If she asked for the moon, he’d find a way to lay it at her feet. Anything you want.
The catastrophic problem with the Net would still be there tomorrow, as would the Consortium’s machinations and the politics of the powerful and dangerous.
Will you dance with me? The charms on Sahara’s bracelet clinked against one another as she lifted her arms to link them around his neck, her love for him proud and open.
Deep inside, even the part of him that was the void, merciless and dark and broken, knew happiness, knew joy. You’re the dancer. But he took her into his arms and they moved to the rhythm of the slow, romantic song the band was playing. Kaleb knew it was romantic because Sahara whispered that to him while stealing a kiss.
Her hair was soft, carrying the fresh scent of her shampoo. He’d washed her hair for her in the shower earlier that day, after which he’d demanded payment for his work in kisses. With her, he could be young, could be the boy with whom she’d fallen in love before the world tore them apart.
No one interrupted them for that song or the next. But on the third . . .
“Hi, Mr. Krychek!”
Kaleb glanced down to find himself looking into