Krysta bit her lip. “How bad does this whole transformation thing get?”

Sarah came forward and stood next to her. “I’ll tell you all about it after dinner.”

“Thank you.”

The front door opened. Bastien, Melanie, and Sean entered.

Etienne took Krysta’s hand. “You really aren’t disappointed?”

She shook her head and squeezed his hand. “You know why I wanted it to be you.”

He did. And recalling it made him hard again, so he hurriedly escorted her to the table, where everyone gathered around to enjoy the sumptuous meal Seth and David had miraculously found time to prepare.

Chapter 16

As the meal drew to a close, Seth looked around the table. “Seconds, and Sean, I’d like you to leave us for a few moments. Please adjourn to the training room. You’ll find a selection of desserts and refreshments awaiting you. Spar. Gorge. Gossip. Do whatever makes you happy. We’ll let you know when our business here is concluded.”

Surprised looks were exchanged all around. Immortals visually consulted each other and found no answers as the Seconds rose, pushed their chairs close to the table, and headed for the hallway without comment.

Ami rose.

Seth touched her arm. “I’d like you to stay, sweetheart.”

Swallowing hard, she retook her seat.

Marcus wrapped an arm around her shoulders and drew her close.

Jenna cleared her throat. “I’m not sure what I should do here. I’m immortal, but I don’t hunt vampires yet, so . . . should I leave or stay?”

“Please, stay,” David said. “Your input will be particularly important in the matter we wish to discuss.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “Really?” She glanced at Richart, who shrugged.

“Krysta,” Seth added. “You’ll be immortal within the week, so you may stay as well.”

“Darnell, you stay, too,” David continued.

Darnell nodded, then called to the others, “Close the doors to the basement and the training room so we won’t have to listen to Sheldon get his ass kicked.”

“Oh, ha ha,” Sheldon said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Wait. You meant in a sparring session, right?”

Cam nudged him along.

Etienne wondered what the hell was going on. Seth had never done this before. Seconds were always privy to the business of immortals. They needed to be aware of every threat in order to better serve and protect them. What could Seth not want them to know?

The door to the basement closed. Boots tromped down stairs. The door to the training room closed.

“What do you think is going on?” he heard Sheldon ask.

“They can hear you, genius,” Cam reminded him.

“Oh. Right.”

Richart sighed and rolled his eyes.

Soon conversation began to flow below. Movies. Books. The latest goings-on at the network.

Here at the table no one spoke.

The tension rose. All present, like Etienne, believed an ax was about to fall.

At last, Seth spoke. “A situation has arisen. Something unprecedented. Something that has left even David and I uncertain how to proceed.”

Roland shifted slightly. “I thought you two had seen and done it all.”

“So did we. What we discuss here will remain between those seated at this table. Do not share this with your Seconds or with any other mortal members of the network. Torture will not extract this information from immortals. It will, however, draw it from most mortals. Considering the many enemies we have faced in the last few years, we cannot take that risk.”

All nodded.

What the hell was Seth going to tell them?

“I’ve misled you. I did it intentionally for the reason I just disclosed. I have kept from you a secret that was not my own to share and intended to keep it from you longer, but circumstances have eliminated any further hope of maintaining silence.”

Roland leaned forward. “Any secret you share with us will be guarded with our lives. Should anyone here betray you, I will take care of him or her myself.”

The pledge may have surprised everyone present, but none doubted the veracity of it. Roland may be antisocial and grumble, but he could be ruthless when defending a loved one and was a man any warrior would feel fortunate to have guarding his back.

“Thank you.”

A faint thumping began to distract Etienne. It took him a moment to realize it was the heel of Ami’s boot striking the floor as her knee bobbed up and down.

She stilled as everyone looked at her. “I’m sorry. I’m nervous.”

Marcus glared daggers at everyone.

Hell. This was going to be big, wasn’t it?

“As you know, Ami was a primary target of Emrys, who gained knowledge of her association with us through Montrose Keegan, then passed that knowledge along to Donald and Nelson.”

All nodded.

“Because mercenaries who may be linked to Donald and Nelson’s group have risen against us, I feel compelled to explain why it is more important than ever that we keep Ami out of their hands.”

