her arm. “Come on, they don’t bite—okay, maybe that’s not the best choice of words.”
Together, they started up a shoveled set of stone stairs toward an entrance that belonged on a cathedral. Overhead, the moon was full in a clear sky, and the night was still. Sarah’s breath left her lips in puffs of white, and she had to put her hands in the pockets of her parka because she didn’t have gloves.
Xhex opened a heavy door into a vestibule and looked down into a camera mounted next to a computer monitor. “Hey all, it’s us—”
The inner door was opened by a tall dark-haired woman—er, female—with a dark-haired baby on her hip. “You must be Sarah! This is so great! Hi!”
Before Sarah knew it, she was wrapped in an embrace, the baby going for her hair, a bunch of women—er, females—stepping in close.
And then Sarah lost track of everything. On account of the holy-shit-will-you-look-at-that.
The vast space on the far side of the double doors was so luxurious, so colorful, so overwhelming, she couldn’t take it all in. Everywhere she looked there were crystal chandeliers, and gold leafed mirrors and balustrades, and columns made of claret marble and—was that malachite? Glancing down, she found an intricate mosaic floor depicting an apple tree in full bloom and three stories up, there was a domed ceiling sporting a fresco of warriors on stallions.
The staircase made Tara’s look like a frickin’ step stool.
There was also a grand dining room off to one side and a pool room on the other, and in the latter, she could hear male voices …
Sarah shook herself as she realized all of the females were looking at her with indulgent smiles.
“It can be a little overwhelming,” the dark-haired female with the baby said. “But I promise you, you’ll get used to it. I’m Beth, by the way, and this is L.W.”
The baby looked at her with the clearest pale green eyes she’d ever seen—and reached for her.
“Oh, he wants to say hi. He likes you.”
And that was how she ended up with a baby in her arms.
The little one was warm, and he smelled like fresh soap and sweetness, and as he smiled at her, her eyes pricked with tears.
She had forgotten about her dream of having a family. Just left it behind after Gerry’s death. Decided it didn’t really suit a scientist anyway. But now, as she held this vital weight against her body, and felt him move, and saw him respond to her, she found the spark reigniting. Except …
“It’s okay,” the mom said gently. “You can have one with Murhder. My mother was human. It happens, if you try enough times, and somehow, I’m thinking your man is going to be up for practicing.”
Sarah looked at the female. “Really?”
“Yes, I promise.” She turned to the others. “Now, let me introduce you around. This is Bella and Nalla. Mary. Cormia and Autumn. Marissa … Payne. Ehlena. And of course, you know our Doc Jane well.”
Jane smiled and raised her wineglass. “You’re handling the future King very well over there.”
Sarah paled. “What?”
“He’s the King’s son. This is our queen.”
Sarah immediately held the baby back out to his mother. “Oh, God. Too much—too much responsibility. Nope, not going to be the one who drops him.”
Everyone laughed, and before she knew, she was talking to them all, answering questions about what she did, what she hoped to do, where she and Murhder wanted to look for a house. They were the most welcoming group of females, and then there were more people to meet in where the pool tables were.
It was a whole community.
Family, was more like it.
And after having lost her mother and father, and then Gerry, and being prepared to live her life alone, she couldn’t wait to get to know—
From around the base of the stairs, the old butler with the happy face brought someone very familiar into the grand space, and Sarah started to smile.
“Will you excuse me?” she said before all but running across the mosaic tile.
Nate seemed as shell-shocked as she was as he looked around at the grandeur. But the second he saw her, he exhaled in relief.
She wrapped the boy up in a hug so hard, she had to force herself to release him before he couldn’t breathe—except he didn’t let her go. He held on, dropping his head into her shoulder and sighing.
Stroking her hand up and down his back, she remembered finding him in that cage, in that lab. She