by T. S. Ryder
"Good morning." Braden kissed the top of her head. "How are you feeling?"
Her stomach clenched, making her feel dizzy. "A little sick. Do you have any crackers?"
"Uh… I've been living off Chinese takeout. I think I have some rice that’s not too old."
It was better than nothing, so Jessica nodded. Braden brought her the rice, sitting beside her while she ate. It was a little old but still tasted good, and Jessica's lightheadedness slowly went away. She sighed after she was done, wrapping her arms around Braden's chest. Bruises still distorted his tattoos, but they were fading, and the cuts he'd suffered already looked a day or two old. She touched a split in his lip, shaking her head.
"You didn't have to get yourself beaten up so badly. Couldn't you have earned money some other way?"
"It wasn't about the money," Stafford admitted. "It was because I hated myself for what I did to you–or what I thought I did. The equinox was the best night of my life, and I thought that you and I were meant to be together for the rest of our lives. We've known each other for what, ten years now?"
Jessica nodded. A dreamy look came to her eye. "Did you love me the moment you saw me?"
"No. You were twelve and I was only fifteen." Braden shook his head and chuckled. "I don't believe in love at first sight. It was the first time I really talked to you, and you started telling me about the romance novel you were going to write someday. Your eyes lit up. I just wanted to see you like that forever."
Jessica ducked her head, a flush rising in her cheeks. It sounded really romantic, the way he said it with the glow in his eyes.
"And what about you?" the dragon cupped her face, bringing her gaze back to his. "Did you love me the moment you saw me?"
"No." Jessica's flush deepened. "I didn't even like you. It was a year later when Stafford told you he was gay and you offered to set him up with some of your friends. My brother is really important to me. And I was ready to fight you if you were cruel to him. But you didn't react how I expected, and I fell in love with you. And I told Stafford and he immediately forbade me from acting on my feelings."
Braden chuckled. "He's very protective of you, your brother. I'd hate to get on his bad side where you're concerned."
Jessica buried her face in his shoulder. "If he has a problem with this, he'll just have to deal. But I don't think he will. He promised me that he wasn't in love with you."
Braden chuckled, kissed her and slid his hand down her thigh, bringing her leg up over his hip. Heat burned between them, and they fell into passion.
***
Jessica sighed as her body was filled with rapture. For the first time since the spring equinox, she felt utterly relaxed. Her hand traced lightly over her belly, Braden's hand under hers. Despite the fear for her babies, making love to her dragon had given her all the reassurance she needed. Even all of her aches had disappeared. It was probably because she was so relaxed now.
"We need to get dressed before Stafford comes back," Jessica said, not wanting to get up. But it would be extremely embarrassing for her to still be in this state of undress when her brother came home.
Braden groaned. "You're probably right. I did text him not to come back for a while, but we both need to eat, don't we?"
Jessica turned awkwardly to him, running her hands over his smooth chest. "You texted him?"
"I didn't want him to come home while we were in the middle of things," Braden said, then looked at her. “I love you, Jessica. And the babies.”
A smile broke over Jessica’s face. Her heart sang, and she felt like she could fly as her whole body lightened. She threw her arms around her dragon, digging her fingers into his hair. Braden laughed into her mouth, then laid her down on her side while he claimed her again.
By the time they let Stafford return, Jessica was ravenous. She ate three servings of eggs before she felt satisfied. After cleanup was done, Stafford pulled out his laptop and began searching lawyers who could help Braden with his case.
While he did that, Jessica and Braden searched through local apartments. None of them had any plans of returning to the coven, but this barely-legal apartment with the lumpy sofa bed was certainly not a suitable location to bring two babies into the world.
"Are you looking for two bedrooms or three?" Stafford asked absently.
"Two, of course." Jessica laughed, but it was cut short by a sudden gasp as pain lanced through her belly. She wrapped her arms around herself, turning wide, frightened eyes towards Braden. He put an arm around her, one large hand instantly going to her stomach.
