Chapter 45

Talon guided me down a hall on the castle's second floor. "Where are we going?" I asked.

His lips curved in a mysterious smile. "You'll see."

It was February 13th, and the baby was due any day now. Talon had arranged a candlelight dinner in a library on the castle's second floor with salmon in a creamy Tuscan sauce for me and blood-wine and chocolate for him. We'd both dressed up, and he looked way too sexy for my nine-months-pregnant self in a dark suit and white shirt open at the collar that set off his sculpted features, his strong chin dusted with dark stubble.

The food had been delicious but I'd only picked at it. My back ached and I couldn't seem to get comfortable.

Talon stopped at a door at the end of the hall. "Shut your eyes."

I put a hand on my sacrum, trying not to be cranky. "What is it?"

A boyish grin. "A surprise."

"Yeah?" Temporarily forgetting my discomfort, I smiled back—he looked so pleased with himself—and obediently closed my eyes.

Talon kissed my nape. I'd kept my hair short and he loved it, telling me everything about my neck was erotic, even the back of it. "I can't wait to fuck you again," he said against my ear.

I snort-laughed. "You've got to be kidding me. I have circles under my eyes and I'm so fat I can't put on my own shoes."

He ran his tongue around the shell of my ear. "Not fat, pregnant—with our son. And that makes you beautiful and sexy and so, so fuckable."

I hmphed. Because…cranky. I hadn't had a good night's sleep in two weeks.

Talon had moved me permanently into his apartment. He'd purchased a massage table and, after getting the therapist to show him how he could help, gave me nightly massages. They helped, but between my aching back and the fact the baby seemed to be curled up on top of my bladder, I woke up every couple of hours.

The door opened and Talon drew me inside. "Can I open my eyes now?" I asked.

"No." He nipped my lower lip and released my hand.

I heard a rustling sound; someone else was in there, too. "What are you up to?" I asked, stifling a smile.

"Open your eyes," he said.

When I did, Rio and Twilight yelled, "Surprise!" Rio wriggled jazz hands for emphasis.

We were in a large room with a row of windows along one wall. A top-of-the-line sewing machine perched on a table. Built-in shelves held scissors, thread, buttons and other sewing notions. An ironing board leaned against a wall next to a dressmaker's dummy. There was even a cutting table. The other half of the room held several racks of clothes next to a half-dozen empty racks.

I brought a hand to my mouth. "Oh. My. God."

"It's a workshop-slash-showroom," Rio stated proudly.

My gaze swung to Talon, watching me with his hands in his suit pockets, a smile on his lips. "You did this?" I asked.

He nodded. "You like it?"

"Heck, yeah." I grinned so wide I was probably giving off happiness sparks. "It's…wow. Perfect." I crossed to the sewing machine, caressing it possessively. "This thing costs an arm and a leg. I can't wait to test-drive it."

"Let me give you the tour." Rio pulled me toward the racks of clothes. "Me and Twilight flew over to Halifax and bought up a bunch of used and vintage clothes for you to work with."

I fingered a black velvet dress. "I can't wait."

"That's not all." Twilight threw open a door, revealing a small room with painted blue sharks swimming over cheerful yellow walls. "You can bring your little guy with you. There's a crib and a changing table. Oh, and a washroom, too."

"You guys thought of everything." I looked around at their smiling faces. "Thank you. I'm…speechless."

"If you want to make any changes," said Talon, "let us know."

"I will, but I can't think of anything right now. I love it." I twined my arms around his neck and kissed him. "It's the best gift you could've given me."

He ran a hand up and down my spine. "I want you to be happy, angel."

"It was Talon's idea," Rio said, "but me and Twilight put it together."

"You did a great job," I said, releasing Talon to hug first him, then Twilight.

She took my arm. "You have to see this vintage dress I found. I want you to fix it up for me."

I went with her to the rack she indicated. The deep-pink cocktail dress would be perfect for her. We were discussing how to make it over when the ache in my back moved around to my front, a light but definite squeeze.

I blinked and brought my hand to my abdomen.

"You okay?" asked Twilight.

"Yeah, but—" I looked past her to Talon. "Umm…Talon?"

