Dawn Reclaimed

"You two are a lot alike," Gina said as soon as they rounded the corner.

Hunter shrugged. He and his brother were nothing alike. But, what was the point of arguing with Gina about something like that? "Grant is adopted," he said.

Tala leaned into her husband's arms. Warmed by his body and the heat of a roaring fire. Rain usually depressed her. The damp, wet, cold of a gray day had a way of deflating her spirits. Not today, she was too happy to let a case of the blues get her down. They were nestled into a cozy and private nook of the sprawling underground maze of rooms and tunnels. "Drew."

"Hmmm." He was mildly distracted by the delicate curve of his wife's neck and the bounding pulse hidden by a thin wrapper of caramel colored flesh. He could eat for the first time in over two hundred years, thanks to the gift of her blood. He drew a majority of his sustenance from the blood of animals, preferring a liquid diet to his new solid one. Food, although tolerable, was not palpable. Human blood was still an occasional necessity. But, he liked to indulge and nibble on his wife, from time to time. No other substance on Earth sustained him like her essence.

Tala tipped her head as he nipped with his teeth. Momentarily losing her train of thought. "Do you think we could have a baby?"

"The brothers adopted Sam years ago when her parents were killed. I suppose we could do so again."

"No, I mean a baby of our own."

Drew paused. He had considered what she was proposing. The act of procreation belonged to the humans. One of the many gifts they possessed that vampires did not, the ability to truly create a life. He had never transformed into a wolf before, but he could now. He hadn't eaten solid food, but he could now. And yes, the thought had been in the back of his mind since he first learned of his dual nature. He'd had every intention of speaking to Thomas about the possibility. But, he just hadn't found the time.

He honestly didn't have an answer to her question. She was changed too. Before, as a wolf, she could have children. Before, she didn't have to drink blood to survive. Before, she didn't have fangs. Now, she did. He didn't know if either one of them possessed what was necessary to create a baby. Or what the child would become if they did.

His brother lived in three separate worlds. He was a vampire. He was pack. And he had a human wife until she'd departed from this world decades ago. He was the founder of the wolf race. But, that didn't mean that Drew could do the same. Carry the torch, as it were. "I don't know," Drew answered.

"I was just curious," Tala said. Faking playfulness she shrugged it off. Drew was tense beside her. Staring into the flames of the fire instead of down at her, reading her expression. For so long she'd convinced herself she didn't want babies and a husband. Back when it would have been nothing more but a duty. When she'd believed she had no choice. She didn't want that life. But, now with Drew, the man she loved with all her heart and soul. Of course, she wanted it all.

"Do you want a baby? We could try to adopt. I'm sure there's a child out there in need of a good home." And boy, wasn't he dancing around her question. Did he want a child? He'd resolved himself long ago that he'd had his children and that part of his life was over. His legacy was here, now. The children of his children's, children's, children on and on far back were here. And they'd inherited more than DNA from him. They'd inherited his legacy born of blood.

"And what? Pretend to be something we're not? Pretend to be humans living in a human world? What? You could work nine to five and I could stay home and bake cookies like June Cleaver. And then one day, the truth comes out. What then? Our world isn't safe for humans, not really. Those who choose to be part of it understand and know the risks. Is it fair to place an infant in such danger?"

"Tala, I wish I had an answer to your question. But, I don't. I don't know what would happen if we took a human child to raise as our own. I don't know if we can make babies of our own. We haven't taken any precautions..."

"And I've never gotten pregnant. Maybe, I can't."

"Maybe, now is not the right time," Drew soothed.

"Will there ever be a right time?"

Drew pulled Tala into the circle of his arms. "Perhaps. Someday. For now, we'll have to be content with what we have. Our family and our friends, you love them don't you?"

"Yes." Tala closed her eyes and pressed her back into Drew's chest. "I love them."

"You've got me." Drew trailed a line of kisses down her cheek and across her neck. "You love me." He unbuttoned the top button of her blouse and slid it open. Revealing a healthy bit of cleavage, he snaked his fingers over the lacy cup of her bra.

"I do," Tala breathed. Arching her back as his fingers traced the outline of her bra. His touch was heaven and so distracting. The burn of baby fever faded and was replaced by a more urgent, demanding ache.

