by Minerva Howe
Eagan couldn’t wait to see what the next one brought.
12
Ollie looked at his belly, frowning.
It was Valentine’s Day, and his stomach was pooching out. Like a little belly bump. That wasn’t supposed to happen yet. And he wasn’t hungry at all. Nothing but milk.
Nothing.
He put on a pair of sweats and headed downstairs to stomp around in the snow and then hide in the hot tub for the rest of the day. Floating was the best. Floating and bubbling, and now he knew he was a dragon, he didn’t have to worry about wrinkly toes or plummeting blood pressure. So there.
Brand sat in the kitchen, munching something that looked like pork rinds. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Ollie. Where’s Eagan?”
“I think he’s in the library. I made him go away as he hovered over an auction online last night.” Not that he was grumpy. It was only Valentine’s Day.
“Ah. You heading for the hot tub?”
“Why? It’s okay, isn’t it?” He was either going to cry or hit something. Hard.
“Of course it is, my dear. Would you like a glass of milk? Some ice cream?” Brand’s smile was very kind.
Which made his decision. Crying it was.
“Ollie!” Devon ran into the room. “Brand, what did you do?”
“He was nice to me!” Ollie began to sob, and Devon grabbed him, holding on tight. “And I’m not hungry! You said you were starving, and my belly is already showing! What if something’s wrong with me? What if something’s wrong with the baby!”
“Brand. Milk now, then tea, then Eagan. We’re going to sit by the fire.”
“Absolutely.” Brand sprang to his feet as Devon led him out of the kitchen and to the living room where a fire crackled in the hearth.
“Did you glue Arielle to the wall?”
“She’s with Ty. God knows what they’re up to.”
“Blowing something up, undoubtedly.” He held his stomach. “I’m so scared, Dev.”
“Hey.” Devon took his hands and held them. “All pregnancies are different. I asked Halle about her sisters the other day. She said Callie could only eat Taco Bell tacos and threw up five times a day. Mallie was never sick once, she ate three bags of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos a day, and didn’t show until she was like, six months along. Callie was the size of a house at five months.”
“Yeah? I mean, I want this, so badly.”
Brand brought him an ice-cold glass of milk. “Tea next.”
“Good man,” Devon said. “Drink your milk, then show me your bump.”
He drank the whole glass in seconds, then lifted his sweatshirt to show Devon his belly. He felt like it was just so weird and obvious.
“There’s your baby line.” Devon pointed out a reddened line bisecting his belly.
“Is that normal? It itches.”
“I thought I would die before it stopped. Make Eagan rub coconut oil on it. The hot tub doesn’t help with that. He can do it twice a day.”
“Okay.” How had Devon done this alone and not known what was happening? Ollie would have thrown himself off a building. Seriously. “You’re my hero, Dev.”
“Thanks, honey. You’re my best friend and my brother now. It’s my job to be here for you.”
“I just feel so wild with the emotions. And I could kick Eagan. He was up all night!”
“Okay. You’ll never get away with it more easily than now.” Devon grinned at him. “I called Brand a lot of names.”
“You did?”
“He did. He also tried to tear my nipple off once.” Brand came bearing tea.
Ollie laughed, then teared up again. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Be right back!”
He looked at Dev. “You tried to tear off his nipple?”
“Yes. He told me to calm down.” Devon gave him an evil grin. “No one who has ever been pregnant has calmed down by being told to.”
“Thank you. I’ll be calm later.” He sipped his tea. “So it looks okay? My belly? Promise?”
“I do. I mean, it’s different than mine was at this stage, but it looks like a big preggers belly, not zombie eating you from the inside belly.” Devon danced his hands side to side. “Drink up the tea.”
Oliver blinked. “I guess, if you survived, I will. I am not having Danger Mouse Two.”
“Nope. Only she can create forest fires.” Devon rolled his eyes. “She’s amazing but a terror. Yours will be mild mannered geniuses. You wait.”
“Yeah. I’ll have one that comes out spouting facts about Faberge eggs.”
“Mmm. And one who reads Stephen King by age three. If you believe the prophecy that we’ll each have two.”
“Would you do it again?” Ollie asked, searching Devon’s face.
