Chapter Five #2
She stepped into the house, and the scent of baking was everywhere in the space. Ever since she had told Kaitha that the scents didn’t bother her, the baking orgy had commenced.
Kaitha came by and grabbed her bag. “Take a shower and get comfy. I will get a meal together. Oh, and unlace the little one. It needs room to grow.”
“It has room to grow. It’s just a bump.”
“I know, but just because it went deep doesn’t mean that it doesn’t need to flex and move a little.”
“It will be doing that as soon as I get into my PJs. Back in five.” She headed upstairs, removed her uniform, put it in the hamper, unlaced her corset, removed her support cami that remained against her skin, and headed into the shower.
The bump was kicking today. She didn’t want to know the sex until it arrived, so it was just Bump.
She realized that she had left her ponytail in and winced as she pulled it out before she washed her hair. She washed, conditioned, and scrubbed her skin and then made sure she was squeaky clean before she turned off and stepped out of the shower.
A quick brushing and spreading out the damp hair was routine as she got ready for bed.
Her PJs and robe were on when she pattered down to the kitchen, where Kaitha had arranged a feast.
“Can I check on Bump while you eat?”
“Sure.” She pivoted to the side and hiked up her shirt with one hand while she ate the omelette, croissant, fruit, decaf, and water.
Kaitha pressed her hands to the bump and smiled. “Baby is fine. No harm from the compression. It’s still in pretty deep, so it has plenty of room to grow. Good thing you are a tall lady. Not huge, but not a slender goblin or anything.”
“Thanks. I am not all elf statuesque or anything, but I get by. I certainly pass for human under a certain light.”
She laughed. “You mean a dark room?”
“Yeah, that one.”
She chuckled and kept eating at a steady pace. The prenatal vitamins were her last item, and then she sighed. “You spoil me.”
“You need spoiling. I saw the videos today. She’s safe?”
“She’s safe. Administrator Brooks sent me a note about saving a life.”
“Good. And nice circumventing of the rules.”
“I do love that. Oh, and the mayor’s assistant is throwing me a shower. After I go on mat leave.”
Kaitha leaned back, her aqua eyes were amused and horrified. “Where?”
“At the mansion. I keep thinking of Matthias in a diapering contest and get amused and stunned at the same time.”
“Wow. So, you saw him tonight?”
“Yup. When I left, he was hauling Leo into his arms with a determined look on his face.” Nylora laughed. “I guess both he and I sleep better if we eat an hour before.”
Kaitha stood up and laughed. “I can’t imagine those two being intimate.”
“You would be surprised. When they are together with one witness, they are very couple-y.”
Kaitha smiled and cleared the dishes. “How are you dealing with the bio-dad?”
“Oh, Stomp? He kept trying to talk to me when we bumped into each other at the werewolf neighbourhood.”
“And did you?”
“There wasn’t really an opportunity for it. We got another call, and off we went.”
“Are you ever going to talk to him? You are running out of time.”
“I am thinking about it. I don’t have his name or his number.”
“Can’t you just ask at the XIA?”
“No. That might get him fired or at least written up. Or worse, they would laugh me out of there and tell me to fuck off.”
“Ah. Yeah, I guess it is tricky.”
“Yeah, well, tomorrow, I am going for tea with Jennel at the minotaur mansion. She’s excited to have another dark fae around.”
Kaitha chuckled. “Well, it must be nice. I mean, it was nice having Mom as a social peer. I know you didn’t have that.”
“I didn’t. Okay, I am going to catch up on email and then go to bed. I need to get about six hours in before I meet with Jennel.”
“I will have your dinner ready for you in the fridge. Get some sleep.”
Nylora got up, hugged her foster sister, and headed to bed. She could answer emails for half an hour before she had to hit the sheets.
Jennel smiled. “So, you have been working as a medic for a while?”
“A few years. I just moved from days to nights.”
Jennel frowned. “Why? Are you light sensitive?”
“No. I had to do the thing I did today, and now I can apply for days again.” She chuckled. “After six months or the mat leave.”
“How long can you be on leave?”
“I have between a year and eighteen months saved. I could stay at home with Bump if I had to until it hits school. After that, I should probably find something to do.”
Jennel blinked. “Wow. You have a house?”
“I live with my foster sister. She has a house. I pay for far less than I intended.” She smiled. “I try. I used to transfer money to her, but she isn’t going for it. She transfers it right back.”
Her host laughed. The goblin chef came in and took the tea trays. “Everything to your liking, lady?”
Nylora was still hungry but smiled. “It was all lovely. Thank you.”
Akkas looked at her and blinked. “I will bring in a little more.”
“Seriously. Is there a sign?”
He laughed. “No, and yes. I can see the signs around your features.”
Jennel blinked. “Wait. You mean you are pregnant now? I thought you were talking about the future.”
