“You’re Raiel’s cousin.” It was a statement not a question.
“Is Crilus home? My mate would like to speak with him. Normally, I wouldn’t bother a witch at his home but my mate is very pregnant and very worried about his mom.”
“Switch me places,” Crilus came into view. “You stay in here and I’ll go out and talk to Nic.”
“It’s about—” I started but the elf shook his head.
“I know what it’s about,” Crilus said. “All of London knows that Annila hasn’t woken up yet.”
“I—” I started but Crilus was already out the door and Pierce was waving me inside.
The house was decorated just as elegantly on the inside. We sat down on soft sofas and Pierce put his bare feet up on the coffee table. His eyes drifted shut and for a moment, I thought he might’ve fallen asleep.
“It’s hard to believe she won’t be this small forever. She’s already grown so much,” he said as I settled in. “That’s the thing no one tells you. They grow and grow and each milestone means they need a different thing from you but less at the same time. She can hold up her own head now. She can shift into a little bird and fly around too. We have to watch her because she likes to fly over and try to drink blood from the neighbor’s horse. One time it nearly ate her.”
“Sounds like she’s already having adventures,” I chuckled and wondered what my kitten would be like.
Would he be more like me or their carrier?
“Have you all had the big ultrasound yet?”
“They know but Nic wants to keep it a secret – even from us. I’m pretty sure it’s a boy, though. Nic smells like he’s carrying a boy.”
Pierce grinned and opened his eyes.
“Will your mate be able to help mine?” I asked him.
“I hope so but most of the time dragon sleep isn’t magical. It’s biological. He’ll do what he can but some wounds take time to heal. We’re trying to keep the estate quiet because Preston had his baby last night. His midwife only left a few minutes before you arrived. I thought you might be him stopping in to check on us again.”
“Hope it all went well.”
“Preston’s tired. The baby was almost five and a half kg. That’s twelve-ish pounds. I’m not sure which other worlds use,” Pierce shrugged.
“Either or. We know both,” I nodded.
“His parents are coming in soon. We’re all on high alert in case his unwanted and unhinged grandmother shows back up.”
“I wanted to apologize for the fact Crilus got accused of taking the….,” I said, hoping it hadn’t caused their baby too much distress.
“Don’t apologize for that. Annila did what she had to do. Clarence just wanted a scapegoat. Though, he’s still hearing about it from his grandkids and from Creon. That’s Crilus’s sire. Clarence is lucky he’s not roasting over some elven fire somewhere as someone’s dinner. He’s lucky I didn’t eat him. It would’ve been the easiest thing. Since Hex has been born I can consume massive amounts of blood and blood substitute without feeling sick. I think it’s due to the fact I feed her too.”
“Better you than the hungry horse,” I laughed and to my relief so did he.
A few minutes later, Crilus came back inside, and I took my leave. Before I even got back into the car, I knew things hadn’t gone the way Nic wanted them to.
“He went on and on about how some dragon slept for like forty years after his mate died,” Nic sighed. “He thinks she just needs more time. How much time is too much? Every doctor I’ve called has said the same thing.”
“We will figure this out,” I said, starting the car. “Whether it’s by medicine or by magic we will. If you feel like it’s more than just her being asleep we’ll start contacting other magic users. I’d say we could swing over to speak with Mori but he was up all night with Preston.”
“He had his baby,” Nic nodded. “Andy. A big baby.”
“Are you going to be able to have our baby without your mother?” I asked, pulling out of the driveway.
“I don’t want to but mate, I don’t really have a choice. If she’s still asleep when my water breaks, it’s not like I can cross my legs and refuse to have the baby. They’re going to come out one way or another. I was hoping she’d wake up in time to go to an ultrasound with us and find out –” he started sniffling and I pulled over to the side of the street.
Raiel thought I should’ve made him go to therapy as soon as the dust settled but I wasn’t my mate’s boss. If he wasn’t ready to talk to a stranger about what he felt, then that was his choice. I undid my seatbelt and then his before getting out of the car and going around to open his door. Leaning into the car, I hugged him as best as I could, as big tears rolled down his beautiful face.
“Unless the therapist knows how to wake her up, it wouldn’t help,” Nic cried and my heart broke.
