Some Kind of Monster

by Albany Walker

  He kisses the side of my head and gives me a lazy shrug with a grin. “So what?”

  “But…” I don’t know what else to say because he’s right. Whatever she is, she’s ours, and I will protect her. Worst case scenario, Grim could have us out of here in a second flat, and it’s not like anyone could stop us.

  “She’ll be perfect, just like you,” he promises.

  The next few minutes pass fast. The doctor comes in, he checks me again to confirm I’m ready, and then they start really preparing the room. The bottom half of the bed is removed and cold, silver stirrups flip up from the side. If I thought it was bright in here before, I was mistaken. You could land an airplane in this joint now.

  With the doctor face deep in my cooch and all geared up like he’s Dexter committing a homicide, he looks up at me and tells me to bear down like I’m going to the bathroom the next time I feel a contraction.

  Seconds later, I get to try out the tasks. “No, back here.” I jump when his finger goes near my ass.

  “Hey!” Calix barks.

  The doctor ignores him. “Like you need to poop,” he instructs instead. And this is the moment I get embarrassed. “Try again on the next one,” he says happily.

  There’s barely any time between the feeling of pressure, so I push again, this time lower, and the doctor’s response is immediate.

  “I see the head, good girl, keep going.”

  “Oh, fuck.” I look over just in time to see Gunnar’s eyes roll back in his head as he goes down. I swear the floor shakes when he hits like a mini earthquake.

  “The tough ones are always the biggest babies.” The doctor smiles up at me from between my legs while two nurses try to wake up Gunnar. “A few more good pushes like that and we will have a baby.” His bushy dark brows wiggle up and down.

  “How many more?” I pant for breath. That was just the first push, and I’m fucking tired of it already.

  “As many as it takes.”

  I want to weep, but I just tuck my chin down and push every time he orders me to. It’s not a couple pushes—it’s too many to count. I think about giving up once or twice. Gunnar, who’s now seated right next to my head, is telling me how great I’m doing. I want to poke his eyes out.

  “I’m going to shove something up your ass and make you push it out if you say that again,” I warn, sweat dripping down my face.

  He smartly shuts his mouth and just holds my hand. Calix is near my hip, but I catch him leaning over to look between my legs every once in a while. He looks a little green too. I hope he falls on his dick if he passes out.

  “That’s not very nice,” the doctor chastises me. I didn’t even realize I said it out loud. Grim is right behind the doctor, watching his every move. I swear to the stars, at one point, I saw his scythe in his hand, ready to kill the man. “Now this is it. You push hard, and we have a baby.”

  “There’s no fucking we, I’m the one having a baby. Are you pushing a basketball out of your twat?” I half yell, half growl, and push as hard as I can. The sweet relief is instant, and so is the horror of how weird it feels to literally gush fluids out of your vagina that you have no control over.

  “Ah, there she is.” My eyes slit until they’re almost closed and my head drops back. Her tiny little body is in the doctor’s hands. Her puffy lips are a little blue, but then she opens her mouth and lets out a wail.

  I cry then, too, racking sobs right along with her. Gunnar kisses my head and rises to follow the nurse who took the baby over to the cart. Calix isn’t far behind. Grim comes to my side and cradles my face in his hands. His eyes are bright, and he murmurs whispered words under his breath against my lips.

  I don’t try to understand what he’s saying, I just let him comfort me while the others make sure the baby is okay.

  I reach up and clasp his wrist, making sure he doesn’t let go. “I’m never having another kid!”

  Chapter 29

  “Evening, gorgeous girl,” I coo, while Nyx wraps her chubby fingers around mine. Her large, gray eyes stare up at me with an innocence that makes my heart ache. It’s strange how my emotions are so inexplicably tied to hers.

  She’s cradled in my arms where she fell asleep hours ago. Calix offered to put her in her crib, but I love the way her little body fits so perfectly against mine.

  Grim leans over my shoulder. Even though all the books say he’s not close enough for her to see, her eyes seem to change focus, and she gazes up at him. After a little wiggle, she opens her perfect little mouth into a circle for a yawn.