Stafford abandoned his laptop, knocking over his chair in his attempts to get to her. Both men gazed at her in concern, and Braden held her tightly.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"I don't know," she whispered back. "What if I go into early labor? I'm only nine weeks, they'll die!"
"Do you have a car or just your bike?" Stafford asked.
Braden clutched Jessica tighter. "Bike. I'll have to fly her."
Another lance of pain made her whimper. "Fly where?"
"The hospital." Braden scooped her into his arms and carried her outside. Jessica's heart pounded. She had been so relaxed, so hopeful that everything was going to be fine, that because she had her dragon with her, suddenly her happily ever after was right there again, that nothing could take it away from her again.
Had she been wrong all along? Was her happiness going to be marred by the heartache of losing her babies?
Braden didn't transform completely when he took to the skies. His body was covered in black scales, his eyes electric blue, leathery wings sprouting from his back. The flight wasn't very smooth and made her feel sick, but the pains had stopped by the time they reached the hospital. Braden explained everything to the nurses as he pushed through the waiting line, taking Jessica right into one of the ER rooms despite the protests that followed him.
He didn't leave her side as they waited. Jessica clutched his hand, wanting him to reassure her, but not daring to speak herself. Even though the doctor was there in five minutes, it felt like hours later. Braden snarled at the red-haired woman to tell them what was happening, but she ignored him while she gave Jessica an examination.
When she was finished, the doctor smiled. "You are not in labor, and your babies are fine. You don't have anything to worry about."
Relief washed over Jessica, and she rubbed her belly, unable to stop a sigh of relief. Braden kissed her temple, smiling broadly.
"So everything is developing as it should?" he asked the doctor.
She nodded. "Your mate has a strong body. There are a few things you ought to be cautious about, though. For starters, no sex."
Jessica blushed. Had the doctor been able to tell what they had been doing just a few hours ago? She tried to relax her shoulders, focusing on what the doctor was saying. She could survive without sex.
"You ought to stay in bed, drink plenty of fluids and eat iron-rich foods. Liver, especially. If you can eat it raw that would be better, but cooked is fine, too. And if you have any concerns, don't hesitate to come back to the hospital. Who is your regular doctor?"
"I…" Jessica hesitated. She never did meet the specialist the midwife suggested. If it was discovered she was here, then it would be almost certain that Braden would be discovered as well. She didn't want to put him in any sort of danger. "I don't really have one. At least, none that I want to see again."
The doctor's brow furrowed, but she patted Jessica's hand and nodded. "We get a lot of girls like you from the coven. But you're okay to head home now. Just take it easy, okay?"
Jessica nodded as Braden thanked the doctor. The dragon pressed his lips to her temple again and rested his forehead against hers. She leaned into his strong arms as her eyes drifted shut. Now that she knew everything was okay, she was exhausted again.
"Thank you for being here with me."
"Of course. I'll phone Stafford while you dress," he said, pulling his cell phone from his pocket. "Your brot
her's going to be worried sick."
Jessica nodded, swinging off the side of the hospital bed. Her feet landed wrong somehow, and she immediately lost her balance, pitching forward into Braden. He caught her and, laughing, set her back on her feet. His mouth caught hers briefly–too briefly. She moaned and stood on her tiptoes, stretching her lips to his, but he shook his head.
"No sex, remember? And certainly not in this flimsy hospital room, where everybody could hear us."
"I wasn't!" Jessica's face flamed and she smacked Braden's arm gently. "Dirty mind."
"You think that was dirty?" Braden's eyes glinted and he leaned in, whispering in her ear. "Just wait until I tell you what I'm going to do to you once you've healed up from the babies being born. I'll show you the meaning of dirty."
His words left Jessica breathless, her heart pounding. Pressing her lips together she nodded, not trusting herself to speak lest her voice give away her desire. Braden's eyes were dark with lust and a promise, and he kissed her again, long and slow, before pulling his cellphone from his pocket and stepping outside the room to call Stafford.
