Slow Birth

by Leta Blake

  Jason, though, tightened his grip on Vale’s shoulders and growled softly. “You’re not examining him in here.”

  “No, I never planned to,” Urho said, sitting back on his heels again. “He’s fine.”

  “How can you be sure?”

  “I examined him yesterday. He was well-stretched, loose, and on track for a healthy birth. He won’t have tightened up again overnight. Especially since I heard the evidence of your stretching him wide last night.”

  “Stop embarrassing him,” Vale said, choking on a laugh.

  “I’m not embarrassed,” Jason said roughly. “I’m proud of what I do to you. And how well I do it.”

  Vale flicked a brow up and smiled amusedly down at Urho. “Indeed. You are very good at it.”

  “Ugh.” Urho rose to his feet. “The babe is healthy, Vale is healthy, and so far, this pregnancy has been a miracle. Let’s hope that holds.” He slapped his hands together. “Now, if you’ll excuse me. Xan and I have plans in town.”

  “A date?”

  Urho smiled smugly but said no more.

  Vale saw the stress lift from Jason’s shoulders as Urho exited the library, leaving them together. “Did you hear him?” Jason said with relief. “He said you’re on track for a healthy birth. I should call my parents. Let them know the good news.”

  Vale grabbed Jason’s hand and tugged him down beside him, quickly shoving away the books so that they wouldn’t get crushed by his handsome, firm butt. Vale almost laughed again, already feeling his arousal sharpen at just the thought of Jason’s ass. He was far too easy these days. Always ready to be transported into pleasure. Still, there were a few things to address first before he could indulge another orgasm.

  “Darling,” Vale said, slipping his fingers through the flop of blond hair on Jason’s forehead, pushing it aside. “I love how you’ve grown so alpha and valiant as the pregnancy has gone on, but there are a few things we should discuss.”

  “Such as?”

  “Well, last night at the dinner table, for example.”

  Jason’s chin went up.

  Ah, so he knew exactly what Vale was referring to then. All the better.

  “Did you need to growl at Xan over the cut of meat? There’s always good meat at the Heelies-Riggs table. More than enough to go around.”

  “But you deserve the best slice,” Jason argued. “You’re growing a baby. You need the nutrients more than they do.”

  “You’re so sweet, darling, but the remaining pieces were perfectly acceptable. You didn’t need to scare the meat off Xan’s plate and onto mine.”

  Jason shrugged, unrepentant.

  Luckily their friends had found Jason’s behavior amusing, but it wasn’t polite all the same.

  Jason said, “It’s my duty to make sure you’re well-fed and provided for.”

  “You already do! You bring me fresh fruit, obtained from I don’t know where this time of year, and make sure I drink plenty of water. You don’t need to scold our friends into providing for me, too.” Vale couldn’t help but tease. “Do you want Xan giving me massages at night, too?”

  Jason snarled lightly. “I think not.”

  “Exactly. Let’s not impose on our friends more than we already have by staying for months in their house. If Xan wants the best cut of meat in his own home, then let him have it.”

  “I’ll consider it,” Jason said a little sulkily, and Vale almost laughed again. His alpha was so determined, so anxious to please.

  Jason tried to protect Vale from everything that might bother him, like sobering news from the city, phone calls from Miner and Yule, and even Zephyr, who’d been more of a problem than Vale had anticipated when he’d insisted on bringing him.

  “Darling, about Zephyr,” Vale said with a hint of frustration.

  Jason hastened to assure him. “I’m sure it won’t happen again.”

  “It’s happened twice.”

  “She’s just trying to be helpful.”

  Vale smiled gently. Obviously, Jason could relate a little too well to Zephyr’s need to contribute. “Still, the mess both times was beyond gruesome.”

  “I cleaned it up.”

  Vale cocked a brow again.

  “I helped the servants clean it up,” Jason said. “She’s bringing you gifts, helpful meals for her pregnant pater.”

  “But it’s wholly unappreciated by him,” Vale said with a shudder, remembering the dead mouse on his pillow and the dead bird the following night. Both times, Jason had summoned servants to deal with it and assisted them with the gore with barely a grumble, all while Vale sat by in a chair and tried not to weep with horrified laughter.