  My little goddess has all four of us wrapped around her finger. She’s also spoiled rotten. Calix brushes his fingers gently over the snow-white peach fuzz covering her head. Her lips purse, and I know she is seconds from crying.

  Consuming food during my pregnancy should have been a warning for how much she would eat, but it still surprises me how often she wants to nurse.

  “Eat, sleep, shit, repeat.” Gunnar leans over and scoops her up. He holds her neck securely and brings her close to his face so he can coo at her while heading out of the room. Having four people to split diaper duty with is pretty amazing. I would definitely recommend it to all families.

  I rise from the chair and stretch. I’ve never, in my life, sat still for such long periods, but there is something seriously magical about a sleeping baby that allows the time to pass so effortlessly.

  “Uncle was here,” Calix tells me.

  “He was? Was I dozing?”

  He shakes his head. “He said he was just checking on you. I told him where you were and to go see you for himself, but he said he would wait.”

  “For what? A written invitation?” I scoff.

  “I think he’s worried you won’t want him around the baby.” Calix has a soft smile on his lips as his eyes run over me.

  If I thought I was a mess eight months pregnant, I was wrong. My shirt has stains over my left nipple from leaking milk, and I haven’t changed my yoga pants in two days. I can’t believe he can even look at me and smile. You’d think he’d be escorting me to the shower. “That’s stupid. How will she get to know him if he’s not around?”

  Calix shrugs. “I tried telling him. I think he needs to hear it from you.”

  “Make sure someone tells me next time he comes, please.” Nyx lets out a loud squeal as she starts to cry and my nipples tingle. I grab both my tits in my hand and whine.

  “I’ll go grab her.” Calix gives me a soft kiss on my temple before jogging deeper into the house.

  I feel Grim’s warmth as he moves behind me. He pulls my back tight against his front and runs his hands down my sides. “Want me to hold those for you?” he whispers near my ear. I tilt my head to the side a little to give him better access.

  “Not unless you want milk all over your hands.” I chuckle.

  Instead of answering, he runs his palms over my arms until he’s cradling my hands. “Happily.” He nips the side of my neck roughly, and I let out a little whimper.

  “Knock it off, you’re not getting near my pussy for a while. She needs recovery time.”

  Grim clicks his tongue at me. “I’m not a savage, Omnia, but I can’t help how seeing you makes me feel.” Calix walks in while Grim still has his hands over mine, cupping my boobs. He lifts an eyebrow but doesn’t say anything about it.

  Talk about an ovary destroyer. Watching him or any of the guys holding my little girl and I’m already rethinking the whole ‘I’m not having any more kids’ statement, and it’s only been two weeks since I gave birth. Funny how you forget how hard it was, how badly it hurt. Not that the recovery after is easy, either, and I heal way faster than a human. I hope they are as pampered as I am. But then again, I don’t know many humans who have three men looking after them. Splitting the work between us sure seems to make things easier.

  “Where do you want to sit?” Calix gently bounces Nyx while patting her butt.

  “How about the living room? I’m getting tired of these four walls.” Gunna
r has been nesting. He made a nursery on the main floor and in the bedroom closest to mine. I heard him talking to Grim the other day about renovating to make our room bigger and possibly moving Nyx’s nursery across the hall.

  Calix turns around and heads to the main parlor. It seems like so long ago since he came here for the first time and we made out on the couch. The memory brings a smile to my lips. Grim rocks me back and forth a bit before asking, “What’s the grin for?”

  “I was just thinking about when you guys first came to me.” I spin so I can look up at his face. His gray eyes, the exact same shade as Nyx’s, peer down at me. “I almost swallowed my tongue when I saw you without the robe. Calix had already left me hot and bothered, then you came along and I wanted to jump your bones.” I toss my head back and let out a throaty laugh. “I thought you guys might have been coming to tell me you were my dad or some shit. Thank fuck I wasn’t lusting after my pop.”

  Grim palms my ass and pulls me even closer. “Imagine how I felt. I watched you grow up. One day you were this little creature I wanted to care for and protect, then the next time I see you, this…” He places my hand on his dick. It’s hard, but Grim is always hard. I don’t even know how he has blood flow to his brain.

