Trained in Blood [Lords of the Expanse 2] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Honor James

  “Her name will be Titatianna.” She smirked and turned her attention back to their son. “He is, isn’t he? But he will grow. We will give him all that he needs.” Looking up she added, “If he had been any larger I’m sure that I wouldn’t have been able to carry him as long as I did, Titan. I’m not an overly large woman, but he’s a very big baby, for a newborn.”

  “Males of our species are a little on the large size at birth,” he murmured, wondering if he should have mentioned that fact earlier. “Females are usually two thirds the size, most likely an easier birth.”

  “You could have told me that.” She grumbled good-naturedly as she looked down at their son. “Now Daddy tells Mommy that having a little boy would hurt more than a little girl. It’s okay though, we will let him change the first nappies and that will teach him.”

  Chuckling softly he kissed her cheek. “I have a feeling that will be a fitting punishment for what Mommy sees as Daddy having wronged her.” He blinked in the next moment. “I can’t believe I just referred to myself in the third person, I have reached an all-time low I believe.”

  Violet grinned. “Yep, it’s called getting into the groove of being a daddy.” There was a pause followed with, “We are going to be the major parts in his life, aren’t we? I mean from all I ‘learned’ most children are shuttled off to school almost from birth. We aren’t doing that, right?” If he said they were they would seriously have to have a long chat because she wasn’t about to give up their son, not this soon.

  Frowning he shifted so she could see his face and his hers. “Males do not begin their schooling until they turn twelve, Violet. And even then it is only part of the time until they are a quarter century which is when they enter the Academy and begin the real training for their adult years.”

  She felt better and nodded. “I was worried. I don’t want strangers raising our son. I know that’s a strange idea for so many but I think I have to demand that we are always a part of our children’s lives.”

  “And we will be, love,” he said softly to her. “We will always be a part of their lives. We will guide them, help them grow, and we will encourage them to be whoever they wish to be.”

  “Good, I want to be able to be a part of their lives, Titan. I need to be a part of their lives and I know that you will as well.” She grinned as she added, “I know that to the world you will have to hold back your emotions but I will always know how you’re feeling.”

  “And you should, little one. You are my woman, my wife, my soul tie,” he said quietly. “I think he’s done, darling. You should give him a burp before his little head blows off.”

  Stroking her son’s head lightly she nodded. “Thank you, Titan, but I think that you need to burp him because Mommy is feeling incredibly sore and tired.” Just shifting made her whole body hurt and she knew that holding the fifteen-plus-pound baby would be a very bad idea.

  Moving slightly he lifted their son up into his arms and, bracing the boy to his chest, he rubbed the little back softly. “I’m sorry you’re in so much pain, love.” He leaned his head to Delfan’s gently as he rocked the boy and sat watching her. “What are you thinking, love?” he asked with a half smile, curiosity clear in his tone.

  “Just looking at the two most handsome and wonderful men that I ever could have dreamed of. I’m looking at the man I love more than life itself holding our child. A child we created on our first night together, a child that will carry on.” She paused as memory hit her. “Oh god.” She breathed and reached out to touch their son’s back lightly. “He’s going to be the first male Seer. When Mother finds out…” She swallowed. “It was her seeing his birth that had her sending me away into hell where she hoped I would die.” Because with Delfan began the fall of the Syndicate.

  Lifting a brow at her words he looked down to their son as he let out a burp and a sigh as he settled his head to Titan’s shoulder. “Are you sure, love?” he asked, looking back to her. When she nodded he smiled slightly. “What does that mean for us, Violet, for him?” he asked in concern.

  “It means he has to learn quickly. If I’m recalling the vision right he will begin to see before he can walk. We protect him, teach him, and help him,” she whispered and felt her gaze moving back to Titan. “When he’s an adult, he will find a woman he cares for, not his soul tie though. She will be killed before him.” She was living in the vision now as she spoke, her eyes taking on the opaque coloring. “His soul tie will help him. She will heal his emotional pain not only with ability but her love.” She smiled. “It will be pure, simple. But the Syndicate will come for her.” She bit her lip and frowned. “And Delfan with the help of others will take the Syndicate rule down.” She saw explosions, a woman in silver, a man in black. So many standing in line, connected but not really. “I don’t know them, but it begins with him and Mother knows it.”

