“How much longer, Doc?” I ask, my tone leaving no room for anything but a straight answer.
He meets my eyes briefly. “Not too much longer. You’re doing great, Kylie.”
Kylie moans through another contraction, her small body tensing up in ways that make my chest ache.
“Can’t you give her anything for the fucking pain?” I question, anger rising in my throat. “A fucking epidural or something?”
“Unfortunately, it’s too late for that,” Dr. Howard says, and there’s a huge part of me that wants to fucking throttle him.
I’m fine, Rook,Kylie pushes into my mind.Also, please don’t hurt the doctor. I need him to deliver our baby.
Fuck. I hate seeing you in pain, baby.
“I’m okay,” she says out loud, her voice strained but sure.
Her eyes lift to mine, and I hold her gaze for a second longer than necessary, searching for anything that tells me otherwise, but there’s nothing to be found.
The next stretch of time blurs into something that feels both too fast and not fast enough. I stay exactly where I am, her hand in mine, my body angled toward her like I can shield her from the worst of it, even though I know I can’t.
I watch every shift in her expression, every tightening of her jaw, every breath she pulls in as she pushes through something that would break most people.
But she doesn’t break because my Kylie is so fucking strong.
“Okay,” Dr. Howard announces with a smile. “Next two contractions, we’re going to have our baby.”
Kylie nods, already bracing herself, and when the next wave hits, she bears down with everything she has. A sound breaks from her—raw, unfiltered—and it cuts straight through me.
My grip tightens around her hand. “That’s it,” I murmur, even though I hate every second of this. “You’re doing so fucking good, baby. I’m so proud of you.”
She exhales sharply, her body trembling as the contraction eases.
“Last one, Kylie,” the doctor says. “And your baby will be here.”
I lean closer, my forehead nearly brushing hers. “You’ve got this,” I tell her, my voice rougher now. “I’ve got you.”
The next contraction hits, and Kylie pushes again, pushes with everything inside her, and everything inside me goes still.
And then, a cry fills the room.
It’s sharp and beautiful andalive.
“It’s a girl!”
For a second, the words don’t fully land.
A girl?
A girl?
My chest tightens as something deeper than instinct settles into place.
After everything that was done by the corrupt elites, no one knew if it would ever be possible again. In the name of power and control and greed, they created so much chaos, caused so much damage. They destroyed the equilibrium of our kind and the noble human bloodlines.
Because of them, there hasn’t been a female vampire born in centuries.
And yet, I have adaughter.
Our bond established equilibrium again.
