Page 75 of Warrior's Captive
She took her essentials bag from the inset wardrobe and put it on the bed, staring at it. She’d been sleeping in Tai’ri’s bed the last week, but she’d kept all her things in here, all her energy directed towards fussing with the nursery.
“Viv?”
Glancing over her shoulder, she watched Tai’ri walk in. “I was about to check the bag again.”
He stopped behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. His fingers dug into specific pressure points and her eyes fluttered closed.
“I feel your pain,” he said softly as he massaged her strained muscles.
“That’s going to be inconvenient.”
He kissed her temple. “I wouldn’t permit you to go through the pain alone. Do you think it’s time?”
“I’m sick of being pregnant, so whether it’s time or not, it’s time.”
“That . . . makes sense. Finish checking the bag, I’ll go alert your guard and Abeyya that we’re coming in.”
They didn’t leave right away, Vivian electing to walk around until the pressure was strong enough she no longer felt comfortable at home. Tai’ri helped her walk to the flier between contractions, and she breathed her way through them during the short trip.
Abeyya greeted them at the front doors, whisking them inside and to the suite Vivian had already chosen.
“First births can take time,” Abeyya said. “I wouldn’t advise lying down unless you want to, and make sure you eat and drink when your body prompts you.”
The lights in the suite were dim, the windows to the outside darkened to control the stream of sun. A breeze came through from hidden vents, and Tai’ri started a playlist of soothing instrumental music she’d already compiled days before, having thrown herself into preparations since the scare in the medical center.
But as fast as the contractions came, they stopped just as suddenly.
Vivian sat on the edge of the bed, frustrated and tired. “Was this just a false alarm?” she asked Abeyya, who’d come back in at Tai’ri’s summons.
“Well, it’s not uncommon for labor to slow or even stall, especially with first babies. We have a few options.” She pursed her lips.
“Yes?” Vivian prompted.
“We can send you home or you can stay here, and you may be in labor for several hours, even a day or two.”
“No!” Vivian’s fingers curled into the bed. “I want this babyout.”
A smile lurked in Abeyya’s eyes, the corners crinkling. “You and every other mother at this stage. We can give you chemical or manual inducement, but I prefer not to intervene with hybrid births. Or at all, really. The third option is much more fun, but sometimes uncomfortable for the mother.”
“Yes?”
Abeyya glanced at her brother and seemed to be struggling to suppress a grin. She coughed. “Well, sperm has powerful chemicals that promote labor.”
Vivian stared at her, perplexed. “Sperm? How would I . . . do you mean ingestion, or a topical application?”
Abeyya coughed harder, then apparently gave up. She started laughing. “You’d think at my age and after so many years as a midwife, I’d be more mature.”
“You’d think,” Tai’ri muttered. “She means sex,yada’ami.“
“What?” She couldn’t have heard that right.
He placed a kiss on her head. “Sex can stimulate contractions.”
“Surges.” Abeyya sniffed.
“Whatever. The point is, fun for me—maybe even fun for you, Viv.”
Vivian shifted on the bed to face him. He sat cross-legged behind her, having never stopped the massage, and gave her an innocent look.
