“What are you doing?”
“Saying hello to our first offspring.”
Oh.
Oh, for crying out loud.
My eyes sting.
He comes back up my body and settles between my thighs and enters me slowly this time, so slowly I can feel every inch. No pain this time. I’m still so very wet. All I feel is the long, steady slide of him filling me up while he watches my face.
“Okay?”
“Yes.”
He starts to move, slow, deliberate and deep. I love the feel of this Xylan inside of me. His forehead rests against mine. His breath mixes with mine. My legs wrap around him and my arms come around his neck and we move together in the morning light like we have been doing this for years.
There’s no roar this time. No snarl. When we come together it’s soft, almost sweet. His breath catches and mine stutters as we find both of our orgasms.
He stays inside me for a long time after.
“I could stay here forever,” I whisper.
“We’d miss breakfast.”
Eventually my newhusband pulls out and sits up. He wraps what’s left of his torn shirt around my shoulders. It barely covers anything but it’s something.
“The compound,” he announces. “We’re going home.” He scoops me up into his arms like I weigh nothing.
I curl into his chest as he carries me back through the jungle. The path is easier to see in the morning light. The rain is gone and the air is warm and green and alive. I rest my cheek against his shoulder and close my eyes and drift while he power walks. His two hearts beat steadily against my ear. I am almost asleep by the time the compound comes into view through the trees.
He pushes open the kitchen door without stopping.
The entire family is in there. Claws and Hook have returned with the women and children they were protecting in employeehousing. All the fever brothers, the children, the women, everyone has returned.
Everyone looks up at the same time.
There is an absolute half-second of dead silence.
Then the kitchen erupts.
Cannibal bursts out laughing so hard he nearly falls off his chair. Rook is next to him, laughing too.
Roxy claps a hand over her mouth. “Oh my gods, Ines. Oh my gods, what did you do to him?—”
Chief announces dryly, “Decent showing.”
Scar, deadpan, eyeing Trunk’s chest, “Three bite marks. Two sets of scratches. Split lip. Jaw contusion. Impressive.”
Heavy yells out to his bride, “Her hand — Jana, get the med kit?—”
Jana is already moving.
Lila slaps one hand over Argylia’s eyes.
Roxy places a hand over Zora’s eyes.
Cannibal, still laughing, reaches out and covers baby Rux’s eyes with one giant claw while Rux blinks underneath in confusion.
