Page 41

Gaida

Six Months Later

The first light of dawn filters through the curtains of my bedroom at MistHallow, casting soft shadows across the sleeping form of Dante beside me. His face holds the gentle vulnerability of youth in sleep, belying the strength and determination that define him awake. I trace the line of his jaw with my fingertips, marvelling at how different my life has become in such a short time.

Six months since my return from the void between worlds. Six months of learning to exist in this new reality, where the Blood Queen’s power flows through my veins not as an invader but as an integrated part of my being. Six months of rebuilding the foundations of my existence.

And six months of growing a child inside me that kicks the shit out of me at every opportunity.

Dante stirs under my touch, his eyes opening to find mine. The smile that spreads across his face still makes my heart flutter in a way that seems impossible for a pureblood vampire like myself.

“You’re watching me sleep again,” he murmurs, voice rough with slumber.

“Force of habit,” I admit, settling back against the pillows. “Baby Aragon keeps me awake. I spent so long thinking I’d never see you again that I sometimes need to reassure myself this is real.”

He pulls me closer, his warmth a comforting constant. “It’s real. We’re real.” His lips brush my forehead. “Though if you keep waking me at dawn, I might become significantly less charming. Baby Aragon?”

“Well, we aren’t using DuLoc. Sorry, but I refuse to pass on your family’s legacy after they cut you off.”

“Erm, I cut them off,” he says with a huff.

“Whatever.”

He reaches down to rest his palm on my rounded belly, his expression softening as a series of forceful kicks greet his touch. “Good morning to you, too, little one,” he murmurs. “Perhaps we could try not beating your mother from the inside quite so vigorously?”

“Useless,” I say with a fond eye roll. “He or she only kicks harder when you talk. I swear this child already knows your voice and is trying to reach you.”

Dante’s smile turns to wonder. “A miracle,” he whispers, pressing a kiss to my stomach. “Our miracle.”

Miracle about sums it up. I have no idea what this child will come out as, with the Blood Queen’s blood flowing through me. Felix has filled entire journals with theories about our child’s unique bloodline, each more fantastical than the last.

“Felix wants to run more tests today,” I tell him, grimacing slightly as the baby shifts again. “He’s convinced the heartbeat has changed pitch since last week.”

“Of course he does,” Dante says, amusement colouring his voice. “Has he slept at all since your last examination?”

“Doubtful. Luke mentioned finding him asleep in the laboratory chair yesterday, surrounded by monitoring crystals and prenatal textbooks.” I shake my head fondly. “He’s taking his Daddy duties very seriously.”

“Speaking of your obsessive charge,” Dante murmurs.

Felix enters, carrying a silver tray laden with breakfast and a collection of small vials containing various liquids. His eyes immediately go to my stomach, assessing.

“You’re awake early,” he observes. “Were they kicking again? I’ve been researching some potential soothing techniques that might help.”

“Good morning to you, too,” Dante says dryly.

Felix has the grace to look momentarily abashed. “Yes, good morning. I’ve brought breakfast and your supplements.” He sets the tray down carefully on the bedside table. “The red vial needs to be consumed immediately for maximum efficacy.”

I accept the vial, eyeing its contents suspiciously. “What exactly is in this one?”

“A modified blood compote with targeted nutrients for foetal development,” Felix explains, his academic enthusiasm overtaking his social awareness as usual. “I’ve incorporated trace elements that should help stabilise the unique cellular structures we observed in last week’s scans.”

“It looks like cranberry juice,” Dante observes.

“That’s because I added cranberry to improve the palatability,” Felix admits. “The base formula was... less appealing aesthetically.”

I down the contents quickly, having learned that Felix’s concoctions are generally more effective than they are tasty. This one isn’t bad, though, tangy and sweet with an underlying metallic note that my enhanced pregnancy cravings actually find quite pleasant.

“Thank you,” I tell him sincerely. “For all of this.”

Felix grins.

He is thriving as a vampire. He loves being able to do everything with supernatural speed.

The door opens again, revealing Luke with a stack of folders tucked under one arm. “Good morning,” he says, surveying the scene with approval. “I see Felix has delivered the morning supplements.”

“All of them,” Felix confirms. “Including the experimental B-12 variant.”

“Excellent.” Luke sets his folders down on the dresser and approaches the bed, his ancient eyes assessing me with clinical precision. “How are you feeling this morning?”

“Remarkably well, Headmaster, considering your child seems determined to practice combat techniques against my internal organs.”

“Active movement is a positive indicator,” Luke notes, his serious tone belied by the slight upward curl of his lips. “May I?”

“You don’t have to ask. They are your blood.”

