by Lily Thomas
Veronica was lucky though. She would be with a doctor within the hour. There was a space station owned by the Daen’su not too far away.
“I need blankets and any medical packs you have.”
“Got it.” Dryke jumped to it. He dug through the cabinets in the back of the shuttle trying to come up with anything and everything he could get his hands on. Rushing back, he presented all his finds to his mate.
She dug through the blankets and picked out a couple thick ones before taking the medical packs from his hands.
“Thank you.”
“Of course. Anything I can do.” He backed off to give Veronica some room.
Natalie tied her hair up in a ponytail grabbed a container of sanitizer and cleaned her hands. She put some on a cloth. “Now you clean the area around her, just in case she gives birth in here. I want everything sanitary for the baby.”
Strux grabbed the offered cloth and began to clean around his mate’s waist and legs.
She was impressive, and Dryke couldn’t help but admire her as she talked softly to Veronica and got her to control her breathing to try and postpone the birth.
Chapter 12
They made it to the space station before Veronica gave birth, and Natalie was finally able to breath when they docked with the space station’s hatch.
A couple Daen’su strode in through the hatch with a stretcher. She backed off to give them plenty of room to work. They placed the stretcher next to Veronica, and then lifted her onto it. Then she was taken out of the hatch and onto the space station.
“I’m going with her.” Natalie turned to Dryke who gave her a nod.
“I’ll meet you at the medical bay when I’m done here.” He told her.
Natalie nodded and sprinted off the vessel. She needed to get some room between her and Dryke and quickly. She was feeling a bit overwhelmed at the thought of giving birth to a Vrak’rir and forever being connected with Dryke.
She rushed to catch up to the medics, and thankfully it didn’t take her long. She trailed behind them.
“You still there?”
“Yes, I’m still here.” She said over to Veronica.
Strux ran up beside them and took Veronica’s hand as they made their way through the promenade of the space station. Natalie paused to take in the sights around her. This was the first time she’d been on an alien space station, and it was definitely different and super interesting with all the sights, sounds, and smells.
There were too many stands for her to focus on a single one. She wouldn’t be surprised if she could find anything she wanted here. The Daen’su were known for working in the black market, so she wouldn’t be surprised if this space station had a lot of things she couldn’t find elsewhere, not that she needed anything. It was just fun.
She darted back over to the medics who were booking it through the promenade and then they entered a quieter corridor. Then they were there at the medical bay.
“Stay nearby!” Veronica called out as she and Strux were guided into another room.
Natalie watched the door close behind them as she stayed in the main area. She wished her new friend the best of luck with this new adventure. Veronica was excited about the birth of her baby, and Natalie felt miserable because she was more like panicking about her own imminent pregnancy.
“Can I help you?”
Natalie turned around to find a female Daen’su standing behind her. The woman was gorgeous with her long silver hair flowing down her back all the way to her butt.
“Yeah. My friend just went in to deliver her baby.” She hitched a finger over at the white swinging doors Veronica had disappeared behind.
“Okay. We have some waiting seats behind you if you’d like.” The woman pointed a long thin finger over to a row of comfy chairs. Then turned to leave.
“Actually,” Natalie bit the inside of her cheek, “I was hoping I could get examined.”
“Of course.” The Daen’su woman guided her through another door and into an examination room. “Please sit down here.” She pointed at a medical bed. “What do you want the doctor to examine you for?”
“I think I might be pregnant, and I was just hoping to know for sure.” Since the scientists had never actually told her anything. All they’d done was make faces and test her blood.
“I’ll get the doctor then. He should be here in a few minutes.” Then the woman left.
Natalie stared at the ceiling while she twiddled her thumbs. She wasn’t too sure how she felt about having a Vrak’rir’s baby. She wasn’t sure if a Vrak’rir child would need anything she couldn’t offer it. For all, she knew it’s nutritional needs might be different.
She also wasn’t sure she had the ability to provide for it. Her job was on Earth, unless she could get a transfer somewhere else. There were other planets and space stations that she could work on. She could be a single mother. Other women did it. She was strong, and she could figure it out for herself as well.
A knock sounded on the room’s door right before a male Daen’su walked in. “How are you?”
“Doing well.”
“Good. I hear you think you might be pregnant.”
“That’s correct. Just wanted some confirmation.”
“That will be easy enough.” The Daen’su took a seat on a chair and rolled over to his desk retrieved a small device and then rolled over to her. “If you wouldn’t mind raising your shirt.”
She quickly lifted her shirt to expose her belly. It couldn’t just be her. There was definitely a slight bulge to her abdomen.
He turned on the device and a blue light shown down on her abdomen as it began to hum. She held her breath not knowing what he would end up saying. The Daen’su doctor switched off the device, and his silver eyes scanned over her face. “It looks like you have twins.”
“Wha-?” She choked. “What?”
“You have twins.”
“Twins.” She let her head fall back on the medical bed as she let the news sink in.
“Good news?” He asked picking up on her mixed mood.
