Bonds of Blood [Lords of the Expanse] (Siren Publishing Classic) (18 page)

Catching her lips once more, he tasted her again and felt it, that new life, frail and weak but there all the same within her. Sliding a hand into her hair, he tipped her head back to kiss her deeper, his other hand sliding to sit protectively and gently over her belly where their child lay. “I love you, Xandra,” he murmured against her cheek as he took a moment and just held her, thanking the day that she’d walked into his world.

She wrapped her hands around his waist and simply held onto him. The bare skin she had uncovered was where her cheek rested and had her sighing happily. “I’m glad you do love me, Andries, because I don’t think our child should come into a world without parents who love not only him or her, but each other.” She pulled him back to her lips for another kiss as the very world around them seemed to pause. When she released him, she nodded and began to button his shirt. “You are a temptation, Andries.” And she was feeling the strangest needs, as if she was hungry, but nothing sounded appealing.

Watching her with mild amusement, he stroked her cheek gently with the backs of his fingers. “Are you all right, Xandra?” he asked softly, his lips faintly curved to show his humor at her sudden reversal in actions. But she looked as though she was confused or…he couldn’t think of another word that fit her odd little expression.

“I don’t know,” she grumbled simply. “I feel hungry, starving actually, and I wasn’t before. It wasn’t until I put my cheek on your bare chest that my stomach began to feel like it was grumbling.” Shrugging, she smiled. “I’m fine. I’m just all kinds of nervous because we will be parents.” She bit her lip. “We are going to have a baby.” And then she felt it again, the hunger pains, and frowned. “How do you know when you need blood?”

Leaning back slightly, he looked down at her and smiled slightly. “When your teeth seem dry or you feel a little hollow in your gut, just below where your belly aches when you are hungry for food. Or when you start eyeing someone and wondering their blood type and you feel your teeth shift. That is a really good sign as well, but if it comes to that, you are close to the edge and should not waste time.”

She bit her lip and nodded. “Then I think that I am hungry,” she admitted. “My stomach wants food, but nothing is appealing. My mouth is dry and the roof of my mouth itches.” And she still couldn’t stomach looking at bagged blood, and she tossed the contents of her stomach if she tried to drink it out of a cup. No, sadly there was only one way that she was able to feed. Her poor husband was the only one who could provide for her. “But you’re busy, Andries. I will be fine. I think a nice walk and then a nap.” She could survive until he came to her and she knew it.

“You are new to being a Vampire, Xandra. If you are in need, you know I will not refuse,” he said softly. Undoing his jacket again, he loosened the collar of his shirt and moved closer to her. “Do not ever let yourself go too long without if there is no need. I told you, all you need to do is ask and I will gladly supply you, wife.”

She nodded and smiled as she looked up. Her hands moved over his chest even as she leaned into him. “I’m trying not to.” And then a thought hit her. “It will be even more now, won’t it? The need to feed?” Because of the child growing inside of her. She knew somehow that she would need to increase her blood intake, dramatically. “I should learn how to use the bags or cups, Andries.” She didn’t want to. The thought of those things turned her stomach, but she didn’t want him to suffer because of her appetite.

“If you do not like the smell or the taste, mix a little of the heavy wine into it or some of the
jitniter
juice,” he suggested softly. “Both will keep it from tasting too much like blood,” he said, stroking her back gently. “Feed, wife. You cannot go hungry. It will make the cravings worse if you starve yourself.”

“I do so much better when you’re touching me,” she whispered and nuzzled over the vein in his chest, over his heart. “I love you, Andries.” And with those final four words she allowed her fangs to slip out and bit into his chest to feed not only for herself, but their child as well.

Cradling her head to him, Andries let his own head fall back on his neck and closed his eyes. “That’s it, my love,” he murmured softly as he brought his head up moments later and gently kissed the top of her head. Brushing his chin back and forth, he wrapped his arms around her.

Xan finally pulled back, sated and happy. Licking her lips, she watched as the wounds on his chest began to heal and smiled up at him. “I love you, husband. I promise I didn’t come here to feed and run from you, Andries.” She cupped his cheeks in her hands. “I love you, husband.”

