Page 39

“Ow!”

“What happened?”

“You shocked me.”

Cullen’s lips twisted. “I didn’t mean to.”

“Be careful. What if you do that to the little one? He’s going to bite you.”

“I said I didn’t mean to! It was just static electricity.”

It had felt much more directed than static anything. Static really meant that it was still. Static. This wasn’t still. This had traveled up his leg, almost to his groin. Not quite, thank goodness.

Orion slipped out of bed, scooting out of the way when Cullen reached for his balls. “Nope, nope, nope. No touchy.”

Cullen looked hurt. “Why?”

“Well, what if you’re not done being static? I don’t want you shooting up static lightning through my balls.”

“I didn’t do anything. It just happened. It was just—” Cullen stopped and turned and walked to his dresser, throwing on a heavy sweater and a pair of gauzy pants.

“Are you cold?” he asked.

“I’ve got a little bit of a chill, and I’m grumpy. I tend to get cold when I’m grumpy.”

“Oh, good to know. Probably?—”

Suddenly, it was as if the world was rattled, was shaken with a scream, and he heard,CUNKLE! CUNKLE!ripping through his brain.

Cullen was off in a second, and Orion ran right behind him, naked as the day he was born, and he didn’t even care. He didn’t have time to.

Cullen ran straight for Cosmo and Hawk’s house, flying up the stairs.

They made it to the third floor, where Cosmo lay, water and blood pouring from his belly. Hawk’s house spirit, Bakli, was there with towels, trying to stop the flow, and the little one was screaming.

“Elliot! Elliot, it’s okay.” Cullen grabbed Elliot from the floor, almost tossing him at Orion. “What happened?”

Bakli shook his head. “His water broke, and he slipped. He hit his head on the floor.”

Cullen lifted his face to the sky, and this sound like none he’d ever heard, sharp as a scalpel, sliced through him.Hawk, Corbin, I need you now.

Then, as if the fabric of relativity had opened, Corbin and Hawk were there.

“What happened?” Hawk roared, flying to his mate.

“I don’t know. I wasn’t in here. I was in my house.”

“Da falled and hitted hims head,” Elliot cried, clinging to him like a limpet.

“Bakli said maybe his water broke, and then he slipped.”

Corbin shook his head. “We’ve got to get this baby born.”

“You’ve got to wake up my mate!” Hawk’s roar split the air, and Elliot screamed in pure terror.

“We need to get him to Lunastra or Mother.” Corbin stared at Cullen, who was beginning to glow.

“Hawk can bring him to Lunastra.”If something happens, Hawk should be there.