Her Demon Prince (Forbidden Fantasy) (23 page)

A contraction
took her and Rachael gripped her sides. It was too soon, but the contractions
had been going all afternoon and were becoming close. It seemed the baby was
eager to enter this world.

Walking on
tiptoes so not to wake the servants, she approached Galaden, who was sleeping
in the bedroom where he stayed on visits to her family since she’d healed him.
From the light of the moon she could see his silhouette, his beautiful wings
folded as he slept; she could hear the steady sounds of his breathing. Close by
a donkey brayed and Rachael jumped at the sound, then the next contraction
started, fiercer than the last. She bit her bottom lip to stop a groan.

Breathing deeply
to calm herself once the contraction stopped, she could smell a hint of morning
dew as she came near to Galaden. She slipped off her shift so it fell to the
floor with a soft sound. She had offered to the Goddess Astarte for the safe
birth of her child when the minor contractions had started that afternoon, but
even as she took tentative steps toward Galaden’s bed she prayed for the
Goddess’s benefice. Her waters had broken and it would be soon, though she had
waited until all the servants had retired for the night before she left her
room to go to the angel.

If her father
had found out about her and Galaden he would have been horrified, but she no
longer feared her father, not when so much was at stake. Galaden had been insistent
that their secret marriage and the coming birth of their child be kept from his
father, the king, of whom his fear ran deep. Even her own parents did not know
they had married because she knew her father would put a stop to her forbidden
relationship. Her
family were
respected merchants, but
no match for a royal prince. She couldn't bear to be parted from Galaden and no
one suspected she would lie with the angel prince. But what if the baby looked
like the angel? What if he had wings? How could she hide that?

She stood at the
edge of his palisade, her contractions coming closer together, too frightened
to wake him, too frightened not to. Outside a Carrion bird screeched and
Rachael started, her heart going thump, thump, thump.

“Who’s there?”
Galaden woke. “Rachael?”

“Please lower
your voice or the servants will hear us,” she whispered.

“I'm sorry. You
startled me. Why do you come in here without your shift? You must look after
your health. Lie with me.” He flicked across the covers and pulled them over
her.

She climbed onto
the bed and tried to hug him, but her stomach seemed huge. “The baby is coming.
My waters have broken.” Tears welled in her eyes. “I'm frightened.”

“It is too early
for the baby,” Galaden said, his voice hoarse with emotion.

"Four weeks
if my sums are correct, but my contractions are close."

His hands roamed
her stomach. "It feels so tight,” he said, his voice melodic with
excitement.

"Will
anything be different from the birth of a human child?" she asked, her
heart pattering with worry.

"I don't
know. It is women's business. Male angels do not attend the birthing room. In
that I guess we are the same as human males."

“What if
something goes wrong?” Tears rolled down her face, over her cheeks and onto the
bedding.

"Remember,
I have healing powers. I can use my angel energy if something goes wrong. Just
a little. It's too powerful to use too often on humans."

Rachael breathed
out a long sigh of relief. “I'm so glad you're here. Please hold me.”

He shifted his
weight, stroking her hair, kissing her tears, making soothing noises. “Why are
you so frightened? You told me you have attended births,” he asked, his voice
confused.

“It's not the
same. It's my first baby. I can't deliver my own baby and my mother isn't
here.”

“Trust me. I
promise on my life, I will look after you."

“What do you
know about delivering babies?"

"Nothing,
but I will not leave your side," he said.

"You are
everything to me. I can't imagine my life without you in it,” Rachael cried.
She wrapped her arms around him, nestling in to his neck, breathing in the
scent of him,
then
she stiffened and groaned slightly
as another contraction built. "I need to stand."

"Let me
help you get up." He climbed off his pallet and pulled her to her feet.

When he held
her, she saw his eyes glimmer with the light of the moon as he steadied himself
beside her. “Grip my shoulders when the pain takes you,” he said.

A spasm-like
sensation made her clamp her lips shut to suppress a moan. Her body tensed with
the strange, intense feeling building like a powerful cramp.

He put his hand
over her shoulders. “Cry out, if you need to, my love."

She bit her
bottom lip. "I shouldn't. I don't want to alert the servants until my
parents know of this birth when they return tomorrow. They will know how to stop
the servants chattering. They will have to help us hide the baby."

"Once they
have recovered from the shock," Galaden said with a grim smile. "But
if they will not accept the birth and assist you, I will buy you a house."

"My mother
will want this child. She has bemoaned that I refused all suitors and that I
would not let them force me into marriage. Anyway, I cannot leave my healing
practice. You know that."

"You are
fortunate that your parents hold you in high regard and have not forced you to
marry. I have informed my mother that I have fallen in love with a human. I
have asked her to intercede for me so that my father does not punish me."

"Would the
punishment be terrible?" she asked, rocking her hips to ease the pain as
the next contraction built.

"I am
promised to another angel. I will not tell my father that we have already
married, only that I wish to do so," he said.

She noticed that
he did not answer her question as to punishment, but before she could question
it another contraction, fiercer than the others, took her and she had the urge
to push. She groaned, loud and deep this time.

"This is
not something we can hide forever, though the baby will not cry if it takes
after the manner of angel children. Its tone will be musical," he said,
moving behind her and rubbing her back. "For tonight, we will keep the
baby in my quarters. The servants dare not enter here without my permission. As
soon as you have recovered I will visit my lady mother again and plead for her
help in appeasing my father. I want to bring you to court. I want you by my
side, always."

