Healing the Storm

[Maira]

She gawked at him in silence only until he patted her butt and suggested they get moving before Emily and his boss came looking for them. Then she glared at him and stalked around to the other side of the truck and hopped in. Once they were both in and buckled, she glared at him again and demanded, "You knew and didn't say anything to me? Maybe you thought it was a good idea to not bring it up, but the past couple months I've been a wreck because I thought you'd be mad!" Kamen just laughed merrily at her, and Jezza swatted his thigh. Then, in a seemingly better mood she asked, "So you don't mind if I stay? And you're -not- mad about," she gestured at her belly, "this?" Kamen shook his head no and Jezza couldn't help but beam a smile at him.

There was a certain amount of relief in knowing that the person she'd been living with, and apparently was having a kid with, liked having her around and wasn't bothered at the idea of having a kid. She turned her attention from the man sitting next to her to the forest going past as he drove. There was still some snow in the shadows and every now and then she saw signs of wildlife coming out of their winter dens and she smiled at the idea of running in the forest as the seasons changed. Next summer she'd hopefully be showing a new baby the wonders of the mountains around his or her papa's house. Strange as it felt to think about moving on with her life without Mason and Finlay, she new she needed to and Kamen and this baby were perfectly good people to do it with. Even if she and Kamen were only ever friends with a whole lot of chemistry, at least they seemed to genuinely like each other, which was more than a lot of kids could say about their parents. It was with those thoughts that Jezza drifted off to sleep, a small smile on her face.

*****

Somehow she managed to sleep through the entire trip down the mountain, to town, and while Kamen dealt with the gallery. When he finally nudged her awake it was to ask her how to get to Emily's house. Blinking owlishly, Jezza pushed herself up from where she'd slumped against the window and looked around. "I honestly have no idea. I've got her phone number though so we can always call her and find out." They did that, and Emily was already running errands so they got directions and planned to stop by later.

Sitting in the gallery's parking lot, Jezza looked at the surrounding buildings and mumbled, "So, um, there's a little pharmacy over there. I bet they've got what I need, and they'll probably have a phone book I can look in to find a doc to make an appointment with." She hated doctors, always had, and unlike maternity care in the UK she knew that midwives were not the normal caretaker for pregnant women in the US. She cringed at the thought of an OB and being forced to have her baby in the hospital and whimpered slightly as Kamen pulled the truck into traffic and down the block to the pharmacy.

When Kamen parked, Jezza immediately hopped out and shut the door behind her. She was halfway to the door when she realized she had no purse, no wallet, and no money. Kamen was going to have to pay for the pregnancy test. Sulking, Jezza turned on her heel and stalked back to the truck. When she opened the door, the damn elemental was smirking at her and Jezza glared at him and asked, "You wanna come in and pay? Or just give me the cash and smirk at me from the truck, you smug bastard?" The last was said lightly, with a hint of a smile so he knew she wasn't really mad.

When he too hopped out of the truck, Jezza waited for him to come around and they walked in together. It didn't take her long to find the surprisingly large section of pregnancy tests and she just stared, utterly bewildered at which one to choose. Finally, she just picked one that she thought the name sounded familiar on and they walked back up to the front to pay. While Kamen handled the transaction, Jezza thumbed through the phone book looking for numbers to call. She about yelled in joy when she spotted the lone midwife ad among the multitude of OBs. Instead, bouncing on the balls of her feet, she fished in Kamen's pocket for his phone and saved the number for her to call later after she took the test. Between her own feelings, and Kamen's, Jezza had no doubt she was pregnant but having proof in the form of two little pink lines was always helpful anyway.

Their purchase made and a phone number found, Jezza turned to Kamen and asked, "Wanna hit the coffee shop next door while we wait for Emily?" It'd give her a place to use the restroom, and while she almost certainly couldn't have any coffee she could really go for a chai tea.

[Demeter]

Kamen was pretty damn sure that Emily, Jezza's sister, didn't approve of him. She most certainly didn't like the idea that Jezza was pregnant with his child. She really didn't like the idea of Jezza being up on his mountain and pregnant. 

He quickly squashed her complaints about Jezza being to far from medical care by mentioning that his closest neighbor was a family practitioner and could handle most things thrown her way. Emily had just scowled at him. Kamen had no doubts that her real problem was that he and Jezza barely knew each other and that, despite the baby, professed no romantic love for each other. 

After seeking out the midwife, he and Jezza returned to the mountain. And Emily, not taking no for an answer hD followed them up. On the mountain, Kamen enjoyed running Emily ragged on the farm. Since it was a working farm, producing the food that would feed him and Jezza and the child during the winter months, he didn't have the time to play tourist and show Emily the sights. 

He also got a sick sort of pleasure at watching his rooster chase Emily around the yard when he handed her the chore of egg collection. 

One night, when the sun was still high in the sky, Kamen sat with Jezza on the porch swing. The woman's eyes had gone wide when he'd dragged the swing from storage. Wider then when he'd pulled the heavy wooden storm shutters from the front of his half-earthen home to reveal that the entire external western wall was made of glass panels. On this night, he sat at the opposite end from Jezza, the strong muscles of his hands digging at her cramping feet and legs. 

The pregnancy wasn't going smoothly for Jezza, no doubt because of his elemental magic being combined with her Wolven genes. And though he'd never admit it when Emily was around, he was concerned for his friend. And since Emily was passed out in his cramped secondary guest room after a day of trying (and failing) to directed his team of draft horses in plowing the east field, Kamen let his concern show.

As he smoothed lotion into her lower legs, Kamen watched Jezza. She had her head snugged back into the swing's cushions as she watched the stars come out. He gently pinched her skin, chuckling when she jumped a little and glared at him. "Have you thought about what I said the other night, about going into town and having Doc Marnie at least take a look at you? You seem even more exhausted then yesterday. I remember my wife at this stage of her pregnancies - I had to hide from her because I couldn't keep it up. You said it yourself, remember. This one is more exhausting then Finley," he said when she asked what he wanted. 

They had a pact; they could talk about their families without fear. Essentially, it was to allow each other to be emotional about their loved ones without be embarrassed by those emotions. "I don't want you taking this trip to London if it will only further your exhaustion. Believe me, Jezza, I will pull rank as the expectant father if I believe this trip will be detrimental to you and the baby," he said when she made a face at his suggestion to visit the nearby G.P. 

