I.T.LUCAS

DON'T READ BEFORE FINISHING BOOK 102!

 

Chapter 1: Areana 

 

Areana stood in front of the full-length mirror in the bedroom of Amanda's old penthouse and smoothed her hand over the full-length silk gown that Annani's seamstress had made for her in record time. 

The woman had simply taken one of the patterns she used to make Annani's dresses, lengthened it to accommodate Areana's height, and adjusted the measurements to fit her broader frame. The result was beautiful. Somehow, the lavender color complemented her pale complexion instead of making her look ghostly, and it was so much more comfortable than all the modern clothing she had worn since the rescue.

Did what had happened even count as a rescue, given that she hadn't wanted to be rescued? That it had been an accident? 

Everyone else was calling it that, including her sons, so she went along with it. There was no point in correcting the misconception when the result was the same.  

Tula and Tamira and the other ladies were free and living among Annani's people, and she was here, mostly alone. 

She was still getting used to her new reality, and some of it wasn't easy. Thank the merciful Fates for Lokan and Carol, who were staying in the other penthouse across the vestibule, or she would have starved. She didn't know how to prepare her own meals, and if not for them, she would have been subsisting on tea and coffee. 

At least she knew how to make those. 

Areana chuckled at her reflection in the mirror. Here she was, a five-thousand-year-old immortal who was scared of operating an oven and learning how to take care of herself without the help of a maid. 

Unlike her, Annani had been on her own since she was eighteen years of age, and look at all she had accomplished. She'd built an empire with nothing but their uncle's tablet and the information stored in it, and had raised accomplished children who loved and respected her.

Areana couldn't help but feel a little envious of her petite powerhouse of a sister. Why had Annani inherited their father's tenacity and ability, while Areana had only inherited his height and blond hair? 

Because the Fates were wise and merciful, they had allocated tasks to both of them according to their ability. Annani had been meant to lead, while Areana was meant to be the calming and balancing force that had kept Navuh from burning down the world.

Thankfully, Annani understood that, and she didn't look down her nose at her meek sister or condemn her choices. Instead, she'd wrapped her arms around Areana and said that truelove mates stood by each other no matter what, and that she would have done the same if their roles were reversed.

Areana was not sure that was true, but it had been nice of Annani to say. Knowing that her sister and the rest of her family didn't condemn her for staying by Navuh's side made her feel accepted when she'd expected to be scorned. 

Casting one last look at the mirror, she decided to let her hair fall loose around her shoulders and not bother with an elaborate updo. There was no maid to help her anymore, and she didn't want to waste time on vanity when she should be heading back down to the clinic. 

Besides, Navuh preferred her hair down. Had always loved running his fingers through it, watching the golden strands catch the light.

Stepping out of the penthouse, she admired the vestibule and the huge fresh flower arrangement on the round table in the middle of it. The penthouse she was staying in was on one side, and the one Lokan and Carol were occupying was on the other.

It was such a blessing to have them right next door. She'd had coffee this morning with her son and his mate, and it had been wonderful to be able to do so. 

It was strange how quickly she was adapting to this new life. 

Areana found it difficult to believe that they had arrived at the keep on Tuesday night—Navuh broken and on the verge of dying, and her clinging to him, terrified that if she didn't watch him every moment, he would be snatched away from her and taken beyond the veil.

Today was only Friday, but it seemed like so much more time had passed. Her sense of temporal continuity was completely scrambled.

With a sigh, Areana pressed the elevator call button and waited. Her thumbprint had been programmed into the security system, allowing her access to the elevator so she could move freely between the penthouse level and the underground facilities. 

Without that clearance, the elevator simply wouldn't respond.

The security measures were extensive, and it occurred to her that Kian shared his uncle's paranoid tendencies. He would hate to hear that he had anything in common with Navuh, but he couldn't deny their shared genetics.

As the elevator arrived, Areana stepped inside and pressed the button for the clinic level.  

Navuh was probably still sedated, but not for long. Bridget had reduced the dose she was giving him because he was doing better and was no longer in a critical condition. His internal organs had been repaired, and his shattered spine and all the other broken bones had been set properly, but the nerve damage would take weeks to fully heal.

Soon, he would be awake, and the thought filled Areana with equal parts of excitement and dread.

Excitement that her mate was healing and returning to her, and dread thinking of his reaction to her. 

What would he say when he saw her? Would he remember what had happened? Would he blame her for his captivity?

