Page 26 of Spectacle

Link says you need to hang onto him for now. It won’t be long until the contractions start again. Nik can feed them both when labor is over, Caspian tells us as he rubs a soothing hand over my back.

Lila swims closer, and I run a finger over his little cheek. His tears fade away, and he looks up at me, his beautiful glowing green eyes wide with awe and wonder. I feel love pulse through my mind. His brain is unable to form words yet, but he can still share feelings telepathically. I can tell he’s very hungry, but he loves both Lila and me.

Did you feel that? she asks me, her voice filled with reverence. I nod as a smile lights up my mate’s face. He loves us. She sounds as awed as I am, and she swims a little closer so we can both snuggle our baby between us. A tentacle creeps up and brushes the little boy’s tail. He makes a squeaking sound and looks around for the source. Caspian appears, and the two of them study each other. I can feel Caspian’s nerves and his worry that he’s going to scare our new boy, but after a moment, a small smile appears on his lips, and he coos inside our heads, his love spreading to our kraken. I watch as Caspian’s body visibly loosens, and he smiles back.

He’s beautiful. You’ve done so well, you two, he tells us, running a finger over the baby’s nose and bopping him on the end. The little one squirms, but Lila holds him tight.

Hang on, you have plenty of time to play. We need to wait for your sibling, she tells him gently.

Just as she says that, I feel the muscles in my back start to tighten, followed by the ones in my stomach, and the pain that eased to a dull throb comes back with a vengeance. I screw up my face and clamp my lips together, determined not to cry out and frighten our little one, but the pain proves to be too great. Instead of screaming like before, I just groan as my eyes roll back in my head, and I release my hold on our boy. Lila keeps her grip and swims backward, worry written all over her features.

Okay, Nik, you’ve got this. Just a few more flaps, and you’ll be able to hold both babies in your arms and nurse. I know it’s painful, but you’ve got this. You’re the prince of Aquilia and a warrior, so pain is irrelevant. Cas’s tone hardens. Now pump that tail, he commands, and I take a huge breath, water rushing through my gills, giving me a burst of energy as I wave my tail back and forth.

I can see another head, Lila tells me, keeping her distance. Oh, they have my hair. I’m not sure how, since it wasn’t that color when they were conceived. It must be magic. She sounds awed and mystified, and I can’t help but smile despite the pain. This is so worth it, and I would take ten times the amount of agony to see the look of love and wonder on her face.

The contractions come and go four more times, and finally, another baby pushes into the water, their tale unfurling, and I know we have a daughter. She’s a gorgeous girl with hair and a tail just like her mother’s. Her fins are longer and more delicate than her brother’s, whose are thick and solid and designed to cut through the water. Her eyes open wide, and she has the same glowing green irises as her brother. Her little lips purse, and I expect to hear a wail of discontent, but she just yawns sleepily, swims toward me, and nuzzles against my chest.

My heart just about explodes as I gather the little girl in my arms, projecting love and warmth and safety to my little girl. I feel her own emotions inside my chest and sigh with contentment as Lila swims over with our son in her arms. The four of us snuggle together, nuzzling our heads against our babies and whispering words to them. Caspian extends a tentacle toward our daughter, stroking it gently over her long, delicate tail fins, and her eyes widen in shock, but she soon giggles, and Caspian practically melts.

That’s Daddy Cas, I tell my children, wanting them to know that he’s their father as well. They both push out of our arms and zip toward the startled kraken. Lila and I laugh, wrapping our arms around each other as he struggles to catch the little merlings, who are darting in and out of his tentacles, almost like they are playing a game of chase.

Lila wraps her arms around me and presses a kiss to my lips. You made beautiful babies. I love you so much, she tells me, and I smile as a wave of utter exhaustion drags me down. She holds me tighter as her tongue delves into my mouth, but all I can do is hang on as she praises me and lavishes me with affection.

I preen, but it’s halfhearted. I need a nap, but first, I need to feed our babies. My pecs are heavy and full of milk, and the urge to nurse is a dull ache deep inside me.

