Aries

by Kim Faulks

  Her fingers dug into my hooves as she shoved against my body to stand. “I’m fine. Zadoc, look at me.”

  Not with her.

  “Look at me.” Her nails dug into my thigh. “Zadoc. Look…at…me.”

  Not with the baby…

  “Wretched!” she screamed and stumbled into my path. “Look. At. Me!”

  I lowered my head and stared into her pain-filled eyes. She’d been pulling away from me, leaving me to feel untethered, and alone.

  “That’s it,” she coaxed and splayed open her arms. “Look at me. I’m fine. The baby’s fine. We’re all fine. It was an accident. These people won’t ever hurt me. They’re our family.”

  A whimper slipped from my lips.

  “Our baby is fine. Look.” She flattened her shirt over her bump. Even from here I could see the movement as the little one kicked and rolled, stretching her skin.

  The room erupted as men raced from the house, and returned with extinguishers. This was all my fault. All my fault. I couldn’t trust. Couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t be here…not like this.

  “It’s okay,” Joslyn whispered and reached for me.

  Those in the room slipped away from me, moving to clean, mop. The Wretched left me sinking into the depths inside my head.

  “Gunny filled me in on what you endured, and I just want to say you have my full support. Anything you need, my resources are at your disposal.”

  I stared at the Senator and nodded. “Thank you.”

  Joslyn hovered near the front door. She was worried about X, and desperate to get back to Soteria. The Senator dropped my hand and moved on.

  “Victor, it was a pleasure to meet you. I hope one day we can become firm friends.”

  A sharp hiss slipped from my brother’s lips. He stiffened and moved away searching the room and finding Odessa huddled in the corner.

  “I think we need to go now, Zadoc. I want to go, is that okay?”

  Joslyn’s voice bordered on panic.

  I gripped her arms, her dread seemed to leak into my pores. “Is everything okay?”

  She gave a weak nod, her voice small. “I just want to go.”

  I gathered her under my arm and made for the door, finding Marcus on the way. “Keep me informed. We’ll be staying at Alpha’s for a day or two.”

  “Be safe brother,” the eldest of our line held out his hand. I stared at his palm and moved in, wrapping my arms around him.

  “You’re quiet. You’re worrying me,” I muttered and steered the car.

  She stared out of the window and answered. “Zadoc, I want you to do something for me… Can you do that?”

  I eased my foot off the accelerator and watched the speedometer slow. “Yes.”

  She turned to me, sweat ran in rivulets down her forehead. “I want you to drive faster. The baby…” She clawed the seat and pushed backwards. “The baby…is…coming. He’s coming.”

  She yanked the long dress up to her thighs. The seat and her panties were dark. “My water just broke.”

  I tramped the pedal and gripped the wheel. My heart slammed into my ribs, lunging like an animal caught in a trap. The baby. My baby. “It’s going to be fine…it’s going to be fine…it’s going to…”

  A guttural groan filled the car. We still had an hour to go, an hour on icy roads. I inhaled and send out a prayer. I reached for my phone and raced along the snow-dusted asphalt.

  “I can’t do this…” She groaned and thrashed, reaching for my hand, knocking the phone free. “If I die…please tell Finn I love him.”

  I wrenched my gaze to hers. Die? No…no that wasn’t happening. I punched the brake. The back wheel skidded, throwing her forward. She cried out as we spun. I worked the wheel, pumping the brake, easing us over to the side of the road.

  “What do you mean? Joslyn…Joslyn what do you mean die?”

  Tears flowed down her cheeks. Her skin turned ashen. Veins pulsed along her neck. Tendons strained along her arms. She whipped her head from side to side and screamed her pain. “He’s a wolf for fucks sake! He doesn’t know… Zadoc, he doesn’t know I’m not like him. He could be born a wolf.”

  My hands trembled as I reached for her. “No, sweet God, no. He will know. He will understand. Don’t you give up on me.”

  I tried to breathe, but there was something around my chest, squeezing, choking. I was choking. “You can’t give up on me.” The savage snarl ripped from me lips. “I forbid it. Do you hear me? I forbid it…I forbid it…I forbid it.”

