Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Lila
W e return to our suite once the children start to get clingy and cranky. They may be growing quickly, but they are still only a couple of months old, and they need plenty of sleep. In fact, they probably need it more because they are growing so fast. They don’t put up any protest when we get them into their beds, and the rest of us collapse in the living area to chill for a while. Xavier makes coffee, and Cas turns on the television, the volume muted with some galactic movie playing in the background.
My grandpas headed to the med bay with Link to check on my grandma, and Echo and Maxsim have appeared from their rooms, looking much more refreshed than they were earlier.
“Hey, babe, how are you feeling?” Echo throws himself onto the couch next to me and snuggles into my side, giving me a soft kiss on the lips.
I smile at him. “Weary, but that was just what I needed.” I pause, thinking about Ghosie who must have headed to his own room, because he wasn’t here when we returned. Zeydan and Silac both promised they would go check on him when they went to their rooms, but I kind of want them all here too. My greedy mimic keeps whispering words of want in my ear, insisting they are ours too, but I barely know them, and my psyche, which is still struggling with my Earth upbringing, keeps telling me that it’s wrong to want them as well. Silac is keeping firm boundaries despite his overt display a few nights ago. He’s an honorable man, and at the moment, he wants everything to be sorted with his fiancée before anything goes further between us. I think avoiding being in my company is helping with that—out of sight, out of mind kind of thing.
“Good. You need to take every scrap of downtime you can get,” he replies as Xavier hands me a coffee. When I take a sip, I’m surprised to find it laced with blood. Caspian’s blood, by the taste of it—all ocean breezes and passionfruit. It’s the best coffee I’ve ever had. I think maybe all my drinks should be laced like this in future. I wiggle with happiness, and my mates chuckle around me.
“We’ve all had Link draw some of our blood so we can supplement your drinks during busy times. Saxon insists you aren’t taking enough from the vein, and it’s going to make you more volatile,” Xavier explains.
“Don’t want you gnawing on some random stranger’s neck,” Maxsim grumbles adorably as he stretches and heads to the kitchen, looking in the fridge for something to eat. He finds the leftovers from the picnic and pulls them out, making himself and Echo a plate, which he brings over and deposits in our pregnant omega’s lap before taking a seat on the floor at his feet.
Echo purrs and tackles the food like he hasn’t eaten in weeks. He is eating for three now, and I remember very well what that feels like.
My gaze swings to my Vilaxian mate, and I think about what Maxsim just said. Shit, I am the worst blood rose ever.
I drain my cup and place it on a nearby coffee table before going over to Saxon and climbing into his lap. “I’m sorry you ended up with such a neglectful blood rose.” I put my arms around him and turn my neck to the side. “Please take what you need,” I say to him, but he chuckles, and instead of sinking his fangs in, he places a kiss on the side.
“It’s okay. The guys are supplementing my diet. We all know how much you’ve had on your plate, and they are happy to help. You didn’t notice, but when Tirrian shifted before, he offered his vein to me after he stretched his wings. Let me tell you, that dragon is delicious, and I drank my fill. I’ll be good for a day or two. Plus, if I drink from you now, that’s not going to be all it is.”
I squirm, remembering exactly how good Tirrian tastes, and mouth, “Thank you,” to him. He just winks, and I stare for a moment, stunned at the complete one eighty from grumpy asshole to sexy, all-in bond mate. Saxon must enjoy my wiggling, because I feel his cock harden beneath me. I’m about to suggest we take this to my room, but before I can suggest it, Link appears in the entry of our suite. His silvery locks stick out in all directions, and he looks more panicked than I’ve ever seen him before.
“Lila,” he shouts when he sees me. “Nikos is in labor. You need to hurry, he needs you.” His panicked gaze shifts to Cas. “Can you go too since I can’t be in the water?” Cas doesn’t even hesitate as he gets to his feet, but I’m still frozen with shock on Saxon’s lap.
Holy crap, it’s time. I’m about to become a mom again, but because I wasn’t the one actually carrying the babies, I don’t know if I’m prepared for it. We haven’t even really had a chance to stock the nursery with everything they might need. I have been meaning to read up on Aquilian babies, but with everything else that has happened, it’s one of those things that hasn’t happened. What if they don’t like me? What if I can’t bond with them? I haven’t spent nearly enough time in my own Aquilian form. Hell, I’ve practically neglected my mate during his pregnancy. He’s been very understanding, but how can he not be hurt by it?