He was across the room in a heartbeat. He took my hands, his Adam's apple working. "What?"

"I think I'm in labor."

"You had a contraction?" He sounded calm, but his eyes were wild.

I took a deep breath. Nervous and excited, adrenaline pumping through me. "I think so."

"I'll call Olivia," said Twilight. "You take Eden to the birthing suite."

Rio's mouth had dropped open. "Fuck." Then he straightened his shoulders. "I mean, you've got this. What do you want me to do?"

Twilight answered for me. "Why don't you hang out for a few minutes while we get her ready, then come along to the birthing suite, okay?"

The birthing suite had been added to the castle's lair at Twilight's instigation. Together with Olivia, Twilight and I had designed a comfortable place for labor and delivery in soothing blues and greens with dim lighting and state-of-the art equipment including a hydrotherapy tub.

The first thing I did was go to the bathroom while Talon hovered outside the door. He barged in the moment I flushed. "Twilight says Olivia's on her way."

I was still on the toilet. I pushed down my underpants and leggings as far as I could reach. "I want a shower."

"Maybe you should wait for Olivia."

The leggings got stuck around my ankles. "Please, Talon."

He pressed his lips together and knelt to pull the leggings the rest of the way off. "Two minutes, that's all."

He turned the tap and waited nearby, a towel in his hands, while I washed up. "Twilight's letting Brien and Cain know, too," he said, "and I'll text your mom and dad after we get you settled."

I flashed him a smile. "Thanks."

The past couple of months, Twilight and I had grown close. She was smart, funny and more of a rebel than I'd realized. We'd clicked, bonding over a shared love of anime and eighties dance-pop.

When she'd offered to be part of my support team during labor and delivery, I'd beamed and thrown my arms around her. "Yes, please. I wanted to ask, but…"

She seemed taken aback by my hug, but after a tiny pause, she squeezed me back. "But what?" she demanded as I released her.

"You're the prima and I'm just a thrall."

She rolled her eyes. "Do I seem like I give a fuck about that? Besides, you're not a thrall anymore. You're a lieutenant's mate. That's practically royalty."

Now I turned off the shower. Talon patted me dry and helped me into a clean dress. That's when a large hand fisted around my abdomen.

"Whoa." Bringing a hand to my belly, I sent him a stunned look.

He gulped. "What's wrong, baby?"

"A…big one," I gasped out.

"All right." He gave me his arm, and I grabbed it with my free hand. "You've got this," he said, his tone low and soothing. "Lean on me and breathe. Slow, deep breaths. Like yoga breaths, remember?"

I nodded.

"And relax," he added. "Don't fight it."

"Trying," I gritted.

Talon had done four birthing sessions with me under Olivia's supervision. He'd been so serious, like this was a test he didn't intend to fail, which made me love him even more. He had that serious expression now. A calm, I've-totally-got-this vibe emanated from him. If he was still nervous, he hid it well.

My own tension eased. I closed my eyes, focusing on breathing into the contraction instead of straining against it, as Olivia had taught me to do.

"Good girl." His free palm settled on my back, moved in soothing circles until the contraction eased. "It's over?"

I realized I had a death grip on his hand and released it. "Yeah," I said, straightening up.

That's when I saw his taut expression. He must've been feeling the contraction along with me.

I chuckled weakly. "You look like crap. You'll never last. You have to close yourself off."

"You're my mate," was his reply. "I'm going to do this with you."

That fist moved from my abdomen to my heart and squeezed. Hard.

God, I loved this man. But— "At least block some of it. I need you to be calm for me. It doesn't make me feel any better knowing you're suffering, too. Please?"

"I'll try." He gathered me to him with a gentleness that made my throat clench.

Twilight arrived, and then Olivia. Another contraction hit, this one fairly easy to handle. After it receded, she helped me onto the bed so she could check how the labor was progressing.

She grinned up at me between my spread knees, which was pure Olivia. "You're already six centimeters dilated. Let's hook you up to an IV, just in case," she said, proceeding to do just that. "If you feel like walking, that should help things along."

