by Sadie Carter
He pulled her legs apart.
“I haven’t taken care of matters down there lately. Oh God, I can’t even see myself. I probably look like Cousin Itt, don’t I? I’ll have the Wolfman knocking at my door wanting his pelt of fur back.”
He moved next to her and leaning in, kissed her once more. “Each time you say something disparaging about yourself I am going to kiss you.”
“Umm, hate to point this out, but that’s not much of a deterrent.”
“I cannot spank you, but if you object, I am certain I can come up with more of a deterrent.”
“No, no, kissing is fine. I am certain I will learn my lesson. Bad Zoey.” She smacked her hand.
With a smile, he kissed her gently. Laying loving kisses down her neck, when he reached her breasts, he cupped them. “They are still sensitive?”
“Yes.”
“Then I shall go gently.” He licked her nipple. Swirling his tongue around the hard nub, before pulling it into his mouth and sucking.
As she gasped, he moved to her other nipple, repeating the action.
“Dex. Dex.”
He ran his hand over her huge belly to her lower lips. He slipped his finger between her folds.
“You are wet. You need this.”
“Please don’t make me wait,” she begged.
He kissed over her stomach, paying special attention to those stretch marks. “Each of these is a mark of honor. You carry our baby. I carry battle scars. Do you think me any less attractive?”
“Of course not,” she told him.
“I never wish you to say you are not beautiful,” he ordered.
“Boss, yes, Boss.” She saluted.
He shook his head. Sometimes, he still did not understand her. But he could not love her more. He knelt between her legs, pulling back her slick folds.
“You don’t have to—oh holy shit,” she interrupted herself as he leaned in and licked her.
He took long, slow licks of her, savoring her taste. He had missed this. Her taste, her scent, her little cries of arousal.
What an idiot he had been, and if Zoey had been feeling more herself, he was certain she would have told him.
Over and over until he understood.
He flicked her clit, circling it with his tongue.
“Oh. Oh. Ohhhh,” she cried out. “I’m not going to last.”
“Let go, my own. Let me hear you scream for me.”
She screamed out loud as she came, shuddering. Dex continued to lick her softly.
“No more, no more,” she begged.
With a final kiss on her mound, he moved up next to her, pulling her into his arms.
“Give me a moment to recover,” she told him. “Then I’ll take care of you.”
Dex kissed her forehead, regret filling him. He would like nothing more than to snuggle up next to her in bed. “Much as I would love for you to touch me, my own. I am already late. But you can be certain that I will come home to you very soon.”
***
Zoey watched wistfully as Dex left. She knew she was being silly. When he was around, she complained that he hovered over her. When he wasn’t here, she missed him horribly.
She hoped she went back to normal once this baby was here. She couldn’t stand this feeling of gloom weighing on her. The doubt and negativity was so unlike her. As her pregnancy progressed, it felt like people stopped seeing her. All they saw was the baby she carried. The next Prince or Princess. The first Zerconian baby to be born in years.
Zoey ran a hand over her face. “Stop thinking so much.” She had too much time to think. And worry. Urgh, it was so annoying, and so unlike her. Zoey wasn’t used to stressing over every little thing. But now she couldn’t seem to help herself. Everything Dex said and did. Or didn’t say or do. She worried about giving birth. About the pain. About being a mom. What did she know about babies? Absolutely nothing.
Panic filled her, and she took a deep breath in, then out. Panic wasn’t good for the baby. Stress wasn’t good for the baby. Putting pressure on her body wasn’t good for the baby.
Her belly tightened, and she grimaced in pain, shifting to find a more comfortable position. Her state of mind wasn’t helped by the fact that she was still finding it hard to settle into life on Zerconia. Or maybe it was that everyone else seemed to be settling in much easier than she was. Even Willa, who had only been here a few weeks, seemed to have found some sort of purpose. She was helping the others from her village settle in, find a place to exist and work.
