The Heartstone Saga by Archibald Bradford (short novels in english .TXT) 📕

Cordelia was right there with him, nodding her head as he spoke: not soon would she forget the dark monster that attacked her Hornets in the woods of Kettering.

“No one does. Not even Christine has a clue that we’ve been thinking about this. And we already have a story in place when- sorry, if I get pregnant, to throw her off.”

“You’ve thought this through.” Milly observed.

“We have. One of the biggest obstacles to my relationship with Oldeera was my desire for kids. Like an idiot, I got it into my head that I had to choose one over the other.”

The two Hornets still looming behind her hugged her tight as she spoke, but she didn’t get distracted.

“I’ve always known I would be a mom. Ever since I was a little girl. I said that already, but I just wanted to make that clear. My whole life has been building up to this. And I would do anything to keep my child safe, including lying to everyone I love.”

Volka pursed her lips as her eyes narrowed.

“How many children, exactly, were you planning on having?”

Cordelia blushed at the higher-angel’s attention, but she was quick to answer the question.

“Minimum two. I want them to grow up like I did with my sisters. Besides, one cute baby for all of my Hornets to spoil? They’d grow up to be a total shit.”

The Valkyrie smiled at her humour, dipping her head slightly in acceptance.

“Even if you were to get pregnant by my husband, the child would only have about a one in three chance of being born an Empath.”

“I would love them either way.” The baker replied immediately.

“Of course. But the more children you have with him, the better. If you are willing of course.

“Can’t we just start with one?” Erica whined, eager to get things moving; “Isn’t that how humans work? One at a time?”

Cordelia laughed, the release doing wonders for her nerves.

“Yeah, usually. You were born in a litter I take it?”

The Katje shrugged.

“Couldn’t tell you. I didn’t have much of a childhood.”

The smile fell off of the brunette’s face and her expression grew concerned, but Erica waved it off.

“Look all this talk about kids is sort of ruining the fun part about you two making them. Are we doing this or what? Because, far as I can tell, no one here is a stranger to group sex. And even though my tail smarts like crazy right now, I am all kinds of curious about your bond-mates.”

Still lying on her belly, her eyes trailed up the body of one of the Hornets near her.

Then all eyes turned to Nameless, as he had yet to actually agree.

With a sigh he shook his head as he looked to Volka.

“I kind of want to talk about this privately before diving in. But I suppose keeping everything out in the open is probably best.” He turned to face the anxious baker and her hive of Hornets; “You will make a good mother Cordelia, I would never doubt that. And I guess in the end, that’s all that matters.”

She sniffed and wiped at a sudden tear on her cheek when the heady realization that her lifelong dream of motherhood was to become a reality.

“Thank you.” She had to take a second to clear more tears from her face, but once she did she smiled so warmly and sincerely that it took Nameless’s breath away.

Once the poignant moment had passed, there was only one thing left.

Nameless turned to Oldeera as he extended one hand towards the bright yellow heartstone set in the crown on Cordelia’s head.

“May I?” He was asking the voluptuous Hornet as much as he was her queen.

It wasn’t a small request, and he knew that, but he was an Empath, if they wanted this from him, then he needed to know that Oldeera was truly okay with it.

She smiled and dipped her chin in assent.

“It’s alright honey, I trust you. If I’d had my way, before I met Cordelia it would have been your crown.”

“Are you trying to make me jealous?” The brunette pouted.

Nameless gently pressed one finger against the Hornet Queen’s heartstone, closing his eyes as he felt what she felt.

Given that the last queen whose mind he entered had been a Tenebrae, he was a bit anxious, but although Oldeera’s mind was multi-faceted, the structure was far different from Avita’s.

And there certainly wasn’t any of Evadne’s reckless hatred.

Instead there was love and a sort of wistful acceptance; Oldeera was glad that her bond-mate was getting what she so badly wanted, even if it wasn’t from her.

Needing to be absolutely clear about it, he sent an earnest plea to the Hornet their shared mind.

Oldeera, if Cordelia has a child I hope that you will think of it as yours, more than it is mine. I don’t know what the future holds for me, and so I can’t promise that I will be around to help her raise it. In fact a certain distance between us would probably be safer. But you will be there, won’t you?

She drew in a shuddering breath, her heart swelling as much as her massive breasts as she smiled at him again, this time with tears standing in her eyes.

The thought she sent back at him carried with it every bit of the regal authority that she wielded, if rarely displayed so directly.

On the strength of my bond. On the lives of my sweetlings, and upon my very name. I swear to you, Valkyrja-datta, I will love and protect your child as my own.

Though it was a bit unusual for someone other than an Amazon to call him by the title, with the palpable weight of her