Lawked Flame (27 page)

Lorenzo nodded, wishing it was
no
t
true. Ten years was a long time to see his Lawke share intimate
embraces with other Kees. His next words were spoken softly as he
tried to explain something he did not fully understand himself.
“Maybe being near death releases a knowing inside a Lawke or Kee.
That way we know who we were meant to unlock before we pass on.
Honestly, I do not know why it happened or why I was the only one
given the identity of my Lawke; it is just the way it happened.” He
shrugged as though it were a small matter, when it was not.
Usually, both Lawke and Kee recognized each other immediately,
which made their lives bearable. A Kee could only be intimate with
their Lawke.

“How did you know that’s what it was?”

“You were dying and Olga was doing
everything to save you. I was holding something in place for her
and looked down at your face.” He frowned at the memory, it had
been horrible. “Your face was covered with all kinds of bruises and
one of your eyes was swollen shut. I was still holding something, I
cannot remember what it was, when Olga finished. She looked at me
and said she had done all she could and left the room. I stared at
you for a while, I do not know why. But as I lifted my hand to
leave, there was this clicking inside my chest and after that, I
knew you were mine. I rejected it for years until the truth hit
hard when I was unable able to be with anyone else.” He could not
keep all the hurt and longing of ten years of abstinence from his
voice. His pain screamed into the silence of the room.

Abstinence was more than no sexual
relations. That was torture by itself, but the pull to his Lawke
was a constant ache waiting for fulfillment. No one and nothing
could remove that emptiness. Over time, with each rebuff from his
Lawke, Lorenzo had lost more of himself. Nothing interested him, he
preferred his solitude, wanting no part of anything. Olga had
finally insisted he move into the boarding house with her and the
other Gramiers. They were afraid he would fade away.

Benicke pulled him into his arms and held
him close, his chin rubbing the top of his head. “I am most sorry,
little one. I hae not known the truth of da matter that long. My
thoughts of you have been changing over the past few years. In
truth, you have occupied most of me thoughts this past year.”

Not quite the admission Lorenzo was hoping
for, but it was a start. Inhaling deeply, he allowed the scent of
his Lawke to fill him, pleasantly surprised when Benicke released a
stronger underlying aroma layering his normal scent. It seemed his
Lawke planned for them to unlock right now. The rich woodsy
fragrance saturated his dry places, stirring his senses. Relaxing
further, he accepted the blended aroma from his Lawke, allowing
them to co-mingle with his own natural fragrance.

The two aromas would merge into a new one
easily identified by their people. The deep expansion of Benicke’s
chest touched off a spark of desire in Lorenzo’s loins. Snuggling
into the much larger man’s chest, he released his reservations, one
by one. Ten years he had waited for this moment; the peace flowing
through him as they alternated inhaling and then releasing each
breath was sublime.

Slowly, the pattern changed. Their breathing
synchronized as their energies fused. Lorenzo lay languorously on
Benicke’s shoulder. Static tension ebbed and flowed between them.
The air in the room thickened to a light hazy substance. Lorenzo
felt the click when it resonated in Benicke.

The big man jerked and chuckled. “Tis the
clicking thing you spoke of, I just experienced it.” Benicke placed
a chaste kiss on top of his head as he laid him flat on the bed.
The tip of his finger traced Lorenzo’s nose. It all seemed hazy,
like the best dream.

His Lawke leaned forward, his face close
enough for their noses to touch. “Will you unlock me? I offer all
that I have to you and receive the same from you. I need you, my
Kee.” Benicke made the formal declaration for unlocking.

Stirred beyond measure, Lorenzo captured his
finger and squeezed tight. The words bubbled forth. “Yes, I will
unlock you, knowing I release myself into your care. The two are
stronger for the unlocking.”

After rendering the formal chants, Lorenzo
closed his eyes as the warmth in his body escalated. The membrane
beneath his skin thinned to a molten liquid, running hot and wild.
Heat raced through his frame as his Lawke stroked his forehead.
Finally, yes finally, I can claim my Lawke
.