Caspian manages to catch the two babies and cradle them in his tentacles. He rocks them back and forth, soothing them. You need to nurse. Link says this first burst of energy is going to wear off. It’s designed to be able to escape predators, but it soon runs out. He suggests we settle in the anemone and Nik feeds them and then you all nap. Feeding will cause the slit to close and return to its former use. You also need to feed them often over the next twenty-four hours.

He starts in the direction of the anemone, and Lila and I follow, her arm wrapped around my waist to support me. We push through the long, flowing tentacles of the anemone, and I settle myself into its cushioned heart. Caspian passes me both children, and I cradle one in each arm, holding them each to a nipple. I watch as they both latch on immediately and start suckling. A rush of pride fills me as I nourish my babies. I feel my eyes drift closed and struggle to keep them open. A small ache continues in my tail where my slit is, but I also feel the muscles and flesh start to move back together, healing the birthing channel.

Sleep, my prince, Lila whispers, brushing a hand through my hair as Cas strokes my tail flukes gently. You need time to recover. We will be here when you wake up, and we will decide on names and introduce our babies to our family.

I feel my eyes drift closed, knowing I did good and delivered our babies safely into the world. Now I need to get fit and strong again so I can keep them that way.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Caspian

Iwatch as my mate and her mate sleep with their children snuggled between them. I know there is nothing down here that can hurt them, but I want to be here in case they need anything. I also need to leave them and go back to the surface to give everyone else an update. I told Link I was going radio silent, and we still haven’t announced the babies’ sexes to the others yet. I think if I make them wait any longer, they may try to swim to the bottom of the pool themselves. I’m sure the warlock is already trying to plot how he can spell the others to breathe underwater.

After I place a kiss on each of their foreheads, I make my way to the surface. I find most of Lila’s mates there in various states of impatience. Echo and Maxsim are both in feline form, their eyes closed as they wait patiently. Link is making notes on the tablet built into his arm. I’m sure he’s recording everything that happened in case Nikos ever has another pregnancy, though I doubt he wants to go through that again anytime soon—it was brutal. Lila’s egg laying was practically a walk in the park compared to that. I could tell by the horrified look on her face whenever Nik wasn’t looking.

My gaze slides to the pregnant omega, and I pray that his isn’t anything like that, because Maxsim will lose his shit.

Saxon and Xavier are the most agitated. They pace back and forth, growls of annoyance rumbling from their chests. They are the ones that sound like shifters at the moment, and I stifle the laughter that gathers in my chest. They both look like they would dive in and tackle me, and I know Saxon hates water.

My gaze slides to the grandpas. They have made themselves comfortable, bringing down a little table and chairs from the upper levels. They have coffee and are playing a game of cards with Silac and Tirrian. I hear muttering as the pot grows and cards are exchanged. I grimace. I’ve played cards with the Adams brothers in the past and have been lucky not to lose my shirt. They are card sharks.

Brannock and Zeydan have also brought down chairs from the upper levels, and they are sitting in a far corner, murmuring quietly to each other. I know Zeydan felt guilty about not being able to help Ghosie, so I wonder if he’s trying to work out the root of the Aaz’axian curse. Zeydan is still an unknown entity, but I genuinely believe he doesn’t mean any of us any harm. He helped Lila defeat the Madovians and get to the middle of the death forest. He claims she’s his mate, and who am I to argue with a god? The only people missing are Ghosie, whom I’m assuming is watching the other children, and Broderick, who is either manning the ship or resting.

Maxsim is the first to notice my head poking above the water, and he rumbles a purr, then everyone’s eyes swing to me.

“Well?” Xavier demands, putting his hands on his hips and glaring down at me.

“I’d like to announce the arrival of two new members of the family. Nikos gave birth to a beautiful baby boy first, followed by a gorgeous baby girl who looks just like her mama. Congratulations, Daddies and Grandpas.”

Shouting and cheering echo through the cavern as everyone celebrates the arrival of our new ones. Hugs are exchanged, and everyone is beaming like they were the ones who gave birth themselves.

“Is Nik okay?” Link asks, and the worry on his face makes my already mushy feelings for the cyborg even mushier.

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