Page 40 of Hera

Lucifer breathed a sigh. “I’ll set up a table.”

* * *

Several rounds of cards later,after Chloe had dropped off to sleep, Hera and Lucifer were talking quietly on the couch on the other side of the room.

“Chloe tells me you’re getting serious with one of Purgatory’s residents?” Lucifer asked.

“I am.” Hera smiled at the mention of Augustine. “He’s a shifter of some sort, although, I don’t think he ever mentioned what type.”

“What’s the name?” Lucifer asked, frowning slightly. “I know most of the shifter families.”

“Augustine McKellen,” Hera said. “Very tall, quite muscular, blond, one of three brothers. He said they arrived here fairly recently.”

“McKellen,” Lucifer said musingly, eyes staring off into the distance. “Hmm.”

Hera got to her feet as the monitor changed its tone.

“What does that mean?” Lucifer asked, panicked. “Hospital?” He held up his fingers, ready to teleport them all.

“No, it means her body is ready to push.” Hera gently woke Chloe with one hand on her shoulder. “Do you feel a strong pressure?”

Chloe blinked her eyes sleepily. “I’m not... Oh. Yes, I feel that.”

“Would you like to get in the tub, or would you rather stay here?” Hera asked.

“Tub, please,” Chloe said, struggling to sit up.

Hera offered her support. To Lucifer, she said, “Wait until Chloe is in, and then fill the tub to just below her bellybutton with warm water. No more than eighty-eight degrees.”

Chloe unsteadily stepped into the tub in between contractions and Lucifer took her other arm to help her sit. Chloe hung on to Lucifer’s hand. “I need you,” she whispered.

Hera’s heart ached at the mutual love practically tangible between them and turned away to fold Chloe’s gown, storing it on the lounge out of the way. When she turned back, Lucifer had filled the tub with the exact amount of water Hera had requested, and was sitting behind Chloe, supporting her with his body.

“No, I need the real you,” Chloe repeated. “Please.”

Lucifer locked eyes with Hera’s. They turned molten as he transformed from his human form into demon, red tipped black wings extending from his shoulder blades coming to encircle Chloe as well.

Hera nodded, not surprised or afraid of the demon lord’s true form. “How are you feeling, now, Chloe?”

“Perfect,” Chloe purred, nestling into her lover’s all-encompassing embrace.

“That’s what I want to hear. You’ve got a contraction coming up. Brace your feet on the bottom, knees up. Lucifer, hold her by her thighs. Chloe, you need to push down with your inner muscles as you draw your knees in to your belly. Like you’re curling up in a ball. You’re going to push down... Now!”

Chloe grunted.

“Breathe, good. And relax,” Hera coached. “Again. Very good. Relax. One more... Good. You can rest in between contractions. Do you have any questions, do you need anything changed?”

Chloe lazily shook her head from side to side. “I’m good.”

“You’re doing great, sweetheart,” Lucifer murmured.

“Here comes another contraction. Ready and... Push!”

The water sloshed in the tub as Chloe’s body forced itself through the intense waves of pressure over and over again for more than an hour.

Chloe sagged back against Lucifer’s chest, tears trickling down her cheeks. “I don’t know if I can do this anymore,” she rasped.

“You can,” Hera said firmly. “The baby’s crowning. She’s almost here. Two more pushes. You can do this.”

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