She keeps a hold of my hand and drags me into the bathroom. Nia shuts the door and turns to face me.
“What’s going on?” I ask her.
“I’m late,” she says.
“Late?” I frown.
She points at the counter next to the basin. “Is that…” I start to ask.
“It’s a pregnancy test.” She has her hands clutched in front of her. “I’m late, and I…I feel different, but it might be…nothing. It’s probably nothing.”
“It might be something.” I try to keep my excitement in check.
“I’m being silly.” She makes a face.
“We haven’t used any protection, so you’re not being silly.” We’ve had plenty of sex. My heart is beating wildly. My mouth is feeling dry. I want this so badly. More importantly, I know how much Nia wants this. It’s only been a couple of months since we started trying.
Nia looks at her watch. “It’s been longer than two minutes.” She bites her lip. “There’s a good chance I’m not. A very good chance. I don’t want to—”
I walk over to the counter. “Stop!” she bursts out.
I do. I turn back around. She’s white as a ghost. Her hands are shaking. I walk back to Nia and take her hands in mine. “If you’re not pregnant, then we’ll have a whole lot of fun in the coming months trying for a couple of babies. And if you are…” Holy fuck! I grin. I pull in a deep breath. “If you are, then we’ll take it as it comes.”
“We’re still having lots of sex regardless,” she whispers.
“Tons.”
“I read that pregnant women are horny.” Her face falls. “I might not be pregnant, though. I might never be. I don’t mean to be negative, I swear, I just have to be realistic.”
“We’ll tackle whatever obstacles there are to tackle together, Nia. Rwy’n dy garu di.”
She sniffs. The smile that graces her beautiful face actually reaches her eyes this time. “I love you too.”
“Can I please go and look at that test now? Unless you want to do it.”
She shakes her head hard. “I can’t. I feel ill. You do it.” Nia stands with her hands clasped in front of her. She’s trembling.
I pick up the test. I look at the result.
“And?” she whispers.
I don’t say anything as I slowly turn to face her.
“Tell me, already!” she yells. “Just tell me. I can take it. We’ll try again. We’ll—”
I hold it up. She’s a hellhound; her vision is great.
“Two lines!” she screams.
“Two lines.” I nod.
“I’m going to be a mam.” She covers her mouth.
“I’m going to be a father.” I bark out a laugh.
Nia throws herself into my arms. We kiss and laugh and kiss some more. We tell each other a couple of times how much we love and cherish each other. “You’re going to be the best dad on the planet.”
“We’re going to make one hell of a family.” I hug her closer before letting her go. “Will our babies have scales or fur?” I muse.
“We’ll have to wait and see.” Nia is beaming. “We’d better go back to supper.”
I nod.
“Should we tell my family?” she asks. “Maybe we should wait until after the wedding.”
As we walk out of the bathroom, they’re all there, squeezed into the bedroom and spilling out into the hallway. They all clap and cheer.
Danial smacks me on the back. “Well done, son,” he tells me. “This is a proud day, indeed.”
It seems it’s a really big deal whenever a hellhound becomes pregnant since it doesn’t happen very often. “Ta answer your question. They’ll have fur, of course. Hellhound blood is very strong. I’m going to be a Taid…a grandfather.”
I catch Nia’s smile from across the room. It warms my heart. I wink at her, and she breaks out in soft giggles.
Lord of Tears on pre-order now.
About the Author
Charlene Hartnady is a USA Today Bestselling author. She loves to write about all things paranormal, including vampires, elves and shifters of all kinds. She lives on a couple of acres in the country with her husband and three sons. They have an array of pets including horses and a gecko named Pickle.
She is lucky enough to be able to write full time, so most days you can find her at her computer writing like mad. Charlene believes that it is the small things that truly matter, like that feeling you get when you start a new book, or when you look at a particularly beautiful sunset.
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Also by Charlene Hartnady
The Chosen Series:
1# Chosen by the Vampire Kings
2# Stolen by the Alpha Wolf
3# Unlikely Mates
4# Awakened by the Vampire Prince
5#Mated to the Vampire Kings (Short Novel)
6#Wolf Whisperer (Novella)
7# Wanted by the Elven King
The Chosen Box Set Books 1-3
The Program Series (Vampire Novels):
Book 1: A Mate for York
Book 2: A Mate for Gideon
Book 3: A Mate for Lazarus
Book 4: A Mate for Griffin
Book 5: A Mate for Lance
Book 6: A Mate for Kai
Book 7: A Mate for Titan
The Bride Hunt Series (Dragon Shifter Novels):
Book 1: Royal Dragon
Book 2: Water Dragon
Book 3: Dragon King
Book 4: Lightning Dragon
Book 5: Forbidden Dragon
Book 6: Dragon Prince
The Bride Hunt Box Set Books 1-3
Water Dragons (Spin-off to The Bride Hunt):
Book 1: Dragon Hunt
Book 2: Captured Dragon
Book 3: Blood Dragon
Book 4: Dragon Betrayal
Earth Dragons :
Book 1: Dragon Guard
Book 2: Savage Dragon
Book 3: Dragon Whelps
Book 4: Slave Dragon
Book 5: Feral Dragon
Book 6: Doctor Dragon
The Shifter Night Series:
1# Untethered
2 Unbound
3# Unchained
Complete Box Set Books 1 - 3
The Feral Series:
Book 1: Hunger Awakened
Book 2: Power Awakened
Book 3: Hate Awakened
The Dragon Demigods:
Book 1: Lord of Fire
Book 2: Lord of Hell