Hear No Evil: Book 27 in the Godhunter Series Read online

  And yes; even in the middle of mind-numbing pain, I could still appreciate Kirill's beautiful body. He came back moments later with an armful of towels that he spread on the floor right in front of our massive bed.

  “Put her on towels.” Kirill pointed imperiously at the towel-pallet he'd made.

  “Thank you,” Trevor said in relief as he laid me gently down.

  “Thank goodness the children are out camping,” Toby muttered. “They'd freak out if they saw us acting like this.”

  Unlike Kirill, Toby had his long, ebony hair loose, with the exception of a single, thin braid with a black feather—the source of his magic—tied to its end. Although Toby's hair went only to his mid-back, it was just as thick, sleek, and shiny as Kirill's. He also had eyes that were nearly as deep sapphire as Kirill's, but Toby's irises had a dark brown ring around them that made the blue seem brighter, almost as if they were glowing. That was where their similarities ended; Kirill's rugged Russian features and fair skin were dramatically different from Toby's striking, Navajo face and golden-walnut skin.

  “Not all of the children are camping,” I snarled as my body clenched, and I struggled to sit up.

  Trevor moved behind me, sitting with his legs spread around mine so I could lean back against his wide chest. I did so with relief and panted through the break in the pain.

  “How often are the contractions?” Hygeia, the Goddess of Health, who is also my doctor, rushed in.

  Hygeia had on a pair of tan slacks and a short-sleeved blouse instead of her usual toga. It looked good on her slight figure; the orange blouse brought out the blue in her eyes and the red highlights in her brown hair. But the fact that she looked good, while I was in pain and probably looked like hell, only annoyed me further.

  “Really fucking often,” I growled. “And they just started!”

  “Good; that's good,” Hygeia assured me as she knelt before me and pushed up my skirts. She looked back at the crowd of men behind her. “You're all staying for this? It's not going to be pretty.”

  “Get out!” I shouted at the men.

  The men—all except Trevor, obviously—gaped at me before they ran out the door. Teharon pushed by the stampede on his way in. He looked as calm and steady as Hygeia, wearing simple jeans and a long-sleeve shirt. His long, dark hair was loose with a single slim braid in it. Just like Toby, his nephew, Teharon wore a feather at the end of his braid, but his feather was white with a blood-red tip. He looked similar to Toby in more than their shared ethnicity; I could see the family resemblance clearly. Teharon's eyes were also a shade of blue; a brilliant turquoise. That serene stare settled on me steadily.

  “Do you want me here, Vervain?” Teharon asked.

  “Yeah; you stay,” I panted. “Get over here and take this pain away. Please.”

  Teharon laughed softly as he hurried over to kneel beside Trevor and place a hand on my shoulder.

  “I could have done that,” Hygeia said brusquely.

  But then I sighed, and her eyes widened. Yeah; Teharon was damn good at what he did.

  “But it's nice to have help,” Hygeia amended with a smile directed at Teharon. She pulled my panties off with a professional manner. “Okay, Vervain; this baby's coming fast. You're already dilated, and I can see his head.”

  “What?” I tried to angle my head over my bulging belly.

  How ridiculous; I hadn't been able to see my lady bits in months.

  “Just breathe steady and give him a good push,” Hygeia encouraged. “Your son will be born in no time.”

  I pushed. And pushed. And pushed. I may not have been in pain, but it was still hard work to give birth. Well, no kidding, Vervain; that's why they call it labor. It was faster than most human births are, I'm sure, but it still took far longer than I would have liked. There was a lot of grunting and clutching of Trevor's hands; he had them both resting on my bent legs so I could squeeze them when needed. My husband nuzzled my sweaty face and whispered sweet things to me while he supported my weight. He was perfect. Too bad I couldn't enjoy the attention.

