Flame and Ink: An Anthology

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  She shook her head. “We took one last night.” She smiled up at him. “I can’t wait until a shower with the two of us is an actual shower with the two of us.”

  He smiled and leaned forward to brush his lips over hers. He rubbed her belly, happily surprised when their little kicker nudged a foot at him. They didn’t know the sex of the baby yet, but he had a feeling it would be a girl. He didn’t know why, but maybe it was just that he wanted to see a little Sierra walking around his home.

  Sierra grinned up at him and raised her face. “Kiss me again.”

  He let out a groan and kissed her again, this time a little bit harder. Their baby kicked at him again, and he smiled. He could hear Leif moving around the kitchen and had his wife and baby in his arms.

  Things were good.

  He didn’t need to think of nightmares and scenarios that would only lead to stress and lack of sleep. He’d spent far too long alone and without the people in his life that brought him true happiness. As long as he had his family, he didn’t need much else.

  Sierra gripped his arms. Hard. “Austin.” There was something in her voice that sent a shock of alarm through his system. Her eyes had gone wide and her skin pale.

  He froze for only a moment then had her lifted in his arms, afraid her knees would go out. “What? Have you been standing too long? What’s wrong?”

  She shook her head, leaning hard into his shoulder. “I think I’m having a contraction. Damn it. We’re still a couple weeks early.”

  “We’ll get through this.”

  With a quickness he didn’t know he possessed, he set her down on the bed, dressed her, and wrapped her in a blanket. He threw on clothes and tried not to shake.

  “We’re too early,” she whispered.

  He let out a shaky breath and started to walk toward the front door, even as she spoke. “We’ll handle this, Sierra. You’re not too early. We’re going to have a baby.”

  He stopped where he was as Leif came up to them, eyes wide.

  “We’re going to have a baby,” Austin repeated.

  He kissed Sierra’s forehead then started moving again, giving out orders to Leif. The two of them had planned for this and knew what to do. Leif would grab the bag and start calling family from the back seat of the car as Austin made their way to the hospital. In reality, Leif would call his Aunt Maya and everything else would roll from there.

  They were Montgomerys. They could handle anything.

  Even gaining one more Montgomery a little early.

  TWO

  In and out. Just in and out.

  Breathe in and out. In and out.

  Sierra kept chanting that to herself even as Austin said it with her. Freaking contractions hurt like hell. With the way her blood pressure and other things had gone during the pregnancy, she could have all the pain meds she wanted. Instead, she got to go through this with all the senses she could handle—and some she wasn’t sure she could handle at all.

  Austin’s large hand covering her own, though, that gave her the strength she needed. And when she told him that, he narrowed his eyes at her.

  “You’re plenty strong on your own, Sierra. You don’t need my strength because you have the strength of thousands. Fuck, Legs, you can do this. I know you can.”

  Sierra warmed at the nickname, remembering the first time he’d called her that. He might have been an ass about it, but it had grown on her. Come to think of it, so had he.

  She loved her broody, bearded, tattooed man. Of course, at the moment, all she wanted to do was yell at him for putting her in this situation. After all, it was his fault that she was in pain and trying to give birth. She wasn’t going to think of biology and how it takes two…or the fact that she was pretty sure she had been the one to jump him the day they’d decided to not use birth control.

  Details, people. Details.

  Austin kissed her forehead, his beard tickling. Damn she loved that beard of his. He’d mentioned possibly shaving it before the baby came, but she was so happy they hadn’t had time for that. Their child should see Austin in his element the first time. Beard, ink, and all.

  Another contraction hit and she gripped Austin’s hand again, trying to remember her breathing exercises. I can do this, she chanted to herself. If she just kept breathing, she could do this.

  Once the contraction passed, she leaned against her husband, her body already exhausted. It had only been a few hours, and she wasn’t even fully dilated. She had a lot of time to go, but the end result would be worth it. Leif would have a little brother or sister, and she’d have a new life to hold and care for.

