Page 34 of Interlude

Saxon’s tongue flicks out, and he licks my lip before giving it a little nip and pulling away. I blink in shock. When we played before, I was always with Link, and he was with Xavier, but that was nice, and I wouldn’t mind repeating it. He smirks at my stunned expression and gives me a wink. Playful Saxon is hot, and my inner beast is here for this. He suggests we stick a tentacle in him since I won’t let him stick one in Link.

We won’t be sticking our tentacles anywhere, I scold him, and he goes back to sulking.

“I want kisses.” Cally smacks her hands against my cheeks, startling me, and then pushes them together, making my lips pucker before she lays a sloppy baby kiss on them. My heart swells, and I make kissy sounds, and her laughter is music to my ears. God, I love my babies. My life is pretty fucking amazing. How did I ever get so lucky?

Half an hour later, we are leaving the elevator on the Aquilian level. It takes an unusually long time to wrangle three kraken babies and get them where we want them to be. It’s hard work, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. It didn’t help that their great-grandpas were walking by on their way to the flight deck, and all three needed cuddles from all the babies. You can practically feel the anxiety dripping off them. I have no idea what it would be like to be without your wife for close to twenty years and know she was out there somewhere. At least it must be a relief to know it wasn’t voluntary. I do not envy the person who took her when the Adams men discover who it was.

“Swim with us, Daddy Link.” Cordy drags the cyborg to the side of the pool and strips, unconcerned about being naked before shifting into her kraken form and sliding into the pool. They don’t have a half form yet, but I’m assuming it’s coming. I can’t remember a time where I didn’t have one, so it must be soon—maybe once they have Aquilian siblings to swim with and can’t communicate with them underwater in beast form.

“I want to see how Nikos is doing. How about I meet you in the cave underneath his home?” Link suggests to me, since Cordy has disappeared and Jack and Cally are already naked and shifting. There are no predators to worry about in the pool, but I’m not sure what kind of protective instinct Nikos has now that he’s expecting. I don’t want the children to sneak up on him and scare him.

“We’ll meet you there. If I see him, I’ll let him know you’re here.” I strip off my own clothes and hurry after my children. I find them swimming amongst the coral reef, a game of tag already in play. It looks like Jack is it. I watch them with pure joy in my heart for a few minutes before I call out to them. Come along now. Daddy Link is waiting for Daddy Can of Tuna, and it’s our job to find him.

The kids zip in and out of my tentacles. Their beasts have taken control, but they know I need them to come with me.

Lila told me that Nikos was in the jimble gem cave last time she was in here, so I have a feeling that’s where I’ll find him. I haven’t shown the kids the cave yet, so now is as good a time as any. I dive down deep, using my tentacles to propel me along. I don’t go as fast as I normally do because I want the children to keep up. They dart in and out of small crevices, weaving their way through the reef in a completely different way than me, but I can feel them nearby, so I don’t worry.

Eventually, we make it to the bottom of the deep pool and the pretty, sparkling cave that Lila likes so much. At the entrance, I hear a low, haunting melody being sung, and I frown. That sounds so sad. Now I’m worried about our silly can of tuna. Nikos? I call out, and the music cuts off. My children gather under my tentacles, wary of the dark entrance. They have good instincts, but I pulse my tentacles to let them know there is nothing to be scared of.

Caspian? Nikos replies, and I move into the cave with the children sticking close to me. Is Lila with you? he asks hopefully.

I move into the opening and see him sitting in the anemone, his stomach even larger than it was when I saw him last.

No, I’m sorry, she isn’t. She’s still searching for her grandma. His hopeful look dims. But I brought our babies to meet you, I tell him, gesturing for the kids to move forward.

His eyes light up, and he grins, waving the children forward. Come let Daddy look at you, he calls out, making grabby hands, and I roll my eyes. The kids can’t understand him in beast form, but the gestures say everything. Lila told me the silliness is an act, but I won’t call him out because I can feel the kids’ excitement. They all zip toward him and splat against him like leeches, their little tentacles wrapping around his body. Jack spreads out across his belly, and Nikos looks like he’s wearing a Jack apron. Nikos is knocked over, but he’s laughing madly.

Oh my goodness, they are adorable. He giggles.

Careful, I warn my children. Daddy Nik is going to be having your brothers or sisters soon, so don’t be too rough with him.

He strokes his hands over the babies, his eyes wide with awe when he looks at me. They are beautiful, Caspian.

I puff my chest up just a little. Yes, they are. Jack is the one who is currently giving kisses to your belly, Cordelia is the one whose tentacles are tangled in your hair, and Calypso is the one who’s trying to strangle you. I point to each child as I introduce them.

They have lovely names. How did you decide on them? he asks. I am having trouble making a decision.

Lila and I picked Cordelia’s name from a book my parents had, and she let the rest of us decide on the other two, and both of them were from an Earth pirate movie.

His eyes light up. Would you help me pick some names for my babies? Are there Earth mermaid movies?

Yes, of course we can. The children have a favorite one that they watch at least once a day. I can arrange to have a screen put in the cave under your house, and you can watch it and see if any of the names appeal to you. I will ask Lila if there are any other good mermaid movies.

Thank you. I like the idea of giving our babies Earth names like their mother.

Come on, why don’t we go for a gentle swim? Link is waiting to check on you as well.

He nods and flicks his tail, moving much slower than normal. Okay, but I can’t move very fast at the moment, he warns me, and I call the kids off him to make it easier, but he puts out his hand.

They are okay. They barely weigh a thing. It’s the two inside me that are the problem. One of them is pressing on my spine, and it makes it hard for me to flick my tail. He winces and slaps his hand over his lower back and groans.

Shit, do you need some help? I ask him. How about I tow you through the water so you don’t have to move? I go over to him and shoo the children away. Daddy Nik is hurting. How about you swim ahead and tell Daddy Link we’re coming? I tell them, and they peel themselves off the poor encumbered merman and disappear. I wrap my arms around him and turn him around so his back is to my front, then I propel myself forward with my tentacles.

Hang on, we’ll see if Link has anything to help you. I’m anxious and worried about the can of tuna now. It can’t be easy to be so round, and unlike my babies, which were encased in eggs, his are fully formed, and their tails must be pushing on some nerve or something. I look down his body as I maneuver through the reef, wanting to see Link as soon as we can. His stomach is way bigger than Lila’s was.

Link told us twins are uncommon for Aquilians, so maybe there are complications we hadn’t anticipated. Well. Link probably did, now that I think about it, but he probably didn’t say anything because he didn’t want to worry any of us, especially Lila, unless it was necessary. I would say it is necessary now, and our wife is on another planet and not where she needs to be, but I’m here, and I’m going to do everything I can to support my mate’s mate and our new babies.

Link

---