Page 24 of Entwined

“Sweetheart, I’d feel better if I could take you somewhere indoors, get you in bed and maybe have a doctor check you out.”

Bram’s laugh wasn’t quite as strong as it had been before, but the beauty of it was still there. “I think it will be a while before you become accustomed to the fae way of life. We have houses that we call our own, but being outside is quite natural for us. This is one of my favorite spots and there have been many nights when I’ve slept out here all alone—even when I was a child.”

“Oh.” Darby supposed he did have a lot to discover about his new home and that he could expect to have to make a lot of adjustments. “Well, I’ll do my best to learn as much as I can right away so I can take good care of you and the baby.” Darby cuddled Bram to him and kissed the top of his head. “But what about a doctor? Do you have an obstetrician, or…something?”

Bram regarded him with a questioning expression. “Is that a special type of spell caster?”

“No, it’s…” He scoured his mind to find the right words so he could explain what he meant. “Who do you go to when you’re sick?”

“I don’t get sick.”

“I’m sorry, Bram. But I don’t understand. You’re sick right now.” Darby considered how much brighter Bram’s features seemed. “At least you were a few minutes ago.”

“Oh, I see what you mean. There’s no one to go to if you have the withering, no one can help with that. And fairies don’t get sick, just the sprites and that’s only because they’re brats. But we don’t interfere in their business, so I don’t know if they see anyone or not.”

Darby wasn’t sure if he wanted the next question answered, but he had to know. “The withering… You said you have that?”

Bram reached up and cupped his cheek. “Not anymore. Now that you’re here, I’ll be fine. I don’t need to see anyone about that.”

Darby covered Bram’s hand with his own. “And if I hadn’t come, then…both you and the baby?” He caught a sob in his throat.

Bram raised up and took his mouth in a soft kiss, exploring him with his tongue, reconnecting them physically. Darby deepened the kiss, tasting the honeyed sweetness that was Bram—his mate and omega. Bram pressed his lips to Darby’s once more than gazed into his eyes.

“I would have gone to the Golden Light, however, our baby would’ve lived. But now we all get to be together.” Bram petted his face. “Are you glad you decided to cross the veil?”

Darby sighed. “More than you’ll ever know, my love.” Then another disquieting thought came to him. “I suppose your family and friends must hate me.”

Bram let out a gasp. “Never! No one here hates anyone—least of all a fated mate!”

“But I almost caused you to die. I wouldn’t blame them if they couldn’t stand the sight of me.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that. We’ll get you new garments so you won’t look so funny in those weird ones you’re wearing.”

Darby glanced down at his jeans and plaid, button up shirt. He didn’t get what was so strange about his attire. Then again, Bram had only ever seen him naked or in pajama bottoms.

“I guess there’ll be a lot of big changes I’ll have to make.” Darby smoothed out the worried crease in Bram’s forehead. “Now, now. There’s something I need to say that’s very important. Before you appeared to me that first night, I was drifting through life with no real purpose. I had one good friend, but she had her own world that she circulated in that didn’t include me—which was fine. Still, I needed someone who was only for me, someone I could build my own life with.” Darby rubbed his nose with Bram’s. “And that someone is you.” He stroked Bram’s baby bump. “And this little one, along with any others we have.”

Bram broke into a wide smile. “Then you want me, the baby and more in the future?”

“Absolutely. I couldn’t be more thrilled.” Another thought occurred to him. Now that he was there to stay, and had a new family, he’d better get moving on that future. “Although, I have to ask. Are there any fairy high schools here that happen to be hiring?”

Bram chuckled. “Sometimes I think you’re speaking another language. I’ll ask my da about it when I take you to meet him and my ma. I also have a little sister who can be as big a nuisance as a caterpillar on fermented berry juice.” Bram winked. “But I love her all the same.”

“That sounds like a great idea.” Darby gave him a gentle hug. “I’m glad that you’re close to your family.”

Bram poked him in the ribs, his strength seeming to have returned to full force. “Don’t be silly. Why wouldn’t I be close to my family?”

Darby took Bram’s mouth in another deep kiss.

Why indeed?

* * * *

Bram had spent the past several moons introducing Darby to everyone, sharing meals with his family—which also included many aunts, uncles, cousins and his grandparents and great grandparents and so on and so on—and explaining a whole new way of life to his fated mate. Sometimes he worried that Darby was getting too overwhelmed with everything, so that would be when he’d take him by the hand and lead him to the mosses, or to a quiet place next to the river.

The first time he’d begged Darby to make love to him, he’d feared that Darby found him unappealing because of his pregnancy. It wasn’t until he’d explained to Bram that he wasn’t accustomed to having sex outdoors that Bram had understood. Well, he sort of understood. Humans could be very picky about some things, so Bram knew he had to be patient. After all, Darby had given up everything to be with him.

But now they were on a special excursion. They were searching for the ideal spot to build their home.