He managed a nod, strolled past the healers and into the twenty-by-twenty room. It was about twice the size of the rooms they used to treat injuries, but he figured it was necessary since they had quite a bit more equipment set up, including what appeared to be a box to hold the baby. It wasn’t a box, of course, but to his overtaxed brain, it might as well have been.
Realizing he wasn’t moving, Obsidian got with the program. He strolled to the bed and set Penelope down as though she was made of blown glass. He waited until she confirmed she was situated before releasing her and standing to his full height. Unable to help himself, he fluffed a pillow and propped it behind her head, removing the flat one. He then fluffed that pillow, too, and set it under her left arm so she could prop up a bit. On to finding the controls for the bed, he passed that over to Penelope, not wanting to hit something that might launch her across the room.
Fuck, why was it so hot in here?
He wiped his brow with the back of his hand and forced a smile. “Are you okay? Can I get you anything?”
Penelope looked up at him, those golden eyes glowing, her face radiant even with perspiration on her upper lip. “I’m perfect.”
Yes, she was, but that was beside the point.
When Apollo stepped into the room, Obsidian growled low in his throat, reaching down and dragging the thin cotton sheet up over Penelope, covering her from the waist down. She was appropriately dressed, wearing one of his dark T-shirts, in fact, but the beast within didn’t appreciate another male in the same room as her.
“Don’t worry, big guy,” the healer said. “I’ve done this a million times, but I’m going to excuse myself from the room during her exams as well as the birth. Wouldn’t want you getting all territorial on me when they need you focused.”
The male stepped forward, turning his full attention to Penelope. “How’s it going?”
“Good. I’m good.”
“Won’t be long now.” Apollo tapped the side rail of her bed before turning away.
Another growl rumbled up Obsidian’s throat. He didn’t mean to go all He-man on the healer, but there was no denying Obsidian didn’t like the idea of any male looking at his female in any capacity, much less while she was only partially dressed. Healer or not.
Apollo put a hand on Amethyst’s shoulder, leaned in. “I’ll be monitoring her vitals outside the room. I’ll be on standby if you need me.”
Amethyst turned to look at Obsidian. “I will need him to come in once the baby’s born. It’ll be easier with two of us. That way I can continue to take care of her.”
“Is there a problem?” he asked, suddenly feeling as though there wasn’t enough air in the ridiculously hot room.
“Not at all. And we don’t anticipate there will be. Everything shows to be perfectly normal. Her vitals are good.”
“Take a breath, big guy,” Apollo said before stepping out into the hall.
Breath. Yes. That would probably be a good idea.
Maybe more than one.
Okay, maybe not that many or that fast.
Obsidian was light-headed.
“Have a seat,” Amethyst urged, dragging a chair toward him. “Now.”
With his eyes on Penelope, Obsidian eased into the chair. Hisereswawas smiling. Smiling. She held out her hand, and after a second, his brain got with the program. He reached for her, linking their fingers.
She relaxed back on the bed and stared over at him, another beautiful smile forming. “You’ll be fine, Obsidian. I promise.”
For fuck’s sake.
And here he’d thought he would be the one taking care of her.
Although he’d been trying to keep watchover Obsidian and Penelope, Michael heard the news of the birth via a message from the child’s guardian angel.
A fucking message.
No sooner had it come in than he disappeared himself.
It had taken a breath for him to vanish to Earth and take form in the infirmary. Easy peasy.