  My hands wouldn’t stop shaking. I couldn’t drive, couldn’t think. I skimmed my fingers through my hair and touched bare scalp. “We can do this. You can do this. You’re all I have. You’re all I want. Now, I’m going to put this car into gear and I’m going to get us to the doc. She’ll help us. She’ll know what to do.”

  Joslyn cried, silent, thick sobs. She swallowed, again and again. Her voice was strained as she whispered. “Okay. Okay. I trust you, Zadoc.”

  I stiffened at those three words, and then shoved the car into gear while I hit the button.

  The doc’s voice came through the speaker, asking questions. I answered as my world spun out of control. Joslyn groaned and whipped her head toward the phone. “Get this baby out, now!”

  I drove the car hard, carving through icy streets until the sight of buildings cut through the trees. Joslyn rode each contraction, breathing, moaning, crying out while she gripped the seat, the handle, anything she could.

  We raced past convenience stores and gas stations, heading deeper into the small town to the clinic on the other side. A clinic run by Doctor Angel Leigh.

  I tapped the brakes at the first sight of the driveway and spun the wheel. Tires skidded, rocketing us toward the front door. The doc was already there, shivering outside, waiting as we stopped.

  My fingers were numb, hands moved way to fucking slow. I fumbled for the door, shoving it wide and lunged, rounding the front of the car as Joslyn let out a piercing scream.

  “We need her inside, now!” the doctor yelled from the top of the stairs.

  I clenched my jaw, and leashed my temper as I slid my hands under Joslyn’s body. She was so thin. How had I not noticed that before? Her swollen stomach the biggest part of her, underneath she was hard edges and sharp bones. I pulled her close, driving my boots into the ground as I raced for the open door.

  “Get her onto the table so I can see how far along she is.”

  Joslyn gripped my shirt as I lowered her to the mattress. Her eyes were wide, dark pupils swallowing the brown. Her skin so pale dark veins shone underneath. She was a ghost in my arms.

  “Don’t you leave me,” she whispered, her voice boarding on panic.

  “I’m not going anywhere,” I whispered, taking hold of her hand. “I’m right here, always right here.”

  “She’s already eight centimeters dilated. Two more honey, two more and you can push, okay?”

  “Wait! She’s…I mean there's a chance he…” I clawed the air, gripping the doctor’s jacket and dragging her close. “Don’t you let her die on me, understand? Do whatever you have to, but you keep her alive.”

  The glint of excitement dulled in the doc’s eyes. Her lips parted, breath rushed. Her hand closed in over mine and dragged it free. “I’ll do everything I can. I promise you.”

  The doctor placed my hand on her belly. “Now, feel each contraction. The longer they get, the closer she is.”

  Her muscles tightened, tension rolled, pulsing with a power I’d never felt before. Joslyn let out an ear-piercing scream. I yanked my hand away.

  “You’re not going to hurt her. Look here…here’s your baby’s head.”

  Joslyn’s hand slipped in mine. I craned my head, staring into the valley of her blood-smeared thighs.

  A tuft of black fur peeked out.

  The sight nailed me.

  Joslyn’s hand slipped from mine. White fur carved a line around the black. The tip of a tiny ear poked out as her body widened.

 
; “Okay, Joslyn, you have to slow down now honey. Don't push, can you hear me? I don’t want you to push, no matter how much you want to. We’re gonna breathe instead, panting breaths, just until you’re fully dilated. In and out. In and out…that’s the way. You’re doing so well…isn’t she, Zadoc? Isn’t she doing so well?”

  The doctor yanked my hand in close, cupping Joslyn’s body. Dark hair shone underneath, until her skin flattened, sliding over his head.

  I jerked my head up, finding her frozen gaze. “You’re amazing. So beautiful and amazing. I…love you. Thank you for loving me.” My throat thickened. I forced the words. “Thank you for loving someone like me.”

  Her body bowed. My world stilled. Our baby touched my fingers.

  “Push now Joslyn. Push! That’s the way.”

  Joslyn dropped my hand and clenched the sheets. Her face turned red as she slammed her chin to her chest and bore down, giving everything she had, until with a gasp she drew a breath.

  The next contraction came, barreling down on her like a locomotive.

  “Zadoc, your baby is coming,” the doc whispered.

