Yet here in the heart of the Sentella, while on his way to a risky surgery, he was completely at ease and relaxed. Even with people as deadly as Syn and Hauk. His behavior reminded him more of how his brother and sister acted around him.

But then, Darling knew they would kill or die for him just as he would for them. He trusted Hauk and Syn, she realized. Fully.

More than he's ever trusted me. And that stung on a level so deep, she had to force herself not to flinch from it. They owned a part of Darling that she could never reach.

"Are you okay?" Maris asked her.

She nodded in spite of the fact it was a lie. She wanted Darling to give her this side of himself, too. To be so comfortable with her that he could be silly and childlike without reservation.

As they entered the waiting room, Zarya slowed. Trepidation filled her at the sight of all the unfamiliar people gathered there to see Darling.

Nykyrian Quiakides she knew immediately by sight, but only because his face had once adorned more wanted lists than hers and Darling's combined. Given his extreme height and long white-blond hair that was braided down his back, he was a hard man to miss. And while he was no longer a League assassin, he still wore the dark sunglasses that kept anyone from seeing what he was looking at or who he was targeting.

Next to him was an extremely pregnant redhead. She put her hand on Darling's arm to stop Syn from taking him straight into the operating room.

Pulling the sheet back, she tsked at him. "Don't tell me they couldn't get you here any other way."

Darling laughed. "Ah, you know. It happens."

The woman took his hand into hers, sending a little wave of jealousy through Zarya. "I know Syn will take care of you, but... I love you, sweetie. God speed and keep you." She placed a kiss on Darling's forehead, then stepped back.

"Don't worry," Maris whispered in Zarya's ear. "Kiara's an old friend of Darling's and she's married to the tall blond killer dwarfing her."

In spite of Maris's kindness, Zarya was beginning to feel like an outsider. Even as long as she and Darling had been together, there was still a lot about Darling she didn't know. And the people here brought that home with a vengeance. Not only did she not know who they were, she wasn't sure what they meant to him.

The next to stop Darling was a rather large group.

She could identify the tallest of the men, but again only by reputation. Dressed more like a Tavali pirate than royalty-right down to the blaster strapped to his lean hips-Caillen de Orczy was the Exeterian prince and heir to his father's empire. He'd been hunted a couple of years back when the League had erroneously accused him of assassinating his father and the Qillaq queen. For weeks, no one had been able to go near any news broadcast without seeing his face.

Tall, dark, and exceptionally gorgeous, Caillen had his arm around a brunette woman who was holding a little girl. Asleep on the woman's shoulder, the girl looked so much like her that it had to be her daughter.

And if Zarya didn't miss her guess, the red-haired woman beside Caillen was Shahara Dagan-one of the most lethal tracers in the business. Her name was synonymous with death, and anyone who carried a bounty on their life knew exactly who she was. You'd be a fool not to. No one wanted to tangle with Shahara. Most of all, they didn't want to be pursued by her.

Shahara held a toddler boy in her arms. He blew Darling a precious kiss before laughing and bouncing in his mother's arms. Then he practically jumped from Shahara to Syn who caught him and held him tight against his chest before he kissed the boy's cheek.

Zarya's jaw went slack as she realized the boy looked just like Syn.

"Syn has a son?" she asked Maris.

"Two, actually. The other was with his first wife."

She arched a brow at that disclosure.

"It's a really long story," Maris added.

The boy launched himself from Syn to Darling who sat up to catch him. Squealing, the boy wrapped his little arms tight around Darling's neck and hugged him close like he was another father.

"Hey, little guy," Darling said with a laugh. "Look how big you've grown."

The boy laughed and bounced in Darling's arms.

Her heart melted at the sight. Especially when Darling tickled him, then kissed his cheek. In that one moment, she could see Darling as a father...

"Dang, Shay," Darling said to Syn's wife. "What have you been feeding my boy? He weighs a ton."

"He does not," she said defensively. "He's perfect for his age. Absolutely perfect."

Darling made a face. "He's also smelly."