The elevator doors opened, and as Areana stepped into the corridor leading to the clinic, her low heels clicked against the concrete floor, announcing her presence with every step.

When she got to the outer door of the clinic's double-door security system, Areana looked up at the camera mounted above it, smiled and waved at the Guardians who were watching the feed in the security office, and then waited.

The door hissed open, and she stepped into the small chamber that was barely large enough for a gurney and two people. When the outer door sealed behind her with a click, she waited, counting the seconds until the inner door would open. 

One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

The lock disengaged, and the inner door swung outward.

It was ridiculous, really. All this security for a paralyzed man who wouldn't be able to move for weeks to come. Navuh was no threat to anyone in his current state, especially since they were all wearing those specially designed earpieces that filtered compulsion. 

Areana didn't need them. 

She'd always been immune, perhaps because she was a goddess and immortal mind manipulation did not work on gods, or perhaps because that was how the Fates wanted it to be. Navuh appreciated her more, knowing that he couldn't compel her or enter her mind. It made her more interesting to him. 

As Areana stepped into the clinic proper, Bridget walked out of her office.

"He woke up," the doctor said. "About twenty minutes ago. He asked for you. Then he fell asleep again."

Areana's hand flew to her chest, her heart suddenly racing. "You said it would take much longer for him to wake up."

"I did," Bridget confirmed. "Frankly, he surprised me. I didn't expect him to shake off the sedative so quickly."

Underestimating her mate was not smart. He was always one step ahead of everyone else, sometimes several. 

"How was he?" Areana asked. "Was he raging at me?"

Bridget's expression softened. "Your name was the first word out of his mouth. 'Areana.' He was terrified that you hadn't survived."

Relief washed through her so powerfully that her knees went weak. "What did you tell him?"

"That you were fine, and that you'd gone to shower and change because you wanted to look pretty for him when he woke up. He was so relieved to hear you were okay that he seemed to forget to be angry. At least initially."

"And then?" Areana braced herself.

"Then he demanded to see Annani."

Areana's breath caught. "So he knew where he was?"

"He's smart," Bridget said matter-of-factly. "He figured it out almost immediately. He knew that he'd been captured by the clan."

Of course he did. Navuh was brilliant and incredibly astute. It was part of what made him so dangerous.

Bridget smiled. "He tried to use compulsion on me. It was almost cute how surprised he looked when it didn't work. I showed him the earpiece, and he took it remarkably well, all things considered, immediately changing his tone and saying please instead of issuing demands."

That was because he had already been planning how to work around it. He was always planning. Always thinking three steps ahead.

"Did he panic when he realized that he couldn't move?"

Bridget nodded. "I told him that it would take four to six weeks before he could walk with assistance. Two to three months for anything approaching full mobility." Bridget met Areana's eyes. "He's going to need a lot of physical therapy. And patience. Something I suspect he doesn't have in abundance."

That wasn't true. Planning things decades ahead, acquiring compromised assets, and growing plants all required a lot of patience. But that didn't translate to him having patience with the small things. 

"Can I go in?" Areana asked. 

"Of course." Bridget pulled out her phone and activated the door mechanism with a click on the screen.

The door to the patient room swung open with a hiss.

Areana stepped through and felt another pang of guilt at the sight of Navuh lying motionless in the hospital bed.

He looked so different from the powerful, commanding presence she'd known for millennia. So vulnerable. Bandages covered his head where his skull had fractured. His arms lay at his sides, connected to IV lines and monitors. At least the breathing tube had been removed, thank the merciful Fates, and he was breathing on his own now.

She walked over to the bed and leaned over him carefully, brushing her lips against his forehead through the bandage. 

His skin was warm. He was alive. He was healing.

He didn't wake.

Areana sat on the chair beside his bed, the same chair she'd occupied almost constantly since their arrival. She'd sat here while he was unconscious, holding his hand and talking to him even though he couldn't hear her or respond.

She'd told him about reuniting with Annani and meeting their sons and their little grandson, and about discovering she had half-siblings she'd never known existed.

She'd told him about the cozy apartment waiting for them in the underground without mentioning that it was in the dungeon, only that they'd be together, and that was what mattered.

She'd told him she loved him.

Areana wasn't looking forward to being underground again, to giving up the windows and natural light she'd enjoyed in the penthouse. But she'd do it gladly to be with Navuh.

The question was whether he would want her there.

Areana's chest constricted with a wave of panic, but she forced it down, refusing to let it overwhelm her.

