think that, but …” Anton ran his long fingers through his hair.
Liana gave a sharp, determined jerk of her head. “I don’t think so. Tia came out of it, though she said it affected her ability to mindtalk and gave her a huge headache. I’ve been wondering if they’re still unconscious, though. If the dose was too high, or went directly into the artery. If whatever they used reacts differently to Chanku metabolism. Do we know if the ones who kidnapped them are aware they’re shapeshifters?”
Keisha shook her head. “Luc doesn’t think so. Very few people know of our existence. They might know of Pack Dynamics and that we work with wolves, but that’s about it.”
“Then I’m guessing they’re still unconscious.” Anton glanced at Keisha. “And they can’t shift to escape, so …”
Liana frowned at him. “Why not? Unless they’re tightly collared, they should be able to shift.”
Adam was the one who interrupted her. “Not if they’re eight months pregnant.” He glanced at Keisha. “Didn’t you say you couldn’t shift after about the middle of your term?”
Keisha shrugged, remembering how awkward and big she’d grown during her pregnancy. “After my second trimester, I was afraid to. I didn’t think it was safe for the developing fetus.”
“But why?” Liana glanced from Anton to Adam and then focused her attention on Keisha. “A Chanku bitch can shift up until she delivers. During delivery, if she’s in wolf form, she will have no control over a shift to human when birth is imminent, but until that moment, she can shift and the baby will shift with her. The connection is total between mother and child. Whatever her form, that is her unborn child’s form.”
“I had no idea. I worried so much about shifting, even in the very early months.” Keisha glanced at Anton. “This is knowledge that Lisa and Tala don’t have. It’s something that could make a difference.”
“I agree.” Anton ran his fingers over his forehead. “We need to get down there.” Keisha wrapped her fingers around his outstretched hand. He pulled her to her feet.
“Liana,” he said, wrapping his arm around Keisha’s waist, “when this crisis has ended and the women are safe, you and I need to sit down for a long talk.” He laughed, leaned over, and kissed the woman who’d once been their Goddess, and long ago, his lover. “I’ve been afraid to bother you with all my many questions, but it’s time to put that consideration aside.”
Keisha jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow. “Actually, I think the girls and I need to spend some time with Liana and see what kinds of misconceptions we might have. I’d hate to discover we’re not really a matriarchal society.” She tugged Anton toward the door. “Because if we’re not, I don’t want the men to know.”
Liana and Adam walked them to the door. “No worry there, Keisha.” Liana’s laughter was contagious. “Female Chanku will always have the last word. It’s not only bred into us, it’s part of the males’ physiology as well.”
“I was afraid of that.” Adam kissed Liana’s cheek. “I knew there was a reason she wins every argument.”
“It’s because I’m smarter and faster than you, my love.”
“There is that.” Adam opened the door and stood back. “Be safe, both of you. Get the women back, and make those bastards pay. If there’s anything at all we can do to help …”
Anton grasped Adam’s wrist. “There is. I need your energy—whatever you’ve got, tonight at precisely five minutes to ten.” At least he had the good sense to look embarrassed when he turned to Liana and added, “If you can time your orgasm for that precise moment, it would be most helpful.”
Liana raised both eyebrows, but at least she was smiling. “Is that all?” She swung around and gazed at Adam, then she nodded, as if in agreement. She touched Anton’s fingers, where they wrapped around her mate’s arm. “Would the power of our
Liana gave a sharp, determined jerk of her head. “I don’t think so. Tia came out of it, though she said it affected her ability to mindtalk and gave her a huge headache. I’ve been wondering if they’re still unconscious, though. If the dose was too high, or went directly into the artery. If whatever they used reacts differently to Chanku metabolism. Do we know if the ones who kidnapped them are aware they’re shapeshifters?”
Keisha shook her head. “Luc doesn’t think so. Very few people know of our existence. They might know of Pack Dynamics and that we work with wolves, but that’s about it.”
“Then I’m guessing they’re still unconscious.” Anton glanced at Keisha. “And they can’t shift to escape, so …”
Liana frowned at him. “Why not? Unless they’re tightly collared, they should be able to shift.”
Adam was the one who interrupted her. “Not if they’re eight months pregnant.” He glanced at Keisha. “Didn’t you say you couldn’t shift after about the middle of your term?”
Keisha shrugged, remembering how awkward and big she’d grown during her pregnancy. “After my second trimester, I was afraid to. I didn’t think it was safe for the developing fetus.”
“But why?” Liana glanced from Anton to Adam and then focused her attention on Keisha. “A Chanku bitch can shift up until she delivers. During delivery, if she’s in wolf form, she will have no control over a shift to human when birth is imminent, but until that moment, she can shift and the baby will shift with her. The connection is total between mother and child. Whatever her form, that is her unborn child’s form.”
“I had no idea. I worried so much about shifting, even in the very early months.” Keisha glanced at Anton. “This is knowledge that Lisa and Tala don’t have. It’s something that could make a difference.”
“I agree.” Anton ran his fingers over his forehead. “We need to get down there.” Keisha wrapped her fingers around his outstretched hand. He pulled her to her feet.
“Liana,” he said, wrapping his arm around Keisha’s waist, “when this crisis has ended and the women are safe, you and I need to sit down for a long talk.” He laughed, leaned over, and kissed the woman who’d once been their Goddess, and long ago, his lover. “I’ve been afraid to bother you with all my many questions, but it’s time to put that consideration aside.”
Keisha jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow. “Actually, I think the girls and I need to spend some time with Liana and see what kinds of misconceptions we might have. I’d hate to discover we’re not really a matriarchal society.” She tugged Anton toward the door. “Because if we’re not, I don’t want the men to know.”
Liana and Adam walked them to the door. “No worry there, Keisha.” Liana’s laughter was contagious. “Female Chanku will always have the last word. It’s not only bred into us, it’s part of the males’ physiology as well.”
“I was afraid of that.” Adam kissed Liana’s cheek. “I knew there was a reason she wins every argument.”
“It’s because I’m smarter and faster than you, my love.”
“There is that.” Adam opened the door and stood back. “Be safe, both of you. Get the women back, and make those bastards pay. If there’s anything at all we can do to help …”
Anton grasped Adam’s wrist. “There is. I need your energy—whatever you’ve got, tonight at precisely five minutes to ten.” At least he had the good sense to look embarrassed when he turned to Liana and added, “If you can time your orgasm for that precise moment, it would be most helpful.”
Liana raised both eyebrows, but at least she was smiling. “Is that all?” She swung around and gazed at Adam, then she nodded, as if in agreement. She touched Anton’s fingers, where they wrapped around her mate’s arm. “Would the power of our
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