by Claire Marta
“Oh, my God. That’s so precious. We don’t know what we’re having yet. We have an ultrasound here, but they’re never posed where we get details. And that’s okay. I don’t mind doing things the old fashioned way.”
“An ultrasound?” Raven repeated.
Casey bit her lip and glanced away before speaking again. “There’s a clinic in-house,” she said slowly. “Cayden’s our medic. He’s been outfitting the surgery, infirmary, birthing room, nursery… He’s trying to cover bases. Make certain that we have everything we might need when the time comes. With two of us pregnant with twins, he even has four incubators standing by.”
Having neonatal equipment was good but it didn’t make up for their lack of a doctor. Raven’s mind was already filled with doubts. A multiple pregnancy meant potential complications. If something happened, a hospital was where this woman needed to be, with trained staff, obstetricians, pediatricians, and state-of-the-art equipment. She needed to speak to this Cayden. Make sure they were on the same page for the care of her client. She’d already decided to accept Casey. From what she’d said, she’d been through hell. Helping her bring joy into her life with the birth of her children was something Raven could do.
Chapter Two
“Ye should have seen her,” Killian murmured softly.
Loading the autoclave, Cayden quirked an eyebrow at his partner. Since arriving at the infirmary a few minutes ago, he’d barely made any sense.
“Who?”
“The dark-haired beauty who came to see Casey. She had the spark of Celtic fire in her soul and the lilt of Eire on her tongue. Eyes like the darkest amber. Long wild curls that beg for someone to tame them.”
Lips tilting in a half-smile, Cayden shook his head in amusement. Killian found beauty in every woman his gaze fell upon. There had been plenty who had caught his eye since they’d been ordered to procreate. None of them had lasted more than a day.
“Dinnae tell me she had the voice of an angel and a smile tae match,” he responded, closing the door to the sterilizer.
Pushing his hip off the counter he was leaning against, Killian moved toward him. “I’m telling ye, this one’s different.”
“Just like the last one and the one before that.”
“They were sweet to be sure, but no. This one… there’s something about her.”
Cayden sighed. “Aye, and tomorrow there’ll be something special about the next one ye see.”
He was as eager to find his mate as the rest of the cadre but Killian was driving him insane. There had been no connection, no mystical spark, no quickening between them and the females they had bedded. The only thing they had gained was sexual experience and the awkwardness of the mornings after.
Cayden had enjoyed the sex. The more he fucked, though, the more jaded it felt. Probably because the women they’d had weren’t the one destined for them. Somehow, he knew when they found their fated female, it was going to be mind-blowing.
“Killian, I really need to get these sterilized after last night’s play,” he told his partner, hoping he took the hint. Casey had wanted to try sounding. He’d spent an uncomfortable evening showing Malik and Iosefa what to do. He’d gotten them started and left the room, standing by to take out the stainless steel tube inserted in her urethra while the men played with their pregnant partner.
If he thought the former ATF agent was a handful when they first met, that was nothing to a gravid Casey with cravings, pregnancy hormones, and mood swings.
The sounds of soft voices and footsteps interrupted them. Expecting to see the already-mated females, Cayden was surprised to see a stranger with Casey. She did indeed have golden-brown eyes, their striking color as deep as precious amber. Hair as black as onyx hung past her shoulders, the long, silken curls twining nearly to her waist.
He could well imagine wrapping them around his hand, using her hair as reins as he fucked her from behind. Or having those perfect, pillow lips wrapped around his cock, her moan vibrating his length while she sucked him dry.
His body reacted fiercely to the sight of her and the images playing out so clearly inside his head. It was as if he already knew what she’d feel like.
What they’d be like together.
A nudge from an elbow to his ribs bumped him back to reality. He could practically sense Killian’s silent “I told you so” from beside him.
Cayden cleared his throat. “Casey, is there something I can be helping ye wie?”
Their visitor raised one elegant brow when she heard his Scottish brogue.
