“Man, who would have thought being pregnant would make you so hungry! I guess when you’re eating for three you…” Cara paused and looked thoughtful for a moment before continuing, “or would it be four if I counted my dragon? Wasn’t she absolutely amazing? She kicked some serious ass. Oh, and I have to tell Abby she isn’t the only one who can roast the bad guys now. I need to talk to your mom. Do you think she can help me get the baby stuff we’ll need? Maybe some of the guys in the repair lab can build us some really cool baby monitors? Have you seen Ariel, Trisha, and Carmen? I need to let everyone know I’m okay. Maybe I can...” Cara paused when spiced wine spewed all over the table.
“Hey, are you okay?” Cara asked looking at Trelon’s white face. “You don’t look so good. Are you coming down with something? If you are, I hope it’s not contiguous. I’m not sure what would happen to the babies if I got sick with some weird disease.”
“Babies?” Trelon choked out. He suddenly felt very, very light headed.
Cara grinned at him really big. “We’re going to have twins! I saw them. Well, not really saw them like in an ultrasound or anything; but, your mom told me to look deep inside me and I saw these two little sparks of light and I knew right away they were girls and…Trelon?” Cara’s voice faded away.
Cara chewed on her finger nail as she paced back and forth in the living area. She glanced back towards her and Trelon’s sleeping area every few seconds. What was taking them so long? What was wrong with Trelon? How long did it take to figure out if he was going to be okay or not?
Trisha and Abby watched as Cara moved back and forth. They had snuggled up on the couch not long after they had come in with Zoran and Kelan. Abby explained that Ariel and Carmen had gone on an adventure with Mandra and Creon which was why they hadn’t come too. She added that she hoped the brothers remembered to bring the sisters back at the end of it. Trisha had broken down in giggles at that. They had tried to talk Cara into sitting down but she was too worried about Trelon. When he had passed out on her it had scared her so badly she had screamed. Her scream started a whole series of events. First, the two guards posted outside their door had burst in with their swords drawn. When they found Trelon laying motionless on the hard floor they had been confused. Trelon’s symbiosis, Symba, was acting like nothing was wrong. She didn’t even bother to get up off the floor where she was laying curled up in the sunlight. Cara had been on her knees frantically fanning Trelon’s face. They had gingerly picked him up off the floor and carried him to the bed, all the while asking Cara what had happened. She didn’t have a clue! One minute she was eating and talking to him, the next he had turned a deathly white before hitting the floor.
The guards had called for a healer who had, in turned, called for Zoran who had been in a meeting with Kelan. They had both hurried to their brother’s room but not before they encountered their mother, Abby, and Trisha who had been on their way to see how Cara was doing. Trelon’s mom had listened as Cara repeated what had happened in detail. She had chuckled before following Zoran and Kelan into the bedroom where the healer was working on Trelon.
“So, I think he took that really well.” Abby said calmly. She was sipping a hot tea. “Zoran knew before I did that I was pregnant. He seems to think we are having a boy.”
“Better you two than me.” Trisha said before she blushed looking toward the other room. “I mean…well…it’s not like I…oh, hell.” She said before she looked down at her drink which smelled a little stronger than ordinary tea.
Cara looked at Abby blankly for a second before she let out a squeal and rushed over to give Abby a big hug. “You too? This is going to be so much fun. We can teach the kids all kinds of things and it will be like they are cousins because of course they are but you know what I mean.” Cara babbled excitedly.
Trisha looked at Cara bouncing up and down and finally shook her head. “Cara, girl, you have to either sit down or stay in one spot for a moment. My head is swimming trying to keep up with you.”
Cara plopped down between Abby and Trisha. “So, you’re having a boy and I’m having twin girls.” Cara said then turned towards Trisha. “So, what’s the story with you? Is Kelan giving you a hard time? You know, Abby and I can roast people. Do you need us to roast him for you?”
Trisha laughed. The thought of seeing Kelan running through the palace with his pants on fire was very tempting. “No, I think I can handle him. We just don’t see eye-to-eye. He likes to command, I like to ignore. It makes life interesting.”
