Her voice had the same calming nature as my dragon’s and helped steady me as the next contraction hit.
“Push, push, push, push, push,” she chanted while I did, until there was no more air left in my lungs.
“One more push and she’ll be here,” Raven said.
“You’ve got this bro,” Upalo said.
“I love you, mate,” Odem murmured in my ear.
So simple and yet so heartfelt.
I pushed with everything I had in me and felt my egg slide out and into Raven’s waiting hands.
“Her shell shimmers where the light touches it,” Raven said. “Perfectly formed and singularly unique.”
“That’s our Opal,” I said, tears streaming down my cheeks when I glimpsed her shell.
“Precious Opal,” Odem murmured, completely choked up and as in awe of the moment as I was. “Just like her respective gemstone.”
“Little niece,” Upalo said. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Sweet giggles came from our egg as Raven finished cleaning her and got her tucked safely into the blankets just as I was struck with a wave of pressure in my hips that hit so swiftly, I just started pushing.
“Looks like someone’s impatient,” Raven declared. “Ruby’s tiny red tip is already out.”
“Ruby is in a hurry to join her sister,” Odem said, hugging me close and keeping me well supported when it came time to push again.
The final time, thank the Goddess.
The relief I felt when she slipped free and the seemingly endless waves of pressure were finally gone was unlike anything I’d ever experienced before. It was like my body turned to liquid and melted against my mate in a boneless, pain free sprawl of limbs.
“Bro! Check her out! She’s a beauty.”
“Be with you in a second,” I groaned.
“You have made me the proudest dragon in the world today,” Odem declared.
I felt his kisses, but opening my eyes wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. I needed a moment to sort myself out after the ordeal I’d just been through.
“They are the exact same size,” Raven declared. “Beautifully done. Two more fine additions to the Denarius family.”
I managed a thumbs up, still sprawled on Odem, sweaty hair plastered to my face. And yet I’d never felt better, knowing I’d just accomplished something I’d never dared to dream about.
My babies were here.
Slowly, I gathered my strength, and inch by inch, with a great deal of help from my mate, was finally able to sit up so I could see Ruby for the first time. The brilliant hues of her shell prompted another round of weeping when Raven held her out so I could cuddle her. Odem’s arms wrapped around me and we held her together, peering down at her dazzling red shell.
“Welcome to the world, Ruby,” I whispered, and pressed a kiss to her shell.
Her giggle matched her sister’s musical laughter, growing louder when her Papa kissed her too. The eagerness on Upalo’s face, when Odem extended our blanket wrapped egg to him, was proof of just how excited he was to have just become an uncle.
Footsteps pounded up the stairs, like an entire herd of elephants was suddenly charging through our home.
Guess me looking my worst was about to be a spectator sport after all.
But shockingly, I was completely okay with that, if it meant seeing the same looks on my new brothers-in-law’s faces as I currently saw on my blood-brother’s.
At least Raven had thoughtfully covered my lower half when she’d heard them coming. Caro led the charge, with Emerson right beside him, Alex jumping up and down, head appearing and disappearing as he tried to peer around them.
