Daughter of Kaos (The Daughter Trilogy Book 3) (31 page)

I feel like I’m attempting to suck air against the hose of a vacuum cleaner - I’m losing more air

than I’m taking in. I feel sick, dizzy, and completely terrified at this moment, and Devin isn’t being

anything but distant.

“Devin, please say something,” I whimper as the tears finally fall freely.

He looks up, and I see tears wavering on his eyelids. Then he flashes over to me and pulls me

from my place on the couch to wrap me up in his glorious arms.

His soft, comforting lips consume mine, and I can taste my salty tears sneaking into our divine

kiss.

“We’re having a baby,” he breathes into my mouth, and then his arms tighten around me again

while resuming our kiss.

“I suppose we’ll need baby supplies,” Ther chirps.

“I’ll go,” Persia giggles out, acting as if this is supposed to be an exciting moment.

“We can’t have a baby now,” I softly sob to Devin. “It’s too dangerous.”

He strokes my hair, and his eyes stare fearlessly into mine to give me strength.

“We’ll make it through this. Our daughter will be safe,” he soothes very confidently.

“I’ll help you with the baby stuff,” Gemma offers, and then Theia flashes in and out of the

bedroom with her purse on her shoulder.

“We’re really having a baby,” Devin murmurs into my ear with breathless elation, but I’m not

quite past the shock of it all.

“Where are you going to get baby stuff at this hour?” I murmur to the giddy group about to walk

out the door.

“I have a way of swaying people to do as I wish,” Persia smugly answers, and her eyes flash green

to emphasize her point.

Duh.

Camara runs over and hugs me before joining the baby-fever party. Devin scoops me into his

arms and shakes his head while his eyes offer me nothing but adoration.

“I don’t care if you’re still mad at me or not. I’m not letting you out of my arms for a while,” he

murmurs softly.

“I think my anger has been replaced by fear,” I whimper.

“I’m here, baby. I won’t let anything happen to you or her,” he softly murmurs while carrying me

back into the bedroom.

He gently places me on the bed as if he’s worried I’m fragile now, and then he lifts my shirt to

kiss my stomach in true, excited father fashion.

I grin slightly when I see his smile, and then he trickles his fingers across my normal sized belly.

This is all too surreal to deal with right now. The overwhelming hour has drained me, and his

relaxing touch is pushing me into a drifting sleep.

I sigh once more before my eyes shut completely, and I try to think of anything but being a

mother.

“What are you doing?” I
ask to the pile of boys congregated in the floor.

There are five open crib boxes, and there is a mess scattered all over the den. Thousands of tiny

pieces are assorted in piles, and they’re all working tediously.

“Building a crib,” Jace murmurs distractedly while studying the instructions.

“For quintuplets?” I muse.

“You’re having more?” Kry gasps.

“Really? I didn’t know I was having this one,” I huff, and then I point to the five boxes lounging

around. “Five cribs,” I explain.

“Oh. We needed extra parts,” he casually replies.

“Extra parts?” I question.

Then a piece snaps in Hale’s hand when he’s trying to attach it. Right behind that snap is another

one when Ther tries to assemble a different piece.

“Yeah,” Jace grumbles. “As you can see, we might not have bought enough.”

“You guys are not holding my baby,” I assert as I take notice of the various other broken pieces.

“Why?” Kry whimpers.

“Because you can’t buy extra parts for her.”

“Oh. We’ll be careful with her. This damn crib is just kicking our ass, and when we get

frustrated, well, you know.”

“I’ve been around long enough to see the world go from the dark ages to the computer ages. Why

are these damn instructions so hard to understand?” Hale growls while wadding up an instruction

pamphlet and throwing it across the room.

I giggle a little at their struggle, and then I sigh as I touch my belly. It doesn’t feel like a child is

in there. I feel normal - weak, but normal.

“Where’s Devin?” I ask softly.

Then I feel his warm breath brushing the back of my neck just before his soft lips find it. His

hands rub the sides of my arms, and I slowly turn to face his glorious self.