  Vero, our son, had been a silent presence through most of my pregnancy; as opposed to his siblings who had made their emotions and opinions known from the very beginning. So, I had expected Vero to come just as quietly into the world. I envisioned a sweet, calm baby being presented to me; just like it had been with Brevyn.

  That did not happen.

  Vero emerged with a strident screaming punctuated by his lifted, shaking fists as if he were ready to rumble. I gaped at the red-faced, goo-coated, violent creature that Hygeia lifted triumphantly as she laughed. A slimy umbilical cord trailed from Vero's belly down between my legs, and I grimaced at the migraine-inducing sound he was emitting as well as the horror-inducing gore. Trevor, however, cried out in joy and as soon as he did, a cheering filtered in from outside the bedroom door; doubtless my men and some of the Intare who knew what Trevor's shout meant.

  Teharon held open a towel and Hygeia gently placed Vero on it. Teharon quickly wiped off the worst of the mess before he showed Trevor and me our son. Meanwhile, Hygeia discreetly cleaned me up and did some final blasts of healing magic on my poor, abused body. Giving birth is just not natural, I tell you! Not natural!

  “Would you like to give your son his first bath?” Teharon asked Trevor over the baby's wails. “You can clip the cord too.”

  Trevor looked down at me in question.

  “Go ahead,” I said. “I'm fine with laying down and missing out on the cord clipping. I can already feel our spiritual cord in place and that's one that I'll never break.”

  Trevor grinned broadly and carefully laid me back on the towels before he kissed me tenderly. “Thank you for our son, Minn Elska.”

  “You're welcome, Honey-Eyes,” I said softly.

  Then I watched Trevor blissfully cut the umbilical cord under Teharon's guidance; Teharon healing my son's belly button with a small flash of magic directly following the severance. Then Trevor took the finally-calm Vero into the bathroom. Maybe he just didn't like that now-useless cord hanging off him; not that I blame him. I heard the rush of water, and Vero started bawling all over again. Nope; the cord wasn't it. I made a face but Trevor's joyous laughter bellowed out of the bathroom along with our son's screams.

  “He's a healthy boy,” Hygeia declared as she efficiently folded up the disgusting towels beneath me and motioned to Teharon to lift me so she could pull the rest away. “Can you carry Vervain into the bathroom, Teharon? I think our new mother will probably want a quick shower.”

  “Of course.” Teharon started to lift me, but I waved him off.

  “Actually”—I laughed in amazement—“I feel damn good. Whatever you did, it healed me enough that my own healing ability could focus on the other things. I don't even ache.” I paused to do a quick body scan. “Yep; all good. I think I'll go help Trevor bathe Vero.”

  “I'm impressed,” Hygeia said with wide eyes as she watched me get to my feet on my own. “I've seen some quick recoveries, but this has got to be the fastest. And Vero practically popped out.”

  “I don't know about that,” I muttered as I wobbled to the bathroom.

  Then I stood just inside the bathroom doorway and smiled at my family.

  Trevor had Vero in one of the sinks and was carefully cleaning his tiny toes as he beamed at the baby. Vero had finally quieted and was starting to gurgle happily as he waved his hands up at his father as if in greeting. Hi, Daddy, here I am!

  “Vervain,” Trevor said in surprise. “Are you sure you should be standing so soon?”

  Trevor looked as if he wanted to rush over to me, but he couldn't leave the baby. So, I hurried over to him before he blew a werewolf gasket. The instinct to protect his mate was warring with that of protecting his son. I kissed Trevor on the cheek and then leaned against his side to look down at Vero.

  “I'm fine; all healed up,” I said as I stroked Vero's rounded cheek. “It's good to be a goddess,” I said in a baby voice. “Yes, it is.
”

  Vero frowned at me, and Trevor laughed.

  “Yeah; I tried that tone with him too,” Trevor explained. “He doesn't like it much.”

  “I suppose it's because we never talked to him like that in the womb,” I mused.

  Vero started to smile. Yep; he preferred our regular voices to the silly tones.

