Free Loving Two Dragons (Awakening Cycle Part 4) (BBW Dragon Shifter Paranormal Romance) by James D Horton Page A

Jennifer a Happy Birthday."
    "Birthday?" Logan asks then he laughs. "Of course! You mean it's over? We've done it?"
    "Yes," Athene says her eyes dancing with joy.
    "It's true," I add. "Today is my birthday. And I'm pregnant. It's a girl."
    "Yes, it is," Athene says and there's something to her tone that I can't put a finger on. The boys don't seem to catch it.
    "Thank you," Archer says to Athene.
    "I'll leave you to your ... celebrations," Athene says.
    She turns, walks towards the door, then disappears. Archer and Logan, now awake, both demand my attention. This is the happiest day of my many, long lives.

Chapter sixteen
    Jennifer
    *** Eight Months Later ***
     
    "Don't push, not yet," Sarah, my mid-wife says. She looks at one of her attendants. "Get Remy!"
    Fear grips my heart. It's going to happen again. Every part of my body urges me to push, to expel the life inside me and I struggle to resist. I close my eyes and breathe short, fast breaths between contractions. Another pain starts, driving out all other thought. As it passes I decide. The life inside of me over mine. There's no other choice.
    "No matter what," I gasp to the attendant wiping sweat from my brow. "The baby first. No matter what!"
    "My Lady, it won't come to-"
    I grab hold of her blouse and pull her down to within an inch of my face. "No matter what!" I growl.
    "Yes my Lady," she says blanching.
    Remy walks into my vision. He places his dark hands on either side of my forehead and they begin to glow purple. I relax as the magic takes effect. The pain of the contractions is there but it's like it's happening to someone else. Everything becomes easier. I feel her slide out smooth and easily.
    The women rush around for a moment then Sarah is laying the small body against my breast. A deep breath, one some part of me fears may again be my last, but I look down at my child and none of that matters. She's here, she's safe and she's perfect. Her pink little face is still wrinkled with specks of birthing on her. Her little eyes are pressed tightly shut against the assault of the cold world.
    "You are perfect and your mother loves you so much."
    She raises her tightly gripped little fists up in front of her face. My heart stops beating then resumes with a thunderous sound. Her fists. They have tiny little gold scales on them. Her eyes flutter open and they are the eyes of a dragon.
    Sarah gasps. "It is her," she says with utter reverence in her voice.
    "Interesting," Remy says.
    The baby blinks twice then her eyes are the deepest, most beautiful, amber brown color I've ever seen with tiny gold flecks. Her skin returns to healthy pink.
    Looking into her eyes, I see something more. I know. I know it's her reborn just as her mother has been so many times. We had planned to name her Lisa, but that’s not her name.
    "Elise," I say to her. "Your name is Elise. I've missed you so much."
    My daughter is the prophecied girl-child. The true female shifter.
    I smile. "Your Daddies are going to be so proud."
    I kiss her forehead then adjust her so that she can latch on taking her first milk. I look up at Remy just in time to see him wiping a tear from his eye.
    "It's okay Remy. Just make sure they care for her until I return."
    He looks surprised. "You're not going anywhere. You're absolutely healthy."
    We've done it. I realize I'd doubted it until this moment. We've really done it. Everything is going to be perfect.

Bonus Scene
    Remy
    It wasn't hard to track her down or capture her. Actually it was too easy. She wanted to be found. The chains crackle around her. I dismiss them with a wave then it is just the two of us.
    "I don't understand," I say.
    Sarissa rises to her feet rubbing at her wrists. Tears stream down her face and she won't look directly at me.
    "Of course you don't," she says softly.
    Something in my chest aches. It takes me a moment to realize this is what they would call heartache.
    "Explain?"
    "How do I explain it to you? You lead me on, you tease me, but