Rescued by the Alien Prince: Celestial Mates (The Alva)

by Miranda Martn

  "Naefaren...I am...with child."

  He blinks at me. "You are..."

  "I’m pregnant."

  His face is completely blank as he stares.

  I fidget a little as my stomach starts to sink. "If you’re not happy, you don’t have to pretend—" I start, wanting to fill the silence.

  But he interrupts me right away.

  "Not happy?" he repeats, his hands going to his head as he looks up to the ceiling. "Not happy?" He looks back down at me and his eyes are tearing up.

  "Naefaren." I stand up to go to him.

  He meets me half way, picking me up in his arms and kissing me.

  It's salty with the taste of his tears, and now mine. I feel like such a sap. He pulls back, a grin taking over his face as he sets me down and wipes my tears away.

  "Happy is not the word I would use," he says, cupping my face, his heart in his eyes. "Ecstatic. Filled with joy. Bursting with it." He shakes his head, laughing. "I do not know if words can properly express my emotions. Cannot you feel it?"

  Now that he says it that way, I realize half the joy I’m feeling is coming from him. It’s pulsing, a bright, incandescent, all encompassing feeling.

  I laugh wetly, resting my head against his chest. How could I ever have been worried about his reaction?

  "Yes. Yes, I feel it," I murmur against him.

  He wraps his arms tightly around me. "Oh, Ling. I love you."

  And I know the truth of that too, clear as day, right down in my heart.

  "I love you too," I whisper, taking my first deep breath since I realized what was happening. Here, in his arms, I know everything will be more than fine. I breathe him in, letting the moment wash over me, taking a snapshot of it in my mind.

  This is one of those moments.

  A moment where everything changes.

  24

  Naefaren

  I move on to the next piece of parchment in the pile and look it over. It is a list of the repairs that need to be done to the boundary walls and the roads, in order of most to least important.

  I look up at Ling sitting at the other desk. She is frowning as she writes something down.

  "You do not need to do this," I say, showing her the piece of paper. "In fact, as I have said many times before, you do not need to be doing anything this close to the baby coming."

  She looks up from the desk and arches an eyebrow. "And what should I be doing instead?" she asks. "Lying in bed, anxious and worried about pushing this baby out?"

  She rubs her hand automatically over her swollen belly. When she puts it in that way, I can understand the need to do something. I just do not want her to exhaust herself.

  Sighing, I stand and walk over to give her a kiss. "Thank you," I murmur against her lips, kissing her again. "I appreciate all of your help."

  "Yes, you should," she grumbles, but there is a smile on her face she tries to hide.

  "At least use your footrest," I admonish, sliding it under her feet.

  She sighs, leaning back in the chair. "Thank you."

  "Do you want to come to the meeting?" I ask, pushing her hair back from her face.

  "I am too tired," she admits. "I may nap."

  She must be drained indeed if she will skip a meeting. She always wants to know everything and be up to date on all the news.

  "Let me help you."

  "No, I can—"

  I ignore her, pulling her chair back and lifting her easily in my arms. Even so heavily pregnant, she is small. Not at all difficult to lift.

  She sighs, wrapping her arms around my neck and snuggling against me, settling in easily. "I can walk," she says into my tunic.

  I smile. "Yes, but allow your poor Pari to do this for you," I say, humoring her.

  Back in our bedchamber, I lay her down carefully on the bed. By the time I have taken off her slippers, she is already asleep. Shaking my head at her stubborn nature, I cover her legs lightly as recently she has been complaining about being hot.

  I stare at her pretty face for a moment. Everything is peaceful for now, though I worry about what the future will bring. Change is inexorable, but as I have found out firsthand, it does not come easily. If Malathin and Franean had been smarter about their plan, taken more time to execute it well and been leaders others would more likely flock to, they may very well have succeeded.

  And that is a frightening thought indeed.