Bowing his head, he kissed her lightly, the taste of him on her lips strangely appealing. “I know that, wife,” he said softly. “I should return to work and you should lay down for a while, my love. You have had a great shock today and you should gain what rest you can. Later in your pregnancy you will not be so lucky as to have opportunities to sleep as much as you will likely wish.”

She wanted to ask him why, but the discreet click of the com signaled that her time with her husband was up. “Thank you, Andries. Are you going to be able to make it back to our rooms tonight?”

Nodding, he kissed her lightly as he took her elbow. “I will be there, wife,” he said as he opened the door and eyed his second, who had a suspicious look of mirth on his face. “Rest well, Xandra,” Andries suggested with a carefully designed look to her so that only she would see the heat and suggestion in his eyes.

“Thank you, husband.” She looked to Andries’s second and smiled. “We are having a baby,” she proudly announced. “I plan on telling everyone, so if you would please let them know to at least feign surprise?” she asked and strode away, leaving the men to discuss the oddities of women.

“She is…” the major commented quietly as the lady left the command deck.

“Yes.” Andries nodded. “She definitely is,” he murmured. “Put out the word to the crew to accommodate the lady with her request to ‘feign surprise’ at her announcement.” The major nodded and headed off to do as his commander ordered. Shaking his head, Andries went to the communications station to pick up his data pad that he’d dropped there when she’d practically assaulted him before his men.

She slept for nearly an hour before she decided that the bed and she were not getting along. Moving to the bathing chambers, she set the sonic shower on low and stepped in. A smile shone on her face as her hands moved over her belly. “Hello, baby.” She stood there in the waves of the shower, restarting it over and over again, and simply spoke to their child.

Entering their chambers with a bottle of blood, Andries called to her. “Xandra, where are you, wife?” he asked as he moved to set the bottle down on the table. Clicking on his ear piece, he let the dining crew bring the meal they had prepared especially for his wife, after gaining permission. “Xandra, the crew is sending you their regards with a special dinner they made just for you, but you need to be awake for it.”

Xan’s head picked up and she smiled. “I’m awake. I’m in the bathroom.” She stepped from the shower and wrapped his robe around her belly. “That’s very sweet of them, to send us a dinner.” She had been true to her word. She told every single member of their crew that she was going to have Andries’s baby.

“I believe, and I may be partially incorrect here, but it is to ensure that you know that everyone has heard and that they are pleased with the news.” Eyeing her up and down a moment, he narrowed his eyes in the next. “Did you really go to every single crew member and tell them that you are pregnant?” Stepping to the door, he let in the crew members carrying the food and then locked it after they had set the dishes down and bowed to his wife.

She looked at the food and her mouth watered. Nodding, she picked up a roll. “I did. But they are more than your crew, Andries.” She took a bite and a seat even as she pulled a dome off of a plate. “They are our family.” She shrugged. “I didn’t think I would ever think of things like I am now, but there is something about almost dying and then surviving and becoming pregnant that makes a person realize they should be thankful for every moment they have.” She looked up. “And every single person in their life. The men on this ship have served you for years, and years, Andries. You know all of them by name just as they know you by name. They are your brothers in arms.” She shrugged. “You would die for them, and they you. Why wouldn’t I give them each the wonderful news personally?”

Besides the fact that the news had been out and over two thirds of the crew had known before she’d even reached the command deck to tell him. “You just wanted a chance to see them all,” he said, moving to join her at the table. Sitting down, he poured a glass of the blood and mixed it with a small amount of wine to keep the smell from bothering her. “I do not mind that you did so. They do not mind either, most wanting to get a look at you and not having any other way until you showed up to make the announcement. All in all you kept yourself from being stampeded by my men,” he told her with a shrug.