Cara jumped up when she heard a loud roar coming from the sleeping area. Trelon was awake, she thought with relief. She had only taken a few steps when she heard him yelling at his brothers to let him go. Abby put her hand on Cara’s arm to stop her from going any further while Trish stepped in front of her slightly.
Trelon appeared at the door looking extraordinarily handsome but extremely frazzled. Cara loved how his muscles flexed as he fought his brothers and how his hair hung down in disarray around his shoulders. She thought he should never wear a shirt again. She suddenly had a great idea!
He could only wear pants and she would only wear his shirts. That way they only messed up one outfit a day. What with twins coming, it would save on having to do a lot of laundry,
although she thought with a frown,
it wasn’t like she had done any laundry
since she had been there.
It wasn’t until she noticed everyone was looking at her funny that she realized she had been talking out loud.
Cara looked at everyone and shrugged. “Well, a girl’s got to think about stuff like that when she’s going to have a family.” She said to no one in particular.
Trelon seemed to sway on his feet again at the mention of the word twins. “Out! Everybody out now.”
Trelon never took his eyes off of Cara. When she turned to leave too, he took a step forward then stopped, holding himself rigid. “Not you, Cara.” He said softly.
Morian walked out from behind Trelon shooting him a dark look before she walked over to Cara. Trish stood aside as Morian leaned close to Cara and gave her a big hug before whispering in her ear. Cara smiled as her new ‘mom’ winked at her. Abby gave a small murmur of protest when Zoran wrapped his arm around her and started to pull her towards the door. Trish raised her eyebrow at Kelan when he came to grab her arm. Kelan threw his arms up in the air with a curse before he bent over and picked Trish up in his arms ignoring her squeal of protest. The last to leave was the healer who cleared his throat a number of times before he made a hurried request for Cara to see him as soon as possible so he could evaluate her. When everyone was gone, Cara found herself backing away from the look in Trelon’s eyes.
“Now, just hold your horses there.” Cara said putting a hand up to ward Trelon off. “Are you telling me you fainted because I’m pregnant?”
“I did not faint.” Trelon said with a slight flush to his cheeks. “I had a shock to my system that required down time.”
Cara raised her eyebrow at him. “Oh, really? On Earth we call it a faint.” She said with a twitch to her lips.
Trelon walked towards Cara. When he stood in front of her, he suddenly dropped to his knees. Cara watched him silently as he slowly unbuttoned the shirt she was wearing.
“What are you doing?” Cara asked softly.
“I want to see my child…my children.” Trelon said hoarsely.
He gently laid his palms against her flat stomach and closed his eyes. He called on the symbiosis attached to his wrists, feeling them as they fanned out over Cara’s stomach connecting them. Trelon focused inward until he could see the two tiny sparks glowing brightly inside Cara’s womb. He reached out and touched them. The response he received knocked him back on his heels.
“Daughters.” He said in a trembling voice. Trelon stared up at Cara with tears in his eyes. “You have given me two beautiful daughters.”
“You aren’t mad, are you? About them being girls? I mean, I know most guys want to have a son first…” Cara asked anxiously.
Trelon shook his head and stood up. He lifted Cara up in his arms. “In one day, I have been given back the love of my life, my true mate, and the rare gift of not one, but two daughters. Perhaps I did not piss the gods and goddess’ off, for they have definitely blessed me with good fortune.”
Cara’s drew in a deep breath. Who would have ever thought the big lug would turn out to be such a romantic! Cara suddenly squealed in delight as Trelon spun her around and around in his arms shouting he was going to be the best father any girl had ever had. His laughter filled Cara’s heart that earlier had been too afraid of the world around her. Now, she knew that as long as she had Trelon, she could conquer any world; even a strange new one where dragons and gold symbiosis lived as one with the man she loved.
