Kaius the Fierce by Cara Wylde

Chapter Thirty

In the following weeks, Grace begrudgingly had to accept that Kaius had been right. She needed rest, and a lot of it. She was hungry all the time, as well, so she ended up eating for more than two. In the end, she hadn’t felt strong enough to make the long trip to the nearest town and check out the furniture store. Fortunately, Sasha hadn’t complained about the sleeping situation once, and Birma and Beka made sure to find the softest furs and blankets for the baby’s crib. At first, Grace told herself that it would have to do. Personally, she still dreamed of a soft foam mattress. But as time passed, she became less concerned about the lack of mattresses and beds in the cave, and more focused on just getting on her feet in the morning and wobbling outside.

She was as big as a hot air balloon. Okay, she wasn’t, but that was how she felt. Ulgan made her creams and potions that helped reduce the swelling in her feet, and she was more than grateful that she hadn’t had any morning sickness. In fact, she hadn’t suffered from sickness at all, and she’d eaten well since day one of her pregnancy.

“I’ve never heard of a female feeling sick because she is pregnant,” Birma the Unseen said when Grace asked her about this particular matter.

“Really? It’s very common.”

“Maybe for your species.”

“When I was pregnant with Sasha, I couldn’t eat anything for days! Every time I nibbled on something, I’d have to run to the bathroom and throw it up. I forced myself at some point, because I was scared I was hurting the baby.”

“Odd. When orc females are pregnant, they eat, rest, and go for walks. That’s it. Even warriors. It doesn’t matter if you’re a demoness on the battlefield. Once you get pregnant, you take a break. Five months is not that long anyway.”

“How about after the baby is born?”

Birma shrugged. “Not a problem. Orc babies grow up very fast. The mother can go back to fighting for her horde in another five months. Maybe less.”

“Wow!” Grace shook her head. “I don’t know if orc females have it easier than human females, or if it’s the other way around.”

“Why ask these questions? You don’t have to worry about a thing. You’re the captain’s mate, and you’re not a warrior. Your life is supposed to be easy.”

“You know, that sounds like fun. An easy life. It hasn’t been easy so far.”

“Because of Goroth the Devourer, but he’s gone. Once the baby is here, everything will change. You’ll see. You’ll take care of him, and the horde will take care of you.”

Grace believed that. But until then, she was still huge, and she still had difficulties lowering herself into bed at night and pulling herself out of it in the morning. And she was too proud to ask Kaius to help her all the time. Then, her water broke a few days before the five months were up, and she realized the road to an easy life was a tough one. Tougher than she’d imagined.

She’d given birth to Sasha naturally, and since she was young and relatively healthy, she’d only been in labor for about five hours. With her first orc baby, things weren’t going to be as easy. For one, Birma and Beka took her by the river, immediately separating her from the horde. She knew this would happen, since it was their tradition to keep females in labor away from the males, and away from the place where the horde ate and slept. They laid her on a bed of leaves and pelts, brought water from the river, washed her sweaty forehead with a damp cloth, and made sure she stayed hydrated.

Sasha was there, too. Grace would’ve loved to be able to send her away, but she didn’t seem to have that kind of authority over her anymore. And the girl was so curious that she didn’t care what her mother thought about her presence there.

“You’re too young for this,” Grace told her between deep, heavy breaths. “You shouldn’t see this at your age.”

“Mom, I understand what’s happening and how this works. Ulgan explained it to me.”

“What?!” That was the last thing she needed to hear. That the mage, – a man and an orc, – had taught her daughter about how pregnancy and birth worked. “Why would he explain something like this to you?”

“I’m his apprentice, remember? I’m supposed to know how to heal people and bring babies into the world.”

“Oh my God! I don’t need this right now,” Grace cried. “I don’t need this!” The pain was becoming unbearable.

Hours passed, the sun set, and she was sweating profusely, crying, yelling, and cursing. That was another reason she would’ve loved for Sasha to just leave. She hadn’t wanted her daughter to see her in this state. Ulgan had given her various potions to drink, but he’d said, – and Sasha had translated, – that he couldn’t risk giving her anything too strong. His potions only managed to take her pain away for a while, but they also left her drowsy.

“Just use magic to take this baby out of me!” At some point, late at night, when the temperature had dropped and all they had was the light from a few torches, she started to pray and beg. “Anything! Just... anything! I can’t take it anymore!”

