Losing all track of time, Nessy poured everything she was into the chaste kiss she laid upon Cyrus’s lips. Without warning, his lips moved against hers. Gasping, she tried to pull away, only to feel the warmth of her Dragon’s big, strong arms closing around her.
Lifting her head just enough to look into Cyrus’s barely opened eyes, she was just about to tell him how much she loved him when a flash of pure white Dragon Magic burst to life between them. In the blink of an eye, the radiant red scales that had been protecting her reached out for her Mate, covering them in a protective blanket of glittering crimson and the feeling of love.
“What the…?” Cyrus stuttered.
Leaning back, Vanessa rubbed her pregnant belly, smiled hopefully, and quietly beamed, “Merry Christmas?”
Gasping when Cyrus pulled her onto his chest, he lay his lips to hers and kissed her with more love and adoration than she knew was possible. Nessy thought her heart might explode when he mentally whispered, “Oh, hell, yeah, it’s a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year, and a glorious ever after forever and ever.”
5
Between the Healing Magic Nessy performed and the news that he was going to be a father, Cyrus didn’t feel like a guy who had almost died less than an hour ago–he felt like he could fly without Dom’s wings.
“Never thought you were gonna get Vanessa back, let alone be lucky enough to be dad, did ya’, Lad?”Dom’s voice was filled with the thick brogue of their homelands, and his happiness gave the Guardsman even more of a lift.
“You got that right,” Cyrus readily agreed.“I was sure I’d lost Nessy forever.”
“Nope, you’ll never lose me, Dragon Man,”she chuckled. Then, before he had time to be surprised, she tapped her temple. “I can hear everything. Happened during the Healing Ritual.”
Reaching down, Cyrus carefully wrapped his arms around her waist. Stopping before his hands touched her back, he blurted out, “Can I do this without hurting you or the baby?”
Rolling her eyes and laughing out loud, Vanessa laid her hands on his shoulders and chuckled, “Dude, please. I just kicked a giant She-Wolf’s ass…”
“Well, that’s not…”the Polar Bear Princess with whom Vanessa shared her soul chimed in.
“Shut up, Celeste!”
“He’s gonna….”
“Can we not talk about the Dragon like he’s not here?”Cyrus snickered.
“Oops,” Nessy gasped aloud, her cheeks turning such a beautiful color of pink that he couldn’t help but lay a sweet kiss on both of them. “I wasn’t tryin’…”
“I know,” Cyrus chuckled. “And I don’t care how you got out of that hellhole, I’m just glad you did.” Pausing for a split second, he hurried on before he lost his nerve. “Nessy, honey, I’m so sorry. I was such a…”
“No-no-no! It’s my fault. You have nothin’…”
“If I had just….”
“No way.” She shook her head frantically. “I shouldn’t have…”
Needing to show her how very sorry he was, how much he’d missed her, and most of all, that he loved her with all his heart. Cyrus laid his lips to hers, giving her a kiss filled with heat and passion. Raising his head, he looked his beautiful Polar Bear Princess right in the eye and earnestly promised, “From this moment forward, we never walk away mad, and we always and forever fight side by side. No more runnin’ off and gettin’ held up by a pain in the ass….”
“Well, he’s done.” With a single nod, she quickly went on, “But how did you…?
Tapping his temple, Cy winked. “The same way you knew what I’d done. It all came flowing through when I got a whole new set of scales.” A quick kiss to the tip of her nose, and he added, “And absolutely, without a doubt, never ever never will either of us go on solo missions, got it?”
“Oh, I got it, Dragon Man.” Smiling so sweetly, Cyrus felt her joy on the outside just as much as he felt it flowing through their Mating Bond. “And I totally agree.”
Lovingly placing his hand on her tummy, he smiled and whispered, “And that goes for you, too, Miss…? Mr…?”
Shaking her head, Nessy shrugged. “I don’t want to know until he or she is born. Is that okay?”
There was no way he could deny her anything. Picking her up and turning a complete circle, Cyrus beamed, “Anything you want,M'eudail.I just can’t wait to meet him or her.” Another wink and he chuckled, “After all, we already know he or she’s got the spirit of a Dragon.”
“And the heart of a Polar Bear,” Nessy added, crinkling her nose in the cute way he could never resist.
“Oh, yeah,Mo ghràdh,oh hell yeah.”
