Materfamilias

by Wendie Nordgren

  He had discovered my identity and location soon after my genetic scans had been taken on Arachne and had watched over me ever since. He had made it his personal mission to destroy my enemies, bit by bloody bit and had done so.

  I noticed Zared standing nearby in the shade of a tall tree, watching over us. Suspiciously, I asked Eli, “Did you or someone else order my Omnes Videntes to keep hidden from me my worries about Quaid?”

  Zared answered for him. “No, Teagan. Quaid asked us as a personal favor to keep you calm and peaceful. He knows your heart and mind almost as well as I do, and we are in agreement. You should rest and enjoy the life growing within you.”

  “I want to know what has gotten Quaid so agitated. Are Quaid, Eric, and Gary, along with the rest of the Hadrian’s crew, in danger? What’s going on?”

  “Mommy, here,” Neema said as she handed me a bucket of sand to turn upside down.

  “Wait,” Niklos said. With a frown of concentration, he drew an ‘X’ in the sand where he wanted the bucket dumped.

  A pleased grin lifted the corners of Nico’s mouth from where he reclined on a lounge chair and worked on his vid-screen. The older Niklos got, the clearer it became that he took after Nico.

  Eli said, “I asked Cory to find out. He and Aurek have been sent to hunt down any remaining Earth Loyalists. He will report back to us once he learns the Hadrian’s mission.”

  I stiffened upon hearing their names. I remained furious with Cory Flavian and Aurek Maxim, the Inquisitors, who along with Eli and Inquisitor Rovek, my instructor, had been tasked with capturing the ever-elusive Felix Jiri. “Are the Earth Loyalists a continued danger to us?”

  “Any who are, won’t be for long,” Eli stated. Then, softly, he asked, “Did I hear correctly yesterday? Does the child you carry have a Parvac father?”

  I smiled and caught Nico’s eyes. “Yes, Eli. My littlest one may be the result of your attentions.”

  Nico said, “Or mine, Fitz’s, Drex’s, or Dario’s.”

  I said, “It will be a few weeks before we are able to learn more.”

  Grinning, he said, “I still have a one-in-five chance of being a father.”

  Neema snorted at him. “You already gots us.”

  “Yeah,” Niklos agreed.

  Peter looked up at me with big brown eyes. “Mama,” he said.

  Smiling, I kissed his cheek.

  Minutes later, we were in the pool. The kids had gotten carried away with the sand, and they had worn me out. Once our fingers and toes had shriveled, Pierce and Lorca were ready to take over. They wrapped the children in towels and took them inside.

  Drex scooped me up into his arms and carried me to my room. “You are tired. After your shower, you will have lunch in bed and a nap.” His tone held no room for negotiation.

  I didn’t bother.

  Fitz said, “She must be tired to put up with your tyranny.”

  “I am,” I admitted.

  Drex gently placed me on my feet in front of the shower. Then, he removed my towel and swimsuit, along with his own clothing.

  “What are you doing?”

  He gave me a concerned look. “You are swaying on your feet. I will not leave you unattended, dearest one.”

  Turning on the jets, I let the water pound into my scalp.

  He said, “Please, allow me to wash your hair for you.”

  Wiping water from my eyes, I moved out of the spray and within his reach. Ever so carefully, he washed my hair and rinsed it. His gentle touch, as if I were the most fragile porcelain, had gotten me turned on, but when I glanced down at his manly appendage, it was hanging along his thigh. He genuinely wished to take care of me. He wasn’t trying to arouse me. It made me want him even more.

  Shutting off the water, I reached for a towel, but he beat me to it. He wrapped me up before taking another one to use for my hair. It had become clear to me that when he called me his dearest one, he meant it. While he concentrated on drying my hair, I watched droplets of water slide down his heavily muscled chest. He was in his prime, a warrior. I took a step closer. It was obvious that he had no idea what he was doing to me. Moving even closer, I caught a droplet of water with my tongue and gazed up into his eyes as I licked upward. His manly appendage sprang to life.

  “You were right. I do need to be put to bed, immediately.” Taking the towel from his hands, I moved it over his chest, arms, stomach, and back. “You’ll have to dry your legs. I don’t want to risk fainting.”

