by Milly Taiden
“Who knows?” Vander shrugged, ignoring his friend. “Maybe Gunnar has changed, too. You’ll never know until you talk to him.”
Damen snorted. “Not likely, and not worth the effort. And don’t think I can’t see the wheels turning in your head. You’re thinking if you tell Ivy and Riley, they’ll get Gerri on the case with me and Henley, and that’ll keep Ivy’s mind occupied so she doesn’t drive you nuts waiting for the baby to come.”
Before Vander could answer, the rooftop door flew open as if on cue, and Henley stood there, chest heaving.
“Speak of the devil.” Vander grinned.
Damen’s eyes found hers and his gaze dipped over her curvy, statuesque frame, the immediate attraction hitting him like electricity in the air.
She coughed at the intensity of his stare, looking to the king instead. “Vander, it’s time. The baby’s coming.”
The king put his glass down and spared a glance for his security chief. “Not worth the effort? You might want to rethink that, bro.”
2
“Fuck! Get this baby out! I want it OUT!” Ivy yelled between pants. “Where the hell is Vander?”
“He’s coming, babe. I told him.” Fear gripped Henley’s chest at Ivy’s next scream. “He’s on his way with Jag and Damen.” Her eyes flew to the midwife standing beside the bed. “And what are you, a goddamned spectator? Just waiting around to see if the human splits in two? Is she supposed to be in this much pain?”
Ivy panted, gritting her teeth. “A communal birth. Great. Love it. Arrrgh! Gerri! I change my mind! I can’t do this…ow…ow…ow… SHIT! Get me drugs, NOW!”
“You heard the woman! Do something!” Henley stalked to the side of the bed ready to shake the midwife.
Karis shook her head, wiping Ivy’s forehead. “Henley, stop threatening the Doula. We don’t have those kinds of drugs on Galaxa, Ivy. I told you that. We do everything naturally.”
“What kind of fucking backward planet is this? They have mood walls and sex bots, but no Demerol?” Ivy clenched her fists. “FUCK! I want to go home!” she cried as another contraction took her.
“You can’t. Neither you nor the baby would survive the trip. You can do this, Ivy. Just focus,” Gerri coaxed. “See that vase of flowers on the dresser? Send all your pain there. The last thing you want is to trigger a shift. You need to deliver this baby in human form.”
Riley smacked the older woman’s shoulder. “Great, Gerri. Why not scare her a little more? Can’t you see she’s freaked out enough already?”
Henley wrung out another cool cloth and handed it to Karis. “Haven’t you people every heard of an epidural! What about giving her a glass of Sidaii wine…or ten. You know how fast it intoxicates us humans.”
“We’re crowning!” the midwife motioned for the birthing chair. “Help me get her up.”
Pushing panic aside, Henley rushed for the specialized chair and placed it at the end of the bed. Vander came through the door as the midwife helped Ivy from the bed to the chair. His handsome face paling at the sight of his mate.
“Ivy,” he murmured, rushing forward. He went to take her hand, but she slapped him away.
“This is your fault, you giant shifter sex maniac! You and your freakishly large dick and freakishly large genes….ahhhhh!” Her face contorted and she grabbed his hand, squeezing.
Vander’s eyes bugged and he hissed. “Holy vice grip! She’s breaking my fingers!” He glanced at Damen and Jag, still in the doorway. “Wipe that grin off your face, Iceri, or I’ll order you to hold her other hand!” He winced. “FUCK! OW! Ivy!”
“Break’ em all, Ivy. Just for being a smartass,” Jag teased, moving to give Riley a quick kiss before getting out of the way.
Karis smirked, wiping Ivy’s brow. “What’s the matter, my King? You look a little pale.”
“If you weren’t the closest thing to being my mother, I’d—” Exhaling hard, he sank to his knees. “FUCK!” he ground out again.
Ivy grinned between pants at Vander’s expense, and Henley let out a breath. Maybe everything would be okay. “Aww, the big, bad lion king can’t stand a little finger squish? Try switching places with your wife, buddy.”
Ivy screamed and all humor left the room at the agony in her voice. Sweat poured down her face as she squatted, bearing down.
