I waddled my way in the back door, which opened into a washroom. Stepping into the utility sink built into the floor, I strained to clean my hands and bare feet.
Anthony followed me into the room and laughed at my attempts to lean against the wall and reach my feet. He bent over and took the water sprayer from my hands. “Clean your hands, Coya. I’ll take care of the rest.”
He held the sprayer out for me to soap my hands, then rinsed them for me, rubbing with one hand and spraying the water with the other. When they were clean, he took a knee and set down the sprayer. With sure, firm hands, he massaged soap into first one foot, then the other, careful not to tickle me. His touch sent tingles up my legs, straight to my sorely neglected happy place.
“How many more days?” I asked, naughty bits aching from lack of use.
“The doctor said once you reach thirty-two weeks, we could have sex again. So, four more days.” I’d gone into premature labor and one of the Unseen healers had been called in. She had primitive medical equipment, but it was sufficient to hear a heartbeat and determine the baby was healthy. My body had a hard time holding the little guy inside, so I was put on strict bed rest until thirty weeks, and on pelvic rest until thirty-two weeks.
“That’s an eternity,” I said with a groan.
“For us, as well. Elias has expressed more than once how he longs for you, Riley.” He finished my feet and dried them with a towel kept nearby for that purpose. I’d been spending a lot of time in the garden. He gripped my arms and pulled me close. “When will you forgive him?”
I stiffened and turned, making my way toward the smell of cheap pizza sauce.I’ll forgive him when I’m good and ready.My shoulders slumped. I was tired of being mad at my best friend and love. I needed to find a way to move on, but the anger wouldn’t cool.
“Thanks for lunch, Axo.” I smiled at my friend as I entered the kitchen.
He chuckled and patted my belly in response before walking around the kitchen island to the sink. He loved doing the dishes, thrilled with the ability to use a dishwasher. “I’d heard of dishwashers in Galdiart, but never had one. By the time I was old enough to help with the dishes, we had no electricity.”
I sighed, troubled by the fate of the Sárkány. They believed me to be their savior, and in a sense I was. I ensured their survival, but on Earth, they faced the danger of the Shapeshifters hunting them down, and they would probably suffer the same fate as the Supay. Their intermarriage with other species was a likely outcome. But I was only part Sárkány and I was just fine, so maybe their genes would dominate similarly to the Supay.
“Any news from the Junta?” Axoular asked. We were waiting on a formal invitation for him onto their council. I both looked forward to and dreaded the invitation. It would mean he'd move to New Zealand.
“Nothing. I expected word from them weeks ago,” Anthony replied, shaking his head. “It’s pretty typical of them to keep us waiting though.”
“Well, that’s in poor taste,” I said around a mouthful of bagel. “I don’t know, Axo, do you really want to do it? Let Drest or Maedoc do it.” I hated the idea of him being gone.You’ll have to let him live his life. He’s not yours.
“They refuse to cross until every other Sárkány has come through, and I’m glad. With Boudicca and Morcan searching for Boudicca’s progeny, someone needs to be there to lead those left behind. We can only bring through one or two every week or so, and that leaves the rest of them to be protected in Galdiart.”
“How many are left?” I asked. We’d brought them through in small groups every week since the previous October. Basically, the length of my pregnancy.
Axoular did a quick mental calculation. “A hundred and three.”
I moaned. “So, another eight months.” Those poor people. “We need to organize another supply run. The last I checked they’ll need them within the next few weeks.”
“I already started the list, Coya.” Anthony patted my hand.
“Thanks.” I finished my lunch in silence while Anthony sipped a cup of blood. Once we’d returned home, they drank blood supplied by a regular delivery from a Supay controlled blood bank. It still rankled a bit that they used blood donated by unsuspecting humans, but at least they weren’t taking their meals directly from the source.
Elias’s face drifted through my mind, his expression had been hurt before he’d turned and walked away from me to go through the portal on the latest Galdiart run. I could tell he’d wanted me to ask him to stay, but I couldn’t say the words. He took my heart with him, goodness knew I loved him, but his betrayal had festered until it was something ugly inside me.
I was ready for him to come home. “I think, when Eli comes home tomorrow, I’d like to have a couple of days just me and him. Maybe we can go stay at my place in town?”
Anthony shared a look with Axoular and nodded his head. “I think that’s a wonderful idea, Coya.”
“What’s with the look?” I asked. “You’ve been talking about my relationship with Elias?” I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. Axoular had become a dear friend to us all, but still, he wasn’t my husband, and they were. I felt a bit betrayed, though I knew they’d have my best interests at heart. I grumbled to myself. It was difficult differentiating hormones from true feelings.
“It was my fault,” Axoular said. He moved around the island to put a hand on my shoulder. “I overheard part of your last fight and asked Anthony to explain.”
“Why didn’t you just ask me?” I furrowed my brow at him. We talked about nearly everything, why not that?
“You haven’t exactly been easy to talk to lately.” He grimaced and took a step back as if expecting me to blow up. “I didn’t want to upset you.”
I blew my hair out of my face in exasperation. “I’m under a fair amount of strain, but that’s nothing new for me. Being stressed while carrying an unknown species in my womb is a bright, shiny new level of worry.” I put my hand on his. “I’ll try to be more reasonable and recognize when I’m just being hormonal.”
“Actually, Coya, we’ve talked about that too.”
I raised an eyebrow.
