Stardust Dreams Read Free Page A

defied, no
dared
him to stop her, had made him react
with force rather than thought. He could hardly remember the last time he had
allowed that to happen.
    Yanking off his eye patch,
he scanned Cherry Cochran from head to toe, as if the explanation for his error
would make itself clear if he used both eyes. Her costume kept him from judging
her perfectly, but there was nothing about what he
could
see that
might have made him forget himself.
    Even as he picked her up in
his arms to take her to his ship, his instincts were sending warning notices
that he should leave her there. He couldn't afford to be around someone who was
capable of triggering a spontaneous
emotional
response from him so
easily. Not only his mission, but his life depended on his keeping secret the
fact that his ice-cold demeanor went no further than the image.
    For the countless time, he
cursed the fates that forced him to live a lie.
    Despite the uneasiness he
felt, he decided she could do him no harm in the short time it would take to
discover what the Weebort had said to her.
    Out of habit, he was about
to replace the eye patch when he realized he would need both eyes to do what
had to be done. In order to carry an unconscious female aboard his ship without
answering any questions, he was going to have to perform a little
"magic." Because it was another of his necessary secrets, he only
used his special ability in extreme circumstances, and this was turning out to
be one of those times.
    The solid kick in the ribs
jolted Romulus out of a deep sleep.
"Drek!
That one hurt." He
rolled toward Aster and massaged the spot on her taut, swollen abdomen where
their baby had called attention to itself. Whether it was his large, warm hand
or the calming thoughts he was sending, the fetus soon settled back down.
    Aster placed her hand over
her mates. "I'm sorry, darling. That one was a surprise. I didn't have a
chance to block it from you."
    "And I told you to
stop trying to spare me. You've got enough to do just dealing with your own
discomfort. Roll onto your other side and let me rub your back." As she
happily obliged, he chuckled to himself. When they had joined ten years ago,
they were not only bound physically, but spiritually and mentally as well. Aster's
pregnancy was the first time since then that he was less than pleased by the
results.
    Although Innerworld's
medical achievements were far beyond anything she had known in Outerworld, carrying
a child for nine months wasn't much easier. The first bouts of morning sickness
before Aster was treated for it left Rom weak as a baby himself. Later in her
pregnancy, Aster prevented him from feeling most of her aches and pains and did
her best not to relay her cravings and mood swings, but even the little she had
not blocked was enough to let him know how uncomfortable she was. However, it
would all be worth it in the end.
    Attempts had once been made
to develop the fetus outside the mother's womb, but the babies' minds and
bodies were never quite as healthy as when it grew inside its mother. As Rom
kneaded away the tension in her lower back, he felt his own muscles relax. At
least they would not have to tolerate the kind of pain a woman in her world
would during their daughter's birth.
    Their daughter.
The first child
born of a mixed joining between a Noronian and a Terran. She wasn't even born
yet and her responsibilities were already overwhelming. He stopped himself from
thinking along those lines. There would be time enough for that later.
    Though her gender was
known, her physical characteristics were not. Genetic control had been limited
to defects several centuries ago after a series of experiments went awry. He
couldn't help but wonder what she would look like.
    She'll be beautiful, of
course,
Aster thought back to him. Rom was six foot three, she was five foot
ten, and they both had imposing physiques. Their child would undoubtedly grow
to be a statuesque woman. She would probably inherit dark, hair as well,