Adira's Mate

by April Zyon

  “Well you are a rather unique and special woman. One I’m lucky to have as my own,” he said. Pressing a kiss to her shoulder, Fintan settled in next to her, wrapping his arms around her and getting as close to her as he could. “Close your eyes, little wife, and sleep. Bracken will be coming over for dinner later, so you really should try and be rested enough you’re not dozing off while he’s here. It might give him more of a complex if you did.”

  Adira grinned. It was rare that their ships were so close that they could visit. “Have you told him yet that we are having twins? That they were conceived on his ship?” She yawned again and had her eyes closed.

  “No, and most definitely no. We can share the news that it’s twins with him at dinner. But we’ll leave him to figure out when they were conceived and come to his own conclusions. Hopefully he won’t ever figure it out. I doubt I could live with him if he became any more smug.”

  She nodded. “I’ll tell him. I’m sure that he will likely find out before he’s on board, though, with the way that everyone on this ship is already abuzz with that fact.” She rubbed her cheek to his chest once more and let out another yawn. “Good night, honey. I love you,” she whispered and fell sound asleep.

  Chapter Twenty

  “So twins, huh?” Bracken said as soon as he stepped off the trawler. He was smiling at her as he walked in closer. Leaning in, he hugged her and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Congratulations, Adira.” Stepping back, Bracken shook Fintan’s hand and smacked him on the back. “You ready for two more like her?”

  Fintan took the hit easily and looked to Adira. “Not in the least, but I’m sure we’ll figure it out as we go along. I doubt anyone is truly ever ready to have children. I’m excited to meet them, though, and incredibly nervous.”

  “Understandable,” Bracken said with a nod. “How about you, Adira? You ready for two little ones who more than likely will be as stubborn as Fintan?”

  “I’m more than ready for two more just like Fin. I happen to think that he’s the best of all men.” She was leaning into Fintan, her arm around his waist. Looking up, she got a nod from him and moved to Bracken to give him another hug. “And I’m here to tell you that our little wonders were likely conceived on your destroyer. Just saying is all,” she teased.

  He blinked at her, then threw his head back on a laugh. “Oh that is too good. Now I have something else to hold over Fintan’s head. Not only did I save his ass, but I gave you two the time and space to bring about your babies.”

  “And this is why I said we shouldn’t tell him,” Fintan muttered. He’d only agreed because she’d asked, and asked, and asked. Adira was persistent, after all.

  She snickered and shook her head. “I was very persistent. Besides, how could he resist me?” She was big now because of her pregnancy, but still she liked to tease her husband as much as she could. “He didn’t stand a chance, the second he stole me from that hell hole he was being held in. He just didn’t realize it at first.”

  Fintan slid his arm around her shoulders and squeezed her close. “I think that is enough information for Bracken to know. It’s also time for you to eat. Let’s go to the dining hall so you can sit down, eat, and continue to spill our secrets to him.”

  “Oh yes, food. I’m starving.” Seemed she was eating even more now. She was constantly hungry but even more than that, she was constantly horny as well. “So yes, food. Real food, otherwise I’m going to attack my beautiful husband once again.” Poor man.

  “Way too much information about your sex life, Adira,” Bracken said. He made a face at her. Stepping to her other side, he offered his arm to her. “You really should learn to keep some of that to yourself. Especially since you’re about to have children who will not want to know anything about how they came to be.”

  She snorted. “Hardly. I doubt that I will have a hard time keeping my life to myself around those I consider friends and family and you, dear Bracken, are a good friend to me. You are like a second brother to me.”

  “Do you share your sex life with your blood brother?” he asked. At her look, he nodded. “That’s exactly what I thought. So if you’re not going to tell Petr about what you and Fintan do behind closed doors, why am I getting to know about such things? Because as much as I love Fintan and adore you, little sister, I really do not need to know anything about anything of that nature.” He gave a shudder. “It’s bad enough when you two make eyes at one another. And that is totally a bit of jealousy speaking.”

