Guess I was wrong about Diane’s date at the wedding. If she’d hooked up with her immortal she’d know that. Maybe he was just one of the weird Goth types she’s so attracted to. Still she doesn’t have to keep playing dumb about the book.
“Okay, enough of the joke, ladies. Here it is.” Isabella reached for the bag she’d dropped on the floor beside her. The book wasn’t there. Did she forget to put it in before she left the house? No, she distinctly remembered sticking the heavy tome in her bag.
“Uh, sorry, but it seems to have disappeared.”
Diane laughed and shook her head. “Yeah, right. You really had us going there. I’m sure that was a great book though.” She winked at the other two women at the table. “Maybe our Isabella is going to add author to her list of accomplishments and this is the book she intends to write. After all, she does have the experience, now.”
“Stop with the joking Diane. Didn’t you read it before you left it at my place?” Isabella glared at her friend. “Remember the chapter about werewolves? Good grief, after reading that, didn’t you have the urge to get out and run with the pack and howl at the moon?”
Looking around the table at her friends’ faces, she felt the need to defend herself. “I’m not crazy you know. Besides, Valkyries don’t lie.”
Tonya cleared her throat. “I think we need to order another round of drinks and then Karen and I can share a few things.
Relief flooded Isabella as she watched Tonya’s face. Maybe she wasn’t the only one to receive a copy of the mysterious book. But why in hell didn’t the other two? Or have their acting skills improved?
Isabella mentally shrugged away the book. She had more important things to focus on than a silly book.
Galvin paced in the giant hallway of Valhalla, listening to his wife and grandfather argue. Odin insisted they stay in Asgard as Isabella’s due date drew near.
The old one crossed his arms and met Isabella’s glare. “One of my Valkyries is ready to deliver a baby and this one is even more special. The child of my grandson will be born here in Asgard. I will bode no arguments on the matter.” The God of Wisdom turned his back, indicating the subject closed.
Leave it to his wife to see things differently. Isabella would argue with a tree if the wind shook its leaves when she passed.
Odin seemed to enjoy the confrontations, at times generating one for amusement.
If only the same could be said of her relationship with Thor. He and his mother spent many a dinner trying to divert a battle between his wife and his father.
“Excuse me, Oh Wise One.”
Ouch. He wished she wouldn’t use that sarcastic tone when addressing the older god.
“Babies. I’m having twins, according to Apollo. He’s fixated on a multiple-birth.” She rubbed the small of her back and continued. “I still don’t know why I let you talk me into having my pregnancy monitored in this realm.” The petulant tone continued. “This is my first time in childbirth and I want my mother with me.”
Thank the heavens they’d told her parents and brother about Galvin’s family’s true identity. Angela had taken some convincing to accept the reality of their life, which Isabella told him not to worry about since that was just her mother. Gino and Tom liked the idea of having a godly brother-in-law and her father just shrugged and grinned.
She did admit to shock when Nonna accepted Galvin’s heritage so easily and intervened on their behalf to help Angela come to terms with the fact their family now was also comprised of immortals. Isabella attributed the miracle to an earlier visit Sif and Loki paid the old woman, enlightening her of the true situation and allowing time for her to adjust to the idea.
Odin turned around. “We shall have her come here then.”
“And what about my father, my brother and his mate? And my grandmother? This is her only shot at being a great-grandmother to one of her daughter’s children.” Both hands now supported her back as she waddled toward the deity.
Isabella’s stomach was enormous, but given how much she ate these days, Galvin thought her size should not come as a surprise to him or anyone who watched her indulge in a meal. Her appetite was insatiable. She even challenged Thor to eating contests on a regular basis…and won.
“By the heavens, woman. You try my patience.” A reluctant smile played at one corner of Odin’s mouth. “Very well. You shall have the whole family.”
“Good, now that’s settled, I’m hungry. Sif’s expecting me for dinner.” She started toward the door and stopped.
A strange look played across her face and she rubbed her large stomach. Galvin rushed to her side.
“Is something wrong, Love?”
“No, not really.” She took another step and clutched her belly, bending over. “Oh dear. I think I’m in labor.”
“What? Oh my stars.” Odin changed from an all-powerful deity into another male intimidated by the prospect of childbirth. “Get the women. Get the women.” He rushed out to summons someone.
Galvin helped Isabella straighten up. He placed a hand over the large bulge. “Feels like a party going on in there.” He kissed her gently. “What do you need from me?”
“I—” her response was cut short by the return of Odin with Freya at his heels.
Not many people could say their midwife was the Mother of Childbirth. “We shall get her to the room I have prepared for the birth.” Freya slipped an arm around Isabella. “Come, my dear. Let us leave the men to do what males do best. Worry and brag.”
