by Lora Edwards
Delphine squeezed her hand one more time and followed Flynn out of the room then asked, “Did they find the countess?”
“No, but they found the mole and interrogated him. He finally gave up the name she was using and the manor house where she was staying. When they arrived, it was empty—she had fled. They found Victoria on the way back to town, lying on the side of the road.”
“Thank goddess she is okay.” Delphine sighed as Flynn wrapped his arms around her and just held her.
Chapter 39
Delphine squinted as the sunlight from the window slashed across her eyes. It was their last day in Bath, having stayed a few extra days to ensure that Victoria was on the mend. She assured them she was fine, and after a few more days of rest, she would follow them to the future. She needed to talk with Armand and his sire about the countess.
Delphine rolled over and frowned at the empty side of the bed. Flynn must have already been up and about. She pulled the cord to ring the bell and the woman from the institute came to help her dress. They would ride the train back to London and jump back to the present from there.
Dressed, she walked downstairs and stopped at the end of the stairs. She heard familiar voices and quickly walked the rest of the way into the dining room. Sitting across from Flynn were Ovidia and Erik.
At the sound of her footsteps, the trio turned. She asked, “What are you doing here?”
“In all the commotion, I didn’t have a chance to rescind the request for their help,” Flynn said, smiling sheepishly.
“Well this might be selfish, but I am glad you didn’t.” Delphine walked over and wrapped Ovidia in a hug. “I am so glad to see you,” she murmured to her friend.
“All right, enough of that,” Ovidia said, but she gave Delphine a squeeze before letting her go.
Delphine sat down across from them and grabbed a scone from Flynn’s plate, grinning when he scowled at her.
“Did you guys complete your mission for Armand,” Delphine asked as she munched on her stolen scone.
“Yes, we did,” Erik replied.
“We kicked its ass.” Ovidia grinned fiercely.
Delphine looked closer at her friend. “Vid, what’s wrong with your eye?”
Under the artfully applied makeup, Ovidia’s eye was the sickly color of a healing bruise.
Erik unsuccessfully tried to turn his laugh into a cough, earning him a withering glare from his wife.
“During a tense moment of the mission, one of the bad guys got underneath my guard,” she stated simply.
Judging from the grin on Erik’s face, there was more to the story, but Delphine let it go for the moment, making a mental note to pry it out of Ovidia later.
“Are you going to join us on the ride back to London?”
“Delphine, we don’t need to go back to London—Erik can just whisk us back to the institute,” Ovidia reminded her.
Delphine smiled. “That’s right. I forgot one of your gifts from Odin is time travel. Isn’t that convenient.”
“Yep, so eat up, girlfriend—it’s time to blow this popsicle stand,” Ovidia said, standing up from the table.
At Delphine’s quizzical expression, Ovidia cocked her hip, putting her hand on it. “Human expression, fish girl. It means let’s get out of here.”
“Oh, okay.” Delphine smiled, still confused and wondering what blowing up a popsicle stand had to do with leaving a place. Also, what’s a popsicle?
“Let me just go get my things and say goodbye to Victoria.”
“No need, your stuff will be taken back. Just go check on Victoria one last time and we will be on our way.”
Delphine nodded then climbed the stairs. She entered the room quietly and found Victoria sitting in a chair by the window. Some of the color had come back to her skin—not that she’d had a lot to begin with—and the bruises that had covered her face had completely healed. She still bore a slight scar of the word that had been carved into her chest, but she had assured Delphine that in a few more days it too would fade.
“Victoria, we are leaving. Is there anything you need before we go?” Delphine asked, approaching her friend.
Victoria smiled. “No, thank you. I will see you soon. I am almost well enough to travel and then I will come forward and talk to Armand and Victor about revenge.” The cold hard edge in her voice surprised Delphine; Victoria had always been so sweet and soft-spoken. Delphine didn’t know who Victor was, but she hoped he would help Victoria.