Damn. He looks sexier than usual.

“I made you some lunch. I was going to bring it to you. You slept for five hours, and I wanted to

have it ready when you woke up.”

I blush a little under his enamored gaze, and then his lips fall on mine to bring me into his sexy

web. His body begs to be touched, and my hands burn against his shirt as they try to reach his skin.

“I’ve got fish,” he snickers.

“You too?” I grumble.

“Me too?”

“Baby fever,” I harp.

“Oh. Adisia, it’s sooner than we planned, but I’m excited about us having a child together.”

I smile a little, and then I feel something stirring inside me.

“What’s wrong?” Devin worries.

“I just need to go lie down,” I murmur, and I feel my feet leaving the ground as he scoops me up.

I scream out, and then Devin stops moving.

“Go get Persia and Mom now. Something is wrong,” he demands.

“What is it?” Jace panics, and then I feel something soaking through me - as though I’ve just had

a jug of water thrown at my lower half.

“The timeline,” Devin responds, and then I feel his flashing steps carrying me back to the bed

before quickly and gently laying me down.

“The timeline?” Jace inquires with worried bemusement.

“Yeah. The baby is coming early,” he declares, and I scream again.

“Adisia, look at me, baby. Stay with me,” he urges.

“It hurts,” I cry out, and his hand grips onto mine.

“I know, baby.”

“No you fucking don’t know. She’s in me, not you,” I squeal, and I swear that smug bastard

husband of mine is stifling a laugh right now.

“Adisia,” Persia murmurs softly. “I’m here. This won’t take long, so I need you to give me all

you’ve got.”

Hell no!

“Here?” I squeak. “Take me to a damn hospital!”

“You hate hospitals,” Kry reminds.

“That was before. I changed my mind. Take me there now,” I scream, and now I see more

grinning faces.

Assholes.

“Just breathe, baby,” Devin murmurs softly, and I feel his lips on my forehead.

“I am breathing,” I bark. “Get her out of me now!”

“Get the men out of the room,” Theia orders, but Devin’s hand still holds clingingly to mine.

He knows she didn’t mean him, and I wouldn’t let him go even if she did. The shuffle of

footsteps scurry out, and Persia moves to be below me.

“Okay, Adisia. It’s time to push,” my too calm mother instructs, and I struggle to do as she says

while pronouncing my excruciating pain in a bloodcurdling scream.

“Good, sweetie. Now do it again,” she coaches.

“No. It hurts too much,” I whine as sweat beads and pours from my brow.

“You can do this, baby,” Devin encourages, and I just want to slap him for being so frigging calm.

“One more will do it, Adisia. Just give it one more try,” Persia continues.

I scream again as I give it all my force, and then I feel the relief flooding me as a crying sound

emerges. Tears whelp up in Devin’s eyes, and I see a new form of love drizzling from them.

“It’s a girl,” Theia jokes while sobbing with joy, but I can’t see anything.

Theia has her bundled up at the end of the bed with the sheet still draped over my knees. I’m

thankful for that damn sheet. I sure as hell didn’t want to watch any of that.

“She’s a beautiful girl,” Devin says with adorations dripping from his tone, and then Theia

disappears with my unseen baby into the bathroom.

“Where is she taking her?” I ask breathlessly.

“To clean her up,” Devin murmurs smoothly while returning to the bed beside me.

His gentle lips comfort me in my exhausted state, and I lean against him while I eagerly await

their return.

“Why was it so painful? I’m supposed to be immortal,” I whine.

“Your interior isn’t quite as tough as your exterior,” Persia answers while her tear streaked face

stares down at the clean, blanket-wrapped baby Theia brings back into the room.

Tears now streak my face more when she places her in my arms, and Devin sinks down in the bed

to drape his arm over my shoulders as we stare down at the blue-eyed child together.

“What do you want to name her?” he coos.

“Asterius Kaylana Cole,” I murmur with very little premeditation. “I’d like to call her Aster for

short,” and more tears flow as her tiny fingers extend and curl around one of mine.