“That’s it, Your Majesty. Push. Push hard!” the midwife nodded.
The Doula squatted as well, one hand on the queen’s belly and the other disappearing between her legs. “Listen to me, love. I don’t want you to tear, so hold your breath and count to ten in your head. Control your push until I say, then bear down with all your might.”
Ivy screamed again, and the midwife reached with a thick cloth just as the baby slid from Ivy’s body. Vander’s face was unreadable. Worry. Fear. Anticipation. Love. All rolled across his eyes in that one moment.
“It’s a boy! A prince!” Karis clapped, but the midwife ignored everyone as she wiped the baby’s face, clearing his airway. With a quick smack, a strong cry sounded and she grinned, looking up.
Ivy burst into tears and Vander leaned his head on her shoulder, kissing her sweat sheened skin. The midwife handed the baby to Ivy, skin on skin, for just a moment before handing the baby to Karis.
Henley’s arms were around her middle at the raw beauty, her eyes stinging wet. She had never imagined herself as a mom, but this was so real, it was hard to ignore the tug at her heart.
“We’re not done, Your Majesty, but I think the king and his friends should leave for this next part.” The midwife looked at Vander, her suggestion was not a request and he knew it.
Karis nodded as well and he inhaled, letting go of Ivy’s hand. “I’ll be right outside with Damen and Jag if you need me,” he kissed his mate’s cheek and brushed her hair back from her damp forehead. “I love you, Ivy.” He spared a glance for Karis as she gently swaddled the baby in a diaper and blanket.
Henley hurried to the door, her eyes finding Damen. She caught him as he watched Karis care for the infant. Was it her imagination or was he just as moved and freaked out by the tender miracle?
He turned at that moment and she coughed, covering herself with a quick chin pop. “Buy the new daddy a drink. He looks like he could use one.”
As she closed the door, Ivy cried out again and Vander whirled on his heel only to find it slammed tightly.
The three men stood on the opposite side of the door. “Wow, V. That was some shriek. Think there’s another one?” Jag asked, glancing at the barred entry.
“Your guess is as good as mine at this point.” Vander raked a hand through his hair. He hesitated as if unsure if he should stay or go, but no sooner did he open his mouth than a guard turned the corner heading straight for where they stood outside the door to the royal apartment.
“What is it? Can’t you see we’re busy here?” Damen ground out.
“You left orders to inform you the minute Maddox stirred again. He’s awake,” the guard stuttered.
At the news, Damen whirled on his heel ahead of the others, steeling himself. This was it. This was his element. Justice and retribution. Not babies and mates and things he couldn’t have.
The three rushed out with the guard close behind. They clambered down the stone steps to the infirmary, barely stopping for facial recognition as the doors to the locked quadrant opened. Two guards and two nurses looked up from where Maddox lay shackled to the bedrails.
“Your Majesty,” the charge nurse acknowledged, inclining her head. “The prisoner is fully awake. The doctor just completed his assessment. He’s lucid and in control of his faculties, enough for questioning.”
Maddox turned bloodshot eyes to the king as he approached. He didn’t flinch, just blinked as if trying to decide what to say.
“Maddox, I’m glad to see you recovering,” Vander said, keeping his voice even.
The old man kept his gaze steady. “Pleasantries? I thought you’d hope for my death, considering I traded your wife to Bors.�
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Vander’s jaw tightened, but Damen squeezed the king’s shoulder to steady him. He knew Maddox well enough to grasp his ploy. If Vander lost his temper and killed the old man, it was game over as far as intel was concerned.
“Ivy’s fine and Bors is dead,” the king replied. “You’ve been in a coma for quite a while, old man. Not only is Bors dead, but so are your accomplices, Tar Navam, the Serene Lord of the Sands, and his henchman, Sharan Dul.”
At the mention of the three culprits, Damen’s jaw tightened. Together they managed to terrorize the castle and the whole of the Palladia with poison deaths and the specter of kidnapping. And it wasn’t over. Not until every last drop of information was squeezed from Maddox. Damen’s hands itched to wring it from him personally, but cooler heads prevailed.