  I kiss Ling softly on the forehead before leaving the bedchamber, gently closing the door behind myself so as not to wake her. I walk over to the meeting, thinking about everything that can still happen to disrupt the peace. When I enter the room, my gaze scans over the original members and pauses on the new additions.

  The lead guard who ordered Malathin to be brought out at House Saren is now Prince of that House. Not a surprise to anyone who was there.

  I nod at Prince Tharefus and he nods back, in conversation with the male next to him, Prince Walor, the new leader of House Caffaar. Not knowing how to pick a new Prince for Caffaar, we decided to ask the survivors of the House to nominate someone.

  It was Ling's suggestion.

  Surprisingly, there was only one name that came up consistently.

  Walor.

  So far, he and Tharefus have proven to be level headed and practical but only time will tell if they harbor beliefs that run counter to ours. The addition of House Caffaar and House Saren has been a coup. Not only did we lose two enemies, we gained two allies.

  A win indeed.

  As I sit down at the head of the table, the noise level slowly quiets.

  "Let us begin with the Houses involved in Malathin and Franean's ill conceived plan and those that allowed it to happen when they could have at least passed word to us. Do we have any more additions?"

  "House Githura. Malathin attempted to recruit them."

  I nod, adding the House to our list. The Houses that were not directly involved but did nothing are still not invited into our alliance unless and until a change in leadership occurs and they reach out to us, we would rather not deal with Houses not willing to stop an injustice when they can. We have already turned down two Houses for this very reason.

  "Any more?" I ask, looking around the table.

  Negative murmurs.

  "Perhaps we have weeded out all the rats," Elorshin suggests.

  "Perhaps. But we should keep our eyes and ears peeled for any information to the contrary." Everyone agrees on that front. "We need to take this one step further," I add, meeting each male's eyes. "I do not want people to think that we stand for ourselves alone. Greed and selfishness were the causes of this mess in the first place." I pause as I truly consider that truth. "I move that we declare war on anyone who attempts to harm another person's Pari—whether or not the aggrieved parties are members of our Houses."

  "It is not our role to police the entire Alvan race," one of the older Princes murmurs.

  "I agree."

  "I as well."

  I nod, expecting some argument on this front. "It may not be our responsibility," I agree. "However, making this world safe for others also makes it safer for us. And it will send a strong message to the Houses who have not yet joined." I spread my hands. "That would only make us stronger." I look around again. "Perhaps we should vote?"

  Assent all around to that method of deciding. When we count, it falls where I had hoped it would. War will be declared on anyone who dares to use Paris as pawns. We are already economically strong and we have shown strength in battle. Now we shall take a stand for those who cannot stand for themselves.

  We move on to more mundane topics after that.

  As we conclude yet another meeting, I ponder how many I have sat through now. How far we have come that even our meetings are now well oiled machines. It is a thought that instills pride in me, but that is also sobering. We have a responsibility now. One that I want to honor.

  As soon as the meeting is over, I move on to other tasks required in the House, having put off anything t
hat would require me to move too far. With Ling so close to labor, I do not want to be somewhere else when the babe decides to come. On that thought, after I finish up in the marketplace, I move on to the border wall to speak to my guards, wanting to see how our new ones are doing with their training.

  As I watch two of them demonstrate their still somewhat clumsy sword skills, something moves out of the corner of my eye. Frowning, I glance below the wall, my eyes falling on a young messenger weaving his way in and out of the crowd. He is coming from the House Mansion.

  "I must go," I say, turning and running without waiting for a response.

  Heart beating fast, I intercept the messenger before he is even through the marketplace. "Do you have a message for me?" I ask, my hands coming down to his narrow shoulders.

  His eyes are wide as he nods. "It is Princess Ling. Vareela says the baby is coming."

  I nod, my stomach falling as I step around him and start to run. The baby is coming. Everything that could go wrong with childbirth runs through my mind as I close the distance between myself and the House Mansion.

  The danger is real, and not one I can protect Ling from.