  He didn’t waste any time. He followed me from the shower and to the bed, managing to get there before I did and turning down the covers for me to climb in. Drex stood beside the bed and stared down at me.

  Holding my hand out to him, I whispered, “Make love to me and call me your dearest one.”

  The sheets rustled as he got in beside me. His hands were worshipful upon my skin, as if he were afraid of breaking me. Dipping his head down, he lathed at my nipple before taking it into his mouth. Sighing, I ran my fingers through his short, damp hair. He moved his hand down to the juncture of my thighs and found me already wet for him. A soft growl rumbled deep within his chest. He moved to position himself between my legs but hesitated.

  “I’m afraid of hurting you and the babe,” he admitted.

  “One thing I know above all else is that you would never do anything to hurt me. If you insist, I’ll be on top. I’m just so very tired.” I gave him a mischievous grin and gained my objective.

  My eyelids lowered as Drex pushed his tip inside of me. I moaned at the sensation of my delicate folds surrounding his soft head. He paused as though worried.

  “Drex, please. Don’t torture me with wanting you.”

  “Teagan, you could make me come with your words alone.” He pushed forward and drew himself back in the smallest of increments. It was maddening.

  “Drex, do it like you mean it, or I’ll have to tie you to this bed and have my way with you. I’m supposed to be resting, so be a good husband and do all of the work.” Reaching behind him, I gave his butt cheek a gentle slap. Within me, it felt like his cock had become twice as hard.

  He entered me fully. “Am I hurting you?”

  “No. I want you…. At some point, I fell in love with you, and I realized a moment ago how much you love me.”

  Our lips met. As our bodies moved as one, we kissed with a tenderness that made me weep. Afterwards, Drex turned onto his side and cradled me in his arms. “Why did you cry? Did I hurt you?” he whispered.

  “No, I promise you didn’t hurt me. I would have told you.”

  “Then, why?”

  Reaching up, I let my fingers lightly trail over his cheek. “I almost allowed the anger I felt toward you when we first met to stand in the way of something beautiful.”

  Cautiously, Drex lowered his palm to my stomach. I was only a few weeks along, but I already had a small bump. “A tiny life rests within you and beneath my palm. Do you have any notion of how amazing you are?”

  “No, but I’m hungry. Do you mind going to the chef and asking him to make me a couple of bacon cheeseburgers? Oh, and fried pickles…. Can you bring me something on which to snack until it’s ready?”

  Drex laughed and got dressed.

  I went to freshen up and dressed in some soft lounge pants and a matching long-sleeved cream top. Hearing someone enter the room, I questioningly called out, “Momma?”

  “She’s with Sparrow,” Nico said as he walked into the room and took a seat in a comfortable chair. “What do you need from Neema?”

  I gave him a guilty smile. “She’s been spoiling me. I was going to ask her to get the tangles out of my hair.”

  “I can help you with that, woman.”

  Getting my brush, I sat on the floor between his feet.

  He put his vid-screen aside and started working the brush through the ends of my hair. “You and the children have broken Drex.”

  “What did we do?”

  “You’ve shattered his stone heart and reformed it, fill
ing it with yourselves.”

  “He’s managed to do the same thing to us. I think it’s time that I attempt to bind him to myself. Things have changed between us. I accepted him to perpetrate a ruse, but such is no longer the case. I love him, and I’ll never let him go.”

  The brush started to pass through my hair with greater ease. “Much has changed between the two of you since that day on the beach when you slapped him.”

  My cheeks began to burn. “I regret that. I wish I could take it back. It was cruel of me. I didn’t believe he really loved me. I thought I was nothing more to him than a prize. How wrong I was.”

  “Do you think you carry his child?”

  I shrugged. “I’m not sure which of my amazing husbands has granted me my dearest wish and gotten me with child. However, when I find out, I will show him my appreciation repeatedly.”

  Nico chuckled at me.

  A light tap sounded at the door. “Dearest one, Empress Neema insisted the table be set for lunch. Do you wish for me to argue for yours to be brought to you?”

  I sighed. “No, don’t contradict Momma. Please, help me up.”