“Good news yes, just completely unexpected.” Great. Now she might be a single mom with twins. She pulled her shirt down. “Can you tell anything more about them?”
“It’s still too early to tell much. We can only confirm you’re pregnant with twins.”
She nodded. “Well, it’s a start in the right direction.” Sitting up she swung her legs over the edge of the medical bed. “Thanks.”
Natalie slipped off the bed and walked through the door and down to the waiting room where she found Dryke waiting for her.
Dryke smiled the moment she entered the waiting room. She was completely radiant. There was a glow to her skin, and her blonde hair was striking against those jade eyes of hers. Every time he saw her she stole his breath away, and he couldn’t believe she was his mate. The universe had given him a gift he never thought he would receive.
“I thought you might’ve gone in with Veronica.”
“I didn’t think it was my place.” She sent him a smile. “Seemed like a moment Veronica and Strux would enjoy alone.”
He would love to have the same moment Strux was having, but he wasn’t sure the scientists had achieved their goal with them.
“Can I talk to you?” Her eyes shined with importance, but there was also a bit of a haunted look back in those beautiful depths.
“Of course.”
They sat down.
“Um,” she looked away from him, and he got a bad feeling in his stomach.
“What is it?” He reached out and tried to take her small hands into his, but she moved them away. He frowned. He didn’t like the turn this conversation was taking.
“The scientists accomplished their goal.”
He didn’t think he’d heard her correctly, and he shook his head. “They what?”
“They accomplished their goal.”
He was speechless.
“I’m pregnant.”
A slow smile spread over
his face. “Pregnant.” He was dumbfounded. It felt like a dream. He’d found his mate, and now he had a child on the way. Then he focused in on her but her facial expressions were guarded and her eyes distant.
“How do you feel about this?” He hedged hoping she was excited but just reserved.
“Well, there’s some more I need to tell you.”
He could feel his smile start to wane.
“I’m pregnant with… twins.”
Dryke choked. “Wh- what?”
“Twins.” She repeated.
He blinked his eyes. “I’m speechless. I’m not even sure what to say.” He was just astonished. He tried again to capture her hands, but she moved them out of his reach. “Is there more?” Because he got the feeling there was.
“Yes. I’m going to stay here until Veronica delivers her baby.”
He was confused. That was the end of their discussion about their twins?! He wasn’t sure he was over it yet, never thought he could get over it. “We should celebrate this amazing moment in our lives.”
“You go celebrate. I need time to process. It’s a big deal for me. As a woman who hasn’t left her home planet before, this seems overwhelming and scary.”
“I’m here for you. There is nothing to be scared of with me nearby to keep you safe.” He didn’t try to reach out to comfort her. He could take a hint. She needed some space. He just hoped giving her space would do the trick.
“I just need some time.”
Dryke didn’t want to leave her but he also didn’t want to drive his mate away. She wasn’t from a mated species, so he needed to make sure he didn’t pressure her or she might freeze up.
“I reserved a room for us on this space station.” He handed her a small chip. “So, you have access to the room. See you there?”
She nodded. “As long as Veronica has given birth otherwise I’ll wait here.”
“Give her my best.” Dryke rose from his seat and left the medical bay. He wasn’t going to linger, but he was going to find a bar and drink, both to celebrate his soon-to-be-children and to drown his sorrows over his mate’s refusal to accept him.
It didn’t take him long to find the right bar. There was thumping music and a dark interior. It was the perfect place to drink.
Natalie felt horrible. She’d seen the light in his onyx eyes at the mention of her being pregnant, and then he’d smiled like a fool when she’d said she was pregnant with twins. His azure face had been so elevated and excited, and then she’d wiped that all away like some cruel witch.
He wasn’t a stupid man, he knew she was putting distance between them and trying to draw away but he hadn’t stayed and fought her. It was confusing, and she was a bit bewildered by his actions.
For a mated species, she sure would’ve thought he’d fight a little harder to keep her.
As the night waned on, her head drooped as she waited to hear any news from the doctors about Veronica. She was too tired to keep thinking about it all.
Dryke placed the empty glass on the table and looked around the bar. It was filled to the brim with all sorts of aliens. Some were clearly trying to find easy targets in the crowd, people who had pads on them and were too drunk to notice someone was about to steal all their credits off of them.
Leave it to the Daen’su to run a space station with barely any rules. The only rule was not to kill anyone, and even that one was broken every once in a while.
Facing back towards the bar he raised a clawed hand in the air. The bartender sashayed her way over to his side of the bar.
“What can I get you?”
“Another Andorra whiskey.”
“Make it two!” Strux flopped down on a seat next to him.
“Surprised to see you here. I thought you’d remain by your mate’s side.”
“I would have, but she wanted some time to rest.”
The bartender brought over a couple Andorra whiskeys.
“Did Veronica give birth then?” Dryke looked over at the other Vrak’rir.
Strux smiled his onyx eyes finally dancing with glee instead of exhaustion. “She did. A beautiful baby girl.”
“Congratulations!” He clapped Strux on the back. “That is great news.”