So far, he'd respected Jezza's wishes in their unconventional relationship but he wasn't about to let her risk her life or that if the baby. 

[Maira]

As she watched the stars, and Kamen rubbed the kinks out of her feet and legs, Jezza felt the exhaustion weighing the rest of her body down. It felt like she was sinking into the swing and her eyelids were getting very, very heavy. She had actually almost dozed off when Kamen pinched one of her legs, not hard but enough to get her attention, making her jump with surprise. The glare she directed at him was not terribly threatening, which made him chuckle at her before he voiced what was on his mind.

She knew that he was concerned about her and how tired she had been lately. She knew he'd have pulled rank on her long ago if she'd told him that, along with the exhaustion, she was unable to sleep much at night and her appetite was almost not even there. She ate when he did because she knew she needed to provide nourishment for the baby, but she hadn't actually felt the normal desire to eat in weeks. When he brought up his wife and how she'd been during her pregnancies, Jezza smiled. She'd been that way while pregnant with Finlay too. Poor Mason had taken to spending some evenings at the pub with the other guys from the Pack just so he could get a breather now and then.

The London trip hadn't really been on her mind lately, it had been planned and booked not long after her pregnancy was confirmed but considering how she'd been feeling lately she had mostly forgotten about it. She wasn't really sure she wanted to go anyway. Going back to London would mean being back within range of the Pack and the location of where he'd lost Mason and Finlay. There was too much emotional baggage there but she really needed her things if she was going to be staying in the US permanantly.

Knowing that it would put Kamen at ease, Jezza answered him after a few moments of silence while she thought, "I'll go see this Doc Marnie friend of yours, because I really don't feel well. As for London, please pull the expectant Papa card. I'm too tired and the thought of being that close to where Mason and Finlay died is too hard. I'll just need to tell one of my friends over there to sell my stuff. I want it, but can't afford to pay somebody to pack it up and send it here." The thought of losing Finlay's baby clothes or blanket about did her in, but she really just couldn't go to London right now. To keep herself from completely falling apart, Jezza turned her eyes back up to the stars. The tears slipped silently from the corners of her eyes and she was glad that Kamen didn't try to talk to her more because she wouldn't have been able to answer past the lump in her throat.

*****

Doc Marnie was not a girl, like she had assumed from the name. Doc Marnie wasn't even as country as she had expected based on his office's location. What he was, was tall dark and handsome and for the first time in weeks she felt some stirring of desire. She was annoyed it was for a doctor she had never met before instead of Kamen, but she chalked that up to him not being the one to impregnate her which in turn was making her feel like she was slogging through molasses in January. Emily had insisted on driving Jezza to the appointment, while Kamen stayed at the farm to re-plow the field that Emily had attempted to do the day before, and even she was clearly shocked by Doc Marnie's appearance and mannerisms. She looked meaningfully at Jezza on more than one occasion while the doctor's back was turned.

After he asked her a few questions, the doctor drew some blood and suggested some supplements that Jezza could take just based on her symptoms. The bloodwork wouldn't be back right away but he was pretty sure what he would find. When they were getting ready to go, the doc escorted Emily out of the exam room and as Jezza was passing him, Emily bubbled excitedly, "Hopefully these will help you feel well enough that we can take that trip to London!" Jezza's shoulders slumped and while Emily couldn't see because she was facing the other way, the doctor did. He stopped Jezza and looked at her questioningly. With a sigh, Jezza answered his unspoken question, "That's where I've been living for a while. When my husband and son were killed I came home and left all my stuff there. We're supposed to leave to get it in a few days. That's part of why I'm here."

She could see the doctor's wheels turning, and after a moment he told her that she shouldn't go if she was at all tired. That considering the make-up of the baby and her current reaction to the pregnancy, that travelling long distances wasn't ideal. As she turned to look at Emily, who'd groaned in dissappointment, Jezza swore she saw the doctor wink at her. Was he just saying this to help her out? How would he know she didn't really want to go? "Sorry Em, I guess I'm gonna have to stay," Jezza apologized to her sister before smiling quickly at the doctor, hoping he'd catch the gratitude in it before she turned and escorted her sister out of the office.

*****

Back at the farm, Jezza found Kamen in the field. He was sweaty and coated lightly with dirt that had been kicked up from the plow but she couldn't help but admire how his muscles moved as he directed the draft horse down the lines he was creating. She waved goodbye to Emily, who had to go back to town for the upcoming work week, with Emily promissing to come back on the days she'd taken off for their London trip. Jezza secretly hoped the older girl would find something else to do, she was tired of her sister hovering all the time. Kamen was a perfectly good man and a very good caretaker. If she wasn't gonna shack up with a doctor, which might be fun if it were Doc Marnie, then Kamen was a very good alternative.

When she made the effort to walk out into the field, she could see concern in Kamen's posture first and his eyes when she got close enough. "Doc Marnie says its probably just anemia, that I need more iron. He told me to eat spinach, other dark green veggies, and a nice rare steak a couple times a week to see if that helps. He did some bloodwork on the off chance that its something else, but he's pretty confident that I'm fine." Kamen was visibly relieved to hear the diagnosis and the quick kiss on her forehead made Jezza smile. Then, remembering what else he'd said about her trip, Jezza asked Kamen, "Do you want me to stay home from London? Emily was all excited to go when he said I'd be feeling better soon but Doc Marnie hinted that maybe I shouldn't because of the baby's genetics and how I was already reacting to this pregnancy. I'm not sure if he meant it though, or if he was just saying that so that Em would quit spazzing and tiring me out more..." She looked curiously at Kamen, waiting for his answer.

[Demeter]

Kamen pulled his draft team to a halt when he spotted Jezza approaching the field. He had to admit that Emily hadn't done a completely horrid job on his field, given that she was a newbie at this, but the rows were shallow and crooked. He'd make a farm girl out of that one yet, he thought while waiting for Jezza to come to him. 

Her diagnosis was a relief to him. They could deal with anemia easily enough. "I'll head into the city this weekend and raid Costco for what we need. You can entertain the city girl. She could paint the baby's room for us," he said while wrapping an arm around Jezza's shoulders and giving her a squeeze. 

"As for London, I'd prefer you to stay put but that call has to be yours. We could always send Emily over by herself and have one of your friends meet up with her. I'm sure we could draw up some sort of legal document that says she's acting on your behalf. You still have a few days so, think on it."