  Shell-shocked I followed her gaze. The crown of a head slipped through. Tiny pointed ears followed, one black one white, and then his face tucked into his chest…his perfect beautiful face.

  The rest came out in a rush. Shoulders and then legs, paws, tucked hard into his body, the size of my little finger to fill my hands. Tiny drops of blood peppered his chest. I wrenched my head up to the doctor as she leaned in.

  “They’re from his claws. Looks like he pushed them into himself—”

  “To protect her,” I finished and stared at this tiny pup in my hands. “He did it to protect her.”

  Perfect pink lips parted, a tiny mewl slipped free. I leaned in as his eyes opened and silver shone. Something slick slid down my cheek. He knew…he knew what his mother was and he protected her.

  The doctor beamed as she searched his body. “Looks like the claw marks are healing already. And, it’s a boy.” She lifted her head to find Joslyn. “You have a beautiful baby boy. I’ve never seen anything so extraordinary. Nothing about this pregnancy is normal from what I’ve seen. Normally they’re born in human form, and not like…this.”

  Joslyn sobbed and collapsed against the pillows. She reached out with shaking hands. “I want to see him. I want to see—”

  She slammed her hands to the bed and gripped the sheets tight. A contraction, just as hard as the last gripped her and clenched tight. “Zadoc!” She screamed and dragged her head from the pillow. “Zadoc, what’s happening!”

  Fear slipped into the room like a silent predator. The doctor turned, leaving me to hold my son. The placenta came out of her body with a rush and hit the table.

  “Something’s coming,” Joslyn whimpered. “Something’s…”

  Here…something’s already here.

  A roar replaced the word as Joslyn bore down. Doc placed her hands on her stomach, cupping the hard mound underneath. Her lips flattened. Her forehead creased. Panic filled her eyes as she lifted her head. “Joslyn, honey. You have to listen to me. You’re not finished here, not by a long shot. You’ve got another one on the way, but this one is breech. Do you know what that means?”

  Strands of hair stuck against her glistening face as she shook her head.

  “Babies usually come out face first, it’s easier on the baby and the mother, but sometimes they come out feet first. It’s harder, honey. It’s harder on them and you. I can give you something for the pain.”

  “No, I was only having one baby. Zadoc. Zadoc, tell her. I was only having one baby.”

  My heart fractured. She looked so young and afraid. I cupped the wolf in the crook of my arm and reached for her hand with the other. “Well it looks like we’re having two. Two wolves, our house is going to be a damn nightmare.”

  Spittle shot out of her mouth with a hard bark of laughter, sharpened with a manic edge. The laugher died as agony filled her beautiful face. I’d never seen anyone so breathtaking, so filled with power and strength.

  “Okay, honey. Let’s go, let’s do this,” Doc growled and moved in between her legs.

  The room filled with grunts and howls. Joslyn gripped the sheets and clenched, lifting her ass from the bed. Still there was nothing. My son cried out. The sounded arced and mingled with Joslyn’s in a terrifying call of desperation and agony.

  “Jesus,” the Doc hissed as something poked out and withdrew. She jerked her head up. “Did you see that?”

  I shook my head as a tendril of black poked out, flattened talons sat along glistening scales. My stomach clenched, driving panic through my chest.

  Demon’s blood…infected. She’s infected… She’s…

  I stumbled from the bed, until the cord pulled taut and my son shrieked.

  You’re not one of them…and now, neither is she…

  That voice slipped into my mind. I shook my head. Not true. Not true.

  “Zadoc…Zadoc!” Joslyn’s shrill voice carved through my head. “What is it? What’s wrong with my baby?”

  A foot slid out with the rest of a tail. A sense of dread swallowed me whole. Wicked talons lay hard against the beast’s body…talons that reminded me of…

  I shook my head as a memory came back to me. A driving need to pin her body under me and fill her with my seed…

  No. No.

  Another foot slid free. Black scales shone under the overhead lights. The beast dangled, half in and half out. Joslyn moaned and pushed, giving all she had until she collapsed.

  “You’re doing it honey,” Doc urged. “You’re doing so well. I know you’re tired, Joslyn. I know you're tired honey, but you’re almost there.”