Mila, of course, had completely found her place. She had a purpose and a job she was passionate about. Both women were even speaking Zerconian. They weren’t perfect.
But they were doing a lot better than Zoey.
She wasn’t comfortable in her role as Crown Princess. She struggled with the language. She didn’t even feel like she’d found her purpose. She should have tasks to perform as Dex’s mate. But her pregnancy had kind of put a halt on her lessons with the old bat. Not that her lessons had been going all that well.
She wasn’t royal material, and Dex’s mother knew that. Luckily, for Zoey, Dex didn’t care. However, she no longer felt as secure as she once had. She found herself worrying that one day he’d wake up and realize that she really wasn’t good enough for him.
“Damn it, Zoey. Get yourself together.”
Her belly tightened again, and she grunted in pain. Maybe sitting around and wallowing in worry wasn’t the best idea. She scooted to the edge of the masic and stood, stretching out her back. There, that felt better.
“Giz, I think we might go for a small walk.”
Chapter Six
Thor studied the crowd of well-wishers here to celebrate Darac and Willa’s joining. They had been nearly half an hour late to their ceremony, but when they arrived there had been no doubt that they were happy. Willa practically glowed, and there was an aura of satisfaction around Darac.
Darac shouldn’t have survived the mating madness. But miraculously, Willa had pulled him back. He wasn’t the same, but he was here, and he was happy.
Everyone cheered as they kissed, a human tradition. As well as the Zerconians, some humans were present. Thor looked for Lucy but couldn’t see her. Maybe she had decided not to come. She shied away from the Zerconians, particularly the males.
Thor detested the fear on her face whenever he got close to her. The last thing he wanted was for her to be afraid of him.
“Thor, can I speak to you a moment?”
He turned to find Dex approaching. “Of course.”
Thor followed him into an empty room.
“Darac looks happy. I cannot remember the last time I saw him smile.”
“He has his mate.” Longing filled Thor. “What did you wish to talk to me about?”
“Zoey. I am worried about her. She does not seem herself.”
“I noticed she did not come tonight.”
“She said she was too tired. But I worry she is not well. Will you examine her again?”
“Of course. I planned to check on her tomorrow anyway. If you would like, I will check on her every day from now on.”
“Yes. Thank you.” Dex sat.
“You look tired.”
“I just worry about her.”
“Willa spoke to me.” Thor took a seat opposite him. “She is worried about Zoey as well. She asked me to speak to you about her.”
Dex sat forward, looking at him intently. “Is she unwell?”
“Not physically. But Willa is worried about her emotions. Zoey is feeling lost, she believes. Everything is about the baby and she is feeling invisible.”
Dex frowned. “She is not invisible. I see her.”
Thor shrugged helplessly. “I am only telling you what Willa told me. Human women are different. Zoey is also upset that you have not joined with her.”
“I know. She believes I find her unattractive. But I think I have convinced her otherwise. I made a mistake and made her feel I did not want her.” Dex leaned bac
k in his chair. “Our lives have been filled with the baby.”
“Perhaps you should do something just for Zoey. Before the baby arrives.”
“Exactly my thought.”
***
“The baby’s coming!” Zoey let out a loud groan, leaning over as pain engulfed her. “Fuck. Shit. Oh God, that hurts. I thought labor started off slow and easy.”
There was nothing slow or easy about this. This was hard and fast. There was very little time between the God awful contractions rocking her body.
Boris moved up next to her, sweeping her against his chest with his arm beneath her legs. He sat her on the hover chair.
“This walk was a bad idea.”
Boris grunted. It had seemed like a good idea at the time. Once she was out of the palace, she’d felt freer, as though she could breathe. But the pains in her stomach had quickly escalated into the most excruciating agony she’d ever experienced.
Boris pushed the hover chair forward, but the slight up-down motion immediately made her gag, nausea immediately bubbling in her stomach.
“Stop!” she demanded.