Kamen scooped Jezza up and plopped her onto the wide back of one of the drafts. "Now, you settle in for a ride and tell me what you thought of Doc Marnie."

****
Titus ignored the screams of his two oldest children. He was pretty sure that if they were bleeding or had broken something, they'd come to him. From the sounds of the shouts from the attic, it seemed that eight year old Max had invaded the holy sanctity of thirteen year old Cherish's bedroom. Again. 

He was at a loss of what to do with Cherish. She was at that scary age between child and young lady. Biologically, he knew what was going on with her but sometimes it seemed that his sweet little girl had become a raging Custos overnight. Like now, when she was screaming at Max to get out of her room. 

Perhaps sending her to live with Genesis was a good idea. His sister had shown up a few weeks ago to have some girl time with her niece. They'd gone out on a shopping spree and bought girl things. Frilly girly things. He'd come across some in the laundry and nearly had a heart attack at the thought of his daughter wearing such things. The newly acquired girly things aside, Cherish had been pleasant for days after Genesis' visit.

At least Genesis and Darius probably had more tame reactions when they saw boys winking at their daughters. 

It wouldn't be long before boys started coming to the door, Titus thought with a groan. There were plenty of male elementals in these woods and his daughter was a pretty girl. Her mother has been a pretty girl too, which was why he was in this mess. At least her mother being, quite literally, a flower child made explaining her name easy enough. This community tended towards the average, mundane, and ordinary for names and when asked why he'd picked Cherish, Titus would just say that her Mother had been a hippie and he'd had no say in the name. Max was fine unless he did something that required his full name of Titus Maximilian La Serre III. That would raise some eyebrows. That sort of grand name was why he was currently going by Dr. Timothy Marnie. 

At least his youngest had a normal name. He looked at the three year old who's sole goal at the moment was pushing his cheerios into patterns. Noah was the least of his problems.

And the crash and angry scream from upstairs, Titus groaned. Seconds later, Max tore into the kitchen, one of the dreaded frilly things on his head, and out the back door. Cherish soon followed, screaming that she was going to kill Max. 

Titus wondered if it was too late to return his eldest children...

Once the two terrors were off to school (a far cry and much complained about removal from their previous private tutors), Titus checked in with his nurse and receptionist before strapping Noah into his car seat and heading to the closest Costco. Both clinic and house required supplies. 

***
Kamen steered the double wide cart through the aisles of Costco. Coming down to the big box wholesaler on a Friday might smaller crowds and he was breezing through his list. He was stocking up on the things they needed for the baby. Like disposable diapers, he thought while playing Tetris with his cart. Though they'd agreed on cloth, they'd also agreed on having some disposable ones, just in case.

Jezza was somewhere in the store, making her own purchases for the house and probably cruising every sample stand she could fine. He'd been selected for the heavy lifting while she'd taken on food purchasing. With two carts, they had room for more things and shopping with his money seemed to be something that Jezza always had energy for. 

****
Titus snagged a couple of packages of milk before anyone else could. In this particular store, milk went fast. He went around the cold dairy section of the store, tossing items into his cart at random. He tended to get paid in food by some of his patients so he didn't need too much from this section. He wheeled his cart around and, distracted by Noah getting into a carton of eggs, didn't notice the woman behind him. Their carts crashed together and he looked up startled. "Jezza," he said as he recognized the pretty, pregnant woman who'd been his patient earlier in the week. 

The very pretty patient. He'd a hard time not flirting with her while she'd been on his table. At first he'd assumed his reaction to her was just because his "adult time" lately had only involved a bottle of wine and the trashy romance novel his nurse and receptionist loved. 

Seeing her now, outside of the clinic, and having the same reaction to her probably meant trouble for him. Especially since her baby's father was Kamen Dragov, the very hot Elemental who lived on the border of the national park. Titus' mind went into overdrive at the thought of what the pretty pregnant woman could have gotten up to with the hot Elemental to have ended up in such a state. 

Damn but he needed adult time with another adult...

Distracted by the images in his head, Titus didn't notice when Noah gave a happy cackle. He did notice, however, when the egg the boy threw at Jezza cracked open all over her shirt. "Shit!"

Noah echoed his father and cackled happily from his seat in the cart. 

[Maira]

Jezza loved Costco for so many reasons. The samples and all the random miscellaneous things were the top two however. So whenever she and Kamen made the trek down from their mountain home she wandered the food section gathering their groceries and snacking on anything that the employees were offering that day. This trip was no different than the others and she had just popped some yummy baked chicken thing in her mouth and had started pushing her cart again when suddenly it crashed into another cart and an egg smacked into her chest, cracked and spilled its contents down her front.

Annoyed, she looked up and around to see what miscreant brat had tossed an egg at her and who she had crashed into, her search stopped short when her eyes landed on Doc Marnie. At the same time, she heard the doctor curse, and that's when she noticed the toddler in the shopping cart the doctor was pushing. The shopping cart she had crashed her own into. The toddler was adorable, his eyes full of mischief, and she was able to put the pieces together. She couldn't help but smile at the boy before turning back to the sample table to ask for some napkins. As she did, she noticed the deer in the headlights look on Doc Marnie's face. Again, she couldn't help but smile.

Just as she reached the table, the doctor joined her and started apologizing for his toddler terror, to which she answered, "This baby isn't my first, Doc, I had a toddler terror myself. I totally get it." The look that crossed his face at hearing that was indecipherable so she didn't even try. At such close proximity to the man she realized that she was once again feeling the stirrings of desire. This time the feelings were a bit stronger and more insistent though and she blamed that on her slowly returning energy. She was feeling well enough that she had even managed to convince Kamen to take her for a, gentle, romp the night before.

She realized that part of her attraction to him was that Stormrunner liked how the doctor smelled and how strong of an alpha male type he was. To hide both of their interest in him, as soon as her shirt was mostly clean, she turned her attention to the little boy in the doctor's cart. "Hey you, why'd you toss the egg at me?" she asked, pretending to me serious but clearly not. The boy had another egg in his hand, snagged while his father was busy with her, and with a giggle of glee he tossed it too in her direction. Much to his surprise, her animal instincts kicked in and she snagged it out of the air without breaking it. "I was ready this time, dude," she said with a bit of sass followed by a wink in his father's direction. She really did understand little boys and she missed playing with them.