  Scary, yet so freaking amazing.

  “Knock knock.” Meghan, Austin’s sister smiled as she walked into Sierra’s room. “I thought I’d come in and see how you’re feeling. The rest of the family is in the waiting room, placing bets and doing their normal Montgomery Baby Day thing.”

  Austin snorted and squeezed Sierra’s hand. “We did that for your two, Meghan. I guess we’re continuing the tradition.”

  Meghan nodded and came to Sierra’s side. “Placing bets on times, gender, and weight is a time-honored Montgomery tradition. All of the Montgomery cousins were born under bets like that. And believe me, Sierra, we have a lot of them.”

  “I know. I’ve met most of them.”

  “Mom and Dad would be in here, but we’re giving you guys space. Maya and Jake have Leif, and Luc is watching my kids with the rest of the siblings. We’re all just hunkered down, waiting. We’re here for you if you need us.”

  Sierra winced as another contraction hit. “Darn it. These are coming closer and closer together.”

  “That’s good, right? It means the baby is coming.” Austin looked like he was ready to start pacing, but refused to leave her side or let go of her hand. Thank God, because it was getting a little hard to hold her hand up at the moment.

  Giving birth was taking all her energy. She blinked a couple of times, her vision graying.

  “Austin? I don’t feel so good.” Her words slurred and she tried to swallow. Only she couldn’t remember how to do that.

  “Sierra? Sierra! Get a nurse! Oh, God. Is that blood?”

  Footsteps sounded, but Sierra couldn’t focus. She tried to squeeze Austin’s hand to let him know that everything would be okay because there was no other option, but she couldn’t.

  Other noises sounded, but she couldn’t tell what they were. People spoke around her, their voices urgent, but all she could do was close her eyes. It hurt so much, but at the same time, she started to go numb. She wasn’t giving up. There was no way she would ever do that, not with her baby relying on her. But if she closed her eyes, then she could try to keep holding on.

  Because there was no other way she would have this work.

  She wasn’t scared. She couldn’t be. Not now.

  They would save her.

  They would save her baby.

  There wasn’t another option.

  THREE

  As soon as he saw the blood, Austin knew this was one of those moments where he would remember each second, each fragment until the day he died.

  They wheeled Sierra out of the room and away from him faster than he could blink. He barely had time to squeeze her hand and kiss her knuckles before she was gone, and the nurses were trying to explain to him what was going on.

  Thank God Meghan was there. She wrapped her arm around his waist and asked the right questions while he tried to soak it all in. Yes, Sierra was going to get an emergency C-section. No, he couldn’t be with her, not at this time. Things were moving too fast, and they needed to get in there without having to worry about having a visitor in the room. Yes, he could see her as soon as possible. No, he didn’t have to go back to the waiting room. Yes, he could stay in the other waiting room, and Meghan or one of his other family members could be with him if needed.

  No, Leif could not come and see him.

  No, they couldn’t say Sierra would be okay.

  Then they gave
him forms that asked him if something were to happen to Sierra, if they were to save the baby or his wife.

  His hands shook as he signed where Sierra had told him to sign when they’d had that horrible conversation of what-ifs. He didn’t know if he would have made another decision if he’d been able to think. But with all the complications they’d had so far during the pregnancy, they had sat down and had the tough talk about whom they would choose.

  Bile rose in his throat and he had to pull away from Meghan and run to the nearest bathroom. He threw up everything left in his stomach and sat on the cold tile, knowing he needed to get up before he missed something important. He hadn’t thrown up in years. Not since he’d been on a bender with his cousin Shep down in New Orleans.

  “Here, take this.” His younger brother Griffin held out a stack of wet paper towels, and Austin took it gladly.

  “Thanks,” he said gruffly, then wiped his face. Griffin helped him up and Austin washed his hands and splashed water on his face. “Meghan call you?”