  The closer Drex came, the clearer it was that something fragile was in his heart and spilling out through his eyes. I could see it there so clearly. It made me quite certain that he had been spying and had heard our conversation about him. Smiling up at him, I took his hand and let him help me to my feet. Then, I closed my eyes and hid my face against his chest as dizziness swept over me.

  “Teagan, are you alright?” Nico asked.

  “No.”

  “Just hold still. I’ve got you,” Drex whispered.

  It took a few moments to pass. “Thank you, sweetie. I feel better. Are my burgers ready?”

  “Sweetie?” Drex asked.

  I reached up and gently pinched his cheek. “Yes, you are my sweetie.”

  Nico threw his head back and laughed.

  Drex gave me his arm and led me to the dining table where I attacked my food like a ravenous ice bear. My terrible manners got me thinking. “Yukihyo, do we have any ice bear?” I stared at him, waiting for his answer, with my second burger positioned in front of my face, ready to meet the fate of its predecessor. I took a big bite out of it before he could answer.

  Yukihyo made eye contact with Jazon, who shook his head. Jazon said, “When Tracy and I had our little adventure, the ice bears my team and I took down were contaminated and had to be destroyed.”

  An irrational disappointment washed over me. Tears streamed down my face, and I sobbed while chewing my burger. Nico, Drex, Fitz, Dario, and Eli appeared horrified.

  “Teagan, my sweet, why all of these tears over protein? Darling, we have plenty of meat. You won’t go hungry. We have Naxan bison steaks. They are much better.” Momma reached over and patted me.

  I nodded, but put my burger down, hid my face behind my napkin, and bawled. I couldn’t stop.

  Momma said, “Can’t one of you calm her? It isn’t good for my daughter to be so distraught in her condition.”

  Zared whispered, “I’m trying.”

  “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m crying. It must be because of the baby.”

  Violet said, “It’s alright, Teagan. I’ve been craving it, too. Maybe, Hiroshi can bring us some ice bear.”

  I sniffled and tried to regain control of myself.

  Xavier walked into the room with Sparrow clinging to one of his arms and Tracy holding onto the other. The ladies’ eyes had lit up. “Did you say we have ice bear steaks? I think I could eat that and perhaps some applesauce,” Tracy said.

  Sparrow said, “I’ll try some broth.”

  Meeting Tracy’s eyes, I didn’t have the heart to tell her. Instead, I started crying again. I shook my head.

  Violet said, “We don’t have any.”

  After they were seated, Tracy started crying, too.

  Our husbands went nuts.

  “Please, don’t cry. I’ll get you anything you want,” Jazon said in a panic.

  Through my sobs, I said, “The cheeseburgers are good.”

  Hiccupping, Tracy said, “Okay.”

  We ate our burgers and cried.

  Through it all, Yukihyo had been on his vid-screen laughing with Hiroshi. Meanwhile, Zared, Jazon, and Xavier were speaking in frantic Laconian.

  Tracy said, “You and Terre have your mothers. I miss mine.” Her voice was soft and forlorn.

  Jazon turned his full attention onto his wife, drew her onto his lap, and soothed her fragile emotions.

  Sparrow said, “I don’t miss mine. She’s a whore, but I miss my daddy.”

  Dario had moved to the side of the room and was ordering his ship prepared.

  Eli said to him, “We can’t simply take along one warship, not without knowing what has Bosh so concerned.”

  “Agreed. Order your ships readied. Three Parvac warships should provide sufficient protection along with all of their fighter ships,” Dario said.

  “Chione, Yukihyo?” Nico asked.

  “Yes, I’ll make arrangements with the Sidero Clan to ready our home. Perhaps, they will have some steaks waiting for us to tide our females over while we hunt. We should ask Adini and Lonon if Galina can travel with us. I’m sure she would like to visit her grandmother, the Lady Galatea.”

  Over his shoulder, Eli said, “Rovek, Teagan’s team might benefit from some survival training on Chione.”

  “I agree,” the man responded from somewhere nearby. He came into view, and the two of them grinned at each other.