  “Don't act as if you didn't recognize me,” I chided my son before I leaned in and nuzzled his face. I could feel the gleaming cord of magic between us, and Vero's happiness brightened it. “I love you too, baby. It's good to finally be able to see you.”

  Vero's eyes were a hazy, deep brown. I knew they'd eventually lighten into honey-gold like his father's, but the light fuzz of hair on Vero's head was already dark. I'd been expecting him to be born blond and then darken, as I had when I was a child, and Brevyn had as well. But no; Trevor's son had been born to quickly become a miniature version of him. And I was overjoyed to not have to wait for Vero to grow into his looks.

  “He's all you,” I whispered as I looked from Vero to Trevor.

  “Minn Elska,” Trevor murmured as he put an arm around me; we both had one hand on the baby. “I didn't think I could be any happier than I already was.”

  “He is pretty incredible.” I pulled away reluctantly. “But I need to get clean too. Hygeia did a good job but this dress is ruined, and I don't feel fresh, if you know what I mean.”

  Trevor laughed as he lifted our son out of the water and laid him on a towel on the counter. “Mama has to wash off your baby goo. Making life is messy.”

  “And gross,” I muttered.

  Vero made a happy huffing sound, and I rolled my eyes as I stripped off my disgusting dress and stepped down into the enormous tub that was more like a pool; an empty pool, at the moment. I turned on the overhead shower and stepped beneath the hot spray with a sigh of relief. I had healed the trauma of childbirth but my body wasn't finished recovering. I could feel it tightening; things shifting back into their proper places and smoothing back into the way they had been before I'd gotten pregnant. Eat your heart out, mommies; there was no baby body for me to exercise away. Well, beyond the massive boobs I now had. In fact...

  “Oh, um...” I stepped out of the shower. “I think I need to feed him.”

  “Now?” Trevor looked over at me and his eyes heated as he took in my wet, naked, tightened state.

  “Hey!” I pointed at him. “None of that. I just got him out; I'm not about to have another put in his place.”

  Trevor chuckled as he brought the freshly cleaned baby over to me. “You wanna at least towel off first?”

  “Oh, yeah; okay.” I hurried out of the shower and dried off.

  Then I figured that I might as well get into bed to breastfeed my son for the first time. I wrapped a towel around myself and went into the bedroom with Trevor following me.

  “Ready to feed your son?” Hygeia asked.

  “How did you know?” I grinned at her as I slipped into bed and then pulled the towel off as I settled under the blankets.

  “It helps with the recovery process, but I suppose that's a moot point now,” Hygeia said as she came over and did a quick examination of me.

  “I'll leave you to your privacy,” Teharon said when Hygeia started to move the blankets aside.

  “Thank you for your help, Teharon,” I called after him. “Don't go anywhere, I'll come out as soon as I finish feeding him.”

  “I'll let your men know that it's safe to come in.” He nodded; keeping his eyes averted.

  “Thanks, Teharon,” Trevor added.

  Hygeia concluded her inspection and then tucked the blankets just beneath my breasts. Trevor handed me Vero and then crawled onto the bed beside me as I settled our son against my chest. As soon as he was in position, Vero latched on and started drinking greedily.

  “That's my boy!” Trevor said proudly as he stroked Vero's soft head.

  “Where's your boy?” Azrael asked as the rest of my men poured into the room with him. Azrael's pale blue eyes had lightened to flashing diamond with his eagerness; sending rainbow prisms over his face and short, dark hair. Even the sigil of his name glowed on his cheek. “We're dying to see him.”

  I chuckled over the Angel of Death using that particular expression. The men hurried over to my side and stared down in awe at the little person Trevor and I had made. Vero's tiny hands and legs moved constantly, as if he was so happy to be free of the confinement of my body. Well, that made two of us.

  “I don't suppose you need me to show you how to swaddle him?” Hygeia asked from the foot of the bed.