  “Of course I don’t share my sex life with Petr. He might try to take my husband to task about it and that’s something that I couldn’t deal with,” she said softly. “And of course we make eyes at each other. It’s called being in love. Just wait, Bracken, until you find that someone for yourself.”

  For a moment she saw a sad look, filled with pain, sweep over his face. The next moment it was gone. “I suppose there’s always hope,” he said softly.

  Fintan gave her a squeeze when she would have spoken, and shook his head once she looked his way. His eyes held a warning not to say anything. When she nodded slightly, he smiled and gave her a kiss on her cheek.

  Stepping into the lifts, one of their guards got them moving up to the dining hall floor.

  She knew that Bracken would find that happily ever after, or at least prayed that he would. Taking a deep breath she looked up at Fin and let him lead the way. She had hurt her friend with that comment and that bothered her a great deal.

  In the dining hall Bracken went to get food while Fin walked her to their table. “Why so quiet?” he asked. Pulling out a chair, he helped her to ease down into it before pulling up a second one next to hers. He took her hand in his and squeezed. “Talk to me, little wife. Why do you look so upset, Adira?”

  “Just worried about him,” she admitted. “Worried about Bracken. I saw that look of pain that ran across his face and that has me worried for him. I’m worried he will forget that he’s able to be loved.”

  Fintan lifted her hand to press a kiss to her fingers. “This is why he is lucky to have you in his life, Adira. You give him hope, show him that no one knows what the future might bring, and you actually like him. I still haven’t figured out why I put up with him, let alone how you manage to as well, but that’s beside the point. You like him, and treat him as a friend and a brother. He’s been hurt, little wife. It’s not a wound either of us can help to heal. Only time, and finding the right person to let in, will fully heal that wound.”

  “I know. Hopefully one day he will find it and he won’t push her away. I have a feeling that this man will push away the woman that might walk into his life. I truly pray that he won’t, but we both know how that works.”

  “Well we’ll just have to ensure we are around so you can smack him if you see him doing any such thing. I would offer to do it, but as a man it goes against the grain to do such a thing. Besides, he’s pretty much adopted you as a sister—one he likes, as he constantly reminds me—so you have that right to keep watch over his actions. Are you going to be okay, Adira? You still look unhappy, and that doesn’t sit well with me.”

  “I will be perfectly fine, love. I just worry. You know, that’s me,” she said with a nod. “Now, enough of this. Food. Can you go up and get me some of the dessert that they made for me? I’m actually wanting that before anything else.”

  “Of course I will.” Squeezing her hand once more, he stood just as Bracken came to the table. He brushed his knuckles lightly to her cheek before he walked away.

  Bracken watched him walk away before he handed her a little dish. It was a serving of the dessert she nearly constantly craved. Even he knew about her cravings, apparently.

  “How did you know that this was something I was craving?” she asked with a smirk and began to eat the dessert that Bracken had given her. “You are so awesome.” She continued to eat as they both chatted.

  “The cook handed it to me and said to give it to you. She was quite adamant about it, actually,” he told h
er with a shrug. “She has a second one for Fintan to bring back so make sure you finish that one off before he gets here or you won’t get the second helping.”

  “They are too good to me. They all seem to know what it is that I need before I know what I need. I love them for that.”

  “Fintan’s doing, I’m sure. Your husband seems to be wired into your head, and thankfully passes all the helpful information along to those of the crew. So,” he said slowly. “You planning on telling me why you were so upset earlier?”

  “Just worried about you.” She didn’t believe in holding anything back from those she considered family. “Worried about what will happen in the future. Worried about my brother, worried for Fin. Goodness, he’s going to have an absolute fit when I go into labor.” So she was adding on to what her true worries were, but she didn’t want him to feel badly because she was worried for him.