Jessica was left with heat swirling through her body, and she moaned. Five more weeks and the babies would be born. She could wait that long to have sex again. She would have to wait.
Her own eyes darkened as she realized that there was a whole lot she could do for Braden in that time that wasn't technically sex…
Chapter Eight
One month later, a lawyer had taken Braden's case. Things were looking up in that regards, although the cops back at the coven were still insisting that he turn himself over for jail time. The three of them had also found a temporary new apartment, although it only had one bedroom that Braden and Jessica shared. Stafford slept in the living room. Things were crowded, but at least there weren't suspicious black stains on the walls.
Jessica faithfully obeyed the doctor's recommendation that she stay in bed resting, but at times she thought she was going to go crazy with boredom. It wasn't as bad as it had been back in the dorms since now she could actually enjoy her romance novels again, but it still grated on her nerves. So one day, while Stafford was out looking for work, she convinced Braden that it wouldn't hurt to take a little walk in a nearby park.
"Where are the other members of your flock?" she asked, her hand tucked into the crook of his arm as they strolled around a small pond.
Braden chuckled. "Did I ever tell you that I love how you call us a flock? Some of the others hate it, but I think it's adorable."
Jessica ducked her head and smiled up at him. "It sounds better than 'gang.' So where are they?"
"They've all stopped by to show their solidarity. I sent them back to their homes and families. I'm sure we could take the witch police force if we all got together, but I didn't want them to get mixed up in all this. But Jacob, that's the one that the witch attacked, he's been out a few times bringing food and stuff. I think he's got a bit of hero worship going on, if I'm honest. Even started to mimic my actions. It's damn annoying."
Jessica laughed. "Can you really blame him?"
Braden shook his head. "Nope. I certainly can't."
"Can we sit for a moment? My back is really hurting for some reason." Jessica frowned. "Maybe I'm overdoing it."
The dragon scooped her into his arms, carrying her briskly to the nearest bench. He settled her down before taking a spot next to her. "Jessica, there's been something that I've been meaning to ask you. Well, more like a promise to make you. I know it's not possible right now, but someday I am going to build you a house with everything you love in it."
Jessica's heart fluttered. "Really?"
A cold, angry voice from came behind them. "What do you want from her?"
Jessica jumped to her feet, ignoring the jolt of pain in her abdomen that it caused, and turned. Pearl stood only a few feet away, her hands brimming with purple sparks, eyes narrowed and jaw clenched. She trembled, her gaze focused on Braden. The dragon snarled under his breath, quickly stepping between the headmistress and his mate.
Braden tensed. "What are you doing here?"
"I came for Jessica. I'm not going to let your lies put her in jeopardy."
"I'm not in any danger," Jessica spat. "Except from you and your lies!"
"He's the one who is lying to you. Do you think he really loves you? He'll take your babies and leave you with nothing!" Pearl's voice rose in pitch.
"You don't know what you're talking about." Jessica put her arms around Braden, afraid his protective streak would get the best of him and that he'd attack the headmistress. His tense muscles relaxed minutely at her touch, but he still remained coiled and ready to strike. "Braden and I love each other. Why can't you see that?"
"Dragons lie. They all lie!" The sparks around Pearl's hands died. A hollow look came to her eyes and she stared at Jessica with a raw, tortured expression. "You think he loves you? That's what Owen told me. But he lied. All he wanted was for me to have his child, and then after the baby was born he took her and I never saw either of them again."
Jessica's eyes widened. Pearl said herself that she’d never had any children… but she had been impregnated by a dragon? And then to have that dragon steal the baby away? Had she thought she was going to have a happily ever after as well, only to lose it?
A shiver ran up Jessica's spine, and she put a hand on Braden's arm, giving him a significant look before she approached the headmistress. Braden growled, but let her go. Her stomach was feeling heavier than normal, and the pain in her back was getting worse. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew what it meant, but she stamped on the thought, focusing on the situation at hand.
