by Honor James
Shifting again, he laid her down on the grass even as he remained on his knees. Holding her bottom, he pushed his cock into her, the angle causing ripples to begin in her pussy. “I love you, Jamison,” he whispered. Driving into her harder and deeper, he let out a growl as he thrust one last time and came, his body kicking into hers hard as he spilled his seed.
Tugging his head down to hers, she kissed him even as both their bodies climaxed in complete and utter abandon and joy. Her long lean legs wrapped tightly around him and held him in place as they both climaxed as one.
Collapsing over her, Raven buried his face in the crook of her neck and shoulder. His breathing was ragged, a perfect match for her own.
Chapter 14
Watching her, Raven hid a smile behind the report he was supposedly reading through and giving his professional opinion on before the mission commenced. His poor lady wife was quite round with their child, and yet she continually sat in the one piece of furniture she couldn’t get out of. She would say each and every time, “It’s the most comfortable piece, Ra.” Only a few minutes before begging help out of it. He couldn’t argue with her. He honestly didn’t mind doing anything and everything for her he could. He was finding he quite enjoyed his new life.
He’d told the Alliance that he was never going back into the field. It kept Jamison happy and let him keep his hearing, since she tended to get very, very loud about him going back out doing what he had been doing. Now he was a consultant, his years and years of knowledge put to good use to keep those younger safe from the dangers he’d constantly faced.
Pulling his thoughts back, he knew she was close to asking him to help her up. She was doing her little wiggle in the attempt to get closer to the edge of the seat. Her theory was that if she could get close enough to the edge, she wouldn’t have to ask for help. She’d yet to actually manage it yet of course, but it was fun to watch her.
Finally she grumbled and scrunched her face up and then turned to him with a serene and sweet smile on her face. “Raven, will you help me up, please?” She loved the way he smiled so freely now. He gave them to her easily. Everyone else, not so much, but it was getting better. Everyone in the household had begun to notice it as well. “I seem to be stuck once more and unable to get up out of this chair.”
Lifting a brow at her words, he set the report down. “Oh really?” he asked as he stood and moved around to stand before her. Taking her hands, he pulled her up gently. “If you would stop sitting in that chair you wouldn’t have this problem continually, my love,” he pointed out for the hundredth time that week.
“But, Ra, it’s the most comfortable of seats. Your daughter thinks so, too, and really isn’t that all that matters? That she and I find comfort when we can now?” The last two days she hadn’t been able to eat food at all. Only Raven’s blood was able to stay down and it worried her. “She’s all right, isn’t she?” Another question asked more times than not in the past months.
“Of course she is, love, you’re just getting close to your birthing time,” he said, softly touching her cheek. “She needs more blood to prepare, as do you, little one. It’s all perfectly natural, and the more blood you take the closer you are getting to delivering.” Stepping closer, he kissed her softly. “Your body knows what it needs to prepare and is doing just that. Go with it, my love.” He hadn’t told her yet that the two midwives that would oversee her delivery were already in the house, and they had been since she’d stopped eating food, but he likely should soon.
“Then me telling you that smelling you this close to me is making me drool won’t catch you off guard?” she asked as she stepped as close as she could with their child low and heavy between them. “I love to taste you, Ra, that’s one part of this pregnancy that I really, really think I can get used to.”
Looking down at her and the fact she had to bend over to even get her nose close had him smiling. “Did you want me to sit so you aren’t biting my hip?” he asked, trying to get his face straightened out once again into a serious expression.
She laughed and then frowned suddenly. She went completely still as she grabbed her belly and bit her lip. “Ra,” she panted slowly. “Raven.” She felt her head swimming slightly and almost felt her daughter’s pain. “Emily’s hurting.” She gave the name of their child, the name that Raven knew she’d known and hadn’t told him. “Why?” She looked up and felt a burning sensation in her stomach followed by a burst of pure agony, one that caused her to cry out over.