[Demeter]

When Kamen finally located Jezza outside of the big box store's dairy section, he had to bite his lip to keep from chuckling. Jezza was entertaining the Doc's youngest man while the man just stared ahead with this dumbfounded look on his face.

He steered his cart over to them and nudged Titus with an elbow. "You know, she's a wolf too. She's probably able to handle him better then you are. As if you couldn't tell by all the meet in her cart. Really, Jezza, how big do you think my freezer is," he said, teasing the woman. She just stuck her tongue out at him.

Kamen smirked, leaning over to investigate the contents of the other cart. Titus, his mind having short circuited a few minutes ago, just stared at two adults with him. He had the naughty idea to ditch the kids with his sister and hide away with those two. He twitched as Kamen's hand slid down the length of her back to settle at her waist. The images of just what those two had gotten up to in order to land Jezza in her current condition. He couldn't help the images from coming. Sweet Belenus, he wanted them.

Kamen watched Titus from the corner of his eye. The fact that the healer hadn't responded was starting to worry him. He took a moment to study the healer a little closer, blinking when he noted the dilated pupils,'the rapid breathing and the death grip Titus had on the cart handle. He couldn't help the satisfied smirk that crossed his face.

Ignoring the questioning looks from his partner, Kamen deftly plucked the toddler from his seat and handed him to Jezza. As much as he was enjoying Titus' reaction to them, Kamen knew he had to distract the man. While Titus may not have been an Incubus, his empathic range was impressive and could be just as devastating as the pheromones of a Incubus.

Sighing to himself, Kamen pushed the man's cart into his gut, causing Titus to squeak and stumble backwards. As flattering as the man's reaction was, the last thing they needed was for his abilities to spark an orgy.

Titus was jolted back to reality when he tumbled into a cooler full of cheese. Blushing fiercely, the normally controlled man awkwardly pulled himself from the pile of cheese. He looked from the smirking Kamen, the bewildered Jezza to his cackling son. "Um, sorry about that. I guess I'll just be going now. I'll see you around," he said, snatching his son and wheeling his cart away.

Once they were on their way home, after a stop at the feed store, Kamen answered Jezza's questions. "He wants us, Jezza," he said. "How do you feel about threesomes?"

***

Titus dropped Noah on his nurse and retreated into the supply closet, shouting something about inventory. The nurse looked from the boy in her lap to the closet door and shrugged. Doc Marnie got a little weird sometimes.

In the closet, Titus thumped his head against the wall. He remembered it perfectly. One minute, he been having a del ious fantasy about Jezza and Kamen and the next, he'd been knocked on his ass into a pile of cheese. Groaning, he ran his hands over his face. It had been far to long since he'd indulged himself if he was reduced to fantasies in grocery stores.

The solution would be to find some willing person to help him blow off some steam. The only problem was that he didn't want anyone besides the Wolf and her very hot partner. And there was no way those two would need him, not when they had each other.

And, if by some miracle they did, how would things go. This backwater town might of had some unusual characters but he doubted a threesome would be within the norm out here...or even two men together.

Same sex couples, as well as triads and even the occasional quartet were almost commonplace within the Alati culture but not here. Groaning, Titus slid down the wall to sit on the floor. He could still remember his first introduction to Kamen. He'd come across the Elemental when visiting those who lived outside of the town. He'd kept his empathic abilities open to each person he met and, on seeing the man, had gotten an icy blast of power. What had followed was them rolling around in the barnyard like a pair of rutting animals.

Titus groaned again, cursing Belenus for sending him here.

[Maira]

While Jezza had enjoyed holding the little boy, Storm Runner was especially happy at the thought of having a pup in her presence, she was thoroughly baffled by why Kamen knocked the Doc over into the cheese. After returning the boy to his father and going their seperate ways, Jezza wouldn't quit trying to pry from Kamen just what the hell was going on. It wasn't until after they'd finished all their shopping, even at the feed store, that the elemental dropped a bomb on her that Jezza had no idea how to process.

She sat staring at Kamen blankly for at least a minute while his words replayed many times in her head. Once his words finally started to sink in, she felt her cheeks catch fire and she blurted, "A what!?" She tried to answer him, but nothing coherent came out and she gave up after three tries. She rode the rest of the way back to Kamen's house in the mountains in silence, her cheeks hot and pink the entire time.

*****

After helping put away the food, Jezza had disappeared into the mountains, muttering under her breath that she needed some time to think. It was well after dinner when she finally came home and she wasn't exactly sure she'd managed to make any sense out of her thoughts.

Slipping up to the house in her normal quiet way, Jezza wasn't surprised to find Kamen on the front porch swing. She smiled sheepishly at him and apologized, "Sorry for vanishing, you just really freaked me out with that question." Jezza was relieved that he patted the spot next to him on the swing, silently asking her to sit with him, because it was a pretty good indicator he wasn't upset with her for running off. She went to the swing and sat down, snuggling into the tall warm man that she was growing to care deeply for.

After sitting for a moment in silence, Jezza realized that he was waiting for her to talk and she sighed. He already knew her so well. Before she could change her mind, Jezza let her thoughts flow from her mind through her mouth, maybe Kamen could make sense of them better than she could.

"Before I was a wolf I was with one guy. After I became a wolf, I was with my mate. He was killed and against all my instincts I somehow survived and I've been with you. I've been with a whopping three guys, Kamen, and never as anything more than a one-on-one encounter. I'm not sure I would even know how to take part in a threesome let alone how I'd be able to convince myself it wasn't unnatural." She was shaking slightly, her words sounded harsh to her own ears and she hurried to apologize, "I'm not saying that you suggesting it makes you unnatural, it just wouldn't be natural for me. I'm sorry if that sounded mean..."

She wanted to run off again but she knew she was too tired, so instead she just looked at the man sitting silently beside her, her eyes begging for him to understand her. Hoping that he could maybe tell her why, despite her reservations about being with two men at once, she was so turned on by not only the Doc but the idea of being taken to bed by both him and Kamen. She was so utterly confused.

[Demeter]

Kamen looked down at Jezza and pulled the woman against the side. "No offense taken, Jezza. I've had a long and varied life. I wouldn't have done anything like this when my wife was alive, or even before her but afterwards, after what I saw during the war, I decided to experience everything I could. Having more then one sexual partner at the same time was one of those things."

