Chapter Twelve

Damon emerged from the portal in the center of Prince Christian's empty nightclub, his muscles tensed, ready for a fight. His mind was reeling, screaming at him to turn around and leave, that this was not the right way to handle the situation, but his rage and fear consumed him.

Initially he'd panicked, like any normal male would have when finding out they were pregnant, but this was a time to be with his mate instead of going on a suicide mission.

Damon knew this, but as he stood there, all he could think about was passing his mutation to his unborn child, and that terrified him, his fear overtaking any rational thought.

How would they ever know the pride of being a true Frost when Damon no longer felt it himself? And what would the babe even look like with so many different species inside of them? That became Damon's worst fear. That his son or daughter would be a mixed bag of freakishness.

Damon couldn't bear the thought of his innocent pup growing up in a world where they would never belong, constantly ridiculed and rejected by others. It was a fate that broke his heart.

A low growl escaped him as Christian appeared from a back hallway, an air of calculated danger surrounding him. The prince's hands were clasped behind his back, his steps graceful and calm despite his burning scarlet-red eyes.

"You dare enter my club with murderous intent?" His tone was icy and dangerous as he slowly stalked toward Damon. Each measured step resonated with an ominous click of his dress shoes on the polished floor.

Damon's muscles tightened as his wolf growled at the threat.

"Did you truly believe I would not see you coming?" Christian tapped his temple with a manicured finger. "I am the firstborn vampire. No one truly knows the full extent of powers that I possess."

But Christian was not alone.

From the second-floor balcony, Ceridian and Rhysdan gracefully landed on their feet, their predatory gazes fixed on Damon. They were Christian's deadly brothers, but Ceridian was the one to watch out for, known to be the most unpredictable of the three.

He was the one who held all of Damon's attention. Rumor had it he'd been buried for eons because Ceri couldn't control his curse to crave flesh. He'd also heard the guy had been cured when he'd found his mate.

If you asked Damon, the vampire looked like he wanted to fall back on old habits.

"Tell me, young wolf," Christian said with a lethal calmness, his fangs glinting in the dim light. "Why have you just foolishly given me your life to take after I helped to save yours?"

There were times when hindsight struck just a little too late. For the most part, Damon was a chill guy. However, when he lost his temper, things tended to go downhill fast. This situation wasn't just going downhill. It had hit rock bottom as soon as Damon had walked through that portal.

Sooner or later he was going to learn to think before he acted when pissed off—that was assuming he survived this.

But Damon was still furious about what they'd done to him, still terrified what he would pass on to his child. "The Ultionem put a goddamn circus inside of me."

"Do you know how many would kill for what we've given you?" Christian's eyes flashed dangerously as he continued to close in on Damon. "It is rare for me to spill my blood, especially for someone who means absolutely nothing to me. And now we share a bond because of my generous gift. But trust me, pup. I am about to sever it."

Ceri and Rhys began to advance toward him.

Damon breathed heavily, his canines extended, watching them both while trying to figure out how to survive this. It was as if the three of them were moving slowly on purpose, like they were building the anticipation before a kill. Then Damon noticed how the prince's skin began to change to a purplish hue.

"Once I sensed you were coming for my throat, my brothers sensed it as well." Christian continued to close in on Damon, each step filled with menace.

The other two vampires flanked the prince, their eyes twin blazes of fury.

"You can have your blood back," Damon argued.

"Oh, I intend to take it back," Christian growled. "Every last drop in your body will be mine, wolf."

"Stop!" Casimir suddenly "popped" in next to Damon, growling fiercely as he stood protectively beside him. "He's just afraid."

Damon couldn't believe his mate was there, especially with the way he'd acted before using the portal to leave.

"Do you think that matters to me?" Christian's lips twisted into a snarl, and that was when Damon noticed the vampire's fangs had grown a hell of a lot longer. "He entered my sanctuary uninvited with vengeance in his heart."

Casimir's swords materialized in his hands as he took up a battle stance. "I do not wish to engage in combat with you, prince. But I will use any means necessary to protect my pregnant mate."