“All right, I will see you soon.” Delphine hugged her friend lightly and walked to the door, frowning when Victoria resumed her position of staring blankly out the window. The ordeal seemed to have changed her, and Delphine hoped when they caught the countess, the old Victoria would come back.
Chapter 40
Delphine joined the others in the dining room once more. Clasping hands with Ovidia and Flynn, she closed her eyes. She felt her stomach drop and then the sounds of rustling paper prompted her to open her eyes. They were back in the library of the institute.
A very pregnant Teagan stood shuffling some papers on the table and looked up when they appeared. She walked over, hugging each of them in turn.
“Teag, you looked like you swallowed a couple of watermelons!” Ovidia exclaimed, looking at her friend.
“Yes, these babies are growing at a much faster rate than normal human children, though Bran keeps telling me the regular nine months are still required.” Teagan let out a sigh and rubbed her large belly. “I hope they don’t get too much bigger—I’m not sure how much more I can stretch.”
Ovidia eyed her friend’s belly warily as if she was wondering the same thing.
Delphine walked over and hugged Teagan, linking with her and drawing some of the discomfort and fatigue out of her. Teagan gave a little sigh.
“Delphine, you don’t have to do that…but thank you,” she said, hugging her once again.
“You deserve it. Carrying dragon twins is hard work.” She winked at Teagan.
“Tell me about it.”
“Is everything going okay?”
“The healer says we are all healthy.”
“How is Bran holding up?”
Teagan rolled her eyes. “He is more overprotective than ever. I swear every time I turn around, there he is. The only time he allows me to be alone is here, and that is only because there is Grandfather and Llewellyn to fuss over me.”
“Only a few more months and you will be able to hold those precious babies in your arms, and then he will be too busy taking care of them and dealing with their antics to be overprotective,” Delphine assured her.
“Let’s hope so.” Teagan smiled and turned to talk to Ovidia and Erik. Ever since the babies had talked to Ovidia, she had been wary of them, and of touching Teagan in any way. Teagan found it hilarious and found reasons to touch Ovidia just to watch her shudder at being in close contact with the children.
Teagan’s laughter rang out across the library, making Delphine smile. “It’s okay, Vid—pregnancy is not contagious.”
“Thank Odin for that. I don’t think we are quite ready for that experience.” Ovidia looked over at Erik, who gave his nod of assent.
He moved closer to Teagan and wrapped her in a hug, not at all daunted by her pregnancy like his wife was.
“You are only hugging her because those weird babies didn’t try to talk to you,” Ovidia said, crossing her arms and glaring at Erik.
He kept his attention focused on Teagan. “Ignore her, darling—you know how she is. How are you feeling?”
Teagan laid her head on his shoulder. “Tired, and fat,” she said as he rubbed her back and made sympathetic noises.
“Hey, get your hands off my woman—you have your own,” came a crisp British accent from the doorway.
“Why? She appears to be enjoying it,” Erik said over the top of Teagan’s head, smiling at his friend.
Bran approached and wrapped an arm around Teagan, pulling her into his side and out of Erik’s
arms.
Teagan rolled her eyes but laid her head on her husband’s shoulder.
Erik in turn wrapped an arm around Ovidia, who grinned at Bran.
“Feeling a little protective are we boyo?”
“You have no idea,” Teagan grumbled under her breath, causing everyone to laugh.
“I am a dragon, and it’s what dragons do,” Bran said simply, reaching out to shake hands with Erik. “Mission go well,” he asked.
“Yes. We had a few interesting moments”—he turned and grinned at Ovidia, who glared back—“but we got the job done.”
Bran lifted his eyebrows. “There’s a story there.”
“One we won’t be telling,” Ovidia said firmly.
Bran looked closer at his former partner. “Vid, what happened to your eye?”
Erik laughed, his blue eyes twinkling.
“That is part of what we are not going to be talking about,” she said through gritted teeth as she continued to glare at her husband.
Bran let it go. “I am glad to have you all back with us again.”