Staring out at the farmyard, he ran his fingers over her arm. "There's something provocative about being worshiped by two people at once. Feeling two mouths on your body and two sets of hands stroking you and knowing that there are two people who desire you."

He turned to look at Jezza and pulled her into his lap. "If we were to do this, it would be your choice. I open to he idea. I know Titus would be up for it. We could work up to being together all at once."

Kamen rested his hands on her belly. "Remember when we were stuck in the house during those blizzards and we talked about what to do now. I said you should take this time to experiment. I understand the nature of the wolf but you are still young. Obviously, I didn't know you were pregnant at the time. That does limit what you can do. Let me ask you this, how does the wold feel about the good doc?"

[Maira]

His hands resting gently on her belly did a lot to soothe Jezza's nerves. Kamen's words did a lot to undo that soothing. When he reminded her about what he'd said during blizzard season about experimenting, she grimaced before she could stop herself. His next question caused her eyes to go wide and her spine to stiffen.

"How does Stormrunner feel about Doc Marnie?!" she squeaked once she finally got her voice to cooperate. Her cheeks started to warm again and she did her best to look anywhere but at Kamen as she answered him. "She thinks he's a strong alpha male and she likes how he smells..." At Kamen's silence, Jezza dared a glance out of the corner of her eye and she couldn't help but smile at the odd look on the man's face. "That means she likes him and wouldn't mind getting to know him better. Beyond that, I'd need to actually spend time with him to get a better reading on her feelings."

After another moment of silence, Jezza sighed softly and asked, "I know you're open to the idea of a threesome, but would it bother you to know that I find him really attractive?"

[Demeter]

Kamen tossed his head back and laughed. He grinned at Jezza. "Doc Marnie is hot,"'he said before giving her hair a ruffle. "Think on it, Jezza, and I'll have a talk with the good doctor. Get his thoughts on the matter."

Late in the week, when Titus could escape from the clinic for a few hours, Kamen walked with him through the forest. He not only wanted to speak with the Alati about a friends with benefits triad but about permission to tell Jezza the truth about Titus' nature.

The previous spring, when Titus had first come to the area, they'd made arrangements to meet two weeks on the far side of the lake. They hooked up in order to scratch itches and release daily tensions. Kamen had done it to have contact with another person; Titus' reasoning had been that the other was male (thus no risk of a fourth accidental, illegitimate child) and one of the others. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Kamen had called the doctor, inviting him out for a walk and a talk. The other man had be noticeably nervous when they'd met up in the trail head parking lot but had relaxed on the hike up. They'd gone off trail, Kamen leading the way, till they'd reached the far side of the lake. Together, they'd flopped down in the tall grass and rested from the exercise.

After a few minutes, Kamen reached out and flicked Titus' ear. The man gave him a look that said "I am annoyed."

"Impressive but I'm not a child. I have a question for you."

"Thoughts on impending fatherhood?"

"No, been the first time dad nervous wreck all ready. I'm mourning the loss of my mornings all ready, though. No, my question is wanting to know your thoughts on a threesome with the delectable Jezza."

Titus' reaction to the question was both predictable and amazing. The man jerked upright, coughing, sputtering and gasping. With wide eyes, he stared at Kamen. The elemental managed to keep a smirk on his face and pretended to pout. "I see my instincts were wrong; I thought for sure you'd be interested, given the episode at Costco at the cheese display. I suppose its for the best..." Kamen trailed off before giving Titus a smile. "Well, since that issue is resolved, I've got chores to do back on the farm," he said.

Titus got himself under control. Kamen's question had caused an explosion of the thoughts and graphic images he'd been trying to suppress. He burst into action, scrambling to throw himself at Kamen and keep the man in place. They crashed to the ground with Titus' arms around Kamen's thighs and his head against the curve of Kamen's back. "No! That is I've...Gods, how do I say this without sounding like a total pervert?"

Kamen wiggled in Titus's grasp until he could turn over. "You're attracted to us both and are intrigued and excited at this opportunity to explore a physical, and possibly more, relationship with both Jezza and myself?"

Titus pressed his face against Kamen's stomach and nodded his head.

Kamen pushed himself up to his elbows. "And this embarrasses you?"

Titus peered up at him. "Unless there is a god sword involved, people don't usually discuss threesomes; they just sort of happen. Max was conceived during a threesome; I insisted on establishing paternity before I took the brat in. And there are other reasons..."

"Like what exactly?"

"Ever since I realized that you were the father of the baby, I've been having these thoughts. Thoughts of you and her and what you got up to in order for her to end up pregnant. And I was jealous. Jealous of her being able to be with you. Jealous of you for spending the winter with someone you found attractive and was pleasant company. You had something to do during the storms; I was trapped in town with my three hellions and a bunch of horny mortal women."

"I bow to the hellions but the winter couldn't have been that bad if you had a bunch of women throwing themselves at you."

Titus leveled a glare at Kamen. "Mrs. Metz was the ringleader of the bunch. She's married, Kamen, married, mortal and 76 years old. She and her bridge club kept trying to seduce me in the laundromat and grocery! It was like some Chaos God decided to make me his own personal play thing and sent an incubus into a herd of geriatric strippers! And when I started sending Cherish out to do the shopping, they invaded the clinic. Kamen, do you have any idea what it's like to being doing a physical on a 76 year old woman who, the moment I turn my back for a minutes, decides its a good idea to strip naked and start screaming for me to 'take her'?"

Kamen wisely decided to swallow his chuckles and ran a hand through Titus' hair. "Sounds like you had a difficult winter, Doctor."

"The last time I had help getting off was the last time we met up during the fall. Going from you to a herd of 76 year old mortal women was unpleasant but I hope hopes of jumping you once spring came around. But then Sunshine Marks, you know her -"

"She's the one whose goats, llamas and alpacas magically get into my pasture land without breaking a single fence,"

"Indeed. Anyway, she was in my office for a cut on her hand and started talking about how her neighbor the stone carver had a woman now. As I'd just been traumatized by Mrs. Metz, I didn't connect the stone carver to you. And the day I was gonna call you to see if you wanted to hook up, Jezza waltzed into my office, visibly pregnant."

"Bad time on her part," Kamen said, still running a hand through Titus' hair.

