Fire of a Dragon (Fallen Immortals 3) - Paranormal Fairytale Romance (12 page)

Who was she kidding? She was out of her element in
all
of this. But sorting through gifts with Rachel was a pretty decent way to keep her mind off the impending mama-hood.

Not to mention the birth itself, which sort of terrified her.

Rachel was shaking her head and draping the chainmail blankie over the side of the crib. “I’m glad you’re smitten by Hottie McPrince.” She gestured to Arabella’s belly. “Makes for good baby-making.” She nodded in approval. “But no man’s that perfect. I think he’s yanking your chain about this baby-flying-dragon thing.”

“It would be pretty damn cute, tho,” Arabella pointed out.

“Yeah… until he set the drapes on fire.”

Arabella tilted her head, conceding the point. She had no idea how to raise a dragonling—she was still working on just growing one, and that was pretty much automatic. It was a good thing there was a whole House full of dragons who would help with that job.

The nursery had been completely redecorated by now into a very modern-looking baby room, complete with colorful animals on the walls and light-blocking drapes on the windows. A border edged the walls where they met the ceiling comprised of ancient-looking letters, the same kind Lucian had on his skin—he said they were wards to protect the baby. The entire lair had all sorts of wards on it, Lucian reassured her, although those were invisible. But that was part of why she never left the lair now—not when they were so close to having the baby arrive.

Arabella rubbed her belly as the baby kicked again. “When the baby gets here, we should just put Cinaed on baby-watching duty.” She smirked. “He’s already on Arabella-watching duty twenty-four-seven. I’m sure he’d be happy to watch the baby while you and I get back to work.”

Rachel stopped unwrapping the silver crinkly paper of the latest package and gave Arabella a serious look. “Are you going back to work, Ari?”

Arabella frowned. “The office needs me. But to be honest…”

Rachel put down the box and came to stand by her. She eyed Arabella’s belly. “You want to stay with him, don’t you?”

Arabella rested her hand on the top of the mound that was her son. “Yeah, I do. But there are a lot of women who need our help, Rach—how do I just say no to that? I mean, after the baby is born? After all, once that’s settled, once the baby survives, the treaty is fulfilled. There’s nothing that says I have to take care of him full-time by myself.”

Rachel rolled her eyes. “As if you would be taking care of him by yourself anyway!” She flicked a hand back to the pile of gifts. “As far as I can tell, this is going to be the most spoiled baby in the history of babies.”

Arabella smiled. “You’re right about that. And none of these dragons have jobs—they’re all independently wealthy. Surely one of them can watch the baby for a while.”

“I think you’re going to have to fight them off just to have the baby to yourself for a few minutes.” Rachel shook her head like she didn’t understand how the baby madness could’ve infected so many hulking grown men, but there was no question about it. There had been a steady stream of visitors coming through to see Arabella and her baby belly. She suspected half the gifts were just an excuse to visit and ooh and ahhh over the fact that she was pregnant. She couldn’t even imagine what it would be like when the baby had actually arrived.

“You’re right,” Arabella said. “This baby is going to have more caretakers than he knows what to do with.” She couldn’t help the wistfulness in her voice. This baby was
her
baby… and Lucian’s. She wanted to be the one to hold him and cuddle him and kissed him and shower him with all the love that she felt bursting in her heart already before he was even born.

“But
you’re
his mama,” Rachel said softly.

“Crazy, right? What do I know about being a mom?” Suddenly, there were tears threatening the corners of her eyes, and she wiped angrily at them. She’d been doing way too much of that, lately—her eyes were like a crazy bucket of tears just waiting to overflow at the slightest little thing. Damn dragon pregnancy hormones. But the feeling was real—Arabella had grown up in a series of foster homes, just like Rachel. Neither one of them had anything that really resembled a mother. Everyone was just passing through.

Rachel grasped hold of her hand and squeezed it. “You’re going to be the best damn mama ever!”

Arabella hiccupped through a little laugh.

But Rachel’s expression was serious. “If you want to have that baby all to yourself,” she said fiercely, “you do just that. You risked your life to have this child.
You
get to decide how much time to spend with him. And don’t worry about the office—besides, I found a paralegal that’s been holding down the fort for us in Seattle. I’ve been working with her on the side.”