Today was a good day. Her mate was alive. He was healing. He was no longer in danger of dying.

She took his hand in hers. "I'm right here, and I'm not leaving. No matter what you say when you wake up, no matter how angry you are at me, I'm not going anywhere."

 

Chapter 2: Tula 

 

Tula wrapped her fingers around a cup of herbal tea that had gone lukewarm while she waited for Tony. She stared at the liquid, her mind circling anxiously around the appointment she had in less than an hour.

Her first ultrasound. 

She didn't really know what to expect. She'd seen how it was done in movies, but that was fiction. Would she really be able to see the baby growing inside her? Would Julian be able to determine if it was a boy or a girl? Did she want to know? 

Tony was supposed to be here already. 

She'd texted him about the appointment last night instead of calling. Chickened out, really. It had taken her forever to type the words on the small screen, her fingers constantly missing the tiny squares with letters that were arranged all wrong. But it had still been easier than hearing his voice and having to deal with the emotions coming through the line.

His response had come back within seconds. I'll be there. Though I wish it were Bridget doing it instead of Julian.

Evidently, Tony could type much faster than she could. Not that it was surprising. He hadn't been buried under a rock his entire life. He'd been exposed to all the modern devices and knew how to use them, while she was still learning.

Tula wanted to type back that she would have preferred Bridget as well, but it required too much effort. 

Julian wasn't as experienced as his mother, but he would have to do because Bridget was at the keep, taking care of Navuh. 

Of course she was. 

Because even as a prisoner, Navuh commanded the best care, the most attention, so the clan's top physician was dedicating herself to his recovery.

Life just wasn't fair.

Some people always got more of everything. More attention, more power, more respect, more resources. They commanded it without even trying, as if the universe itself bowed to them.

"Why are you brooding?" Wonder asked, pulling out a chair and sitting across from her. She brought two fresh cups of coffee, setting one in front of Tula and taking a sip from the other.

"I'm not brooding," Tula said. "I'm just thinking."

"About what?"

Tula sighed. "About cosmic injustice. I wish it were Bridget who was doing the ultrasound. Julian is a nice guy, but it's awkward having a man I barely know examining me. I've never been examined by anyone who wasn't my lover. It seems so strange to have a stranger touch me, even if he's nice."

Wonder's expression softened.  "For what it's worth, Julian is mated to his truelove, so he is guaranteed to be perfectly clinical with you."

"How much experience does he have with pregnancies? I know he's young." 

Wonder scrunched her nose. "None, I guess. Bridget is the one who takes care of the few pregnancies we get here. Mostly it's the Kra-ell and the humans. Immortals, as you know, are not as fertile." 

Tula picked up the fresh coffee Wonder had brought. "Figures that I would be stuck with the inexperienced doctor while Bridget takes care of Navuh. The lord always come before the servants, even when he's the enemy."

Wonder smiled. "Your pregnancy is normal and healthy. It doesn't require expert care. Navuh has broken every bone in his body and shredded his internal organs. I think he needs a little more attention than you."

"I know." Tula felt guilty for her resentment. "I'm just cranky, and antsy, and annoyed, and before you accuse me of always being like that, I will let you know that I'm not."

"Why are you antsy?"

Tula shrugged. "It must be the pregnancy."

It wasn't, but she wasn't ready to share the real reason with Wonder. Not yet. They were sisters, but in many ways, they were still strangers. She didn't feel comfortable telling Wonder that she was needy and that she hadn't seen any action between the sheets in a long while. 

The weeks leading up to the rescue had been a whirlwind of guilt, sorrow, and impossible hope, and she hadn't been in the right state of mind to be intimate with Tony or anyone else.

Now that she was free and no longer devastated by guilt and grief, her body remembered that it had needs.  

"You could see Merlin," Wonder said. "He has much more experience than Julian. He's the fertility specialist around here." Wonder's lips quirked. "Though he's a little kooky."

"Kooky?"

"You'd have to meet him to understand. He prepares these custom-made potions for couples who are trying to conceive. He's kind of eccentric, but nice. I like him. He has a 'Nutty Professor' vibe."

"Do the potions work?" Tula asked.

Wonder shrugged. "Who knows? Syssi and Kian took them and got Allegra. Bridget and Turner took them, and now Bridget's pregnant. But correlation isn't causation, you know? They might have conceived anyway."

"Or the potions actually work and he's really good at what he does."

"Maybe." Wonder leaned back in her chair. "Either way, he's entertaining, but I don't know if he also takes care of the results of his potions."

