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“We still can,” Sloan said, then steadied her when she sat up quickly.

“Can we?” she asked excitedly. “I mean, I don't want to be told. I want to see it...ah, I mean him or her. Do you think we can?”

He didn't answer. Instead, he pulled out his phone and sent a text. “Done.”

“Did you just text Dawn?” Becky's eyes widened.

“I did,” Sloan replied with a smile.

“I love you, Sloan Murphy.” Becky sighed with a grateful smile. “Now help me up. I'm too fat to get up off the floor.”

Sloan chuckled as he stood, then gently helped her to her feet. He held her until she was steady. His grin slowly faded as he stared down at her. “I love you.” Sloan touched her face. “And stop calling yourself fat. You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, even more so carrying our child.”

There were moments during her pregnancy when she felt...yuck, but at this moment, with Sloan staring at her the way he was, she believed his words. She felt beautiful, loved, and like the luckiest girl in the world to have this Warrior in her life.

Looking into his eyes, Becky wished he could see himself the way she did. She knew the things he'd done over the centuries weighed heavily on him, especially now that he was about to become a father. But those things weren't all that made him the man standing before her. She saw the tenderness he rarely showed anyone else, the way he held her when she needed comfort, and how he'd welcomed Frankie into his life without hesitation. Even the concern he'd shown when their baby kicked too hard told her more about the kind of father he'd be. Sloan might believe he'd changed too much from the man who once dreamed of having a family, but Becky wouldn't trade the man he'd become for anyone. He was the man she loved, the man Frankie respected, and the man she couldn't wait to watch become a father.

CHAPTER 7

Lana walked around the compound, trying to shake the fatigue that seemed to have settled into every part of her body. Hell, she'd barely made it down the hall before her legs started feeling heavy, and all she wanted to do was sit down. Pam, Becky, and Dawn said that the fatigue this late in the pregnancy was normal. Normal or not, she was sick of feeling so damn tired. Before she was pregnant, whenever she felt fatigued or restless, she usually went to the shooting range and fired off a bunch of rounds.

Lord, if she even attempted to do that now, Sid would have a heart attack, and he was a damn vampire. She snorted at the thought. She really did love that stubborn ass, but he was driving her absolutely crazy. He watched her every move, was constantly asking if she was okay, and doing every single thing for her. She couldn’t even go into the kitchen to get a glass of water without him rushing past her to do it for her. She actually looked around to make sure he wasn’t lurking somewhere, watching her walk the halls of the compound.

“You looking for Sid?” Caroline chuckled as she walked up behind her.

“Yes,” Lana sighed, then waved her over. “Come here so I can lean on you.”

Caroline hurried over and wrapped an arm around Lana. “Are you feeling okay?” The concern in her voice was evident. “You look a little pale.”

“I’m fine, Sid.” Lana glared at her sister, then snorted. Taking a deep breath, she continued walking with Caroline's help. “I’m frustrated. I’m tired. I’m irritated. And the swelling in my feet is pissing me off.”

“Hey, I’m your sister. I’m allowed to ask questions without getting your mouth.” Caroline wasn't about to let her get away with that attitude. “I remember how bitchy you get when you're not feeling good. You never did make a good patient. Come on, let's go sit and talk.”

Caroline led her into the huge game room, helping Lana settle onto the couch before sitting beside her.

“I just hate feeling helpless.” Lana leaned her head back against the couch and closed her eyes.

“You’re pregnant,” Caroline stated the obvious, earning a glare from Lana before she closed her eyes again. “Not helpless. Can I ask you something?”

“Shoot,” Lana replied without opening her eyes.

“Are you happy, Lana?” Caroline asked without hesitation.

Lana raised her head to look at her sister. “What?”

“When we were younger, you told me you'd always just be an aunt to my kids and Jamie's.” Caroline watched her closely. “You never wanted children of your own. Has that changed?”

Lana stared at her sister for a moment before leaning back against the couch. “Yeah, I remember saying that. And at the time, I meant every damn word.” She glanced down at her swollen stomach, resting her hand against it. “I loved being a cop, Caroline. Still do. I never pictured myself changing diapers or worrying about whether someone ate their vegetables. Hell, I was perfectly happy being the cool aunt who spoiled your kids and sent them home for you to deal with.”

Caroline chuckled, but Lana could see she was waiting for a serious answer.

“Things change,” Lana continued with a small shrug. “I met Sid, fell in love with the crazy bastard, and honestly, mating a vampire seemed like a pretty safe bet when it came to not having kids. I mean, vampires couldn't have children.”

“Or so we thought,” Caroline added with a smirk.

“Yeah.” Lana smiled, then rubbed her stomach when the baby moved. “I am happy, Caroline. I'm scared shitless, but I'm happy. I already love this baby more than I ever thought possible. Doesn't mean I enjoy being pregnant, though. I miss my damn feet, I miss my gun, and I'd give just about anything to walk through this compound without checking behind every wall to see if Sid's lurking there watching me.”

Caroline grimaced. “He’s that bad?”