Wicked Burn (Realm Enforcers #3)(49)

Sleep caught Viv, and a very slight tingle of healing wove through the air. Oh, when her mother awoke, she was going to start answering some questions. Simone glanced at the phone and memorized the mysterious Desmond’s phone number. She’d have it traced later. Giving in to exhaustion, Simone stretched out next to her mother and fell into a dreamless sleep.

Hours later, a rap on the door had her sitting right up.

“Yoo-hoo?” The door was nudged open, and Moira Dunne-Kayrs poked her head inside. “I put the soup in the fridge downstairs.” She stepped gingerly inside and walked over to place a hand on Viv’s head. “She’s feverish.”

“I know. She’s getting worse.” Simone pushed to her feet, feeling thousands of years old. She glanced at the brown bag in Moira’s hands. “What do you have?”

Moira grasped her arm and led her into the master bath. “I started thinking about the pink fire on your arms earlier.” She drew out a pregnancy test. “Just to make sure. You know it’s nearly impossible, right? There’s nothing to worry about.”

Simone shook her head, tension flying through her on wicked wings. “You’re crazy. Just crazy. We’re not mated, so no way.”

“But, well, your mom got pregnant with you without being mated.” Moira’s worried green eyes sizzled in the muted colors of the marble bathroom. “And you’ve never created pink fire. Ever. Brenna has been creating purple because of her pregnancy, so I figured . . .”

“Aye.” No. Simone could not be pregnant. Immortal females produced enough of the pregnancy hormone to be able to confirm a pregnancy within hours of conception, and she’d had a couple of days since having wild sex with Nick. She’d take the test and soothe Moira’s nerves. “The pink fire instead of my usual blue is either just stress or because of the planekite attack, right?”

“Right.” Moira nodded vigorously.

Simone ripped open the package, her hands shaking, and her pulse racing. “I’ll pee on this, and we’ll see I’m fine.”

“By the way, Conn is downstairs,” Moira said.

Simone stilled. “Your mate is here? Did he see this pregnancy test?”

“Aye. Sorry.”

Well, hell. “That’s okay.” Simone dropped her drawers and peed on the stick. Her cousin had seen her naked enough times in her life that she really didn’t give a damn for modesty. “Do you know anybody named Desmond?”

“No, why?” Moira asked.

“Because my mother called him to rescue me. I thought she might be delirious, but she knew the number to call.”

“Hmmm. Maybe an old ally she can count on? There are witches who live far in the hills and don’t like modern life.” Moira frowned. “Man. When was the last time you peed?”

Simone stopped peeing and rolled her eyes. “I just want to make sure I got it.”

“Oh, you got it.”

Simone finished up and placed the test on the counter before washing her hands. “Takes three minutes.”

“Girl, if you’re knocked up by a demon, you won’t need three minutes.” Moira stood next to her, half a foot shorter in the mirror, and peered at the test. “Oh.”

Simone dried her hands and glanced down. “Oh.”

Moira slipped an arm around Simone’s waist. “Um. Congratulations?”

Simone swayed. Blooming bollocks. She was pregnant.





Nick practiced his legal argument in his head, all the while eyeing the vampire sprawled in the feminine chair. If Conn Kayrs moved an inch, he might just split the floral high-back.

“So. How are things?” Conn asked, his green eyes curious, his face hard and set.

Nick frowned. The vampire soldier wanted to make small talk? As the war had ended and demon headquarters were moved next to the Realm headquarters, he’d gotten to know and genuinely like the Kayrs men. Not one of them ever engaged in small talk. “Just f*cking dandy. How about you?”

Conn lifted a massive shoulder. “Eh.” He tapped his fingers on his worn jeans. His gaze darted around, and tension rolled off him like steam on a lake.

“What is wrong with you?” Nick growled.

“Nothin’.” Conn leaned forward, and the chair groaned in protest. “You and Simone, huh?”

Nick dropped the paper he’d been trying to memorize. “Are you gossiping with me?”

“No. Geez.” Conn leaned an elbow on the armrest, and the thing crashed to the ground. “Ah, hell. Viv isn’t going to like that.” He grabbed the damaged arm and tried to shove it back into place. Fabric and wood went flying.

“Stop trying to fix it.” Nick frowned. If anything, Conn seemed nervous. “I’ll get Simone out of this mess, I promise.” Perhaps the vampire was worried about his mate, Moira, since she was Simone’s cousin. “Don’t worry.”

“Oh, I’m not.” Conn cleared his throat. “It’s just that sometimes life takes unexpected turns, you know?” He gave Nick a hard look.

“Um, yeah. Turns.” Puzzlement filled Nick.

“Good. Because Simone is family, and well, family is family. Right?”

Had the vampire sustained a head injury lately? “Are you all right, Connlan?” Nick asked.