“We are glad to be back.”
“Excuse us, we are going to go check in with Esme,” Delphine said. She couldn’t wait to snuggle their little girl.
Teagan’s eyes lit up at the mention of the baby. “She was just an angel while you were gone. She is with the nanny getting her daily dip in the sea.”
Delphine nodded and tugged Flynn along behind her to the chuckles of their friends. It was good to be home.
Chapter 41
5 months later
“Mama, Dada.” Delphine opened one eye and looked at the bouncing giggling girl next to her.
“Esme, how on earth do you keep getting out of the crib?” The baby giggled as Delphine reached over the side of the bed and plopped the little one in between her and Flynn.
Esme immediately reached over and grabbed a fistful of dark hair. Pressing her face into Flynn’s, she yelled, “Dada!”
“Good morning Esme,” said his sleep-roughened voice.
Esme giggled again and patted his face. “Dada.”
“I see our little princess has found her way out of the crib and into our room again.” He opened his eyes and smiled at Delphine.
“She has a knack for it, that’s for sure.”
Esme smiled at them and a picture of the ocean formed first in Delphine’s mind and then in Flynn’s. The baby looked at them expectantly. Just shy of her third birthday, she was willful and the joy of their lives.
Esme reached over and grabbed Delphine’s hand, causing the gem on the third finger of her left hand to wink and sparkle in a morning ray of sunlight. The three carat oval-cut aquamarine was surrounded by sparkling round-cut diamonds and accented by French-cut sapphires halfway down both sides of the white gold band.
“Oooohh.” Esme cooed as she did every time she caught sight of Delphine’s engagement ring.
Delphine smiled down at it.
A month after they had come home from the society mission, Flynn had asked Teagan and Bran to watch Esme and took Delphine out to a delicious upscale restaurant. He had taken her out in one of his many classic cars. When the delectable chocolate cake came for dessert, the ring was on top. Flynn had gotten down on one knee and proposed. Now, in less than a week, they would be married on the Siren isle and the adoption of Esme would go through. They would officially become a family.
Flynn had moved into her apartment shortly after the engagement, and the mages had magically expanded the living space to include a man cave and a few bedrooms for the family they wished to have some day. Esme dictated via pictures what she wanted her room to look like. It was done in the colors of the sea with the mages adding a moving mural that looked like a coral reef, complete with the soothing sounds of the ocean.
Now if they could just get the baby to stay in her bed.
The picture of the ocean again popped into Delphine’s head, along with a frown from Esme.
“All right, little girl, we can go,” Delphine said with a wry grin.
A smile broke out on the baby’s face as she reached over and grabbed Flynn’s hair. “Da,” she said forcefully, causing his eyes to open sleepily once more.
“All right, I’ll come too.” He pulled back the covers and got out of the bed as Esme continued to bounce and giggle, proud of being able to convince her parents to do what she wanted.
Delphine picked up the small child and walked across the apartment to the door that led to the sea. The sound of waves could be heard through it, and Esme began to bounce more forcefully.
“We’re going.” Delphine laughed as she opened the door and set Esme down on the pristine white sand. She toddled off, stripping out of her diaper as she went straight into the water.
Moments later, she popped up sporting a sparkling mermaid tail. Delphine moved more slowly, walking into the water and willing herself to change. She dived under the surface and shot back up, now sporting her own tail.
Esme floated on the water for a minute, chasing some fish before looking around with a frown on her face.
“Da!” She called out just as Flynn appeared in the doorway, a coffee cup in his hand.
“Da is coming, sweet girl. Just needed to fuel up first.”
Delphine frowned at him. “Seriously Flynn? Where is mine?”
He grinned and pulled his other hand from behind his back; it held a to-go cup, and the rich scent of freshly brewed coffee wafted from it.
Delphine giggled and floated closer to shore as Flynn waded out and handed her the cup. He stood in the water, drinking his from a mug as Esme swam around his legs.
