Page 49 of Beyond Fate

But Damon didn’t want to cut his time short with his family. Some might not consider simply riding on the open road as bonding, but for Damon and his family, riding side by side, the loud rumble of their engines, just cruising along, was everything to them. Especially when they stopped as a family to sit down and enjoy a meal together like they were doing now.

“I’ve been dreaming about Mason’s barbeque.” Damon bit into a rib bone and moaned at the taste, loving how the meat just fell off the ribs.

“Is it a craving?” Jaytee bounced his brows. “Should I go back up there and order you an entire tray of desserts?”

“You’ve had your fun, boy,” Kalen said sternly to Jaytee. “Let your brother eat in peace.”

Jaytee scrunched his face at Damon. “Fine, but I was only offering to get him some dessert. I hear pregos crave sweets.”

“You’re gonna crave my hand on the back of your head if you don’t quit it,” their dad warned.

His twin smirked before he focused on his food.

After Damon had taken three bites, his nausea returned. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” He didn’t care if his nausea hit him full-on. He’d been looking forward to ribs and macaroni and cheese. Nothing was going to stop him from eating it.

“What?” Jaytee furrowed his brows. Then they shot up as he scrambled from beside Damon. “Don’t you dare get sick! You’re just trying to get back at me.”

Damon breathed in a few times and finally settled his stomach. “Like I can help it,” he grumbled. He glanced at his dad and Jax then smirked when he saw they had their trays lifted off the table. “Very funny.”

“Who’s being funny?” Jax asked. “Love you, bro, but not that much. I paid good money for this food.”

Damon winced when his stomach slightly cramped. He rubbed his abdomen, wondering if he really was going to be sick, until he felt a hunger starting to grow inside of him, only… He focused on the sensation, but noticed it wasn’t gripping his throat. It was more like a gentle gnawing at his gut.

“What’s wrong?” Kalen asked as Jaytee slowly sat back down. “Get to the bathroom if you’re going to be sick, son.”

“It’s not that.” Damon shook his head then lowered his voice. “I got a different kind of hunger going on.”

“Do you need to feed?” Jaytee whispered, running his hand over his beard. “Why didn’t you take care of that before we left the house?”

“Should we take you home to Casimir?” Kalen asked in a low tone. “Sorry to say this, but Jaytee is right. Why didn’t you feed before we left?”

Damon didn’t want to discuss his feedings with his family. The subject felt too intimate, considering it was always followed by sex...or during sex…or triggered sex. But he wasn’t going to sit there and be chastised. “I did.”

It had been early this morning, but he shouldn’t need to feed for another week.

“Is it the baby?” Jax looked around, clearly making sure no one was sitting close by. The restaurant was lightweight packed, but the booth behind theirs was empty.

“We seriously need to get a baby doctor who specializes in male pregnancies and a shifter with all those different traits inside of him.”

Damon stared daftly at his twin. “Since that spell hasn’t been performed in a few thousand years, let me know how your search goes.”

He could call Christian and ask about male pregnancy in vampires, but after what almost happened, Damon wanted to steer clear of the prince. He didn’t think Christian would remember the incident, but Damon was not going to tempt fate.

“You don’t have to get hormonal with me,” Jaytee murmured, seeming genuinely offended. “I was only trying to help.”

“Thanks.” Damon squeezed his twin’s shoulder. After the hell he’d put his family through, Damon didn’t want any of them to think he was ungrateful. He appreciated his family more now than he ever had before. Besides Casimir, they were his solid rocks to lean on.

“Just tell us what you want us to do,” Kalen said. “We can always grab some to-go containers. Your health and the pup’s are more important.”

“But I was looking forward to this ride.” Damon grunted when another small wave of hunger constricted his stomach. He had no clue what was going on. He’d fed, and there weren’t any fae around, nothing to warrant what was happening to him. Damon was completely clueless.

“Rides aren’t going anywhere.” His dad nodded at Jaytee. “Besides, I can tell he wants to get back to Raidh.”

Jaytee rolled his eyes. “I can spend a few hours away from my mate, Dad.”

“Tell that to someone who’ll believe you,” Jax countered. “I can see the weepiness in your eyes. You’re mooning over your Moonbeam.” He snickered, as if he found himself funny.

Damon smirked. “Good one, bro.” They tapped knuckles across the table.

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