"I do," I said, and Talon helped me off the bed, he and Twilight falling in on either side of me as I paced slowly back and forth.

Rio arrived as I was breathing through another contraction. "How's it going?"

I felt Talon shake his head at Rio, and my friend took a pace back, eying me like I was a lit bomb that might go off at any moment.

"Good," I said, tight-lipped.

When the contraction eased, he threw himself on the couch. "I'm going to be an uncle! Tio Rio!"

Twilight laughed aloud at that, and I chuckled.

"How soon can we dye his hair? A baby would look super-cool with pink hair, don't you think? Or maybe purple."

"No," Talon said firmly.

"Not until he's old enough to have an opinion," I chimed in, adding, "I'd like to sit in the rocking chair now."

Talon helped me lower myself to the seat, and I rocked back and forth. Olivia put on soft electronica and pulled out her knitting needles and a half-finished sweater. She sat on a chair, knitting one of the arms.

Rio's hand shot into the air like he was in a classroom. "It's not too late to call him Rio the Second. We can call him Two for short.

Only Rio could make me giggle in the middle of a contraction. Talon just shook his head.

"We have a name," I said.

"And?" asked Rio.

I paused in my steady rocking to nod up at Talon. "Tell them."

He caressed my nape. "We're calling him Jude," he said. "Jude Talon Montgomery Esposito."

It had been me who'd talked Talon into giving our son his family name. I firmly believed that if Esposito hadn't kept me supplied with water and sandwiches, I might've lost the baby. Lemaire might've even preferred it—easier to sell me as a blood slave without the encumbrance of another man's child. And Talon and I both liked the name Jude.

"I like it," Twilight said.

Rio screwed his mouth to the side, considering. "I suppose two Rios would get confusing."

Twilight's eyes sparkled with laughter. "Plus, they broke the mold after you were born."

"I know you're dissing me," he returned. "But you ain't wrong."

I chuckled and started rocking again.

After that, the contractions grew more intense. "Someone's in a hurry," Olivia muttered. She shooed Rio out—not that he tried to stay; the poor guy was looking green around the edges—and had me strip and get into the birthing tub with Talon and Twilight's help.

The warm water helped. Olivia moved her chair and knitting to the side of the tub and told me how great I was doing.

An hour passed. Talon supported me through my contractions, and Twilight fed me ice chips in between. I wanted out of the tub, and Talon lifted me out while Twilight dried me with a fluffy towel.

I got back into bed, and Olivia stowed her knitting and checked me again. Her gray eyes crinkled up at me. "You're ready to push, love."

The contractions had taken over my body by then. I groaned something incoherent and bore down when she told me to, and at three thirty-seven a.m. on Valentine's Day, Jude Talon entered the world with a tiny version of his dad's growl.

Twilight said, "Aw," and I exchanged a smile with Talon while Olivia cleaned Jude up and wrapped him in a blanket so that he looked like a cuddly, Maritime-blue burrito.

She handed him to Talon. "Say hello to your son."

Talon swallowed. "My son," he repeated, joy spreading like a sunrise over his face. He gazed down at Jude, one large hand palming his small head, the other holding him close to his chest.

"Hello, little guy." He pressed a kiss to the baby's still-moist forehead, then looked at me, his heart in his eyes. "Thank you. He's beautiful."

"He is, isn't he?" I was aware of Olivia urging everyone else from the room, but all I could see was my two guys, their dark heads close together. "He has your hair," I told Talon.

"Mm. I hope he gets your eyes, though. They're blue right now. Well, kind of bluish-gray."

"Mom says they'll probably change." I held out my arms. "Can I hold him?"

"Of course." Talon gave Jude another kiss and laid him in my arms.

I nuzzled his cheek, inhaling his sweet, newborn scent. He settled against my breast with another cute growl, rooting around until he found my nipple.

"That one's going to be a handful," Olivia murmured from the foot of the bed.

Talon and I grinned at each other.

A few final contractions, and Olivia declared that I was all done. She cleaned me up, brushed my hair and helped me into a soft nightgown that buttoned up the front, a gift from Twilight.

"You can send everyone in," I told the midwife.