  Almost wild, I run in through the front door to find the servants in a flurry of motion. "Where is Ling?" I demand.

  "The bedchamber!" the cook responds, pointing at the same time.

  Turning, I run to the room but as I reach for the doorknob, I see my trembling hand and stop myself. I cannot run inside in a panic. Ling needs me to be strong.

  Stepping back, I close my eyes and take some long, deep breaths. I can do this for her. If she can go through this ordeal, I can be the rock by her side. More calm, I open the door and step inside.

  "Naefaren!" Ling calls out when she sees me, her face shining with effort as she lays on the bed.

  I rush over to her side, taking her hand. "I came as soon as I heard," I say, kissing her cheek. "What can I do?"

  "Stay up there and please try not to faint." I turn at the voice to find Vareela, the midwife. I do not take offense at her no nonsense tone.

  She even helped me into the world after all.

  "I will not faint," I say firmly.

  She looks up at me with a slight smile, obviously not agreeing but refusing to argue with me.

  "Do not look down. Stay with her please."

  I open my mouth to argue, but then see blood and quickly look away. Perhaps she is right.

  "I waited to tell you," Ling says as she calms for a moment. "I didn’t want you to rush over here when I wasn’t close."

  I shake my head. "You should have called for me. I do not care if I have to sit here for longer," I admonish. "There is nothing more important to me than you and this babe."

  She smiles at me, but then squeezes her eyes shut as another fit overtakes her. I watch helplessly at how hard she squeezes my hand and know she must be in terrible pain. I talk to her in a low voice as she pushes, telling her I love her, attempting to support her in any way I can.

  "I am not having another baby," she gasps out, her body twisting.

  "Absolutely not," I agree. "I cannot go through this again."

  She laughs, but then groans again.

  "Almost there," Vareela calls out. "You are doing wonderfully!"

  The next few moments are horrifying and then abruptly miraculous as the mewling cries of an infant fill the air. I meet Ling's exhausted eyes. "You did it," I murmur, kissing her on the lips. "You did it."

  "Is the baby healthy? Is it a boy? A girl?" she asks, tilting her head down to look.

  I step toward Vareela as she cleans off the baby. "Congratulations," she murmurs, handing me the still somewhat messy bundle. "You have a baby girl. A very hale and hearty one." She beams.

  "A girl," I murmur, my heart filling as I take in her perfect face, pale like her mother's. But her hair is a deep purple, just like my own. "She is perfection," I say in awe, turning so Ling can see her.

  "Oh," she gasps, holding out her arms.

  I place the precious bundle in them carefully, worrying at how fragile her slight weight is.

  "Oh, she is gorgeous," Ling says, tears streaming down her face.

  "Yes," I agree, caressing her plump cheek with the back of one finger. "She takes after her mother."

  Ling laughs, turning into the kiss I give her as the baby fusses. She pulls back to look down at our daughter, her face glowing even through the exhaustion.

  "I want ten more," she murmurs, absorbed in counting fingers and toes. "Maybe eleven."

  "Absolutely," I agree.

  25

  Ling

  "So, what you’re saying is...I can do everything now?"

  Vareela smiles as she holds An, the baby's amber brown eyes looking up at the midwife adoringly.

  "Yes. You may continue as normal in the bedchamber," she says baldly. No beating around the bush with her.

  Or for Naefaren anymore. I wince at my own bad joke, shaking my head.

  "Thank God," I mutter. Naefaren should be home soon. "I need to go," I say, trying to plan as I take An back in my arms. "Thank you so much!"

  "You're welcome!" she calls as I hustle away with An in a sling against my chest.

  I need to feed her and bathe her and then she'll be down for at least a couple of hours. She usually sleeps in the room with us, her small crib next to the bed but I don't want to wake her.

  I have plans for the next couple of hours that may be...vigorous.

  Hopefully.

  But I need to move fast.

  As soon as I'm back at the House Mansion, I ask for a bath—one for each of us. By the time I get her fed, changed, and down to sleep in the room connected to ours, leaving the door open, my bath is only lukewarm.