Tula wanted to ask what she'd meant by results, pregnancies or babies, when she saw Tony walking into the café. 

She tensed up.

This was the first time she'd seen him since he'd moved out, leaving a note on the kitchen counter and not saying goodbye. He'd just moved into William and Kaia's spare bedroom.

He looked good. Rested. Like living apart from her was actually working out well for him.

That thought shouldn't hurt, but it did.

"Hey," Tony said as he reached their table. He nodded to Wonder, then looked at Tula. "How are you doing?"

"Good." Tula forced a smile. "Thanks for coming."

"Of course. I said I would." He pulled out a chair and sat. "Wouldn't miss it. So everything all right in there?" He motioned at her belly. 

"I'm nervous about the appointment."

An awkward silence settled over the table. Wonder glanced between them, looking like she was debating whether to help fill the conversational void or let them work through it themselves.

"So," Tula said, needing to break the tension. "How have you been? Settling in at William and Kaia's okay?"

"Great, actually." Tony's face brightened. "Kaia and I are working on a project together. It's good to be doing what I've actually been trained to do."

He'd been in the village for three days and was already working? How had he managed that?

"What kind of project?" she asked.

"I can't tell you. It's classified."

Tula felt her anger flare. "Classified? You've just got here, and you're human. How can you possibly be working on a classified project?"

Tony squared his shoulders. "I'm a bioinformatician, Tula. So is Kaia. She needed my help and asked Kian to give me clearance so I could work with her. Kian arranged for me to meet a guy named Toven who compelled me to keep my mouth shut, so I literally can't tell anyone about it even if I wanted to."

Wonder snorted into her coffee.

Tula turned to her. "What's funny?"

"Tony calling Toven a guy." Wonder grinned. "Toven is not just some guy. He's a god. Mortdh's brother."

Tula's eyes widened. "That Toven? He's here? Does Areana know?"

"I don't think so." Wonder's amusement faded. "It was another one of those strategic secrets that Annani couldn't share with Areana while she was still with Navuh."

"I always liked Toven," Tula admitted, memories of the handsome, aloof god surfacing. "He was so smart, so knowledgeable, and he wasn't interested in the political intrigue and intrigues the other gods were playing at."

Wonder arched a brow. "You were a kid. What did you know about politics?"

Tula shrugged. "I listened to you and Annani talking."  

"I'm smart," Tony grumbled. "And yet you left me for an uneducated redhead who works with his hands."

Heat flooded Tula's face, creeping up her neck and burning her ears. "I didn't leave you for Esag."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Really? Because I've heard differently."

How had he even found out? 

She'd been to Esag's house once; they'd kissed, but that had been all.

Still, there was a kernel of truth in his accusation.

She hadn't left Tony for Esag, but Esag had been a catalyst to end things sooner rather than later, because she was curious and wanted to explore this strange connection between them that had blossomed despite her animosity toward him. 

The problem was that Esag was walking on eggshells around her, and it was driving her mad. She was impatient and wanted more. She didn't want to be careful. She knew Esag, and with all of his faults, he was a decent guy. 

There was no nasty fiancée this time, no family obligations, and he didn't owe anyone anything. If he wanted, he could give himself to her without reservation, and she would take him because she knew he would never hurt her.

But apparently, she was going to have to be the one to make it happen because she had no patience and didn't want to wait. The pregnancy hormones were making her feel needy and restless, and desperate for physical affection.

Tony was right there, familiar and available and perfectly willing to scratch that itch if she gave him any indication she wanted him. But sleeping with Tony again would ruin all the progress they'd made. 

She couldn't do that.

Tula looked at her phone, hoping for a message from Esag, but there was none. It was, however, time to go. 

She pushed to her feet. "My appointment is in five minutes. I'd rather be early than late."

The three of them walked together toward the clinic, all of them grateful that it was only a few feet away from the café, so they didn't have to carry on a conversation for long.

Tony opened the door for her, and as she entered, she was greeted by a nurse.

Good. Having a female medical professional in addition to Julian would make things a little less awkward.

"Good morning, Tula," the nurse said. "I'm Gertrude, and I will be assisting Julian today. We're ready for you. Come on back."

Tula followed her into an examination room. She recognized the portable ultrasound machine from a television show about hospital staff, that had been approved for the ladies' viewing. It sat in the corner, its screen dark and waiting.

"Put this on." Gertrude handed her a hospital gown. "Opening in the front."