  “What do you think we ought to do about her?” Jason asked.

  “I think we need to bar her from the bedrooms for the time being. Urho says the germs from the kills alone could be detrimental to my—”

  That was as far as he got before Jason rose from the sofa again, calling for Ren, Xan’s butler, and requesting the door to their bedroom always be kept closed, rather than being left open after the servants had done their work within. Then he insisted that barriers be erected to keep Zephyr on the downstairs level, for the most part.

  “Won’t she just jump the barriers, sir?”

  “Likely. But we shouldn’t make it easy for her to drop dead animals on our beds.”

  “Too true.”

  It was delightful to hear Jason speak his orders so concisely and firmly with no margin for misunderstanding.

  Shivering, Vale’s asshole released slick, and he chewed on his bottom lip, anxious now for Ren to go away, so he could convince Jason that the library might not be a good place for a medical examination, but here, on the sofa with the books, was the perfect place for a screw.

  Ren left to do as he’d been told, and Jason turned to Vale with glowing, hot eyes. “I can smell you opening for me.”

  “Always,” Vale said, his voice husky. “I need you, darling. Please.”

  Jason didn’t need to be asked twice. As soon as the door shut on Ren’s retreating back, he put Vale on his knees, hands on the back of the sofa, and tugged his soft, drawstring pants down around his knees. There was no preparation. No need for it these days. Jason unbuckled his pants and pushed in deep, his cock rubbing against his swollen glands, and setting Vale off immediately.

  The first orgasm took Vale’s breath away.

  But the third was so stunning, Vale was sure his shouts startled the servants.

  By the sixth, they were both in another world, lost in each other and the pleasure they built and released between them. Two Érosgápe, blissed out on their bond. Deeply in love and growing a baby.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Jason had always adored mucking around in the dirt, helping things to grow. The way he’d put Vale’s back garden to rights had turned them into the envy of the neighborhood in summers, and it always looked lovely in winter, too. Vale knew that abandoning it for this trip to the sea for the duration of the pregnancy had been a loss to Jason’s sense of self. So, it was lovely to see him down on his knees, grinning, as he pulled up weeds and used a small hand trowel to dig holes for the plants the gardener passed to him.

  In the spirit of support, as the autumn lengthened into a mild winter, Vale bundled up and sat on a bench in the garden with a book to read and watch Jason help put in cold-weather flowers. He loved the songs the workers and Jason broke into and smiled happily as they started in on an Old World tune he recognized as his own pater’s favorite.

  All in all, the last few weeks had been good. The pains had even lessened as the babe stopped growing as quickly. Urho said the baby was busy adding his finishing touches now, which gave Vale’s body time to adjust and prepare for the birth.

  A shadow blocked the sunlight to the page of Vale’s book, blocking out the poetry he’d taken to reading in lieu of writing his own.

  “For you, good sir,” Jason said, sweeping into a bow. In his outstretched hands, he held a handful of pink winter
-blooming heather. It smelled musky and lightly floral. “Your favorite winter posy.”

  Vale took them from Jason and smiled as he dropped to his knees in the dirt before him, a goofy expression on his face. “What’s gotten into you?”

  “The mail truck arrived.”

  “So?”

  Jason picked up Vale’s free hand and kissed the knuckles. “Your hands are cold.”

  “I’m fine. Darling, what were you saying about the mail truck?”

  Jason shrugged and then pointed toward the house. “Inside. Now.”

  “But…”

  Jason raised a brow. “Don’t dally. Do I need to use my alpha voice?”

  Vale shivered. “It couldn’t hurt.”

  Jason drew closer, going up on the balls of his feet to growl, “Get inside. I have plans for you.”

  Vale always enjoyed Jason’s plans, especially since they usually involved sex, but they’d already fucked and fisted that morning. It seemed early to indulge again. “What plans?”

  “Don’t question your alpha.”