“You have?” Arabella drew back and gave her a suspicious look. Rachel didn’t keep secrets from her, not usually. “When were you going to tell me about this?”

“You’ve had your hands full,” she said, waving at the tower of sparkly packages and the miniature crib set up in the middle of the room. It was carved from some ancient kind of wood, and Lucian said it had been in his family for generations. Which, given how long dragons lived, meant the crib had to be thousands of years old. He’d given it a new coat of varnish or something because it looked weathered but beautiful. And soon she would be putting their child to sleep in it.

She really didn’t want to miss a minute of that.

Arabella nodded slowly and looked back to her best friend. “Thank you, Rach. I feel like I should say that about a thousand times for all the help you’re giving me.”

Now Rachel’s eyes were glassy with tears. She leaned over Arabella’s belly and put her arms around her neck and gave her a squeeze. “What are sisters for, if not this kind of shit?”

Arabella laughed and hugged her back. Then she released her. “Okay, I’m only going back to work if that’s what
I
want to do—not because I have to keep the office going. Because we’ll figure out a way to help all our clients even if I’m on Mama Duty. Deal?”

“Deal.” Rachel scowled at the pile of presents. “I suppose just tossing these out the window isn’t acceptable?”

“Probably not.”

Just as Rachel dove back into the pile, the door to the nursery swung open.

Cinaed’s smiling face poked in. “Is my lady up to having a visitor?”

“Another one?” She honestly had thought they were done with that—seemed like every dragon in the House had come through.

“This one bears a special gift from the angels,” Cinaed said solemnly. “But if my lady is not fit for receiving guests, I will send her on her way, angeling or no.” The resolution on Cinaed’s face was absolute—Arabella was certain he would turn away the king himself if Arabella wasn’t up for it.

“Angeling?” Rachel asked, turning away from the pile of gifts with a frown on her face.

“Is it Erelah?” Arabella asked him. He nodded. “Well, let her in. She’s practically an auntie to this baby!”

Rachel muttered something about angelings for aunties and went back to excavating the pile. “Last time, that girl brought a knife. For a baby.” She sorted through the pile and came up with the angel blade. “I’m no expert on kids, but even I know that a baby doesn’t need a knife.”

Arabella just smiled. “I’m glad you found it. I’ve been meaning to mount that on the wall or something.”

“On the wall?” Rachel gave her a look like she was crazy and set it carefully on top of the dresser like she didn’t want to hold it any longer than necessary.

Before Arabella could answer, the door swung open again, and Erelah breezed in, carrying a glowing white box resting in the palms of both her hands. Cinaed trailed behind.

“Erelah!” Arabella exclaimed with genuine warmth. “How are you?”

But Erelah didn’t reply, just bent down on one knee and held the box up to her. “I bring you a blessing straight from the Seraphim Markos,” she said solemnly, with a resonance in her voice that seemed to shake the walls.

“Um... okay.” Arabella stared at the box, not quite sure what to do—it was glowing white and pulsing a little and seemed entirely too filled with energy for her to touch it.

Cinaed was looking likewise concerned, hovering nearby like he planned to snatch the box away if Arabella reached for it. “Careful, my lady.”

“What do I do with it, Erelah?” she asked, cautiously.

The angeling looked up at her, eyes shining. “Why, all you have to do is accept it.
Believe
in it—you already have the power of True Love. Your belief is already a tremendous force. All you must do is reach for it.”

Arabella bit her lip and gave Cinaed a sideways look.

He was frowning. “My lord wouldn’t have sent it, I suppose, if it weren’t safe.”

If there was one thing Arabella trusted, it was Lucian’s desire keep her and the baby safe. She reached for the box, and when she touched it, a white light flared and washed over her. It was a gentle breeze filled with magic, energizing and enervating her entire body. The baby stirred and jumped, and her hand went reflexively to her belly.

Cinaed’s alarm jumped five levels. “My lady! Are you all right?”

The blessing was still filling her with a joyful glow as if the light of the box were pouring liquid happiness into her. “Cinaed, I’m fine. Wonderful, in fact.” She struggled for the right word to describe the feeling, but then it flowed from her lips. “I am blessed.” She smiled down at Erelah, who then jumped to her feet. The angeling seemed like she wanted to embrace Arabella, but was holding back. So Arabella went to her, throwing her arms around the barely-clad woman. She could feel the power surging through Erelah’s body just with that simple contact.