"I've got you." Drew slid a strap over her shoulder and eased it down her bicep. Gently he cupped her breast and slid the erect nipple free from the filmy material of her bra. Tala arched into him, eager for more of his touch and he was more than happy to oblige. "I love you."

"Yeah, I've got you too." Tala rested her head against Drew's shoulder. Feeling the heat of his touch spread down her spine as his fingers worked magic. His lips slid over her collarbone and clamped down on the other strap of her bra working it over her shoulder.

"Sometimes couples have to try over and over again before they make a baby. We haven't really been trying very long." Drew slid his hand down her belly, making short work of the rest of the buttons on her shirt. "We really should be working harder at trying. Maybe everyday, a couple of times, or a few times a day would be even better." He eased her shirt open, inching it down off her shoulders.

Tala felt the heat of the fire dance across her bare skin. Or, maybe it was his hands. "Are you saying we need more practice?" she rasped. Sliding her arms free of her shirt, she reached behind her back to unclasp her bra. Her man had such a way of doing things. Gentle as a kitten and fierce as any lion. His touch curled her toes in her boots. The brush of his hands over her breasts had her drifting, weak in the knees and absolutely breathless.

"It's a start. I'd say that practice makes perfect. But, you're already perfect." He rubbed a pert nipple between his fingers. Teasing the sensitive flesh until her back arched and her breathing grew rapid. Pressing his lips to hers, he drove his tongue into the depths of her mouth. Savoring the sweetness, he traced the tips of her fangs with his tongue. He knew what his wife liked. Slow and easy, then fast, hard, and demanding. He kissed her, bringing her arousal quickly to a fevered pitch. His hands had minds of their own, wandering between her breasts to cup and stroke them and down lower to her sex to work her with his palm against the denim jeans.

"Are you trying to get in my pants?" Tala teased. She slid out of his arms and stretched across the thick nap of the wool rug beneath her.

"No. I'm trying to get you out of them." Drew shifted his weight, sliding over her body. Pressing his hardness against her, he ground his erection into her softness. "Is it working?"

"I believe it is," Tala said. Impatiently, she hurriedly unbuttoned her jeans. Her man needed little encouragement to get on board with the program. He was hard and erect, grinding against her as if their clothing didn't exist. "Two or three times a day huh?"

"At least." Drew wrapped his fingers around the waistband of Tala's jeans. Tugging them over her hips and down her thighs, he caught the essence of her arousal tinting the air with its sugary, sweet, musky scent. His woman was ready for him, wet and slick, aching to be filled with every inch of his length. Shifting over so that she could kick free, he kissed the soft, smooth skin of her belly. Imaging how she'd look plump and ripe with his child. He hoped that someday, he could give her what she wanted. Although, a part of him dreaded that day and what it would mean to them, to the child, to the vampire, and the Pack. Such a thing had never happened before. And maybe, there was a good reason why it had not.

Tala unfastened Drew's jeans. Slow and seductive, coy and playing shy had no business here. She was desperate for him as hungry for him as he was for her. Wrapping her fingers through the belt loops, she tugged them down over his hips. She caressed his bare ass with her palms, loving the feel of that warm skin beneath her fingertips. She worked her way around to the hard, jutting erection. Her fingers stroked against his length. He was hard and ready, eager to be inside of her. She should count her blessings that she'd found him or he'd found her. She loved him, with all her heart, body, and soul. He was her everything. And she considered herself truly one of the lucky ones. She was living a life that others dreamed of. She had his love, and that was everything. If a baby came, she'd consider it a beautiful and rare treasure. If a baby didn't, she had nothing lacking. Having Drew and his love was enough to fill a dozen lifetimes.

Drew slid inside Tala, burying his length to the hilt. The warmth of her body flooded into him. Chasing away all doubts and worries. His thrusts were slow and gentle. Coaxing her along. Filling her. The firelight traced patterns and hues of gold and orange across her skin. Lashes fluttered across her cheeks as she closed her eyes and rode the waves wherever they'd take her. So beautiful. Lips pursed in passion. He sped his pace, pumping into her until she writhed beneath him. Sighing his name and crying out as the orgasm ripped through her. Consuming them both. He shot into her. Not knowing if they'd made a baby or not. Leaving everything to fate and to the gentle hands of their goddess. Knowing that whatever came, they had everything. Because no matter how good or how bad. They had each other.