“That’s right.” Jag nodded. “Your partners in crime tried to infiltrate the palace and lost. Desperate men do desperate things, so they changed plans and pulled the same bullshit ploy as you, taking my mate to try and force the king’s hand. I tore them to pieces, just as Vander did with Bors.”
“Poor Maddox.” Vander shook his head, giving the old man a phony pat of support. “Your buddies really threw you under the bus, to use a human phrase. You have no one left. It’s just you and me.” He slid his gaze to Damen and Jag before looking back to his former Lord Chamberlain. “For the time being, anyway. There are a lot of people who’d like to get their hands on you.”
A nurse walked toward them carrying a black glass vial. “The doctor said this would clear away any lingering fuzziness.”
Damen whispered to Vander and Jag, “It’s an Earth drug called sodium pentothal. Supposed to be some sort of truth serum, or at least that’s what Henley told me. She said it’s frowned upon on Earth, but that certain government agencies still use it as a tool to gather intelligence from reluctant captives. I asked Mrs. Wilder about it, and next thing, she had it on her following jump from Earth.”
Vander nodded. “That one can be a little scary, sometimes.”
“Tell me about it.” Damen snickered at the thought of the classy older woman. “I gave the serum to the doctor for when Maddox woke. In case his memory needed a bit of a jog. I promised the queen we wouldn’t torture him to loosen his tongue…Yet.”
The nurse moved to pour the contents from the black vial into a dispensing cup, but before she could, the doctor walked in through the lab door at the back of the ward and motioned for her to stop. “I need to speak with the king.”
She nodded once and put the glass bottle on the medical tray at the end of Maddox’s bed, and then moved to see to another patient. The doctor signaled for the three men to follow him into the lab.
3
“He’s beautiful, Ivy,” Riley cooed to the bundle in her arms as she handed him to his mother. “He’s the perfect blend of you and Vander.”
Henley peered at the baby from where she sat on the edge of the bed. “At least he’s a normal size. With the way you screamed, I thought for sure you were giving birth to a large toddler!”
“I know, right?” Ivy grinned, looking at his tiny face peeking out from a soft blue blanket. He yawned and she giggled. “I’m so happy, I feel like I’m going to burst.”
Hen smirked, skootching over to make room for Riley. “No, babe. You already did that.” She shook her head, amazed. “I still can’t believe it. Babies are tiny, but damn. That came out of you!”
“He’s not a ‘that’, Henley. He’s a perfect shifter baby.” Gerri chuckled from the other side of the bed. “You still haven’t told us what you and Vander decided to name him.”
The baby fussed and the midwife moved to the side of the bed and helped Ivy sit up straighter. “You need to nurse him, Your Majesty,” she said.
Ivy nodded, allowing the midwife to help her get settled. The baby latched on and she winced as the Doula draped the nursing coverlet over her shoulder. The woman then filled the silver cup on Ivy’s night table before holding it out to the new mother.
“Whatever this is, you better keep it coming. I don’t feel a thing below the waist,” Ivy said, taking the small chalice like goblet.
Henley laughed, finally able to relax. “Better not let Vander hear that or he might take it personally.”
“Ew!” Riley winced crossing her legs. “Ivy just pushed a watermelon-sized person out her hoo-ha! If I were you, I wouldn’t let Vander anywhere near me for a long time!”
Henley’s grinned. “You say that now, Ri, but the walls of this palace are pretty thin. Sound carries, hon, and that boy makes you purr. Loudly. I’d give you three weeks before you went looking to raise your tail for pet lion prince. ”
“Okay, on that note, let’s change the subject back to baby names. Vander told me he wants to name the baby after his father, Jareth.” Karis wore a proud grin. “He would have been so pleased.”
Henley’s eyes were on Ivy’s face as she winced, changing the baby to her other breast. “Hurts?”
“Surprisingly, yes.” Ivy adjusted the baby, flinching yet again.
The Doula tutted. “It’s only until you get used to it, Your Majesty. Some women even find it pleasurable after a while. Drink more of your elderflower juice. It’ll help.”
“Well, with the way Galaxan men love a nice rack, I’m not surprised.” Henley snorted. “Bottoms up, Ivy. You’ll be good to go top and tails. You should save some of that magic juice for when you’re green lighted to do the horizontal mambo. Think of the fun toys you can try without wincing!”