Two weeks later Cara was thinking about killing the man she loved, along with his dragon and his symbiosis. They were driving her nuts. If she got away from one, the other would find her. Trelon had found her stash of tools in the bed side table after the second time she had picked the locks on the chains he had put her in. Of course, that was after he had caught her flying out over the ocean and wave dodging. Cara had explained wave dodging was kind-of like surfing only the goal was to ride inches above them and not wipe out. It was just her luck that Trelon had caught her after an unusually big wave surprised her dragon and she had gone under. He had pulled her out coughing and choking on sea water. She had pointed out she wouldn’t have choked on it if he hadn’t surprised her by yanking her out of the water when she wasn’t expecting it. Then, he had gotten upset when she had snuck out with Abby and Trish and they had gone down to the market. She had been teaching the boys how to play basketball. She had just completed a slam-dunk with a little help from one of the older boys. Unfortunately, the boys thought it would be funny to leave the short girl hanging from the hand-made hoop. She was just about to beg Symba for some help when she felt a pair of huge hands grip her around her waist. All she heard as she looked over Trelon’s shoulders was the boys complaining about losing their coach and Trish and Abby’s laughter.
“Come on, Trelon. You won’t let me do anything!” Cara complained later that day. “At least let me go hang out with Abby while you are in your meeting.”
“What do you mean by hang out?” Trelon asked suspiciously.
He was exhausted! He was doing his best to stay one step ahead of Cara and it seemed like he was always four steps behind before he realized she was even gone! The only time he could catch her was when she was in the cleansing unit sick. Even then, she tried to kick him out. When he wouldn’t go, she would call him every new name she had learned since coming to Valdire and a few from Earth that he had asked Trisha what they meant. After discovering the meaning of the words, he stopped asking and just understood sometimes it was better to not know. His symbiosis wasn’t in much better condition and his dragon just kept reminding him he should have beaten their mate’s ass when he had the chance. He was seriously thinking of asking his mom to watch over Cara for a few hours so he could catch up on his sleep.
“We are going to make a list of all the things we think we’ll need for the babies. We will be in her and Zoran’s living quarters.” Cara said in an exasperated voice.
“Zoran’s living quarters only, nowhere else?” Trelon asked cautiously.
“Nowhere else, I promise.” Cara said. She crossed her fingers behind her back. She didn’t plan on going anywhere else but you never knew, she thought.
“I’ll escort you there and pick you up. The meeting shouldn’t last too long. I was thinking it would be nice to fly over to the cliffs and watch the sun set. Maybe we could take some food and eat dinner under the stars, as well.” Trelon said hesitantly. He knew he had been being overprotective lately but he was just so worried after almost losing her not once but twice. The thought of losing her and their precious daughters was too much to even contemplate.
Cara smiled softly and nodded. She knew when to pick her battles. She recognized Trelon was just being overprotective of her. She probably needed it. It didn’t matter how many times she told him to leave when she was busy throwing up, he never did. He would kneel beside her and press a damp, cold cloth to her forehead and neck. When she was done he would help her stand up and hold her while she brushed her teeth before carrying her either back to bed or into the living area where he would sit her on the couch while he made her a soothing drink. Symba would come and curl up next her. Unfortunately, even a symbiosis was powerless against the effect of morning sickness. It was just something they couldn’t seem to figure out how to cure.
“That sounds wonderful.” Cara said picking up her small tote bag. “Abby is having the seamstress come and take measurements. Both of us seem to be gaining weight faster than we expected.”
Trelon smiled down affectionately. “I like you plump.”
Cara just rolled her eyes and shook her head. She wasn’t going to comment on that one. In just a few months, she was going to be more than plump! She was going to look like a basketball with legs.
“Come on, Romeo. Let’s get me to Abby’s so you can go to your meeting.” Cara replied walking out the door.
Abby was laughing at some of the things Cara was dreaming up for their nurseries when a knock on the door interrupted them. Abby went to answer the door. Just as she opened it, it swung in with enough force it knocked her backwards onto the floor. Cara yelled out and rushed for Abby but was stopped as N’tasha and four heavily armed men rushed forward. Two other men pulled in the lifeless bodies of Abby’s guards. Abby was crab-walking backwards from the intruders trying to get away. One of the men reached down and grabbed Abby around her arm lifting her up and holding her close. Cara turned as one of the other men rushed her and kicked out her leg sending him sliding head first into the nearby side table causing both of them to crash to the floor. She was turning on another when she heard N’tasha’s threat.