  That makes me laugh even harder. “My poor Loverboy. How old was I? Legal I hope?” He narrows his eyes at me and gives me a look that says I’m going to pay for that comment.

  Gunnar pokes his head into the room. “Want me to try to give her a bottle?”

  “No, I’m coming. It’s okay if she cries for a minute or two. The books say it’s good for her lungs.”

  He rubs his hand over his forehead. “I know, I just want to help.” He and Grim both follow me into the parlor. Calix is trying to comfort Nyx, but she’s really wailing. Her little face is all red, and her tiny hands are balled into fists as she noses around on his chest looking for something to latch on to.

  Calix looks at me with a helpless stare. “I’m sorry; she’s cranky.” I take her in my arms, and she quiets quickly, letting out little grunts instead.

  I settle into a chair and get her set to nurse. Her eyes drop closed immediately and her body relaxes. I thought I would hate this—thought it would be weird to nurse her after only ever thinking about my breasts being for sexual pleasure—but it’s completely different from anything I could have ever imagined. Feeding her actually gives me great joy. Maybe it’s because my mom could never feed me and never even made an effort to try something other than a bottle—not that I can blame her for not knowing I needed sins to survive. But it still gives me immense satisfaction knowing I’m taking care of her.

  Gunnar turns the TV on, and Calix hands me my phone. I smile at him gratefully. Without it, I would probably fall asleep. I jump when I hear my name shouted. “Damiana!”

  “Oh, shit,” I whisper. “What do you think she’ll be madder about? Us killing Antonio or me not waiting for her to get back until I had Nyx?”

  “Nyx,” all three of them say in unison.

  I breathe a sigh of relief. “Oh, good, I couldn’t control that.”

  “I cannot believe I had to hear that you had the baby from the crooked man!” She’s not even down the stairs and she’s screeching. “Where are you, you traitor?” She rounds the corner, her hands are on her hips, and she’s frowning, but the moment she sees me and the baby cradled against my chest, she stops dead in her tracks and her hands fall to her sides.

  “Shush. I’m sorry, Aeson. Nyx had her own agenda.”

  “Nyx, the goddess of night?” she says softly in awe.

  “Come say hello, Aunty.” Aeson’s eyes jump to mine and she can’t hide her grin, but she fucking tries.

  “At least you chose a decent name,” she mumbles instead, focusing on the ground as she walks over and grapples up the chair leg to sit on my shoulder. “Look at those cheeks,” she whispers in reverence. “I can’t believe I missed it. You were early,” she accuses, still staring at Nyx.

  “A little, she was almost six pounds though, and she’s gaining weight fast. The doctor observed her for two days to make sure her lungs were good before they kicked us out.” I look over at Gunnar.

  “What? Their rules are stupid,” he grouches.

  “No weapons in the hospital isn’t a stupid rule, Kitten.”

  “How else can you protect your child? Humans are weaklings and they don’t even allow them to have a weapon.” He shakes his head like he’s baffled. “I’m with Grim, next time we bring the doctor to us.” For a moment, I’m enamored by his use of Grim’s name until I realize what he said.

  “Next time?” Nyx jumps and lets out a loud cry from my outburst. I rub the side of her head and shush her softly. Aeson scoots down until she’s sitting on my boob right in front of Nyx’s face. My little girl opens her eyes and stares up at my best friend. There’s no fear, no judgment, and there never will be. We will raise her not to fear the darkness or what may lurk there. But I will make sure she knows evil exists, and it’s rarely the creatures that look the part.

  “Yes, next time.” Grim nods his head.

  “Sure, that will happen, we’ll have all the babies.” I smile through the words then drop the grin and deadpan, “As soon as you’re the ones growing and birthing them.”

  “We have time to convince her,” Calix remarks dismissively. I know he’s right—it probably won’t even be hard to persuade me—but I like to give them hell anyway.

