I'd been out walking in the forest, something I tried to do every day, as I found it calming for both me and the baby, when I heard the shouts. I'd recognized the bellow and dragon energy of Braxton, and for some reason found myself running through the trees to see what was going on with him. I really should have known the missing Compass quad would be there too. That tugging sensation in my gut only ever happened around Maximus, but I'd been completely blindsided to round the corner and find him locked in a man-battle like no other.
Holy sweet mother of mercy.
Seriously, if these two idiots hadn't been trying to pulverize each other into fine grains of sand, I'd have been tempted to pull up a chair, snack on some candy, and watch the show.
I must have caught the tail end of supe-wars, because after a few more grappling moves, both of them ended up sprawled on the ground. It was then that reality really hit me hard. Hard enough that my knees threatened to drop my huge butt to the ground.
Maximus was back. He had finally returned home.
Breathing deeply, I allowed myself one moment of pain, one moment to breathe in the sight and scent of the massive vampire. Yes, I was a freak who could scent other beings.
Why did he have to be so perfect? So goddamned perfect in every way-well, except for his abandoning asshole personality, that was. But physically there was not a single thing I could fault on Maximus. On any of the quads, really, but while Braxton was absolutely godlike, I preferred Maximus' stronger features. He was a little rougher, with a broad, masculine face, built and shaped like a huge, Viking warrior.
Apparently I was into the Viking type of dude. Who would have thought it? I'd always expected I would fall for someone arty. Good one, Mischa.
I was still frozen to the spot when his head whipped around and he locked me in those dark eyes. It took me a few extra deep breaths but I managed to pull myself together. I was going to try very hard to act like this was no big deal. Actually, it was perfect timing because I didn't want to wait another second for him to know about his baby. I couldn't wait another second.
I started stomping toward them, keeping my focus strong on my angry energy so that none of my soft and painful Maximus feelings would crowd back in.
His gaze was predatory, and it took every iota of my inner strength to keep striding forward, to not freeze under his now-black eyes and ferocious expression. Why was he so angry? Did he already know about the baby?
In one swift and smooth motion he was on his feet, moving toward me. As each step closed the distance between us, the ache in my chest increased. My stomach swirled uneasily and I knew my current stress was not great for the baby. Which is why I chose to side-step around his large form and head for Braxton, desperately clinging to my pretense of not caring. To save face, I scrambled for something urgent to tell the dragon shifter.
Braxton's dark blue eyes followed me, his concern was barely concealed. Every now and then his eyes would dart back to his brother. I wanted to ask them what the hell they were fighting about, but instead decided to act like it was no big deal. And for these supes, it kinda wasn't.
Reaching the dragon shifter, I quickly scolded him for fighting because Jessa would expect that of me, before switching topics to something very pressing. "Jessa is out of cake," I murmured. Which was our code for "Jessa is out of cake, get her some freaking cake, she's actually going to kill someone if she doesn't get some cake."
A tendril of what looked like panic fluttered across his dark eyes. I could see he was torn about leaving straight away to find his mate, but in the end he crowded closer to me and said, "It's not the best idea for me to leave you with Max. He's not in control."
So I wasn't the only one who noticed that the Viking vamp was currently in a state of mega-pissed-offness. Before I could think up anything else as a distraction, the furious supe super-speeded my way, towering over me. I lost my breath and suddenly I couldn't ignore Maximus Compass any longer. His broad shoulders filled the forest, his presence sucked all remaining oxygen from around me. I worked extra hard to keep a calm face.
Maximus' hands twitched at his side as he finally growled out, "Who do I need to kill? Whose baby is this, Mischa? Who dared to touch you?"
That low voice did something to my brain, like spasmed it out, so it took me a few seconds to actually register those words. So he definitely hadn't known about the baby until he saw me. And he was angry about it. Oh, and when did he think I had time to be getting it on with someone else? Men … seriously!