He halted immediately, and she heaved over the side, spilling what little was in her stomach onto the ground.
“I can’t. I can’t.” She slipped out of the chair, falling to her knees. The impact hurt, but it was nothing compared to the big picture. Giz cuddled in next to her, and she grabbed hold of his fur. He steadied her enough that she could think. She glanced up at Boris. “You need to go for help. Get Thor.”
He shook his head, pulling out his communicator with a frown as he tapped it.
“Boris!” she yelled. “I cannot have this baby here.”
He didn’t look happy, and she knew why.
Boris was strong. A tough bastard. But he only had one arm, and if he carried her, he couldn’t hold his weapon, effectively making them a target. Not that anyone should attack them here. But she had been kidnapped before when she thought she was safe.
Suddenly, Boris stiffened, his hand moving to his weapon.
“H-hello?” A hesitant, feminine voice called out, and Zoey looked up as one of the human women stepped forward, into the light from a nearby lamp. Two small boys pressed up against her. “I-is everything okay?”
The woman gave Boris a frightened look.
“Lucy. It is Lucy, right? I’m in labor, and I can’t move. And Boris can’t carry me and defend me. And we can’t get hold of anyone. Their communicators are probably on silent because of the mating ceremony. I need you to get Dex. And Thor. Can you do that for me?”
She nodded. “Y-yes. I was just at the palace. I’ll get them.”
“Thank you. And Lucy, please hurry.”
Lucy raced towards the palace. The boys ran ahead of her, full of energy. She had offered to mind them for their parents, so they could stay at the ceremony and celebrate. She tried to push herself faster, but her body was tired. It had been deprived of the nutrients it needed for so long that she felt constantly fatigued. Her lungs burned as they reached the palace.
Thor. She had to find Thor.
The handsome healer took up way too many of her thoughts lately. His kind smile and calm manner could be a ruse. She had known men who appeared to be charming and kind on the outside and were rotten underneath. Until Rye rescued her, the only men she’d known had been violent assholes.
But she was free. She could make her own decisions. She never intended to make the same mistakes she had before. Even if that meant she spent the rest of her life alone.
Except when she looked at Thor. Then her body stirred in ways she’d thought herself no longer capable of. Gorgeous. Intelligent. Charming. He had a calm, confident air that drew her.
She couldn’t forget that not everyone was as they appeared.
But as she entered the large room where Willa and Darac’s ceremony had been held, it was his face she searched for. She’d only met the Crown Prince once. He had the power to take all this away from her, so she avoided him. Not hard, they didn’t exactly move in the same social circles.
She didn’t really belong to any social circle.
When the ceremony ended she had left quickly, not comfortable in the large crowd, slipping out of the back with the boys before anyone could speak to her. She’d wanted to come because Willa and her family had been so good to her. Rye had saved her. There had been no question of following him to Zerconia. He was the only person she truly trusted.
There he was. Thor. His blond hair glistened in the light as he laughed at something someone said. For a moment, her heart stilled as she watched him. How could a man be that gorgeous?
“Lucy!” She glanced down at Trace as he tugged on her hand. Taking a deep breath, she pushed through the crowd, silently thanking the huge Zerconians that moved out of her way.
Then she stood behind him, staring at his large, wide back. Crap. How to get his attention? Suddenly, he turned, his eyes widening as he stared down at her.
“Lucy? Is everything all right?” Concern etched lines around his eyes. “You’re short of breath. Are you ill?”
She shook her head, taking a step back. “Crown Princess. In labor.”
“Where’s Dex?” He turned, looking around him. “Has someone informed him? Has he gone to their quarters? Wait, how do you know?”
“She’s not in her quarters. She’s outside.”
“Outside?” His eyes widened. “Show me.”
Ten minutes later, Lucy was running once more. Back towards where she left the Crown Princess and her guard. After tracking down the Crown Prince, he and Thor had rushed out of the palace, leaving her and the boys to follow. Thor contacted Boris, so at least she didn’t have to try and explain where she’d left them. But she still wanted to check on the Crown Princess. She pushed her body as fast as it would go. She already felt close to collapse.