Benicke lay beside him and placed his palm
over Lorenzo’s chest. Lorenzo returned the gesture. Once their
membranes completely thinned, a jolt of power flew up and through
Lorenzo’s hand into his body. His entire frame shook under the
force of the energy exchange. Next to him, Benicke’s jerked a few
times before settling.

Lorenzo lacked the ability to talk above a
whisper. “I cannot move.”

“You dunna haf to.” Benicke inched his arm
around Lorenzo, and settled him in the crook of his arm. “Rest, I
cannot hear yeh thoughts. The joining wa’ not complete. Talk aboot
it later. Rest now.”

Chapter 20

In the den, Alayna sat curled on the large
comfortable sofa before a blazing fire. Her thoughts floated
aimlessly over her recent challenges while she stared into the
red-orange dancing flames. Within the past two weeks her life had
changed to the point it bore no recognition to her previous life.
Yet there was much for which she was grateful and would never
change. A twitter of laughter escaped as she rubbed her stomach,
sending waves of love to her son. There were still times when she
found it hard to believe
she
was pregnant. It had always
seemed to happen to other people, never her. Even the pain from all
those years of desperation, feverishly trying without success, was
muted, no longer a crippling monster. Thanks to Khayden, she’d
broken free from the chains of despair and depression that had
weighed her down for so long.

On the heels of that revelation, came the
fact the she was loved unconditionally. The intensity of Khayden’s
commitment blew her away. Her breath still hitched at the memory of
her meltdown a few days ago when her mother had died. She’d been
sure he would walk away. She would’ve. Especially if someone she’d
known for such a short period of time attacked her and said such
hateful things. Her face warmed in embarrassment over her behavior.
But after the blood transfer, he’d laid beside her, held her gently
as though she were fragile and told her how proud he was of her.
The man called her brave, said how much he cared for her, and that
he would never let her go. To say she was shocked was an
understatement of the highest order. Seeing that alien holding her
mama had scared her out of her mind; there was nothing brave about
her actions. No matter how many times she apologized for the things
she'd said and did, after his first acceptance, he'd refused to
discuss it further. Instead, he had cocooned her in a warm blanket
of love and adoration. She soaked the attention up like a dry
sponge on life support. Acceptance of his affections leaked into
dark and forgotten corners of her life, portions she had ignored
were now hydrated by his unfailing care. The last two days of
healing had done more than replenished her body, her soul had been
renewed as well. Things looked brighter, the decision to stay with
her alien felt right and she couldn’t imagine life without him.

Inhaling deeply, she smiled. A curl of
warmth tickled her insides. Khayden searched for her and was headed
her way. Even now that she lived in his home, he was never too far
away. He didn’t seem to grow tired of her company and sought her
out often. She rubbed her stomach and drank some more fruit juice,
wondering if she had room for one more of the cookies on her plate.
Lately she had to force herself to eat from all of the four food
groups. Oftentimes, meat and dairy products turned her stomach. But
she had a fascination with rutabagas, turnips, and many other root
vegetables. This new development was definitely a by-product of her
growing pregnancy.

Hearing his approach, she glanced up as he
walked into the room and offered a tiny smile, taking in his damp
hair and wide shoulders. A surge of warmth rushed to her core as
she remembered the last time they'd shared the bathroom together.
She pointed to the half-empty plate with her glass. “There's half a
grilled ham and cheese sandwich here if you want it. I’m full.”

He waved down the offer as he sat next to
her. “No thanks, I ate earlier while you rested.” He patted her
thigh and pulled her legs across his lap. Twisting around, she
stretched out, wiggling her toes to make him laugh and enjoying the
tranquil moment.

She sat up and rested on her elbows. “Have
you heard anything else about mama’s condition? I called the Murlin
when I woke, they said she was resting.”

Massaging her calves, he glanced in her
direction, then returned his attention to her legs. “I was told the
same thing a few minutes past.”