“I would. I—It was amazing and awful, but I didn’t know about it for over a month. The next time I’ll be in it.”
“Yeah.” He drank his tea in long sips. “I was glad Eagan talked to me about it. I was shocked, but I’ve been able to really be here.” Tears stung his eyes. “What is he doing! It’s Valentine’s Day!”
“Mmm. You should make him grovel.”
“Love?” Eagan came in with Brand, looking tired. “Are you all right?”
He looked up at Eagan and burst into tears again.
“Oh, love. I’m sorry. I am.” Eagan came to him, arms out. “I was very silly if I upset you this much.”
“It’s our first Valentine’s Day as a couple. And I’m all swollen.”
“You’re gorgeous. I will show you later what I was doing, but for now, we should go soak, hmm?” Eagan pulled him to his feet, then lifted him to carry him out to the hot tub.
He nodded and snuggled into Eagan’s throat. “Soaking is good.”
“It is. I love floating with you. I’m sorry, love. I didn’t mean to upset you, and then you told me to go away and I got in a snit.” Eagan sighed. “I suppose I’m a little stressed too.”
“I’m sorry. I—” What? He couldn’t go to a doctor. He couldn’t get help. He just had to keep his mouth shut.
“No. No, love, you have nothing to be sorry for. I was being an ass.” Eagan kissed his neck, then lowered him to sit on a chair while he got the tub fired up.
“I’m just so worried. I’m fatter than Dev was, and I’m not hungry, and I’m so fucking emotional.”
“Mmm. No worrying. None.” Eagan came back to move him into the hot tub, stripping off his sweats.
“No? You don’t think I look deformed? You swear?”
“What? No?” That was genuine surprise. Eagan kissed him hard. “You’re beautiful.”
“Really? You think the baby is okay?”
“I think so, yes. I think we’re fine.” Eagan petted his belly, and he moaned, the feeling so fine.
“I’m sorry we fought.” He cupped Eagan’s jaw. “I love you.”
“I love you too. Happy Valentine’s Day, Ollie.” Eagan hugged him close, and they floated together, the water perfectly hot and wondrous.
“Happy Valentine’s Day.” He thought they needed a nap. Maybe two.
“Mmmm. So, what shall we do today?” Eagan asked, as if he hadn’t plucked the answer from Ollie.
“Snuggle. Hours of happy snuggling.”
“Mmm. In front of the fire. In bed. Watching a movie.”
“Yes. Oh. Snow.” He lifted his face to the sky, looking into the clouds. He might not love snow as much as Devon did, but there was something magical about a hot tub in the stuff. He could imagine himself in a mineral springs in Iceland somewhere. Or at least in Glenwood.
“We’ll go together after the baby’s here, when we feel ready to leave her or him with the uncles.”
Oliver had to think about that. The idea of leaving their baby was just too much. He’d seen Danger Mouse though. He’d change his mind. In fact, he would bet by the time his baby was old enough to steam clean his ass, he would be ready for a day or two off.
He chuckled at the image, and so did Eagan, clea
rly having caught his thoughts.
“Do you think it’s a boy, then?”
“Kind of, yes. What about you?”
Eagan stroked his skin. “I think you will know better than I will, but that’s the feeling I get when I touch you.” So good, that touch. It made his eyes cross. “Arielle told Devon her name, but he was very much farther along than you are now.”
“Well, and who knows what her development rate is like.” He wouldn’t panic. All children grew at their own rate.
Arielle was possibly half-demon. That would totally be Dev’s fault.
He chuckled.
“What?”
“I was thinking how evil Devon can be. Brand must be the most patient one, to get Dev.”
“He is. You’ve seen Ty. And everyone says I’m…particular,” Eagan said.
“You’re perfect. And I’m a little testy, I know.” Oliver sighed softly. “I’ve never been a pregnant dragon before.”
“I know.” Eagan kissed him on the neck. “We’ll learn soon enough how to deal with that, hmm? By all accounts, we have to do it twice.”
“Devon says he wants to do it again.” He winked up at Eagan.
“Brand will be ecstatic to try over and over until it happens,” Eagan murmured. “I have to say I understand the feeling.” Those long fingers scratched over his birth line, making his toes curl. That felt so amazing. The silly thing itched and itched.