Shahara narrowed her eyes at Darling and then Syn in turn. "If you two weren't heading into surgery, I'd make one of you change him." She clapped her hands at the boy. "Come to Mama, Devy-baby."

The boy arched his back and fell into her arms.

"I'll change him for you," the man with her group said. He looked at the shorter of the two women with Shahara. "I need to practice. I'm sure Tess is going to make me change more than my fair share."

The woman who must be Tess grinned. "Oh baby, you know it. But look on the bright side, Thad. You still have a few more months of freedom before Devyn has a cousin."

Groaning, Thad carried a laughing Devyn out of the room.

Tess and the taller woman with brown hair came forward to wish Darling well and give him a quick kiss on the cheek.

The last group that stood in front of the operating room doors was all male and all feral testosterone.

Among them was Ryn who had returned to wearing his black Tavali gear. In fact, all four of them belonged to that renegade pirate group. An Andarion who reminded her of Hauk, a blond human male, and another man with dark hair whose features were similar to the woman with Prince Caillen.

All four of them touched Darling on the shoulder or bumped knuckles with him, but none of them spoke. It was as if their bond to him was such that no words were needed.

As Syn started to take him through the doors, Darling made him stop. Still sitting on the stretcher, he crooked his finger at her.

Heat exploded over her face as everyone turned to stare at her with great curiosity. Trying not to notice, she went to Darling.

He took her hand into his and offered her a grim smile. "Here's to hoping, right?"

Her stomach tightened as a wave of fear for him consumed her. "I still wish you wouldn't do this."

Cupping his hands around the one he held, he led it to his lips so that he could kiss her fingers. He nipped one, sending a chill along her spine that made her wish they were alone. She leaned down to kiss his lips.

When she pulled back, he winked at her. "I'll be fine," he promised. "After all, someone besides Sorche has to harass you." He held on to her hand until the hospital staff stopped her from entering the operating area. Even then, he gave one last squeeze before he reluctantly released her hand.

Tears swam in her eyes as he vanished from her sight and the doors closed, separating them. Please don't die on me...

The mere thought made her light-headed and ill. She couldn't bury another person she loved. She couldn't.

Maris wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her tightly. "Have faith. He'll be fine, Z."

Leaning back against his chest, she brushed her hand over his arms. "He better be, Mari. I'd hate to have to kill Syn."

In the next instant, she was surrounded by people who were hammering her with questions so fast that she couldn't distinguish any one of them. She was so grateful that Maris held her, otherwise she'd be terrified.

A loud whistle split the air.

They all turned to look at Nykyrian. "Yes, everyone. Darling has a girl-as in fully female-friend. Her name is Zarya. Try not to run her off. Darling will be most unhappy with you if you do."

The muscular brunette who was holding the little girl elbowed Caillen in his stomach. "I told you Darling wasn't gay. Next time, you'll listen to me, won't you?" Smiling sweetly, she stepped forward to offer Zarya her hand. "I'm Desideria Denarii de Orczy."

Zarya tried not to gape at the impressive pedigree displayed by that single name. "The Qillaq princess?"

"Was. Now happily Exeterian." She rubbed Caillen's stomach where she'd elbowed him. "And this is my most wonderful husband Caillen and our daughter Lillya who will wake up eventually and say hi."

Before Zarya could absorb that, Thad returned to hand Devyn back to his mother.

Taking her son, she stepped forward to introduce herself. "I'm Shahara, Syn's wife and Caillen's oldest sister. And I hate to mention this on our first meeting and all, but if you try to kill Syn, I'll really hurt you."

Zarya wasn't sure what to make of that, but one thing was certain. Shahara meant it.

Maris was right, there had to be one heck of a story as to how Syn had ended up married to one of the most lethal tracers in the Nine Systems. And how that tracer was related to an Exeterian prince...

It was enough to boggle the mind.

Shahara tickled the chin of her son, making him laugh out loud. "And this exceptionally handsome boy genius is our baby Devyn-the most spoiled child in the entire universe."