Isabella’s laugh turned into a groan as another contraction hit. Galvin moved to follow and Odin placed a hand on his arm.
“No, the women will take the matter from here. Get her family and yours. This is her first birth and the process may take a while.”
His ears ached from the strain of trying to hear what went on behind the closed doors. All of the women from both families were on the other side, even Odin’s wife Frigg and Thor’s mother, Jord. He, the husband of the woman in labor, was shut out here with his father and grandfather as well as the men of Isabella’s family. Even Loki had not been able to worm his way into the birthing chamber.
Gino joined him in pacing. They passed each other every few minutes, as they chose opposite directions to work off their nervous energy.
“I brought cigars,” Gino stopped and pulled a handful of stogies from his pocket.
“Good.” Galvin wondered what was so wonderful about that. The mortals’ strange traditions amused him, but rather than expose his ignorance of this one he not chose to ask. Isabella would explain the reason to him later.
Did he hear a sound? He headed toward the door, but Odin beat him there, already with his ear pressed against the wood in an attempt to determine what happened on other side.
“What do you hear, Grandfather?” The other men congregated around them waiting for his report.
“I thought I heard a cry.” Odin pressed his face tighter against the wood.
The door opened and the deity went sprawling forward, landing at Frigg’s feet. “Love you on your knees, but I don’t have time to for that now, dear.” She stepped around him and turned to Galvin. “Your wife would like to see you.”
He rushed to the side of the large bed on which his wife lay, very pale and tired. “How are you, Izzy?” The use of the hated nickname got the smile he was after.
“Well, all things considered, good.” She accepted the kiss he placed on her mouth and teased. “Have you met your children?”
That’s right. That’s what this was all about. In his concern for Isabella, he forgot he was now a father. Someone placed a small bundle in his arms.
“This is your son.” Isabella’s fingers stroked the downy blond covering on the top his head. She turned toward the sound of a small wail. “His sisters want their turn.”
“Sisters?” He looked around at the adults circling the bed. Four women held bundles similar to the one in his arms and the men hovered over them.
“Yes, sisters. We have q
uintuplets. Enough babies to keep all the grandmothers happy.” She smiled a tired smile and lay back against the pillow.
The roar in his head downed out the rest of what his wife said. Five babies. The words whirled in his mind leaving no room to hear anything else.
His wife’s voice came back into focus, “And, we need to come up with names. I know we only picked out two girl and two boy names, but we need to expand our list.”
All of the women gathered around him, presenting the tiny bundle of blanket each held for him to see. He touched the babies’ soft cheeks, marveling at the perfection of all five. The quintuplets were fair of skin and similar features. The differences lay in their hair. Pale duck-down puffs covered the heads of three. A thatch of dark curls framed the face of the fourth, delighting her Italian grandparents and the fifth one sported a crown of red equal to her grandfather’s red mane. No doubt about who would spoil her. The Thunder God cooed above the infant, a smile lighting the usually serious face.
“Well, my love, I think we can safely say the fertility gods heard your statement and chose to override your wishes.”
A confused look played across the tired face. “What?”
“The wedding reception…don’t you remember. You swore not to have a child every year and two was your limit.”
“I did, didn’t I?”
He laughed. “It appears they have struck a compromise. We have their fertility blessing for lots of children and your wish for only two pregnancies.”
“I think fulfilling their blessing will keep them happy, and I for one, am delighted to settle for one pregnancy.” Isabella giggled. “Why push fate? After all, my heart has been stolen by a Nordic god who produces a lot of heat.”
Galvin laughed and thanked the heavens. He leaned over and planted a soft kiss on her lips before whispering, “That makes two of us with lost hearts, my love. Mine has been stolen too.”
The End
If you enjoyed Educating Amber, check out some of Lizzie’s other books.
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Books at Passion in Print Press:
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Biography
Award winning author, Lizzie T. Leaf started life in Kansas, continued her growing in North Carolina, and currently shivers through the winters in Colorado.
Since discovering the fun of writing paranormal, she plays with creating vampires, faeries and other immortals. If she needs a touch of reality, her Contemporary Erotic Romances come into play.
When not creating mischief for paranormal beings, or getting under the covers with her erotic heroes, she can be found exploring the other genres she wants to write. She also served as the 2012 President for the Heart of Denver Romance Writers and is the 2013 VP of Programs.
Lizzie loves to read, spend time with her family and travel with her best friend husband during her free time.
Links:
www.lizzietleaf.com
http://lizzietleaf.blogspot.com/
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