Mission: Planet Biter (Veslor Mates #4)(61)

Roth tensed as he pulled Vera closer. “What do you want to do?”

“You don’t seem like a guy who mates without doing it in the proper Veslor fashion. Since grumpy-ass is snoozing on the only med bed in here, I can’t take detailed scans of her body. I want to perform a blood test on your mate. I adapted this one specifically with Darla’s help. She was nice enough to let me take a few blood samples from her before the twins were born, to perfect a Veslor-slash-human pregnancy test. We’ll know in seconds! I just need her to place her fingertip on the end of this. It will take a drop of blood and analyze it.”

“Will it hurt Vera?” Roth kept her tightly pressed to his body.

“There will be a tiny jab of a needle. A pinprick.”

Roth lowered his chin to peer at Vera. “Will you agree to this test? I trust Jessa.”

Vera definitely wanted to know if she were pregnant. “Sure.”

“Great!” Jessa beamed, looking entirely too happy as she closed the distance and held out the device that resembled a tube about the size of a bulky pen, attached to a small metal box with a touch pad at the base. “Just push a finger into the hole at the end, Vera. It’s fast.”

Roth released her. Vera turned to face the doctor, eyeing the weird-looking device. There was indeed a hole at the end of the extended tube. She lifted her hand and inserted her index finger into the tip.

A needle quickly jabbed her, but then an icy-cold blast hit her skin, soothing the sting. Vera pulled her finger back, studying it. She didn’t see any blood, or even a prick where the needle had gone, though her fingertip did tingle a little.

Jessa backed up, her entire focus on the bottom part of the device. “Just a few minutes. I programmed it to run the test five times to be certain before it gives me the results.”

Roth pulled Vera’s back against his chest, wrapping his arm around her waist to hug her tight. She clung to his wrist with both hands.

Her heart pounded. She wanted kids. Especially with Roth. The possibility also scared her a little too. She had originally planned to be in her mid-forties before she was able to retire from New Worlds, financially stable enough to support a family. But between what had happened on Biter and meeting Roth, all that mattered was living life as happily as she could.

A small smile curved Jessa’s mouth as she lifted her chin. Her gaze darted between Roth and Vera. “We’ve got another Veslor baby—or possibly babies—on the way! The tests are positive. You’re going to be parents!” The woman suddenly released one side of the device and pumped her fist in the air. “Yes!”

Then, as if that wasn’t enough of a shock for Vera, Jessa suddenly stepped closer, her strange-looking different-colored eyes fixing on her. “Please pick me to deliver your baby, or babies, if there’s more than one! You don’t want a bad-tempered, glowering Veslor standing between your thighs while you give birth.”

Vera didn’t get a chance to respond. Roth spun her in his arms and gently hugged her. Tears filled her eyes. They were going to be parents. That wonderful rumble he made started deep in his chest, where her face was pressed against him, and she smiled.

“You’re going to make such a good father,” she told him.

“You have given me everything, Vera.” Roth’s growly voice sounded choked with emotion. “You are my heart.”

“What’s going on? What is wrong? I told you that I’m fine,” Maith suddenly shouted.

“Fuck,” Jessa muttered. “I knew I should have upped the dosage on that sedative. Go back to snoozing, grumpy-ass. I’m right in the middle of trying to talk the new woman in your grouping into letting me be her doctor.”

Maith snarled loudly. “You drugged me against my will. Vera is a part of my grouping. You are not touching her!”

“Shut up and stop moving around. You’re going to mess up all my work on your back,” Jessa told him.

Vera ignored the arguing pair as Roth placed a kiss on the top of her head.

They were pregnant. Joy overflowed any fear she had. She was going to have her mate’s baby. She’d never felt happier.





Epilogue



Two weeks later



The long table in the cabin was filled with people. Vera happily glanced at those seated for dinner. Roth, his entire grouping, and their mates were there. Darla’s family had joined them as well, along with Clark Yenna. The scent of five large roasted turkeys—with all the fixings usually seen on Earth at Thanksgiving—had been served. It was enough food to feed thirty people, though far fewer were present. Veslors ate a lot, she’d learned.

Abby had prepared one of the holiday family meals the D Corp chef had sent for them, and since the actual holiday wouldn’t happen for nearly a month, she’d already ordered a replacement.

They were celebrating Vera and Roth’s mating and pregnancy, now that she was no longer in danger. The man who had attempted to shoot her had confessed to also being responsible for the poisoned beer. No one else had come after her. The person who’d hired him had worked for Gemini. Investigator Trowly had Carson Bickler arrested on Earth. He’d feared losing his job with his company after not bidding high enough on Biter, and losing out to New Worlds. It was the second time Gemini had lost a planet, due to Bickler underestimating the price it would take to ensure they won.