When she pulled back, Erelah’s eyes were shining even brighter. “You are truly blessed,” she gushed.

The baby kicked especially hard with the angeling’s nearness. Cinaed’s attention was drawn to her belly, and he seemed transfixed as a little ripple of movement moved from one side to the other.

Then he looked sharply to Erelah. “My lady grows tired. It is best that you leave.”

Arabella didn’t want him to shoo her away, but the aftermath of the blessing
was
leaving her a little tired.

“Of course.” Erelah’s smile didn’t dim in the slightest. She dipped her head and then quickly turned to leave. Cinaed watched her go but didn’t follow. Then he came closer to Arabella’s side, still transfixed by her belly.

“The little prince is active?” He seemed intensely curious about it.

“It’s hard to say what sets him off,” Arabella said with a small smile. “But all kinds of magic seem to get him jazzed up.” She snuck a look at Rachel to see what she made of Cinaed’s fascination. She was just shaking her head.

“What does it feel like?” he asked, and his eyes popped a little wider as the baby did his rolling motion again, sending a little bump traveling across the span of Arabella’s belly. “May I…” He reached halfway to her belly, then stopped, looking uncertain.

Arabella grinned and took his hand, pulling it the rest of the way and laying it flat against her t-shirt covered belly. Cinaed dropped to his knees, bringing his face close to his hand and watching wide-eyed.

“It’s just a baby,” Rachel called from across the room, scowling.

He threw her a quick frown. “It is a
miracle.
And a prince. And—” He cut off and whipped his gaze back as the baby moved again, under his hand this time. He seemed speechless for a moment, then he said, “It’s a wonder, my lady.”

She laughed lightly. “What’s a wonder is how much mint chocolate chip ice cream this baby requires. I think I’m out, Cinaed.”

He looked panicked and leaped to his feet. “I’ll get more right away!” Then he fled out the door.

“You really shouldn’t do that to him,” Rachel said with a frown.

“I think he super cute around the baby.” Arabella stuck her tongue out at her.

“He’s
super hot
—there’s a difference.”

But Arabella could tell her best friend was affected by the sight of this super-gorgeous man kneeling in front of Arabella’s belly and oohing and awwing over her baby. Rachel could hide it all she wanted, but Arabella could see it—she had feelings for Cinaed and not just the lust kind.

“Well, undeniable super hotness 
is
how it starts…” Arabella arched an eyebrow at her.

“Don’t get on that again!” Rachel scowled and picked up the angel blade off the dresser. “Alright, what do you want to do with this?”

“I told you—on the wall. Maybe over the crib.”

“Okay, fine.” Rachel walked over to the wall and held it up, eyeing where it might be best to mount it.

“That looks good,” Arabella said. “But you’re not getting out of talking about Cinaed.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.” Rachel set the blade back on the dresser next to the crib. “He’s super hot. And possibly super cute when he’s taking care of you and the baby.” She crossed her arms and gave Arabella a determined look. “And it’s obvious he’s the kind of dragon who wants all that stuff—True Love and a dragonling. I’m just not the kind of girl for that sort of thing.”

Arabella gave her best friend a long look. “You could be, Rach. Look at me.” She gestured to her oversized belly. “I’m about to fulfill an ancient treaty by bearing a dragon shifter baby. That wasn’t exactly in my five-year plan.”

Rachel arched an eyebrow. “You had a five-year plan?”

“Always.” She gave her best friend a very serious look. “Rachel, this is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Lucian is the kind of man I never even knew existed. I fell in love with him because I’d literally never believed anyone could be that good… until I met him. Give it a chance, Rach. I want all that for you.”

Rachel’s mouth was working, but no words are coming out. Finally, she looked away and pounded her fist lightly on the top of the dresser. “Why do you have to look so damn happy when you say that?”

Arabella smiled. “I just received an angel blessing for my dragon baby. I think this smile is going to be plastered on my face for a while.”

Rachel snorted a laugh. “Okay, well, that’s your life. Always been better at it than I have been, Ari. You had to rescue me off the streets, not the other way around—remember?” She met Arabella’s gaze. “I’m not the kind of woman a man like Cinaed stays with.”