He squealed happily at Zarya as if he agreed completely with his mother's description for him.

Shahara held her hand up to the women who were with her. "These are my sisters Kasen and Tess. And Tess's husband, Thad."

Zarya did her best to commit all of them to memory. "Nice meeting you."

The other red-haired woman stepped forward with a regal grace that was impressive. "I'm Kiara Quiakides and the fiercely stern blond on my right is my husband Nykyrian. And we have other kids, but this," she rubbed her hand over her distended belly, "is the only one with us right now. The others are at home, hopefully not making their nannies too crazy."

Nykyrian let out an intimidating grunt. "If Adron sets fire to his room one more time, I vote we make him live outside in a tent."

Everyone laughed. Except Kiara who appeared to actually consider it.

Ryn led the group of men over. "These are..." He hesitated as if he couldn't think of how to introduce them to her. "Hell, I don't know what to call them that's fit for mixed company. They're family, too." He indicated the dark-haired man next to him. "Chayden Aniwaya is Desideria's older brother."

Chayden flashed a wicked grin at his sister. "I would stand near her, but she not only elbows, she kicks."

Desideria made a sound of extreme annoyance, then smiled. "Oh it's true. I do."

Zarya laughed at them, wondering how a prince could also be a Tavali pirate...

The insanely handsome blond with them stepped forward without an introduction and offered her his hand. "I'm Nero Scalera."

A strange rush went up her arm as she made contact with him. It was as if he had some kind of aura so powerful, it sizzled in the air around them.

"Hi," she said, hoping she didn't betray her unease. There was something about Nero that was truly frightening. Even more so than Nykyrian, and that was saying something.

Hauk draped his arm over the other Andarion. "This is my socially inept, evil older brother Fain."

"Who is destined to become an only child in the near future." There was a wicked glint in his eerie eyes as he narrowed his gaze at his younger brother.

Hauk took his threat in stride. "Nah, you love me and you know it."

"You go on and believe those lies if you want. I know the truth and it doesn't scare me."

"All right." Chayden broke them apart. "Hauks behave. I don't want to have to wash blood out of my clothes again today. I'm out of fresh shirts."

"Don't worry," Desideria said to Zarya in a loud whisper. "You'll eventually learn all of our names and quirks. It took me awhile to keep them straight myself."

As Zarya glanced around them, trying to remember who everyone was, she noticed one person was missing from the group.

Jayne. That wretched bitch who'd sold her...

Thank the gods for small favors. She was one person Zarya didn't want to ever see again.

But that good grace didn't last more than about an hour.

Sitting between Sorche and Lise, who were studying while they waited for Syn to update them, Zarya had just started to relax when the door opened.

Jayne came in with a smile on her face.

A smile that died the instant she met Zarya's gaze. Growling something that had to be a curse in whatever Jayne's native tongue was, she rushed toward Zarya.

Zarya shot to her feet, ready to battle the woman until one of them was dead.

But before Jayne could reach her, Nykyrian caught Jayne by the waist and tossed her over his shoulder with so little effort that it was truly frightening.

And impressive since Jayne was not only tall, but well muscled.

"Damn you, Andarion!" Jayne said between gritted teeth. "Put me down!"

Nykyrian tightened his grip on her as she tried to kick him. "Not until you get a hold of yourself."

Jayne made a sound of supreme agitation before she settled down. Somewhat. "What's she doing here?"

Drake answered. "Apparently seeing my brother..." He slid an insidious glance toward Zarya. "Among other things from what I've heard."

Zarya's face flamed.

Jayne froze as she looked around the gathered men for confirmation. "What?"

"Yeah." Drake grinned up at Jayne since Nykyrian had yet to put her down. "And if you harm her, Darling will probably hurt you over it."

Scowling, Jayne looked to Maris. "Mari? Is Drake lying to me?"

"Not a bit. About any of it. Darling will have your rump for a chew toy if you harm one hair on her head."

Jayne grumbled in that unknown language, but she was much calmer now.