Page 76 of Temptation Unleashed (Talaenian Fae #3)

T he day had finally come, a day years in the making. A milestone achievement. Proof she had pulled herself out of one life and would begin another.

Thaddeus’s absence was no less heartbreaking, but now she had more than just herself to take care of.

After Cael’s announcement—the news was discovered by Shaye when he assessed her after she’d passed out—something switched on inside her.

A light. An understanding. A fullness that had been missing.

Thaddeus completed her on so many different levels, there would never be another to fill the void he left.

But a child…

His child.

She made instant changes, starting with the tea.

She drank it religiously, and began feeling its magical effects by the first night.

As the nausea subsided, she slowly increased her food intake, not wanting to shock her system after weeks of neglect.

Cael made it a point to reinforce that she maintained good health.

Apparently, carrying a Fae child in a mortal womb required more nutritional support than a mortal fetus.

Guilt niggled at her every time she thought about her selfish behavior while in the grips of severe depression, and the possible harm she may have caused her baby.

Three days later, she had a lot of improvement to make, but she’d placed herself on a better path than she had been headed down.

She still cried at night when she lay alone.

She spoke to Thaddeus as if he lay beside her in the bed while caressing her belly.

She talked about her hopes for their child, questioned if it would be a boy or a girl, have his fair hair or her fiery mane.

His blue eyes or her green. She found a new comfort in these conversations, even if others may consider her a little nuts.

She found a way to cope with the loss of her love, and turned that pain of loss into a beaming ray of hope and anticipation.

Brandon nudged her arm and smiled down at her as they waited for the candle procession to begin.

“ Hermosa , I’m so proud of you.”

She nudged him back. “I’m proud of you, too. You mustered through some of those last few weeks without using me as your study guide.”

“Ha! I do what I must.” They held out their candles for the instructors to light. “As we all do. I’m just glad there’s a smile on your face again.”

“Yeah, so am I.”

Rori followed Brandon down the aisle, spotting Cael and Cassy on the end of their row.

Cassy waved, bouncing in her seat. Cael gestured to his belly, which made Rori blush.

She found it awkward at times, discussing Thaddeus’s baby with his brother, who loved her best friend, especially when Cael treated it like his own child.

But that aside, she knew Cael was excited that his brother wasn’t completely lost. That his legacy would live on .

The ceremony progressed, with speeches and accolades, awards and well wishes to their class on their new journey.

A pang hit her heart during one of the speeches, tugging the muscle and threatening tears.

Brandon squeezed her leg reassuringly, giving her the small sliver of strength she needed to sniff back the tears and lift her chin.

Receiving her pin filled her with pride and the promise of a bright future. She shared in Brandon’s excitement as they returned to their seats and awaited the closing speeches.

“Oh my geeeed !!” Cassy shrieked, barreling into her and wrapping her arms around her shoulders.

Rori laughed as her friend bounced on her feet, then leaned back.

“I’m so proud of you! In a matter a weeks, you’ll have R.N.

after your name, making change in the world and doing all the good things to help people. ”

“I think you’re more excited than I am,” Rori teased, smoothing the creases in her scrub top left by Cassy. “You’ll be dealing with me stressing over the exam next.”

“Hey, I don’t think anything could touch what we’ve been through over these last couple months. An exam.” Cassy waved her hand nonchalantly. “Easy peasy!”

“Take it easy on her, love.” Cael gently pried Cassy’s hand from Rori’s shoulder and leaned down to kiss her cheek. “Way to take the stage like a queen, sis.”

She hitched a thumb toward Brandon. “He owned it like a king.”

They shared in laughter. A familiar laughter they’d shared so many times before. The four of them, through thick and thin, in the best times and the worst.

After several pictures, and once the crowd had filtered out of the auditorium, Rori and Brandon separated from Cassy and Cael to gather up their belongings left in one of the anterooms .

“I’ll meet you outside with the others. I’m sure we’ll be deciding on someplace to eat.” Brandon patted his stomach. “I’m famished and you need nourishment, Mama.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

One of her classmates was in the room when she arrived, collecting the mess of bobby pins and hair products she had brought for everyone.

“You need a hand?” Rori asked.

“It’s just about done, but thanks.”

Rori retreated to the back of the room where she had left her belongings, unfastening her hat on her way. She neatly wrapped it in the tissue paper she used to protect it and tucked it carefully in her duffle bag.