When the nurse left, Tula changed quickly, folding her clothes and setting them on a chair. The gown was thin and drafty, and she felt exposed.

A knock sounded at the door. "Can I come in?" the nurse asked. 

"Yes." She stopped the gown from gaping by holding it to her body. 

"Let me help you get ready." Gertrude motioned for her to lie down on the examination table and pulled out a sheet. 

She covered her legs and her privates with it, and then tucked the gown in a way that covered her breasts but left her tummy exposed.

"Okay?" she asked.

"Perfect." 

A moment later Julian entered, followed by Wonder and Tony.

"Good morning, Tula." He smiled at her. "Do you know what an ultrasound is?"

She nodded. "I've seen it done on television. I just don't know how real it was." 

"Probably real enough." He washed his hands at the small sink, then pulled on gloves. "We'll take some measurements, check the baby's development, and see if we can determine the sex, though it might still be too early to tell for certain."

She was about four and a half months along, and Wonder had said that it might be possible to see the sex, but not always. 

Tula lay back on the examination table, her heart suddenly racing. This was real. She was about to see her baby for the first time.

"Everyone ready for the great reveal?" Julian asked.

"Yes," they all said in unison.

Julian squeezed gel onto Tula's exposed belly and then positioned the ultrasound wand. The screen flickered to life, showing grainy black and white images that meant nothing to Tula.

Then Julian adjusted something, and suddenly she could see it.

A tiny form. Unmistakably human. Head, body, limbs all visible in profile.

Her baby.

Tula gasped, tears springing to her eyes.

"Wow—" Tony's voice was thick with emotion. "Is it a boy or a girl?"

"Too early to tell," Julian said, his focus on the screen. "The anatomy is still developing. We'll be able to determine the baby's sex more reliably in another month or so."

Tula barely heard him. She was transfixed by the image on the screen, by the tiny person growing inside her body.

So small and so perfect.

"There's the heartbeat," Julian said, and suddenly the room was filled with a rapid thumping sound. "Strong and steady. About 150 beats per minute, which is right where we want it."

Tula was in love. Completely, utterly, irrevocably in love with this tiny being.

"Everything looks good," Julian continued, taking measurements and making notes. "Growth is right on track for eighteen weeks. The placenta is positioned well, and the amniotic fluid levels are normal. A healthy baby."

"Eighteen weeks," Wonder said softly. "That's almost halfway."

Halfway. 

In less than five months, Tula would be holding this baby in her arms. This real, actual person who was currently no bigger than a bell pepper.

The utter miracle of it overwhelmed her. She was going to be a mother. Not someday, not in the abstract future, but soon.

"Can I have a picture of the baby?" Tula asked, her voice betraying her emotions.

"Of course." Julian pressed a button, and the machine whirred. "I'll print several for you. And we'll schedule your next appointment for four weeks from now. By then, we should definitely be able to tell you the sex if you want to know."

"I want to know," Tula said immediately.

"Me too," Tony added.

Julian finished the exam, cleaned the gel from her belly, and handed her several printed images. "Congratulations. You're doing great, and so is your baby."

After he left, she stared at the grainy black and white photos in her hands. Her baby. Right there in her hands, captured in an image she could hold and keep and look at whenever she needed reassurance that this was real.

"That was amazing," Wonder said. "I can't believe how clear the image was. That is an actual person in there."

"Yeah," Tony agreed quietly. He was looking at Tula with an expression of longing that she was having a hard time pretending not to notice. "That's our kid in there."

Our kid. The words hung in the air, pregnant with implications.

Tula carefully handed the ultrasound images to Wonder. "Would you hold them for me while I get dressed?"

Wonder and Tony took the hint and stepped out, giving her privacy to change.

Alone in the exam room, Tula placed her hand on her belly.

"Hi," she whispered. "I got a peek at you just now, and you're perfect."

The baby didn't respond, of course, but Tula felt a warmth spread through her chest anyway, a fierce protective love that burned bright like the sun.

 

Chapter 3: Esag 

 

Esag held Wonder's figurine up to the light, examining the delicate features he'd finally managed to capture correctly.

It had only taken him weeks of trying.

The wood had just stubbornly refused to cooperate, manifesting Tula's face no matter how hard Esag had concentrated on Wonder's features, because the Fates had wanted to get his attention. They'd followed with visions, which had shown him Tula's plight, but he still wasn't sure what his role was in all of this.

He'd warned Wonder and Annani, telling them what he had seen in his visions of Tula and preparing them for the news that had finally arrived from Areana, but the truth was that the clan would have mounted a rescue regardless of his involvement.