Clare was in the kitchen puttering around. Trying to find the basic items necessary to make a simple mug of cocoa. The cabinets were stuffed with everything, but what she was looking for. Getting up from a squat after inspecting the lower cabinets, to a stand took Herculean effort. She was so big and wondered how much bigger she could possibly get. Not a question she wanted an answer to. She shouldn't complain about her expanding belly. Her pregnancy had been for the most part problem free and she wasn't going to be pregnant much longer. She pressed a hand to her lower back and turned a circle, not sure where to search for a packet of cocoa mix next.

She turned to see Tristen leaning on his elbows against the dark brown and beige patterned marble counter top. Snickering as he watched her totter around the kitchen. Wobbling more than walking beneath the bulk of the bulge where her stomach used to be. "Hey you. Are you laughing at me?" She playfully accused.

"No." Snicker...Snicker. "Of course not. What are you looking for?"

"I wanted to make some hot chocolate."

"Why don't you go sit down and I'll make you some." He patted his flat, athletic belly and grinned at her glare. "I could use a snack anyway."

"I'm perfectly capable of getting my own drink," Claire retorted.

"Pregnant woman," Tristen said. He rolled his eyes as he shooed her out of the kitchen, directing her to a chair at the dining room table. "Don't argue with me. Sit."

Claire took a seat and noted where the mugs and cocoa packets were hidden in the maze of cabinets and stacks of dishes and pantry stuffed with dried and canned goods. She would have been searching for hours trying to find what he located in less than a minute. She smiled as minutes later he gently parked a steaming mug filled to the brim with marshmallows and rich, thick hot chocolate between her hands. "Thanks."

Tristen set a plate piled high with roast beef, three different kinds of cheese, and an assortment of fruit on the table and took the corner seat next to her. "Want some?" He asked rolling a thick hunk of the beef in an equally thick slice of cheddar cheese.

"That's a snack?" Claire asked dubiously. Sipping her cocoa, she eyed the stack of food he had every intention of eating. The rich dark brown liquid was every bit as decadent as it looked, hot and soothing on such a cold, blustery afternoon. She sighed and watched it rain. Memorial Day Weekend was THE weekend in Indiana. The Indy 500 was supposed to start at noon. Not happening today.

"Beats what I had for lunch." Tristen shrugged and stuffed the meat and cheese roll into his mouth.

"What'd you have for lunch?" Claire asked and then clamped her lips shut. "You were out in the woods weren't you?" Meaning that he wasn't exactly human earlier today. She wrinkled her nose as he nodded. "Oh, never mind. I don't want to know."

"Probably not." Tristen plucked off a stem loaded with white, fat grapes and popped them, one by one, into his mouth. The tart fruit was so much better than the wild game his wolf seemed content with. Too bad, his wolf didn't have to digest the stuff. He didn't want to think about what he'd hacked up from the back of his throat the minute he'd gotten his body back.

"You mean, you?"

"Yeah."

"Are you dangerous?"

"Hell no. Not unless you've got for legs and your name is Bambi." He grinned showing his pointed canines. "Then all bets are off." He shrugged and gobbled down another piece of cheese. "Besides, I bet humans don't taste very good."

Claire snickered and snatched a slice of pepper jack off his plate. "Probably not." She chewed thoughtfully. "Do you like it? Being a wolf I mean?"

"Not really. This isn't what I would have chosen to be. Not that I have a choice. I'd settle for being just a normal guy. Do normal things, like go to college. Go out on dates every Saturday night. Get a job. Have my own life, like everybody else gets to."

"Why can't you?"

"I can't leave the pack. I have to be close to them or I'll lose the ability to shift."

"Isn't that what you want?" Claire asked.

"I have responsibilities. People to take care of," Tristen smiled as Mouse peeked around the corner and snuck into the room. "Like this knuckle head here," he said as he tugged on her ponytail. He slid closer to Claire. As soon as Mouse was out of earshot, noisily rambling through the fridge, he whispered, "I'm all they have. I can't abandon them like my father did. So, I'll stick around, go all furry, and run around on all fours." He cleared the plate of any stray bits and pieces of food that were left, "Make the best of it. Who knows, maybe someday, I'll get to pick up where I left off."

"I've seen your father. He's here isn't he?"