"I obviously didn't call you as you'd apparently found someone else and knocked her up but all these thoughts and images of the two of you kept attacking me, as if that Chaos god had found a new way to torment me. And I didn't think that it was appropriate to approach the woman pregnant with your kid and ask if she'd be interested in a threesome or just a quick roll in the sheets. And then you go and ask that very question."

Now Kamen did laugh just a little. "Sounds like you've had a rough winter and spring. And you weren't exactly subtle in your interest in the two of us. What is between Jezza and myself is friends with benefits and a kid. She was working through some stuff through the winter and we succumbed to cabin fever. I've offered her support for the child and a place to stay while she works out what she wants to do with her life. We are not romantically involved, if that eases your thoughts."

Kamen sat up, hauling Titus up as well. "As far as the possible threesome, Jezza thinks your good looking and wants to know more about you. We already know that I like you and am willing to participate. Jezza is...curious, I think, about the physical aspect. From what I've gathered, she was raised in a traditional mortal family and after she was turned, she lived in a traditional pack that promoted monogamous mates, very unlike our backgrounds. Multiple partners at one time has not been a promoted idea in her lifetime. We have to move slow with her. I also would like your permission to tell her the truth about just what and who you are."

Titus perched himself on Kamen's lap. "You have it in return for a favor."

"Oh? And what favor is that?"

"I've had a very winter and spring. And our conversation has all those naughty images running through my head again. I don't think its that hard to figure out."

Kamen smirked. "From where I'm sitting, something is very hard. I think I can accommodate your request,"'he said while hooking a finger into the V of Titus' t-shirt. He reclined back into the grass, tugging Titus down with him.
***

Kamen braced himself against the front door. He managed to wave at Titus has the man drive off. Silently, he cursed the man as he still wasn't sure if he could support himself. He was returning home much later then originally planned because it had taken that long to satisfy the needy Alati Lord.

For as long as he knew Titus, Kamen would have to make sure the man never went more then a season without sex. Depravation turned the man into a god damned manic.

The muscles in his legs and arms were still trembling from the strain they'd recently been under and he wasn't sure that he'd be able to sit comfortably for a week. He somehow managed to haul himself into the house and flop, belly down, on the couch. He was aware of Jezza, sitting in the chair she'd claimed as her own and staring at him. "Doc Marnie is agreeable to the idea of a threesome. He's coming to dinner on his next free evening. By the way, Doc Marnie isn't his real name. Its Titus Maximillian La Serre. He's an Alati Lord."

***
Titus made it out to dinner the following week and he brought dessert. "Sunshine Marks' blackberry cobbler," he said while handing the cloth covered dish to Kamen.

Kamen prodded the dish with the end of his wooden spoon after placing it on the counter. "Probably made with berries from mu bushes," he muttered. "Jezza, allow me to formally introduce you. This is Lord Titus Maximillan La Serre."

Titus turned to the woman and smiled at her. He took her hand, bowed over it and placed a gentle kiss on the knuckles. "It's a pleasure to see you outside of the clinic and away from refrigerators of cheese," he said.

"Why don't we go sit down and chat. I'm sure Kamen has dinner under control and you should put your feet up," he said while leading Jezza into the living room. Behind them, Kamen rolled his eyes but turned back to the stove. It was Jezza and Titus that need to get to know each other now. Besides, he would be a better judge of how her pregnancy was progressing then him.

In the living room, Titus helped Jezza to settle into her chair by rubbing her feet. "And how are you feeling, Jezza? Less tired? More energetic. I don't know if Kamen told you, but I've recently developed a deeply personal interest in your well-being."

[Maira]

Jezza had been anxious waiting for Titus to make it to dinner with her and Kamen. He apparently was more interested in her than she'd realized and that pleased Storm Runner to no end but her wolf's pleasure at the idea just helped to ramp up Jezza's nerves about the whole thing. When the day finally came, Jezza had barely left Kamen's side. By the time Titus arrived at the cabin, Jezza was practically jumping out of her skin with nerves. At the introduction, Jezza gave the other man a small smile. When he kissed her hand she could practically feel Storm Runner's tail wagging with glee. Damn wolf...

At Titus's suggestion to go sit down and rest while Kamen handled dinner, Jezza glanced over at Kamen and when he smiled at her she knew she wasn't going to get any objection from him. Smiling again at Titus, Jezza accompanied the man into the other room where he helped her into her favorite chair. When he sat down in front of her and started rubbing her feet and up her calves, Jezza couldn't help but start to relax a little. Clinging to Kamen all day had indeed taken its toll on how her body felt.

The Alati Lord's questions about how she was feeling at first seemed like innocent doctor questions, but then he mentioned his other interests in her and her face flamed. "He's told me..." she answered softly. Out of nervous habit more than anything, Jezza's hands moved to her growing belly as she actually answered Titus's questions. "The supplements are really helping, thank you. I don't feel like I'm going to fall asleep at a moment's notice anymore, but I'm not ready to run a marathon either. Normal activities are easy enough though." This last was accompanied by more blushing and a half smile. Normal activities, with Kamen at least, definitely included bedroom activities and the thought of experiencing those with Titus suddenly had her on edge and very aware of his hands on her skin.

[Demeter]

He may not have had a healing touch like his sister, brother or mother but Titus could feel the tension in Jezza's muscles. However, while he may have lacked a healing touch, Titus did have impressive empathic abilities and Jezza wasn't exactly shielding herself from him. He could tell what direction her thoughts were traveling in. Smirking, Titus kept up his soothing touch on her legs. It didn't seem like long before she was a sleepy puddle in the chair. When Kamen came to fetch them for dinner, he had to haul her up and out of the chair.

Titus followed Kamen towards the dining area of his home and kept his hand at the small of Jezza's back. When they reached the table, it was the Elemental who pulled out a chair for her. Idly, he wondered what the woman was thinking, as she was being treated to affectionate care by two men. Or if she was more focused on the tasty looking meal set out in front of them. They chattered about the town while they ate; Titus sharing all the gossip and mentioning that everyone was interested in the woman living with Kamen.

He laughed softly as Jezza flushed. "They are all very curious about you. Many of them have tried to lure Kamen into marriage, or bed depending on whose chasing him, but you've obviously succeeded where they've failed," Titus said with a chuckle. He reached across the small, round table and took hold of Jezza free hand. He squeezed it before pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "Imagine the uproar when they realize you've also attracted the attention of town's only physician. You may have to watch your back around the Bridge Club."