His help hadn't been needed. He'd had to beg to be allowed to accompany the rescue team as an observer, and the emotional support he'd provided to Tula on the submarine had been negligible.

As usual, his role in the grand scheme of things was unimportant, superfluous. Worse, he was the reason Tula had ended things with Tony, and now, in addition to all the things he felt guilty about, he also felt guilty for breaking up an unborn child's home.  

At least Wonder's figurine had come out beautifully. Anandur was going to be happy with it, even though his present to his mate was no longer a surprise. 

The big guy understood that Esag had to tell Wonder and Annani about Tula, and to do so, he'd had to reveal that Anandur had commissioned a figurine of Wonder. Still, his surprise had been ruined, and Esag wanted to compensate him in some way.

He set Wonder's figurine on the shelf with the others and stared at the various pieces of wood he kept on hand, trying to decide what else he could carve for Wonder. 

He could carve figurines of Wonder and Tula's parents. He still remembered their faces clearly, but that would only make the sisters sad, reminding them of what they'd lost.

Maybe he could carve the royal court instead? 

He remembered Ahn and Nei vividly, the king and queen of the gods who had refused to be called king and queen. Ahn had preferred the title of head god, but to Esag, head god and king of the gods were one and the same.

He was a simple male, and he didn't care about semantics. A kettle could be called a pot and a pot a kettle, but it made little difference in how they were used. They were interchangeable.

Wonder would probably get sad seeing figurines of Ahn and Nei as well, because they were gone. 

Strangely, he'd dreamt of them living in a place where auroras were constantly in the sky, but that was just his mind seeking to find something positive to latch on to. At best, these visions were of the dead gods enjoying peace and tranquility beyond the veil.

He should carve figurines of the living instead, perhaps of Annani and Areana embracing each other. Wonder would like that. It would be meaningful to her, and celebratory rather than melancholy.

He picked up a larger piece of wood and examined it against the light, checking for blemishes. After all, goddesses were perfect, and he needed to depict them properly.

When the doorbell rang, he put the piece of wood on his workbench and wiped the wood dust from his hands with a rag. Walking toward the front door, he wondered who that could be. He wasn't expecting anyone, and his roommates would just walk in rather than ring the bell.

When he opened it, Tula stood on his doorstep, holding a large envelope and looking emotional in a way he couldn't quite read. She didn't look upset, more like excited and overwhelmed.

"What happened?" He opened the door wider, stepping aside to let her in. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She clutched the envelope to her chest. "I had an ultrasound this morning. Julian did it. I have pictures."

An ultrasound. He knew what those were. Expectant mothers could get a glimpse of their babies while they were still in the womb. 

That would explain why Tula was vibrating with emotions.

"Is everything alright?" he asked. "I mean, with the baby. Did Julian say anything?"

"The baby is perfect." She grinned. "I want to show you. If you want to see, that is." She suddenly sounded uncertain. "If that's not something that interests you, just say the word and the pictures stay in the envelope. I won't be offended."

Esag's heart skipped a beat. He was overwhelmed, caught up in Tula's excitement, touched that she wanted to share this with him. After this huge moment, she'd come to him first.

"Of course I want to see." He took her hand, threading his fingers through hers, and led her to the living room couch. "Please, take a seat. Can I get you something to drink?"

"Water would be nice." Tula sat on the couch, setting the envelope carefully beside her. "I get thirsty when I'm excited."

Esag went to the kitchen and grabbed two tall glasses from the cabinet. He filled them from a reverse osmosis filter system because he didn't have any bottled water. Hopefully, she wouldn't mind. 

He had no idea what standard she was used to from the harem. They hadn't gotten to that yet. He was taking things glacier-slow to give Tula every opportunity to go back to the father of her child. Not because he wanted her to go back to Tony, but because he didn't want breaking up a family on his conscience in addition to everything else. 

"Do you want ice?" he asked.

"No, thank you."

He returned to the living room and set the glasses on the coffee table, then sat beside her on the couch.

"Show me," he said, trying for cheerful and encouraging but not quite making it sound the way he wanted.

Tula cast him a sidelong glance, then opened the envelope and pulled out several black and white images.

Esag had never seen an ultrasound before, but he had heard about them and understood the basic concept, or as much as a layperson could understand how sound waves could create images of what was inside the body.

The image was grainy, but even with his untrained eye, he could make out the general shape. A tiny head. A body. Limbs curled in that universal fetal position.