  Watching her as she slid into the vision Titan felt a chill slide down his spine. Swallowing hard he shifted to lay down at her side pulling the blankets up over them both as he wrapped his arm around her, his free hand holding their son to his chest. Pressing a kiss to her forehead Titan breathed her in. “We will protect him,” he promised her, “and gods help anyone that ever tries to do him harm.”

  “Because we will have no mercy on any who try to do him harm,” she agreed and moved in closer, her head coming to rest on Titan’s shoulder. “I’m scared.” Squeezing her closer he held onto her. “I know, love, I am, too,” he whispered, fully understanding what she was referring to. It wasn’t a fear for themselves but a fear for their child, their son. “We’ll keep him safe,” he said again in a soft voice. “Sleep, we all need to get some rest for whatever might come our way.”

  “Double our guards?” she asked quietly even as she closed her eyes. “I trust you when we are all here close like this, but if you’re not here…”

  “I’m not leaving you or Delfan alone, love,” he said softly. “If I have to go off world you are coming with me,” he told her. There were no options. He was not leaving them to the whims of fate. “If we have to be separated, I will make sure that there are so many surrounding you not even the smallest of insects could possibly get close.”

  “Thank you. Titan,” she whispered and sighed. “I know I’m being paranoid but I don’t want to take any chances with our son. I never want to take any sort of chance with him.” She sighed. “If Mother doesn’t know yet, I’m sure she will soon know that he has come into the world. The first male Seer ever in my line and the first ever among the Vampire race.”

  “You are not paranoid, love. You are as a mother should be, honey, protective and concerned about your child’s welfare,” he said quietly against her hair. “All you ever have to do is ask and I will ensure you have everything you deem necessary to protect our son.”

  “I want weapons.” She muttered, “Because I’m not just protecting him but you, too. I would feel better with laser guns and other small weaponry.” Leaning up and touching his cheek she smiled. “Because I love you, Titan, and I don’t want you hurt either.”

  “In the closet behind the framed image of my vessel is the weapons safe,” he told her. “Your prints are already encoded into it, love, everything is loaded and on safety so you won’t waste time checking if you’re in a firefight.”

  “Thank you.” She nestled back into him once more and sighed. “You are always one step ahead of me aren’t you?” She grumbled, but didn’t really mean it. “Do you need to do anything for you, Titan? Shower, sleep, food, blood?”

  “I’ve learned to be at least one step ahead of you.” He smiled slightly, stroking his fingers over Delfan’s back. “I find it’s better for my developing heart condition.” He nudged her gently. “For right now I just need sleep, food, and blood will be later.”

  “All right, then go and put our son in the bassinette beside the bed and then come back and hold me. I wanna sleep with you, Titan, so that when it comes time for the midnight feeding, I will hopefully be awake.”

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nbsp; “Yes,” he chuckled softly, and rolling carefully from the bed he went to the bassinette and laid his son down. Stroking back the downy soft hair he wheeled the bassinette closer to the side of the bed and then rejoined Violet. Wrapping his arms around her he turned into her as he covered them both up. “Sleep, honey, all too soon he’s going to be awake and wanting you.”

  “All right,” Violet mumbled against his chest and gave a shuddering sigh. “Wake me if I don’t hear him.”

  “I’ll be the one pushing you out of bed with the large foot to your bottom,” he told her with a hint of a smile as he cradled her close. “You won’t really realize it until the sudden stop at hitting the floor, but you can assume that’s how you ended up there.”

  She laughed and shook her head. “Somehow I have a feeling that won’t be happening, sweetheart. Somehow I have a feeling that you will get him and bring him to me.” She yawned again. “No more talk. Sleep with me, Titan?” Her breath caressed his chest as she spoke.

  Nodding against her hair he rested his cheek to the crown of her head and closed his eyes. Just that quickly sleep took him under and left him resting in peace with his wife held close to his heart.

