Chapter Thirteen #3
Immediately the difference in Bel was visible. He relaxed into the bed with a serene smile.
“Pain gone?” Atlas asked.
“Yeah,” Bel said with a sigh.
“This was why you should have called me earlier,” Raphael pointed out. “Now let’s check how you’re coming along. He placed his hands on Bel’s stomach and closed his eyes.
Atlas watched the angel closely as he clutched his mate’s hand.
Raphael smiled and looked at them. “Your baby is ready.”
It really was time. He squeezed Bel’s fingers tight. “You can do this, my wonderful mate.”
“I can,” Bel agreed. “I’ll do this for you. For us.”
Bending over, Atlas kissed his mate fully on the lips. His sweet brave mate. Wow, they were going to have a baby.
“Like I explained before,” Raphael said.
Atlas drew away from kissing his mate to give their angel doctor his full attention.
“The body knows what to do. Bel, your stomach will stretch until the baby is ready to push through. Once your stomach opens, for lack of a better word, I will reach in and help the little miracle out.”
“And give me the baby,” Bel said.
“Yes, I will place your baby against your chest. Your body’s heat will help regulate the baby’s. We don’t know how much human or demon the baby will have in them.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Atlas said with a shake of his head. “All that matters is that our child is healthy.”
There was a loud cracking sound and Atlas nearly fainted.
Bel’s stomach was literally separating, revealing a smooth tear in the middle.
Calm as he could be, Raphael pushed the edges of the tear open before plunging his hands inside Bel’s stomach.
Atlas locked his knees to stay on his feet.
“I’m fine,” Bel told him. He squeezed Atlas’s fingers hard. “I can’t even feel anything any longer.”
Atlas nodded. Not that he could look at his mate. His focus one hundred percent on Raphael as the angel began to lift something from Bel’s stomach.
He held his breath until Raphael brought out their small baby covered in, well, something that Atlas was sure he didn’t want to know.
A sharp yip then the sweetest little cry echoed around them and Atlas could breathe again.
“Are…is…” Atlas gripped Bel’s hand with both of his, allowing his tears to fall freely.
“You have a beautiful, healthy, bouncing baby boy,” Raphael announced.
Lucifer and Asmos both cheered.
Truthfully, Atlas had forgotten that they were even in the room. His focus had been solely on his mate.
Raphael placed their son on Bel’s chest just like he said that he would. He waved his hand over the baby and Atlas could see his baby boy clearly without the goo or whatever. Atlas was going to go with goo. That…yeah, that was better.
Bel brought up his free hand to hold their son against his chest.
Their son.
Their baby.
Atlas wiped his face against his arm to clear the tears so he could gaze at his mate and child.
That had to be the most perfect moment in Atlas’s entire life.
Leaning forward, he took in the sweet smell of his baby boy before placing a kiss on his cheek. Then he kissed Bel as the demon prince sobbed, looking down at their miracle. That was what Raphael had called their child and he was right. This baby was a miracle.
With a gentle finger, Atlas brushed against his baby. First, Atlas counted all ten fingers. Then all ten toes. Very human fingers and toes. Next, Atlas ran his hand down his baby’s pale human skin to where the tiniest little stub of a tail was.
“He has horns,” Bel whispered.
“And a tail,” Atlas shared proudly. In his opinion this was the best-case scenario. Their child was part Bel and part Atlas. The perfect mixture of demon and human.
“He is beautiful, my friends,” Lucifer said as he and Asmos hovered close.
“I’m mending your stomach,” Raphael told Bel. “Try to stay still. You’ll be sore for about a week and I’ll come back to check on you then.”
“Thank you, brother,” Lucifer told Raphael.
“Thank you,” Atlas repeated. “Come closer, Asmos. Meet the next member of our bloodline. You too, Lucifer.”
Asmos was crying as well as he shuffled closer.
“Have you thought of a name?” Asmos asked.
Atlas exchanged a look with Bel and received a nod.
“We would love for you to meet our son, Caym,” Atlas announced proudly.
“Caym,” Asmos repeated in reverence.
“Caym,” Lucifer said. “Welcome to our realm, little one.”
“Caym.” Bel bent to kiss the top of their son’s head. “We already love you.”
“Yes, we do,” Atlas whispered before turning his head and kissing his mate. “And I love you.” With his whole heart. His heart full of love and family.
* * * * *
Bel
Rocking his young one in his arms, Bel hummed an old hell song to his sleeping son.
His beautiful, sweet, and sleepy baby boy.
The baby was the perfect mixture of human and demon.
A first of his kind. Hopefully not the last. Not that Bel was ready to even consider having another child yet but maybe someday.
That left his friends to fill the void of not having enough babies in the realm.
With how attentive and involved that Asmos was, Bel was really hoping that he would be the next to find a mate and carry a child.
Beelz was a good candidate as well as he was realm-hopping, actively searching for his mate.
Mammon was already taking precautions to make sure that it wasn’t him in the lineup.
Bel would wish his friend luck but knew from personal experience that when the fates decided to bless someone, nothing would stop what was meant to be.
So many changes for demonkind in such a short time. Great changes that all of them hadn’t even known that they needed.
Swaddled in a soft white blanket, Caym gave a little huff before sighing in his sleep.
The baby might only be a week old, but Caym’s personality and abilities were already making an appearance. He was an amazing baby. So good and sweet. Taking after Atlas’s easygoing ways. Just as Bel had hoped.
“You’re going to have to put him in the crib to sleep eventually.”
Still rocking, Bel turned toward his mate, who stood leaning against the wall of the nursery. “I was just waiting on you. Everything good with the paperwork?”
“Yes. I shouldn’t have worried. Our demons are happy to step in and help to give us time with our son.”
“I did tell you that,” Bel pointed out.
“Fine.” Atlas rolled his eyes. “Did Raphael stop by?”
Bel turned again, this time to place his sleeping baby in his crib. He made sure his son was comfortable before straightening. He knew what his mate really wanted to know and it wouldn’t hurt to make Atlas wait.
He patted his little one and turned.
“He couldn’t make it?” Atlas asked in disappointment.
Bel strode to the open doorway leading to the master bedroom. Just before reaching the threshold, Bel yanked his shirt over his head. “You have two minutes to get in bed or I’m fucking you.”
Only two steps into the room, Atlas tackled him from behind, pressing his erection against Bel. He kissed the back of Bel’s neck before nipping the mating mark that Bel still sported.
“We both know you’re dying to have my cock buried inside you,” Atlas declared, pushing his erection harder against him.
Bel wished both their clothes away. Maybe he was the one that was needy. He didn’t care. Atlas was the perfect mate and never questioned or denied Bel. Turning, he pulled Atlas up against his chest. “I love you, mate.”
Atlas smiled as his blue eyes sparkled. “I love you too. Who knew following a monster out of a movie theater would bring me so much joy?”
“Not a monster.” Bel rolled his eyes. “Unless you call me your monster.”
“How about my everything?” Atlas suggested before pulling Bel’s head down to his. “Because that is what you are, Bel. My everything.”
“That’s perfect, my mate. My perfect mate.” Bel kissed him deeply.