Casey glanced at the sterilizer. Remembering her sounding, she guessed what was inside and smiled before her look grew thoughtful. “This is Raven O’Malley, the midwife I told you about. She’s concerned about attempting a home birth with twins. I wanted to show her the equipment you have.”
Raven was standing still, listening, but her eyes were taking everything in.
Cayden proffered his hand in greeting. “Raven, I’m Cayden McPherson, at yer service.”
The midwife’s eyes went wide with shock when they touched. Sparks flew, electricity arcing between them, taking them both by surprise.
Raven gasped.
Casey chuckled.
Killian mouthed, See?
Cocky bastard.
Cayden growled. Raven reacted to it, her body resonating, her fingers trembling in his hand. He thought that was a good thing... until he looked at her face. Drained of color, she looked frightened, like he’d unwittingly scared her. “Settle,” he crooned. He’d seen how Morgan and Casey responded to the command, but then their partners were also their Dominants. He was a stranger. An unknown. She had no way of knowing what he was like.
He could guarantee he was nothing like whoever had hurt her enough to make her react this way.
“Ye’re safe here,” he swore, adding enough of his true voice that she started breathing again, inhaling deeply and letting it out in a rush. “Are ye alright? Do ye need tae sit? Killian, fetch a chair!”
“No!” she sputtered, shaking off whatever had held her in its grip. “No, I’m fine. Really. But what Casey said… I would like to see the medical facilities here. She says that you have what we’ll need for a home birth, even if the babies come early. I’m a nurse practitioner and a trained midwife. Not an OB/GYN but close. I can’t perform C-sections if there are complications. I’m assuming that your qualifications prevent you from doing them as well.”
Cayden knew better than to lie to her. “I’m trained as a medic, so ye’re one up on me, where ye can prescribe drugs. I lack American licensing but I hae studied obstetrics and trained with mission doctors in prenatal care and deliveries. Nae the number ye’ve done, I’m fair certain, but a good hundred, including C-sections, planned and otherwise, in primitive conditions. The Citadel’s like the Mayo compared tae where I’ve been.”
Raven’s eyes widened slightly. She looked suitably impressed. “How many sets of twins have you seen born?”
“Two,” he admitted, “plus one set of triplets. That was a fight, but we managed tae save them all.”
“You understand my concerns, then.” She motioned toward Casey. “I have to consider the health of my client and her children. If I don’t find what you have suitable, I’m going to have to advise against a home birth.”
“I ken yer concerns, and I hope tae soothe them. Let me show ye what’s here, and ye can tell me what’s lacking.”
In the end, it was nothing except blood and plasma and pharmaceuticals. The Citadel had a fully stocked surgical suite, birthing room, neonatal unit, and nursery. The only things missing were that magical piece of paper that qualified him as a doctor, prescription medications, and what they’d need for transfusions.
Casey was helpful for once instead of being obstinate, encouraging rather than demanding. He wished they’d see this side of her more often. He was used to Combat Casey, ready for a popcorn fight on movie night.
They were in the neonatal care wing, where four state-of-the-
art incubators stood ready just in case. More than two shouldn’t be needed this time. Casey and Morgan’s due dates were far enough apart, the first set of twins would be in the nursery when the second set came. Once all the cadre members found their fated mates, odds were that eventually the babies would come close together. They wanted to be prepared.
“I’ve only seen hospitals this well outfitted,” Raven told them, taking in the equipment around her. “It looks like you're prepared for almost anything.”
“I really would prefer a home birth.” Casey softened her adamant insistence with a smile. “Here, we can keep an eye on the babies without too many people wanting to examine them… and—and expose them to things,” she added quickly when Raven gave her a look.
Cayden understood what Casey meant. Her babies would be the first of their kind, born carrying the four-strand DNA of the fathers and the DNA of a genetically transformed human female. Because the fathers were shifters whose powers manifested at puberty in the bodies they’d had before taking on these enhanced robes of flesh, they assumed their children would follow suit. They couldn’t be certain, of course, but so far none of the ultrasounds had shown wings.