  Chapter Twenty

  She heard Delfan before Titan did. Instead of making him get up she slipped out of the bed and grimaced in pain but continued on to the side of their son. “Hello, little man.” She touched his belly and smiled as Delfan looked up at her and batted his big brown eyes at her. “Is my handsome man hungry?” She wanted to reach in and pick him up but the pain of the cut on her lower belly was keeping her from doing just that. “We will wait for Daddy to wake up, little man, all right?”

  “He is awake,” Titan mumbled behind her as he moved closer to her, his heat warming her. “Go and lay down, love. You shouldn’t be moving yet, Violet.” Taking her hand he nudged her toward the bed. “Go, I’ll get the little noisy one and we’ll join you,” he said. He waited until she was at the bed before picking up Delfan and carrying him to the bed.

  Violet lay back and adjusted the pillows at her back before leaning back and baring her breast, pulling Titan’s pillow onto her lap and smiled. “I’m ready, sweetheart.”

  “Don’t think I didn’t see you stealing my pillow,” he commented, easing down at her side. Laying their son on the stolen pillow he shifted and laid his head to her leg while she fed Delfan.

  “This is nicer anyway, Titan.” She looked down at their son who was looking up at her with an intense gaze. “This is far nicer, to have you laying on my leg and our son in my lap. Yep, I definitely like this far better than the alternative.”

  Grunting softly at her he let out a yawn and rubbed his cheek to her leg. The soft sounds of their son feeding and the gentle words that Violet spoke to Delfan seemed to relax Titan.

  Delfan fed for a long while until he let her breast go. When it was over she raised him to her shoulder and rubbed his back to get the large belch from him. “Good job, little man.” Looking at her husband she smiled. “Come take your pillow, sweetheart, so that you can rest some more.”

  Shifting he swiped his pillow back and flopped onto his side next to her, not even opening his eyes. He was acting a little cranky. Without enough sleep it was understandable and with the last week of events, he’d been getting nearly none at all. “You going to keep him with us or lay him back in his basket?” he asked in a muffled tone, his face practically buried in the pillow.

  “I think keep him with us.” Since Titan was so tired and she was so sore, moving their son would be an impossible task. “Rest, Titan, your son is sleeping once more and I’m feeling more than a little ready for sleep myself.” She yawned. “I love you, husband.”

  “Love you, too, Violet,” he murmured, reaching out and running his finger up her leg. “Do you need me to take him?” he asked her softly.

  “I’m not going to ask you to get out of bed, Titan.” She rubbed her cheek against their son’s head. “Hopefully I will heal fairly quickly so that you aren’t the only one who is carrying him around all the time.”

  “You know I will if you need me to, love,” he said as he shifted and cracked open an eye to look at her. “Come here, Violet, come down here with our boy and sleep with me for a while.”

  Wiggling down in the bed and crying out she stilled. “All right, I need you to take him so that I can settle down in bed with you.” She had torn something in the stupid move and it was now hurting, a lot.

  Quickly alert, Titan shifted and took Delfan. “What’s wrong, Violet?” he asked softly, touching her cheek as he held their son to his chest. “Talk to me, baby,” he demanded as he pulled her into him.

  “I think I made something tear when I tried to move him.” She had tears falling. “Oh god it hurts, Titan, a lot.” She gasped and closed her eyes against the pain. “I might need the doctor.” She hated to tell him that but it was the truth. She hurt something inside of herself, badly.

  “Oh gods,” he breathed out. “I’m so sorry, Violet,” he whispered, wrapping his arm around her to pull her slowly into a better position. “If I’d only taken him, gods I’m so sorry,” he said again, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “Stay put, I’m sending a guard for the doctor right now. Don’t move an inch,” he told her and, moving quickly with Delfan in his arms, he ran to the door calling for a guard. He yelled out orders and turned back to face her

  Rushing back to her he eased onto the bed careful not to jar her too much. “He’s going for the doctor, love,” he whispered softly as he cradled Delfan close, looking afraid. “Just breathe slowly love,” he whispered. “Don’t move, baby.”