  I'll take it. I clean up quickly, check on An, and then head over to the wardrobe. I've been slowly getting clothes to fit my height and build, the House seamstress coming through for me. But the outfit she made and gave to me last week was a complete surprise.

  "You will know when to wear it," she said to me with a knowing smile.

  As I take it out now, I mentally thank her. With the extra weight I'm carrying, especially in the breast region, the clothes I was wearing before aren't the most comfortable. As I figure out how to put it on, I realize calling it a dress might be a little too generous. Made of a deep orange, the cups of the bodice hug and lift my fuller breasts while leaving my back mostly bare, the skirt is a slim column. At least, from the back. The front is cut just low enough to cover my hips and not much else.

  It makes me feel sexy, the fabric soft and slick. A feeling which I really appreciate after so many sleepless nights with a crying baby.

  I’m trying to figure out what else to do to seduce Naefaren when the door opens and he steps inside.

  Time’s up.

  "Ling, I..." his eyes widen as he takes in the dress.

  I have taken to wearing more baggy clothes after having An, just because they're more comfortable but the way he's looking at me now is making me rethink that decision.

  "You look...you are beautiful,"

  I know through the bond he means it and my heart melts a little.

  "I went to see Vareela today," I say, stepping closer.

  "Oh?" he asks absently, his eyes hot as they scan me.

  "She says I can do everything now," I say, stopping with my bare feet just in front of his boots.

  His eyes rise to meet mine as I slide a hand up his chest. "Everything?" he repeats, his voice already deeper.

  I nod.

  I let out a squeak as my feet immediately leave the ground and he tosses me onto the bed. I'm laughing as he follows, but then his mouth comes down on mine and all I can do is moan, my hands shaping his shoulders and back.

  He abruptly breaks the kiss and jumps off the bed to rip off his clothes in less time than I thought possible. His erection is already at full mast as he takes a step toward the bed.

  "Wait," I say huskily, sliding down so I can sit on the edge, my feet flat on the f
loor.

  Guiding him towards me by his hips, I take him in my hands.

  And then in my mouth.

  "Ling," he groans, his hand cupping my head as I lick and suck at him.

  But he doesn't let me stay there long. With a groan, he pulls out of my mouth, panting.

  "No more. I want to be inside you when I spill."

  Oh. Yes, please.

  He pushes me back on the bed, kissing my lips, then my neck, the tops of my breasts. A quick yank and they spill out, his hands and mouth immediately covering the now lush curves.

  I groan. "I need more," I say, twisting under him.

  His hand slides down to my thigh, skimming up. And finding nothing. He hums in the back of his throat as his fingers softly trace my folds. He lifts his head to look at me as he sinks two fingers in.

  "You are ready," he growls, carefully moving those fingers as he watches my face.

  "Yes. Please," I gasp, arching up against his hand.

  But he doesn't take my cue. Sliding down, his eyes are locked on mine as he deliberately licks me.

  I gasp at the sharp sensation.

  He doesn't play around, giving me exactly what I need, exactly what he knows sets me off. I cry out as the orgasm hits me, my body trying to move but his hands are holding me down, wrapped around my thighs as he keeps me where he wants me. The pleasure washes over me in waves, his enjoyment of seeing it coming through our bond.

  You are so beautiful.

  I open my eyes to see him rising up, his massive erection in his fist.

  "I need you," I murmur.

  He gives a sharp nod. And he doesn't waste any time.

  Raising my legs, he locks eyes with me as he rubs the head of his cock up and down my wet furrow. His gaze drifts down, lingering on my breasts and then between my legs as he starts pushing.

  We both close our eyes as he sinks into me.

  It's even more intense as I feel an echo of what he feels, his pleasure ramping my own up even higher.

  "Good?" he asks, brushing my hair away from my face.

  I open my eyes to see him watching me with concern, his face already flushed, his eyes dark.