Raven quirked an eyebrow at her patient’s choice of words. “We can monitor you closely but we can’t predict what’s going to happen. That choice could be taken out of your hands.”
Casey’s expression let her know that wasn’t the answer she wanted to hear.
Cayden would keep a close eye on things. Assess the situation as the pregnancy progressed. He would do all that he could to ensure they were kept safe, but as a healer, he was sworn to protect life. If it came to it, he would agree with Raven’s decision for a hospital. Not that he had voiced it. Casey was volatile enough with her hormones. He would discuss it with her mates, Malik and Iosefa, though.
“While you’re here, you need to see the daycare that they’ve made. Theo is an artist, and he’s done all these incredible murals.”
Raven had admired the one in the birthing room that showed a bit of their kind’s history. The saying in Aramaic translated to And the Sons of God found the daughters of men beautiful and had children by them. Curious to see the midwife’s reaction to the daycare, he and Killian followed the women to the room where the bairns would eventually be.
“Oh, wow!” she exclaimed, delight lighting her face and those beautiful golden brown eyes. “Oh, my goodness. Willow would love this!”
The mural was like stepping into a storybook of fairy tales, filled with fantastic creatures and mythical beasts. Mermaids bathed in the pool beneath a waterfall where unicorns came to drink. Griffins made emerald nests and dragons guarded their hoards. Sprites and fairies flitted through the woods, playing hide-and-seek among the bluebells.
“My birthday party is tomorrow night,” Casey told her. “They’re stringing fairy lights in the garden for it. You’ve seen the dragon that their superior Tobias made. You should bring your daughter. You know she’d love it.”
Daughter?
Cayden’s eyes went to her left hand. She was wearing a Claddagh ring turned to say that she was taken. But how could that be when she was meant to be theirs? He was certain he’d felt the quickening. Remembering the sparks that had flown when they touched, what else could it be?
He’d been with women. This was more than sexual attraction, more than mere sexual chemistry at play. What he’d felt was… alchemy. Something inexplicable. Incomparable. Magical. To learn that she belonged to another was beyond disappointing. There was no denying that she had a daughter, though. There was another man in the picture somehow, somewhere.
The thought that they’d met her too late was a cruel blow to them both… and something he refused to accept.
Maybe Casey could find out more for them. Ask discreetly about her husband, her child. It’s possible she was separated or divorced and wore the ring as she did to put men off or warn them away.
Not him and Killian, though. Now that they’d found her, they would pursue her as single-mindedly as David had Bathsheba. Persuade her that she belonged with them and no one else. They’d have to be wise about it, though. Wise and patient. Tobias would be upset if they ruined a marriage or relationship while doing it. They were already Prodigals, forbidden from returning home until they redeemed themselves. Wrecking a home would be a black mark against them, setting them back centuries if they weren’t careful.
“She would,” Raven agreed, seeming to welcome the invitation. “If it’s not an inconvenience, though. You’ll be celebrating with family and friends.”
Casey was quick to reassure her. “Not at all. The guys are going all out. Cake, decorations, music, food galore. She’ll be five in a week. Where our birthdays are so close, she can enjoy the magic, too.”
Raven blew out softly, ultimately capitulating. “Alright. What time do we need to be here?”
“The party starts at seven-thirty, but if you want to bring her at seven, we can show her the daycare room and take a tour of the gardens. If she’s anything like me at that age, she’ll love the dragon and his crystal cave. That was a piece of work, finding a geode that size and getting it here. I was impressed as hell. Hopefully, there’ll be enough of a breeze, it will look like he’s flying. Tobias has plans for a wind garden here. He’s got all these great ideas just waiting to be given form. He kind of reminds me of Da Vinci, the way his mind works.”
Cayden stopped himself from smiling. He suspected that Tobias had actually known Leonardo, being from Rome long before he’d taken on his robe of flesh.
Killian seconded Casey’s notion. “Please come,” he begged her, adding just a hint of his true voice to his words, drawing her like a bee to a bloom. “And bring yer daughter. We’d love to meet her. She’ll give us a taste of things to come with a little one in the house, don’t ye know?”