[Maira]

The gentle ministrations that TItus worked on her legs and feet put Jezza nearly to sleep before Kamen came to fetch them for dinner. When the doctor was the one to help her out of her chair and gently escort her to the dining table, she couldn't help the shy smile that appeared on her face. She had never been the consentual focus of two men before, and it was a bit mind-boggling but also strangely nice. The few times that he had been the focus of more than one man at a time it had been like she was a prize in a competition and wholey unpleasant.

During dinner she was amused to listen to the town gossip and when she came up as one of the topics, she couldn't stop the blush that brightened her cheeks. When Titus mentioned that she might need to look out for the ladies of the bridge club her jaw dropped in shock for just a moment before she burst out laughing. "I know you're pretty attractive, Doc, but old ladies? Really?" she asked between fits of giggles. This time it was Titus's turn to look a little sheepish and that just made Jezza smile and she squeezed his hand, hoping to relay that she was just teasing him.

The rest of dinner was spent sharing small talk, everything from Kamen's farm and stone carving business, to Jezza's sister going off to the UK to bring home the rest of her things. When the trio finished their main course, Jezza got up to clear the plates and when Titus tried to stop her, Jezza shushed him and made him sit back down. Yes he was being sweet wanting to help her but she had her reasoning. After depositting the plates in the sink, Jezza rummaged in the fridge for the bowls of chocolate jello pudding she had made earlier and grabbed the cool-whip out of the freezer. Back at the table she put the bowls and smiled at both men telling them, "I hope you don't mind, its not very fancy, but this baby demands chocolate pudding."

[Demeter]

Titus sat behind Jezza, rubbing the pregnant woman's shoulders. In the few months since their first dinner, many things had changed. First, he'd made the hard decision to send his oldest two children to his sister. Besides driving him nuts with their squabbling, Darius and Genesis would be able to provide them with the education Alati children needed. The education they couldn't get in a small, mostly human mountain village.

The second big change was that he'd purchased the plot of land running alongside of Kamen's farm. They now shared a hillside and Kamen was busy connected his side to Titus' portion of the hill. If anyone asked, Titus liked the idea of a partially in ground home and Kamen was helping him construct it.

No one needed to know that Kamen was tunneling to connect their homes.

He still wasn't sure what kind of relationship was between the three of them but he was enjoying it, Titus thought as he continued to rub Jezza's shoulders. She was putty against him, he thought as she snuggled against him. He chuckled and gave her a kiss. "Baby wearing you out today? Only about three more months till we get to meet little Kamen or Little Jezza."

Titus ran his hands down to her belly and stroked. He kissed the side of her face, nipping lightly at her jaw. "You are beautiful like this."

***
Kamen leaned against the hallway threshold and watched as his lovers kissed. If he wasn't so filthy, he'd be over there and joining them. The three of them meshed well together and he saw this really going somewhere. He knew that Titus and Jezza had been together, just as he'd been with her and with him on occasion.

He watched the picture the two made, grinning as he caught sight if their entwined hands resting on Jezza's belly. "Hey, lovebirds, I'm done with the hard part. Wanna pick out what room becomes Jr's nursery?"

[Maira]

At first Jezza had to purposely ignore her misgivings about sharing her life with more than one man at a time. Eventually, however, as she got to know Titus better she knew that having him in her life would only be a good thing. As she wasn't willing to give up what she had with Kamen, her only choice was to let go of her earlier misgivings and see how things went. Considering the Alati Lord had bought the neighboring stretch of land and that Kamen had been actively working to connect their two homes, clearly things were going well for the trio.

Jezza was nearly asleep from Titus's current attempt to ease the strain of pregnancy from her back and shoulders when he asked if the baby was wearing her out before point out that there were "only" three months until the baby came. Not wanting to answer verbally and accidentally give away her thoughts on that, Jezza just nodded. Despite the supplements Titus had prescribed for her, Jezza was once again feeling extreme fatigue on an almost daily basis and she was more than a little eager for her pregnancy to run its course.

At the sweet and gentle touches and words from Titus, his fingers twining with hers over her ever growing belly, Jezza couldn't help but smile. She also couldn't help but wonder if her heart was finally healing because she was pretty sure she was falling for him.

At Kamen's words, Jezza jumped and started to blush. She hadn't known he was there, not even Stormrunner had been paying attention, and she was a little embarrassed to be caught in such a tender moment. It wouldn't have mattered which man had caught her with the other, she was just shy when it came to personal things and this definitely fell into that category. When what he'd said sunk in, however, she was eager to get up and go see what Kamen had been working so hard on. Only, she was kind of stuck. Darn "Junior" as Kamen had taken to calling the baby, was starting to make it more difficult for her to get out of seated or laying positions on her own. "A little help?" she asked the two men after her first failed attempt to get up.

[Demeter]

Her mother probably would have called her a sinner but at this very moment, Jezza didn't give a damn what her mother thought. She felt absolutely golden and wondered why she had waited so long to actually do this. Titus was at her back, hands casually stroking her sides, while the two of them watched Kamen wrap a sheet from the bed around his waist. They were sending the Elemental out for supplies.

Jezza stretched and sank back against Titus. "That was sneaky of you," she muttered, "waiting until me and Kamen were otherwise engaged before sneaking in."

Titus chuckled and stroked a hand over her belly. "Worked didn't it? You feel damn good, don't you?"

Still loose and giddy from the wild romp in bed, Jezza nodded. "Came twice in less then ten minutes. That's never happened before."

Titus nuzzled her neck. "You barely hesitated when I joined in."

"For so long, I just got a little wigged out at the idea. I mean, I grew up mortal and these things just don't happen to good girls from good families."

"And we of the otherworld take more of an instinctual approach to these things. More hands to raise a family, more people to provide for the young. More strong males to care for the Alpha female."

"Most of the otherworld, you mean. The Packs wouldn't agree with this portion of this arrangement," Jezza said while pointing at the both of them. "Banding together to raise and care for children, yes, but monogamous relationships for the most part."

"Wolven aren't typically the type who can live, potentially, forever. Those who are tend to seek out companions who they can stay with. Often, these end up being sexual relationships."

"Doc Marnie, stop lecturing me. I get it."

