“Elysian? How is your search going?” Elara pointed the question at the demon representatives, where Rhadamanthus’s cousin headed their group.
The female stood, hands behind her back. “We’ve found no sign of our next monarch,” she announced, staring down the table at Ivy. “But the Fields do not appear in distress over it.”
“Oh, they would certainly let you know if they were,” the old demon king muttered. “Do not worry. Death will find its new mark, and the Fields will have a host for its power. Though I highly doubt it will construct some fancy trial for potential rulers to compete in.”
There were some comments made agreeing, though I once again focused on my mate. Her worry rose, though lighter than before.
And I realised it was because of hope.
Hope our realms were finally healing, and she would not need to fight for them any longer.
14
Ivy
ONE WEEK LATER
It was impossible to write a sex scene while in agony. And not just period cramp agony, but in real,I’m-giving-birthagony.
I still tried to wrap up the scene, though.
“You are quite literally in labour,” Damon growled, tapping his foot from the other side of my desk. “Please, love, we need to get you to the birthing room.”
I waved him off with a grunt, keeping my eyes on the screen despite the pain ripping through me. No magic could keep it away. Didn’t matter what species you were, the pain of giving birth would always be there.
My stomach contracted; it felt like my insides were literally getting turned around, reshaped, and squished. It was almost like a prolonged shift, only except for all my bones breaking, it was my vagina.
Nevertheless, I held myself together through the pain while I finished the scene. I wouldn’t be able to get back to it for a while. I highly doubted twins would give me time to spend all day in here to write.
And I was so damned close to finally finishing a book again.
It was a relief. Like I finally had a piece of myself again.
“Wife…” Damon warned, taking a threatening step towards me. “We must get you to the midwife.Please.”
“Just a hundred more words,husband,” I muttered, wincing through the pain as I typed. “Just. Need. To. Get. This. Done.”
Gritting my teeth through the pain, I wrote the final throes of passion, wrapped it up nicely in a sexy bow, and hit save. It would have to do. Good thing I’d be able to edit it later. But I just needed the words.
Damon sighed in relief when I shut the computer down, and he was on me immediately, helping me out of my chair. But instead of giving me a chance to stand, the massive demon lifted me into his arms.
“You don’t need to carry me,” I said as he started for the door. “Walking can help labour progress.”
My mate growled as we left the tower, starting down the hall. As he did, the others appeared. “We do not know yet where you are in your labour, wife. That is why we must reach the midwife.”
I wanted to roll my eyes, but another wave of pain crashed through me, dimmed only by the physical connection and the appearance of the others.
Rowan was sweating as he jogged down the hall, Orion directly behind him. “The kids are with Thea and her family,” my divination mage stated.
“Go and get Thea,” I said, teeth gritted. “I want her here.”
“She’s just making sure the kids are settled,” Orion replied, voice soothing. “Then she’ll be here. Don’t worry. We know your plan.”
I released a slow breath as the pain eased a fraction. Definitely felt like my insides were being torn apart. Shredded by the two little heathens trying to make themselves known to the world.
Part of me was glad today was the day. They weren’t super early like the healers worried they would be. If they were,we wouldn’t be doing this at home with a healer and demon midwife. I’d be at an actual hospital in the city with a team around me. That was the last thing I wanted, though I knew it was only a precaution. I just hated the idea that the babies would be immediately taken from me to be put in incubators.
And for that reason, I dreaded what came next. It wasn’t the pain that terrified me. It was them being taken out of me. It was them no longer having the protection my body offered them. They would be outside of me, where I couldn’t protect them. And although that meant my mates could do that for me, I was still terrified.