Akkas grinned. “I will be back.”
Nylora sighed. “Sorry. Mayor Matthias and Leonora got the briefing yesterday. He caught on to Bump’s separate heartbeat.”
“No one else has?”
“Nope. My glamour is pretty complete at work.”
Jennel chuckled and smiled. “Must explain why Reymark hasn’t mentioned it. He’s nosey, and I know he was there yesterday. Oh, shit. Jennor is going to freak.”
“Why?”
“He has a huge chivalrous streak, and he never would have launched you upward if he knew.”
“Oh, no kidding. The XIA teams, male or female, treat preggo ladies like glass.”
“Right, so... who’s the dad?”
“A guy I met on vacation.”
Jennel looked disappointed. “No other details?”
“Why are you doing this?”
“I want to know. Have you seen him here in town?”
She exhaled. “Yes.”
“Oh. While you were at work?”
Nylora gritted her teeth. “Yes.”
“Another medic?”
“No.”
Jennel paused, and her eyes flicked to the stairs. “An XIA agent?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, what’s his name?”
Nylora felt triumphant as she said, “I don’t know.”
Jennel blinked. “What?”
“I don’t know his name. We didn’t exchange pleasantries on the day, and he left a few hours after the event.”
“But you have seen him at work. What do you call him?”
“Agent or I use a nickname.”
“Like what?”
“Stomp.”
Jennel paused and cocked her head. “The guys are getting up.”
“They will miss it if you aren’t with them.”
“Tough. They will get over it.” Jennel paused and angled her head upward. “Pants!”
Nylora laughed, and Akkas brought another service of tea. She started eating and looked at Jennel. “Are you affected by the curse of truth?”
“Not usually. I am pretty good at getting around it.”
Reymark looked different at home. Way less clothing for one. He walked down the stairs and wrapped his arms and shadows around Jennel. “Hey, Medic Mills.”
“Hey, Reymark.”
“Reymark, how many heartbeats does she have?”
Red eyes looked at her and focused. “Holy shit. You are pregnant!”
“Yeah. It’s going to get around fast.”
“You don’t look pregnant.”
“Thanks. You don’t look like a dickhead, and yet, here we are.”
Jennel laughed and then gasped.
Nylora stood. “Well, as foreplay has started, I am out of here. There are things the baby doesn’t need to see. Nice talking, Jennel.”
As she walked toward the door, she heard, “Nice seeing you, Medic Mills.”
Nylora couldn’t say what she wanted to, so she got into the ambulance and drove off. Time to restock and get it ready for her shift.
* * * *
Akkas came out with a huge lunch bag. “Ah, she left?”
Reymark chuckled and slid his shadows over Jennel. “Yeah, you missed her.”
“She needs more food than she’s eating. The child is already big and growing fast.”
Reymark laughed. “She’s barely showing.”
“She’s deep, not round. My sister was a midwife. She told me everything and the signs to look for.” He looked at Reymark with narrowed eyes. “Were you starting foreplay in front of a pregnant woman with no mate?”
Reymark paused. “Maybe? What do you mean, no mate?”
Jennel said, “She’s not with the father. Do you know a guy who would answer to Agent Stomp?”
He paused and cocked his head. “No—oh. Yeah. She gives you a nickname if she doesn’t know your name. I am Creep, Day-ek is Flex, and Jennor is Thud.”
“So, who would Stomp be?”
“I think Solor.”
“Why is that name familiar?”
Jennor came downstairs wearing sweats. “He has the property to the south. It was his involvement in the XIA that spurred me into signing up.”
Jennel smiled. “Is he on nights?”
Jennor was wary. “Yes.”
Day-ek came down wearing shorts. “Are you going to grill our neighbour about whether he once fucked a dark fae?”
Jennel shrugged. “Yeah.”
The orc rubbed his face. “I will be dressed in a few minutes. Do not leave without me.”
Jennor pressed his nose to her cheek. “Or me.” He headed up the stairs.
Reymark looked at her. “You are in for such a pounding when we get off shift.”
She grinned. “Promises, promises.”
He kissed her savagely and then headed upstairs to get dressed for the shift that started in three hours.
Jennel looked at Akkas. “Was it something I said?”
“If you are willing to defer pleasure, then they had better realize you are serious. You get along with Nylora.”
“I do. Her situation is why I am putting the thought of pregnancy aside for now. This isn’t something that is easy on a person. Dark fae die in childbirth frequently. She has nerves of steel if she thinks she can do it alone.”
He sighed. “That is what my sister told me. I have made a decision that Sir Reymark will not enjoy.”
“What?”
“Since Nylora will remain unsatisfied, so will he. He’s going vegetarian. He will still get what he needs, but it is all that he technically requires.”
“Wait... so she’s...”