Wrapping his arm around her, his hand cradling her belly, Raven caught her before she went to her knees. Her next scream of pain and the sound of something hitting the floor had him sighing. Scooping her up, he headed for the door. “You are in labor, my lady love,” he told her softly, his lips to her ear. Stopping before a guard, he sent him for the midwives and headed up the stairs to their bedroom. Calling out to a maid that stepped into the hall before them, he asked her to send someone to tidy up his office.
“No, no I’m not. I can’t be in labor.” But then another pain rocked through her and made her gasp. “Oh god, we aren’t ready for Emily,” she grumbled and looked down at her belly. “Emily Raina, you are not ready to be born yet young lady. I don’t care that you gave—oh, I gave your name.” She flushed and then said, “I don’t care. You’re not ready.” She argued with herself, he realized, before she bit her lip and whimpered in pain.
Shaking his head, Raven just kept on moving and soon had her on their bed. “Come on, love, let’s get you out of this dress before the midwives arrive and demand you are stripped down.” Leaning over her, he worked the ties loose and then, with an arm around her, helped her stand enough to wiggle the skirt up over her hips. Sitting her down once more, he tugged her dress off over her head and threw it to one side.
Kneeling he took off her shoes and then worked her stockings off her legs before he undid her garter. “Do you want a dressing gown or shirt to wear, love?” he asked her as he looked up into her strained face.
“Shirt, please.” She smoothed her hand over her belly and sighed. “Ra,” she said and paused before crying. “I think that I’m in labor.” As if he hadn’t already said that to her. She was only just now accepting it and wanting to be the one to tell him, and not the other way around.
“I know, love,” he said softly and quickly grabbed her one of the shirts. Coming back to the bed, he tugged it over her head and, encouraging her, he got her arms through the sleeves. Moving her farther onto the bed, he kicked off his boots and threw his jacket aside once he tugged it off. Sliding onto the bed with her, he wrapped her in his arms. “It’s all right, love,” he murmured, wiping at her cheeks to dry the tears. “Hold onto me, Jami, and just try and relax a little, love.”
“I’m trying, but she’s hurting and I don’t like it when she’s hurting.” Looking up, she asked, “If she’s hurt, can you fix her?” She was likely blowing it all out of proportion for no reason, but this was a first for Jamison. They were about to bring a whole brand-new life into the world. One that only she and Raven could protect, only one that she and Raven would love like the child truly deserved.
Gods he hoped he could, but for her he nodded. “Of course I can, love,” he murmured softly. Settling his hand over her belly, he began to slowly rub the tight flesh. “Nice slow breaths, little one,” he told her quietly. “She’s going to be fine, Jamison. You know I’m not going to let anything happen to her or to you, right?”
“Yes, Raven, I know that you won’t let anything hurt either of us.” She hissed out around another pain just as the midwives came in and ground her teeth. “They are coming faster and harder, Raven. I want to push now.”
“Not yet, love,” he told her, looking to the midwives, every instinct inside snarling at letting another near his female while she was so vulnerable. He knew it was the beast inside and the ancient ways, but these were modern times and she needed the assistance to bring their daughter into the world. Shifting so he could see the females as well a
s Jamison, Raven continued to stroke his fingers over her belly to try and give her and their daughter some comfort.
“My lord, we are ready when she and her body are ready to push your daughter out,” the lead midwife said as she perched on the edge of the bed with two more behind her. “My lady, when you feel the need to push, you can.”
Jamison nodded and felt another contraction. “They are coming so fast together.” She panted and felt the pain, but not the need to push yet. “Raven,” she whispered as she clenched her hands on his.
Moving, he wrapped his arms around her, shifting to ensure that one hand was still resting over her belly. “I know, love,” he murmured as he focused and found the problem. “As soon as you can, love, push,” he whispered in her ear. “Our daughter needs to get out now. Her shoulder is out of place and it’s causing her pain that you are feeling.” Raven knew it was from the way she was lying in the womb. Her arm had gotten twisted up behind her and the shoulder joint had given way.