  Vale knew that tone and this game. It sent warmth flooding his groin. If he was cold before, he wasn’t now. Still he resisted. “I was in the middle of this poem, darling, about apple trees in summer. Can’t I finish it up before—”

  Jason shook his head, tugged Vale up from the bench, and pointed at the house. “Up to our room. Clothes off. Robe on. I’ll meet you there shortly. I just need to grab a few things first.”

  Vale frowned, not sure he wanted to be ordered about, but when Jason leaned close and whispered, “You’ll do as I say,” Vale shivered and nodded sharply. He would indeed.

  Jason met him in their room as discussed, with a jar in one hand, a box under the other arm, a bag hitched over his shoulder, and a wicked grin on his face. “Good. You’re ready. Perfect.”

  Vale was naked under his robe, and hard, of course. But he was confused when Jason sat down at the edge of the bed with all of his small burdens and opened the box to reveal a chocolate cake.

  “What’s going on?”

  “It’s your favorite.”

  “Chocolate layer cake, yes, I can see that.”

  “From Ellio’s.”

  “In the city? You had it shipped from my favorite bakery in the city?”

  Jason nodded. “Taste it.”

  Vale took the fork from Jason who’d withdrawn it from the bag he’d been carrying, along with a thermos of what smelled like coffee, and two cups. “We aren’t going to slice it?”

  “Be decadent.”

  With a quiver of expectant joy, Vale pushed his fork into the thick cake, taking a chunk from the top, and depositing the frosting-covered bite into his mouth with a whimper of delight.

  “Don’t eat it to the point of sickness,” Jason said as Vale dug in. “I have other plans, and I don’t want you queasy for them.”

  As soon as Vale sat back with a heavy sigh, Jason whisked the rest of the cake away to the table near the window. Turning back to Vale, he cracked open the jar that’d been sitting on the bed since he came in, releasing the scent of mint into the room.

  “Take off your robe.”

  Vale obeyed and got comfortable on his back. “Now what?”

  “Now I’ll take care of you.”

  The massage began at his toes and Vale luxuriated in the cooling, minty lotion as Jason worked his way up, spreading Vale’s legs to kneel between as he went. He worked the lotion into Vale’s tender hips and thighs and skirted his genitals. Vale was relieved since the mint would burn uncomfortably on that sensitive skin.

  Once Jason reached Vale’s belly, he opened the robe, exposing Vale’s flesh to the cooler air in the room. He paused for a moment, observing the baby shifting around inside restlessly, and his full lips stretched into a soft smile. Vale’s chest grew hot with adoration. Then Jason scooped up extra lotion from the jar, and smoothed it over the hot, stretched skin of Vale’s bulging abdomen. Vale moaned as the lotion cooled him down, making him shiver, and soothing where his body was stretching so quickly.

  “You’re beautiful like this,” Jason murmured. “Full with our child.” His fingers slipped all over Vale’s stomach, rubbing and working the lotion in so that the tight skin sang with pleasure.

  Vale shifted, his heart fluttering. “I’m huge.”

  “The most beautiful I’ve ever seen you.”

  Vale huffed. “You think that every morning, no matter what. Érosgápe. I know, because I feel the same way.”

  Jason kissed his stomach, laughing when he pulled away. “My lips tingle now.”

  “Don’t get it in your eyes.”

  Jason lifted a brow as his hands slipped farther up over the mound of the baby and to Vale’s chest. “How would it feel on these, I wonder?”

  Vale bit his lower lip, and his cock woke quickly.

  “Shall I try it?”

  Vale moaned.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.” Jason’s hands slowly slid over Vale’s ribs, up over his tattoo, and toward his nipples, giving him plenty of time to change his mind.

  Vale’s toes curled as Jason began to rub and play with his tender, milky nubs, and the usual flow began to slip down the sides of his chest toward the bed. Then the cold-hot sensation of the mint lotion kicked in, and the burn was divine. Vale groaned, tossing his head back, and spreading his legs wide.

  “Oh, baby, such a slut for me.” Jason laughed, continuing to toy with Vale’s nipples, and doing nothing to rid himself of the pants that prevented any sort of fucking from happening.