"Braden isn't Owen. He's not lying to me. I was the one to seek him out. He told me to stay home during the spring equinox." Jessica cautiously touched Pearl's hand. "What happened to you was horrible, but that's not what is happening to me. You can't paint all dragons with one brushstroke."
Pearl continued to stare at her with that hollow look. Her hand came up, brushing against Jessica's cheek. "You look just like him," she whispered.
Jessica's heart twisted as pain wrapped around her belly. Her breathing was shallow as she searched Pearl's eyes. Did she look like Owen? "What do you mean?"
Was she staring at her birth mother? She always knew she was adopted, but had never given any thought to who had given birth to her. Was it Pearl?
The headmistress shook her head. "I thought you might be when I first saw you. You're the right age. But when you were being tested for entrance to the university, it was clear that you have no dragon heritage."
Jessica let out a pent-up breath. "But?"
"But from the first time I saw you, I thought that maybe I could pretend, and watch over you as if you were my daughter. And I couldn't help but think that Owen must have done to other girls what he did to me, and I swore I would protect you, especially knowing what your parents did to you."
Braden stepped up beside Jessica, wrapping his arms around her waist. "You don't need to protect her anymore. That's my job now. I will rend anybody who tries to hurt her limb from limb."
Pearl's gaze shifted to him again and her lips thinned in disapproval. "You need to learn how to temper that violent streak of yours. I understand that you're the alpha of your gang of dragons, but it's not a healthy environment to bring up babies in."
"He's not violent, just protective," Jessica argued. "He's—"
Another pain curled around her belly and she couldn't stifle a gasp, leaning against Braden for strength as her knees buckled. He grabbed her, holding her upright, and Pearl reached out, though she withdrew at Braden's snarl.
"I think I need to go to the hospital," Jessica whispered. "But they're still three weeks early—"
"The babies will be fine," Braden told her, scooping her into his strong arms. The leather of his jacket brushed against her skin and she pressed a trembling hand to the tattoo of a sparrow above his heart. The steady thump against her palm helped soothe her. A little.
"We can take my car," Pearl said at once, but Braden shook his head.
"Flying is faster."
"I need to call Stafford." Jessica fished Braden's cell phone from his pocket as his jacket crumpled upwards, pushed aside by his magnificent black wings.
Stafford answered quickly, but they were already airborne at that point, and Jessica had to shout to make herself heard over the wind. Braden cradled her against his chest, wrapping her in his strength, and she closed her eyes. The pains kept coming, more rapidly now, and Jessica bit her tongue, holding in her whimpers. Her heart raced–what if it was too early? What if their twins were still too little to survive?
They arrived at the hospital within seconds, and this time the nurses knew to immediately show them to a room. The doctor came to them quickly and confirmed Jessica was in labor. Within moments they were transferred to the maternity ward, and Jessica was sucking in deep breaths to get through the contractions.
"Your water hasn't broken yet," the obstetrician told her after checking her. "I expect it will be another few hours yet. But seeing as it’s dragon twins, we'll keep you here."
He gave Braden a few instructions on how to help her through this, then left the two alone. Jessica forced a smile at her dragon, trying not to show how worried she was. "We never talked about names."
"Yeah," he said, a little breathless as he sat on the bed beside her. "I thought we could wait to see if they're girls or boys first."
"If they're boys, let's name them after your father and Stafford. And if they're girls—"
"My mother and you?"
"My middle name."
Braden smiled and kissed her forehead. "That sounds perfect."
Another contraction came and went, and Jessica turned on her side so that Braden could massage her lower back. Just knowing he was there helped, but she still shook as fears crowded her brain. If it was too early…
Pearl and Stafford arrived at the same time. Stafford blocked the headmistress from coming near Jessica until Braden told him it was okay, then hurried to his sister's side and held her hand. Jessica smiled gratefully at him, then winced as another contraction came.