It was unusual to order immortals to risk their lives to protect Seconds instead of the other way around. Immortals were very rare in the greater scheme of things, so the loss of even one had great impact.

Richart frowned. “Why did they want her so badly before? Did they find out she’s a gifted one?”

Seth leaned forward. “Ami is not a gifted one. She’s an extraterrestrial.”

Etienne stared at him blankly.

And he wasn’t the only one.

“She’s from another planet,” Seth clarified.

Dead silence.

Ami nibbled her lower lip. Marcus . . . was preparing to kill them all by the looks of his darkening features.

“That is so cool,” Krysta said, daring to speak first.

Etienne glanced over and found her staring at Ami with a combination of awe and delight.

“What planet are you from?” she asked.

Across from Ami, Sarah nodded. “Are you from Jupiter? Because I’ve always wanted to know what’s at the center of that big-ass storm.”

Some of the anxiety left Ami’s face, replaced by a tentative smile. “No, I’m from a planet called Lasara in another solar system. But I can tell you what’s in the storm on Jupiter.”

Seth held up a hand. “Let’s save that for later.”

Roland leaned forward. “Are there others from your world here?” His gaze remained on Marcus, though he spoke to Ami.

If either immortal were telepathic, Etienne would swear the two were silently communicating.

Then again, they had known each other for eight hundred years. Speech may no longer be necessary.

Ami shook her head. “No.”

“Will there be others?”

“No.”

Etienne felt Krysta tug his hand and listened to her thoughts.

She’s all alone? Do you think she crashed?

I don’t know.

A slew of questions leapt from lips all around the table.

David cleared his throat. “Your questions can wait. And, if Ami isn’t comfortable answering them, I trust none of you will press her.”

In other words, leave her the hell alone. Message received. Ami wasn’t comfortable discussing her origins. Not surprising, considering she had been tortured by the humans who had captured her. Or, at least, he assumed Emrys and his men had captured her.

That also explained why they had pretty much dissected her, taking advantage of her regenerative capabilities to learn everything they could about her alien race, the bastards.

“There’s more,” Seth said, face somber.

More?

Everyone gave him their full attention.

“Ami is pregnant.”

Several immortals gasped.

Sarah’s face lit up. “Oh, my gosh! Congratulations!” She started to jump up, intending to run around the table and embrace the couple, but Roland stopped her.

Etienne peeked at her thoughts and caught her confusion, then her understanding.

Krysta squeezed his hand. Is this as bad as I think it is?

Yes. He felt for Marcus. No wonder he had been so tense lately.

They don’t know how the virus will affect the baby?

Right.

Or what will happen with the whole human and alien DNA combining thing?

Gifted one and alien DNA. Yes.

“Jenna,” Melanie said. “You’re the only immortal we know of who has ever had a baby, so I would appreciate your input as I guide Ami through her pregnancy.”

Jenna nodded. “Of course. I don’t know how much help I’ll be though.”

Bastien spoke up. “Did you cramp when you were pregnant?”

“Yes. Throughout most of the pregnancy.”

“How severe were the cramps?” he pressed.

She thought for a moment. “They were like mild menstrual cramps. In fact, for the first two weeks I was pregnant, I kept thinking I was about to get my period and didn’t realize I was pregnant. So they were more annoying than painful. Nothing that would make me reach for pain relievers or anything.” She grimaced and glanced around the table. “I’m sorry. Is that too much information?”

“No.” Bastien turned to Melanie and raised his eyebrows.

She smiled. “I know. I know. You’re brilliant.” Bastien brilliant? Must be an inside joke. “Thank you, Jenna.”

Nodding, Jenna turned to Ami. “Congratulations, Ami. How bad is the nausea?”

Ami grimaced. “Pretty bad.”

“I’m surprised you made it through dinner.”

“I almost didn’t. The smell of most food tends to make me gag.”

Jenna nodded. “I was the same way. I threw up half a dozen times a day sometimes in my early weeks.”

Some of Marcus’s tension eased. “That’s normal?”

“Sure. It—”

“Is Ami infected with the virus?” Roland interrupted.

Marcus met his gaze once more. “No.”

Melanie shook her head. “I’ve found no trace of it in her blood.”