Rogue's Paradise (Rogue Prophet Book 2) by Jason Beymer

Author:Jason Beymer [Beymer, Jason]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tomes and TV
Published: 2015-03-17T00:00:00+00:00

11

BIRTHING

MONA SURVEYED THE casino floor from her barstool. The late afternoon brought more foot traffic to the Woobly Bear Casino. Soldiers in panda costumes weaved through the gamblers.

Mona stared at the felt curtain concealing the staircase. Four soldiers guarded it, along with their leader, Rorick Stapleton III. Mona wanted Doban to leave that horrible suite, descend the steps, and say, "Okay, time to go." But thirty minutes had passed since she'd left him alone with that woman, and he still hadn't come.

Barbus patted her leg. He took up three of the barstools beside her. "Take it easy," he said. "He'll be fine."

She tried to smile but couldn't. Barbus wasn't looking at her anyway; his eyes focused on Hester sitting at a poker table with Pooky.

Mona waved at the female clovort. "She loves you, you know."

"Who?"

"Hester," Mona replied. "I have good intuition for these things."

"She has a funny way of showing it. She's nuzzling up to that human. I need to get out of here."

"She's trying to make you jealous."

As Hester licked Pooky's earlobe, Barbus grunted. "When I came to this city, seeking answers, she greeted me. We spent those first few months together in my room. I hadn't seen a sentient female clovort in years. Most of them are the mindless sort, enslaved by humans for their milk-bearing properties. It was a relief to find such an oasis, but she wanted more than I could give." He clenched his fists. "She wanted marriage, to start a family. I could not make such a sacrifice."

"Why not? You deserve happiness."

"It's nice of you to say so," Barbus said. "But I can't marry anyone right now, nor can I take on additional responsibilities."

"Two can shoulder responsibility better than one."

Barbus glanced up at the ceiling.

"Okay," she said, "so my marriages are bad examples. But Hester loves you. That's all that matters. In the Biblum it states the union of man and woman creates a balance."

Barbus watched Hester stroke Pooky's long black hair. "No," he said. "There can be no us. I've made the sacrifice already."

"Love is—"

He patted her leg again, harder this time. "No more talk of Hester. It's good to see you, Mona."

"Is it?"

"Of all humans, you are the only one I trust. I need you to understand your condition."

"What condition?"

"Your pregnancy."

Rorick Stapleton III approached them, holding a plate. "Here you are, princess," he said. "I know you must be hungry. Eating for two. I brought you a sandwich and a glass of water."

She took the glass from him and gulped it down. "Please," she said, wiping her chin. "Don't call me that. Let me see my husband."

"The filthy rogue is conversing with Phoenia. You may talk to him later, if he can still speak."

Mona grabbed Stapleton's wrist. "Please."

"I can do nothing about it." Stapleton pulled his arm away.

"What did that woman do to you? She said she gave you something called Love Powder?"

"At a banquet, celebrating our arrival from the palace, she slipped it into my goblet. She has some sort of power over me.

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