He breathes in deeply and can’t stop the broad smile that stretches across his face. “I never thought…”

It’s a sentiment he has muttered a thousand times, but he can say it a thousand more if he wants to. There is no logical reason why a turned vampire bred with a pureblood, but here we are. Felix’s blood tests proved it.

He places his palm against my stomach with reverent care. Luke’s connection to my child feels different from Dante’s. More formal and amusing in its own little way.

“Strong,” he murmurs as the baby delivers a particularly forceful kick. “Very strong indeed.”

“Takes after her mother,” Dante says proudly.

“And her father,” I add, squeezing Luke’s hand. “And why she?”

Dante shrugs. “Why not?”

Luke straightens, his expression shifting to something more businesslike. “The Council has requested another update on your condition. I’ve prepared a suitably vague report that conveys your continued good health without revealing any specific details they have no right to know.”

The Vampire Council’s interest in my pregnancy has been a persistent irritation with a good old-fashioned slice of fear. While they backed off from direct intervention after my demonstration of boundary maintenance abilities three months ago, their concerns for the well-being of such a unique child thinly veil their desire to understand—and potentially control—whatever new power might be entering the world.

“Tell them I’m perfectly capable of providing updates myself if they’re so concerned,” I say, not bothering to hide my annoyance.

“I’ve implied as much,” Luke assures me. “Though in less confrontational terms.”

Felix clears his throat. “Speaking of updates, I’ve completed the analysis of last week’s energy readings. The child appears to be developing its own unique magickal signature, distinct from both vampire lineage and Blood Queen power.”

“Is that normal?” Dante asks.

“There is no normal for this situation,” Felix reminds him gently. “This child is the first of its kind. But,” he adds quickly, seeing Dante’s expression darken, “all indicators suggest healthy development. Different, certainly, but healthy.”

The baby kicks again, as if in agreement with Felix’s assessment.

“Different is fine,” I say firmly. “Different is what we expected.”

“Different is what we excel at,” Luke adds with surprising warmth.

It’s true. The four of us have created our own functioning family unit that defies conventional categorisation.

“Now,” Luke continues, “there are several matters requiring attention today.”

“As long as it involves me getting out of this fucking bed, yay!” I say, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. My expanded belly makes the movement less graceful than it once was, prompting Dante to reach out supportively.

“Only if you take it easy,” Felix insists. “The readings aren’t concerning enough to risk overexertion.”

I fix him with a look. “Felix, I contained and integrated the Blood Queen’s entire consciousness. I think I can handle a pregnancy.”

“Different situations entirely,” he counters, undeterred. “Your current physical state requires?—”

“My current physical state requires regular exercise and fresh air,” I interrupt, though not unkindly. “Baby Aragon gets restless when I’m inactive for too long.”

“She has a point,” Dante supports me, earning a grateful smile from me and a disapproving look from Felix.

“Fine,” Felix concedes. “But I want to check your energy levels before and after.”

“Yes, doctor,” I tease.

Luke, watching our exchange with barely concealed amusement, clears his throat. “Now that’s settled, perhaps we might allow Gaida to dress and have breakfast before we continue planning her entire day?”

“Your family is a bit overprotective,” I murmur to my unborn child. “You’ll have to get used to that. But they love you already, so much. Just as I do.” A wicked thought enters my head, and I bend over the bed. “Who’s taking me first?”

Silence.

“Hello? Standing here ready to be fucked.”

“We don’t want to risk hurting the baby,” Felix murmurs, but comes closer anyway. I didn’t think he’d be able to resist.

I wiggle my arse at him and he lifts the oversize tee, sliding his hand between my thighs. “Fuck, you’re so wet.”

“I’m horny as fuck, so if you don’t mind forming an orderly queue to see to me, that would be amazing.”

Felix doesn’t need to be told again.

Within moments, all three men surround me. Luke gently guides me onto the bed, propped up with a mountain of pillows. Dante moves next to me, his hands sliding beneath my tee to cup my sensitive breasts.

“Slowly,” Luke murmurs, his eyes meeting mine with concern mingled with desire. “The baby...”

“Is perfectly fine,” I assure him, gasping as Felix’s fingers slide inside me. “I need this. I need you all.”

Pregnancy has heightened every sensation, made my body more receptive to their touch than ever before. The bond between us—already profound through blood and magick—has deepened further with the shared miracle growing inside me.

Dante’s lips brush my neck, his fangs grazing the sensitive skin without breaking it. “Tell us what you want,” he whispers against my ear.

“Everything,” I breathe, reaching for Luke as he positions himself between my thighs. “All of you.”

Luke gently spreads my thighs wider, his mouth replacing Felix’s fingers. Felix shifts to my side, capturing my mouth in a hungry kiss while Dante continues his attentions to my neck and breasts.

