Chapter 12
Chapter
“Balloons,” Solange said. She pinned Sarika with a steely gaze. “What is it with balloons? Why is it necessary to put those things all over the house? Do you honestly think they’re festive?” She gave a little shudder, which the males immediately found amusing.
Under Solange’s stoic demeanor, Sarika could feel her blossoming need to run.
It was Dominic keeping her there. Dominic ensuring she didn’t do what Solange would have considered humiliating herself.
Dominic protecting her in the way she needed and asked for.
Solange was mimicking the other women under similar circumstances.
Those weren’t her own reactions at all. Deep down, she was horrified at the attention and wanted to conceal herself far away from whatever event was unfolding.
Sarika considered how best to aid her in the deception.
She understood Solange’s motives. She was attempting to fit in for her cousins, whom she deeply loved.
She showed her love in the way she fought for them and their rights.
She had no idea how to show a softer side.
She trusted Dominic to help her, but it was extremely difficult for her.
Sarika wasn’t certain the stress of trying to fit in was good for Solange or her baby.
She didn’t question why she was able to feel so deeply what the males in the room, true Carpathians, could not.
She only knew that there was a well of concern deep inside her struggling to reach Solange to help her.
“It’s funny you say that about balloons, Solange,” Sarika said.
“I’ve always had an aversion to them as well.
I detest them floating through the air all over a room.
When they pop, and kids often pop them, the sound freaks me out.
And what’s really a pain is when the kids or adults start hitting them toward your face and think it’s funny. ”
“Bad for the environment,” Tomas put in. “People release them into the air and birds get caught in them or poisoned by them.”
“The voice of doom,” Lojos joined in. “Sarika, Tomas is always the voice of doom when it comes to planet earth.”
“That doesn’t mean I’m wrong,” Tomas pointed out.
“Here we go,” Mataias said. “It has to be asked: Luiz, where do you stand on balloons?”
Sarika realized that Tomas and his brothers understood, through her, that something wasn’t quite right in the situation and were taking their cue from her.
She was grateful none of them delved into her mind and took information.
Sarika wasn’t adept at hiding anything, and she was certain Solange would view it as a betrayal if the men were suddenly aware of her deception.
“You want me to weigh in on the importance of balloons at a party?” Luiz asked, his voice that same monotone he used when he appeared aloof.
“Yeah, Luiz, you must have an opinion,” Lojos prompted. “You’re a De La Cruz. Does your family have opinions on the importance of balloons?”
Luiz lifted an eyebrow at Lojos, and Solange looked up at Dominic. Sarika was gratified to feel the woman’s amusement. It didn’t show on her face, but the conversation was helping.
“I have no idea what Zacarias would have to say about balloons. It has never come up in any family discussion. I suppose we didn’t realize the importance of whether or not to include them in any female ceremony we don’t take part in.”
“Female ceremony?” Sarika deliberately echoed. “That’s what you call a baby shower?”
“Carpathian babies don’t take showers,” Luiz said.
Solange laughed. Out loud. She looked up at Dominic again, her face soft. Sarika thought it was a beautiful look. She could actually feel the tension easing from Solange’s body.
Again, Luiz’s eyebrow shot up, and he directed his comments to Solange. “Well, they don’t. My memories include warriors cognizant of our origins, and I see no recollection of Carpathian babies showering.”
“The ceremony is called a baby shower,” Dominic supplied, “because the baby and mother are showered with gifts.”
Luiz shook his head. “This isn’t logical. Carpathian mothers can give their children whatever is needed by simply manufacturing those things.”
“Women have very little logic,” Lojos stated, “when it comes to babies.”
Sarika glared at him. “This is your informed male conclusion because you know so much about women?”
“Careful there, brother,” Mataias said. “Sarika has been known to become violent in certain situations. This is likely one of them. I want to point out, sisarke, for the sake of family honor, we have an audience.”
“Family honor?” Sarika bristled, glaring at him. “Are you implying I’m going to dishonor your family because I’m going to hit your misogynistic brother over the head?”
“One does have to protect him when he spouts his nonsense,” Mataias pointed out.
“Tomas?” Sarika turned on him.