“It is.” Strux smiled as he raised his glass in the air and took a sip. Dryke followed suit. The liquid burned like fire all the way down his throat. “I can’t believe my luck at finding my mate. Now I can add two new tattoos.”
“Then why do you look so dejected?”
“I was in there for too long.”
“The facility?” Dryke guessed.
“Yeah.” Strux’s face fell. “I don’t have a job to return to, and I need to figure out a way to provide for the both of them.”
“I think I can help you out with that.” Dryke raised his glass in a salute. “We could always use more able bodied Vrak’rir in our business.”
“And what business is that?”
“Bodyguards.” Dryke just needed to get his hands on some more clients because he was going to need a little extra money with twins on the way. “We get people out of situations they can’t handle, and we get them where they need to go without being killed.”
“Sounds easy enough.”
Dryke laughed. “It can get a bit interesting at times, like when the person you’re protecting is being actively chased.”
“As much fun as that sounds, I’d need to know how much I’d be making.”
“Plenty.” Dryke smiled. “And this will be the best place to find some more clients. A lot of people need help off Daen’su space stations. A lot of them need to get black markets items back to their home planets.”
Strux nodded. “Sounds like fun but I couldn’t leave Veronica’s side right now.”
Dryke shrugged. “You let me know, but until then I need to go find myself a client.” He swallowed the rest of the whiskey and pushed himself away from the bar.
Natalie wanted space to think, which meant he would need to get off the space station for a little while to allow her that space. It would be hard, but he’d be back in enough time to see her deliver their child, and then he’d convince her that spending a life with him would be everything she’d dreamed of.
Natalie was shaken awake by a doctor. Blinking she found a Daen’su woman leaning over her.
“The human woman, Veronica, gave birth a while ago and she’s asking for you.”
“Oh, thanks.” Natalie stood and began to follow the woman down the hall. “How’d the birth go?”
“Everything went well and both the mother and child are in fantastic shape.”
“Good.” Veronica deserved to have a good start to her new life. Natalie still couldn’t imagine being in the science facility for so long while pregnant.
They entered another room.
“I’ll leave you two alone.” The Daen’su left before Natalie could thank her.
“Hey,” Veronica said from the medical bed. She was tucked in with white sheets. Her fiery red hair was loose around her head, and she had the ability to look like a model only a couple hours after giving birth.
“It’s unfair how good you look.” Natalie was sure she’d look sweaty and nasty after giving birth.
Veronica laughed as Natalie took a seat nearby. “The Daen’su were nice enough to get me cleaned up after the birth.”
“So, where is the bundle of joy?”
“Over there.” Veronica pointed over to a glass medical crib against the wall.
Rising up Natalie walked over and couldn’t help the flow of maternal instinct as she stared down at the light blue baby. “Girl or boy?” She placed her hand above the baby and wiggled her fingers. The baby’s face crinkled in delight.
“A healthy baby girl.” Veronica sounded so proud.
“Where’s Strux?”
“He was here for the birth and for a little while after, but I told him I needed some time to rest, so I’m sure he’ll be back again. It was hard to get him to release her. That man might be big blu
e and a dangerous Vrak’rir, but seeing him holding her was… I don’t even know how to describe it. It was just so hot and appealing.”
Natalie smiled. “I’m so glad for you.” She could feel the chip in her pocket. Dryke might be in their room waiting for her to show up, and she wanted to see him again. “I should let you get some more rest, so you’re awake for when Strux comes back. I’m sure he’ll want to keep celebrating with you.”
“I should probably get some more rest.” Veronica agreed as she yawned and snuggled deeper into her crisp white sheets. “Giving birth takes a lot of energy.”
“I could imagine.” Natalie sent her a last smile and made her way out of the medical bay and back onto the promenade.
It appeared the space station never died down. The activity was just as vibrant as when she’d first passed through. The bars were jam-packed, and the shops were still selling lots of goods. Almost all of the stands were manned by Daen’su, which made sense since they were on a Daen’su space station.
She continued to make her way through the promenade as she pulled the chip out of her pocket and looked at the numbers on it. She pocked the chip once more. Now that she knew the number of the room he’d rented out for them, she could get there.
She made her way into the quieter corridors that held lodging. As she neared the room, she felt her heart sputter in her chest. Dryke wasn’t like she’d expected a Vrak’rir to be like, he’d been kind to her, and done his best to keep his hands off of her during their captivity together.
She couldn’t help but feel a bit cruel for thinking about denying him this mate hood he’d searched so long for.
Walking up to the door she dug into her pocket, pulled out the chip and held it up to the door. She could hear the lock unclick and then the door slid to the side.
“Natalie?” A voice rushed over her from the darkness of the room.
“Yes?” She walked in until the door behind her closed. She waited for her eyes to adjust to the new light levels in the room.
“Come here.”
Placing one foot in front of the other she made her way over to the bed that she could barely see in the dark room. Stars outside the window were her only source of light. She bumped into the edge of the bed and then crawled onto the soft mattress.