by James, Taki
“Your ex-wife came here instead.”
Freyr froze. Gerd had been by his home, where he kept Vanessa. Vanessa hardly noticed anything going on around her, as she played. “What did Gerd want?”
Fiolnir shrugged. “Most likely to cause trouble.” Fiolnir trapped Vanessa’s king with his knight. In a fit of frustration, Vanessa tossed the rest of the playing pieces off the board.
“I’m done playing with him. He cheats,” Vanessa said. Freyr translated for his son, causing the other male to laugh.
Vanessa rubbed slow circles around her abdomen, working to calm down the twins. Freyr sat beside her, adding his hand to move her along. “You okay?” Freyr asked.
She nodded absently. So close to the due date, she hardly wanted to move. She wanted this all to be over, so she could have Freyr neutered for getting her pregnant in the first place.
“Do you want me to call the doctor?”
Vanessa sighed. “No, but some ice cream would be really good. I didn’t know how to make your son to go to the kitchen to get me some.” Freyr nodded, starting to become a little concerned that the two important people in his life were unable to have a solid conversation and with Gerd now showing up at his home, it was important that he make it for the two to communicate. He determined, at least mentally, that he start teaching Vanessa his language. It would go a long way to keeping her protected.
Chapter 13
Freyr’s eyes popped open. Something felt different about the bed. It was wet, not that he wasn’t exactly unused to a little wetness from his frequent bouts of making love, but this was a different sort of wetness. Vanessa’s arm gripped his tightly as she suddenly gasped. Freyr turned toward her, his eyes a little wide at her tight grip.
“I think,” She panted, “this is it.” She didn’t have to say anything again. Freyr’s mind went straight into panic as he jumped out of bed, throwing on the first items of clothing he could find. By the time Vanessa managed to crawl out of bed and slide into an ugly dress, the whole household was in disarray.
Vanessa stood watching as nearly everyone raced around, collecting items that she knew she wasn’t going to need at the hospital. Before she knew it, she was alone. She sighed. She knew this would happen. She shuffled her way toward the door, using the wall as leverage to keep going when a contraction hit. Behind her, she dragged her bag by one strap. She was going to kill Freyr when and if he ever returned.
The door opened admitting a fretting Freyr. “I am so sorry,” he said as he collected her bag before picking her up in his arms to carry her out the door. Vanessa laid her head against his chest. Soon, this would all be over and she’d finally get the chance to have her body back. She felt so excited, but there is still the little bit of her that felt highly frightened. Would she actually be strong enough, to be able to have a healthy baby? She wondered about that all the way to the hospital, where the hospital staff were outside waiting.
The waiting room was mostly quiet as the two very different families waited patiently for the results. Vanessa’s parents sat across from the woman who had introduced herself as Freyr’s twin sister. Freyr’s son had also come into the waiting room from his post, having been relieved of his duty by his cousin.
“How much longer do you think this will last?” he asked his aunt.
Freyja shrugged lightly. “Who knows? They will come when they are ready and not a moment too soon.” She smiled gently at the parents of her brother’s woman before she said in English. “I am sorry if it seems rude, but my nephew does not speak English. He is very concerned about meeting his siblings.”
Vanessa’s mother shook the apology off; although it was clear she was confused by Fiolnir being Freyr’s son. “How old is your brother if he has a grown son?”
The door slammed open, admitting Gersimi. Rapidly, she whispered in Fiolnir’s ear, causing the male to jump from his seat and run out the door. Freyja looked to her daughter for an explanation.
“Gerd has arrived in the parking lot. She looks angry.”
Freyja too rose from her seat. “Wait here until Freyr has a moment. Inform him of what is going on and tell him to not allow the twins to be taken away from the room. I don’t know what Gerd is planning, but we cannot take any chances.”
Gersimi nodded, taking the seat her mother vacated. She crossed her legs primly, trying her best not to look as if something were wrong for the benefit of Vanessa’s family.
“What’s happening?” Mrs. Harris asked.