Tears were falling as she nodded. “She’s hurting and it’s hurting me, too.” She bit her lip and said in warning, “Pushing now, it burns.” He felt the tearing as she leaned forward and, biting her lip, pushed hard with a muffled scream. A moment later she fell back against him, panting hard as the contraction subsided.
“I know, baby,” he whispered against her ear. “I’ll make everything right, I swear it.” Gods he hoped he could keep that promise. Rocking her back and forth, he slid his hand lower over her belly and winced at the pain he felt from their daughter.
Another contraction came, causing her to scream this time as she leaned forward to push. It was several minutes of grunting and lots of cursing before their daughter came screaming into the world. Jamison fell back against Raven and, with tears falling, looked up at him. “I’m fine, Ra, please take care of her? I can feel her pain battering at me. She shouldn’t be in such pain.”
Wincing at the volume, Raven stayed still for a time as the midwives cleaned her up. “Don’t move her too much,” he warned. The shoulder needed to be cared for quickly, but he didn’t want them causing the baby more pain by rolling her around.
The midwife quickly had their daughter cleaned and placed her on the mother’s chest. “Your daughter, my lady.” They stood and bowed to Raven. “We will clean everything up when you take lady Jamison for her shower, my lord. I thought you might like to be able to spend a moment with your daughter first.”
Nodding, he waited for the females to exit the room and then gently picked up their daughter. “I’m sorry, baby,” he whispered to the little girl who was still so upset. Resting his hand to the shoulder, Raven focused deep inside to the ability he’d used on Jamison and turned it toward their daughter. The shoulder was out of place, and the tendons that normally held it in place were badly stretched. Lifting her a little closer to him, Raven pressed his lips to her little forehead and forced the ability to its fullest, uncaring of the damage it might do to him.
The girl’s cries stilled and then the hiccupping began as she watched him now with clear, wide green eyes. Jamison smiled and touched Raven. “Thank you, Ra, thank you so much.” Her fingers stroked up and down his back as he sat there holding their daughter. “That is the best image I think I ever could have dreamed for, Ra, to see you holding your baby girl and giving her love, sharing your heart with her like you do with me.”
Pulling back, he wavered as he blinked slowly. “You need to take her, Jamison,” he whispered in a tight voice. He was barely conscious as it was and he’d only be able to hold on a few more moments. Passing her their daughter, Raven fell over once he knew the baby was safely held.
* * * *
She grinned as he began to stir and moved closer, her leg over his and a hand on his chest. “Are you finally beginning to wake, husband?” she whispered with a smile on her face and love in her voice. “You need to feed, sweetheart, and I fed heavily so that you can feed from me so you won’t have to get up, but you need to open your eyes and look at me, darling.”
Wincing he scrunched his eyes tighter. “Shh,” he whispered, making a face. “My head is killing me.” Rolling toward her very slowly, he opened an eye partially. “Is she all right?” he asked softly, pulling her closer to him.
“She is perfect, Raven,” she whispered and stroked her fingers over his cheek. “You have been asleep for nearly a full day. She’s right now in the basket beside us all nice and clean, fed and worn out.” She smiled softly. “Seems our little Emily is a hit with the staff. They’ve all come to coo and sigh over her all day long while you rested.”
“Good,” he whispered softly, hugging her closer to him. “I’m sorry I had to leave you alone with her, that took more than I realized,” he explained, pulling back just enough to see her face. “How are you doing, Jamison?” He lifted a hand to stroke her cheek with a light touch.
“I’m wonderful, Raven. Don’t be sorry, Ra, you healed our little girl. It was more than her shoulder. You took care of all of the muscles and ligaments in her shoulder and back, too. Of course you dropped off, darling.” Her hand stroked his cheek in turn as she added, “I told the staff you dropped because of all the blood you saw on me. Not very much like you, I know, but I figured you would rather them think that than know your secret.”
He made a face at her explanation. “So I pass out when my wife gives birth,” he muttered darkly and eyed her with an evil glint. “You will make that up to me later,” he said, pulling her a little closer and kissing her. “Are you sure she’s really okay?”