“It’s maddening. Dev says I should make you oil it up for me every day.”
“I will. What kind?”
The eagerness was gratifying. “Coconut, I think.”
“Oh, you’ll smell edible. I’d be happy to rub you. All over.”
Ollie couldn’t have stopped his grin for anything.
“Then lick me?”
“Mmm. Better than scale polish, certainly.” Eagan’s chuckle made him rise and fall in Eagan’s lap.
“I love licking. And polishing.”
“I do too! But the polish isn’t tasty.”
He cracked up, Eagan’s expression adorably ironic.
“Mmm… I love that laugh. You make me happy.” Eagan drew him in close.
“I do?”
“Yes, my love. Always. No matter what.” Eagan rose, water streaming off them, then carried him inside too fast for him to get cold. “I think it’s time to rub oil on you, and then I’ll read to you. In French.”
“Oh, my favorite.” He loved the sound of Eagan’s voice, caressing his soul in French.
“Oui.” Eagan laughed, and he had to let his mirth ring out too. Valentine’s Day was looking better by the minute.
Thank goodness for that.
Eagan hummed to himself as he cooked breakfast, just as happy as a bug in a rug. Though he’d really never understood that idiom. A bug in a rug would just get stepped on, no?
He flipped a fluffy, if he did say so himself, pancake, laughing as it landed perfectly. What a lovely day.
The spring equinox was behind them by a few weeks, the sun was shining longer, and this morning it was bright outside the window, the snow beginning to melt a tiny but. Enough that long icicles were forming on the gutters overnight, looking like something from Game of Thrones.
“Do I smell pancakes?” His lover wandered in, leaning against the counter, belly full and round and, not to put too fine a point on it, huge. The rest of his mate was tiny, but that baby was starving.
“You do. I thought that would be nice and sweet.” Someone had a sweet tooth, as well. Ice cream and milk were still part of the regime, the main part, but creamy butter and syrup on pancakes seemed to work too. “Will it bother you if I make bacon?”
Thankfully, while he still got acid on occasion, Ollie seemed to be avoiding the morning sickness Devon had been cursed with.
“You know I love—”
“No bacon.” Brand was right there, eyes wide. “No bacon or coffee, please, brother. Devon is already throwing up.”
He turned from the stove, his whole self lighting up for his brother. “Really? Brand! Congratulations!” He gave Brand a strong hug.
“Oh, he has to show me up, does he? Getting knocked up again?” Ollie’s tone was teasing, but there was a hint of aggravation in their bond. “No bacon. I’m going to take my milk upstairs.”
“Wait, love.” He moved back to the pancakes. “I’ll make us a plate and come up with you.” Poor Ollie. Brand could cook the rest of the pancakes.
“You’re good, dragon. I’m going to go get some work done.”
He sighed. He would do what he wanted, and Ollie could just enjoy the fruits of his labor.
Brand gave him an apologetic look when Ollie left. “I’m sorry, brother.”
“He’s just temperamental and hormonal. He loves Devon, you know that.”
“I know.” Brand sighed. “I just don’t want him to be unhappy, or for you to want to leave or some such.”
“No. No, we promised to stay, and until the private investigator I hired can track down DiMarco, the city probably isn’t safe.” Besides, he needed his brothers’ help with the birth, and he was beginning to believe Ollie would pop early. He was huge.
“Mmm. I don’t like this vampire situation. We need to handle it so we can all feel safe.” Brand took over the batter station. “Go love on your mate, hmm? I’ll take Devon breakfast in bed tomorrow so there can be coffee and bacon down here.”
“Just so. I would take Ollie out, but he’s showing so.” It was hard to go to a cafe in a fairly small Colorado town with pregnant man. At best, people would think Ollie had a giant tumor.
“Yeah…” Brand gave him a worried look. “He’s as big as Dev ever got. I mean, really. Is he feeling okay?”’
“Grumpy. I think he’s uncomfortable, but he never wants to complain.” Eagan pulled out a tray, loading it with plates of pancakes, cream butter, syrup, and a little vase with a flower he’d pulled out of the conservatory this morning. “There. The ‘I’m sorry we suck’ breakfast. Very well. Off I go.”