  “Why ever are you worried about me?” he asked, sounding stunned. “I get worrying about Fintan, he will likely pass out when you go into labor. I’m in on the bet for six minutes before he hits the floor. I even get worrying about your brother, but why me?”

  “Because you’re family to me as well. We are family. You became my family when you were keeping me sane that week that Fin was in the hold. The two of us forged a great bond that week. Or is it just me?”

  Leaning an elbow on the table, he put his chin into his hand and stared at her through narrowed eyes. For a long time he just looked at her before finally shaking his head. “No, little sister, it’s not just you. We did become close. But you know I’d do the same for anyone I consider family. I might not do it for my actually family, but you’re a lot nicer than they are, so that’s entirely different. I will say you held up very well, all things considered. I was truly worried for a time there I’d have to haul you to medical to figure out a way to knock you out for the entire time.”

  “Your sisters are terrifying,” she agreed with a nod. “They scare me,” she said with wide eyes. “Seriously, how you are able to survive those women is a surprise.” She sighed and closed her eyes again. “I missed him. So much. I never will do that again. Period.”

  “Who did you miss, little wife?” Fintan asked. Opening her eyes she saw him standing there with a tray in hand, and a curious look on his face.

  Bracken eased her empty dish away under the cover of the tray Fin held. “You,” he said. “We were discussing when you were otherwise out for the count. She was saying she missed you a lot. That and she’s as terrified of my sisters as I am.”

  “They are scary,” Fin agreed as he sat down. He put the tray down and handed her a dish with another helping of the dessert on it. “The fact Bracken turned out relatively normal is likely one of the few miracles the Craegin people have ever had.”

  She accepted the dish and started to eat it. “They are more than a little scary but that’s okay, because we don’t have to see them very often. I just feel for their husbands. They are working on getting married, right?” God, she hoped so, if for no other reason than to save everyone from their loving machinations.

  “That’s the theory,” Bracken told her. “I feel sorry for whatever male ends up with any of them. And can only hope that they are very strong-willed individuals who can withstand Mother as well. If not, then it will be a very short union.”

  “You and me both,” she agreed. “Although, one never knows. They might just chill out a bit with having a man in their lives. Perhaps they simply need to be loved? Having someone there that will love them, you know?”

  “She has a point,” Fintan said. “Look at me. Having Adira and her love in my life has definitely changed me. For the better, I’d have to say. And all because of how amazing and generous she is.” He turned a look her way and smiled. “But don’t think I didn’t notice you are on your second helping of that cake.”

  Adira just smiled at that and nodded. “It is rather remarkable having you as a husband as well, Fin.” She bumped her shoulder to his and finished eating the dessert, then started with the food that Fin pushed her way.

  For the rest of the meal they discussed any number of things, the mood light and even a little humorous as Bracken told her a wild tale. She was very sure he was embellishing it for her, like he had for many a story during his time watching over her. By the time they were done, though, she was ready for another nap. Resting her head on Fintan’s shoulder, she listened while the men talked about a few issues Bracken had discovered during his patrol of the border. Things that command would likely send another craft out to tend to, but a destroyer would be dispatched to watch over.

  Adira was drifting and practically asleep when she felt the first flutters across her stomach. Her eyes went wide and she stilled, her hand over the place where she felt the movements. She then laughed, the small kick she received making her exceptionally happy. “Fin, feel. They’re moving. By the heavens and stars, they are moving.” She hadn’t previously felt anything more than small feathering feelings but this was outright, moving across her skin, movement.

  He let her guide his hand into place. He had a small frown of concentration on his face as he waited. She knew when he felt it though, his eyes going wide, and jerking around to meet her own. “By the stars,” he whispered. He began to smile when another kick was delivered to his palm.

  “I know. How exciting is this?” Her hand was over his. She was grinning as the little feet continued to brush his hand. “I can’t believe it, they are so strong. Our perfect little ones.” She still had a thing or two to say to her son for hiding her daughter, but she was good with that.

