“Calysta, the Grand Priestess of all Earthen Witches,” Vanessa happily gasped. “And you are a phenomenon in your own right.”
“Oh, you’ve heard of me?”
“Of course, I am so happy to have you…. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh.” Hit with another strong, longer contraction, the red scales pulsed in time with her heartbeat, pulling the pain away while pushing strong Healing Magic her way.
Della’s eyes lit up. “You have a Healer of your own on the way.” With a loving squeeze, her smile brightened as she said, “Now, if it’s okay with you, I’m gonna help Ruby deliver your sweet baby.”
“That is perfectly…ahhhhhhhhhhhh.”
Squeezing Cyrus’s hand for dear life, she looked deep into his eyes and whispered, “I love you, Cyrus MacDonald. I love you with all my heart.”
“And I love you, Vanessa….”
But that was all she heard as an especially strong contraction tightened what seemed like every muscle in her body. Breathing as Della had instructed, Vanessa felt another coming right behind and was ready to tell those helping her, but the Earthen Witch was on the ball.
Looking over the sheet draped over her raised knees, Della calmly said, “Cyrus, get behind your Mate and slide your armsunder the pillow. You need to help her push.” Then to Vanessa she said, “When you feel the contraction start, pretend you are doing a sit up and bear down on your tailbone, and Cy will help you sit up. It shouldn’t take long. I can see the top of the baby’s head.”
And it didn’t. One push. A little pain. And the blessed sound of their baby crying.
Tears of joy streamed down Vanessa’s face. Looking up at her Mate, she saw the same in his deep brown eyes and couldn’t help but say, “He or she already has you wrapped around their little finger, don’t they?”
“Just like their momma.” Winking, he was about to say something else when Della appeared with the baby. Magically cleaned up and wrapped in a yellow blanket, she lay the precious bundle in Vanessa’s arms.
“Vanessa and Cyrus, meet your daughter.”
“A girl?” Vanessa was overjoyed. Looking up at Cyrus, she laughed out loud to see the color had drained from his face, and his eyes were so wide they were more white than brown. “It’s a girl, Cy. It’s a girl. Are you okay?”
“I-I h-have a d-daughter.”
“You do,” Della chuckled.
Looking up as Carrick entered the room, Cyrus puffed out his chest, and the color returned to his face as he turned to the renowned Guardsman and stated, “I’m gonna need a gun and a shovel.”
“A gun and a shovel?” Vanessa gasped. “Why would you…?”
Head snapping toward her and his body following suit, Cyrus leaned down and laid his hand over hers as he explained, “Yes, a gun and a shovel, because no boys are getting near my daughter until she’s at least a hundred years old.”
The room erupted in laughter. It was one of the most joyous sounds in the world, and then the baby joined in with a loud cry,and Vanessa was filled with absolute happiness and knew what she needed to do.
Quieting the baby by rocking side to side, she looked into her Mate’s eyes and quietly said, “I want to name her Joy. What do you think?”
Smiling with so much love that Vanessa thought she might start crying again, Cyrus nodded. “That is perfect. Joy Elizabeth Anne MacDonald has a beautiful ring.”
Hearing the name her Mate proposed, Vanessa started crying even happier tears as she whispered, “Your mom and my mom?” Sniffing, she added with a watery smile, “That really is perfect.”
“Yes, it is,” Carrick quietly agreed. Then, pointing at Joy’s arm, a knowing look in his eye, he smiled. “Look at that. She’s already making her mark on the world.”
Gaze following where the Elder pointed, Vanessa gasped. Could it be true? It had to be. She could see it with her own eyes.
Speaking before she had the words, Cyrus wondered aloud, “Is that a Polar Bear paw surrounded by Dragon Fire?”
“It sure is,” Carrick confirmed. “She is the absolute combination of ice and fire. She, in a word, is perfection.”
“Yeah, she is,” Cy breathed.
Looking deep into the eyes of her Mate, Vanessa didn’t even realize everyone had left, and they were alone until the door clicked shut. Smiling so much that her cheeks literally hurt, scooted over on the bed and motioned with a nod of her head for Cyrus to climb in.
“Are you sure?”