  Vale lifted his knees with his hands, exposing himself as much as possible, his cock aching now, and his hole wet with slick. Jason just laughed and tortured him more, playing with his nipples, rubbing his belly, and whispering about all the things he was going to do, all the ways he’d make Vale come…

  “That’s right. Just like that,” Jason murmured. “Look at you.”

  Vale hitched a sharp breath, his body clenching with pleasure as his sensitive nipples led him into his first climax. “Unfair,” Vale gritted out, still shivering and wanting more. “You know I come easily like that.”

  “You come easily always,” Jason said, still laughing. “If I jerked off in your mouth, you’d come that way, too.”

  Vale knew he would. Omegas were blessed (or cursed, depending on the point of view) with multiple orgasmic capacities and triggers, and he wasn’t known for fighting or delaying his pleasure. “But I want you inside me,” Vale whispered. “I need it. Help me, alpha. Fuck your omega. Please.”

  “Mmm, you’re so sweet when you beg,” Jason said.

  But he pulled away, sitting back on his heels, his pants bulging with arousal, but no intention, it seemed, of fulfilling Vale’s demands. His eyes took on a gleam that made Vale growl and release his legs in frustration.

  “I have something else in my bag. Another fun thing from the city.”

  Vale narrowed his gaze, panting.

  Jason pulled out a fat, thick anal plug, and showed it to him. It had a pump attached, and when Jason demonstrated, Vale blinked rapidly. The plug swelled up three times its regular size and boasted a fat knot at the base.

  “The latest in heat helping toys,” Jason said. “But good for stretching pregnant omegas’ passages, too.”

  “Is that…safe? It won’t hurt him?”

  “It’s more than safe. It’s recommended.” Jason stood then, going into the en suite bathroom with the plug to wash it and the mint lotion from his hands. He returned with a towel and their bottle of lube. Usually unnecessary because of the copious slick Vale produced, especially as the pregnancy progressed, but apparently, he wasn’t taking any chances.

  “Lift your legs again,” Jason commanded, using his no-nonsense alpha voice. “That’s right.”

  Vale’s nipples were really starting to burn now, and he shivered as the rest of his body cooled from the peppermint lotion. He tingled and ached, and wanted, but he wasn’t sure how he felt about the thick, black t
hing Jason showed him one more time before smothering it in lube.

  “Deep breath.”

  If he was going to say no, he should do it now. He didn’t. A curiosity started deep within him. Just how big would it feel inside? As big as Jason’s knot during heat? And how would he like that kind of fullness now that he was so big with the baby, and without the heat pheromones to make him need that almost-pain of being so stretched?

  “Let it out,” Jason said, and as Vale released his breath, he pressed the thick plug in. The base of it rested outside his body, and the rest seemed to fill him already, what with the space inside so occupied by the babe. “Good?”

  Vale nodded.

  “That’s right. Now, hang on.” Jason rubbed the inside of Vale’s thighs and then up to tweak his burning nipples. “That feel nice?”

  Vale squirmed, and his cock pressed up against the hump of his belly. “Yes.”

  “Mm, it looks nice.” He tweaked Vale’s nipples again. “So red and milky.”

  The milk did soothe the burn a bit as it released, but not entirely. Vale spread his legs wider, arousal burning in his groin, and he whispered, “I need you. Please.”

  Jason took the pump in his hand and then moved to lay down beside Vale. He turned onto his side, lifting up on one elbow, and then kissed him, fingers stroking his beard. “Ready?”

  Vale shot him a glare. He’d been ready.

  Jason laughed and then began to squeeze the ball to inflate the plug inside. At first, Vale felt nothing, but then the knot began to inflate, and he moaned, his prostate and omega glands being worked hard. “Oh,” he whimpered. “That’s…oh. Jason, darling, that’s going to make me come.”

  Jason squeezed the pump faster, and Vale lost his first load all over his stomach as he convulsed in pleasure.

  “Beautiful,” Jason assessed. “More.”

  Vale barely had time to process that before Jason was stretching him even more, enough that his scars pulled taunt. “Ah, enough. Enough, darling.”

  “That hurts?”