  “Why are the two of you so happy? It’s going to be weeks before there is any ice bear.” I wiped my eyes on my napkin.

  Eli walked over to me and rested his hand over my tiny bump. “Our strong Parvac son or daughter has given you a fierce hunger. It is our duty to provide for you, and you will have all that you wish. I give you my word.”

  I sniffled. “Okay. I’m tired. I need to go take a nap.”

  Eli pulled out my chair, lifted me into his arms, and carried me away to bed where I fell into a deep sleep within the safety of his arms.

  Chapter Three

  When I woke up, safe and secure in Eli’s arms, without thinking I immediately wiped my mouth on the shirt he wisely had worn to bed. My stomach growled angrily. “Ugh. I just ate.”

  Eli kissed my forehead. “That was seven hours ago.”

  “What? I slept all day? Where are my babies? My poor children!”

  “Teagan, the children have been basking in the attention of their Gama, fathers, and nurses. You needed the sleep. All of your energy is going here.” He gently rested his hand over my baby bump.

  “Yeah. You’re right. Help me up. I have to pee. What’s for dinner?”

  Eli grinned and facilitated all of my needs.

  Afterwards, we found Sparrow sitting at the dining table with a large bowl of buttered noodles that had been sprinkled with parsley. Slurping up a noodle, she said, “This is good.”

  Mesmerized, I said, “I want some.”

  With messy black hair and sleepy black eyes, Tracy took the seat across from me. She yawned.

  “Did you just wake up, too?” I asked.

  She nodded. “I’m thirsty.”

  “How about this, ladies?” Fitz flashed his smile at us and passed out glasses of cold pineapple fizzy water.

  I sucked mine down and was given more. “How’s Terre?”

  Fitz said, “She’s still feeling queasy but is drinking plenty of fluids.”

  Sympathetically, I said, “Poor Terre. I remember what that’s like.”

  “She will be fine. Phillip reports that she is improving and should be up and about soon,” Dario assured us.

  His chef brought out a large platter of lobster and small dishes of butter. My mouth watered. The sound of blocks falling over stole my attention to a nearby scene. Poppy and Peter sat on a blanket where they were concentrating on stacking blocks. Violet was sound asleep on the floor beside them, but Kaoti sat next to her and gave me a
small salute. Nodding my understanding that he had everything under control, I turned around.

  Fitz gave me a smile and looked at me like I was the most adorable thing he had ever seen. “Perhaps, you will like this.” He lifted a fork up to my mouth upon which he had speared a white, fluffy-looking bite of lobster.

  I gave him a worried look and hoped it would sit well with the baby and me. I chewed and moaned. “Oh, stars. That’s good.” He fed me another bite and another.

  Sparrow said, “Xavier, give me some of that.” She pointed with her fork.

  He was thrilled that she wanted to eat something other than broth and noodles. The chef had gone to the kitchen to prepare more which was a good thing, because Tracy sniffed the air and attacked. The three of us continued on to eat two lobsters a piece.

  Tracy asked, “Is there any stuffing?”

  Several long minutes were spent to the accompaniment of the sounds of utensils and dinnerware clanking and the children quietly playing. I didn’t even notice who all had joined us at the table. My hunger was a demanding entity. Once it had been satiated, my body demanded sleep. While my ladies and I entered a loop of eating, sleeping, and playing with the children, the males occupied themselves with readying our ships.

  Feeling well enough to risk checking on Terre, I went to her room and sat on the edge of her bed. She looked tired, but much better. “If you want us to call off this trip, say the word.”

  “No, truly, I’m feeling much improved.” Her smile was radiant. “We have tiny lives growing inside of us. How spectacular is that?”

  Leaning over, I kissed her cheek.

  “Here, Cupcake.” Phillip gave me his hand and helped me stand.

  I did so slowly for two reasons. For one, standing still occasionally made me feel dizzy. For another, feeling the mattress move would make Terre barf. In the hall outside of their room, I asked, “Are you sure this is okay?”

  Phillip kissed my forehead. His blue eyes twinkled with happiness, and I felt his joy through the bond he shared with Yukihyo. “Don’t worry about a thing. She isn’t doing anything she feels like she can’t handle.”