Christian raised two fingers, and his brothers stopped advancing. "I do not harm mates, especially those with child. We protect and defend all mates, even if they are not our own." Christian glared at Damon.

"But make no mistake, I will eliminate any and all threats to myself and my coven." Christian turned his menacing gaze toward Casimir. "Your wolf entered my club through a portal while my own mates are present."

As angry as Damon was, he hadn't thought about the possibility that Christian's mates would be there. He lived by the same code. Protect and defend any mate, whether yours or not.

Damon felt Casimir tense beside him. Now, because of his reckless actions, Casimir stood ready to battle the prince of vampires and his brothers, in order to protect him.

If he thought it would do any good, Damon would honestly apologize.

"I cannot let this slide," Christian said, as if he'd read Damon's thoughts. "My mates are as precious to me as yours is to you, Casimir."

Damon's claws slid free as Ceri and Rhys came at them, nothing but the promise of death in their eyes. He glanced up at Casimir, but his mate refused to look at him. Nobody in the room had a clue just how sorry Damon truly was.

That being said, if they were going to die, then Damon would embrace the dark monster that lurked within him—the very one Christian had helped create.

Right before the ancient vampires reached them, all of their bodies became stiff and motionless except Damon's. He furrowed his brows as he wondered if he'd caused this. The vampires and Casimir stood frozen in mid-action, trapped like statues.

Now that he could study Christian and his brothers, Damon realized just how truly terrifying they were. Their razor-sharp fangs were bared, and Christian's deadly claws had extended. Jeez. He really did have a purplish hue to his skin. What exactly was he?

And god, the red in the prince's eyes gave Damon chills. Christian was the embodiment of what nightmares were made of when he looked like this.

"Consider yourself lucky you have a greater purpose in life."

"Jesus!" Damon grabbed his chest as Aldrin popped into the empty club. What was with everyone popping in?

"Otherwise, not even my friendship with your father would have convinced me to save your dumb ass," he continued as if he hadn't just scared the living daylights out of Damon. "Care to explain to me what your master plan was, besides dying? Why did you do it, pup?"

As Damon turned to face the vampires, he could feel Aldrin's immense power pulsing in the room. He walked toward Casimir and gazed up at his mate. He was so tall, breathtakingly handsome, and looked every bit the warrior—from his honed muscles to the fierce expression on his face. His swords were crossed in front of him, ready to strike.

So much love radiated inside of him for Casimir. Even though Damon had made a mess of things, had crushed his mate's feelings, his warrior had come for him, ready to kill to protect him.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered to his mate.

Damon had screwed this up every which way he could. From his initial reaction to finding out he was pregnant, to storming into Christian's club and putting the lives of the prince's mates in danger, to dragging his own mate into this deadly situation.

All of it was Damon's fault, and he felt deep guilt and regret for what he'd done. So many lives could have been lost tonight, including Ceri and Rhys who had their own families to care for. What was wrong with him? He pressed a hand over his rigid stomach, feeling sick at what he'd just done.

"First, tell me if any of them are in pain right now.

"They're not in pain," Aldrin assured him. "Their minds are sleeping right now, unaware of what's going on around them."

Damon shoved a hand through his hair and sighed. "It just feels like I can't seem to get this right," he admitted. "I have a good life, a loving family, and a wonderful mate. So why am I still consumed with so much anger?"

"Because you are still holding on to your hatred for what they did to you," Aldrin replied calmly. "Mainly Panahasi."

His words rang true in the silent room. Just hearing the demon leader's name pissed Damon off to no end.

"We all make mistakes, Damon," Aldrin continued. "Especially those of us with great responsibilities."

Damon glanced over at Christian.

"He has given you the greatest gift of all. One that will bring you immeasurable joy," Aldrin said. "Embrace it. Your child carries within them the essence of seven powerful beings." He gestured toward Casimir. "You have a mate who loves you more than anything in this world. But instead of being happy about creating a new life together, you're upset. Why is that, Damon?"

