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He shook his head How do you always know I’, he strode silently across the roof, took her hand, and helped her the rest of the way up

I know your energy signature now

His brow furrowed I’lad Seth can’t detectI’ve beenvisiting

She thought he ht on that one Her husband Marcus wouldn’t either, if he knew

Seating herself, Ami waited for Zach to reclaim his spot, then withdreo lollipops from her jacket

His lips tilted up in a faint sreen one Apple

The smell of fresh fruit--Granny Smith apples and ripe strawberries--filled the air as they unwrapped their treats and let the flavors coat their tongues

This was the sixth or seventh time she hadhis presence

She still didn’t knoho he was, but sensed he posed no threat to her

He rarely spoke That didn’t bother her though She hadn’t been much of a talker either after Seth and David had rescued her from her torturers And the first time she hadwith pain

Ami understood pain

She also understood a reluctance to trust

Wind buffeted her, rocking her on her perch

Zach unfurled his wings to shield her fro her, how are you?

She turned her head and found hi her intently You know? she asked

About your pregnancy? Yes

Only a handful of people had been told, so either he had overheard it or he had detected the baby’s heartbeat and, unlike the others, knew it didn’t belong to one of the kittens

Dr Lipton said the baby has a strong, healthy heartbeat

I didn’t ask about the baby I asked about you How are you doing?

Shrugging, she lowered her gaze to the lollipop wrapper and began to fold and unfold it The nausea is pretty bad Lollipops are the only sweet things I can stand to s else makes me throw up As did h nutrition, because alain

Are you afraid? he asked softly

Arew hazy as tears welled in her eyes Raising her head, she aze Terrified

Zach’s chest constricted when tears spilled over her lashes and trailed down her cheeks Aentlestexistence Ironically, she was also one of the fiercest, hters To see her so vulnerable made his heart hurt

And Zach hadn’t even realized he had a heart

I wish I could see the future, he said, so I could tell you how this will turn out

She smiled and brushed at her cheeks At least you didn’t tell ht

Is that what your husband does? he asked curiously

She shook her head Marcus never lies to me A sad smile tilted her lips So he says very little He asks how I feel and does everything he can toover whatMore tears welled And tries to carry all of the burden hi he could say to ease her mind and steal away her despair It surprised him that he even wished to try

Did you know, she asked, sniffling, that before I canant woot that she was from another planet

She sht so with her

She must have wondered what the hell was in that belly How is that possible? he asked Don’t people on your planet reproduce the same e do?

She nodded Visitors cauise of friendship and used a virus as a bioweapon against us No one died froht it was an accident, that they hadn’t known they were carriers, and didn’t think much of it until we realized that almost every woman on our planet had been rendered infertile by it Those eren’t usually o to term are practically nonexistent now And female children are just as likely to be infertile It’s one of the reasons I caht like to either serve as surrogate mothers or marry our men and help us repopulate

And the other?

She shook her head To warn you that the beings who tried to eradicate us are on their way to eradicate you

Lovely And for that you were ruthlessly tortured for six ht I would be a ht he would be a father

The odds of either were

Well, hell, he would have thought it iratulations

She stared at hiain Zach’s chest tightened He cupped his knees in his palms, slid his hands over the soft leather anxiously Should I not have--?

She shook her head, lips curling into a tre smile, and brushed the tears from her cheeks I’ratulated me Everyone else

Is concerned

She nodded

He looked at her stoe sweatshirts May I?