Thystle’s fangs made quick work of the obstructing clothes. Once my pants transformed into a pile of fabric scraps, I sighed in relief. With my lower body free, I could finally put in the real work of birthing my egg. I knew it wouldn’t be long now.
My eagle instincts took over. Closing my eyes, I concentrated on the sensation of the egg, how desperately it wanted to be free. Sweat prickled my skin as I focused. I threw my weight into Thystle, bracing myself against him as I pushed harder.
“You’re doing great, Matteo,” Thystle purr-growled in my ear.
That little encouragement gave me the final burst of strength I needed. With a gasp, I felt a weight literally lifted from my body.
But there was no time for relief. I bolted upright, staring into the nest, eager to see my egg.
And when I did, my eyes widened.
What I’d birthed was no regular bird egg. For one thing, it radiated a purple shine like a glow stick. I expected a creamy-white shell—instead, the egg looked like it was carved from a chunk of amethyst. I laid my hands on it, surprised at its smoothness and warmth. I couldn’t help but smile in disbelief at the way the glow disappeared beneath my hands, then shone through my fingers as I parted them.
“Thystle, this is incredible,” I murmured. “Are all dragon eggs like this?”
“I’ve only seen two,” Thystle answered. “Ours, plus Taylor and Crimson’s egg. Theirs glowed red. So far, it’s two for two lava lamp babies.”
I snorted at the term, then pulled the egg into my lap. “Lava lamps aren’t the first thing I think of. It reminds me more of those glowing Himalayan salt lamps.”
“Himalayan, what now?”
I grinned. “How do you know what a lava lamp is and not a salt lamp?”
“Sorry I can’t keep up with every human contraption,” Thystle mumbled. “It’s not my fault they think of new crap every day.”
I chuckled and patted his neck. “You’re right. It’s a lot to keep up with. Never mind that. Look at our egg.”
“I haven’t stopped staring since you laid it,” Thystle replied, arching his neck so he could be closer. “How can I when it’s so beautiful?”
He was right. I’d never laid eyes on anything as gorgeous as our egg. It literally looked like a piece of art. But more than its physical beauty, my heart brimmed with happiness knowing our baby grew inside that glittering purple shell.
“How long will it take to hatch?” I asked my mate, eager to meet our child.
“Ruby took about a month,” he said warmly. Nuzzling my cheek, he added, “It won’t take long, Matteo. So, let’s enjoy our egg while we can before it hatches into a crawling bitey gremlin.”
I grinned. “I’m looking forward to that.”
Twenty-Four
Thystle
Holdinga sushi tray in one hand, I huffed and puffed up the stairs. I wasn't out of shape by any means, but climbing the stairs to the roof while carrying a huge tray of sashimi and maki rolls was enough exercise to break a sweat.
Matteo told me half an hour ago he'd craved sushi, so I had the chefs whip it up for him. I genuinely loved catering to his every whim. It satisfied my alpha instincts to nurture and protect him, even if it meant running to the kitchen every thirty minutes to sate his cravings, although he'd laid his egg and wasn't pregnant anymore. He was now in the brooding stage. Notbroodingas in me when I got moody, but literally bird-sitting-on-an-egg brooding.
Since he built his nest on the rooftop, he wasn’t eager to move it. That was fine by me. We set up a temporary office for him on the roof, complete with a wide weatherproof canopy, cozy pillows, and a microphone and laptop to work. I offered more, like a stereo system and TV, but Matteo was a simple man who didn’t ask for much.
Well, except sushi trays. I was more than happy to arrange those.
I grunted as I finally lugged over the last step. I wiped the sweat from my brow and called, “Hey, Matteo.”
He didn’t respond. He sat with his back to me, typing frantically on his keyboard. I couldn’t see it from my angle, but I knew our egg was curled up safe and warm in his lap.
But it worried me when Matteo didn’t respond. He was usually ecstatic to receive his treats, greeting me with a kiss and a smile. This time, he didn’t even acknowledge me. I wanted my kiss and smile, dammit.
“Matteo, are you okay?” I asked, walking closer.
He perked up visibly at the sound of my voice, but still sounded distracted when he called back, “Yeah, one sec.”