She took the first bite of her food and moaned in pleasure. “Oh this is so good.” She chewed, bit off another bite, and then continued. “I know I have likely broken a million and one decorum rules, Andries, and I’m sorry for that, but they are our family, and if I wanted to see them, why shouldn’t I? If I wanted to share our happiness with them, why not?” She smiled at him and in a somber voice said, “Before my marriage to you I avoided people at all costs. I didn’t have familial ties because I knew they would be used against me. I don’t have to hide with you and our men. I don’t have to pretend not to exist or that they don’t exist. I know that Aleina will have a heart attack when she learns of my behavior and I’m sure that the people who would love to take you down will have a field day with it, but I can’t seem to want to feel sorry for that.”

Reaching over, Andries lay his hand to hers. “I never meant it as a reprimand, Xandra,” he said softly. “I was, in my own inept manner, teasing you,” he admitted, stroking her skin lightly. “You are lady paramount in my life and on my vessel. You may do whatever feels right to you. This is my crew, our crew, my wife, so treat them as you wish and I believe they will forever be yours.” They’d toss him aside in a heartbeat for a glimpse of her smile, but he found that, strangely enough, he could live with that.

She turned her hand over and squeezed his. “If my behavior ever becomes an issue while we are here, with our family, our crew, you will tell me. Won’t you?” She watched him and knew that he would shield her as much as he could, not allow anything or anyone to upset her. “Tell me. Don’t hide it from me.”

Lifting her hand, he kissed her fingers lightly. “I will tell you, Xandra,” he promised softly. While he’d never allow her to harm herself, he would also not allow her actions to create an atmosphere that might bring harm to her or the crew. “You are fine, my wife. The crew adores you a little more every day. I’m quite afraid that if we should ever have a falling out, I will find myself thrown into a pod and scuttled into space in favor of you,” he teased with a slight smile for her.

She snorted and shook her head as she pulled her hand back to begin to eat. “I’m sure that’s not true, but thank you.” She finished her meal and looked at him. “I hadn’t expected you home so soon. I’m glad that you are, but I honestly expected you to still be on the command deck.”

“It was either come to see you or kill my crew,” he said in a dry, dry tone. His crew had all lost their ever-loving minds. Not a single one of them seemed capable of keeping at any task when they could instead drop interesting and pointed little comments about him and his sudden lack of control.

“And why would you want to kill them? They are all perfectly wonderful men.” She should know. She had met each and every one of them that day. “I’m sure that you were just tense.” She stood and moved around the table, dropping into his lap when he sat back. “I need you, husband.” And there it was. They both were too sexually wound up to be far from each other right now, and she seemed to know that, deep inside. “I don’t think I will ever have enough of you, Andries, and I know that it’s more than my hormones talking.”

“Are you sure, my lady?” he asked, rubbing his hand up and down her leg slowly, each movement pulling her skirt up higher. “After all, they do say that a female’s hormones at this time can be quite…explosive,” he whispered against her ear before he nipped lightly at the tender flesh.

Rubbing her cheek to his, she nodded. “Yes, I’m very sure, my love. I will always need you, Andries. Just because I am with child doesn’t mean that I will ever need you any less.” She did, however, nuzzle at his neck and moaned slightly. “I do know that being with child makes me need you for other reasons more.” She whispered against his neck as she felt her fangs slip free, “I hate that you have to be my donor completely. It leaves you weak and I don’t like it.” But she couldn’t help it. Bagged blood made her incredibly ill.

“Do not worry about it, Xandra. I have been drinking more and my body replenishes faster than yours will for a great long time. Take whatever you need for you and our child,” he said gently, tipping his head to the side to give her better access to his throat. “I will continue to drink what I need and you will feed from me as is the way it should be.” He was giving to her all he could and working on more. To feed her was an honor, and one day she would realize that.

She rubbed her lips to his neck and then bit into him without saying anything. She did, however, moan as she rubbed her body against his and slid her hand down his chest and to his cock, gripping him through his uniform even as she fed from him for herself, for their child.

“Xandra,” he breathed out as his body jerked against her touch. Growling softly, he pulled her closer to him, holding her tightly against his chest as he closed his eyes. The soft suction of her mouth to his skin and her hand in combination had fire racing through his blood.

When she pulled back from him, her eyes were glowing red. “I need you.” With those words she had him freed of his uniform and pulled up her skirt to straddle him before she took him into her body and slashed her mouth over his at the same time.