"I'm afraid," Damon confessed. "I'm afraid the pup will be..."

" The most precious gift this world has ever seen," Aldrin finished for him. "They will possess incredible abilities. Do you want your child to grow up with a resentful and bitter father or in a nurturing family that will help them embrace their powers and teach them how to be a proud, fierce, and loving Frost? You need to let go of your anger, especially toward Panahasi. He's the reason why your wolf was able to claim Casimir."

Damon glanced at Aldrin, his brows furrowed.

"He was ready to end the world if Fate didn't unlock your bond so your wolf could become a part of it," Aldrin said with a smirk. "Never been prouder of him. He went up against Fate, who would have easily wiped the floor with him." His smile faded as he shook his head. "I swear I'm surrounded by stubborn males who are trying to give me ulcers."

Wow. Damon was at a loss for words. Panahasi had been willing to sacrifice everything for him and Casimir? It was hard for him to even comprehend it, but he could feel the intense anger slowly dissipating.

"Hold on. Fate is a guy?"

Aldrin rolled his eyes. "You sound just like your dad. And please keep that knowledge to yourself." He shared the same reason he'd given Kalen.

"Naw. Remove that info from my head." Damon scratched his beard. "It's kind of wigging me out. I'd prefer to stay in the dark about it and just think of it as the cosmos. Makes it seem more like ‘fate' that way."

Damon glanced at Christian. The only thing the vampire had been trying to do was protect his mates against a threat.

Just like any preternatural would have done.

"I'd really like to know if there's any way to fix this. He's about to end me, and I don't blame him. But I'd much rather celebrate the happy news of a child with my mate." He wrinkled his nose. "Though I still think it's weird as hell I have a bun in a missing oven. I'm also not looking forward to a big belly."

"Afraid of losing those abs?" Aldrin smirked.

"You have to admit I have a sick-ass body." Damon waved a hand toward his stomach. He was just teasing. For his and Casimir's child, he would wreck it in a heartbeat.

"You have a really nice sense of humor, wolf." Aldrin gestured to Damon's body. "Your oven is only temporary. That's what I love so much about the preternatural world. Mother Nature always looks out for you."

Damon held up a hand. "I don't want to know if she's a real person. Keep that to yourself." When he'd been in the underworld with Aldrin, Damon had been going through a lot. But he had to admit he liked talking to the guy. The keeper was a chill person and had a really nice smile.

"Fair enough, but I'm taking away the keys to your portal ability. Your privileges have been revoked since you keep trying to drive yourself off a cliff."

"They're all yours." He rubbed his stomach. "I always get nauseous traveling through them anyway. Besides, I'm gonna have enough nausea now that a baby bun is inside of me. I don't understand how Panahasi makes portal travel look so cool."

Casimir would be relieved to know Damon could no longer use a portal. Plus, it would prevent him from making any more boneheaded moves again, like this one.

"He's the cool kid everyone wishes they could be." He gave Damon a smile with a hint of pride in it. "But trust me, you don't want to walk in his shoes. They weigh a ton."

Damon couldn't imagine the immense responsibilities Panahasi had, as not only the leader of the demon warriors but as Life.

As if Aldrin had read his thoughts, he touched Damon's temple and showed him in a mere second the difficult duties Panahasi endured.

"Holy shit," Damon muttered in awe, finally understanding for the first time what it truly meant to bear the weight of the world.

"I only gave you that knowledge so you can see why we sometimes screw up," Aldrin said solemnly. "It's a heavy burden to bear, Damon."

Colossal understatement. "I think I'll stick with my modest responsibilities." Like raising a child. He glanced up at Casimir and marveled at just how deeply he loved the man. And even more astounding was the fact that Casimir loved him, even after the way Damon had treated his warrior. He vowed to spend the rest of their lives showing his mate just how much he meant to him.

"Is this child going to be our only one?"

Aldrin squeezed his shoulder, as if relieved Damon was finally letting go and moving forward. "Have a brood of Frosts, wolf."