Luke’s tongue flicks my clit and I moan into Felix’s mouth. I come almost instantly, the pregnancy heightening my arousal.

The intensity of my orgasm ripples through me in waves that make my entire body tremble. Felix swallows my moans with his kiss while Luke draws out my pleasure until I’m gasping for breath.

“More,” I demand, my voice husky with need. “Please.”

“Like this,” Luke murmurs, helping me to straddle Dante, who now lies beneath me.

I sink down onto his rock-hard cock with a satisfied sigh, my pussy soaked and ready for more. Felix positions himself beside us, his hand tangling in my hair as he kisses me again. My body responds to their every touch. When I come again, clutching Dante cock tightly, Felix wraps his hand around my throat and Luke teases my nipples. Dante shoots his load with a low growl and Luke takes me from him, sliding his cock into me from behind with a low groan.

Dante holds me while Luke thrusts deeply, his movements careful yet passionate. Felix kneels beside us, his eyes glowing with hunger as he watches. I offer him my wrist, and he clamps down with a savage bite that sends rockets of lust coursing through me.

My next orgasm crashes through me, triggering Luke’s release as he groans my name against my shoulder, biting down and lapping up my blood. Felix drinks deeply, our sire bond humming with energy as my blood flows into him. Luke moves out of the way and Felix releases my bite before he slides in behind me and impales me on his cock.

“Ah!” I cry out as he hits that spot inside me, so sensitive from already being hammered by my other two guys. “Fuck!”

Felix grips my hips tightly, his rhythm deliberate and precise. Even in passion, his methodical nature reveals itself. Dante watches with hooded eyes, his hand stroking my face tenderly.

“You’re so beautiful like this,” he whispers, his voice thick with emotion.

My body responds to Felix’s measured thrusts, building toward another peak. The sensations are overwhelming. It’s not just physical pleasure, but the profound connection I feel with each of them.

“I can feel your pulse everywhere,” Felix murmurs against my ear, his control slipping as his thrusts become more urgent. “So alive.”

When I come again, Felix follows, his fingers digging into my hips as he shudders against me. For several moments, we remain entangled, breathing heavily, basking in the afterglow.

“Well,” Luke says, breaking the silence with uncharacteristic lightness, “I believe that constitutes sufficient exercise for the morning.”

I laugh and turn back to Dante, ready to go again. This is what we’ve fought for. Not just survival, but these moments of joy, of connection, of family.

I find myself momentarily overwhelmed by a wave of profound gratitude. Looking at these three men, each of whom sacrificed something precious to bring me back from the void, I’m struck by how impossible this scene would have seemed to me a year ago.

“What is it?” Dante asks softly, noticing my sudden stillness.

“Just thinking about how fortunate I am,” I admit. “How fortunate we all are to have found each other.”

“Fortune had little to do with it,” Luke says, his ancient eyes knowing. “Choice, sacrifice, perseverance, these forged our connections.”

“And a considerable amount of magickal intervention,” Felix adds.

Dante simply takes my hand and presses it to his heart. “Whatever brought us here, I’m grateful for it every day.”

As I climb off the bed, ready to shower and get on with the day, my hand rests protectively on my belly, feeling the occasional movements of the child who represents the most tangible proof of the impossible made possible.

Six months ago, I returned from the void between worlds, transformed by my encounter with the Blood Queen’s consciousness, forever changed by what I had to become to contain her power. I expected to struggle alone with that burden, to spend eternity managing the boundaries between worlds with vigilance.

Instead, I found myself surrounded by three men who refused to let me face that burden alone. Who became my anchors, my supports, my family. Who now eagerly await for our child to be born.

A zing hits my palm, and I gasp. “A boy!”

“What?” Luke asks, coming to me instantly.

“He’s a boy,” I state.

“How do you know?” Dante asks.

“I just do. And I have the perfect name for him.”

“As long as it’s not Aurelius, we are good,” Luke says with a grim expression, which Dante, despite having killed my dad, laughs at.

“Draken,” I state, and I will not take no for an answer. “He was there when I needed him the most. It’s the least I can do.”

Luke’s gaze meets mine steadily. He nods slowly. “I agree. It’s the perfect name for our son.”

I nod happily and remove myself to the bathroom, turning on the shower and stepping under with a soft sigh as the hot water eases my aching muscles.

The boundaries between worlds remain my responsibility. But as Baby Draken delivers another emphatic kick, I understand that maintaining boundaries doesn’t mean standing apart.

It means creating safe spaces where love can flourish. It means establishing healthy limits while allowing for profound connection. It means building a family that transcends conventional definitions, united by choice rather than circumstance.

And that is everything I never knew I needed.