Page 19 of Into the Dawn (The Arcadians #4)

The next time Kylie woke, it was still dark in the bedroom. Moonlight spilled through the windows around the partially closed curtains. She wasn’t sure how long she’d been out this time, but it must have been at least a few hours since she had fallen asleep after she had bonded with Ronan.

During that time, she hadn’t drifted into Ronan or Dominic’s minds.

She hadn’t even felt any pain or discomfort.

Instead, she remained in the deep well of sleep without surfacing.

Making love with Ronan seemed like a dream, though she knew it really happened when she suddenly heard his voice in her head.

“I am glad you are awake, mate. I was beginning to worry.”

Closing her eyes again, she concentrated on sending him a reply.

“How long was I out this time? A few hours? And where are you? I wasn’t expecting you to be the type to cut and run as soon as I feel asleep,” she teased.

“I did not run,” Ronan growled. “And it has been a whole day since you were last awake.”

“Oh.”

That was surprising.

“I am currently at the Ross Ranch helping fortify the fencing,” he explained.

“The coyote issue has been taken care of, but better fencing will ensure that it does not happen again. I had to wait until the sun went down to deal with this since we have been told our skin shimmers in the sunlight. It is only fair to pay them back for all of the aid they have given us.”

“That is sweet of you.”

“Did you just insult me?”

She laughed lightly. “Of course not. Being sweet is not an insult.”

“It sounds like it,” he said, sounding unconvinced.

“Okay, I will only mention you being sweet to me from now on,” she promised.

He grunted. “That is acceptable.”

“Is Dominic with you?” she asked.

“Nay, love. He should be right there with you by your side.”

She turned her head to find Dominic sprawled out next to her on the bed. He was lying on his side with his head propped up on his fist, smiling down at her.

“You’re right. He’s here,” she told Ronan. “Get back to work, and I’ll see you when you get back.”

“Miss me while I am gone,” he demanded, making her smile.

Focusing on Dominic, she returned his smile. “Hello, mate.”

“Hello,” he repeated. “Welcome back to the land of the living, little one.”

He was wearing a large shirt with the logo of a local university on it and a pair of black sweatpants.

Under normal circumstances, someone might have mistaken him for a good-looking college student.

But the way the material stretched over his muscles made him look too damn delicious to be an ordinary student.

Considering his size and physical stature, he could have been the star on the football team or some other elite athlete.

However, now Kylie could see though the magical camouflage that had been masking their true features, there was no way to mistake him for a human.

His eyes were glowing gold, and she could see a hint of his fangs when he smiled.

His bronzed skin even looked like it had been brushed with metallic dust in the moonlight, so she could imagine how much more noticeable it would be in the sunlight.

When she tried to sit up, he immediately moved to help her.

Instead of propping her against the headrest, he lifted her onto his lap, cuddling her close.

Instead of resisting, she melted against him and rested her head on his shoulder.

Her long hair spilled down her back in waves, and she was dressed in a midnight blue silk nightgown that she recognized from her own closet.

“We have been worried,” he said softly, stroking a hand down her hair. “You seemed to have slept well through this last healing cycle. Did you feel any pain while you were resting?”

“No, not this time. I didn’t feel anything. I just passed out and woke up here next to you.”

“That is a relief. How are you feeling now?”

“I feel…” She paused to consider it. “I feel fine. No, I feel good. Really good. No pain or discomfort at all. Does that mean I’m fully healed now?” When he didn’t say anything, she lifted her head to look at him. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

He gently caressed the side of her face. “You look different.”

“Different how?”

Instead of explaining, he simply lifted her into his arms and carried her into the bathroom. She gasped when she got a look at herself in the mirror. It had been a long time since she had seen herself looking healthy, but what she saw was completely unexpected.

She tapped his arm until he got her silent signal. With a sigh, he set her back down on her feet. Shuffling toward the mirror, she gaped at her reflection. It looked like a stranger was staring back at her.

No, not a stranger.

She still looked like herself, only a better version.

