Chapter Two #2
Demuel slid his hands over her hips, and he had been touching her a lot throughout the shift.
The contact didn’t freak her out. He slid his hands up and was taking her shirt with him.
Solor slid his fingers into the front of her cargo pants and unbuckled the belt that kept everything in place when she was climbing through disasters.
Demuel asked her to lift her arms, and she did. As the shirt came off, the pants settled around her hips.
An arm around her ribs lifted her, and off came her boots.
That was managed with a bit of magic. She was in her socks and underwear, but both men were focused on her belly.
She felt Solor’s hand first, and he knelt to press his head to the top of the slight swell.
He looked up at her. “You have been taking care of this, but who has been taking care of you?”
“My sister when I asked.”
“May we try to do it without you asking?”
She frowned. “What?”
“We want to take care of you, grow affection, and ideally make our connection permanent.”
She blinked. “Um... do you have a timeline for this?”
“Three months?”
She snorted. “Families need a proof of attachment?”
“Well, I want Bump to inherit my power, and that would mean that they have to be accepted by the community, which would need to be in place when they are born.”
“Oh, well, Bump is already accepted by my community.” She smiled but relented. “But I know what you mean.”
He blinked. “You do?”
“Yeah. The you with the horns. When the baby arrives, he gives a blessing.”
“Yes, so you do know.”
“Yeah. After I knew what was with me that night, I looked into how you treat your kids.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Both of you. Just in case.”
Demuel grinned. “Thank you. What did you learn about my people?”
“You are a little free with that horn.”
He snorted with laughter.
She turned back to Solor. “Now, I saw that you can do a lot on your knees, but I think getting me out of this underwear would be a nice start. No sense making things harder than they have to be.” Nylora smiled. “I will tackle the sports bra. It is a contents under pressure situation.”
She took a deep breath and worked the bra up and over her head. Solor made a soft sound and licked at the red ridges and valleys left in her skin.
Nylora felt lust roar through her, and she threaded her fingers into his hair, holding his head to her. The motions of his tongue against her caused her toes to curl and her sex to clench.
A hand moved her hair on her back and off her shoulder. Licking ran along the band line from her bra; healing followed it. She exhaled softly and swayed. A warm haze was wrapping around her, and she let it.
She was lifted and carried to the bed, fingers and tongues slowly brought her to climax, and she panted as her mind gradually cleared from the soft, warm haze.
Solor kissed her softly. “If we get along, I will be putting in for a transfer back to days. That way, one of us will be with you all the time.”
She stared at his bright eyes. “Oh, so you...”
“Moved to nights when you did.” He sighed. “There was a better chance of running into you.”
She sighed. “I am stuck between sweet and creepy.”
Demuel whispered in her ear, “Go for sweet.”
Nylora sighed. “Right. Thanks for taking my socks off. They were driving me nuts.”
He laughed.
She was temporarily sated, so she snuggled in between them and slept.
The room was warm and dark, and she reached for Solor, and his eyes opened and glowed, “Hello, moonlight flower.”
She smiled and reached for him, and he reached back.
The part of her nature that she had never allowed loose crept out.
Her hands touched him, learned him, and found every small scar and imperfection on his body.
She stroked his erection slowly, and he groaned as she circled him and moved her hand on him carefully.
He groaned softly and moved her under him, taking her hand from him and kissing her knuckles before he did the same thing to her that she had done to him, with his fingers carefully learning her slippery folds and her hips rolling with a slow beat against his hand.
Solor pressed his forehead to hers, and she tilted her head to kiss him.
He pressed into her, and she moved to meet him.
They slipped and slid together, mouths meeting and bodies surging. He stroked her clit, and she shuddered and moaned softly. Soft pulses of pleasure moved through her, and she gave them back to him. He groaned and pressed deep, spilling into her.
They both panted, staring into each other’s eyes. She smiled. “Hi.”
He grinned. “Hi.”
She felt someone watching them and saw Demuel leaning up on his elbow. “Hi.”
She giggled. “Thanks for being patient.”
He grinned. “I am very patient.”
Solor smiled and slid off her. “Until he isn’t.” He moved behind her and pulled her against him, his hand on Bump.
Demuel rolled to his back and stretched. “That is true. It’s another reason we can’t be on the same XIA team. We are fine until we get competitive.”
“I am not a battleground. Ping pong table, maybe.”
Solor moved his hand gently against her. “Interesting image.”
She chuckled and felt the fish-like fluttering happening under his hand.
Demuel leaned in toward her and kissed the tip of her nose. “So, if all goes well, do you think you want another one of those?”
“A hern or Bump? Bump is definitely easier to manage.” She smiled.
“Is your baby really in danger?”
“Yeah. My blood is pretty powerful, so right now, me and Bump are ingredients in a lot of dark mage work and certain witch rituals.” She chuckled. “Though what just happened will muddy things a bit. Mixing Solor’s and your energy with mine will help to make me less attractive on the open market.”
Demuel reached out and stroked her breasts with the back of his knuckles. “Why is that?”
“Because you are contaminating my energy. I am very happy about that.”
Demuel cupped her cheek. “Are you up for a little more contamination?”
“What time is it?”
Solor chuckled. “Two.”
Nylora smiled. “I have the day off. Do you have time?”
Demuel reached out and pulled her away from her warm resting spot. “I will make time.”
A wave of dark fire moved over her and shifted from her head to her toes. Demuel said, “I do enjoy a clean canvas.”
He pulled her under him and began to work on the canvas in question. She met him stroke for stroke.
Underwear and a maxi dress were waiting in the bedroom when Nylora finished her shower. Dia was at work already. She put on some flats and left the room where the bed was already made. Her phone was next to the bed.
The snack tray had been emptied, so she left the room to go look for sustenance, using her nose to help her find the kitchen.
