by M. J. Haag
Eden snorted.
“So, the pretty little women only need to concern themselves with being barefoot and pregnant? Hell no. I have way more value than that.”
“Yes, you do,” Ghua said.
Eden shot him a look.
“More value than a sex toy too, buddy.”
He grunted and wisely said nothing more.
“Do we?” Jessie asked. “I mean, other than Cassie’s medical knowledge, do any of us have a skill set that helps anything in this world?”
“Brenna does,” I said. “She was pretty awesome with her bow on the wall.”
“Jessie’s right,” Mya said. “We don’t have skills that are useful. Yet. But, as Drav pointed out, they know how to hunt. And as Brenna proves, we are capable of learning those skills, too.”
Several low growls echoed around the room.
“You’d rather have us not learn how to defend ourselves? To be unable to protect ourselves or the children we have if you’re not right there to do it for us?” Her gaze pinned Drav. “You know how quickly things can happen.”
He grunted, stood, and looked at Thallirin and Merdon.
“Mya is right.”
“Say it again, but slower and sexier,” Eden said.
Drav glanced at Mya.
“Ignore her,” Mya said. “She wasn’t being literal.”
Drav glanced at Eden then back to Thallirin and Merdon.
“Mya is right that we need to look at the big picture. We cannot scavenge for supplies forever. All fey are needed to create the safe, self-sufficient homes needed to raise children. You’ve proven yourselves in my eyes.”
“And in mine,” Mya said.
“Welcome home, brothers.” Drav pressed his forehead to Thallirin’s then Merdon’s. The other fey in the room moved to do the same. There was a bunch of manly backslaps after that.
“We will continue to hunt hounds,” Merdon said when they were done.
“Heal first,” Cassie said. “That leg needs time.”
“What would you have us do?” Thallirin asked.
“You guys lived outside with the hellhounds for lifetimes in the caverns, right?” Mya asked. “I’m betting you know a lot about them and how they hunt. Maybe you can teach us.”
“Not you, Mya,” Drav said.
“Why not?”
“You need to rest so the baby can grow.”
“Angel’s baby has—”
Her eyes got big, and she cringed before looking at me along with every other person in the room.
“So why does Jessie have a grey spot if she’s not pregnant?” I asked.
“I’m not sure,” Cassie said, willing to play along.
“Maybe she’s been sleeping on Byllo’s crystal,” Mya said, her eyes locked on me.
“Angel is pregnant?” Drav asked.
“What?” I said shocked. “Why would you even say that? We’re talking about serious stuff here. Grey spots are important. We need to figure out what’s going on.”
Drav tilted his head and studied me, unblinking.
“Did I just short him out?” I asked Mya.
“Not a chance. He’s probably trying to see through your clothes,” Eden said. “So how far along are you, and who’s the baby daddy?”
I made a pained face.
“What? You know they’re not going to pretend they didn’t hear that.”
“She’s over six months,” Cassie said. “Underfed. And without food because she’s staying with Shax and someone took everything he had.”
Drav growled low while still looking at me, and Mya reached out to smack him.
“No growling at pregnant people. We don’t like it. It’s scary.”
“It’s okay. I know it’s not directed at me. And I’m not underfed, just underweight. Shax has been great about getting supplies for me.”
“When will the baby come out?” Tor asked.
“Babies come when they’re ready. And without a calendar, it’s hard to know how much longer this bun will be in the oven,” I said, patting my belly.
“Might as well take your jacket off,” Mya said.
“Yeah,” Eden said. “Show us the goods.”
I rolled my eyes but shrugged out of my jacket, baggy outer sweater, and the next two layers of clothing as well. With only my loose t-shirt on, I reached behind me and pulled it tight.
The room stayed quiet as every fey stared at my belly.
“Me first,” Jessie said as she stood up. She came over and set her hand on my belly. “Welcome to being touched randomly by complete strangers for the next few months. Unwanted public groping is the gift I bestow upon you.”
“Too many fairy tales playing at your house,” Mya said with a snort.
“Savvy loves Sleeping Beauty.”
“If you’re smart, you’ll start charging a doughnut a touch,” Eden said.
“There’s doughnuts?” Jessie and I said at the same time.
“Sounds good, doesn’t it? There has to be some out there somewhere. I’m betting we could put some weight on you real fast that way.”
“As the only pseudo-medical professional here, I advise against a diet of sweets. We’re not equipped to deal with gestational diabetes.”
Through all of our banter, the fey hadn’t moved an inch. They continued to stare at my belly, and the ninja decided to put on a show. A small bump protruded on the top of my belly as the baby stretched, and it moved toward the equator before disappearing again.
Ghua, Byllo, Tor, Gyrik, and Brog all moved forward to place their hands on my belly.
Eden laughed as question after question poured from them.
“Does it move often?”
“How many weeks until it moved?”
“When will it move again?”
“Does it hurt?”
Before I could answer, Ghua took his hand from my belly, marched over to Eden, and tossed her over his shoulder.
“I think this means we’re going. Night everyone!”
Ghua didn’t even stop for her jacket before he was running out the door.
