The Men Of Anderas: Talon, The Assassin Part 20

She expected Sam's children to greet her like they usually did when she pa.s.sed their house, but they were nowhere in sight. Those little rascals better not be hiding under her porch again.

Her front door was standing open and someone was inside. The curtain just twitched. Sam and Emmie wouldn't go in unless something was wrong. Was that why the children weren't here?

Shadow ran across the central square, fear churning her stomach. As she pa.s.sed the last tree and reached the road, a man stepped onto the porch. She couldn't see his face in the shadows of the porch roof. Taking slow, measured steps, she eased closer to her house. Dammit, he had no right to be in her house.

"Have I changed that much, Blue?"

Shadow's knees gave out. She sat down hard just inside her gate and covered her eyes with her hands to hide her tears from him. She couldn't deal with this right now. She needed time. She needed...oh h.e.l.l, she needed him. When she opened her eyes he was kneeling beside her, lifting her into his arms. She buried her face against his neck and let the tears flow.

"Don't cry, baby. I know seeing me was a shock, but you're killing me, Blue. Are you crying because I came back? I'll back off and go slow but I'm not leaving."

"Why aren't you at the academy?" She slapped her hand against his chest.

"Because you weren't there. Next question."

"Why are you here?" She couldn't hide the longing in her voice.

"Because you're here. I told you I would always come back to you. I love you, Shadow, with all my heart and I want to spend the rest of my life proving that to you. Will you give me a chance, Blue?"

"I love you, too, bounty hunter." She looked at the face she dreamed about every night and the green eyes that could burn with...what the h.e.l.l! His eyes! They weren't green!

"What the h.e.l.l happened to your eyes?" She demanded, struggling to get out of his arms. "You had green eyes and now you have one blue eye and one brown eye! What the f.u.c.k did you do?"

Talon laughed at her reaction. He was still getting used to them himself. "Let me tell you a story about having a conversation and a cup of tea with an alien doctor and waking up onboard an orbiting medical center, light-years from here. This alien doctor said he could repair a laser burn but instead he transplanted new eyes. It took months to find compatible donors and heal from the surgeries. I have perfect vision, by the way."

"I can't wait to hear that one." Shadow traced the faint scar from his accident. "Does this story include lots of hot, monkey s.e.x?"

"Don't interrupt." He dropped a quick, hard kiss on her lips. "Where was I? Oh, yeah. Then you can tell me how you brought life back to my village. Somewhere in the telling of these tales, you can let me in on your secret for controlling your body heat. That has intrigued me since the first time I laid eyes on you."

"Sounds good but...let's hold off on these stories for an hour...or six."

"Nothing would make me happier than to spend eternity in your bed."

"I hear a 'but'...."

"I didn't come alone." Talon could feel the heat climb into his cheeks. He didn't know what he'd do if she rejected his proposal. Before he could explain, a squeaky wail came from inside the house.

"She's awake and probably hungry." Talon announced as he released Shadow and dashed into the house. She was right behind him.

He lifted the tiny infant from the blanket on the floor and cuddled her close to his heart, nuzzling the downy fuzz on her head that was the exact shade of Shadow's hair. She never said she wanted a baby-just that she couldn't have any. His decision to bring the orphaned newborn here was based on a huge a.s.sumption.

One look at the longing on Shadow's face calmed most of his fears. He held the baby out to her and she gathered the child close, as if she'd done this a hundred times.

"Aren't you a pretty little thing?" Shadow cooed, gently rocking side to side. "Whose baby is this, Talon?"

This was the part he worried about. "She's yours...ours...if you want her. If you don't I'll find another family to adopt her."

"Where did she come from?"

"Her mother was a survivor of a Phantom Rider raid. Her husband was killed in the raid and she was too weak and malnourished to survive the delivery." Shadow hadn't answered his question. Would she accept the baby?

"What's her name?"

"I thought I'd let her mother name her."

Shadow sat on the thick, pink blanket Talon spread out for the baby and picked up the bottle warming by the fire. She tested the temperature of the milk like she'd seen Emmie do for her daughter before placing the nipple against the tiny, rosebud mouth. She smiled when the nipple disappeared with a slurp.

"I don't know how to be a mother, Talon. What if I do something wrong and warp her for life?"

"You look like you know what you're doing and she's not complaining. I have another gift for you."

Shadow glanced up at him, but quickly went back to watching the feeding baby. "Nothing could possibly top this," she spoke softly.

"Not even close but I think you'll like it." He knelt beside her and dangled the object between them.

"My belt!" She cried, giving Talon a dirty look when the baby jumped. "How did you get it back?" She whispered.

"The bounty officer in charge of cleaning out the political corruption saw your name painted on the inside and pulled it out of the evidence room. I told him I'd bring it to you."

"First thing I'm going to do is clear out my a.r.s.enal. We're going to need diapers and bottles and toys and clothes and...Talon, we don't have a bed for her!"

Talon smiled but wanted to hear her decision about the baby. "I take it I don't need to find her another family?"

"You take one step toward my daughter and I'll hurt you. Isobel is right where she needs to be. What about you? Are you prepared to give up the academy for a family? Farming is hard work."

