Page 15 of Singing the Dragon’s Heart

Chapter

Fifteen

“ S o what’s wrong with you?” Talon stared at Kami, eyes narrowed, nostrils flaring as if he was insane. “Why are you sick? What happened with those stones? What is going on?”

Then Talon turned to start on Reno. “I know that I am not his mate, but I am his friend. What are you doing? Why are you allowing this?”

Reno shrugged, juggling plates of pancakes on the way to the table. “Well, I don’t know. Following directions, I guess. You know, it’s sort of my job.”

He really cares for you, huh? It’s super cute. Reno told him.

Be good.

Nope. He’s having a temper tantrum before I’ve had my second cup of coffee. He’s going to have to deal with terse me.

Kami’s lips twisted. Asshole alpha.

Yep.

“This isn’t funny,” Talon growled. “What is going on?”

“That omega, she was sick. She was going to die, and now she’s not. Simple as that.”

“But what happened?” Talon brought over three cups of coffee, and Kami’s nose wrinkled.

That didn’t smell great.

“I don’t know. I found her stone. I called to it, and it answered me. I mean, that’s really the best I have.” Kami didn’t want to get yelled at. He was nursing the world’s worst headache, and his stomach was just rolling. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“No, but I’m worried about you. You’re never sick. Perhaps it’s the stones?”

Kami shook his head. He didn’t think so. That had felt good, calling the stone. And helping their seer, that had felt great. “How can it be? What do you need from me to feel better?”

“I don’t know,” Talon admitted. “I just don’t know.” He blew out a hard breath. “I’m worried about my friend, but if you’re not feeling like you’re being ill-used, then you have my support.”

“Well, thank you. I’m not being ill-used. I’m happy, mostly. I think. I don’t know. This is all new.” He glanced at Reno, who seemed like his words had hit a nerve. “New, but it’s not bad. I liked it, helping. Being useful. Seriously, Talon. I don’t know why this has to be a thing.”

“Well, you did shake the entire keep and have to be carried out.”

Kami rolled his eyes. “Reno likes carrying me.”

Reno snorted but nodded. “I do. It makes me feel useful. I’m super good at useful.”

Yeah, okay. He’d totally hit a nerve with his comments if Reno was repeating stuff…

You know I love you more than my luggage.

Reno raised an eyebrow. I sure hope so.

“But what about you being so sick?” Talon pressed.

“Gods, could you get the coffee out from under my nose? The pancakes smell amazing, but that coffee is going to make me puke.”

Reno whisked it away, replacing it with the fizzy orange drink he was becoming addicted to.

“See?” Talon waved a hand. “Sick. It’s weird. And frightening.”

“It’s not frightening. He’s just pregnant,” Reno snapped, and Kami stared at him.

Excuse me?

Well, you are, aren’t you?

Well, I don’t…shut up. He couldn’t quite breathe, but he knew—all of the sudden, without even understanding why, he felt like he was carrying their baby. Even if I was, and I’m not saying I am, because I don’t know if I am, but don’t you think you should discuss it with me before you just pop it out in front of my best friend?

Kami was totally going to kill Reno. How long had the bastard known? Have you told anybody else?

Reno blinked at him, cheeks flushing. Not exactly.

What does that mean? Oh, that couldn’t be good.

Well, I had to ask Boone, because I noticed it…

When?

Well, you puked when I threw you on the floor. But I did carry you afterward…

So Boone knows, which means Durango knows, and Lake knows and Eyv knows and ? —

Talon didn’t know!

The only reason that Talon—and by extension, Triton and Cerran and Elowyn—don’t know is because they were busy yesterday! But they sure know now. “I want to?—”

“Have a sip of your drink, hailee.”

“Don’t tell me what to do.” He pointed his finger at Reno, glaring a little bit. “You’re in trouble.”

Reno managed to look a tiny bit contrite.

Talon, on the other hand, was just sitting there like a lump, staring at him with eyes about as big as saucers. “You’re having a baby.”

“That is what pregnant means.” He was going to kill someone.

Talon spun to point one finger at Reno. “Then why were you in the training salle yesterday? You could have hurt him.”

“I didn’t hurt him,” Reno insisted. “It was just a little throw, and I didn’t know he was pregnant then.”

You don’t know if I’m pregnant now.

Let’s discuss this later.

“Why aren’t we eating our pancakes?”

“Because you almost puked over the coffee?” Reno pointed out.

Kami was about one second from losing his shit. “Is pregnancy like this all the time, with everybody telling you what it is they think that you know or don’t know?”

“You’d have to ask Lake and Eyv. Lake knows a lot about it.” Reno’s voice was dry as dust.

“So does the seer know that you’re pregnant?” Talon asked. “Is it safe for you to be calling rocks when you’re pregnant? What if it vibrates the baby out of your belly? That could be bad. Or what if you make it short? What if you hurt the baby or you make it deaf or something?”

Reno glared at Talon. “You are not helping.”

“Nobody’s helping. Both of you get out. I’m going to eat the pancakes by myself, and then I’m going back to bed. That’s it.” Kami crossed his arms and stared them down.