  Joslyn never answered. She whimpered as her belly tightened and drove her heels into the bed, pushing until a tight barrel chest slid free.

  An ebony tuft of wool seized me. Thick and soft, shining with slick fluid.

  The floor seemed to drop away, my mind raced, filling my head with answers I couldn’t fathom as the hard edges of wing bones slipped out.

  A baby…

  Not infected…not diseased.

  With one last scream of defiance, the baby slid into Doc’s waiting hands. She stared, blinked, unable to speak—unable to do anything.

  “What is it?” Joslyn whimpered. “Someone tell me…”

  “A Dragon.” I forced the word. “It’s a Dragon. My Dragon.”

  “I’ve never seen anything like this. Two babies…two…you know. It can happen…the woman releases two eggs close together. It’s called superfetation, but never in my wildest dreams could I envision…”

  The baby wriggled, frills opened around its head as the bundle let out a screech.

  That sound filled me, echoing all the way into the darkness…

  All the way into my soul.

  And somewhere inside a father answered the call.

  “A Dragon,” Joslyn sobbed. “A Dragon?”

  “It’s hard for me to tell,” Doc murmured, and then hissed and tore one hand away. “Jesus, those spines are sharp. Lucky it didn’t come out head first…”

  It would’ve ripped Joslyn apart…

  Laughter filled me. I wanted to cry and howl at the moon. I wanted to sing and dance and love.

  I wanted to love.

  “But I think… I might be wrong here… I think that’s not a penis…so you have a girl.” She raised her hands for Joslyn to see. “You have a little girl.”

  “Give her to me.” Desperation took flight. I needed her. Needed like I needed to breathe, needed to live…needed like I never needed anything before in my life.

  Doc took one look at me and swallowed hard. “Here she is. Let me get them to take your son and get him cleaned up for Mom, okay?”

  The Doc kept her voice low and calm, making no sudden moves.

  Her wings opened, muscles stretched. Energy rippled in her dark eyes. She blinked, cawed, and pierced her claws into my skin.

  “Bring he
r here. I want to see her,” Joslyn muttered and raised her head.

  I took a step closer. My blood welled under her nails as she clenched.

  “She’s beautiful, so beautiful.”

  Joslyn ran a finger along her spine. Talons flattened with the touch. Her baby cooed, body shivering, arching her head for more.

  “She loves you,” I answered and raised my head. “She knows you.”

  “Of course she knows me. She is me…and you.” Joslyn opened her hands, cupping the glistening black Dragon to her chest. “Hello there. I’m your Momma.”

  “And here we go with baby number two.” The doctor rounded the bed and placed our son in my hands.

  I dragged my fingers to his soft fur. Our babies snuggled in my arms.

  “A wolf and a Dragon. Congratulations, to both of you. You’ve done a magnificent job. I guess you only have one thing left to do.”

  Zadoc straightened. “And what’s that?”

  Doc Angel gave a wry smile and motioned toward the door. “Tell your family.”

  18

  Joslyn

  I closed my eyes and let my finger drift down slick scales. My boy was fast asleep, cuddled against his sister’s side. But my girl…she was wide awake.

  A low purr echoed from the bassinet, a sound of happiness, a mirror of content. My nipples were sore, tiny teeth grazed sensitive skin. We’d find a way, I knew that now—somehow deep down I’d always known it.

  “Let me take them so you can sleep,” Zadoc murmured.

  I dragged open my eyes. He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed in front of him with the strangest expression on his face.

  I tried to think, but the effort…easier just to speak. “Go and get some sleep yourself.”

  “I didn’t just give birth to two beautiful babies,” he countered and covered the distance between us with long strides. “Two magnificent babies.”

  “True,” I murmured on the cusp of a sigh. “But you had to deal with your family.”

  His lips curled into a smile, a shake of his head said it all. “They can’t believe it, and neither can I, to be honest. Xael is like an old-mother hen, telling me how to hold her, what to feed her. She needs a mate of her own, something to keep the damn woman occupied. Marcus can’t stop staring with that look. He’s worried. They’re all worried. There were only meant to be twelve of us. Twelve Zodiac Dragons to guard the innocent. I don't want to go home, not yet. Maybe tomorrow, just until I know…”