Call of the Siren(109)

Yes, she’d made the right decision. There was no doubting it.

Lina tugged his head to hers for a soul-searing kiss. When he pulled back to give her a look of complete and utter love, she murmured, “You know, this means you’re going to have to be a one-woman man from now on.”

His eyes turned up at the corners as he gave her a careless grin. “Baby, I always was. I just didn’t know it yet.”





Chapter Twenty-Eight

New York City, September

Fresh from the interdimensional portal hidden right in the heart of Central Park, Dagan strode into his apartment building. He nodded at the security guard manning the front desk and headed into the elevator, pressing the button for Keegan’s floor.

His business had taken him halfway across the world, to confer with a group of goblins whose recent antics had risked revealing their kind to humans. Understandably, their actions had concerned the Council. The tense discussions had lasted a couple of days, but things had been resolved amicably, and he was glad to finally be home.

And home was Lina.

She’d asked him to meet her up at Keegan’s, where they were all having a late dinner. While part of him was eager to just get her alone and naked, he couldn’t pass up some much-needed family time. Along with their raises had come increased responsibility, and it had become that much harder for them all to convene in one spot at the same time.

He stepped off the elevator, matching his stride to the light, happy rhythm humming inside his head, and used his key to unlock the door to Keegan’s apartment.

“Honey, I’m home,” he called cheerfully as he stepped inside.

Though there was no response, the sounds of laughter drifted down from further inside the apartment. Following the noise, he came to a stop inside the dining room. It was jam-packed with his family members. The quantity of food on the table, along with the din of conversation, told him they were celebrating something.

They hadn’t noticed him, so he took a moment to study the people he loved most in the world.

Keegan sat at the head of the table, and Brynn was snuggled on his lap with Aegin in her arms. The baby happily chirped away at the both of them. Taeg and Maya were playing kissy face, as usual, and Ronin and Amara held hands while gazing into each other’s eyes like lovelorn fools. Lina, meanwhile, looked on in amusement while Amara’s mother Solara shamelessly flirted with the final member of their party, Rage. The vampire-hybrid leaned against the wall, squirming in clear embarrassment.

Dagan grinned. He didn’t know Rage that well, but the vampire had started taking Keegan up on his invitations to join them for dinner. Keegan was determined to save the vampire, and he finally appeared to be getting through to him. While Rage still clearly felt uncomfortable around them, he was at least putting in an effort.

Rage was a little off, no doubt, but who was he to judge? Hell, Dagan might just kind of like the guy.

“What did I miss?” he finally drawled, leaning against the doorjamb.

Lina turned to him with a start. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

“It’s pretty loud in here.” He grinned. “What are we celebrating?”

Two bright spots of color marred her cheeks.

Was she blushing?

“Oh, I…” The entire room died down, everyone staring back and forth between the two of them in silent fascination.

Lina fidgeted, her cheeks growing even pinker as she said, “I wanted to wait until you got back and tell you first, but then I…I got excited.”

Dagan studied Lina’s face. He’d never seen her appear so nervous before. That, in and of itself, was something to note.

“What is it?”

“I…” She rose to her feet and nervously smoothed out her long black tank top. Finally she met his eyes and gave him a nervous smile. “I’m pregnant.”

His stomach dropped out from under him, and his vision began to blur. For one second, he feared he might pass out. Or maybe he was dreaming.

But this all seemed too real.

Wonderful and magical and far, far more than he deserved, but real.

“You’re pregnant?” he repeated dumbly.

Lina bit down on her bottom lip. “Yes.”

Realizing he was frozen in place, he burst into action, closing the distance between them with two large steps. He swept her into his arms, only then feeling her relax.

Had she been anxious about how he’d respond?

“Sunshine, that’s the best news I’ve ever heard.”

“Really?” she asked, her face muffled into his chest. “We never discussed children, so I…I wasn’t sure how you’d feel. And it’s still so early in our relationship.”

“I feel amazing. Wonderful. Out of this world.” Dagan pulled back, gazing down at her beautiful face. The future mother of his child. Could he be any more lucky?