I tried to call Nixie to see if she could give me some information, but she didn’t accept my call. I was hurt but didn’t let it stop me. I also put in a meeting request through the official Aquilian royal family secretary, hoping maybe she was too busy with her new responsibilities to take a moment of personal time, but that was also denied. I haven’t shared that with any of my mates. I didn’t want to upset them. I’m upset that Nikos’s sister wasn’t willing to help, but also because I thought Nixie and I formed a friendship. I guess I was more invested than she was.
“Lila,” Xavier calls my name, and when I look up, everyone is staring at me impatiently. “Nik needs you.” I feel him push a wave of encouragement and confidence at me, even though he’s frowning. He must be able to feel all my doubt and anxiety.
“Yes, okay, yes, let’s do this.” Everyone stands up at the same time, and I freeze again and look at them with confusion. “Are you coming?” I ask, and it’s Echo who answers.
“Of course we are. We may not be able to be in the water, but we want to be there to greet the new members of our family as soon as they arrive.”
My heart melts, and my worry seeps away. This is my family, and we can do anything together. Hell, if we can wrangle three kraken shifter babies, two more aren’t going to be that much harder.
“Okay, cool. Let’s go. We’re having babies.” Okay, maybe my panic hasn’t completely left the building, but at least it’s died down to a slow simmer.
“I’m going to stay, and I’ll call Silac or Ghosie to come sit with the babies, then I’ll join you.” Maxsim places a kiss on Echo’s lips, followed quickly by one on mine.
“Thank you.” I brush my hand down his furry arm and hurry to the door, not willing to wait around any longer, but as I pass Xavier, he reaches out and grabs me.
“We will meet you there,” he tells the others, and in a flash, we materialize in the cavern at the bottom of the pool. I strip off my shirt as Xavier drops to my feet and slides my shorts and panties down my legs, tapping them so I step out.
My heart races as I look at the crystal blue water, which is churning like a washing machine. I can’t see Nikos, but he has to be down there somewhere. “Should I wait for the others?” I ask him, doubting myself once more. “Link might have instructions.”
He shakes his head and chuckles. “Did you need instruction?” he asks me, and I feel a little silly. “It should all be instinctual, at least for Nik. You just need to be there for moral support. Go, Cas will catch up.”
I nod and give him an absent kiss then dive into the pool, my shift happening the moment my head touches the water. By the time my feet enter, they’ve already merged into a tail. The special film slides across my eyeballs, and the hazy water clears so I can see perfectly. I hear a sound that has my stomach roiling with sympathy, and I glance around for the source. Nikos is moaning, and it’s not the heady sounds of pleasure that I know he’s capable of. This sound is filled with pain.
Instinct has me swimming downward, searching for the place inside me that is all his in the hope it will guide me in the right direction. The sight of an anemone much like the one in our special cave has me pausing with surprise. Where did that come from? Another pain-filled groan has me flicking my tail hard, giving me a burst of speed toward my mate. I push through the long, flowing tendrils of the sea creature and find my mate curled up as much as he can with such a huge belly. His tail is tight against his body, and his arms are wrapped around his baby bump. Agony is etched into the strained muscles and lines on his face, but his eyes brighten when he sees me.
You’re here. His relief has me moving to his side. I slide my hands into his hair, stroking through the golden mass as I reply to him.
Of course I am. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. I lean in and press a kiss to his lush mouth, which is pressed into a grimace. I’m sorry I haven’t been here more often. I’m a terrible mate.
He shakes his head and relaxes slightly under my touch. No, you’re not, but I’m glad you’re here now. He gasps and then rolls away from me, his body twitching, and I watch on, helpless to do anything to make it better. I run my eyes over his body. He told me his sexual slit is where the babies will come out, but so far, it hasn’t opened up, although his belly is way lower than it was the last time I saw him. It’s like it sunk slightly into his groin.
What can I do to help? I ask him as he opens his mouth and bubbles stream out as he starts to pant through what I’m assuming is a contraction.
He can’t answer me, the pain obviously too great, but a hand on my shoulder has me jumping and turning to find Cas has joined us, his tentacles stroking down my back in a soothing manner.
Link said if you rub your tail against his, it should ease some of the ache. He should be swimming too, so lets get him up and in the water. He moves to the side and wraps two tentacles around Nikos, carefully lifting him before swimming backwards through the anemone, wincing as the tendrils sting him but being ever so careful with our panting merman.
I follow after them, feeling a little helpless, but I can hear Caspian whisper to Nikos to unfurl his tail and move it back and forth. It takes a little coaxing, but he listens, and see the instant relief wash over his tight features as he sighs. I dart forward, wrapping my hands around him, his belly pressing against mine as I rub our tails together. He moans, and more tension drains out of him.