Karis gathered the stained sheets and towels and handed them to the nearest servant. “Leave it to Henley to make nursing a baby sound X-rated.”
“Hey, I’m not the one who said it’s pleasurable.” Henley chuckled. “That came straight from your baby maven over there. Personally, I’d rather have the full grown version do the honors.”
Riley shared a look with Ivy and the two grinned. “Yeah, and we all know who you have in mind for that,” Ivy teased. “Full grown with a very full package.”
Face hot, Henley looked at her best friends. She could play it off all she wanted, but no one knew her like these two. “Yeah, and?” She shrugged. “Who doesn’t like a little eye candy? It’s not like I stand a chance.”
“Honey, you need more faith in your charms, if you want to work it with that hunka hunka burning bear,” Gerri replied. “Damen’s hard wired, and if you want to tap that electricity, you need to be the conduit. He’s not like Jag or even Vander. Damen has a past that gets in his way.”
“What do you mean by past? Like another woman?” The idea of being iced out by a memory made Henley’s chest tighten. Damen wanted her. The signals were all there, but if he was unavailable, she’d kick his ass for playing her.
Another servant brought in a platter of fruit and sweets before Gerri could answer. There was a bottle of Sidaii wine and five glasses on the tray as well, and Karis took the platter and placed it on a low table near the empty hearth.
“When a royal baby is born, tradition calls for a glass of Sidaii to be shared between the women before the men arrive.” Karis winked. “Once the men show up, they tend to take over, patting themselves on the back for a job well done.” She laughed. “As if!”
Ivy grinned. “Karis, I think we’ve corrupted you with our Earth slang.”
They each took a glass, including Ivy, and Karis raised hers with her eyes shining with unshed tears. “To the joys of motherhood and all the happiness and health you can bear.”
Ivy raised her glass, but didn’t drink like the others.
“Honey,” Gerri began. “It’s okay to have a glass of wine. It won’t mix with the elderflower juice, and it’s not going to affect the baby at all when you nurse. He’s got a shifter’s metabolism.”
Karis smirked. “Unlike some in this room.”
Riley poured herself another glass, taking a large donut with chocolate glaze from the tray. “I hope that wasn’t directed at me. I’m not the lush of the group.” She took a bite of
her donut, and chewed, giving Henley a pointed stare.
“Me? I don’t think so.” Henley lifted her glass still full. “You’re on your second glass, Miss Thang. Stella don’t need Sidaii or its intoxicating ways to get her groove on, girlfriend. I’m a natural.” She snapped her fingers and then flipped her long dark ponytail.
Riley licked chocolate glaze from her bottom lip. “Mmmm…talk about getting your groove on, this donut is almost as good as sex. Ivy, I could kiss you for getting the castle cooks to make them for us. They’re amazing!”
“Don’t thank me, thank Gerri. She’s the one who made the jump with the recipes and ingredients,” Ivy replied.
Gerri grinned, watching Ivy hold out her hand for a Boston Cream. “You’re both welcome,” she said sipping her wine. “So, Hen…you’re a natural, huh. How about we put that to the test?”
“Bring it.” Henley chuckled as she got up to sit on the couch with her wine. “I’m always up for an adventure,” she said turning her attention to the older woman.
Nodding, Gerri tilted her head. “You all know I have my own brand of Spidey senses, but I want to know one thing before I say another word.”
“Sure,” Henley replied, lifting a hand. She kept her face calm, but her stomach flip-flopped at the way the matchmaker eyed her. Gerri had worked her magic on both Riley and Ivy, but both friends had to go through hell and back first. She wasn’t afraid of a challenge, but if Damen’s past put him out of the running, who did Gerri have in mind?
“Ivy and Riley are both settled and happy. They found their destinies right here, with a little help from yours truly,” Gerri said with a grin.
Henley sat up straighter on the couch, curiosity and unease warring in her chest. “Are you trying to ask me if I’ve found my destiny on Galaxa or is there something else behind that twinkle in your eye?”
“No, love. I already know your destiny is here on Galaxa. I want to know your heart’s desire. If you could create the perfect mate for yourself in your head, and then conjure him right here and now, what would he be?”