“I’m all for hitting Lojos over the head as often as possible,” Tomas said and leaned down to feather a kiss across her nose. “He isn’t an environmentalist.”
“I want to point out that Luiz cleverly manipulated everyone by changing the subject so he wouldn’t have to weigh in on his opinion of balloons,” Lojos said.
“He did do that,” Dominic agreed.
“Have you considered giving Lojos a good brotherly beating?” Luiz asked.
“Many times,” Tomas answered. “But he often is right, and in this situation, I believe he is. You are deliberately trying to get out of answering. That means you do have an opinion. You just don’t want any of us to know you do.”
Sarika would have thought it meant Luiz didn’t have an opinion, but she realized Tomas had read the situation correctly just by the way the other males were looking at Luiz.
She could feel their shared amusement. Best, she could feel Solange’s.
That had been the ultimate goal: to get her to feel relaxed and even, maybe, to have fun.
Luiz waved a dismissive hand. “If it is necessary for me to share an opinion on the hideous and frivolous invention of the balloon for children, I know Riley and Dax’s daughter, Maureen, is afraid of them.
She becomes very anxious around them. She doesn’t convey this to her parents as she should because she doesn’t want to upset Riley, who always has balloons at any party. ”
“How would you know this if Riley and Dax don’t know?” Solange asked immediately.
Sarika couldn’t detect any humor in her.
She’d gone into protective warrior mode.
In that moment, Sarika saw the true woman.
Solange wouldn’t hesitate to take on an ancient warrior if it meant she was protecting a woman or child.
The man standing behind her, with his good looks and scars, arms around her waist, would back her up without hesitation.
“I feel her when she is afraid, Solange,” Luiz confessed. “I speak with her to calm her fears. Dax is aware of my connection with her.”
There was a sudden silence as comprehension dawned. Solange pressed back into Dominic, one hand going to her throat as if protecting herself from an attack.
“Maureen, Dax and Riley’s daughter, is your lifemate?” She whispered it. “Luiz.”
“They know, but we do not want this getting out because she would be in more danger than she already is. Dax is a powerful Carpathian, very ancient, and he has enemies. Many of them. I stay close to help protect Maureen and Riley. So yes, when she has fears, I comfort her. I do so from a distance. She is far too young to give me back emotions and colors. It can be…difficult to be so close to her and know it will be many years before I will have my lifemate with me.”
“Dimitri found Skyler when she was far too young,” Dominic said.
Skyler is the adopted daughter of a legendary Carpathian, Gabriel Daratrazanoff.
Her birth father is Razvan, a Dragonseeker like Dominic.
She is unusual and is held in very high regard.
She saved Dimitri when a faction of the Lycans took him prisoner and sentenced him to death by silver.
A war was nearly started over that particular incident.
But it is true, she was far too young when Dimitri found out she was his lifemate.
Over time, they developed a very unique bond before he ever claimed her.
That bond was what allowed her to save him when no one else could track him.
She was very young, and no one even considered that she would mount a rescue with two of her friends.
Sarika wanted to meet the famous Skyler.
She sounded courageous, a woman to be admired.
The more she learned of women like Solange and Skyler, the more she felt she had a chance of being happy as Tomas’ lifemate.
It was clear the women weren’t shut away in a safe house while their men went out to do battle.
Luiz nodded. “They have a good relationship. I have spoken to Dimitri often and am learning from him how best to keep my lifemate safe when enemies would target her should they know. Valentin Zhestokly has a young lifemate as well. She is protected by several Carpathians, but he stays close. It happens, and we have to take extra precautions. I am grateful for her existence and take her safety and well-being very seriously.”
Sarika felt her cousin’s heavy burden. She had thought it would be a good thing to know one’s lifemate was close and in a few years could be claimed, but apparently that knowledge could increase the stress on the male.
She understood he would be aware his lifemate was in even more jeopardy than most.
She knew the cost to the male wasn’t sexual.
She had been concerned by Solange’s initial reaction that a male might develop those feelings for his lifemate, but it was an impossibility.
She didn’t quite understand it, but she was aware through Luiz that he didn’t have those kinds of feelings.
He had been a jaguar shifter with the urges of that species, yet once he had been converted to Carpathian, despite vague memories, he had no interest in sex.