Accidental Surrogate

First Night My mate listens carefully as I tell him, in full detail, everything that happened when the Dark God took me outside of time and gave our little daughter our gift.

I mostly look down at her while I tell the story, wondering how this perfect, tiny little angel being could have an ounce of darkness in her.

But even as I wonder that, I consider what the Dark God told me that not everything that is in darkness is bad.

But is that just something he said to distract me, to make me more compliant to accept his “gift?” Was it, as I suspected, a curse?

“And then I was back,” I say, looking up into Sinclair’s face as he listens closely.

“And, obviously, distracted by the insane pain of childbirth.” A smirk pulls at his lips then, but I can tell that my attempt at humor didn’t go very far towards distracting him. He’s quiet for a long moment, looking towards Rafe but really staring into space as he sorts through his thoughts.

I give him a second to work through it, but I interrupt when I can’t stand it any longer. “So?” I ask quietly. “What do you…think?” “Well,” Sinclair sighs, turning his attention back to me and to our little girl, who eats hungrily, clearly not having lost her appetite after such a dramatic early encounter. “I certainly wish that the Dark God had simply sent a flower arrangement or a toy. But…I honestly don’t know. We need much more information before we can plan any sort of action.” “Action?” I ask, a little confused.” What on earth can we do? It’s done, Dominic.

down a bit on the bed so that he can rest his head against my knee, looking up at my face. “But there’s certainly more we can know. We can ask dad to do some research, see if there’s any precedent for this, if you’re all right with him knowing? And ask Cora to contact your mother, see if she has any insights?” “Of course Henry can know,” I reply quietly. “And that’s a good idea, with Cora.” I sigh, frustrated with myself for not thinking it first, but Sinclair just sends a pulse of peace

through, though, Ella,” Sinclair says quietly, reaching his long

to be important.” “I believe you,” he says, his eyebrows going up. “I’d just like all the intel we can get.” “Me too,” I say, giving him a little smile. But then, even despite my desire to

leaning in to kiss me on my forehead. “You’re asleep on your feet. Or, well, your ass – but what’s the difference.” I laugh and shake my head at him. “I need to stay awake till she’s done feeding,” I say with a yawn. “But then, yes, after that…we’re both going to need a nap. Right baby girl?” Ariel ignores me, of course, continuing to eat. But I grin at her, stroking a hand over her perfect tiny head, loving the

from me. I take a lazy bite of my sandwich, barely tasting it as I switch breasts and let Ariel finish up. I’m hardly able to keep my eyes open about fifteen minutes later after Sinclair’s done moving around the room, getting Rafe settled in his playpen with some quiet toys and books and pulling Ariel’s

at me and murmurs that she’ll be right here at my

yawn, and settle down, and finally completely

I barely sleep, because the baby gets me up every couple of hours needing to be fed again. The next day passes pretty much in a blur, with me catching sleep when I can and attending to Ariel when she needs it. I’m not in a total fog the whole time – I still spend time

boy and allowing Ariel and I the space we need to get used to our new patterns. He spends time

exhausted as me – I definitely get to keep that title. But that first night – it’s not precisely easy on dads either, is it? Especially when you’ve got another little one, barely over a year

and Roger, and Jesse, and Henry all come trooping in the

pleased. “Did – did I know you were coming?” “Oh my god,” Sinclair says, turning to me and cocking his head to the side. ” Did