A baby. An actual baby, growing inside Tula.

For some inexplicable reason, that black and white grainy image affected him much more than it should. 

"Cute," he said, because he felt incapable of being more articulate, because he couldn't understand the tangle of emotions churning through him.

Wonder at the miracle of it. 

Jealousy that it wasn't his child she was carrying.

Protectiveness toward both Tula and this tiny life. 

Fear that he was getting in too deep, too fast, with a woman whose life was about to become infinitely more complicated.

"He is," Tula said. "He's perfect."

Esag frowned at the photo, studying the image more carefully. The baby's legs were crossed, obscuring any definitive anatomy. "How could Julian see enough to determine the sex? I can't see anything that would indicate that."

"He didn't." Tula placed her hand over her heart. "He said we won't know for another month or so. But I know. Right here. A mother knows."

A mother knows.

Tula was about to become a mother. In less than five months, this tiny form on the ultrasound pictures would be a living, breathing baby who would demand constant attention and care. Her life would no longer be her own.

She'd spent five thousand years as a captive. Five thousand years of having her choices stripped away and living according to someone else's rules and demands.

And now, just as she'd finally gained her freedom, she was walking into a different kind of captivity. 

A baby didn't care about autonomy or personal freedom. A baby needed feeding, changing, soothing, and protecting, and it gave nothing back except the occasional smile, and the promise of future gratitude that wasn't guaranteed in this new world where children blamed their parents for everything wrong in their lives and did not express gratitude for all the things that those parents had sacrificed for them. 

Esag looked at Tula's face and the pure joy radiating from her expression, and realized she didn't see it that way at all.

She wasn't mourning the loss of her freedom. She was celebrating this new connection, this person she'd created, and she was looking forward to this role she'd never thought she'd have the chance to fill.

"You're happy," he said.

"I'm terrified," Tula admitted. "But I'm also happy and excited and, frankly, overwhelmed." She traced the outline of the baby's head on the photo with one finger. "I never thought I'd have this. For thousands of years, I did my best not to get pregnant because I knew the consequences of having a baby in the harem. I resigned myself to never having this."

"But you wanted children." He could hear it in her voice, see it in the way she cradled the ultrasound image.

Tula shook her head. "It wasn't an option, so I didn't allow myself to dwell on it." She sighed. "Before the world was turned upside down, when I was still a girl, I dreamt of having a large family with a lot of children. Wonder's and my mother was an immortal, so her fertility was what it was. We were lucky to be born only six years apart. I was envious of large human families."

Esag tried to imagine Tula with a bunch of children running around and found the image amusing. She would have been a loving mother, but she would have also yelled at her children when they misbehaved. It would have been a chaotic household.

But that was a fantasy. Even if her world hadn't been turned upside down, she would have been lucky to have one or two children. She had already been an immortal when she'd accompanied Areana on her journey north, having been induced on her twelfth birthday. Having many children had never been in her future. 

"This baby is lucky to have you as a mother," he said.

Tula turned to look at him, and the vulnerability in her expression made his chest ache. "Do you really think so? I'm terrified I'll be terrible at it. I have a temper, and I'm not patient. Those are not good traits for a mother."

He took her hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss. "Love smooths over the rough edges, and no parent is perfect. We all do the best we can with what we have." 

She smiled. "How would you know? You've never been a father." 

"I raised Roven and Davuh even though I got them as adults. Hell, I'm still raising them. Do you think this living room would have been tidy today if I didn't yell at them this morning to clean it up?"

She laughed, which had been his intention. "Five-thousand-year-old babies. That's funny." 

He affected a scowl. "Not really.  I'm not supposed to be their keeper. They should know to clean up after themselves." 

Tula looked at him with a peculiar expression on her beautiful face. "You'll make a good father." She smiled. "When Junior misbehaves, I'll waggle my finger at him and yell, 'Just wait until your father comes home.'" 

They both sobered when the impossibility of her words registered. 

He put his other hand over their intertwined fingers. "I would love for that scenario to play out in real life, but even if I'm lucky enough to share yours, this child will not call me father."

She nodded. "I know. I was just trying to be funny, and it came out all wrong. Don't make too much out of it." 

How could he not? 

She'd imagined that scenario because on some level, she wished it was true, and so did he. Time would tell what would come of their relationship, but if they ever shared a household, Tony would have been a frequent guest and a partner in raising his and Tula's child. 