“That’s beautiful,” Theia gasps.

“It’s perfect,” Devin adds.

“It’s a way for me to pay tribute to my blocked pieces,” I mutter in explanation, although no one

requested such.

Devin’s lips grace her head just barely, and she rustles lightly while scrunching her tiny brow.

His smile grows, and mine mimics the one on his face.

She’s beautiful, perfect, and ours. She’s just here too soon.

Chapter 12

Timing

Aster starts crying, and I almost leap out of the bed to be by her side. Devin chuckles a little at

my hasty motion motivated by my overly alert motherly instincts.

“I’m glad we’re not mortal,” he chuckles. “I don’t think she knows how to sleep.”

“I know, and I’m so exhausted. It’s been three weeks since she was born. You’d think I’d have

my strength back by now,” I grumble.

“Let me take her,” he murmurs softly, and then he motions for me to get back in bed. “You rest

for a while.”

The alarm beeps loudly, and I shut it off with an almost too forceful touch.

“No. It’s time to feed her, and we should probably see where the others are with Pyrrha. Kry and

Ther thought they had a lead before we went to bed- or tried to go to bed rather,” I gripe, and then I

tuck her into my chest before walking out to the living room where everyone has already assembled.

Persia walks up with too much giddiness while shaking a bottle.

“I went ahead and got it ready when the timer went off,” she says, and then I laugh a little at all

the small alarms set up throughout the house.

“We’re pitiful, you know?” I chuckle out as I hand Aster to her very eager grandmother.

“Indeed, but we have to make sure we keep her fed. You know how easy it is to lose track of

time,” Devin sighs, and then he pulls me into his arms before delivering a too passionate kiss.

“She’s starting to smell like too much heaven,” Hale grumbles while flipping through a magazine.

“It sounds like parenthood is having a poor effect on the otherwise salacious couple,” Deacon

adds humorously while staring at a magazine of his own.

I roll my eyes at their remarks, but they’re right. It’s been several days, and I know my scent has

been driving everyone crazy.

“What are you looking at?” Gemma asks as she walks in the room and snuggles into Ther’s lap

while he studies a brochure of some kind.

“Cars,” Kry murmurs vaguely.

Devin’s lips fold over mine as we try to tune out the conversations around us. I know we need

some alone time for everyone’s sake - especially ours.

“What kind of cars?” Faith muses.

“We just wanted some ideas for Aster’s first car,” Deacon chimes in.

Devin and I both burst out laughing when we can’t help but overhear, and I turn to shake my head

at them.

“She can’t even hold her own head up yet, and you’re looking at cars?” I tease.

“Yep,” Kry replies shortly while studying the page with tedious intent.

“How about we wait until she’s at least teething before we start planning her first vehicle,” Devin

snickers.

“Nope,” Kry says with a smirk.

“Apparently Ther is reading up on colleges,” Gemma giggles out.

Devin rolls his eyes, but he can’t stifle his grin. I just laugh at their far too advanced planning.

“I’m surprised you’re not feeling any stronger yet,” Devin murmurs into my ear while straying

from the group conversation.

“Do you?”

“Very much so. It worries me that you’re not,” he utters so warmly while stroking my hair.

“It’s probably because she’s still so drained from the pregnancy and labor. It’s a very intense

process for an immortal,” Persia chirps from across the room. “Maybe you should let Aster sleep with

me tonight so you can rest.”

“You could let all of us help out more to be honest,” Theia scolds.

I’ve been a little possessive - possibly too clingy. I can’t help it though. I never dreamt of what it

would be like to have a child, and now I have the daughter Devin and I made together.

I just wish I knew why someone drugged me to bring her about.

“Sorry,” I mumble a little sheepishly.

“Where are we on that lead you guys were so sure would pan out?” Devin asks Kry and Ther to

deter the conversation, relieving me from the fuming grandmothers in the room.

“It was a bust. A son of Hermes - being the vague man of riddles he is - told us we could find her