Page 55 of Christa's Obsession

Heat seared her cheeks at the babbles that sounded decidedly like chocolate. Wanda scooped the little girl who had just outedher on what she liked to treat her with and sat down on the log, avoiding the arched look that Asmodeus was aiming at her.

“So what adventures are you and Daddy going on today?” Wanda placed the little girl, who was holding onto a peach and waving it at her, in her lap.

Elara babbled at her, occasionally saying a word that made sense. She tried hard not to think about why the child always associated the wordchochowith her. She didn’t want her daddies not allowing her to come to the house to play with her. Wanda continued to practice cooking and baking, and she still had a few fails, but now they came with wins too, which she blended and fed to Elara when she was of an age to try.

Wanda had gotten Christa to do research on her cell phone about babies because neither of them had any experience and the last thing Wanda wanted to do was harm a child through lack of knowledge. Especially when Wanda and her love of all things chocolate had grown with each new kitchen experience with Christa. Who knew there were so many recipes you could use chocolate in? And she’d really wanted to share that delight with Elara when Wanda considered all the years she’d missed out on.

Asmodeus sat on the log, staring at them. Today he had dressed informally. He had become a frequent visitor to the orchard and often came to visit Wanda in the afternoons when he wasn’t in his own realm. “Would you like to be a mother?”

Wanda blinked rapidly at the unexpected question. “I… erm… why do you ask?” she finished, flustered. Had she given havingbabies any thought? Yes, as had Christa after visits from Peni, Scott, and their children.

Christa’s abilities did not fall into the realms of impregnating Wanda. The idea of traveling into the city to meet with medical people to do something in a laboratory was not something Wanda wanted, so it was pointless to wish for something that wasn’t possible.

Wanda accepted this was her life, and she was truly happy with it.

He delicately brushed his large hand over the tiny head of his daughter, keeping his attention focused on Wanda. “You are wonderful with Elara.”

Blushing at the compliment, something he rarely gave out, she inclined her head. “She’s beautiful and easy to love, is she not?”

“She is.”

As if the little girl knew her daddy was talking about her, she held out her arms and dropped the peach to reach for him. “Da-Da.”

The look that appeared was one of complete adoration as he plucked her up and made several baby noises, then blew raspberries on her belly, making her giggle. Wanda bet few saw the powerful king as he was now and she felt honored to be gifted with the sight.

Elara’s tiny hands grabbed out for his horns, and he let her reach them. His eyes glowed when she touched the silver tips. “That’s daddy’s girl, feel his power.”

Father and daughter, a large red demon and a tiny pinky-gray one, stared at each other with an intensity that belied the child’s age. She chattered nonsense, but Asmodeus gave her his full attention. “That’s right, you will be queen one day and rule both realms.”

Wanda was not surprised. Dougal’s troll held immense power in this realm, as did Asmodeus in his. Together, the child they created would be a force to be reckoned with.

“You never answered my question.”

“What… oh, I don’t think about it because Christa and I have no way to conceive a child unless done medically, which neither of us wants. We don’t want anyone touching the other.” They were as possessive of each other and ideas of others touching intimately, neither would tolerate. Their feelings had grown and became as rooted as the trees in each other. No one got to touch Christa but Wanda and her girls.

“There are other ways.”

Wanda glanced from Elara, who now lay in her father's arms, her eyelids drooping, as he gently rocked her. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I have the power to help you or Christa conceive like I did for Peni and Merihem.”

A squeak escaped as she gasped at the thought of Asmodeus impregnating her.

Why had Merihem let the king do that? Merihem and Peni brought their daughter to the forest to visit Silas and Dakata. She was a fluffy demon and as cute as Elara and as Wanda searched her memory, she saw no resemblance to the demon sat next to her. The girl was a mix of both her daddies.

“How… how did you do that?” Regardless of the blissful bond she shared with Christa, she would not have sex with a male demon. Hell no. And she knew Christa wouldn’t, either.

He chuckled, rocking his daughter. “You need not fear, I do not need to touch you in that way. And I also like my balls intact, Dougal would not tolerate such nonsense.”

She came a little closer, a flare of hope coming to life inside her. “Then how does it work?”

He brought a large hand close to hover over her belly, his eyes darkened until Wanda could see herself reflected in them. “Magic and hope.”

His breath touched her face, and warmth spread through her. “What are you doing?”

“Giving your hope the magic,” he murmured. “And the chance for you and Christa to decide.”

He left not long later and Wanda couldn’t have said what they’d talked about because all she could think about was what he’d said. He’d also given her a tiny black stone, which she had tucked into her pocket with the blood-red one.

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