Page 63 of Demon Shock

We started talking about crops and harvests like we always did when we got together. Ryan, despite his youth, was an amazing leader. He actively listened, wanted feedback, and made carefully considered decisions that I rarely disagreed with.

“I think you’re right. Greens during winter are going to be important. Easy growers with higher yields make the most sense.

“How are the heirloom strawberry plants growing?”

“We’ve already doubled what I originally planted, thanks to the runners. I know we need to consider the greenhouse space for winter growth, but I’d really like to keep expanding the patch so we have enough to plant outdoors next year. My backyard has the space, but so does the corner lot on the East side.”

“We would have community mutiny if I said no to expanding the strawberry harvest for next spring. The small jars of preserves from this year are already gone. People liked it better than the stuff from the store. Speaking of stores…”

He dug into his pocket and pulled out a baggie with seeds.

“Cassie told Kerr she missed fruit. He raided a grocery store close to here and pulled these out. Apple, orange, and those little ones are bananas. He’s not sure they’ll grow. The food was pretty rotten.”

“I like a challenge,” I said. And the idea of growing greenhouse bananas really appealed to me.

Gyrik came running up to us as Ryan passed me the baggie. The big grey dreamsicle I called mine was radiating happiness.

“Did you hear Repeat is a father?” Gyrik asked.

“I did. Did you get to see them?”

Gyrik nodded. “I watched the last one come out. Cat births seem less painful than human births.” He seemed to realize what he’d said because he got really quiet.

I patted his arm. “You’re not going to scare me, Gyrik. I know how much having a baby will hurt, and no, that won’t stop me from wanting to have one with you. It’ll happen when it happens.”

He nodded and looked off in the direction of Hanno and Courtney.

Gyrik wanted kids bad. Like,reallybad.

With Mya ready to pop any day now, all the fey were in full baby-daddy mode, captivated by each birth. Cats. Chicks. The cute little bull that was recently born.

They were obsessed.

And that obsession meant we wives lived in the Bone Zone, twenty-four-seven. Bending over to check a roast needed a frying pan ass cover. If not for his fear that I’d start finding sex painful as Allison did, Gyrik would never let me leave the house.

But I knew the moment he found out I was pregnant, I wouldn’t leave the house, anyway. Which is why I’d kept it to myself for the last four weeks. But he was a smart man. I’d caught him staring at the tampon supply he’d collected for me.

Ryan caught my eye and indicated that he was going to leave. I nodded and watched him walk away as I waited for Gyrik’s attention to return to me.

When it did, I could almost read his thoughts in the way he blinked at me, and I loved the man’s sex drive.

“You just had me screaming a few hours ago. We’re still on a sex timeout. And, for the record, Childbirth doesn’t scare me…having someone tell me I can’t do something does.”

“I remember,” he said. “A dick pushes you down. I’m not a dick.”

I grinned at him, loving that he not only remembered my story from when we first met but that he’d obviously asked for an explanation to understand me better. He did that a lot. Quietly asking for guidance so he could be the best version of himself for me.

“Exactly. So, when I get pregnant, what will you want me to do?”

“Anything you want,” he said quickly.

“What if I want to help harvest all the fields? It’ll make my back sore and my feet hurt. It might even make me too tired for sex. But I’ll still want to help with the harvest.”

“That’s okay. I’ll help you when you want it and rub all your sore parts when you’re done. Nothing will change. I promise.”

He took my hand in his, gently stroking my fingers. The look in his eyes no longer screamed impending visit to Drillville. I saw something else there.

I gave him a considering look.

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