"Wonder thinks I should move in with her and Anandur," Tula said. "She's worried about me being alone in that house once the baby comes."

"That's not a terrible idea, but it's not great either. You have plenty of time to decide what you want to do."

Tula nodded. "Everything is so new, so different here." She turned to look at him, and there was hope and longing in her eyes.

"I want someone who chooses to be there for me," she said softly. "Not out of obligation or duty, but because they want to be part of this. Part of my life and my child's life."

Esag's heart pounded so hard he was sure she could hear it. This was an invitation if he ever heard one. 

"I want to be there," he said, and watched her eyes widen. "I know we barely know each other, and I know that this is moving faster than it probably should, but you are here for a reason. You came to me with pictures of your baby because you want me to be part of your life. Part of your child's life as well. Not as a father because I can't claim that honor, but as a favorite uncle, perhaps?"

"Tony will be around a lot. Are you sure you are up to that?"

"I can handle Tony."

"And Wonder—" Tula's voice broke. "Wonder might have feelings about this. About us. About you being with me. She has a truelove mate, so maybe she won't mind, but it's still complicated." 

"I think she will be okay with us being together, but I don't think we should officially move in together yet."

She frowned. "Why not?"

"Because Tony will be convinced that you left him for me, and he will be hurt and angry. It's not a good way to start what will be a three-body problem." 

She looked confused. "A what?"

"A three-body problem is when three forces are locked together with no simple, stable solution. When only two people are involved, things settle into a predictable orbit, one pushes, the other pulls, and they find a middle path. But the moment a third person enters, everything gets unpredictable. Each one tugs on the others in different ways, and the whole system starts to wobble. No one can tell where things will go next, because every small shift changes the balance again."

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Thank you for reading The Children Of The Gods Series.

If you can spare a moment, a review for Dark Stranger The Dream would be tremendously appreciated. Positive reviews from fans are essential for the series' continued success.

Your review will fuel my creativity and encourage new readers to take a chance on the series.

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THE PERFECT MATCH BUNDLE

5 Feel-good HEA standalone, fun stories

3 novellas & 2 Full-length novels 

Vampire’s Consort

When Gabriel’s company is ready to start beta testing, he invites his old crush to inspect its medical safety protocol. Curious about the revolutionary technology of the Perfect Match Virtual Fantasy-Fulfillment studios, Brenna agrees. Neither expects to end up partnering for its first fully immersive test run.

 

King’s Chosen

When Lisa’s nutty friends get her a gift certificate to Perfect Match Virtual Fantasy Studios, she has no intentions of using it. But since the only way to get a refund is if no partner can be found for her, she makes sure to request a fantasy so girly and over the top that no sane guy will pick it up. Except, someone does. Warning: This fantasy contains a hot, dominating crown prince, sweet insta-love, steamy love scenes painted with light shades of gray, a wedding, and a HEA in both the virtual and real worlds.

Captain's Conquest

Working as a Starbucks barista, Alicia fends off flirting all day long, but none of the guys are as charming and sexy as Gregg. His frequent visits are the highlight of her day, but since he’s never asked her out, she assumes he’s taken. Besides, between a day job and a budding music career, she has no time to start a new relationship. That is until Gregg makes her an offer she can’t refuse—a gift certificate to the virtual fantasy fulfillment service everyone is talking about. As a huge Star Trek fan, Alicia has a perfect match in mind—the captain of the Starship Enterprise.

The Thief Who Loved Me

When Marian splurges on a Perfect Match Virtual adventure as a world infamous jewel thief, she expects high-wire fun with a hot partner who she will never have to see again in real life.

A virtual encounter seems like the perfect answer to Marcus's string of dating disasters. No strings attached, no drama, and definitely no love. As a die-hard James Bond fan, he chooses as his avatar a dashing MI6 operative, and to complement his adventure, a dangerously seductive partner.

Neither expects to find their forever Perfect Match.

My Merman Prince
The beautiful architect working late on the twelfth floor of my building thinks that I’m just the maintenance guy. She’s also under the impression that I’m not interested.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
I want her like I’ve never wanted a woman before, but I don’t play where I work.
I don’t need the complications.
When she tells me about living out her mermaid fantasy with a stranger in a Perfect Match virtual adventure, I decide to do everything possible to ensure that the stranger is me

 

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Dark Stranger Trilogy 

Includes a short story: The Fates take a Vacation

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Dark Enemy Trilogy

Includes a short story: The Fates' Post-Wedding Celebration

 

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