  Griffin nodded. “I was closest to the door so I ran back here. She didn’t know if you wanted her in the bathroom with you. You want me to sit with you in the other waiting room? Or get someone else.”

  Austin closed his eyes and took a deep breath before squeezing Griffin’s shoulder. “Thanks for being here. And yeah, I want you in with me.”

  “Okay then. Let’s go see what the doctors say.”

  Austin swallowed hard then made his way to the waiting room. They didn’t have to wait long until a man in scrubs Austin hadn’t met before came out, his face not showing any emotion. Austin wanted to throw up again but held himself back.

  “Mr. Montgomery?” the doctor asked.

  “Yes. How is Sierra? The baby?”

  “Both are fine and came through the surgery well. The baby’s healthy and a ten on the Apgar scale. We’re doing more tests to make sure he’s ready for you. Sierra is getting ready for her room now. There were some complications that we will talk with the both of you about, but you can expect a full recovery.”

  Austin blinked. “He?”

  The doctor smiled then, making him look ten years younger. “Yes, Mr. Montgomery. You have a healthy baby boy. Want to go back and see him? Sierra is going to be a bit longer until you can go in and see her.”

  Austin looked at his brother who nodded. “Will you?”

  Griffin smiled and hugged him hard. “You got it, Dad. I’ll tell the family the good news. Go see your son and wife. We’ll be here when you’re ready to show them off.”

  Austin let out a shaky breath and followed a nurse to the nursery where his son lay in a bassinet, his little legs kicking up a storm.

  Damn.

  His son.

  Leif was going to freak out about being a big brother.

  Austin was already doing a little bit of a freak out himself.

  “Mr. Montgomery? You want to hold him?”

  He looked down at a tiny nurse and nodded. “I’ll wash up, right?”

  The nurse smiled. “Yes. I’ll help you.”

  He washed up and put on the gown they gave him. Soon, he found himself standing, his knees weak, holding his seemingly too small son in his arms.

  It felt as if the breath had been knocked out of him.

  He had a son.

  Another son.

  Another Montgomery.

  He couldn’t wait for Sierra to wake up.

  FOUR

  Sierra looked down at her tiny son in her arms and couldn’t help smiling. Her body ached and her soul did a little, as well; but the new life in her arms made those bad things go away—if only for a little while.

  “Colin Montgomery,” Austin said from her side. He ran his large finger along their small son’s cheek. “I like it.”

  Sierra rolled her eyes. “You’re the one who came up with it. Of course you like it.”

  Leif stood on the other side of her bed and bounced on his feet. “He’s small.”

  Sierra grinned at her other son. “Yes, yes he is. But they grow up fast.” She winked at him, and he blushed. The two of them were still learning how to be a family with one another, but she loved him as if she’d been the one to give birth to him.

  “Not too fast, buddy,” Austin mumbled, his gaze on their sons.

  She looked down at her sons and then up at her husband. The birth hadn’t been the easiest, and she’d be sore for a long while, but in the end, she had her family.

  The door opened and the rest of the Montgomerys scattered it, the entire mass of them it seemed.

  Yes. All her family.

  It may have been a delicate arrival, but in the end, they’d added another to the Montgomery lineup.

  Not a bad day at all.

  Edward and Pat’s Day Off

  A Redwood Pack Short Story

  Author’s Note: This is a special story about Edward and Pat from The Redwood Pack series. It’s set after Trinity Bound (Redwood Pack Book 3) and might have spoilers but not many for you!

  Edward Jamenson sank into the rocking chair on his porch and sighed. Damn, he was getting old. He’d raised seven children, led a Pack of the most fierce and loyal werewolves in the world…and was getting tired.

  He knew his sons were doing much of the work for the Pack. After all, they were the Pack’s future, rightly so. They needed the responsibility, the experience.

  And it was a testament to their characters that he trusted them to do so. Because even though he loved his pups more than he could breathe, he needed to believe that they could live without him.

  He let out a laugh. God, he sounded like one of those emo boys that didn’t hold their pants above their asses—or, maybe, just like an old man.

