Prowled Darkness

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  Thank the goddess she hadn’t gone to a human doctor to have this baby. Because, holy hell. “Shift for me?” she squeaked.

  He winked then glimmered out of sight for a moment. It was so fast she’d barely caught it, but one moment he was all sexy brown skin and man, the next he was a lion of such exquisite beauty it took her breath away.

  He was larger than what she figured normal lions were. Much larger. And he had a black mane on golden fur. She’d known lions with black manes existed and had even heard a news report about a famous one at one time, but she’d never really seen one.

  “You’re beautiful.”

  Malik chuffed, and she figured that was some form of lion laugh.

  She smiled and reached out to touch him, only to freeze at the feeling of an inward snap. Wetness covered her legs and she looked down in horror and shock.

  “Oh, dear goddess.”

  Malik shifted back right away. “Eliana? Did your water just break?” Panic filled his voice and she couldn’t blame him.

  She met his gaze and clutched her belly. “I think so. I think the baby’s coming, Malik.”

  She tried to smile, tried to think, but all she could do was freak out. Because she wasn’t ready for this, and yet she knew no matter what, her life was about to change yet again.

  Chapter Six

  Eliana had told herself she would remain calm once she went into labor and the baby came, that she wouldn’t freak out, but she had a feeling she was freaking out anyway. She’d literally just run through all the new and challenging things in her life and she’d told herself that she’d deal with things one at a time.

  Apparently, little squirt had different ideas.

  Freaking squirt.

  Malik had her in his arms and in is Rover before she could tell him to take a breath and not freak out with her. One of them had to be calm, and she would have preferred it to be the large lion.

  “Malik,” she gasped as the first contraction hit. Her friends had lied. All of them. There was no way the girls hadn’t used drugs for these because this hurt. Her stomach tightened and something rocked through her before ending in a cramp from hell in her back. She was going to die. That was it. The first contraction, and she already knew she wasn’t strong enough for the rest.

  Some mother she was turning out to be.

  “What’s wrong? Does it hurt?” Malik cursed but didn’t start the Rover. “Of course, it fucking hurts. You’re having a baby and we’re not ready. I’m not ready. But it doesn’t matter about me. We need to worry about you.”

  For some reason, seeing Malik freak out like he was even though he was usually the one who was calm and growly and took charge calmed her.

  “Malik, honey, I need my bag. And my purse.” She looked over at him and gripped his hand. “I have a bag packed for the hospital and I need my purse. It has my phone in it.”

  “You can’t go to a hospital.”

  She nodded. “I know. You’re going to take me to your realm and they are going to help me.” She only guessed that was the right course of action, but from the way some of the tension left Malik’s shoulders, she figured that was a good plan to start with.

  He gave her a solemn nod. “Stay right here.”

  “It’s not like I’m in position to leave right now,” she said dryly.

  He didn’t laugh, and she didn’t blame him. They were both on the verge of a mental breakdown as it was. He left her to get her things, and she sat alone in his Rover, her hands over her belly.

  “Okay, little squirt,” she said as calmly as she could. “This is going to be scary for both of us, but we’re going to make it through. You’re going to come into the world with a mommy and daddy who love you.” She couldn’t help but tear up at that. “I’m so happy Malik is here for you when you come into the world, because despite what I might have muttered about him before, he’s a good man. He’s going to be a good daddy to you and I’m going to do my best to be a good mommy. Now, just don’t freak out in there and we’ll be okay. Let me make it to the healers or whatever Malik called them, and then you can make your presence known. Can you do that? Can you wait just a little bit more?”

  The baby gave her a slight kick and she took that as an agreement. At least, she hoped that it was because she knew she sounded more than a little crazy talking to her unborn baby.

  Malik walked quickly out of the house with her purse and bag in one hand and a phone in the other. She hadn’t told him which bag it was, but considering Lily had labeled the freaking thing ‘Baby Bag,’ she figured he’d found it easily enough.

  After he’d put her bag in the back seat and handed her the purse, he got into the front seat and started the engine. “I called Tristan. He said he’d let the others know.”

  She let out a relieved breath. “I was going to call Lily and have her start the phone tree, but Tristan is as OCD as Lily so that works. Are they coming? And where exactly are we going?”

  She scrunched up her face at another cramp, but it didn’t turn into a contraction. She kind of wished she’d been able to change out of her clothes because she was pretty sure she was ruining Malik’s car as it was. He’d moved too fast when her water had broken for her to care about practicalities like that.

  “I can’t open a portal to get into my realm. We have to go through a warded area much like your wolf friend Hunter has to.”

  “So the lions are inside the human realm like the wolves are?”

  He shook his head even as he drove toward wherever they were going. “We have our own realm, but the entry points for each realm are different. So we have to go to the edge of the forest for this particular point. There are thousands of entries to the lion realm around the world and this is one of them. The others will meet us there as I’ve already relayed a message to my hunters that your friends have permission to be there. Normally, they’d have to go through a process, but I’m a royal and it’s about time I use that to my advantage.”