"Yeah, physically. But, he hasn't been a dad to any of us since my mother died. I was around Mouse's age when it happened. I don't hate him or anything. It's just... it was hard on all of us. And I tried to pick up the pieces. Be the man of the house, so to speak. But, I was just a kid myself. I needed him too. Grant and grandpa tried to make up for his lack of interest in us. But, it wasn't the same. I needed him and he let me down. I won't let them down too."

"What are you up to today, Mouse?" Tristen asked. Clearing away his plate and Claire's mug, he headed to the sink to rinse the dishes. He supposed he could have left them for Daniel to clean up. His brother was on dish detail for the next century. And Tristen, now that he was officially pack had other duties to tend to other then washing the gazillion dishes that piled up during the day.

"I finished learning about human reproduction. Ick." She cocked her head and bit into her peanut butter and jelly sandwich. "I thought you told me babies came from heaven, Tristen."

"They do." Tristen blushed and slid Claire a sideways glance. "Just not in the same way you imagined. Trust me, when you get a little older, much older, it won't seem so icky to you then."

Mouse drained her milk and wiped the moustache off on her sleeve. "I dunno about that. Anyway, I've got math homework and karate this afternoon."

"No more human reproduction?"

Mouse giggled and shook her head. "Not a chance." She cocked her thumb to her chest. "I know enough."

Tristen booted her in the butt with the sole of his socked foot as she left. "She's a good kid. Smart as hell. Sometimes, I wonder if she's not too smart for her own good." Mouse was smart, cunning, and at times ferocious. She could be the next pack leader. He wouldn't let her small stature and pigtails deceive him. Someday, he could be taking orders from her.

"I've never said anything, but why doesn't Mouse go to a regular school? Have friends her own age?" Claire asked.

"She's a wolf, an alpha female in the making. I can feel the wolf in her already. Patiently biding its time until she's big enough to shift. She can't have any records. No ties to the world that could lead them here. It would put us all in danger. She's a little girl, but make no mistake. She will be a powerful, lethal predator, someday. We have to protect her as much as we have to protect other people from her. She's not a normal, ordinary kid, Claire. Eventually, humans would notice how different she is. What we are...Claire...is a blessing and a curse. We look human, but we're not."

Claire took his unspoken warning to heart. She was safe here. They looked after her and accepted her as one of their own. She remembered the fight in the hallway. When the wolf sprung free of Tristen and the row of glistening, sharp, white teeth. How thin the grip of his control had been. She was beginning to learn about their world, which, inadvertently, was her world. There were still so many things that she didn't know. The pack wouldn't hurt her intentionally. But Tristen was proof accidents could happen. And she would be foolish to think that they didn't.

Tristen slid into his mud boots and rain jacket. Leaving Claire with more than a subtle warning. He didn't want to see her get hurt. He actually liked her. Imagined that if his circumstances were different. He'd be searching for someone just like her for himself. But, as unstable as his wolf was and with his genetics, dating and pursuing a female other than pack was out of the question. There were always possibilities, his family was large enough and relation distant enough to consider. But none of the females, all women of worth and considerable, exotic beauty, held his interest. He was looking for someone different, a wild card, in a deck stacked with nothing but boring, bland, face cards.

Grant was rattled after his meeting with the Supreme Pack Master. Bumping into his brother hadn't helped. His brother still hated him. And that was the end of the story. He could keep trying to win back the relationship that had splintered into shards years ago. But why? He'd done everything right. Helped his brother raise his children. Standing in as a father when he could not. He'd always been there patiently waiting for his brother to wake up and return to the land of the living. Let go of the past and embrace the present. His brother, stubbornly, never had. Clinging onto the memory of his dead wife instead of the children who so desperately needed him. He didn't condemn Hunter for his actions. Hunter was doing a fine job of that all on his own.

They'd been best friends growing up. Sure, they fought, like all brothers do. But, their relationship ran thicker than any scuff. Even after Hunter took Marianne as his wife, he made time for his brother. Grant had been there with Hunter, three times outside the birthing room, pacing nervously by his side. When Marianne died, Grant had tried to help Hunter pick up the pieces, but there were too many to gather. And Hunter slowly faded away. There was nothing Grant could do or say to ease his brother's grief. Hunter had simply stopped living. Eventually, Grant gave up trying. And they became strangers. Grant wondered if they'd evolved into enemies.