“Have fun! I’m providing the ‘Please keep it down’ breakfast.” Brand waggled his eyebrows in an exaggerated way.
“Mmm. Such diversity.” They both laughed, then he climbed the stairs, hoping to cheer Ollie out of I will work around my belly all day mode. That wasn’t particularly good for Ollie’s back, and it was boring as hell for Eagan.
Oliver was sitting outside on their balcony in the bitter cold sun, watching the light glint off the ice.
“Ollie? I brought you pancakes, love.” Poor sweet. Eagan could feel his confusion and guilt for feeling so mad. He’d just burst out with what he was feeling at that very moment, but he hadn’t meant to hurt Brand’s feelings.
“Thank you, dragon. I’m sorry. I’m so tired of being bitchy. What’s wrong with me?” Oliver looked up at him with tear-filled eyes, shivering a little.
“Hormones.” He set the tray on the bedside table, then went to get Ollie. Freezing baby. “You’re just full of them, bubbling and colliding.”
He drew Oliver in, closed the doors and sat, pulling his mate into his lap.
Oliver was stiff for not even a heartbeat, and then he melted into Eagan. Eagan held him, kissing his neck. “You’re fine, love. So fine. I promise. It’s just being pregnant.”
“Yeah? I’m happy for Devon. You know that. I’m not an asshole, I promise.” Ollie swallowed hard. “I should apologize to Brand.”
“I know you’re not mean, love.” He hummed, rocking Devon back and forth, hoping the subvocal vibrations would soothe both Ollie and the baby.
Oliver relaxed and reached for his food to start eating, his appetite healthy, strong, and it comforted Eagan to see it. He hadn’t been hungry for so long at the beginning, and the acid seemed to have backed off some too.
He nipped off the bite Ollie fed him, smiling, happy.
“I love that grin, E. Love it. You want another?” Ollie offered the fork over.
His sweet mate needed attention and support, maybe a backrub. Eagan
could offer all of that.
“I do.” He opened his mouth, and he chewed the bite Ollie gave him, yummy with butter and syrup.
“I found us a bead on a Louis XIV clock online. Want to see?” Ollie leaned over to the other side table and turned his laptop so Eagan could view the screen.
“I do!” Eagan crowded in. He loved those ridiculous ormolu clocks, and if the thing was even a good Victorian reproduction, he would green light buying it.
“Here. See?”
“Oh, that’s lovely.” It really was. The base was a creamy porcelain with brass casings, and there were pastoral scenes in a flow blue-like coloration. Ollie clicked on the provenance information, which was solid. “We should get it,” Eagan said.
“Do you think? I think there’s something about it. Something special.” Ollie was chewing his lower lip as soon as he stopped talking.
Now that was interesting. Oliver rarely said anything like that. That was much more like Devon, musing on the gut instinct. Ollie tended to want to see objects in person.
“Then we’ll definitely go for it. Don’t let anyone outbid us, love.” He fed them each half of the last bite of breakfast. “We’ll have it shipped here instead of to the house, so we can see what your hunch bears out.”
“Sounds perfect.” Oliver nuzzled his jaw. “I love you, dragon. So much. You and our babies.”
“I love you…” He trailed off, staring at Ollie with wide eyes. “Babies?” Was that—Did Oliver mean more than one at a time. As in, twins? “Love?”
“Hmm?” Oliver’s eyes were so clear, so bright.
“Babies?” He just wanted to be sure he’d heard correctly, although his hearing was exceptional and they both knew it.
Ollie had distinctly said babies. Plural.
Oliver’s glance was shy, but the nod was sure. “Babies.”
“Oh.” Eagan blinked, a little dizzy for a moment. “Oh, goddess! Ollie.” He picked Oliver up for a kiss.
“I even know their names. Kynan and Katrina. I dreamed… I dreamed them. They were flying.”
“That’s the most perfect thing I’ve ever heard. We’ll all fly together, my love. I promise.” He knew Ollie still worried he would never be enough. Eagan also knew better. Ollie was going to be the fiercest dragon parent ever.
