Page 7 of Heart of the Deep

When they entered the infirmary, Macy lay atop one of the beds, and Aymee was examining her with a scanner — a strange device which cast light on a person and made their insides visible.

It gave Dracchus pause; he’d only seen Aymee use the scanners when people were injured or ill.

“What is wrong?” Jax hurried to Macy’s side. Sarina was curled against her mother, fast asleep.

“Jax! I wasn’t expecting you to come,” Macy said. “I said I’d see you later, in our den.”

“We just wanted to make sure you arrived safely.” He leaned down, studying the images produced by the scanner. “What is wrong, Macy?”

Dracchus approached the bed for a closer look, but he didn’t know enough about human insides to tell if anything was amiss.

“Nothing’swrong, Jax,” Arkon said, watching over Aymee’s shoulder. Jace dozed in his arms.

Macy glanced at Aymee, who was grinning. “Well, I guess since you’re here…”

“Show him!” Arkon’s tentacles writhed on the floor, but he held his son steady.

“I was going to tell you tonight, after we were sure, but…” She moved a hand down her abdomen and pointed to something low on her pelvis.

Aymee manipulated a control, and an unseen speaker played a distinct sound — rapid thumps in time with the tiny, pulsing thing Macy was pointing at.

“What is… I do not understand. Why is her heartbeat so fast?” Jax asked.

“That,” Aymee said, “is the reason I am going to be looking into contraceptives.”

All three male kraken exchanged confused glances with one another.

“What are contraceptives?” Arkon asked.

It was unusual — and satisfying, if petty — to know there were words Arkon wasn’t familiar with.

Aymee smirked. “Something to prevent this from happening more often than we initially thought possible.”

“I’m pregnant.” Smiling widely, Macy framed the pulsing spot with her hands. “This is our baby.”

Jax leaned forward and tentatively reached toward the image. He placed the pads of his trembling fingers just below it, as though fearful of inflicting harm on the developing youngling.

Dracchus had no words; a warm, tingling feeling spread outward from his chest, numbing his mind with wonder. The ability toknowwith such surety was nothing short of amazing.

Jax pressed his forehead to Macy’s and they both closed their eyes.

Another pang struck Dracchus. Was it wrong for him to want what they had? To crave a mate and younglings of his own? Before Macy and Sarina, he’d never known the joy of interacting with younglings, had never imagined the thrill and pride of watching them learn and grow, ofteachingthem.

His mild resentment — hisjealousy— was shameful, but it refused dismissal.

This moment belonged to Jax and Macy, and he would not allow his own longing to impede upon their joy.

He left quietly and encountered no one else as he exited the Facility. The relative silence of the ocean closed in around him. He usually found comfort in it, in the feel of water surrounding him, easing his movements, but now it only made him miss the animated conversations that took place when he was with everyone else.

He’d never yearned for companionship; he’d done his duty and mated with many females since reaching maturity, but he’d formed no attachments.

Though he recognized the value of such a change, he didn’t understand it.

Dracchus swam to the flooded building that held his den, illuminating his skin to light the dark corridors inside. He entered the room he’d claimed as his own years before. It was a familiar space, but now it seemed cold, empty, and uninviting. Lonely.

Growling, Dracchus cast aside his emotions. He needed to rest. Tomorrow’s search was about his people’s security, and it would require all his attention.

He couldn’t allow the hollow ache in his chest to distract him.

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