He couldn’t help himself. He knelt before her, took her face in his hands and laid his lips on hers. He felt the silken curves tremble as they parted beneath the touch. And he waited. He went no further, just the gentle stroking of lips against lips until her tongue peeked out and stroked timidly at him. Her hands rose to his shoulders, slid to his neck as he fought to keep the kiss soft, comforting, despite the heat that rose between them. He could feel her in every cell of his body as her kiss stroked the fire in his c**k brighter. Finally, in desperation he pulled back.
His thumb slid over the moist curves.
“Perhaps I missed the romance classes during training,” he said regretfully, moving away from her as a knock sounded at the door. “That would be the good doctor,” he sighed then and headed for the door. He had promised himself he would allowthis, that he would tamp down his possessive instincts, his fury that somehow she would be weakened further. He strode quickly for the door and swung it open. Armani stood there, that damned mocking glint in her eye, a smug smile about her mobile mouth.
“You trained her too well,” he bit out as he moved aside for her to enter. She didn’t enter. Instead she watched him closely.
“Before I see her, I want to know if you have taken her anally yet.”
Sometimes the damned woman could be too nosy. He often wondered if she didn’t do it deliberately, just to keep the rest of them off balance.
Aiden clenched his teeth. “No,” he finally bit out. “Not yet.”
She nodded abruptly.“Another thing. Physically, how is she holding up?”
Why the hell was she asking him?
“See foryourself ,” he growled.
She shook her head.“Your opinion first, Aiden. I don’t ask lightly.”
He breathed in deeply. “She’s trembling, even now. She’s pale and weak, and the arousal is draining her strength. I worry…” And for that reason he had allowed the testing to begin. She nodded abruptly and forged into the room, breezing past him as though he was no longer there. Aiden shook his head and closed the door. He knew that as far as she was concerned, he was no longer there.
Now, did he leave, or did he stay? He turned and paced to the kitchen table and sat down to wait. No way in hell was he leaving.
* * * * *
“Charity, it’s good to see you.” Nikki’s smile was wide, her black eyes filled with humor and more knowledge than she likely needed, Charity thought as the other woman walked into the room.
“’Bout time you got here,” she griped. “I can’t believe you let Aiden hold you off that long.”
She knew Nikki. She could have easily steamed right over Aiden at any given time. Nikki shrugged.“Stubborn man. Breeds are not always logical, Charity. Of course, we’re talking the male Breeds here. Often the females show a bit more sense.”
“How often?”Charity asked in amusement.
“Hmm, sometimes,” Nikki laughed as she dragged the chair from the wall over to the bed. “There.” She sat down heavily, leaning back in the padded comfort of the seat. “Tell me.”
Charity sighed. Nikki didn’t have to say what she wanted to know; Charity knew the drill by now.
“Keegan knows much more than I do,” she sighed wearily. “All I really know is that the incision made
into the womb was to apply the drugs directly and to view certain changes within the womb. They didn’t check the ovaries, though, which is where I believe the change is occurring. Those tests were scheduled to begin soon. They were beginning to suspect many of the conclusions I’ve come to myself.”
Nikki nodded. “I have tracked it that far myself, with Hope and Faith’s help. The blood, saliva and vaginal samples I took while you were unconscioussupports this. The changes are much more advanced in your body, though.”
Charity nodded then glanced at her friend. “They had samples of Aiden’s se**n, Nikki. They had the records from that last night in the Labs. I don’t know what’s going on, but when they matched the anomalies in my blood to his se**n, the injections began. After that, there’s very little that I can tell you. I just don’t remember.”
“The how isn’t as important as figuring out what they accomplished,” Nikki sighed.“Bastards. They never were very smart.”
“Nikki, we have to find a way to reverse it,” she whispered. “Soon, before I actually conceive.”
Nikki rubbed her brow worriedly as Charity watched her.
“Does Aiden know you love him, Charity?” she finally asked her curiously. Shock shot through her. “It’s the drugs…”
“Charity, even I knew, six years ago, that you loved this man. Does he know?”
Charity shook her head. “It wasn’t love, Nikki. It really wasn’t. I didn’t want him to die.”