“Eden, I don’t care what you want anymore... we’re going to see the doctor.”
“Fuck, it’s too soon.”
Albie shook his head, wrapping an arm around Eden and guided him back out of the tunnel. “But then nothing about you has happened on schedule. We probably should have considered that this would move just as fast.”
“Four weeks early maybe... but this is eight weeks before they were due to arrive.” Digging his fingers into Albie as another excruciating contraction brought tears to his eyes.
“And can I call Alric now?” Albie asked, while flagging down another vampire walking through the hallway, getting them to race ahead and let the doctors know Eden was on his way.
“He’d fucking kill you if you didn’t,” he replied through gritted teeth, stopping again as his contractions came closer and more intense. “But, if I’m going to continue this trend of doing things faster than normal...” Eden was already beginning to believe that was the case, though he didn’t have the urge to push like he’d read about in the pregnancy books he’d bought... then again, they were written about human pregnancy, not a male dhampyre one.”
“Yeah... he might not make it here in time.”
Chapter Twenty-One
The news came right in the middle of his meeting with Lei. He’d ignored several phone calls and text messages before a very apologetic Mrs Walterson burst into the office without knocking to deliver it. Alric needed to buy her a very expensive gift – a holiday? A year’s supply of her favourite wine? Maybe both – after the shock of two burly guards descending on her in a flurry of hidden claws, never realising how close she’d come to having two Chinese dragons shifting in front of her. She didn’t lose her cool, merely rising an eyebrow until they backed off and strode toward him delivering the news that Eden had gone into labour as though it was perfectly normal. Confirmed his suspicion that Mrs Walterson knew exactly who she was working for.
But that was conversation they’d sit down and have another day. Smoothing over the rumpled feathers of Lei and the Jiangxue coven needed to come first, but even that could wait until after he’d spent time with Eden and their child. He hadn’t even slowed down to see how annoyed Lei was at his rapid departure from the meeting with only the muttering of a jumbled assortment of words in apology. But it wasn’t as though Lei hadn’t heard Mrs Walterson’s announcement, and maybe she found his flustered state amusing, sure that she’d offered congratulations as he disappeared out the door.
Honestly the whole trip back to the mansion had been a blur, not even sure how he’d managed to make it down to the medical centre without injuring himself in his haste. He was excited, worried, restless realising how risky it was for Eden considering how fast it had sounded his labour was progressing. His usually coiffed hair a mess from Alric shoving his hands through it as he’d tried to resist the urge to tell Skylhr to drive faster. And they hadn’t made it in time, Eden moving at his own speed much to the annoyance of everyone else as it only increased the risk of complications ten-fold. Alric had found Albie slumped on the floor of the medical room exhausted and cursing up Eden’s inability to go slow, informing him that they almost hadn’t made it in time for the doctors to halt the contractions long enough to perform a c-section and stop the child from ripping its way out.
They were going to be in for a world of trouble if this wee one nestled in his arms decided to move at high-speed like his father.
“Alric?” Eden’s groggy voice was a relief to hear and drew his attention away from their son.
He walked over to the bed and sat carefully on the edge. “I’m here Eden. Are you feeling okay?” reaching out to brush away the same strand of hair that always fell over Eden’s eyes.
“I’ve just had a baby, eight weeks early, faster than everyone would’ve preferred... so yeah, I’m feeling peachy.” Alric chuckled, Eden wasn’t feeling too bad if his snarkiness was anything to go by. “But seriously I’m sore, thirsty-” his lips drawing back to reveal his fangs as his eyes flashed violet. “-though I can wait a bit. What about you? My timing would’ve screwed up your meeting with the Jiangxue.”
“Don’t worry about it. You and this one, are way more important, and besides that matter can wait for a couple of weeks. I would rather spend time with you both and have already asked Mrs Walterson to cancel or reschedule what meetings she can for the next two weeks. And if anything, drastic comes up, Albie can always deal with it.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to ruin any goodwill that you have with the Jiangxue or any of your business dealings.”
“Trust me, you won’t be. Anyone who can’t see the importance of spending time with a child isn’t worth my time. It would take an all-out war within Silverdale for me to leave your side during that time.”
“Okay.” A whoosh of air breathed life into the word as Eden’s eyes fluttered shut. “What are we going to call her? Can’t go around calling her baby or wee one forever.”
“She? Eden, we don’t have a daughter - it’s almost statistically impossible for us to have one – we have a son. Did no one tell you?”
Eden chuckled tiredly. “Maybe. More than likely. I honestly don’t remember much. Either way he still needs a name.”
Alric looked at his son, brushed fingers over his forehead and pushed the same lock of hair that hung over his face like Eden. Stared at the paleness of his skin; the fragility of it for having been born so early and yet there was a strength to him that couldn’t be denied. A determination that would suit him well as the future leader of the coven and he needed a name that fitted.
“I think I’d like to name him Emric.” He lifted his gaze to meet Eden’s as Emric grabbed his fingers and squeezed tight.
“May I?” Eden held his arms out and Alric passed their son over reluctant as he was to part with him. A surge of pride, love and so much more flooded Alric as he stared at them. “Emric Drayton.... I like it. I think it’s perfect for him.”
This was worth waiting for.
Coming Early June
A Baby for Albie
Silverdale Coven Book Two
He couldn’t be pregnant. It wasn’t possible, not at all and yet his newfound friendship with the bathroom couldn’t be denied. Albie struggled to understand how it could have happened, when a millennium of history said that it wasn’t possible when the only one he’d slept with recently was a dhampyre.
And yet....
Dominic had looked forward to this brief respite from his undercover mission; a chance to finally deal with the issue he and Albie had been dancing around for months. They both knew it, but neither wanted to admit that their relationship wasn’t casual; couldn’t be when the Fates had chosen them for each other.
But this had to be joke.
Did Albie honestly believe that he could stand there with a swollen belly and claim the child was his?
About the Author
Writing Queer Romance with a Twist.
Paranormal: Mpreg: Contemporary.
A Kiwi born girl who spends a lot of time laughing at the antics of her three teenagers; disappearing into the worlds created by other authors or undertaking the often-pointless task of weeding her garden. Of course, first she needs to dislodge the cat from her lap.
She can also be found writing books under the name Naomi Aoki where she runs away in her stories to Japan and China, in both contemporary and historical settings. One day she hopes to spend more time visiting both countries.
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Finding His Eden Page 10
