The Lasaran (Aldebarian Alliance #1) - Dianne Duvall Page 0,94

won’t be going with you,” Amiriska said behind them.

The men turned to face the bedroom’s doorway. Lisa and Amiriska stood watching them.

Lisa appeared to be fully recovered from childbirth, thanks to Seth. She stood straight, showing no weariness. Black cargo pants and a black shirt hugged very full breasts and a waist so tiny he could span it with his hands.

Her arms and legs remained thinner than she liked, but Seth had assured her that she would return to a healthy weight now that she was eating more frequently.

Taelon thought her beautiful whatever her weight. “What?” he asked belatedly.

The women joined them.

As soon as Lisa was close enough to touch, he wrapped his free arm around her and pulled her up against his side.

She smiled when he kissed her forehead, then turned her attention to the baby.

Ami moved to stand beside Marcus, her face full of both defiance and reluctance. “We won’t be going with you. We’re staying here on Earth.”

Marcus frowned down at her. “Ami, I told you long ago that if you ever found a way to return to your planet, I would go with you.”

“I know. But your life is here. And your family is here.”

Marcus shook his head. “You are my family, sweetling. You are my life. You and Adira. I go where you go. Remember?”

Taelon liked his brother-in-law even more for that. He would thank him for his sacrifice as soon as he convinced his sister to return to Lasara, a task Taelon never thought he would have to undertake. “Amiriska, your family is on Lasara. Mother, Father, Duras, Gefen, and Levik are all expecting you to return.”

“Yes,” she said. “My family is on Lasara. And I’ve missed you all so much that I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve cried thinking I would never see any of you again. But Taelon…” She shook her head as though uncertain how to explain it. “I have a family here now, too. I have a husband and a daughter and so many others here who love us.”

“Riska—”

She held up a hand. “I’ve also built a life for myself here that I’m not ready to give up. I feel needed here… in a way that I didn’t on Lasara. I feel like I have more purpose here.”

Confusion battered him. “But you are needed on Lasara. You’re one of our best diplomats.”

“One of the best,” she stressed. “Many more could take my place.” She rubbed her forehead. “I’m not really explaining this well. It’s just…” Lowering her hand, she shrugged helplessly. “I’ve changed. I’m not the same person I was on Lasara. On Lasara I was a sheltered princess who negotiated treaties with allies. When people approached me and spoke to me, they did so deferentially, but they only respected me because I was a member of the royal family.”

“That’s not true. You are widely respected for your intelligence and ability to make even sworn enemies form alliances.” She didn’t really believe she had no value on Lasara, did she?

“Perhaps. But here it’s different. People here respect me because of who I am, not because of the family I was born into. They respect me because I’m strong, because I’m fierce.”

A pang of uncertainty struck. Taelon would’ve never described his little sister as fierce. He and his brothers had always declared themselves her protectors because they loved her and wanted to keep her safe. By doing that, had they inadvertently made her feel unworthy?

“For the first time in my life,” Ami continued, “I got to do the protecting. I served as the guard.” She held up her small hands. “With these hands, I have fought in battles. I have protected others. And I have saved lives.”

Marcus nodded. “She has. As soon as she recovered from the torture she endured and began to conquer the fear it instilled in her, Seth, David, and Darnell trained her so she would always be able to defend herself in the future.”

Another pang struck. He and his brothers had never done that for her because they had always been there to protect her. Had that left her feeling weak? Vulnerable?

“When her training finished, Seth assigned her to serve as my Second or personal guard,” Marcus continued. “And in the first battle we shared, she helped me defeat thirty-four psychotic vampires.”

Two standing against thirty-four? Taelon didn’t know whether he should be terrified for her or furious at Marcus for putting his sister in such danger.

As though reading his mind, Marcus raised both hands