  “I'm fairly okay with it,” I said with a grin.

  “I'll get a diaper and a onesie,” Odin offered before he leaned down and kissed my cheek. “He's beautiful, Vervain.”

  “Thank you.” I leaned up for a quick nuzzle before Odin moved away; heading up to the nursery I'd made for Vero, directly above Lesya's.

  The other men crowded into the space he'd left.

  “Velcome, little volf,” Kirill said softly to Vero as he stroked the thin patch of hair on his head. “I'm so happy to meet you.”

  As the men murmured and exclaimed over this and that about the baby, their voices faded away, and I just stared down at my son. Vero finished eating and looked up at me contentedly. His little hand reached up, and I caught it and pressed it to my lips as I held his stare. Something passed between us; something momentous and indescribable. Something only a mother understands, but I will try to explain it anyway. It was truth; realness. Vero had been with me for months, and we'd connected in magical ways but now, he was in my arms; a physical baby I could touch and look at and adore. It was a triumphant feeling; to have him lying safe within my arms.

  I had done it; I had protected Vero while he grew and then brought him into the world safely. No one had split his soul or tried to stab him. Vero had been born without violence; only love. And in that moment of realness, with his musk and moonlight scent wafting up to me, I vowed to myself that I would make sure that he continued to live like that; surrounded by love and untouched by violence. I suppose that's the best any of us can do for our children.

  Chapter Three

  Despite my son's birth, we couldn't put off the God Squad meeting. Not when all the worlds depended upon us stopping Disani. So, it was a good thing that when I went downstairs with my freshly swaddled son and my jubilant men, it was to find our friends and family waiting to meet Vero.

  “Give me my grandson!” Fenrir boomed as soon as I stepped out of the elevator.

  Vero didn't make a peep, even after his grandfather's startling roar. He just looked steadily at Fenrir—a giant version of Trevor—as I passed him over. Fenrir went quiet too and stared down at the baby as if he were seeing a ghost, or a memory come to life.

  “He...” Fenrir blinked back tears as he stroked Vero's cheek. “Sweet Moon; he looks just like you did when you were a baby, VéulfR.” Fenrir lifted his gaze to Trevor and smiled softly. “He's magnificent.”

  “Thank you, Father,” Trevor said sincerely. “I can't describe the way I'm feeling.”

  “Blissful, grateful, amazed, and scared?” Fenrir asked with a knowing look.

  “That nearly covers it.” Trevor laughed and pulled me in against his side. “Throw some hope in there too, and you'll come even closer.”

  “He's another wolf god, Dad,” I said proudly. “God of the Moon and Wolves; that's the magic I gave him.”

  “There is no better magic to have,” Fenrir murmured before he nuzzled Vero's cheek. “Your mother chose well, Grandson.”

  Fenrir had brought my mom to Pride Palace, and he passed the baby to her next. Mom cooed at Vero as she cradled him close and breathed in deep. Yeah; my children all had unusual but amazing scents. I used to think that I wasn't meant to be a mother because I don't like the smell of babies. But then I'd smelled Morgan, King Guirmean's son, and I'd discovered that it was just human babies whose smell bothered me; I actually loved the scent that god
and faerie children gave off. I realized that I must have known, on a deep, subconscious level, that I was meant to be a mother to a different kind of child.

  After my mom finally released him, Vero made the rounds with the rest of his family. My grown sons, Vali and Vidar, were there, as well as Luke and Holly (AKA the Devil and the Holy Spirit; Azrael's parents), the entire Squad, and all of the Intare. Someone had gone to fetch Sam and Fallon back from their camping trip with my other children, who bounced excitedly around whoever held the baby while Arach and Kirill tried to corral them. After each member of the God Squad had gotten to hold Vero, we passed him back to my mom, and she took him out onto the veranda to hold court with Fenrir, some of the Froekn, and all of the Intare—Samantha and Emma looking after the older children—while we had our meeting.