The Lasaran (Aldebarian Alliance #1) - Dianne Duvall Page 0,72

torn open at least one of the stitches in his chest.

An electronic hum arose. The gate clanked and clunked as it began to open.

Looks like we’ve lost the element of surprise, Lisa murmured in his head.

Apparently so. He’d had little hope of sneaking up on them anyway since Lisa had told him vampires had exceptionally sharp hearing.

Taelon dragged himself to his feet and ducked back in the car. He glanced down at the gray T-shirt he wore, relieved to find no blossoming red stain on the front of it. Maybe he hadn’t torn his stitches open.

Lisa eased the car forward once more. The road continued for quite some time before it ended in a circular drive in front of what appeared to be a large, single-level private home.

A few parked cars formed a semicircle along the edges of the drive. Taelon peered past them at the house as Lisa inched forward. A tall, wide window bowed out from the front of the structure. Light spilled forth from it, bracketing a child barely old enough to walk who peered out at them, her little hands splayed on the glass to either side of her shadowed face. Her red hair glinted like flames as she looked over her shoulder, then returned her gaze to them and pressed her nose to the glass.

Behind her…

Taelon’s blood went cold. Black-clad warriors lounged in chairs and on sofas. He only got a quick glimpse before they had moved too far past the window to see anything but the child, but there appeared to be dozens.

That’s a lot of black. Lisa’s thought carried to him clearly.

He nodded. And Amiriska was somewhere among them. He could feel her now through their internal link and wanted to weep in relief at the confirmation that she still lived.

Are you sure she’s in there?

Yes. Surrounded by those figures in black, some or all of whom are vampires. His gaze swung to Lisa, then dropped to her belly. You should leave. Return to the motel and wait for me there.

She shook her head. No way. We’ve come this far together. I’m not going to leave you. She parked the car and cut the engine. Grabbing the long firearm, Lisa flung her door open and stepped out into the night.

Had circumstances not been so grim, Taelon would’ve smiled. Drek, he loved that woman.

Opening his door, he stepped out into the cool night. Agony punched him in the chest. His knees wobbled. His head spun as a sudden tide of dizziness engulfed him. Staggering, he threw a hand out and braced himself against the car.

Lisa gasped and halted midstep. Bending forward, she clutched her belly with her free hand as her face contorted with pain.

Concern rose as Taelon gripped his chest. What the srul was he doing? Neither one of them was in any condition to confront a houseful of probably hostile vampires or immortals who likely wouldn’t want them to abscond with his sister.

I’m okay, Lisa told him mentally. Stop looking like you want to kick yourself in the ass.

You aren’t okay. And you should be the one kicking me in the ass. You shouldn’t be here. I’m putting you in danger.

I’m carrying an alien baby, Taelon. I’ll be in danger everywhere I go. Stop worrying about me so we can see what’s up with your sister.

We should come back when I’m stronger.

She bit her lip. You aren’t getting stronger, honey. You’re getting weaker. Did you really think I hadn’t noticed?

Of course she had. She noticed everything about him, just as he noticed everything about her.

Tucking her shoulder under his arm, Lisa steadied him while he continued to clutch his chest. You said Amiriska is here now. Tomorrow she might not be. And we can’t wait for the cavalry to arrive because there isn’t one. There’s just the two of us. Tomorrow you might be weaker. Tomorrow I might be in labor. It’s now or never.

She didn’t wait for him to respond, just trudged forward.

Taelon tried not to lean on her as they made their way up the sidewalk to a large front door.

It opened as they reached it, swinging inward to reveal three figures, all clad in black. More rose in the room behind them, but Taelon saw only the three directly in front of him, his gaze zeroing in on the smallest.

Amiriska stared up at him, her pretty face pale, her bright green eyes glistening with tears.

Marcus, the vampire who had visited their motel room with Roland, stood close behind her.