Raven’s expression softened. “Alright, we’ll come but I’m bringing my killer chocolate chip cookies. My Nanna’s secret recipe. It’s the least I can do.”
“We’d better finish up that interview.” Casey nodded toward the door. “Thanks, Cayden, for showing us around.”
“Thank you,” Raven chimed. “It was nice to meet you both.”
“How can she be taken?” Killian muttered the second both women were gone. “Why would fate give us a woman who’s already wed? Surely God wouldn’t be so cruel.”
Cayden stared at the door where both women had disappeared. “Before ye panic, let’s get aw the facts. We dinnae ken the situation. If she’s meant tae be ours, we’ll find a way.”
“She already has a child.”
“She’s proven tae be fertile.”
Killian grinned. “It won’t take much to plant our seed and watch it grow. I told you this one was different.”
Cayden sighed. “She is. Tha’ she is. But is she free fer us tae pursue? Tha’s what we must learn before we do aught else. Feck. The autoclave. It’s past done. Shite!”
He hoped to heaven he hadn’t ruined it, distracted as he was by the Irish beauty.
The things he’d loaded were sterilized. The manual timer was perfectly silent, the arrow mark pointing to zero. Turning the unit off, he had to wait for the pressure to release before he could open the door and retrieve what was inside. Knowing they’d still be hot to the touch for quite some time, he voiced his concerns to Killian about Raven and her child.
“If we learn tha’ she’s free,” he told him, “if she’s free, we can talk tae her tomorrow night. Engage her in conversation. Use our true voices if we need tae, but convince her tha’ she should gie us a chance. Where there’s a child involved, we’ll need tae go slow. Watch them. Learn what Willow likes and take notes on how her mother interacts wie her. See how Willow takes tae being here and learn how Raven handles her.”
His partner agreed, seeing the sense of it.
“Despite what we dinnae yet ken,” Cayden continued, “one thing is fer certain. Tobias will require us tae keep our true selves a secret from them as long as we
can. There’s no way tha’ he’ll risk revealing our true natures unless he absolutely must. When the babies are born, though, we may hae no choice. She may see things tha’ will hae tae be explained. But we hae months until tha’ happens. If it even does. Hopefully, by then, she’ll be ours and already privy tae things.”
“There’s still the child,” Killian reminded him. “The mother’s one thing. She’s an adult. Given her profession, she knows how to keep a secret. But her daughter can’t see. Can’t guess. We’ll have to live every day hiding in plain sight, never revealing ourselves while she is around. Fathering a child is one thing. Raising one who belongs to another man… are ye fair certain we’re ready for this? Is the cadre? Tobias could refuse the match. Given what’s at stake, I can’t say that I would blame him.”
Cayden sighed. “What a mess,” he grumbled. “The first time we feel a quickening, and it’s tae a woman we may no’ be allowed tae wed. The irony doesnae escape me.”
Killian grasped his shoulder and squeezed it. “She’s fertile, and we’re experienced now. As soon as we learn that she’s free to pursue, we’ll do it. However long it takes. Months. Years. If she’s fated to be ours, it’s only a matter of time.”
Chapter Three
The next morning after breakfast, Killian stood beside his partner and listened to Tobias issue their daily orders.
“Today is Casey Andersson’s birthday,” their superior reminded them. “Morgan has planned her party for seven-thirty tonight. The forecast calls for partly cloudy skies. That will keep the temperature from dropping after dark. The daytime high will be sixty-five and a low of fifty. Jacket weather for the humans. Elijah will keep the new fire pit going, just in case. We’ll be having guests, Casey’s midwife Raven O’Malley and her daughter Willow. I don’t have to remind you, do nothing to reveal our true selves to outsiders, and watch the child around the fire. No one wants to see a young one hurt if we can avoid it. Gael will be making lunch, doing the cake, and preparing food for the evening buffet. Elijah is still working on the flower beds to ready them for tonight. Zac and Zana are on security detail today. Killian, how is the labyrinth coming?”