There were people moving around the building. A few gave her shocked looks, but Myor rushed toward her. “Nylora! We made a little buffet for you. Kaitha is an amazing baker.”
“Yes. She is.”
“She knows you have to talk to her about Jacqueline.”
“Ah. Yes. Is there decaf?”
“Yes and water and juice and a weird tea that she brought.” Myor linked arms with her and walked toward the breakfast room. “And a tower of pastries.”
“She always brings the pastries.”
Kaitha lunged for her and hugged her. “Nylora, oh, I am so happy for you.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, Solor and Demuel. They are the ones, aren’t they?”
“They are.”
Kaitha paused. “You knew. This whole time. You knew.”
“Yup. Stomp and Bonehead.”
“Oh, shit. Well, start eating.”
Nylora blushed. “I am not as hungry as I usually am.”
Kaitha said, “Oh! Well, congratulations. How is Bump?”
“Good. Enjoying the lack of restriction.”
“May I?”
“As soon as I am drinking my not-coffee.”
Kaitha went to the sideboard and got the decaf, steering Nylora to a chair and getting her a plate of fruit, meat, and pastry. Nylora nodded. “Go for it.”
Kaitha grinned, and Myor got close. Kaitha grabbed Myor by the hand. “Come here. Like this.”
The feminine hands were a lot smaller than the ones who had been petting her in the shower, but Bump rose to the occasion, fluttering around.
Myor’s eyes were wide. “Wow. My niece or nephew.”
“Yup. One of those.” Nylora sipped her decaf. “Where is Dia?”
“She had to run into town for a bit.” Kaitha focused on the feeling under her hand.
Myor asked softly, “Is it like that all the time?”
“Bump likes the warmth of hands. Little attention seeker.” Nylora chuckled and ate her breakfast. “Well, I have a day off. What do you want to do because, apparently, you are single again?”
Kaitha sighed. “Right. Jax was getting increasingly hostile, and when she said that she didn’t want you or the baby nearby, that was the end of it. You are my family, and Bump is my family. If she doesn’t like sharing attention, what the hell would happen if we had a child?”
“Who knows, but thank you for standing up for us. Oh, I know, we can get Dia and go meet with Isocar. She’s out of the hospital and at home right now.”
Kaitha said, “How do you know that?”
“We were twins. I have always had a ballpark idea of where and how she was doing.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah. Dia has a twin as well. Fraternal. We are all fraternal. The only one who didn’t have a twin was Dia’s mother.”
“All girls?”
“Dia and her sister were a fluke. Our mother designed the rest of us, so she picked everything.”
“Did you pick?” Myor asked.
“Nope. I didn’t even know anything had happened until the day after. Long story. Fertility gods are assholes.”
Kaitha said, “You have an appointment tomorrow.”
“I do? Oh. Shoot. Right.”
Myor frowned. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes, my race has an issue with pregnancy, so I have to go for checks every two weeks to make sure that Bump is developing well and I am not suffering any degradation of my bits or body.”
“Do you go alone?”
“Kaitha comes with me. I am allowed two people in the room.”
Myor’s phone rang, and she answered it. “Hey. Oh. Right. Nylora, what time is the appointment?”
“Eight in the morning. I am always the first appointment.”
Myor spoke to the person on the phone. “Eight.”
She ended the call. “Solor is going to be at the appointment. Demuel is going to drive.”
Kaitha chuckled. “Looks like my spot is being usurped. I am glad. It means I can do some bakery checks tomorrow.”
“Oh boy, the tech and Dr. Mycos are going to be surprised.”
Myor paused. “Isn’t Dr. Mycos a troll?”
“No. Orc, but he’s also an OBGYN.”
“Oh. Right. I was mixing him up with Dr. Melcher.”
“Myor, will you be touring soon?”
“Nope. I take a year off in between tours.”
“Nice. You will be around to see the arrival of Bump.”
“Wait. Literally?”
Kaitha laughed. “It’s going to be fun. I am her midwife, and Dia will act as her doula.”
“What’s a doula?”
“The voice for the mother. Everyone is very concerned with the baby, but the mother has needs during the process as well. Folks forget about her and just focus on the one emerging. She needs help relaxing and being heard when things are changing.” Kaitha smiled.
“If he is focused, the partner can take on some of those, but in the concern and panic, he may have trouble keeping an eye on the mother’s status. ”
“Oh, like all those memes of fathers forgetting the mother at home while she is in labour.”
“Correct.”
Myor smiled. “I am fairly sure that my brother will be paying full attention, and if he is distracted, Demuel will step in. Will you deliver in the hospital?”
Kaitha smiled. “Ideally, not. She will deliver at home so she can relax as much as possible.”
Nylora nodded. “And Dia can portal me to the hospital in under a minute if things go weird.”
Myor blinked. “It’s good that you have a backup plan.”
Kaitha laughed. “She has several.” She sobered. “She’s been to enough emergency deliveries that she knows things can go wrong at the drop of a hat. She’s made as many alternate plans as you could imagine.”
“She’s that worried?” Myor frowned.
Nylora nodded. “Yes. I really am.” She got up and texted Dia. After that, she checked her text from Isocar and sent her a query. When she got a quick, confirmed response, she grinned. “Ladies, we are going on a social call.”
The ladies checked in with the agents, who were catching up on the paperwork they would normally attend to after a short sleep.
Nylora had thrown off their sleep habits, but they didn’t look irritated by it.
They kissed her and said that they would see her later.
Solor spoke to Myor for a moment, and she nodded with a glance at Nylora.
Kaitha packed a basket of treats for Isocar, and they headed to the front, where Dia pulled up in a seven-seat vehicle. They climbed in, and with Nylora giving instructions, they headed to the Lavrel manor. It was time to collect some more family.