  Well … he was. At least the old man part. He wouldn’t be caught dead in that eyeliner crap.

  He closed his eyes and tried to make his headache go away. Werewolves really didn’t get sick, their bodies too strong for that, but he’d been the backbone for his Pack for so long … sometimes, he just needed a breather. Not that he’d let anyone but his mate know that. He couldn’t afford to.

  “Edward, hon, what are you doing out here?”

  Speak of the devil, or in this case, Momma Wolf. “Just thinking, baby.”

  Patricia, the love of his life and the second half of the Alpha pair, sat down on his lap and cuddled close. Even after over almost two centuries together, he loved to nip and nibble his tasty morsel of a wife. She didn’t look a day over twenty-five … but neither did he. Werewolf genetics had their upsides.

  Pat kissed him softly and sighed, the weight of the Pack heavy on her shoulders, just like his.

  “What are you thinking about, my Alpha?”

  Edward chuckled. She knew just as well as he did that she ran this Pack side-by-side with him. Just because the moon goddess had decided to give the males of their species the leadership abilities, didn’t mean that the women weren’t just as special. Oh, he knew they were strong and in charge. It didn’t take almost two centuries of being Alpha to learn that.

  “I’m thinking that I’m tired.” He traced her jaw, and she smiled.

  “I know, baby. Me, too.”

  He kissed her softly. “I’m also worried.”

  Pat rested her head on his forehead, a frown on her face. “Me, too,” she whispered.

  They were the Alpha pair. They weren’t allowed to be worried. They had to be strong. But they were on the brink of an all-out war. Only half of their children were mated. The ones that weren’t, seemed to be falling faster than he could reach them.

  Kade was stepping up. His eldest and Heir was mated to Melanie, and Edward and Pat had their first grandson, Finn. Kade would be okay. Jasper would as well, with his mate, Willow, and their baby, Brie. Edward didn’t worry about Reed and his two mates, Josh and Hannah. Though there was something going on between the three of them that made his Alpha bond want to go over and soothe. But the human part of him knew his wolf needed to step away and let them grow together. W
hatever it was … they’d be okay.

  Maddox and North. His twins. Edward sighed. Again, there was something going on there but he couldn’t think of how to help them. At some point, the father and Alpha needed to step away and let his children make their own mistakes. Edward just didn’t know if they could survive the outcome.

  Adam was the one who’d destroyed him. He felt like a failure as an Alpha and a father.

  “Edward, stop thinking that.”

  He smiled and brushed a lock of hair behind his mate’s ear. He didn’t bother to ask her how she knew. His mate always seemed to know. “I can’t help it.”

  Pat’s smile wobbled and she let a single tear fall. Strong was his mate. “He’s so lost.”

  Edward squeezed her tightly, her soft body molding to his. “I know.”

  “We can’t do anything for him but be by him if he needs us.”

  “I know.”

  Edward rocked his mate and looked out across his land, trying to heal wounds that weren’t his but could still burn.

  He had seven children, and yet the baby of the family was always closest to his heart. His baby girl, Cailin. So fierce, temperamental, and Alpha in her own way. Yet as she got older, he had no idea how the hell to read her. She was an enigma. Independent, yet ingrained in the Pack. His only daughter would always be his baby. He didn’t envy her future mate.

  Especially considering the fact that he planned to interrogate the man until he was found perfect. Which would never happen. But it was okay; he’d protect his little girl from anything.

  “I don’t like that look on your face, Edward.”

  He smiled, aware of the gleam in his eyes. “Just thinking of my baby girl.”

  Pat threw back her head and laughed. “That girl has you wrapped around her finger.”

  He shrugged. “So? It’s a daughter prerogative.”

  “You are such a dad.”

  “You know it.” He shifted and settled his mate more securely on his lap. “Speaking of, I know Father’s Day is tomorrow, but I don’t want to do anything for it.”