  Another contraction hit her then, and she nodded even as she held back a scream. “I’m glad they will be there,” she panted. She reached out for his leg and dug her nails into his thigh. He let out a curse, and she couldn’t help but feel proud of that. Because having a baby hurt. “I’m glad you’ll be there, too.”

  He put his hand over hers and patted it. “Just a few more minutes and then we’ll be at the ward edge. Just breathe, okay? Pregnant women in labor are supposed to breathe, right?”

  She couldn’t help it, she laughed. “Is that all you know about giving birth?”

  He looked over at her with panic in his gaze, but with more determination than had been there before. “If I hadn’t been a fucking idiot, I would have had more time to research and plan. But since I wasn’t and we can’t go back and change things, I’m going to freak out a bit now.” He squeezed her hand. “But I’m not going anywhere. There’s nowhere I’d rather be.”

  Tears filled her eyes and she pressed her lips together, not letting her gaze leave him even as he turned his attention back to the road. They might have had the oddest courtship to date, but they were in this together no matter what. It didn’t matter that they were going about all of this backward. They were finally together, finally a couple with a future. And now they had another life depending on them.

  They could do this—and not just because they had to, but because they could.

  Malik pulled over near a wooded area and turned off the car. He had the Baby Bag on his back and her door opened in the next instant. After he’d helped her take off her seatbelt, he didn’t immediately help her out of the car. Instead, he stared at her.

  “What is it?” she asked, ready to be somewhere safe and near drugs to help her through this pain.

  “I love you,” he said firmly. “I love you, Eliana, my phoenix, my mate. I just thought I’d say that before the baby comes.” He swallowed hard before putting his hand over her belly. “Happy birthday, baby.”

  Tears fell down her cheeks and she hiccupped a sob. �
��I love you, too, Malik.” She couldn’t lie to herself any longer and hold things back. “And I’m so happy you’re here for his because while I could have done it one my own, I really didn’t want to.”

  He cupped her face and kissed her firmly. “Let’s go have a baby.”

  She snorted. “I don’t think you’ll be doing much of the having, Lion-O.”

  He winced at the nickname. “Cut it out with the cat jokes in the realm, beauty. They have claws.”

  She raised a brow. “And?”

  He just shook his head and picked her up. “I’m here for you to beat up on and call names during the birth. It’s kind of my job.”

  She just held onto him and knew that this was one moment she’d never forget. Honestly, she hadn’t thought about what it would be like to be with him forever because she’d been so afraid to fall. But now that she’d fallen, she couldn’t help but think that this man would be there for her and the baby. She had to trust in that even if trust didn’t come easily for her. The fact that it did now with him should scare her, but she was too worried about the baby to do anything about it.

  She closed her eyes and leaned on him as they made their way through the wards and into the lion realm. Later, when she wasn’t in pain, she would study the place where Malik had grown up and where she would evidently be raising their child, but for now, she just let him carry her and her burdens.

  Soon she found herself in a private room that looked like a hospital room but much warmer, more inviting.

  “We’re at a healing station,” Malik said calmly. “It’s not a hospital since we’re at the part of the compound where the royals live. We have personal healers, doctors, and nurses to care for you.” He sighed. “I’ve spent most of my time away from you here. My father is two doors down.” He shook his head. “I want him to make it long enough to meet his grandson or granddaughter. I don’t even know why I’m thinking that since it’s not like he truly raised me.”

  She gripped his hand during another contraction. “Tell me,” she gasped. “Why didn’t he raise you?”

  Malik let out a breath and kissed her sweaty brow. “You should be focusing on yourself.”

  She shook her head. “I’m trying to focus on you and not the pain because, apparently, they don’t have drugs for me.” Something she was not happy about, but apparently her new body chemistry wasn’t conducive to drugs—which they hadn’t told her until they’d gotten her on the gurney.

  “My mother died giving birth to me,” Malik said softly. “I was the first born and father never found another woman to marry. As he mated my mother, he couldn’t ever find another mate, and I figured that finding someone else to be with in that way would be too hard for him. But I think the fact that he lost the mating bond broke him. He ended up giving me to nannies and tutors so he could reign over the realm.”

  Malik took a deep breath, and Eliana reached out to cup his face. “You aren’t your father,” she whispered. “You’d never do that.”

  “But if you…” he stopped. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  “And you won’t have to worry about that.” She didn’t want to think about that at all, but Malik had his own demons. Just as she had hers.

  Loud voices sounded from outside the door and Eliana frowned. “What is that?”

  Malik growled. “I think I have an idea. Stay here.”

  She raised her brows and pointed at her belly. “Can’t really leave.”

  But he didn’t say anything as he stormed out. The man had to stop telling her to stay places when she couldn’t leave—and, frankly, he just had to stop ordering her to stay as it was.

  The noise grew louder, and Eliana strained to pick out the different voices.

  “I don’t care who the fuck you think you are, your furriness, but you better get out of my way before I get all pixie on your ass.”

  Eliana pressed her lips together to hold back a laugh at Faith. Her friends were there, thank the goddess. But, apparently, there was someone in the way.

  “You little mongrel freak. You are not fit to be near the Leo or his family. Get out before I have you thrown out.”