  Aeson brushes her tiny hand over Nyx’s cheek, and my baby girl closes her eyes again while she finishes eating. “Tell me what happened with the witch,” she coos softly to make sure she doesn’t disturb Nyx.

  I wince, she already knows. Well, it’s not like it was a secret, but I wasn’t sure the news would get back to her because she was on a job. “It was Boogey, can you believe it?”

  “I heard, the slime.” She settles herself on the arm of the chair where she can look at me and the baby.

  “From what we’ve gathered, it’s been him the whole time. Boogey admitted to killing Antonio after he taught him how to perform the ritual, and from the number of bodies that were piled up near his safehouse, he’s been doing it for quite some time,” I inform her. “I know you wanted your pound of flesh. Sorry you weren’t there.”

  “Shit happens. If I made it my goal to hunt down everyone who tried to kill me, I wouldn’t have time for much else,” she quips.

  Gunnar gives me the ‘I told you so’ look. I make a face that I’m sure isn’t very flattering in return. He cracks a smile.

  “So, this is what you guys do now, sit around like a bunch of house ninnies? Aeson looks around the room, so I do, too. All of the guys are relaxed, Calix even has a blanket draped over his lap. Gunnar is munching on a bag of candy, and none of them look repentant about how things have shifted. I can’t say I am, either. Not too long ago, I craved companionship. I lived for visitors. Now I still get to enjoy my guests, but I don’t have the crippling loneliness I always lived with before.

  “Yes, I plan to get a dad bod,” Grim declares plainly. I snort.

  “On you it would probably work, but don’t rush into anything there, killer.” Aeson gives the perfect specimen of a man a long, appraising look, and I’m not even mad at her for it.

  Gunnar responds by grabbing the remote and turning on the TV, then he shoves his hand back into his bag of candy, perfectly content.

  Chapter 30

  Three years later

  A giggle erupts down the hall. Nyxie is playing hide and seek with Cece. I can see the evidence of her wet footprints on the carpet. “You win again.” I drop my cards on the table. Uncle, who I now know was only ever allowing me to win, takes his marbles.

  I hear heavy footfalls rushing behind me, then a squeal when Calix roars at the girls. Nyxie bounds into my lap, panting and still giggling. I grunt but wrap my arms around her little body. Cece pokes her head around the corner. No matter how many times we remind her she’s safe here and free to roam about, she still mostly k
eeps to the shadows.

  “I hungry.” Nyx pouts.

  “When aren’t you?” I stand and hoist her onto my hip then tickle her little belly. I have no idea where she puts all the food. I’m pretty sure she has the same metabolism as her daddy, and no matter what she ate, she would still be perfect.

  Nyxie laughs, tossing her head back so I can see her blunt little teeth, some of her molars have come in and she loves to bite. I think she gets that from her dad too.

  “Cece, want a snack?” I don’t look in her direction. The attention makes her even more shy. I hear the plodding of her wet feet as we make our way into the kitchen.

  I have a few candles burning on the counter so it’s not too bright. Cece hops up onto the stool next to the one I placed Nyx on. Uncle is looming in the hall. My fearless little lady waves him in and demands, “Come, Uncle. Snacks.”

  She has way more control over him than I ever did. He slinks into the kitchen at her summoning. “What do you want? An apple, grapes, yogurt?” My fridge looks much different than it once did. Most of the garbage has been replaced with healthier snacks.

  “Chocolate sammich.” Nyx smacks her lips as if she can already taste it. I make it a point to look around as if I’m searching for her fathers and bring my finger up to my lip to shush her. But she knows I’m a push over and will give her adorable little face anything she wants. Hell, she has everyone she’s ever met wrapped around her perfect little finger. I guess that’s what happens when you’re born half angel.

  “How about for you, Cece?”

  “Can I have something crunchy?” Her voice is as soft as a butterfly wing.

  “You got it.” I make her a plate of carrots and cucumbers with a side of dip and add a handful of chips.

  Calix slinks into the kitchen, his eyes bright. He’s been playing hide and seek with the girls for the last hour. “You didn’t even tell me it was snack time.” He frowns at Nyx, who looks completely unrepentant.

  “It’s snack time.”