Page 30 of Flight Risk

“I am different. The eggs have dropped.”

“You’re ready to lay now? Right now?”

“Well, not this very second, but very soon.”

“Do I need to call someone? Are you alright?”

“I’m fine for now,” I said. “Let’s get to the living room, though, and get some stuff ready. Water and... I don’t know.” What did one need while laying eggs? I suppose I should have asked Hugo. He was only a phone call away. I could also call Felix. I had struck up an easy friendship with him since we’d met.

I had talked with a few other omegas about their experience carrying dragon eggs. They just talked about how amazing and wonderful it was. I got a few horror stories and real-life information, but the whole experience was largely clouded by their absolute adoration for their children. It seemed as if they viewed the process through rose-colored glasses, which I understood, but it didn’t help me to be prepared in case things didn’t go smoothly.

When I walked into the living room and my gaze landed on the nest, it was like my body clicked into place and said, “This is where it’s going to happen. And now.”

Suddenly, I went back to being hot and bothered. I ripped off my pants and settled into the nest, my back against the soft blankets that covered the wicker.

“Do you need anything? Mate, is there anything you need?” Tav asked.

My breath came in heavy pants. “The blanket from your dad. The first egg will go on that one. We’ll need one of your ties. Each of the eggs should get a tie.” That was a string of words I never expected to put together.

“Okay.” He handed it to me. It was a faux-fur blanket, very soft. I rubbed my cheek against it.

“Yes, this will be good for the first egg.”

“What about the next?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “I’ll know when I’m ready.”

“Okay,” Tav said, as if that made perfect sense. “I’m letting my dad know that you’re in labor.”

“Okay. Oh, and let him know I can’t go in to work today.”

Tav snorted. “Well, that wasn’t exactly why I was letting my dad know, but yeah, no, you’re not going in to work today.” He kissed my cheek.

Then it all happened so fast. One minute, I was taking a deep breath, and the next, the pain and pressure had me gripping the sides of the basket and bearing down. I reached a hand between my legs, and I felt the hard shell of the egg as it emerged from my body. I didn’t even have time to feel the pain. I just breathed through it.

“What do you need, mate? What do you need?” Tav was attached to my side.

“Hold my hand,” I said.

Together, Tav and I worked to catch the first egg and place it softly in the blanket. He used the towels he had to wipe the slick from it. Then the sunlight hit the shell, and it sparkled with the most beautiful blood-orange color I’d ever seen. The hard shell looked like it was covered in a coat of shiny glitter.

“He’s amazing,” I said. “Do you sense it?”

“Yes,” Tav said.

Next came another egg that was a shade of red, this time a more muted pastel that had just a hint of sparkle to it. It was slightly larger than the first one.

“Our little girl,” I said. “It’s a girl.”

Tav nodded. “I think so, too.”

This one we lay inside a quilt that had been gifted to us from Tav’s friend’s mom. The quilt depicted a dragon and a wolf. The fabric was soft, and the colors matched Tav’s scales and the color of my fur. I’d fallen in love with it as soon as I’d seen it.

The third egg was the easiest, or maybe my body was just used to it by then, but she came out smaller than the other two, but the brightest amethyst I had ever seen. The scales that coated it weremore rounded in shape, while the other two eggs had scales that came to a point. This third egg almost had a gradient look to it, with the lighter color at the top and darker as it went down.

“She’s amazing,” I said.

“You’re amazing.” Tav kissed my cheek.

---