Uncertain of his mood, she pressed forward,
intent on making sure he understood she was grateful but concerned,
without insulting his people. It was a thin line she did not want
to cross. “Don’t get me wrong, God knows I appreciate everything
everybody’s done, but my daddy’s been calling asking about mama. I
don’t know what else to tell him other than what she told him
before she went into the healing chamber.” She paused, replaying
the conversations she’d had with her dad. Looking at Khayden, she
noticed his eyes and hands were on her leg. “He does have a point,
it has been three days.” Khayden’s hand tightened around her lower
leg, grabbing her attention. “Okay…don’t get testy.” She tried to
remove her leg from his lap, but he held her tight.

His head swung toward her, a toothy grin
that was not happy met her stare. “Testy? I am not sure what you
mean. But listen to your words. Your mother was dead. She has been
recovering from a return from that state and radical cancer
treatment for three days.”

She swallowed hard around the lump of pain
in her throat. A shaft of pain speared through her at the reminder
of her loss. She would never get over that and blinked back the
water that threatened to fill her eyes so she could focus on the
rest of his tirade.

“You have been pestering the Murlin every
hour about her recovery. How long would she be in one of your
traditional hospitals for such treatment?”

Knowing he was right didn’t make her less
anxious. She bit down on the corner of her lip to keep from
snorting at his response. Obviously they wouldn’t agree that her
mom receiving health care from aliens, no matter how friendly, gave
Alayna every right to be overly concerned. Dismissing her emotional
responses, she settled for a middle of the road approach. “You’re
right, she would be in the hospital for a long time. But, and this
is important, my entire family would be around her bedside offering
support. There would be no secrecy. Everyone would know where mama
was and what went down with her health. Right now, I can’t even
tell her husband she’s undergone surgery. Can you see that?” She
met his stare hoping they could cross this bridge, because as long
as her mom was in the Murlins' lab, she would be on their asses to
make sure everything was done above board. If that pissed them off,
well…they’d get over it.

He nodded. She released some tension and
waited for his qualifier, generally there was one.

He didn’t disappoint. “Yes, I understand, we
all do. But,
you
asked for our help and received it. This is
all a part of that same request, and your incessant calls are
interfering with the work in the lab. There are a multitude of
projects under way that must be completed sooner rather than
later.”

“But this is my mama we’re talking about. I
have a right to know how she’s doing.”

“Yes, you do. No one is saying you do not. I
explained to you the lab is not a hospital, but the equipment is
located there to help your mother heal correctly. You agreed to the
terms. Now, give me your word you will stop calling the Murlin
every hour. Call them no more than four times a day.” He held his
hand up as she started to object.

Slightly miffed, she snapped her mouth shut
and leaned back against the pillows with a huff. She had forgotten
about that deal when a raggedly tired Khayden had explained the
situation regarding her mom’s follow-up care. She’d agreed without
hesitation to her mom remaining in the healing area.

“No more than four calls in a twenty-four
hour period. I mean it. If her condition changes and she awakens,
they have instructions to call you immediately. This is more than
fair.” He patted her leg, waiting.

She wanted to disagree loudly, but didn’t
have any basis not to give her word on this. “Okay,” she agreed
hesitantly. “But what will I tell my daddy?”

Khayden shrugged. “Whatever pleases you. He
cannot come here, just as your mother could not. The Good Mother
has secured this place from humans and the wards would not allow
him entry.”

That recent argument still irked her.
Obviously, he felt the need to reiterate his reasoning. She’d
wanted to stay with her mom as she recovered. But the lab had no
accommodations for Alayna, and her mom could not enter the Harven.
That was one disagreement she never planned to have again.

For the most part, Khayden gave into
whatever she wanted, but when he said no, she’d learned that day he
had a rod of inflexible steel running through his core. It was the
first time he had become angry with her. She’d felt the heat of his
displeasure pulse through her torso and it almost brought her to
her knees. In that moment she finally believed they had a symbiotic
connection. It was another factor in her decision to stay with
him.