The Tiger Within 437 Two Heart Beats

Clovis smiled softly as he gently ran his fingers through Kyera's hair. She was asleep in the fallen cradle, her body exhausted from her emotional roller coaster. He still didn't know why Talis had insisted that he find her. Now, he was glad the tiger had. It was obvious at a glance something was very wrong. He had seen her pour emotions into a tree before, but that had been in the gardens quite a while ago, after she found out He was still alive, and they had lost their home with his family. She had blamed herself then, he wondered what emotions she was transfering to the tree this time.

He sat down on the tree and slid into place beside Kyera. Carefully, he tilted her into his arms and snuggled her. His heart bonding with hers as his body senses her heart beat. She murmurs softly nuzzling into him like a kitten disturbed from her sleep. Clovis waited patiently for those golden eyes to open and focus.

"Clovis?" She murmured as his scent. Her eyes opened slowly, as she tried to wake up in his arms. He smiled kissing her forehead. There was a strange tension in the air, as if a secret someone hid in the wind, just beyond the barrier, but it was so slight that neither really noticed it. One was still too asleep to pay attention, but the other was focused on her.

"Who else would be brazen enough to invade your Shadow Guard and hara.s.s you while you sleep?" He asked teasingly, his smile dazzling. She stole a light kiss from him, unable to resist this morning. The brief feeling of his lips to hers was enough to quiet the deep set fluttering in her heart.

"I will give you that. There are very few on earth that would dare. You and you alone would survive long enough to hold me." She replies cuddling into him a bit. Clovis kissed her hair and smiled, feeling content in the moment.

"I should hope so. I don't want to have to destroy any compet.i.tion any time soon." He replied feeling a brief touch of masculine possession. She was his wife, the mother of his beautiful daughter. He had no intentions of letting anyone else touch her. Then a thought crossed his mind. "I noticed when I walked up you were pouring your emotions into the tree and they didn't feel positive. Is something wrong?" His words were careful but direct. Kyera frowned, unable to meet his eyes now. Her fingers fidgeted lightly with the laces of her dress. "Kyera, talk to me love. Let me shoulder your burden." He added soothingly, his voice the gentlest caress on her senses.

"I know, and it isn't that I don't want to share. I am just… having to come to terms with it for myself before I try and explain it to anyone else."  Kyera struggled to explain what was going on. He needed to know, he had every right to know, but she still felt timid. That wasn't something she felt often and it equated to fear. Did he want to have children with her? She hadn't asked. They had Raina, she was all they really needed, but there was a sense of pride and happiness she couldn't explain at the child in her womb. Their child, born of love and understanding. She would be a better mother than her own, this child would be raised with love and security…

"Then, My Kitten, please use me as a sounding board. Perhaps I can help?" Clovis offered, sweeping her onto his lap so she wouldn't be at such a awkward angle, and his arms could fit completely around her.

"To be honest, your one of the ones I have to find a way of telling." She replied softly, looking a bit uncertain. His hands were resting on her tummy. She couldn't help but hope he would be excited, but her words darkened his expression.

"Just tell me straight then. You and I have been through alot together, I'm sure it isn't anything I can not forgive." Clovis reasoned, offering a rea.s.suring smile as he looked up into her eyes with their position. She smiled back softly. Her hands came to rest over his, holding them over her slightly rounded tummy.

'Clovis, My husband, we are going to have a baby' Kyera tried to say the words but they wouldn't come out. It was like they were caught in her throat, but then he looked down at her stomach and his eyes widened.

"There are two heart beats." He spoke in shock, his expression suddenly went a bit blank, other than the wide eyed stare as he looked down at his palms. Kyera chuckled nervously, her knees instinctively s.h.i.+fting.