Page 53 of The Delver (The Vrix #2)
“She’s not here?” Ivy asked with a frown as Ketahn set her down on her feet next to Akalahn, who was reaching for her. She crouched down and opened her arms for the little one, and he clambered into them, nuzzling her chest with a trill. “We thought she was here with you guys.”
“We have not seen her,” Ketahn said.
“We thought she had accompanied you, Ivy,” Rekosh added.
Callie shook her head. “She wasn’t with us.”
“I will look.” Telok moved forward with long, powerful strides that carried him swiftly away from the group.
“So…” Callie pulled her gaze from Telok and looked at her friends. “Should we be worried? The two of them alone together?”
Ahmya drew her lips back with a soft hiss. “Yeah, I don’t know.”
Cole snickered. “Wanna place bets on who wins their next spat?”
“Lacey,” said Ivy. “It’s always Lacey.”
Rekosh chittered. “It is because they are fighting different battles.”
Ketahn cocked his head as he sat, drawing Ivy and their broodling down onto his folded forelegs. “Different battles?”
“Lacey fights Telok. Telok fights himself.”
“Ah.”
“Yeah, okay,” Cole said, rolling his eyes. “Makes perfect sense.”
Rekosh’s gaze flicked to Callie and Urkot, bearing a knowing gleam. “I am not wrong, Cole, just because you cannot see.”
Urkot snorted and shook his head. “I do not know how your spindly legs can hold up so much pride, Rekosh.”
Ahmya chuckled and traced a finger down the side of Rekosh’s face. “Speaking of pride…” She caught Callie’s gaze. “Ready to tell them?”
Callie nodded.
With a long-fingered hand, Rekosh caught Ahmya’s chin, turning her face back toward his. “Tell us what, kir’ani vi’keishi ?”
She beamed at him. “I’m pregnant.”
Rekosh froze, staring at Ahmya with flared eyes. “Truly?”
When she nodded, his mandibles ticked upward into a broad vrix smile before he trilled loudly and wrapped her in a tight embrace. Ahmya giggled and hugged him back.
“Ah, my heartsthread,” Rekosh crooned.
“Well shit,” Cole said, eyes wide. “Congrats on the upcoming lil bugger.”
“Cole,” Ivy scolded.
“Not bug. Vrix,” Ketahn growled.
Cole chuckled and waved a hand. “Yeah, yeah.”
Urkot also caught Callie’s chin, forcing her attention away from Rekosh and Ahmya to meet his gaze. His eyes were the deepest pools of blue, filled with uncertainty and hope. “You have a secret of your own, my suncrest?”
Callie grinned, took his hand from her chin, and placed it over her belly. “We’re also having a broodling. You’re going to be a father too.”
His trill rivaled Rekosh’s, and his voice was gruff when he said, “My nyleea .” He gathered Callie close and spun her about, his legs thumping the planks beneath him.
Callie laughed, clinging to him as the world twirled around them. “Okay, okay! Stop before I puke!”
He stopped abruptly, drawing his head back with eyes wide. “You are sick? Like Ivy was?”
Urkot and Rekosh looked at each other, mandibles falling as fear shone within their eyes. No words needed to be spoken to convey all that was communicated between them in that single glance.
“No.” Urkot shuddered as he clutched Callie close. “I cannot protect you from sick. Cannot shield you from this.”
Callie shook her head and cradled his jaw, stroking the base of his mandible with her thumb. “I don’t need protection from this, Urkot. I just need you.”
“Is it not dangerous and painful?” Rekosh asked Ahmya in a rush. “You are so small. What if something goes wrong, or you are harmed, or you…you?—”
Ahmya caught his face between her hands and pressed her forehead to his headcrest. “Shh. It’s okay, Rekosh. There will always be aspects of life left to chance, but I’m willing to take the risk to have a family with you. I’m glad to take it.”
Another shudder wracked Urkot. “Ah, my heartsthread… I fear for you, but I will not let fear bury my joy. Our joy.” He settled his hand back upon Callie’s belly, tracing gentle circles with his thumb. “Our broodling.”
Callie smiled and covered his hand with her own. “Ours.”
“I’ll be the first to tell you there are no guarantees,” Diego said from nearby, drawing everyone’s attention to him and Will, who stood at the edge of the group with a platter of fruit and smoked meat.
“But I can promise you that me and Will are going to do everything in our power to make sure both of you, and your babies, get through this safe and healthy.”
Rekosh combed his claws through Ahmya’s hair, seemingly unwilling to look away from her as one of his hands settled protectively over her belly. “I trust you both with all that is precious to me.”
“As do I,” Urkot said, leaning his head down to brush his mouth across Callie’s forehead.
She closed her eyes and smiled, giving his hand a squeeze. Her heart constricted with overwhelming emotion—with the fear and love she and Urkot shared.
But so long as she was sheltered in his big, solid arms, so long as she had him, fear could never outweigh that love.
“So, who’s hungry?” Will asked. “I brought food.”
“Starved, man,” Cole said.
As their family gathered to share a meal, Callie opened her eyes and met her mate’s intense blue gaze. “Well, what do you think? We going to stay here and play, or…do you want to skip right to the victory celebration?”
“I am already the victor,” he growled, striding away from the others, “and I hunger for my prize.”