Page 408 of Never Kiss a Fae
“We’ve all been distracted,” Exos murmured, his gaze on a trembling Claire. “When did you lose access to your elements?”
“I-I haven’t been able to access the source since I became pregnant. And sometimes… I think… I think sometimes power is sort of coming out of me without my permission. Like the fire cupcake.” Her hand fell to her stomach, running over it with a large, circular caress. The motion seemed natural, protective. “I think the faeling is blocking my powers somehow, but you said strange things could happen, right? I’m a Halfling, and nobody knows what to expect during a half-human, half-fae pregnancy.”
Titus frowned. He liked this just about as much as I did. “You should have told us.”
Her lower lip quivered, and I wrapped my arm around her, wanting to soothe her and throttle her at the same time.
It was just like our mate not to confide in us over something she would consider trivial. Or something she thought she was protecting us from.
“It’s our job to protect you, little flower,” I told her, squeezing a little. “We can’t do that if you don’t talk to us aboutlife-threateningthings.” I glared at the others. “And you all are just as bad. If I’d known about your suspicions, I would have put out the damn fire.”
“Vox already apologized,” Exos said, ever the politician. “We should have told you. I’m sorry, too. But it’s all out in the open now, right? Or is there more you need to tell us, Claire?”
“I just didn’t want you all to worry,” she mumbled, then looked up at me. “And I didn’t want you to look at me like… likethat. Like something’s wrong with me.”
I smiled and cupped her chin again. “We love you, Claire. We just want to make sure you and the faeling are okay. That’s all.”
She nodded, biting her lip. “Maybe… maybe I could visit a human doctor?”
Titus sighed. “I think a Healer would be better.”
Cyrus considered Titus and then Claire. “Actually, I think a human doctor might not be a bad idea. It’ll continue to soothe Claire’s human side, which I think we all can agree is working. What can it hurt?”
He took Claire’s hand, leading her into his embrace. I let her go, knowing that Cyrus would know exactly what to say to make her feel better.
He tugged her hair around her ears, hiding the pointy ends that gave away her fae lineage. “And if you want to use human technology to tell us the gender, I think that would be an amazing Christmas present.” Cyrus must have picked that thought out of her head, because her eyes sparkled with excitement and understanding. He kissed her on the forehead, and I relaxed as her frown tilted upward into a smile.
“We can find out the gender?” Vox asked, a hopeful note in his voice.
“Yes,” Claire whispered.
“Is that what you want, baby?” Exos cupped her cheek. “Do you want to know the gender?”
She bit her lip and nodded. “I do.”
“Then so do we,” Titus said, his gaze raking across the group to search for any disagreements. He sure as shit wasn’t going to get one from me.
Excitement had replaced the discord in the mate-circle.
And that improved everything.
Is it a girl or a boy?I wondered, looking at her belly. I wanted it to be a girl. Preferably, a little fae sproutling who would one day blossom into a woman just as beautiful as her mother.
Or maybe that was what I wanted for us.
One day,I promised myself.One day, we’ll have a little girl.
I felt certain of it, my lips curling into a grin.
Claire caught my look, her own mouth rivaling mine.I would love that,she told me softly.
Me, too, little flower. Me, too.
Cyrus helped me out of the rental car—one he’d picked up just yesterday on the off chance we’d need it—and escorted me into the hospital. He’d already said if the doctor found anything wrong, he’d immediately mist me back to the Elemental Fae realm—interrealm laws be damned.
I hoped it wouldn’t come to that and instead filled myself with positivity and good thoughts as we walked through the massive hospital reception area.
Most people didn’t like hospitals, but I found it amazing that there was a place I could go to and there’d instantly be people ready to help me. There was something to be said about human compassion.