Talon had taken Jude. He placed the baby back in my arms as a mix of humans and vampires crowded into the birthing room.

Twilight returned with Brien and Cain, all three appearing pleased at the new edition to the syndicate.

My parents came next, Mom with an armful of flowers and Dad with a tin of my homemade cookies. They'd received special permission to enter the syndicate's underground lair. They hugged me and Rio, who'd become an unofficial member of the family.

Talon rubbed my shoulder, then shook Brien and Cain's hands, accepting their congratulations with a smile. Champagne was uncorked, both blood-infused and the human kind, along with orange juice for me.

Glasses were raised and Brien toasted first me, then the baby, then Talon. Then it was Cain's turn. I was surprised to see him here, actually. Nazaire had surfaced in Quebec City again, and Cain had spent the last couple of weeks off-island, doing some sort of hush-hush investigation.

For once, Cain's lips didn't have that cynical twist. He appeared genuinely happy for both me and Talon. "To my best and oldest friend," he told Talon, "and your beautiful mate. Your baby is blessed to have you as parents. I hope you'll let me be an honorary uncle."

He directed the question to me. Talon was already nodding, but I raised my orange juice to Cain. "Of course."

Cain's gaze moved to the baby in my arms, and his face softened. For a few seconds, he looked almost human.

My mom finished her champagne and held out her glass out for more. Rio obliged, and mom raised her glass to me. "A Valentine's Day baby—that's lucky."

Everyone drank to that, then Mom handed off her glass to Rio and snapped several shots of me and the baby to send to Freya.

Talon sat on the bed next to me and took my left hand in his. "Eden, you already accepted my mate bond."

I eyed him, puzzled. "Yeah—?"

"But I've been waiting until tonight to give you this." He produced a gorgeous ring—a flawless oval sapphire on a simple gold band—and slid it on my left ring finger. "It reminds me of your eyes," he murmured.

I rolled my lips in and blinked rapidly. I hadn't cried in weeks, and I wasn't going to now.

"Sweetheart?" My beautiful, broody vampire looked panicked. "What? Why are you upset?"

I pressed a kiss to his mouth. "I'm not upset. I'm happy."

His arm came around my shoulders. "I love you too. And I was thinking about what you said," he said in an undertone.

"About turning me?" He'd been reluctant at first, worried about the danger to me, but I'd convinced him it was what I wanted.

"Yeah. Whenever you're ready."

I nodded. I'd already made up my mind that I wanted it soon. When Jude Talon wasn't nursing anymore. The stronger I was, the less likely someone would kidnap me again to use me against Talon and the syndicate.

Talon was worried that my parents would object, but it wasn't up to them, was it? And they'd come around. This was my world now and we all knew it.

I leaned my head against Talon, smiling around at everyone as my mom and Twilight approached to admire the ring.

"I think we need another round of champagne," Rio said.

Talon's chest rumbled in laughter. "I like how you think, kid. Order it."

Rio pulled out his phone. "On it, boss."

Cain grimaced. "Sorry, but I can't stay." He raised his fist and Talon bumped it.

"When will you be back?" Talon asked.

Cain gave him an odd-half smile. "Can't say."

Brien followed him to the door, and the two men conversed in low tones, Talon frowning at them. When they were finished, Cain slipped out the door. Everyone else stayed for a second toast, then filed out, even Olivia, until it was just me, Talon and my parents.

My father stuck out his hand for Talon to shake. "You take care of her, you hear? Both of them."

"I will, Mr. Montgomery. You have my word on it."

They exchanged an unreadable, very male look, then my dad released Talon's hand and clapped him on the back. "Call me Wes, son. Maybe I'll take you out night fishing sometime. I could use a strong back, and I bet you see real good in the dark."

I rolled my eyes. "Dad! He doesn't have time for—"

"No, it's okay," Talon told me. "I'd like that," he told my dad.

"Call me when you're free," Dad said, and Talon nodded.

But it was my mom who had the last word.

"See," she said, leaning forward to kiss first me, then my sleeping infant. "I told you that in the end, everything would work out for the best."

"You did." I smiled over her head at Talon. "You did."