  “It’s amazing,” he said quietly. Shifting in his seat he wrapped his free arm around her, pulling her in closer to him as he spread his fingers out. Fin rested his chin on her shoulder, his forehead against her temple as their children tumbled around and continued to kick.

  “It makes it so real, doesn’t it?” she asked and leaned into him, resting against him while their children played. “Bracken, would you like to feel them?” she offered to their friend.

  “I think I’ll wait on that until they are out in the world. Besides, this seems to be something you two should be enjoying. Thank you for the offer though, little sister.” Leaning back in his chair, he was smiling as he watched the two of them.

  She was focused on her belly and nodded. God, she was so happy. “They are a miracle. So much so. Goodness, I love these babies so much already.” She could feel the love from Fin as well from the way that he touched her body and stroked his hands over her belly time and again. She smiled and placed her hand over his.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “If you dare to tell me to breathe one more time I swear to all that’s holy I will rip your balls off and shove them down your damn throat!” Adira screamed, oddly not at her husband but at Bracken, who had his back to her and kept telling her to breathe. Fintan was holding her hand and being supportive, and calm, but he did keep looking at his data pad. “And you look down at that again and I’m going to toss it!” she shouted at her poor husband, which only got a chuckle from the doctor.

  Both men shot glares at the doctor. Fintan turned his attention back to her, his hand stroking gently over her hair. “I’m right here,” he said softly. “I’m staying right here. Nothing could drag me away from your side.” A beep sounded and his attention snapped back to the data pad. “About bloody time. Bracken, go.”

  “On it. Don’t have these babies while I’m gone. I need to bear witness to when Fintan hits the deck,” Bracken said to her. He ran from the room with a laugh when she threatened to throw a pillow at him.

  “I swear your friend is ready to get dead.” She knew that babies were wonderful, and they were oh so much fun to make, but having them? Not so much. “I’m surprised that life hasn’t died out with how bloody much this hurts!” She screamed again and felt another contraction running across her abdomen. “I need drugs. Fin, please make her give me drugs?”

  “I can’t make her do anythin
g. Technically, she can override even my authority,” he said. “But I will ask very nicely for the lovely doctor to give my wife some drugs.” His voice rose to a near squeal as her hand clamped down around his like a vise.

  The doctor just smiled. Peeling the backing off a patch, she moved around and pressed it to Adira’s lower back. Almost immediately she began to feel relief. “Is that any better, Lady Daykin?”

  “Oh yes, thank you. I can actually think now.” Adira smiled and looked to her husband again. “I’m only two weeks late, one would think that your children would be anxious to come into the world. Right?” They were still on border patrol, scoping out the planets on the absolute edge of Craegin space.

  “You’d think they would be, but they also know a good thing when they have it. Why come out of a nice warm, safe environment to the unknown? Even though both their parents would really like to hold them,” he said. He put the data pad aside finally and eased in closer to her. Slipping around behind her he settled so she was between his thighs, his arms around her, and his cheek resting against hers.

  She let out a sigh and leaned into him. “So much better now. Thank you. Don’t let them take you from me? I need you holding me like this. I need you behind me and rubbing your hands on my belly while I’m giving birth to our kids, please?”

  “They can try, little wife, but they will not succeed. I’ll toss them out an airlock if they even think about attempting it.” Fintan pressed a kiss to her cheek and gave her a little squeeze. That’s when she heard a familiar voice, one that couldn’t possibly be there.

  She pulled away from Fin, looked at the door, and nearly fell out of the bed she was in. “Petr,” she asked with wide eyes. She was beyond shocked; she was stunned. “By the ancestors, how?” She felt another contraction and stopped mid sentence to grab her belly.

  Petr stopped dead in his tracks and wavered on his feet. Right behind him Bracken let out a snort and slapped him on his back. “Welcome to the party, brother. You might want to get over there and give her a hug before she goes back into the hating-of-all-men stage.”