“Unexpected guest,” Gersimi said quietly. She probably shouldn’t have said anything, but the way that the woman looked at her, frightened her. Vanessa had mentioned it once and Gersimi had to agree that the look had the ability to frighten anyone perhaps even Odin, their leader. “My uncle’s ex-wife wants to cause trouble.”
The Harris’s shared a look between one another as Gersimi quickly changed the subject in hopes of distracting the parents from asking too many questions that no one wanted to answer. She certainly didn’t want Vanessa’s parents to start making trouble for her uncle. No one should be able to separate Freyr from his woman. Heaven help anyone that tried to do so.
****
Outside the hospital, Freyja stood beside her nephew as they glared at the tall red head stepping out of the limo. Gerd glared in return, a smug look upon her face.
“Get out of my way. I have official business here.”
“Go home, Gerd. You are no longer part of my brother’s life. The divorce was finalized by Odin himself.” Freyja was prepared for any tricks the giantess before her could come up with.
“Are you sure everything is complete?” Gerd said. Fiolnir narrowed his eyes. Gerd held up a piece of paper. “I never had the divorce filed properly, so things are not done. Freyr is still my legal husband and according to our original agreement, Freyr owes me his very life for his infidelity.”
Freyja snatched the papers out of the woman’s hands, glancing them over. Her face paled. It was true, there was no record of the divorce.
Gerd continued to smile smugly. It had taken her a while to find some way to keep Freyr and get him away from the black slut. Now that she had what she had been looking for, she could now get back everything she had ever lost. Victory was hers. “Fiolnir, go and fetch your father,” she said imperiously. She would make sure he serviced her right here in the front of everyone, to prove to all of her possession.
Freyr reveled in the sight of his sons. The nurse had just placed one in his arms to hold for the first time. He was in love all over again. Blonde tufts of hair lay plastered to his forehead. His skin was just a shade darker than his own complexion, but he had all his fingers and toes. When his son opened his eyes, Freyr got lost in the blue. This was the sensation he had always lived for. “I am your father little one, and I will make sure that you always have everything that you desire,” he said in Old Norse.
Freyr glanced toward Vanessa who held their other son. She looked so tired and worn out, but Freyr swore he had never seen her more lovely. He approached her, watching her with his other child.
“He doesn’t look like he has a black mother,” she said on a whisper. Freyr perched on the edge of her bed.
He settled the babe he held close to his brother. “Ah, but they are darker than their father. And they do not have the shape of my eyes.” Vanessa snorted.
“Don’t try to make me feel better. I know they came from me.”
He leaned over to lay a gentle kiss on the top of her head. “Do you want I should tell our families?” He stood when she nodded. He laid his son gently in her free arm.
Watching them all, he didn’t want to leave their side ever. But he made himself leave the room for the waiting room and their families. Vanessa’s parents stood immediately upon seeing him.
“We have sons,” he said, a bright smile lighting his features. Both Mr. and Mrs. Harris ran past him toward the room to get a good look at their grandsons. Freyr turned to watch them go only for a moment before turning back to G
ersimi. “Where are the others?”
“Gerd is outside,” was all she said.
Freyr sucked in a deep breath. “Go see your cousins. Tell Vanessa that I will return shortly.”
He exited the hospital, finding the three standing not too far away from one another. He approached slowly. Freyja turned toward him, a look of sorrow on her face. “What is going on?”
Gerd pushed past his sister and son. “Our divorce is not final. I didn’t have it filed in case something like this happened, so you are still my husband. This means that you are now a cheater with your human and your bastard child and you know exactly what that means. You are now my personal slave.”
Freyr laughed. “Do you think me stupid, Gerd, to allow you to be the one to file it? Especially when I know that you are manipulative. I may have been torn over you, but I knew what could happen. My lawyer made sure that everything was absolutely final, so I am free of you.” Gerd pulled back as if struck. “I do not know where you retrieved that falsified document, but I can assure you that everything necessary was handled.”