“It is pretty late, and Angel’s had a long day,” Cassie said.
“Very long. I better get back before Shax comes home and sees I’m not there.”
“Not alone,” Drav said. “Humans already entered Shax’s house and took his food. We cannot lose you.”
“No one is going to steal me,” I said with a laugh. “If anything, they’d—”
“Don’t go there,” Cassie warned.
“Right.”
Drav frowned at us.
“Not alone,” I repeated. “Got it. Garrett will be with me.”
Drav’s gaze flicked to Garrett. I looked back at my friend and knew he was uncomfortable under the fey’s scrutiny.
“Shax trusted Garrett,” I said.
Drav grunted and looked at me, his gaze flicking to my belly.
“People are angry. On edge. We would all feel better if you chose two fey to stay with you until Shax returns.”
“I will go with Angel,” three voices said at once.
The fey with women had stayed quiet, as had Thallirin and Merdon. I glanced at the gruff, fierce pair. Since they’d arrived, I’d rarely seen them. And when I had, it had been glimpses of them standing apart from everyone else. Here, but not really belonging.
“Are you guys busy?” I asked them.
Thallirin averted his gaze, choosing to look at the floor. Merdon blinked at me before answering.
“No. We are not busy.”
“Would you be willing to stay with me until Shax gets back?”
Merdon gave a single, curt nod while Thallirin looked up at me. While I considered myself a great interpreter of the subtle nuances of fey facial expression, Thallirin’s was completely obscure.
“I think I’ll head back to my place,” Garrett said. “Let Shax know I did what he asked, okay?”
I grinned.
“Don’t worry, chicken. I have your back.”
&nb
sp; He waved goodbye and let himself out while I started re-layering.
“We better get going, too,” Cassie said. “Your mom is keeping an eye on the kids. Hopefully, they slept through that little bit of noise.” She looked at Thallirin and Merdon. “Thank you for killing the hounds.”
They both grunted, their attention on me as Cassie left.
“Sorry about the slip,” Mya said as I zipped my jacket. “Need any food for the road? I have chocolate.”
“No, thanks. Unless it’s a doughnut. Eden made me hungry for those, now.”
Mya chuckled, and I waved goodbye, my two escorts accompanying me out the door. When they tried walking behind me, I paused to wave them forward.
“So, you’re excellent hunters?” I asked while Thallirin moved to my right and Merdon stepped to my left.
“Yes,” Merdon said.
“Does that mean you know how to make a bow? I’d really like to learn how to shoot one. Brenna made it look so easy.”
“Brenna takes too many risks,” Thallirin said, his deep voice a rough rasp.
I glanced at him, hearing something in his words. It was confirmed by his expression. A tiny softening around the eyes and mouth. He really liked her.
“Like what?” I asked, wanting to keep him talking. “When I saw her, she was on top of the wall.”
“She retrieves her arrows,” he said.
“Well, I won’t be on top of the wall for a long time. I don’t have the ballast for it,” I said, patting my belly. “That means I won’t be risking fetching arrows from anything more than a target in Shax’s backyard. I promise.”
Neither commented.
“Do you talk to Brenna a lot?” I asked Thallirin.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“She is afraid of me.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I think that needs to change. You make me a bow, and I’ll talk you up to Brenna.”
He blinked at me.
“Talk me up?”
“Yeah. It means I’ll point out all your good qualities to her so she won’t be afraid of you.”
He frowned slightly.
“You will lie to her?”
I laughed and shook my head.
“You fey are so amazing, and you don’t even know it. No, I won’t lie to Brenna. But, I’ll probably tell her things she already knows. You’re strong and fast. You’re fiercely protective and loyal. You’re sweet to women. What’s not to like? Add all of that on top of the fact that you’re probably our only hope for staying alive in this world, and it’s a winning combination.”
Thallirin grunted, and I watched his gaze skim the walls. He was thinking of her. I could see his hope equaled his despair in the set of his shoulders. In that moment, I totally understood Mya’s matchmaking ways.
“What about you?” I asked, looking at Merdon. “Any girl interest you?”
“No. Most females do not look at us.”
“Are you sure? We’re good at looking when you’re not paying attention to us.”
“We always pay attention,” Merdon said. “Females only look at us when they want something.”
“Ouch. That’s a pretty low opinion. We’re not all like that.”
He grunted, and I studied him for a moment.
“You know that means we’re not so different from you then, right?”
Merdon glanced at me.
“Well, you fey are only looking at us females because you want something, too. Pussy and boobies. So why are the females bad, but you’re not?”
“I never said we weren’t bad.”
I looped my arms through each of theirs. They both glanced at me but didn’t try to pull away.
“You’ve been apart from everyone else for so long you’ve turned a bit cynical, I think. But don’t worry. There’s a cure. The longer you’re with good people, the less cynical you’ll become.” It wasn’t a blatant lie. Humans made other humans cynical. I held out hope that being around the fey would make me less so.
“There are not many good people.”
I laughed. “You got that right. But we can change. Get better. Have a little patience and faith.”