“Bye, Rori.”

Rori waved to her classmate as she left, then tucked her hangers and hairspray away.

“Do tell, did my ears deceive me?”

The makeup case slid from her fingers and clattered over the floor as she froze. She didn’t move, didn’t want to look, didn’t want to have her mind play tricks on her.

A flood of golden heat burst to life in her chest, lighting along the cold, dead bond. She gasped, her hand pressing over her heart, the overwhelming flood of warmth and fullness stifling her breaths.

She snapped her head up.

Questioned whether she was seeing things.

Across the room, the most magnificent sight she could ever behold.

Leaning up against the wall with his arms and ankles crossed like an arrogant man, dressed in pristine black pants and a button-down shirt, his presence consumed the room.

White-gold hair set in rows of braids over the top of his head and gathered half up at the back of his crown with a simple gold adornment.

Clear blue eyes flecked with gold watched her with too many emotions for her to begin to unravel.

“Thaddeus?”

He pressed off the wall and made a single step toward her.

Rori sprang across the room, her eyes burning.

She leaped onto a solid form— he’s real!

—wrapped her legs around his waist, her arms around his neck, and clung to him like her life depended on him staying right where he was.

Sobs wracked her body, tears streaming down her face, her hands spreading everywhere they could reach, soaking him in, absorbing the warmth of his skin through the shirt, the hard lines of muscle, the silky strands of hair that hitched in her fingers.

“ Mo ghrá álainn , how I’ve missed you so much,” he murmured against the crux of her neck, inhaling deeply. His arms pinned her close, but not close enough.

He would never be close enough. Not after believing he was dead for two months.

She leaned back, his embrace supporting her as she traced over his face with trembling fingers.

She sniffled, trying to rein in her sobs, to enjoy this moment.

She tucked a lock of his hair that had been left from the braids behind the point of his ear, dragging her fingers over the firm shell and down to the lobe before coming back to cup his cheek.

At last, she lifted her gaze to his again and whispered, “It’s really you.”

“Aye, beloved. ’Tis really me.”

His hand combed up into her hair and pulled her in for a slow, deep kiss.

He drank from her thoroughly, stealing the air from her lungs as she gladly fed him as much as he wanted.

As much as he needed. She wanted it all, for as long as she could have it, in return. A kiss for a lifetime. An eternity .

He caught her lower lip between his and tugged before he leaned back, his fingers tightening in her hair to keep her from following. He spun her around and placed her on the end of a table, drawing his hand around her waist to rest over her belly.

“You heard right,” Rori confirmed, pressing her lips together as a new wave of tears rose. A moment later, his eyes widened. A smile as warm as the sun spread over his mouth. “You’re going to be a dad.”

“Dear Goddess, mo ghrá .”

His hands molded to the sides of her face and drew her up, drowning her once more in a kiss that stole to the depths of her soul, wove within the fabric of her being, and lit her body on fire.

She moaned against his mouth, meeting each languid sweep of his tongue, a slow burn lighting low in her belly.

“Hey, hermosa , Cassy and Cael?—”

Rori began to pull back, but Thaddeus held her tight, growling into his next kiss.

“Oh, fuck ! Cael!”

Thaddeus ended his kiss once more and scowled. “I’ve wanted for naught more than to get to you, be by your side, hold you, kiss you, promise you the universe and have you all to myself like the selfish bastard I am.” He waved his hand toward the door. “Only to be interrupted?—”

She tugged him back, shutting him up with a hungry kiss, leaving no room for words. He braced his hand beside her hip, leaning hard into her, fueling the need she’d been without for two months.

“ Thad !”

The force of Cael slamming into them ripped them from their kiss.

Thaddeus was flung back into the table, steadying Cael with an arm while keeping Rori from being knocked off the table.

She laughed as Thaddeus groused, trying to pry Cael off.

Cael clung to him like glue, nuzzling his head into his chest.

“I hear your heart!”

“I do hope so.” Thaddeus released an exasperated groan, rolling his eyes to Rori. “Help?”

Rori tapped Cael’s shoulder. Cael stilled, opening his eyes a slit.

“I get first dibs on my soul mate.”

Cael snarled, “He’s my blood brother.”

“I’m carrying his child.”