more beautiful,” he said and kissed her.
As the sun rose, he made slow, careful love to her in the bower of blue blossoms, the petals falling on her naked body and their scent surrounding her. Afterward, they lay curled together looking up at the sky. The suns were high enough now that the rays fell across their bodies, striking golden sparks amid the fiery red of her hair.
I look like Rapunzel, she thought idly, remembering the golden-haired heroine. The gold in her hair seemed to intensify, and suddenly the red was gone. The fiery strands had been replaced by long golden curls.
“What did you do?” Aidon sat up and stared at her.
“I don’t know. I was just thinking that my hair looked blonde, and all of a sudden it was.” She stared at him in shock. “Does that mean I can change forms now?”
“At least a little.” He reached out and stroked her hair, then shook his head. “Change it back, please. I prefer seeing you as you really are.”
She blushed and concentrated on her hair. It was a little bit more difficult this time, but she managed to change it back.
“Much better.” Aidon rewarded her with a kiss and was starting to pull her down into the nest again when he tensed.
“What’s the matter?” she whispered.
“A muri. It’s only a small one, but they usually travel in packs.” As he reached for his knife, she followed his gaze to a sleek black head that was peeping over the edge of the nest. As their eyes met, it made an excited sound and started to climb in. Aidon’s hand closed around his knife just as she recognized the creature’s eyes, and she threw herself at him.
“No! It’s Trouble!”
He froze and watched in astonishment as the little catlike creature pranced over to her and rubbed his head against her stomach.
“He’s too young,” he said at last.
“You mean you knew that he could change form?”
“Of course. I just didn’t expect it to happen so soon.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “Trouble is an exceptional war beast, aren’t you, sweetheart?”
The muri purred and butted her playfully with his head, and she laughed.
Aidon watched his mate playing with her war beast and took a deep breath. He had one more piece of news for her.
“Hanna,” he said softly, and she looked up and smiled at him. “While I was in the city, I went to see a doctor.”
Her eyes widened. “What happened? Was the head wound worse than it looked? Are you all right?”
“I’m fine, saachi. I went to see him to find out if the operation was reversible.”
“The operation?” She frowned at him, and then tears sprang to her eyes. “You mean the one that made it impossible for you to father children?”
“That’s right.”
“What did he say?” she whispered.
“That if I want—that if we want—it can be completely reversed.”
“We could have a baby together?”
“Would you like that?” he asked, watching her face.
“Oh, Aidon. More than anything.”
She threw herself at him, covering his face with kisses and leaving him in no doubt about her desire to carry his child.
After that, there were no more words, and Trouble scrambled away to the far side of the nest with a disgruntled mewl.
His passion finally sated, Aidon rolled to his back and tugged Hanna against his side as he stared up at the wide blue arc of the sky. A vast contentment filled him. He had his mate next to him. He had the prospect of a child. But more than that, he had a home. This tiny female from another world had given him that. He was home at last on Pardor.
Epilogue
One year later…
“Your son is feeling greedy today.” Hanna laughed as Aidon swung up on the deck to join her.
She was sitting in the shade nursing Negel, Trouble sprawled at her feet, and, as always, he was filled with happiness at the sight of his mate and his son. The procedure to reverse his sterilization had been successful—so successful that she had become pregnant within a week after they had returned from the city. While they were there, they had stayed with Naiz and Hirogi, and even though she had said she enjoyed the company and exploring the city with him, she had been the one to suggest that they return home.
“You don’t wish to stay longer? Or perhaps, to live here?” he had asked.
“No. It’s nice to visit, and I’d like to come back, but I prefer our home and our jungle. Besides, I