“Shh...” Beka ran the cloth over her heated skin.

“Shh? Don’t shh me! Do female orcs suffer like this when giving birth?”

“No.” Beka hesitated, but she couldn’t lie to her. “It takes a female orc an hour, maybe two. I’m sorry. Your body is different. You’re fragile... And the baby is big. So big.”

Grace started crying and laughing at the same time. She didn’t even know how she felt anymore. Sasha had been small when she was born. She’d come half a month earlier.

“Ulgan,” she cried. “Ulgan, please do something... Give me something...”

He pressed the same cup with the same potion to her lips. It helped ease her pain a bit, but nothing more.

“I need something stronger. Or just give me more of it.” She clung to the cup.

“No. No. You’re a different species of insect, and I don’t know how your antennas work.”

“What the hell?! What the hell does that mean?!”

“Mom, all he’s trying to say is that humans are different than orcs, and he can’t risk giving you too much,” Sasha translated. She’d gotten really good at speaking “Ulgan”.

Grace cried out in annoyance. “I know what he’s trying to say!”

“Sorry. I’ll go bring clean water from the river.”

“No, baby...” Grace started crying softly. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you. But, oh my God, it would help so much if you could just go tell Kaius to come to me, and if you could just stay back at the caves. Can you do that for me, baby?”

Sasha shook her head and shuffled away.

“The captain can’t come,” Birma said as she squeezed her hand gently. “Only the females and the mage can assist a birth. This is our way.”

Grace wanted to curse their way to heaven and back, but she bit down on her tongue. Another contraction was coming, and she could feel it was going to be bad. She closed her eyes and let out a pained cry.

“This isn’t what I signed up for. I want it to be over. I just want it to be over.”

It went like that for another hour, then finally, she felt like she needed to push. The twins held her tightly and encouraged her, and after what felt like forever, the baby came out, big, round head first, and wide shoulders tearing things that should’ve never been torn. Ulgan delivered the baby, who screamed at the top of its lungs the second it felt the cold night air on its green skin.

“A boy,” Birma said. “It’s a boy, Grace. You were right.”

Grace fell onto her back, completely spent. As they cleaned the baby and fussed over him, she blinked the sweat away from her eyes and stared at the sky. The moon was in the clouds, and only a few stars were visible. She took a deep breath in, and as she released it, she thought that it was probably going to rain soon. Maybe in the morning.

“Do you want to hold him?”

She smiled and made the immense effort of pushing herself upright. She was leaning against a tree trunk.

“Of course I want to hold him! Are you kidding me? I worked so damn hard!”

“Ulgan has already prepared the ointment to heal you... err... down there. I’ll help you.”

“Beka, I don’t care anymore.” One glance at the baby’s tiny tusks, big brown eyes, and tuft of black hair, and all pain was forgotten. “Look at him. He’s perfect.”

Sasha knelt beside her mother and poked the baby in his round, plump cheek.

“He’s so big,” she said. “And adorable! Don’t you just want to eat him?”

Grace laughed out loud. “Do you think someone can go fetch Kaius now? Or do we have to wait another twenty-four hours to present him with his own baby?”

“On my way,” Beka said, jumping to her feet.

Kaius had been nearby, in fact, pacing the woods, back and forth, back and forth. He’d heard the baby’s wail, and he rushed to the clearing. Beka almost bumped into him. At the last moment, she swerved left, and nearly crashed into a tree. Kaius didn’t even look at her. All he saw was his baby in his mate’s arms. He rushed to her side, knelt, and kissed her fiercely on the lips.

“That was fast,” Grace smiled. “Though, not fast enough. You should’ve been here... ten hours ago.”

Birma cleared her throat. “Twelve.”

“Twelve?!” Grace’s eyes were wide. She couldn’t quite comprehend how she’d gone through a twelve-hour labor and was still alive and feeling quite fine, in fact. “I’m not doing this again.”

Kaius looked at her with deep concern. “Ever again?”

She sighed. “Okay, okay... But give me a break first. A one-year break, at least. Maybe two.”

He grinned. Gently, he embraced both Grace and the baby, pulling them against his chest. She settled in comfortably as she rocked their new bundle of joy in her arms. The baby was looking at them with wide eyes. His little mouth was open, forming a cute “o”, drool trickling down his chin. Grace thought he was going to need a proper bath soon, and she would need to feed him. Fortunately, she had plenty of experience with that from Sasha.