Talon sat down behind Shadow on the small blanket, wrapping his arms around both of his girls. He liked the name Blue gave their daughter. His life-their life-couldn't get any more perfect than right now.

"We've already had the conversation about the academy and I don't plan on being a full-time farmer." He kissed the side of her neck because it had been too long since he'd been able to touch her in any way. "I thought I could teach music to the children now that I can see again."

"Teach music? Are you serious?"

Talon pointed at his mother's desk and the shiny new vioharp case sitting on top. "Can't have you singing lullabies to Isobel, can we?"

THE END.

Don't miss the first two books in THE MEN OF ANDERAS series:.

Men of Anderas I: JarDan, the King.

Men of Anderas II: Dak, the Protector.

Fall in love with all three powerful Men of Anderas and the women strong enough to love them as they embark on their quest for the most valuable prize in the universe-a love to last for eternity!

Aura Color Meanings.

RED - money worries or obsessions; anger or lack of forgiveness; anxiety or nervousness Deep Red: Grounded, realistic, active, strong will power, survival-oriented.

Muddied red: Anger (repelling).

Clear red: Powerful, energetic, compet.i.tive, s.e.xual, and pa.s.sionate.

Pink - bright and light: Loving, tender, sensitive, sensual, artistic, affection, purity, compa.s.sion; new or revived romantic relationship.

Dark and murky pink: Immature and/or dishonest nature.

Orange Red: Confidence, creative power.

In a good, bright, and pure state, red energy can serve as a healthy ego.

ORANGE - vitality, vigor, good health and excitement. Lots of energy and stamina, creative, productive, adventurous, courageous, outgoing social nature; currently experiencing stress related to appet.i.tes and addictions Orange-Yellow: Creative, intelligent, detail oriented, perfectionist, scientific.

YELLOW - awakening, inspiration, intelligence, and action shared, creative, playful, optimistic, and easy-going.

Light or pale yellow: Emerging psychic and spiritual awareness; optimism and hopefulness; positive excitement about new ideas.

Bright lemon yellow: Struggling to maintain power and control in a personal or business relationship, fear of losing control, prestige, respect, and/or power.

Clear gold metallic, shiny and bright: Spiritual energy and power activated and awakened; an inspired person.

Dark brownish yellow or gold: one who is straining at studying; overly a.n.a.lytical to the point of feeling fatigued or stressed; trying to make up for "lost time" by learning everything all at once.

GREEN - a very comfortable, healthy color of nature. When seen in the aura this usually represents growth and balance, and most of all, something that leads to change. Love of people, animals, nature; teacher; social Bright emerald green: A healer, also a love-centered person Yellow-Green: Creative with heart, communicative Dark or muddy forest green: Jealousy, resentment, feeling like a victim of the world; blaming self or others; insecurity and low self-esteem; lack of understanding personal responsibility; sensitive to perceived criticism Turquoise: Relates to the immune system. Sensitive, compa.s.sionate, healer, therapist.

BLUE - Cool, calm, and collected. Caring, loving, love to help others, sensitive, intuitive.

Soft blue: Peacefulness, clarity and communication, truthful, intuitive Bright royal blue: Clairvoyant; highly spiritual nature; generous; on the right path; new opportunities are coming Dark or muddy blue: Fear of the future; fear of self-expression; fear of facing or speaking the truth INDIGO - Intuitive, sensitive, deep feeling.

VIOLET - The most sensitive and wisest of colors. This is the intuitive color in the aura, and reveals psychic power of attunement with self. Intuitive, visionary, futuristic, idealistic, artistic, magical.

LAVENDER - Imagination, visionary, daydreamer, etheric.

SILVER - This is the color of abundance, both spiritual and physical. Lots of bright silver can reflect to plenty of money, and/or awakening of the cosmic mind.

Bright metallic silver: Receptive to new ideas; intuitive; nurturing Dark and muddy gray: Residue of fear is acc.u.mulating in the body, with a potential for health problems, especially if gray cl.u.s.ters seen in specific areas of the body GOLD - The color of enlightenment and divine protection. When seen within the aura, it says that the person is being guided by their highest good. It is divine guidance. Protection, wisdom, inner knowledge, spiritual mind, intuitive thinker.

BLACK - Draws or pulls energy to it and in so doing, transforms it. It captures light and consumes it. Usually indicates long-term unforgiveness (toward others or another) collected in a specific area of the body, which can lead to health problems; also, ent.i.ties within a person's aura, chakras, or body; past life hurts; unreleased grief from abortions if it appears in the ovaries WHITE - Reflects other energy. A pure state of light. Often represents a new, not yet designated energy in the aura. Spiritual, etheric and non-physical qualities, transcendent, higher dimensions. Purity and truth; angelic qualities.

White sparkles or flashes of white light: angels are nearby; can indicate that the person is pregnant or will be soon EARTH - Soil, wood, mineral, plant. These colors display a love of the Earth, of being grounded and is seen in those who live and work on the outdoors...construction, farming, etc. These colors are important and are a good sign.

DIRTY BROWN OVERLAY: Holding on to energies. Insecurity.

DIRTY GRAY OVERLY: Blocking energies. Guardedness.

end.