That’s good , Cas encourages. I’m surprised I can hear his voice in my head, and I can tell that Nik can too. Now, your tails rubbing together should help Nikos create a secretion to allow the birthing channel to open. Once it does, Lila, you need to let him swim on his own for a little bit. The movement should encourage the babies to move through the birthing channel. Then, when it opens even more, Nik needs to start, and I quote the good doctor, humping the water on the spot. The back and forth movement should help ease the babies out.
I flick my tail again, and we start swimming in slow circles. Cas stays with us, his own tentacles propelling him to keep pace. His encouraging words and tone ease some of my panic as I feel a secretion start to build between our tails. It’s thick, and I think it’s actually leaking from my sexual slit, but we are pressed too close together for me to be able to look down and see for sure. Nik sort of sighs and goes lax in our embrace.
Feels nice, he murmurs as I lift a hand to push back his hair, wishing I had thought to grab hair ties to keep our locks off our faces. Our hair floats and tangles together, but I barely notice, my focus completely on my pregnant mate as I monitor his pain levels.
We swim for about ten minutes in slow circles at the bottom of the cave before his body goes taut in my arms again, and his breathing picks up once more.
Little faster now, Lila. The more we move through the contractions, the better, Cas advises us.
How do you know all this? I ask him, and he taps a finger to his temple.
Xavier has Link in my head, and I’m just repeating all his instructions. He grins. It’s really helpful. Apparently when a mer gives birth on Aquilia, there’s usually a whole maternity team with the expectant parent.
I can’t stop the growl that rumbles up and out into the water, the bubbles big and explosive. As much as I’m hurt that Nixie ignored my attempt to contact her, I’m more angry now. Nikos has basically been abandoned and has done nothing to deserve it. Maybe his mother is no better than his father was. It wouldn’t surprise me, since enduring horrible treatment can make people change—sometimes for the better, but more often than not for the worse. I hope she isn’t making her people suffer as much as she is hurting her son. Otherwise, I may have to have a discussion with my father-in-law and Saxon’s aunt about the Vilaxians and warlocks overthrowing the current Aquilian royal family. That crown is my mate’s birthright, and through him, the first baby we’re about to welcome into this world.
Another groan from Nikos has all of that leaving my brain for now as I focus on his well-being. We do as Link and Cas instruct, and I move us swifter, my tail beating faster. The slick slide between us gets thicker, and I feel his slit open beneath me. I pull back and look down to judge how far it’s opened. It’s a long line, much longer than when his cock pokes out, but the edges are still close together. Cas releases his grip and swims around to have a look. He must be relaying the information to Link, because I see him nod, and then he returns to his place at Nik’s back, rubbing his lower back.
That’s good. The contractions should start coming faster now as the babies move through the channel, but you need to keep rubbing together. It needs to open wide enough to see a baby’s head and allow the tail to pass through, which will be wider than the head. He keeps his voice low and soothing, but I feel my own muscles tighten at the thought. Fuck, poor Nik. That’s going to tear him badly if it doesn’t open farther. I rub harder and faster, my nipples pebbling at the friction as it presses against my clit inside my own sexual slit.
Link suggests you suck on his nipples. It should stimulate the sexual slit open, and they will swell with milk, ready to feed the babies, Cas says. His eyes are heated with lust, and one of his tentacles floats forward and strokes over my tail, sending spikes of pleasure through my body. I lean forward and wrap my lips around Nik’s pebbled nipple, his fingers sliding into my hair as I suck hard before flicking my tongue over the nub. He groans, and his fingers tighten. I swap back and forth between the two, biting and sucking and rolling it around in my mouth, my hands massaging the flesh around it, Caspian holding the two of us together. I pull back and watch in amazement as they start to swell slightly.
Keep massaging them, Cas says huskily in my head as one of his tentacles drifts up to help. Nik throws his head back, leaning it on Cas’s shoulder as I watch his suckers suction onto his nipple. I quiver, remembering how good that feels.
Things should start moving quickly now, he explains as I lean down, alternating licks and sucks when a gush of fluid flows into my mouth, and I just about choke on it in surprise. It’s milky and musky but doesn’t taste bad at all, and I swallow it down.
The more you suck, the more that will develop for both babies, Cas says as fluid gushes out of the nipple he’s attending. Nik writhes between us, and I feel a roll of movement along my stomach. It won’t be long now until we greet our babies.