Page 40 of A Fate of Blood and Magic
Once he finished wiping the jelly, he rested the side of his head on my belly. I took him in and smiled. He was happy. More than happy.
He took his time kissing my stomach softly, slowly with such tenderness I thought I’d fall apart.
When he stood back up, he kissed my lips. Just as slowly, just as tenderly.
I wound my hands behind his neck and pressed my face against his. My lips caressed the tip of his ear.
“I love you,” I told him quietly.
His hug tightened. “I love you,mo elma.”
Still beaming, he wiped his eyes as he drew away.
“We should have a feast to celebrate,” he announced, as if it were a formal declaration.
“Please not tonight.” I scrunched up my nose that he pinched. “Because if you’re pulling the I’m-a-prince card and assuming Chef Xander would be happy to cook for us last minute, I might kick you.”
He stepped back, covering his groin area. “No, not tonight,” he agreed. “I need to figure out how to get Brenton back so he can celebrate with us. You should come too, Leah,” he continued. “You’re going to be a huge part of our lives for the next few years. We should get to know each other.”
“Years?” I gasped. “How long are fae pregnant?”
Leah’s laugh was light. “Nine months.”
I let out a sigh of relief before I tugged on Elias’s hair. “What the hell? Years?” I glared at him. “You scared me.”
“What about future babes?” he asked, all too excited about getting me pregnant again.
“Slow down, big guy,” I said. “Let’s have these two first, and after they’re a couple of years old, we can talk about it more.”
His pout was adorable.
I turned back to Leah. “I’ll let you know when we set a date. I hope you can make it.”
She linked her fingers together, rocking on theballs of her feet. “I’d like that.”
Elias scooped me up from the examining table before he set me down on my feet.
“We should let Chef know what you want.” Without waiting for me to reply, he tugged on my hand.
“I think one of Javier’s friends can reach Brenton,” I told him about Javier’s friends and how they’d come over a few times after school so Kieren could teach me more about my mind-speak magic. While I hadn’t practiced keeping an open connection with anyone the way he kept his mind open to whoever wanted to speak to him through his mind, I was getting better at speaking to one person at a time. I didn’t tire as much and felt that part of my magic strengthening.
“Excellent,” he said. “Can you reach him to ask him to come over after school? I’d love to meet all his friends.”
“Sure.”
“Do the kids know?” He stopped to rest his hand on my stomach.
Something about the way his large hand covered my stomach made both joy and peace rise inside me. It was a sweet, protective gesture that I soaked in, letting it fill me to the brim so I could turn to the memory after Elias left for the human realm again.
Guilt churned. “Only Javier. He knew I’d gone to the healer and noticed I was acting strange. Kieren told me Javi was worried something was wrong with me and that I was keeping it from him.”
He kissed my forehead, wrapping me in another big hug.
“George also knows because of his seer magic.” I bit my bottom lip that he tugged loose.
“Do you think I’d be upset with you for others knowing?” When I shrugged, he continued. “I’m happy, Teddy. I’m happy you’re pregnant and that you have people in your life whowant to share in your joy. Our joy. We’re having two babes. Two of them. Do you know how unbelievable that is?”
I let him ramble on, his excitement blooming inside me, where my earlier concerns didn’t seem to fit.