“Very. She hasn’t stopped chattering since you healed her.” And the little girl was talking to Raven, but to the world she was chattering. Her lips moved, and sounds came out as if she were creating them on purpose and with knowledge. “And I will gladly make that up to you as often as you would like, Raven.” Her eyes danced in joy and in need.
“What’s she saying?” he asked, closing his eyes as he breathed out a soft thanks to the universe for looking after his baby girl. “Is she talking to you or just talking?” he murmured against her cheek.
“Just talking.” She chuckled. “She’s—” There was a hefty pause before Jamison continued. “If I didn’t know better, Ra, I would swear she was born with an ability already. Silly sounding, I know, but it’s so odd. You know Merta in the kitchens, right? How upset she was because of losing a bet to her sister? Silly I know, but it was really making Merta emotional and unhappy. It was so odd because Merta held Emily for a little while, and when she gave her back, it was as if the cloud over Merta was gone. It was the strangest thing.” She shrugged. “And Emily just babbled and spit up on the woman, blew spit bubbles, and was just as she is now.”
“Odd, but I’ve heard babies can pick up on others emotions, that they are extremely sensitive to them,” he said softly even as he looked past her to the crib.
Jamison paused and then said quietly, “But Emily had felt the woman’s turmoil, because she asked me about it, Ra. She’s not supposed to do things like that, is she?”
“I don’t know, Jami,” he said with a slight frown and pushed up onto his elbow. Moving slowly, still feeling a little wobbly, he slid off the bed and moved to the side of the crib. Staring down at her, he lightly touched her cheek. “Hello, baby,” he whispered softly, afraid of scaring her with his voice, knowing it wasn’t as gentle as it should be.
Emily turned toward his voice and smiled even as she kicked her legs. Little hands reached up for her father and clasped onto his finger. The small warm rush he felt was from her and it was unmistakable.
Staring down at her, he was stunned. There was no other word for it. “Oh gods,” he whispered softly. Shifting, he picked her up carefully, not wanting to aggravate her shoulder more than he had to. Cradling her to him, her head on his shoulder, he pressed a hand to her back as he turned to face Jamison. “She does have an ability, love,” he said as he moved back and sat on the bed shifting to get closer to her.
Jamison went perfectly still befor
e looking at him, terror written on her face. “That’s not possible, Raven. I was an oddity because I went through puberty and came out with an ability so young, but to be born with one. If the Council finds out, Ra, they will—” She shook her head, pain in her eyes.
“Hey,” he whispered. Turning toward her, he carefully shifted Emily to his other shoulder and pulled Jamison close with his free arm. “I protect my own, love, you know that,” he said as he kissed her cheek. “Unless she decides to tell someone, no one will ever know of her gift,” he told her quietly, dropping another kiss this time to her lips.
Jamison nodded. “I believe you, and I trust you. I know that you more than anyone could keep her safe, Ra.” They both looked down to where Emily was carefully watching her mother. Raven could almost swear the little green-eyed, red-haired darling was sizing up her mother.
“I’m going to keep you both safe, Jamison, not just our little girl, but you as well, my love,” he said, kissing her again. “I love you, Jamison. She’s beautiful, my lady, you did so amazingly well.” He smiled for her, slowly rubbing his nose to hers gently.
Jami took the comfort that he offered and found herself sighing happily. “I love you so much, Raven, but I didn’t do this alone. You helped, if I remember correctly.” Her fingers stroked over his cheek. “So what do you think of your little Emily Raina, my lord?” She wanted to ask what kind of ability their daughter had but was honestly a little afraid of asking.
Looking to his daughter, Raven shifted her so he was holding her before him. “She is beautiful, Jamison,” he whispered softly. “She is perfect,” he added with a smile. “She is going to give me so much trouble when she gets older.”
Emily just smiled at her father, a wide toothless smile that had her head bobbing. Jamison grinned. “I’m sure, sweetheart. However, you need to know that she might give you trouble, but it will be nothing less than what you can handle.”