Her long red hair was vibrant and glossy, and her pale skin had a lustrous sheen to it like the most priceless pearl. Her face looked better than when she had on full makeup, but that wasn’t the biggest surprise. What was shocking to see was her green eyes were now glowing just like her mates’.

“How…?”

“Honestly, I do not know.”

“Is this a side effect of the magical cure? A new upgrade from the last healing session?”

Dominic stepped up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders, rubbing her arms in a soothing motion.

“It seems so. It is almost like you have gone through the conversion already, but we are not sure how that is possible. You only have a mating bond with one of us, and we have not completed the bonding ritual yet.”

Her pulse quickened as she thought about what that would entail.

She knew from being in their heads that she would have to be with both of them at the same time in order to complete the bonding ritual.

She was nervous and excited about that. As much as she was willing and had even fantasized about that scenario, it was still a big step to take for someone who had always lived pretty conservatively.

So much had happened over the last few days.

Even though she’d had a lot of time to think things over while she’d been in her magical slumber, it was different dealing with everything while she was awake.

Seeing the physical changes in her appearance was a little jarring, and it was going to be really hard to explain.

“It is a lot to handle,” he said softly, his voice filled with sympathy.

“I’m just a little surprised,” she said, trying to sound upbeat. “I didn’t expect to look so different.”

“You do not need to hide from me, mate.”

Turning away from her reflection, she surprised him by throwing herself against him and wrapping her arms around his waist. “I’m not hiding. I’m just…”

“Processing?”

She laughed lightly. “That’s a good word for it.” She pulled back to smile shyly at him. “I think I’ve been handling everything pretty well so far, considering.”

“You have,” he praised, rubbing her back. “Very well.”

She sighed and rested her head against his chest. “But how I look now is certainly going to complicate things while we are still here. I guess I can try to hide my eyes with sunglasses, but the rest…”

“You may have to avoid going out in the daylight just like us.”

Like a vampire, she thought glumly. But she was alive and cancer-free, so she had no right to complain about being a little inconvenienced. Remembering that perked her mood back up.

“You should take a hot shower and relax a little while I prepare us something to eat.”

Dominic sensed her struggle to accept her new reality even though she really was handling everything better than expected.

Still, it was a lot to deal with. Although he wanted to remain by her side, she seemed like she needed a few minutes alone.

When she gifted him with a beautiful smile, he knew he’d made the right choice.

“That sounds like a great idea. I won’t be long. I really am starving.”

“You should be since you have only had some broth over the last few days,” he reminded. “Take your time. There is no need to rush. Call out if you need me.”

“Will do.”

He reluctantly left the bathroom to give her some privacy. That was something she’d had very little of since they had arrived on Earth, and she deserved a few moments alone to gather her thoughts.

Pulling the rubber band free from his hair, he re-tied it by pulling his shoulder-length hair back in a tight bun on the top of his head.

He’d gotten in the habit of using the rubber bands his mate kept in a jar on the bathroom counter to keep the shorter strands out of his face.

He still wasn’t used to it and had to admit that he was starting to appreciate the shorter styles the human males had adopted.

Heading into the kitchen, he lit the fire on the stove under a large pot containing the creamy sauce with seafood that Layla had prepared earlier.

She had told him to mix the sauce with freshly cooked pasta once Kylie woke up.

While waiting for the water to boil to cook the pasta, he stuck the loaf of bread Layla had made back in the oven to warm.

Dominic had eaten a few hours ago with the Ross Family, but he was already hungry again. Actually, he always seemed to be hungry since they had arrived. Perhaps it has something to do with the differences in the planets.

The air seemed thinner, and he had to regulate how much of it he breathed in order to stop himself from feeling lightheaded. The density of the air also allowed him to move faster than he was used to. Because of that, he seemed to use up more energy than back on Arcadia.

He took out the large container of meat and cheeses out of the cold box that Abby had prepared for them to snack on until the meal was ready.

He needed a distraction so he wouldn’t obsess about his mate taking a shower.

He knew exactly what had occurred between his brother and their mate, and it made him yearn for his own chance to bond with her.

But he wouldn’t rush her.