Thank God Ben was there. He grabbed Maks's arm and pulled him out the door. It was October, and cold, but that wasn't something that bothered me now that I carried my mate's heat inside me. For a split second I worried that it would be too cold for the baby, but then I realized that that was ridiculous.
The little one would carry his fire, too.
Maks lay me down on a chaise lounge on the lower deck, and I immediately curled up and clutched at my stomach as another contraction ripped through me. His hands were all over me, trying to soothe me, maybe, or reassure himself that I was okay, but I batted them away impatiently. I didn't need that. I needed him to shift, so his dragon could help.
I couldn't talk as the pain gripped me again, but I shot him a frustrated look I wasn't proud of.
Maks blanched, but thankfully-this time-he read my mind. His body rippled, and he shifted.
I had never been as happy to see anything as his moon-colored otherself, towering over me and looking down with whirling eyes that were full of love. They were Maks's eyes, but also something more.
"Devin," his dragon said in that delicious, echoing voice. It washed over me like liquid heat, relaxing the clenched muscles in my body and soothing the tight pain that had been squeezing me so relentlessly. "Are you ready, love?"
"Yes," I gasped. "Please. I want to meet our child."
Wes had told me what to expect, but it was still almost magical how all the pain washed away as the dragon's razor-sharp claw touched my swollen belly. I watched in awe as my skin-stretched as taught as the head of a drum one minute-rippled and parted the next.
I heard Ben gasp, and through our bond I felt Maks's dragon's surprise, too. He pulled out the baby, so small and perfect that my heart squeezed, and laid the child on my chest. I was instantly in love. The little one-a boy-was a miracle. He was the most perfectly beautiful thing I'd ever seen.
Until a moment later, when my mate's otherself touched my belly again, and pulled out his twin.
27
~ Maksim ~
Finding Devin had been the first time I'd ever felt the kind of love where another person became more important than breath, where someone else's happiness mattered more than my own, and the idea of laying down my life to protect that person suddenly made perfect sense. I'd thought it would be the only time, because he was my forever. But then our sons were born.
It was hard to believe that I hadn't somehow known there would be two. Not just because Devin had been so big, or because there was any way I could have predicted it, really, but simply because, now that they were here, the idea of either of them not being was … inconceivable.
I loved them. Instantly, fiercely, and with an overwhelming intensity that would have scared me if it hadn't felt so perfectly right.
My family … my family … my family … They were cuddled together on our bed, Devin holding the two boys in his arms as he leaned back against the headboard, propped up with pillows, and positively glowing. He was amazing.
"They're amazing," he insisted, reading my thoughts as he looked down at the two most beautiful faces ever made.
"They are," I agreed, sitting on the edge of the bed next to him and trailing a finger down the impossibly-soft cheek of the oldest-by-one-minute boy. "But you are, too. You … did this. It's incredible."
"Hold one?" he offered.
I had, earlier, in my other form, but looking down at the tiny little bundle in his arms I suddenly felt too big, too awkward. Ironically, I hadn't worried at all when I had held them in my other form, but the calm confidence of my otherself deserted me in this human body. The babies were so … small.
Devin laughed, sensing my nervousness. "Maks, take him. You'll be fine. I promise."
I plucked the child from my mate's arms and pulled him against my chest. He didn't weigh any more than a feather, and he smelled like heaven. Something instantly familiar, even though it was new … like a little piece of the love that was brimming over in my heart. His eyes fluttered open and he looked up at me like a calm little buddha. Ben had told us that the dark blue color was common to all babies and that it would change in time-I secretly hoped they would lighten to match Devin's. They already had his dark hair and cute little chin, and I would like nothing better than to see them both look exactly like my mate. He was so fucking beautiful.
I looked over at our younger son, snuggled against Devin, and frowned. "How are we supposed to tell them apart?" I asked.
"You're kidding, right?" he asked, laughing at me again. "Look at them."
"They both look like you," I said, smiling. "But … they also both look like each other."
"No, look. Michael has-"
"Michael?"
Devin blushed. "Well, I know we probably need to talk about it. I just … I started thinking of him that way in my head. Obviously, you should have a say, too."
He was getting flustered, and it was adorable. I couldn't believe that I hadn't given their names any thought before now. Names would definitely help me start thinking of them as unique individuals, and Dev had obviously given it some thought. The way he was looking down at them made my heart ache. I could tell that whatever he'd come up with was important to him, and I was more than happy to go along with it.
"I like Michael," I said, kissing the top of our son's sweet-smelling head. Michael. It fit.
"I had a brother once," Devin said. "I mean … not really. My mother, she was pregnant when I was in high school. It was a boy, and I was really excited about it-I think I wanted him more than she did. I know it's probably not the typical reaction for a teenage boy, but I loved him from the moment I found out she was expecting. I had all these plans for him … "
He glanced away, his eyes growing damp. He had told me some of this before, but not all of it. I shifted little Michael onto my other shoulder and pulled Devin against me, kissing the top of his head. "What happened, love?"
"She died," he said on a soft sigh. "From complications to do with the pregnancy. It was … hard. The baby didn't make it, either."
"His name was going to be Michael?"
"Yes, for her father. Michael Zachary."
I smiled, nodding toward the child in his arms. "So this is Zachary?"
"Is that okay?"
"I love it. Michael and Zach. They're perfect names, Dev."
"Thank you," he said, beaming up at me, then yawning.
I knew that my dragon's power had already helped his body fully recover from the pregnancy, but he'd also been up all day with the babies. The sun had set a few hours earlier, and I realized it was time to figure out sleeping arrangements. We'd only bought one crib. Was it safe to put them both in it? They were small enough, but … would they roll over and squish each other?
Devin laughed. "Maks, they were squished together inside me for the last six months. I think it will be okay for tonight. Besides, they're not exactly that mobile yet."
That made sense, but I couldn't believe how much I didn't know. Did all new fathers feel this way? My mate seemed so … calm. Confident.
"Maybe we should move the crib in here, though?" I asked.
What if they needed us, and we didn't hear them? I knew we had some sort of monitor, but what if it didn't work? What if the battery died? Or we slept through it? The idea of these tiny, precious bundles all the way across the hall in the nursery …
Without any warning, that worry was eclipsed by something more urgent.
I sucked in a sharp breath, stiffening. I'd been completely captivated by the wonder of having the twins with us at last, and I hadn't given a single thought to Ivan all day-but now I felt him. My dragon sense roared to life, telling me that he was on the move. On his way here.
I didn't waste any time wondering how he could have known that the babies had been born. I thrust Michael back into Devin's arms and yelled for Ben. I didn't pause to explain myself to my mate. I knew he would understand through our bond, and every second was precious.
"Keep them safe," I said as soon as the other dragon appeared in the doorway.
I was poised on the balcony, and as soon as I saw Ben nod, I shifted and leapt off into the night. My brother was already close, and I raced over the dark ocean to intercept him.
It was too dark to see him, but I didn't need to rely on sight. My dragon could always sense another in our territory, and my sense of Ivan was even clearer than most. If I'd had any doubt that I was headed in the right direction, though, the sudden burst of flame directly in front of me would have confirmed it.
Ivan must have been able to sense me just as easily as I did him.