Page 120 of Enchant the Dawn

She didn’t hesitate. The scent of his blood called to something primal deep within her. As always, it filled her with a warm, sensual pleasure. But, this time, she could also feel his strength flowing into her, through her, easing the pain, calming her anxiety.

“That’s enough, love.”

“Are you sure he’s all right? When can I see him?”

“Right now.” Lifting her into his arms, he carried her down the hall to the neonatal unit. A nurse was changing the diaper of one of the babies. After masking their presence, Dominic set Maddy on her feet.

She watched in horror as he bit his arm again and let a few drops of his blood drip into the baby’s mouth. It seemed indecent, somehow, to feed blood to a newborn baby. But her horror soon turned to wonder as her son’s pale cheeks turned pink. His breathing came easier and he seemed to gain weight right in front of her eyes.

“He’ll be fine now,” Dominic whispered, wiping a bit of blood from the baby’s lips. “Come on, I need to get you back into bed before you’re missed.”

“He’s beautiful, isn’t he?” she murmured as he carried her back to her room. “Will you stay with me awhile?” she asked as he settled her under the covers.

“You know I will. Try to get some sleep.”

His words fell on deaf ears. Smiling, he kissed her cheek, then sank down on the hard, plastic chair beside the bed. It was going to be a long night, he thought as he stretched his legs out in front of him. But he was right where he wanted to be.

Chapter 49

When Maddy woke late the next morning, the first thing she saw was Dominic sitting in the chair beside her bed, their son cradled in his arms. She blinked and then rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.

Feeling her gaze, Dominic looked up, a smile on his face. “Our son is doing fine,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “His vitals are good. He gained a bit of weight overnight and he’s breathing on his own.” He grinned at her. “The doctors are quite amazed and completely at a loss to explain his overnight improvement. They tested and retested but could find nothing wrong.”

Tears trickled down Maddy’s cheeks as Dominic stood and placed the baby in her arms. He was beautiful, his hair thick and black, his skin smooth. Her breasts felt suddenly heavy. It took a moment for the baby to get the hang of nursing, but when he did, she was overcome with a feeling of love and devotion she’d never known before.

When she looked over at Dominic, she was surprised to see tears in his eyes. Blinking them away, he murmured, “I’ve never seen anything as beautiful as the two of you.” Cupping her face in his hands, he kissed her gently. “I love you, wife.”

“I love you, my husband.”

“Enough of that lovey-dovey stuff,” Ava exclaimed, hurrying into the room. “Let me see my great-great-grandson.”

“Great-grandfathers first,” Andras decreed. “After all, I’ve come the farthest. And we haven’t even met Maddy yet.” Moving to Maddy’s bedside, he laid his hand on her shoulder. “I’m Andras, Dominic’s grandfather. I’m sorry we missed the wedding.”

“I’m so glad to finally meet you,” Maddy said, embarrassed by the tremor in her voice. But she couldn’t help it. She had never been in the presence of so much power before, and it was a little intimidating.

“And this is my wife, Mirella,” he said, introducing the lovely woman standing at his side.

Mirella leaned down to press a kiss to Maddy’s cheek. “Welcome to the family.”

“Thank you.”

“My turn now?” Ava asked impatiently.

“Almost,” Callie said as she moved closer to the bed. “The baby is adorable. May I hold him?”

“Of course,” Maddy said, and felt an immediate loss as Dominic’s mother lifted the baby from her arms.

The rest of the family gathered around Callie, oohing and aahing over the infant.

“He’s so adorable,” Lily remarked. “I think I’m going to start looking for a husband.”

While the family laughed, Maddy studied the men in the room. It was amazing, she thought. Andras and Quill both looked thirty, even though they were decades apart in age. Looking at them, she could see how Dominic would look in a few years. His mother and great-grandmother also looked far younger than their years, thanks, no doubt, to the blood they received from their husbands. It truly was a most remarkable family, and she was part of it. The thought made her smile.

They had all brought presents for the baby—clothes and toys and blankets and diapers. And a thousand shares of Disney stock from Andras and Mirella.

“Now that you’re a family, you’ll need a bigger car,” Quill said as he handed Dominic a set of keys. “It’s parked downstairs, complete with the best car seat money can buy.”

As the two men embraced, Maddy wondered again what kind of business Dominic’s family was in. Whatever it was, it was obviously very profitable. Maybe one day she would ask him.

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