Chapter 40

Zyair sat up in bed in the middle of the night. He could hear his mate downstairs singing to Caspian over the sound of his piercing cry. The baby had been fretting for the past few nights because his teeth were emerging, Layla said.

This was a new concept to Zyair. Lorr babies were born with little teeth in their little mouths. It was lucky that Layla had told him it was different for humans or he would have been shocked when his son was born with no teeth.

He swung his legs out of bed and went downstairs to join them.

"He just won't settle," Layla lamented with dark circles under her eyes, obviously exhausted. "I've been walking with him. I've wheeled him around. I've put him in the swing, and he just keeps crying."

"Let me have a try." Zyair held his arms out for his son. As soon as Caspian saw his daddy, he gave a big smile. "How are you doing, my little champion?" he crooned.

Layla shook her head. "You daddy's boy," she said with a laugh, ruffling his hair.

It was always like this. The moment Caspian saw Zyair, he started smiling. He hoped Layla wasn't offended although she never seemed to be.

"Do you want a drink?" she asked, yawning and stretching as she walked toward the kitchen.

"I do—but don't get up. You've been up with Caspian all night. Let me get you something."

"Water, please. Thank you, my love."

He came back with two glasses and a baby bouncing in his arms, and all three of them settled on the sofa together. He relished moments like this. Just the three of them relaxing together in their home.

"So, it's agreed that you'll take night duty from now on?" Layla asked with a smile.

"Sure. What do I have that I have to be rested for anyway?"

"I guess someone has to investigate when old ladies' trinkets that are actually weapons of mass destruction go missing. How's work been since, you know—everything?"

"Since the almighty warrior king of Lorr declared that the Desolation Stone belongs in the hands of the Lorr species rather than with a nosy heiress? Not bad, notwithstanding the saber-rattling at Dad by the Jorvlens. But you didn't ask about galacto-political affairs. In the office, it's all much better than before the mission. But everything in my life is better now. Isn't it?"

She kissed him with that and nodded.

"Willow's been keeping me in the loop on the gossip a little, too. She says the agency's getting flooded with calls since you solved something so important."

"Yeah, we were afraid clients might get skittish since we found the stone but didn't return it back to the client, but since Father compensated Darina for the stone for more than all of planet Kona's worth, it's been fine."

"It was the right choice, and from what I've heard, most beings in the quadrant agree. I've also heard that Trigg's gotten better. Right? Less of…"

"Less of a dick? Yeah, he's actually been pretty great. I think I finally proved myself worthy of the Lorrz family name." Zyair started talking in a baby-voice to Caspian. "Isn't that right, Caspian Zyair Lorrz? We're worthy of our name. Aren't we?"

The adorable orchid-tinged baby with tiny slivers of teeth popping in over his lower gums, giggled at his dad.

Layla yawned. "I guess I'll get to see tomorrow how much Trigg's behavior has changed, hmm?"

"Are you excited to see your cousins, my little half-earthling?"Zyair asked. "Of course, you are. And they can't wait to see you."

Zyair blew a raspberry on his belly, and Caspian erupted with laughter. A horrible smell followed, and both of their noses crinkled. Layla asked a question with pathetic eyes, and with a motion, Zyair answered.

"I'll take the baby upstairs, change his diaper, and then we'll all get to sleep. Care to join me, my love?" He looked her up and down in her nightgown, and she looked more beautiful than ever. Being the mother of his child had made him want her even more.

"I'll be right up," Layla said.

"Keep the bed warm for me. Okay?" he said with a grin.

"Not warm. But I'll make it hot for you, handsome." She blew him a kiss. "Nothing sexier than a husband who changes the baby."

The next day, the trip in the flier to the Noxxan countryside for the get-together he'd planned with his three older brothers was glorious. Caspian was a delight the whole way, barely even getting upset as they took off and landed despite the popping in his Lorr-shaped ears.

The brothers had booked a small resort so the entire family could really enjoy each other's company in a way that was impossible in the office or quick get-togethers planned haphazardly. The extended family was now too large to count everyone on ten fingers and soon would be too large to count even using toes.

The rest of the family were already gathered in front of the resort when the flier hit the docking pad.

"You see your family, sweet Caspian?" Zyair asked, holding him.

Caspian answered in his baby talk, which was slightly obstructed by the hand that was constantly in his mouth these days. They had tried offering him all sorts of teething toys and soothers, but it always came back to his chubby little fist being chewed.

"Where's that gorgeous little baby?" exclaimed Willow, holding out her arms as she ran toward Zyair to cuddle the baby. Caspian answered her in his baby talk.

"Oh, you've gotten so big! I can't believe it!" She struggled to hold the squirming child around her protruding belly.

"My goodness, look at you!" exclaimed Layla. "You must be so uncomfortable! Here, let me have the baby back."

"No, let me have the baby," cut in Gianna with a smile. "We've got to share this gorgeous boy."

Scarlett smiled and gave Layla a sisterly embrace, and Zyair grouped into a circle with his brothers.

"Well, that'll keep them occupied for a while," said Kozien, drawing his brother into a warrior's embrace with a laugh.

Zyair embraced Grux and Trigg in turn.

"How's married life?" asked Trigg.

"You know how it is," Zyair said. "I couldn't be happier. Besides, I talk to you, like, every day anyway."

They all laughed and fake-punched each other. It was much better than the truly violent fighting that broke out when they were younger and angrier. Before married life calmed their demeanor.

The four brothers settled into an easy banter, and all of them walked toward the entrance of the resort, where they could lounge. Zyair felt like he'd joined a club he hadn't even known existed. Like the act of becoming a father was a rite of passage, and now that his grown-up self had surfaced, he was welcome to join the others.

There was a distinct division in his life—before Caspian and after Caspian. Just like there was life before Layla and life after.

He looked across to where the women and children were still in their huddle. Layla looked over and smiled. She could light up the universe with that smile, he thought.

The two groups gravitated toward one another like magnets. There were hugs all around, and before he knew it, he had Scarlett and Grux's son, Gruxor, on his shoulders trying to steer him by his horns. He wondered how long it would be before Caspian did that to him on his own shoulders.