He had to hide his own smile of triumph at defeating Gerd at her own game. As soon as he’d decided to go after Vanessa he’d made sure that his divorce with Gerd was absolutely final. Never again was he leaving anything to faith alone, not where the treacherous snake was concerned. He held up two fingers toward his son. “You have two new brothers.”
Fiolnir nodded very slightly. “That is good. I can deal with little warriors. May they eventually have the strength of ten men, and the swiftness of the fastest animal.” He turned a fulminating glare at his mother as he made his way into the hospital to have a look at the new additions to his family. Freyja was right behind, leaving Freyr alone with his ex.
“Whatever you plan, it will not work,” he said. “I have my new life now and I will fight for it. What you have done to me can never be forgiven.” He turned to go back to his family. “Forget about me, Gerd, for your own sake, because my retribution will be terrible if you should continue to push me.”
He didn’t bother to wait around to see how she responded. He knew well enough to know that she couldn’t be trusted to stay out of his life, especially when she was the one who didn’t have her way. Behind him, he felt the spike of Gerd’s ire. No, this wasn’t over by a long shot. He would have to watch his family closely for a very long time to come, or at least until he had his sword returned to him.
“These ain’t my grandbabies,” George Harris insisted, looking at the two pale boys that were cradled by his daughter. “Those are white babies. Everybody knows that half breed babies still look like black babies.”
Samantha Harris ignored her husband’s words as she raised one of the babies into her arms. “They look white, but they are still your grandsons. They haven’t been taken out of the room once.”
“Yeah, but every mixed baby I know is still darker than this. They don’t look like they have a black parent. These two are blonde haired and blue eyed. Take them back. I want a do over.”
Vanessa fought the urge to roll her eyes. “Dad, its genetics. Freyr’s traits just happen to have taken over. It doesn’t change the fact that those twins came from me.”
Her father mumbled something Vanessa knew he was bound to get into trouble for. She could just imagine what he was thinking. How was he going to be able to show his grandkids off to his friends, when they looked white? His circle of friends weren’t exactly known for being liberal thinkers.
The door opened to admit Freyja and Fiolnir. Fiolnir came close to her, staring down into the small face of one of the twins. With a smile Vanessa lifted her son toward his big brother, offering the older man a chance to hold him. Fiolnir reached forward gingerly, his face reflecting his absolute reluctance to be so close to one so young.
“They are beautiful,” Freyja said as she too drew close.
“Yes they are,” Mrs. Harris concurred. “They are precious and they will be loved no matter what.” She turned to her husband to make very sure that he understood what she was saying. “We’re their grandparents. So act like it.”
Vanessa smiled as her father continued to grumble unhappily. At least until Mrs. Harris set the baby in his arms.
“What will you name them?” Freyja asked. Vanessa grimaced slightly. She hadn’t thought about boys names at all. The deal was to let Freyr name them if they were boys.
“Freyr hasn’t told me what he’s decided yet.” She had a bad feeling that she probably wouldn’t fully agree with what he did decide on. She was very aware of his heritage and the fact that he wasn’t likely to push that aside just because his woman wasn’t Scandinavian as well.
She heard her father mutter, “Great, if that boy names these babies I’ll never be able to live this down with the fellas.” Mrs. Harris gave him a more than willing slap on the back of his head to get him back in line. Vanessa thoroughly agreed with her mother’s discipline. There would be no negative attention given to her babies.
Vanessa was nervous. She didn’t trust for a moment that Gerd was fully out of the picture after she learned of what happened while she gave birth to the boys. The woman was like a bad case of the plague. There just seemed to be no end to her. Boy, if she wasn’t recovering from having her vagina stretched beyond what she thought possible, then Vanessa would have been ready to give that bitch the ass whopping of her life. She couldn’t take this woman constantly trying to take her man anymore. Freyr was hers now and he was going to stay that way. She claimed him and that meant she was now willing to fight for him.