Reno chuckled. “But, love, I actually made the pancakes.”

“From a mix,” he pointed out.

“I still cooked.” Reno waggled his eyebrows. “That’s an act of love.”

“An act of desperation, no doubt.”

Talon chuckled, and Reno glared at him. “You weren’t mad at me when I made them.”

“He has a point,” Talon said.

“Bah.” It was true enough, though. Reno had cooked for him to be nice.

Because he was pregnant.

Kami growled, grabbing his fork and stabbing the pancakes.

No. I was nice to you because you’re my hailee. I took the coffee away because you’re pregnant, and it made you queasy.

Have I explained I never did like you? Kami sighed and took another bite. They really were good pancakes.

“So I do think that you need to see the midwife and the seer and make sure that this rock-calling situation isn’t dangerous for you. And also, is Reno going to stay home when you do missions? I think this is an exceptional idea. I will go out with you, and Reno can stay home with your baby.” Talon sat back, arms crossed over his chest like he was the king of the room or some such shit.

He was just about done with alphas, to be honest. Kami didn’t need anyone fucking with him or making decisions for him. He was totally capable of?—

Reno growled deep in his throat, distracting him and derailing his ponderings. “You can have as many thoughts as you’d like, but I do believe that that is something that my mate and I get to decide.”

“We’ll see about that.” Talon leaned forward, getting in Reno’s space. “I’m just doing what is best for Kami.”

Kami was sitting right there. Kami was fixing to eat somebody’s face.

“Kami is an adult,” Reno snarled. “And he can make whatever decisions he needs to. Hopefully, we’ll make them together, but that’s for us to discuss, just the two of us—he and I, not you. Not Cain. Just us. His body. His life. His choice. Am I clear?” Reno’s words went a huge distance to making the burning anger in Kami’s belly ease.

Because nowhere in those words was ‘I will make all new decisions for my mate’ involved. In fact, it was clear that Reno wanted it to be something that they discussed together. Kami loved the big lug more than ever.

The only problem with Reno being a reasonable adult: did that mean that he had to be one too? And it seemed basically unfair. He was really into having a snit.

Especially about everyone knowing he was preggers before he did.

Talon rolled his eyes. “Very well. But just because Kami wants me to back off.”

“Still right here!” Kami snapped. “Tal, you’re my best buddy, but if you don’t stop acting like a jilted suitor, I’m going to kick your ass.”

Talon gave him a look. “I was just trying to look out for you.”

Kami softened a little. “Just like you always have. I know. But I don’t think Reno intends to fuck me over.”

“No. Just?—”

“That’s not a good idea, Talon,” Reno growled.

“Sorry. You’re right.” Talon held up his hands. “That was out of line.” He sighed. “If you don’t go out in the field anymore, what am I to do, Kami?”

“Oh.” He reached out to grab Talon’s hand, and even Reno looked sympathetic. “Shit, man, there’s a shit ton of stuff here to do. And gods know, there are a ton of rescues to be done.”

“You can lead your own team, Talon,” Reno put in. “We have some good guys here.”

“I mean, I can totally see going back out once the baby is born.” He gave Reno a wink when he growled again. “But I would feel weird doing it while I’m preggers.”

“No. No, of course not.”

Well played, love.

Hey, I get it. He’s feeling a little trapped and worried that he’s worthless and toothless now.

But he has his family. And there’s plenty to do.

Yeah, but you weren’t on your own that long, right? We were in the wind for years.

I know. I’m sorry. I’m a little grrr. You’re pregnant, and I haven’t had time to get used to the idea.

You haven’t? Kami retorted. “Tal, we’ll figure it out. All of us. We’ve barely been here any time at all.”

“Yeah, but you’re suddenly singing gems out of solid rock.” Talon grinned at him, then tipped his head back and ululated.

Which made them all lose it, laughing like loons. That loosened things up, and Talon finally took his leave, hugging Kami tight.

“Just you and me for lunch tomorrow. Huh?”

“Yes, my friend. Just us.”

Reno was on him as soon as the door closed behind Talon, grabbing him to hold him close. “I’m sorry, baby. I was waiting to talk to you and then this happened.”

“I know.” Kami leaned against Reno’s chest. “Those were good pancakes.”

“I had a feeling they would work for you.”

“Yeah, but you shot yourself in the foot. Now that I know you can make them, I’ll be asking for them at like, three a.m.”

“I can do it. I’ll put in a stock of pancake mix.” Reno winked at him, then kissed his nose.

“Don’t patronize me.” He twisted Reno’s nipple.

“Ow! I wasn’t patronizing. I was being serious. I want to pamper you. I had to watch my friends be deliriously happy. Now it’s my turn, I hope.”

“I hope so too. I really didn’t think…”

“Oh, you can do heat.” Reno’s voice was back to a growl, but this one was so not mean. “I bet you can also do hormone sex.”

Kami’s body started to throb a little with need. “I bet I can. Let’s go try it.”

He could be mad at everyone later.

Or not.

Right now, he wanted Reno.