Lucy turned the corner and there they were. The Crown Princess was still on all fours, her face strained. Thor and the Crown Prince knelt next to the groaning Princess. Struggling for breath, Lucy bent over with her hands on her knees.
“Zoey. Oh, stars. Are you well?” the Crown Prince asked.
“No, I’m not bloody well,” the Princess snapped.
It was a stupid question. It was obvious she wasn’t well.
“This is my fault. It was what we did earlier. It brought on the baby,” the Crown Prince said, clearly worried as he ran his hand over her back.
“It wasn’t—”
“I should have taken better care with you.”
“Dex, it wasn’t—”
“I should never have touched you.”
“Dex, listen—”
“This is my fault. I will never forgive myself.”
“Dex, it wasn’t the fucking orgasm!” The Crown Princess screamed. “This was caused by sex. That thing between your legs caused this.”
Lucy looked over at the boys, who stood wide-eyed watching the Crown Princess. Shoot, she hoped their parents had already had ‘the talk’ with them, or they’d have some questions coming their way.
“But what we did caused the baby to come.” He turned to Thor. “Was it because I gave her release? Is it my fault?”
“The baby had to come sometime. It is simply ready now,” Thor replied calmly. It amazed her how calm he was despite all the chaos.
“See? It wasn’t the orgasm. The orgasm was awesome. It was fantastic. Mind-blowing. This. Is. Not.”
“We need to move her. Dex, carry her to the clinic. Lucy? Lucy?”
Lucy gulped, shocked to find Thor standing in front of her. He moved fast for a big guy.
“Are you well?” he asked.
She nodded. “Just out of shape.”
He frowned but turned to watch as the Crown Prince strode away with his mate in his arms.
“I must go.”
“Of course.” She waved her hand. “I’m fine.”
“You should not be out without an escort.”
She waved her hands at the boys.
“I have two.”
He stared at both boys who watched him solemnly, and she thought he would dismiss them. Instead, he nodded solemnly. “I see that. And they seem very capable protectors. However, I would feel happier if you did not walk around at night without a male to escort you.”
He worded it like a request, but the tone of his voice was all command. She straightened her shoulders. She might be a coward, but she was done with being bossed around.
“I’m fine. Thank you.”
He was quiet until a loud yell made him turn. “That was Zoey. I have to go. Please go straight home and rest. Drink lots of fluid. And thank you. We appreciate what you did for Zoey.”
Lucy nodded as he turned and left.
Wow. He was a force of nature. She didn’t trust herself around him. She tended to get lost in those gorgeous eyes and forgot that he was an unknown male. His hands were the size of her head. He could do a lot of damage with one strike.
Damage she might not survive.
Yes, it was best that she be on her guard around Thor because he had the power to make her forget all the lessons she’d learned so painfully.
Chapter Seven
“Mother fucking son of a bitch, if this pain doesn’t stop I’m gonna kill somebody.” Zoey slumped back against the bed as the contraction eased off.
She was so tired. Sweat coated her body. She felt sticky and gross. And she was tired. So tired. There was nothing peaceful or serene about this. It was messy, and scary, and she really, really wanted it to end.
“I’m sorry, Zoey. I have given you what I can. I cannot risk harming the baby.” Thor patted her hand in sympathy.
The bastard.
What the hell did he know? He had no idea how much pain she was in. How dare he pat her hand as though he knew what she was going through.
“All this damn technology and you guys can’t even work out a way to make birth pain free. Although I suppose it’s not high on your to-do list. Cause you’re men. Fucking men. With penises. A penis caused this. It’s all your penis’s fault.” She glared at Dex. Okay, she was acting like a crazy person. She knew that. But knowing it didn’t mean she could keep the crazy from leaking out.