But if he thought it was someone else's baby, well … that didn't make any sense. That should have made him happy. I was getting the impression that it hadn't crossed his mind even once that this could be his child. Great, this was going to be a really pleasant conversation.
Before I could calm my thoughts enough to compose a gentle way of breaking it to him, he reached out and cupped my face in his huge hands, covering up my cheeks and encasing me in warmth and energy.
No, no, no, no! I could not let him pull me in again. I had been without his attention for so long now that the slightest touch had me drowning in soft, gooey emotions. No! I would not go through that again. I'd barely survived last time, and everyone had suffered for my weakness.
It was so hard, but I managed to reach up and knock his hands away, freeing myself. Something flickered across those blacked-out vamp eyes then. I found myself shifting to see Braxton, wondering if he had any idea of what I should be doing or saying to make this situation better, but he was as unreadable as his brother.
"Talk to me!" Maximus drew both of our attentions, but his gaze was focused on his brother. "You lied to me, Brax. I asked how everyone was and you never mentioned Mischa was pregnant. Not once."
Wrong. So very wrong. I let the anger free again, jabbing toward the vamp. "Don't blame Braxton. I wanted to be the one to tell you. I tried right after the council leadership ceremony, but you took off so fast. You just … left."
Shit. Some pain leaked out in that last part. Time to lock it down again.
"So tell me now. Everything!"
Suddenly I was the sole focus of those obsidian eyes, glittering with emotions as they captured my gaze. Captured and held.
With great effort I again freed myself from him, drawing on the strength I had been working hard for. Strength and independence. He had left me, more than once, and I had learned not to trust him.
"Mischa," he said, warning in his tone.
Right! Okay, asshole. You want to know everything, you're going to get everything.
"I'm over four months pregnant. The baby is yours."
He stilled. In fact he was so still that if I hadn't known he was a living, breathing supe, I would have expected the massive warrior was a statue, bronzed and perfectly preserved by a Renaissance artist. I wanted to glance at Braxton again. Hopefully this time he'd give some indication of what I should be doing.
I had just dropped a massive bombshell on the grieving vampire, something I'd been trying to find the time to say for months, and I wasn't sure what the right protocol was now.
The uncomfortable silence grew, and I'd just reached the point where I had to say something when Maximus started to growl, these low, ripping growls which started in his chest and ricocheted outwards until most of his body was shaking. I'd never seen him like this before, almost as if he was blurring around the edges as his body tried to shudder apart. Unable to stop myself, I took a step closer to him, one hand raised as if I could calm him with my touch. Yep, I was an idiot. If anything, that would probably have made it worse.
I never got to find out. Before I could connect with the growling, transitioning, weird vision of a vampire, Braxton snagged me around the waist and had me up and in his arms in seconds. In the blink of an eye we were moving, and he didn't stop until we were right on the edge of Stratford.
"What's happening?" I asked breathlessly, pounding on his chest to let me down. I struggled until eventually he set me on my feet, and then swiveled around and planted himself firmly in front of me.
"I'm going to shift," he said. "Get back."
My head was spinning with questions and fears, but I didn't hesitate to get out of his way. Squished by giant lizard was not my preferred way to go. In a flash of motion and a distinct spark of energy, the six and half feet of male was suddenly standing on four massive and muscled, black and blue scaled legs. His gigantic body blocked my line of sight, so I had no idea what was going on.
"Mischa!" Jessa's shout came from a few hundred yards away, but she managed to make it to my side in seconds. "What's happening? Why's Brax all dragon-beast?"
I didn't answer straight away. I was trying to edge my way around the huge creature blocking the path. Was Maximus heading in this direction? Was he the one Braxton feared?
Every time I moved, the dragon moved too. And each time he twisted that long neck around to throw squinty yellow-eyed glares in my direction.
"Misch … " Jessa was going growly now.
"Can't you, like, read each other's minds and stuff now you're mated?" I didn't really have answers for her. Well, any more than Maximus is back.
Max is home? I hadn't even realized that she was in my head, but maybe that was easier for her than trying to get into the dragon's head.