Speaking of Sasha...

“Baby, where are you? Come here.”

She’d stepped away when Kaius had taken over and was now watching them with interest. She shook her head to chase her thoughts away. For a second there, she’d wondered how things would be from then on. What would change now that the new baby was here? But then he saw how Kaius extended his big, bulky arm towards her, and she couldn’t help but smile. Nothing was going to change. Things were exactly as they were supposed to be, and she had a real family now, not only half of a family. She moved to cuddle with them. The orc captain’s arms were big enough to hold all three of them, – Grace, Sasha, and the newborn baby, – and in fact, it was quite clear that they were big enough to hold even more of them.

“Thank you,” Kaius whispered in Grace’s ear. “For giving me two wonderful children.”

Sasha looked up at him. She was confused. “Two? Is another on the way?” Though she wasn’t sure how that could’ve worked.

Kaius patted her on the head, smoothing down her tangled hair. “Not yet. You’re the first of my children, and he’s the second.”

“Oooh...” That left her speechless.

Grace bit the inside of her cheek. She knew that was factually wrong. Kaius had another son he’d unwillingly left behind in his home world. She was about to point that out, then she stopped herself. Kaius was happy now. They were all happy. It didn’t mean he’d forgotten his son. He would never forget him. For now, though, they could just enjoy this moment and live in the present. Plus, Sasha didn’t know about his first son yet, and Grace thought she’d seen and heard enough for the time being. They could talk about it another day.

“Okay,” Sasha said after she mulled over it for a minute or two. “Okay, I’d like that. I’d like to be your daughter.”

“You are my daughter.” Kaius pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head. “And a future mage. Our horde needs a second mage. Ulgan is getting old.”

She smiled. “Okay. I’m your daughter, and I’m a future mage.” Then, to her mother, “See, Mom? Who needs to go to school?”

Grace laughed. “Not you. Your skills are not made for this world anyway.”

“They’re made for my world,” Kaius said. “And one day, I hope to take you both there.”

He looked into Grace’s eyes, and Grace knew he was thinking about his son. She nodded.

“We’d like that.”

THE END

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Vorgak the Cruel (Orc Mates Series)

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Candace West needs to escape. For two years, she’s suffered at the hands of her abusive husband, and she can’t take it anymore. When he refuses to give her the divorce and threatens her life, she runs to the only place where she knows she’ll be protected – the nearest institute for orc brides. Once she offers herself as tribute, she is safe, and a hired attorney takes care of the divorce. Now, all she has to do is keep her word, learn about the orcs’ culture, and follow the one who chooses her as his mate.

Vorgak the Cruel has been trying to find the right mate for months. When he first sees Candace, he’s not convinced, but the human female pursues him. She seems to be willing and insistent, so for better or for worse, he takes her with him. He knows she is broken, and in spite of his name, he doesn’t want to hurt her. But if he isn’t careful, someone else will hurt Candace. She is his mate now, so it’s his duty to protect her.

Rogan the Gray (Orc Mates Series)

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Tara Caraway has been sentenced to death for a crime she didn’t commit. The only way to save her own life is to volunteer to become a tribute and join one of the institutes that prepare human females to become orc mates. Some say that being an orc bride is even worse than being dead, but she’s willing to take this chance. She doesn’t care what happens to her as long as there’s hope that she can escape later, find the one who killed her sister and framed her, and take revenge.

Rogan the Gray doesn’t need a human mate. All he wants is to live in the mountains with his horde and wait for the moment when they can all return home. But who knows if that will ever happen, and in the meantime, there aren’t enough female orcs for the orc warriors. Maybe, if he takes a human bride, his days won’t be so bleak.

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I’ve always known I’m a terrible cook. But summoning a demon while attempting to make a simple chicken soup? That’s just next level.

Asmodeus, King of Hell, ruler over too many demon armies to try counting them, is in the middle of my destroyed kitchen, awaiting an explanation. He says I’m a powerful witch, but that’s just ridiculous. He says he’s bound to me, and he’ll fulfill any wish I have.

What do I say? Despite his horns, hooves, and tail, he’s stupidly handsome. And I need to find a way to banish him before he gets under my skin.