She watched as Freyr settled, and she couldn’t believe that she actually allowed him to name the twins, Faas into his new carrier. Folke was already settled in and waiting to be lifted by his older brother. That was another thing she knew she’d just have to deal with. Her poor father would just have to get over that her kids were fathered by a man who was proud of his heritage.
She sighed as she allowed the nurse to help her into the wheelchair glad to be leaving. She was going home after a horrible week spent in the hospital with doctors insisting on testing her and the twins. The doctors just couldn’t seem to want to believe that the twins were exceedingly healthy. Both boys had a healthy set of lungs. They had no trouble breathing. It was as if they were both full term singles. Convincing the doctors to let her go had been so tough until Freyr had stepped in. He still wouldn’t tell her what he had said to allow them all to leave and honestly, she wasn’t sure she wanted to know what had been said or done. Whatever it is Freyr said, she appreciated it. Going home had never felt so good. Vanessa was not going to complain about how the job was accomplished.
The two men lifted a carrier each and soon enough, they were on their way. Vanessa hated having to be pushed around like an invalid. She hated that her mother was expecting to her rest at home when she wanted nothing more than to party at finally looking less like the beached whale she felt she’d looked like and more like the old Vanessa. But her mother was supposed to already be at the house waiting to help her get the twins settled in, meaning. She’d be screwed if she tried to get out of resting.
The twins were settled in the car. Vanessa was helped into the back with them. She leaned back against the seat, closing her eyes for just a little bit of rest. That was all she needed she fall right to sleep. Who knew that hospitals were so very noisy? She never wanted to have a baby at the hospital again.
Chapter 14
Fiolnir covered his head with a pillow. Cry, cry, cry, that was all the babies did all night and day. He couldn’t seem to escape it. He certainly couldn’t understand how his father always managed to look so happy and well rested, considering he seemed more willing to jump out of bed at the first sign of the twins crying.
The quiet opening of his door, followed by the closer cries of one of his brothers forced him to surface. His father stood before him, calmly trying to quiet down…Folke, he thought it was.
“Why must you come bother me?” Fiolnir asked, his voice groggy from lack
of sleep.
Freyr settled Folke down on the bed. The baby quieted immediately. “Someone wanted to come see his elder brother.”
Fiolnir sighed. He really didn’t want to be bothered this morning. It had been such a long night listening to the twin wonders cry at every opportunity. He peeked down at the blue eyes that looked back at him. Tiny fists waved in his direction.
“If I get up, will you and your brother keep the noise down?” he asked Folke, not expecting an answer. Fiolnir climbed out of bed, throwing on a pair of pants left on the floor. From the corner of his eye he watched his father pick up the little one again. Fiolnir couldn’t help thinking that they were brats. Little terrors sent to drive him mad until they were old enough to bother him in a different way. He would be glad when it was time for him to return to his home. He was glad for brothers, but maybe when they were much older, he would appreciate them more.
His father quickly handed over the baby to him on his way out the door. “Spend time with your brother,” he said. Fiolnir mumbled something that couldn’t quite be heard by his father.
Vanessa was in the living room cradling his other brother. Faas wasn’t nearly demanding as his younger twin. He was content to suckling on his mother’s teat instead of making the racket that disturbed his brother’s sleep.
The new mother glanced in his direction with a tired smile that belied the glow to her skin. Freyr left the living room for the kitchen, leaving the two alone. Fiolnir had a seat on the couch beside her chair. “Faas is good?” he asked in his broken English. When she nodded he smiled carefully.
He glanced down at Folke. There was a smell coming from him that wasn’t very pleasant at all. His nose wrinkled and he suddenly held the child away from his body.
Vanessa knew what that meant. She sighed, glad that it actually wasn’t her turn to deal with diaper duty. With her free arm she pointed toward the kitchen. Fiolnir practically ran to hand over his brother, all the time thinking about just how disgusting babies were. It sorely brought into question whether or not he were willing to settle down one day and have a few little ones of his own.