  Tears were falling down her cheeks. “Not gonna,” she whispered, her voice filled with pain, and gripped the sheets. “This isn’t your fault, Titan, so don’t even go there. I know your mind and it’s not your fault.”

  Leaning into her he laid Delfan on the bed between them, sheltering his little body with his. Pressing his lips to her cheek he brushed them back and forth. “Not your fault, I should have moved to help you. I knew you were in pain,” he said softly. “Keep breathing slowly, love, no more tears, baby. You can’t get upset. You need to relax and crying is not going to help. Look at me, Vi,” he said, leaning back a little. “No more tears, love, please.”

  “I’m trying, Titan,” she grumbled and looked into his eyes. “I just wish this didn’t hurt so bloody bad.” She breathed in and out and then finally reached out and touched Delfan’s head gently. Their son was beginning to struggle, to become upset because he could feel his father’s and mother’s upset. “Keep Delfan from being upset, please?”

  “He knows you’re upset, love. He’s still got that tie to you, love,” he whispered against her cheek as took a deep breath. Shifting slightly he stroked Delfan’s chest lightly in small circles as he stared down at his son. Leaning down he kissed Delfan’s forehead. “It’s okay, little man, everything is going to be okay.”

  Dr. Bertram had been the closest doctor in the area when the call went out. He had been visiting Xandra and Andries, Lord and Lady Mauricio and their new twins. He had just left when the comm buzzed and he entered with his calm efficiency that he showed with everything. “Hello, I am Dr. Bertram. I was visiting friends when the call for help went out. Can I be of assistance, my Lord?” he asked when the guards showed him into the room where the woman was weeping and the Lord was obviously upset.

  Looking up Titan nodded. “My Lady wife just gave birth yesterday. She was holding our son and went to move and pulled something. She’s in extreme pain,” he said quickly as he shifted and covered Violet better as he lifted Delfan into his arms as he sat up, his free hand taking hers.

  Dr. Bertram moved a little closer. “And the birth, was it a normal birth or was it one where the child had to be taken?”

  “He had to be taken.” It was Violet who spoke through clear pain. “He was too big and wouldn’t come out.”

  Lifting her hand Titan kissed her fingers and gave it a soft squeeze. “He was be
ing a mite stubborn and the midwife made the choice quickly. It was better for them both but…” He trailed off, knowing the doctor would understand his worry about the procedure.

  “She should have been taken to medical since it wasn’t a doctor who did it,” Bertram said simply. “My Lord, I think your wife needs to go to medical. If she is bleeding internally…” Well Titan had been in enough battles to know what that meant. “I have a flyer ready, my Lord, or we can take yours but she needs to go, now.”

  Violet cried and shook her head. “Oh god, Titan.” She squeezed his fingers tightly as she spoke.

  Staring at the man Titan nodded. “Give me a moment to dress,” he said softly. Shifting he laid Delfan at her side. “It will be fine, love,” he whispered to her, leaning close. Kissing her cheek gently he moved quickly then and pulled on clothing fast. When he was dressed he went back to the bed and picked up Delfan. He wrapped him up warmly in a blanket.

  Bertram pulled out his personal communications device. “I am going to arrange a private room for her and make sure that an operating suite is ready for when we get there. I’m sorry, my Lord, but it would be best if I take her immediately into surgery so that I can take care of her as quickly as possible.”

  Grinding his teeth together Titan nodded as he held Delfan close to him and looked to Violet. “I’ll be close, love, I promise you,” he whispered, reaching out to stroke her cheek. He needed to touch her, needed to know she was there and alive, that she would be safe.

  Violet nodded and tears rolled down her cheeks again. “Delfan is scared, Titan. I don’t know how he will react when Doctor Bertram puts me under for the surgery. Are you sure that you will be all right with him?” she asked softly in concern.

  “No, love, but we will muddle through and we will both be waiting anxiously for you,” he told her honestly, not about to lie to her now or ever about anything in their lives. Sitting down at her side again he leaned in and rested his cheek to hers. “I’m terrified, Vi,” he whispered for her ears only.