"How?" He gestured toward Christian and his brothers, feeling guilty that the prince's mates were there. Damon would never do anything to hurt a mate. Ever. It was engrained in him as a Frost.

And Damon was a goddamn Frost.

Too bad he couldn't turn back time and start over in the kitchen so he could make things right with Casimir—and never step foot in Christian's club to begin with. The entire morning had been a major disaster.

"Close your eyes and blow out the candles."

"What candles?" Damon didn't see any.

"Go through the motions," Aldrin argued. "You just had to ruin the magical moment."

Feeling ridiculous, he did as Aldrin instructed. When he blew out a breath, he opened his eyes to find he was back in his own kitchen with his family and his mate.

Elvine flew into the room clasping her hands. "Congratulations, Mr. Baby Belly!" Once again, she was wearing a smile so wide her face should have split in half. "I'm gonna be an aunt!"

Jax elbowed Kalen. "Grandpa."

Damon's throat grew tight when his dad's eyes misted over. God, he loved the man so much. He grinned when his dad winked at him. The timeline was changing now that Damon wasn't a raving lunatic or storming angrily through a portal.

The room erupted with laughter, and Damon was grateful for his loving family and the new addition to come. This was a beautiful moment he would remember forever. Never again would he take his family through hell.

Damon felt overwhelmed with emotion as he looked up at Casimir, his beautiful mate who was staring down at him with hurt shining in his blue eyes. "We're going to be parents," Damon said with a smile.

Casimir appeared hesitant. "Why have you suddenly softened to the idea, Damon? Just moments ago you were very hostile toward it."

Casimir hadn't called him nékah . That small detail showed Damon just how deeply hurt his warrior was. He couldn't bear to see Casimir like this and pulled him into a tight embrace. Aldrin had given him a second chance, and Damon wasn't going to waste it.

Gripping Casimir's head firmly, he pulled his mate's ear to his lips and whispered, "I was thinking maybe we could have a few more babies and drive everyone crazy."

Casimir gasped. "Are you sure you're okay with it?"

"I'm more than okay with it. I'll just be a hairy pregnant guy." Damon playfully nipped at his mate's ear. "But since you're the one who got me pregnant, you have diaper duty."

Casimir threw his head back and laughed, hugging Damon even tighter. "I don't mind, nékah ."

"You better not, ceutya méallan ." Beautiful father. Damon hoped he'd pieced the words together correctly.

Tears shimmered in his mate's eyes. "I'm going to be a father." Looking so proud, Casimir kissed his forehead. "I guess those pop quizzes paid off."

Score points that Damon had gotten it right, 'cause he sucked at remembering most of what Casimir had tried to teach him. "I'm smarter than the average bear."

"But you're a wolf," Casimir pointed out with a hint of confusion.

"Come on," Damon playfully huffed. "How old are you and you don't know about Yogi Bear?"

"Is he a friend of the family?" Casimir asked in earnest.

"I'm taking you upstairs right this instant to educate you on how to steal picnic baskets." Damon snorted as he grabbed his mate's hand. "After that, you're going to learn how to put our children on a dinosaur's head so they can watch movies. I'm about to introduce you to some amazing cartoons, gorgeous."

"Hold on," Jax said in a serious tone. "I'm not trying to bring the mood down, but you're no longer just a wolf, Damon. You now carry the genetics of seven powerful men."

It looked as if that observation hadn't been erased from the timeline. Crap. Damon had forgotten to ask Aldrin how he was even going to deliver the babe.

"Will that affect the pup?" His dad looked worried.

So did everyone else as they stared at Damon. Even Casimir's brows were knitted in concern. Honestly, they also looked as if they were waiting for him to explode.

A wide grin spread across Damon's face. "He or she will be the best goddamn Frost the world has ever seen."

Casimir hugged Damon tightly. "You're right about that."

His brothers and dad whooped with happiness as Elvine and Raidh hugged each other, wearing even bigger smiles than Damon.

After what could have happened, and the sacrifice Panahasi had been willing to make, he was done freaking out.

Now it was time to get back to being Damon Frost.