Page 97 of The Soulbond and Her Beloved

"I need you to say it again, healer.”My voice is fucking shaking.

"You are going to be a father again."

"Vladya! Emeriel is with child!" Daemonikai called out, chest heaving with laughter. Pure joy!

The doors burst open, and Vladya was there, Aekeira hot on his heels. Daemonikai ran out the door, onto the balcony, where he threw his head back androared.

It rose through the celebration, through the chattering of people and music.

The next roar was a thunderous declaration, louder and fiercer. A call to celebrate. A proclamation oftriumph. The elation and joy inside him tooenormousto suppress. Even after the third roar, it was not enough.

So, he whirled around and ran, feet pounding against stone as he moved through the corridor, past the intersection, down the spiraling stairs, and out into the open yard.

Then he was shifting into his beast form, wind whipping around him as he circled around the Citadel three times. Exulting in the release, the power in every sinew. The sharp spines of his tail beat the air, then scraped the ground. Fire that could not be held in burned his chest.She is carrying my child. My. Child.

At last, he skidded to a stop in the heart of the courtyard, lifted his head to the sky and roared again.

The people fell to their knees.

Transforming back into his male form, Daemonikai collapsed on the ground, laughing. Deep, unbridled, chest heaving laughter.

He stared skyward, watching the stretch of stars, tears blurring his vision. Still, he laughed.

“How does it feel?” Vladya settled himself on the ground beside him.

"Indescribable." He was still grinning. "I am going to be your father again, Vladya."

" It is mesmerizing, is it not? Congratulations, Ancient One."

"I had no trouble persuading you to accept your own impending fatherhood, yet now I find myself gripped by fear." Daemonikai sprang upright, smile dimming a bit. "I dread moving from here. I fear if I breathe wrongly, this dream will shatter."

"It is no dream." Vladya nudged him. "It is as real as the blood in our veins, my friend. Both our females conceived."

"Miraculous, isn't it?"

"Wondrous. Tremendous. Phenomenal. I have a lot of words for it really. But what matters most is, you and I—" Vladya smirked "—we are to be fathers."

"We are." Daemonikai nudged him back. "We did it. We fucking did it, Vladya."

"Fuck yeah, we did." Vladya’s voice dropped low. "I went straight for the womb."

"That night? Same here. Pounded the hell out of it. It was a damn battle—and I won."

"Hell yeah, we did." The two males slapped hands hard. "Showed Mother Nature who’s fucking boss. Now we’ve got fruits buried in there, already starting to grow."

"And they’re going to grow strong. We’ll make damn sure of it." Daemonikai sprang to his feet, energy renewed. "Come, we need to return. I must hear all the healers have to say. I couldn’t hold back—I had to release it."

Vladya chuckled as he rose. "The people will be waiting to hear the news that stirred such roars of joy."

"As they should," Daemonikai replied. "I will make an official announcement soon."

"Alright, let’s do it," Vladya agreed.

"Yeah?"

"Fuck yeah. Let’s shout it across the Citadel—let the whole damn world know what rare gems our females are."

Daemonikai grinned. "Deal."

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