  Whoever owned that shrill voice needed to get a hand to the face or something because there was no way Eliana’s friends were going to be barred from seeing her. Plus, Malik had promised her the others would be able to be there. Maybe not in the room during all of it, but she wanted them there. No matter what she had said before about being alone even surrounded by them, it was all a lie. She was scared and wanted her friends.

  She wanted the family she’d made.

  “Aunt Prudence, you have no right to bar them,” Malik’s deep voice flowed over her and the baby seemed to calm down some. Prudence? Really? What a bitch of an aunt name. “I allowed them to come here for the birth of my child, and you will not stand in their way.”

  “Child?” the woman gasped. “You cannot have a child. You’re not mated. You’re just trying to get around the rules of succession.”

  “Get the fuck out of here, old woman. My mate is giving birth to my child. I will one day be the Leo, and you and your husband cannot change things. You’re out of your depth here. But if you don’t leave my presence right now, I won’t be responsible for my actions.” His voice had gone low and dangerous.

  Eliana let out a breath as another contraction hit so she couldn’t hear what happened next, but she was damned tired of doing this alone already. He’d better get his ass back in the room and that aunt of his had better fall off her high horse.

  The door slammed open and Malik stormed in, his hands fisted at his sides. “Sorry I was gone for so long.”

  She held out her hand and he quickly took it. “What the hell happened?”

  “Malik’s aunt is a bitch,” Faith answered as she came in with the rest of them following her.

  Levi let out a breath and kissed his mate on the top of her head. “What my mate means is, it’s taken care of. Now you have more than enough people in this room to make sure you and the baby are fine.”

  Dante walked toward her and leaned closer. Malik let out a growl, but she just squeezed his hand. “You’re mated to him now,” the dragon whispered. “The bond between a lion and his mate can only come with true free will so I know you weren’t forced into it. But if you find yourself still unforgiving of what he did to you, let me know and I’ll take care of it.”

  “Watch yourself, dragon,” Malik growled.

  The blue and black dragon shrugged. “I’m a prince, too and far stronger than you. If you hurt our phoenix here, I’ll end you.”

  Eliana held up her hands. “Okay, enough with the posturing. I’m sure you all have mighty penises and everyone is happy with them. But for the love of all that is holy, stop it. I love Malik and he loves me and we’re about to have a baby. We’re not throwing our problems under the rug, but we are moving on from part of it so we don’t flounder.”

  Malik glared at her even as Faith cackled and Nadie snickered.

  “Dante really does have a nice penis,” Nadie offered, and Eliana threw her head back and laughed.

  Jace chuckled even as he put his hand over Nadie’s mouth. “Anyway, we’re all going to go out to the private waiting area so you’re not overwhelmed.”

  “We’re here for you,” Tristan said softly. He looked over at Malik. “Both of you.”

  With that, each of her friends and their mates kissed her forehead and temples before leaving her alone with Malik. She should have felt a loss at their departure, but she couldn’t, not with Malik at her side.

  “They didn’t really comment on the phoenix thing,” she said casually.

  “One thing at a time, remember?” Malik said. “I’m sure they’re all talking about it now, and when you’re ready, you can show off your new feathers.”

  She smiled as she looked down at her arms. “I guess I need to learn to glamour.”

  He nodded. “Thankfully, no one caught us when we were driving in the human realm without
your glamour. I wasn’t thinking.”

  “We had more important things to worry about.”

  He shook his head. “The baby is important, but protecting our worlds is just as important. I know that sounds like I’m putting our baby behind others but…”

  She squeezed his hand. “But it protects not only our baby, but everyone we love. I understand. We’ll make it work.”

  Another contraction hit and she gritted her teeth. Malik ran his hands down her side and back, soothing her. She was so damned grateful he was there.

  “About your aunt?” she asked once she could speak again.

  “Later,” he growled. Another contraction hit.

  Everything went quickly then. Healers came in and checked to see how far along she was, and apparently, she was farther along than they’d all thought. She gripped Malik’s hand with all her strength and pushed when they told her to. Tears streaked down her face and she felt like she was going to die if this baby didn’t come soon, but after another hour of pain and anticipation, she screamed, pushing harder than she ever had before.

  Malik cried next to her, kissing her softly as the healer held the baby out to them. Their daughter let out a cry that ended in a loud roar, and Eliana sobbed even as she smiled.

  “We have a daughter,” Malik said softly, his voice full of awe. “A daughter.”

  “And she’s loud,” Eliana added with a laugh. “And ours.”

  Before she could reach for her daughter, however, the door slammed open and a tall woman with a pointed chin came in.

  “Your father is dead,” the woman snapped. “Long live the King. For now.”

  Malik fell to his seat, his hand still on hers. Eliana turned her attention from the woman to her newborn daughter.

  Holy crap.

  Chapter Seven

  Two weeks of pure torture surrounded by bliss seemed to pass quickly for Malik. Too quickly. He stood in front of his mirror, trying to figure out if he should wear a tie for his father’s funeral or not. It didn’t seem like an item he should really be caring about in the grand scheme of things, after all.