stopped short. Abby tipped her head down, intent on asking what was wrong.
Michael stood, one tiny foot raised, swiveling it back and forth. His blond head was bowed in serious consideration.
The first hop on his left foot was tentative. The next several were increasingly robust. He looked up at Abby and smiled widely, showing both his human incisors and canines and his Xxanian hunting teeth.
Abby offered a weary smile. “That’s good, Michael.”
Rayn’s Xxan was slow and smooth. “Come, young Dominant.”
Michael stopped hopping and stared at the doctor. He cocked his head to one side, hesitated a long moment, and released Abby’s hand. Hopping on his left foot, Michael reached Rayn’s side. He grasped the doctor’s hand, switched feet, and started testing his prowess on the right foot.
“ Hauaa comes,” her son pronounced in Xxan. He’d quickly become bilingual and had started using both English and Xxan words within days of each other.
Abby sighed and trudged after them. Exhaustion weighed her down. Even with Gabe’s family running herd, keeping up with a Xxanian toddler was a full time job. Plus some. More than once in the last few months, she’d kicked herself that she’d ever believed she could do this alone.
Michael vaulted up on the far examination bed with the agility of a gymnast. Then he crumpled in that careless way children had.
Abby stopped beside the closer bed. It was tempting to climb up on it and take a nap while Michael had his appointment.
“ Hauaa , watch!” Michael commanded, switching back to English again.
He jumped hard on the bed, two corpsmen bracketing their arms to catch him in case his fledgling muscle prowess failed him or he misjudged his position. Rayn stepped back and let Michael play, a smile curving his lips.
“That’s good, Michael,” she repeated. Encouraging children is necessary. Isn’t it?
Just watching him landing and rebounding made Abby’s head spin. She closed her hand around the safety bar on the edge of the bed.
“Abby?” Doctor Rayn inquired.
She looked up and met his gaze. The deep blue of his eyes was clear and crisp, but everything else was swimming and indistinct.
The pounding of Michael’s feet slowed, lengthened...and Abby’s heart rate seemed to slow to match it. Colors muted and then faded to sepia tones.
Michael went still, coiled in a crouch, his eye slits narrowing and his ridge plates extending. Movement came from every direction, and a fierce growl followed her into darkness.
****
Gabe rushed through changing his clothing. It had been a long shift, and he was more anxious than ever to see Abby and Michael.
They might not be home yet. Abby had said the check-up at SLAL would be “quick,” but there was still travel time to consider. Travel time and the overprotective SLAL doctors. Given the chance, Rayn could turn even a routine physical examination into a two-day event.
The fact that they might not be within the nest couldn’t dampen his spirits. His mate was happy, settled in the nest with the rest of his family. Her business had blossomed into a thriving endeavor. His son was flourishing, both physically and emotionally.
The s’sanuea left behind, Gabe padded through the nest, savoring the plants caressing his bare feet and the wind brushing against his face.
He’d made it nearly to the center nest when the taint of battle pheromones hit him solidly. His heart pumping the same into his own body, Gabe sprinted the rest of the way.
His seir and gran-seir snapped looks at him. Neither held weapons, but their scents said there was danger to the nest.
He scanned his gaze over the women lounging near the bathing pool. The fact that they were here said there was no imminent danger.
But Abby and Michael aren’t here. What if they are in danger? Visions of space pirates or anti-Xxan guerrillas raised his ridge plates. “What is it?” Gabe demanded in Xxan.
“Come,” his gran-seir ordered. He turned toward
Michael stood, one tiny foot raised, swiveling it back and forth. His blond head was bowed in serious consideration.
The first hop on his left foot was tentative. The next several were increasingly robust. He looked up at Abby and smiled widely, showing both his human incisors and canines and his Xxanian hunting teeth.
Abby offered a weary smile. “That’s good, Michael.”
Rayn’s Xxan was slow and smooth. “Come, young Dominant.”
Michael stopped hopping and stared at the doctor. He cocked his head to one side, hesitated a long moment, and released Abby’s hand. Hopping on his left foot, Michael reached Rayn’s side. He grasped the doctor’s hand, switched feet, and started testing his prowess on the right foot.
“ Hauaa comes,” her son pronounced in Xxan. He’d quickly become bilingual and had started using both English and Xxan words within days of each other.
Abby sighed and trudged after them. Exhaustion weighed her down. Even with Gabe’s family running herd, keeping up with a Xxanian toddler was a full time job. Plus some. More than once in the last few months, she’d kicked herself that she’d ever believed she could do this alone.
Michael vaulted up on the far examination bed with the agility of a gymnast. Then he crumpled in that careless way children had.
Abby stopped beside the closer bed. It was tempting to climb up on it and take a nap while Michael had his appointment.
“ Hauaa , watch!” Michael commanded, switching back to English again.
He jumped hard on the bed, two corpsmen bracketing their arms to catch him in case his fledgling muscle prowess failed him or he misjudged his position. Rayn stepped back and let Michael play, a smile curving his lips.
“That’s good, Michael,” she repeated. Encouraging children is necessary. Isn’t it?
Just watching him landing and rebounding made Abby’s head spin. She closed her hand around the safety bar on the edge of the bed.
“Abby?” Doctor Rayn inquired.
She looked up and met his gaze. The deep blue of his eyes was clear and crisp, but everything else was swimming and indistinct.
The pounding of Michael’s feet slowed, lengthened...and Abby’s heart rate seemed to slow to match it. Colors muted and then faded to sepia tones.
Michael went still, coiled in a crouch, his eye slits narrowing and his ridge plates extending. Movement came from every direction, and a fierce growl followed her into darkness.
****
Gabe rushed through changing his clothing. It had been a long shift, and he was more anxious than ever to see Abby and Michael.
They might not be home yet. Abby had said the check-up at SLAL would be “quick,” but there was still travel time to consider. Travel time and the overprotective SLAL doctors. Given the chance, Rayn could turn even a routine physical examination into a two-day event.
The fact that they might not be within the nest couldn’t dampen his spirits. His mate was happy, settled in the nest with the rest of his family. Her business had blossomed into a thriving endeavor. His son was flourishing, both physically and emotionally.
The s’sanuea left behind, Gabe padded through the nest, savoring the plants caressing his bare feet and the wind brushing against his face.
He’d made it nearly to the center nest when the taint of battle pheromones hit him solidly. His heart pumping the same into his own body, Gabe sprinted the rest of the way.
His seir and gran-seir snapped looks at him. Neither held weapons, but their scents said there was danger to the nest.
He scanned his gaze over the women lounging near the bathing pool. The fact that they were here said there was no imminent danger.
But Abby and Michael aren’t here. What if they are in danger? Visions of space pirates or anti-Xxan guerrillas raised his ridge plates. “What is it?” Gabe demanded in Xxan.
“Come,” his gran-seir ordered. He turned toward
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