The baby played in the water for a while before informing them that it was time for food.
“Demanding, isn’t she?” Flynn chuckled as Delphine changed from Siren tail back to human legs, holding the baby as she did the same.
“The girl knows what she wants, that is for certain.”
The child again showed them a picture of two babies then two small dragons, a frown again crossing her face.
“The babies will come soon, Esme, they just need to stay in Teagan’s tummy a bit longer. You will be able to play with them soon.
Esme continued to frown and flash pictures of the babies to her parents, who just scooped her up and giggled.
As they stepped back into the apartment, the enchanted water and sand faded away.
“I will go put some clothes on this one and get dressed. Judging from the amazing smells coming from the kitchen, Mrs. Sanderson has already started breakfast.”
“I think Teagan, Bran, Ovidia, and Erik are joining us to get the last-minute details on the wedding,” Flynn informed her.
Delphine nodded and Esme began to jump up and down in her arms at the mention of their friends.
“Come on baby girl, we don’t want you to greet our guests naked.” Delphine walked away with the baby in hand, and Flynn watched them, his heart warm. His whole life was there and he wasn’t sure how he had gotten so lucky as to have these beautiful girls in his life.
He strode into the bedroom, dressing quickly, and then went to take Esme so Delphine could dress for the day. Their routine was smooth after months of practice.
Delphine came out of the bedroom in time to hear Teagan groan. “Seriously, I don’t think I could possibly get any bigger. I can’t hardly hold Esme on my lap anymore because it has disappeared!”
Delphine hurried forward as she heard the sob in Teagan’s voice. The pregnancy had been hard on her. She was a petite woman, and carrying two robust dragon twins was not for the faint of heart. Teagan was strong and she would make it, but there had been a lot of hard days.
“Teag, only a few more weeks and then it will all be over and you will be holding your babies in your arms.” Delphine wrapped her arms around her friend and sent energy and love to her.
Teagan sighed. “Don’t take this the wrong way, Delphine, but I am always extra glad to see you.”
Delphine laughed. One of her abili
ties was taking some of the physical discomfort away from Teagan to give her some energy and take some of that dragging tiredness on herself. She never told Teagan that part, just letting her friend assume it came at no cost to her. In reality, magic always exacted a price.
Delphine smiled down at her daughter, who had her small arms wrapped as far around Teagan’s large waist as they could go. She laid her head down on Teagan’s belly and babbled to the babies inside.
“Do you think they understand each other,” Teagan asked, smiling down at Esme.
Esme suddenly reared her head back and giggled then laid her head on Teagan’s belly again, babbling even faster.
“I think that was your answer.”
“Do you think she will still like me this much when these babies are born?” Teagan looked at Esme, who frowned at her. Teagan chuckled, cuddling the little girl closer. “All right, you will.” The rest of the assembled people looked at her quizzically. “I received a picture of a much slimmer me cuddling Esme.” Teagan rolled her eyes; the little girl really was sassy.
The front door opened, and everyone looked over as Erik and Ovidia strode in. Erik came to give Teagan a hug, and Ovidia eyed her warily, gaze on her large stomach.
“If I hug you, are they going to pull that talking trick with me again?”
“Most likely, Vid. They like you—might as well get used to it.”
Ovidia hugged Teagan gingerly while grimacing. “It’s like a bouncing ball of sound inside my head,” she grumbled.
Not one to be outdone, Esme held her arms out to Ovidia as she passed.
“Really kid? You too?” Ovidia looked down at Esme sitting in Teagan’s lap.
The little girl poked her lip out as her eyes began to fill with tears.
“Okay, okay, come here. Don’t be doing any of that.” Ovidia gingerly picked the baby up off of Teagan’s lap and missed the smile of triumph she flashed Erik over the woman’s shoulder.
Erik leaned over and put his arm around Delphine. “I think they have a game going on which of them can freak her out more.” He chuckled as they watched Ovidia with Esme.