Ninja kicked again just before I reached the house, and I grabbed Merdon’s hand and stuck it up under my jacket.
“Feel that?” I asked.
His palm rested over the kick spot just long enough for the little ninja to do it again.
Merdon grunted, and I reached for Thallirin’s hand to do the same. His expression hardened at the first kick.
“That’s why you’re doing what you’re doing,” I said. “Killing hounds. Putting up with the occasional stuck up woman. Getting hurt. Someday, some woman will see you for what you are and stop demanding things and start giving them instead. Babies. New life.”
A low growl came from the tree to the right of the house, and Shax strode from the shadows. Both men withdrew their hands from under my jacket and faced Shax.
“Okay,” I said as he strode forward. “That probably looked bad, but it was completely innocent.”
I stepped in front of both men and put my hands up.
Shax moved to go around me, but I sidestepped and blocked him again.
“Seriously. It was no big deal. They all know now. Well, they’ll probably all know by morning. And just because people know doesn’t mean anything is going to change,” I said.
He tipped his head down at me, anger in his gaze. Without looking away, he reached out and hit one of the two with a solid thunk.
“Where is Garrett?” he said as he hit the other one.
“Are you asking them or me? Because this is confusing me. Why are they getting hit for something I did? I was just trying to tell them that girls are good, and you’re wrecking the message.”
He growled and stepped around me then laid into Merdon and Thallirin with several well-placed hits. Neither tried to hit back.
“They don’t need to know girls are good.” Thump. “They don’t need to feel the baby.” Crack. “They don’t need to be near you because I left Garrett with you.” Grunt.
Shax stopped hitting and turned to look at me.
“Where is Garrett?”
“Given your current mood, I’m not going to tell you where he is.”
“He went home,” Thallirin said.
“Hey!”
“Angel, get inside.” Shax looked at Thallirin and Merdon. “Watch her.”
He turned to leave, and I panicked.
“Babies come out of vaginas! Their heads rip us right open. It’s bloody, and it hurts, and I’m scared, and I need a hug.”
Shax had stopped at the word vagina and turned toward me.
“Are you lying to protect Garrett?” Merdon asked.
“Oh, I wish I were,” I said, not taking my eyes off of Shax. The big fey studied me without expression for several heartbeats then walked toward me.
“From your vagina?”
“Yep.”
He frowned.
“Caden’s head is big, and that hole is very small.”
“Yep.”
His arms wrapped around me, and he held me gently. I leaned into him, savoring the feel of his hold and the fact that I’d saved Garrett’s bacon as promised.
“Will there be a lot of blood?”
I set my hand on his chest and patted.
“That’s probably a question for Cassie. When I’m not around. I don’t want to freak myself out more than I already have.”
I suddenly found myself up in his arms.
“Thank you for keeping her safe,” he said to the other two fey.
I looked at them, noting Merdon had a split lip and Thallirin had a darkening eye.
“I’m really sorry, you guys.”
“Shax!”
The sound of Hannah’s voice made me cringe. All the fey watched Hannah approach, her blonde ringlets bouncing with each step.
“Put me down, Shax,” I said softly.
“What are you guys all doing outside?” she said as she joined us.
“Talking about how babies come out of vaginas,” Shax said.
“Did you hear that Mya’s pregnant?” I asked.
“Yeah. That’s actually why I’m here.” She smiled at Shax. “I’m willing to try having your baby. But under one condition. You have to keep me supplied in booze.”
My mouth dropped open. There were too many levels of wrong in what she’d just said to count them.
“I do not love you, Hannah,” Shax said. “You should leave.”
There was no denying how happy those words made me.
“Do you know what having a baby means?” she asked. “Sex, Shax. I’m offering you all the sex you want. You don’t have to love me.”
“I do not want your baby. I want Angel’s.”
Hannah’s gaze shifted to me, and somehow, I kept the hurt from my expression.
“You’re pregnant now, too?”
“From before the quakes,” I said. “Thirty to thirty-two weeks. Somewhere in there. Not a fey baby.”
“Looks like it doesn’t matter.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
She waved a hand at me.
“It’s okay. Like Shax said. He doesn’t love me, and I don’t love him. It would have been an easy way to get a drink in this place.”
“You know alcohol is bad for a fetus, right?”
“So are infected, hellhounds, starvation, and freezing to death. It’s the world we live in. I’m just trying to make the best of it.” She gave an unapologetic shrug. “I’ll see you guys around.”
“I will walk you home,” Merdon said. He looked back at me. “You’ll need arrows.”
I grinned as Merdon walked away with Hannah then looked at Thallirin.
“I’ll keep my end of the deal if you keep yours,” I said.
He grunted and left me alone with a growling Shax.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“YOU MADE A DEAL WITH THALLIRIN?” Shax asked, the growl still in his voice.
His anger didn’t worry me in the least.
“Yep. Thallirin likes Brenna. So, I’m going to talk to her for him. Help him get the girl like I tried to help you.” I sighed and snuggled into Shax’s arms. “Hannah was right there tonight, offering you everything. Why didn’t you take it?”