Tales of the
king's fierce treatment of subjects who had defied him had reached her ears.
Although the king was respected and his wisdom revered, his punishment for
those he considered to be traitors was legendary. What if Galaden's mother
could not convince the king that she was a suitable match? She gripped him.
"Promise me you won't tell your parents about the baby."

"My parents
would never harm a child. They are not monsters."

"Please."
Rachael lived by her intuition and though she did not wish to offend Galaden,
she wanted her baby to stay with her parents if anything happened to her. Her
mother adored babies.

"I vow not
to tell my parents about the baby until you allow it, now stop worrying and focus
on this birth."

Her baby would
be safe. In that moment the love she felt for Galaden swelled and she gripped
his shoulders, readying herself for the next contraction. “The baby is moving
out. I need a birthing stool."

Galaden moved
his hands to her stomach. “Can you lie on the pallet?”

“I cannot. I
must squat. The baby is coming. Sit in front of me. Hold me,” she panted.

He squatted and
she rested her arms on his, her hands clutching his shoulders. "Is the
pain terrible?" he asked, his voice full of concern.

“I cannot bear
it, but I must.” She felt his arms tighten protectively around her waist as the
pain became so intense she could no longer speak. Instead she bore down,
feeling the movement of the baby inside her channel.

He leaned down
staring between her legs. “I can see the head,” he said, his voice so thrilled,
it sounded like song.

A deep moan left
her lips and she pushed hard. Looking down she could see the head between her
legs, the sight so strange, yet miraculous.

He put his hands
between her legs, waiting for the child to come
;
gently pulling the baby from her body when it was ready.

Rachael
collapsed onto her back gasping. "What is it?"

"We have a
son." He stood and cradled the baby. On looking around him, he whipped the
covers off his palisade and wrapped them around her as her whole body began to
tremble with the effect of the birth.

The baby let out
a bell-like sound as Galaden wiped his body with a cloth and handed him to
Rachael.

Tears came to
her eyes. "He is so tiny. He's white-blond like you. Oh and look, he has
opened his eyes. His eyes are like blue jewels." She turned him over and
looked at the little crumpled feathers.

"Wings,"
Galaden said proudly, gently extending and examining them.

"They're
the most beautiful blue. Like the ocean when the sun shines on it."

Galaden stared
at her, his eyes wide with wonder. "I've rarely seen such a wondrous color
among my kind."

"Look,
Galaden. His wings have silver tips like yours."

"Small, but
true." He sat behind her, holding her to him and caressing her with tender
kisses on her cheeks while she relaxed against his body and savored the warmth
of his touch. The baby snuffled and she put him to her breast, marveling at the
sensation when he started to suck.

"What shall
we call him?" she asked.

"Cassiel.
May he protect and serve those he loves," Galaden said, his voice solemn
as he stared down into his son's face.

Rachael couldn't
stop admiring him, his perfect tiny body, his hands and feet and the angelic
coloring he'd clearly inherited from Galaden. "Cassiel? It's lovely.
Protect and serve." She nodded. "I would include heal, for someone
with his inheritance should know healing," she added.

"You have
made me so happy. You are a balm upon my heart. Know that when I leave you to
plead my case, I give you my heart, to the grave and beyond.”

A shudder passed
over her. It seemed a strange choice of words for an immortal.

Several moons later while
Rachael suckled Cassiel, she heard her mother’s cry, the tone urgent and
shrill. The ground started to tremble beneath her feet and she detached the
angel baby from her breast. A musical note left his lips in protest.

"Mistress?"
The servant looked out the window, her eyes wide with fear.

"Something
is wrong." Rachael stood, strode over to her servant and shoved the baby
at her. "Take Cassiel, wrap him well. Hurry! Go and hide away in the
forest well away from the house. Wear your cloak and head covering. Hide
Cassiel under it so no one sees you with a baby. Leave by the back."

"Yes,
Mistress." With shaking hands, the girl took the baby and did as she was
asked.

Stomach
plummeting with dread, Rachel pulled on her own robe and head covering. Only
her parents and the house servants knew about the birth, but such a miracle as
the arrival of a baby, fathered by an angel, was difficult to hide. Her parents
were still recovering from the shock of it. They adored Cassiel with his
crystal-blue eyes and musical voice and remained in awe of Galaden even though
he had told them of the marriage and how much he honored their daughter. Her
wonderful angel husband would never be accepted as an ordinary member of the
family, though Galaden insisted that it was the love and simplicity of her
family that he enjoyed the most.

Fear prickled up
her spine. The rumbling built, like a distant roar coming closer. Galaden had
been called home and it had been a month since she had heard from him. It did
not augur well.

“Rachael!”
called her mother, her voice shrill.

“I’m coming
mother,” she called, leaving the healing room and running toward the front of
the villa.

When Rachael
reached her mother at the front door, she saw terror had drained all color from
her mother's face. Her father stood still, his face transfixed in a mask of
horror as her mother gripped his arm. Both were staring at the horde that was
drawing to a halt in the villa courtyard. Dust skirted the air and the rancid
smell of death reached her nostrils as the king's soldiers drew up.

"Take the
baby and run," her mother said, turning to her, gripping her arms. "I
will try and delay them entering the house."

"I have
already ordered my servant to do so. The soldiers have come for me. Pray
Galaden has not told them of the child. Go, Mother. Hide. If anything happens
to me, I need you to raise Cassiel." She grabbed her mother by the shoulders
and pushed her into the house.