Page 30 of A Drink of Destiny
“I try not to book out more than one or two jobs,” Alvis explained. “Otherwise, I risk one taking waaaay longer than I thought it would and being late for the rest of my life.”
“And you’re taking time off to grow our cubs?”
“Cubs?” Alvis arched a playful brow.
“Possibly. My older brothers are twins and so is my sire.”
“Well, cubs then, maybe,” Alvis laughed and stole a kiss.
I slid my hands down to his ass and deepened the kiss. We were no strangers to romping with him up against a door or a wall but now we had to shield our baby. Sure, I knew I wouldn’t drop him, but anything could happen. Alvis didn’t argue when I spun us around and walked him backwards out of the bathroom and towards the bed. I kissed him long and slow, lowering him onto the bed.
“Arrick is calling. Arrick is calling,” his phone said from the other side of the room.
“I’d ignore it, but it’s my kid,” he said, pressing himself upright and I wondered how long until he needed my help to get up.
“I’m never going to tell you to ignore the kids,” I said. “One day it’s going to be our firstborn calling.”
It turned out that Arrick had worked out the details of our mating feast. He’d done a lot of back and forth with his brothers and with Beal as a go-between for the cats back home. Not everyone was coming of course but my parents would be there and all of Alvis’s kids too. It would take place this weekend and yes, he remembered to have the sort of food non-vamps ate.
When he got off the phone with Arrick, Alvis was one-hundred percent in parent mode and started pondering aloud where was the best place to get an ultrasound.
“Almost anyone perform one can these days,” I said.
“Yes, but we don’t want just whoever for our baby,” Alvis said.
“Hmmm…. Someone I don’t want to eat, though,” I said, rolling over onto my stomach at the foot of the bed to watch him pace.
“And who would that be?”
“I don’t know. This is my first time doing this. It just feels like everything, and everyone, is a danger to you and the baby.”
“Even Arrick and Beal?”
“Is Arrick a doctor?” I asked, hopefully.
“No,” Alvis shook his head.
“Then, I don’t know,” I said and bit my tongue.
Some of the wolf shifters I knew from the bar used alcohol to keep their wolves calmer but that felt like a slippery slope. I loved a good drink as much as the next guy, but I wanted to use alcohol to have fun, not to cope.
“Well,” he walked to the edge of the bed and looked down at me. “I have news for you, Mister Lion-Pants. There will be a midwife. There will be nurses and labs and all that stuff happening and you’re going to have to not eat people.”
“Or what?” I teased him, trying to lure him out of his serious mood. Sure, we definitely had to find a way to reassure my lion that Alvis wasn’t in danger every time he stepped out of the house, but that could wait. Alvis was safe here in the bedroom with me.
My mate thought about it for a minute and crossed his arms.
“Most of what I want to say I’ll do, you’d just think was kinky. That rules out spanking, muzzles, ball-gags, and probably even bending you over the bed to show you who’s boss.”
“Is that a punishment list or a playdate idea?” I teased him, rising up to my knees on the end of the bed to kiss him.
“I’m serious, Raiel,” he said but let me kiss him anyway. “You can’t go around biting these medical people. Your teeth are way too big and way too sharp. I think you could bite through dragon scales if you were determined enough.”
“I love it when you talk dirty to me about how strong I am,” I said in between kisses.
“I’m not taking off my pants until we talk about this,” he laughed.
“I can fondle you through them,” I teased but fell back on my ass and looked up at him. “Alvis, I’m not going to let him eat someone on purpose. Will he do it on purpose? Yeah, probably. He doesn’t like most people. It takes him a long time to warm up to people. But will I let him do it on purpose? No!” I shook my head. “Of course, I’m going to try to keep my lion within my control. Protecting you only works if I’m in charge of my strength. Why is he so worked up about you seeing a doctor or a midwife? You smell about as thrilled as if this midwife is going to pickle your dick and turn you into egg salad.”