Titus chuckled. "So, now that its happened, are you okay?"

Jezza blinked and took stock of herself. Physically, she felt absolutely glorious. Loose, relaxed and glorious from having two men. Mentally, it was a boost to her ego that these two men found her attractive. "Pretty damn good, actually. I - " she paused, biting her lower lip. "I wouldn't be opposed to trying this again, maybe with some advanced warning of the extra participant."

Titus grinned, remembering the way she yelped when his hands had settled on her waist while she'd been straddling Kamen's lap.

"I think we can manage that."

Both people on the bed looked up to see Kamen leaning in the doorway. He had a plate of sandwiches in one hand and carried his daughter in the other.

"Kamen, really, can't you hold the baby correctly? She's not a football," Jezza while climbing off the bed to rescue Danica.

"She likes it when I hold her like this and we're not the only ones in need of food. Someone is hungry." He said while handing her off.

Jezza returned to the bed and her spot against Titus, Kamen following behind her. He ditched the sheet before settling at Titus's side. Once everyone was situated, Jezza rearranged her grip on Danica, wincing when the baby latched on. "Christ, little vampire."

"Just think Jezza, still another six months of this."

Jezza rammed her elbow back and grinned at Titus' grunt. "If mother nature were fair, men would have to carry and nurse children as well."

***

Kamen, after placing the empty sandwich plate on his dresser, turned and watched the other members of his small family. As always, looking at Jezza with Danica caused his gut to clench and breath to hitch. After the loss of his first family, he'd vowed to never again allow himself that sort of connection. Danica had been an accident but he wasn't about to turn his back on her.

Instead he would protect this little life. And be wasn't alone in guarding her. He had the full weight of Titus' clan behind him. There was another gut clench as he watched Titus lean over and kiss that fuzzy cap of hair. Titus was as much Danica's father and he was. Titus, who'd been the one to deliver the little baby into the world, in this very room and on that very bed.

Once Danica was fed, burped, changed and rocked to sleep, all three adults tiptoed into the nursery. With fingers crossed, they eased the baby into her crib and held their breath for a few seconds. Once they were sure that she was soundly asleep, the baby monitor was flicked on and they hightailed it across the hall and back into the bedroom.

Laughing while shushing each other, they collapsed onto the bed. The little empress wasn't a fussy baby but she could be a light sleeper. Luckily, the design and structure of their home made the separate rooms soundproof.

Kamen pulled Jezza towards him and nuzzled her. "So, everything good?"

[Maira]

Falling naked into bed with both of her lovers after putting Danica back to bed left Jezza feeling warm and fuzzy. When Kamen pulled her in and nuzzled her neck, the breathless moan that escaped her almost distracted her from his question. A wicked smirk turned up one corner of her mouth and she shoved on his shoulder enough to roll him onto his back and she hooked a leg over his hip as he rolled so that she wound up straddling him once again. She liked the slightly surprised look on Kamen's face and that made her smirk turn into a toothy, self-satisfied grin.

Glad that Titus was within arms' reach, Jezza leaned slightly to her left, and tangled her fingers in the hair at the back of his neck before pulling him toward her for a kiss. When her lips finally separated from the second man, she looked back to the first and it was her turn to be surprised. The hunger for both her and Titus was raging in Kamen's eyes, stronger than she'd seen it before, and she couldn't help but whimper slightly with anticipation as Kamen flipped her back onto the bed between him and Titus.

*****

Danica was only five months old and Jezza was still nursing her, there was no reason for her to expect her cycle to have returned yet. It hadn't returned after she had her first child, Olwyn, for nearly a year. Yet here she was for the third morning in a row emptying her stomach before breakfast. Her pants had also been getting tighter.

Once her stomach was empty and she'd brushed the taste of vomit out of her mouth, Jezza rummaged through her drawer in the bathroom looking for the box holding the left over pregnancy test from the 2-pack Kamen had bought her when they found out she was pregnant with Danica. During the year since purchase, the box had been shoved to the back of the drawer, but it only took a moment to find and pull it out. Tipping the contents into her hand, Jezza locked the bathroom door and followed the directions on the box.

*****

A few days later, doing Kamen a favor, Jezza borrowed his truck and took some of his latest work into Cedar Valley to the art gallery that sold his pieces. On her way home, she also stopped to see the town's midwife and took a little side trip to the drug store. The whole trip was relatively quick and she pulled up to Kamen's mountain home just as Titus got home from his day at the clinic. It took all of her willpower not to react out of the ordinary to his arrival, but somehow she managed to keep a mostly straight face as she walked in with him.

The smell of dinner hit them both as Titus opened the door and Jezza barely managed to cover a nauseated groan with a quite "mmm" before heading off to her bathroom. Locking the door behind her, Jezza was glad not for the first time that the stone walls in Kamen's home were soundproof. She let her stomach empty itself again. When she was finished, she sat panting for a few moments. She was glad that she wouldn't have to hide this from Kamen and Titus anymore after dinner, because she really wasn't sure how long her stomach was going to -let- her keep it a secret.

Stashing her prenatal vitamins in her medicine cabinet, as well as a new bottle of the iron supplements that she needed with Danica's pregnancy (just in case), Jezza tossed the plastic bag in the trash before brushing her teeth and leaving the bathroom. She found her little family already sitting around the dining table and Jezza went straight for Danica giving her a little smooch on the top of her head, before taking her seat next to the chubby baby. She couldn't help but smile at the girl child, as her uncanny eyes looked into her own heart. The girl had the eyes of what some would call an "old soul" and Jezza found herself wondering just how true those stories she'd once thought pure fiction actually were. Danica always seemed to understand her when she spoke to her, and because of that Danica knew the secret Jezza had been holding onto for nearly a week.

After serving herself, taking a few bites, and cutting up some banana for Danica, Jezza laid down her fork and asked Titus how his day at the clinic had been. He had to finish chewing before he could answer, but once he did she nodded to show she was listening as she took a drink of water.

"It was pretty slow today," she heard him say, before he added, "it has actually been really slow in general lately. I don't know if people are travelling into town more and getting seen there or if they've just been abnormally healthy."

Jezza laughed and then answered him, "Well, healthy is good! Hopefully that's all it is." Then, fighting her hardest to keep her face straight she turned to Danica and popped a piece of banana into the girl's mouth as she continued, "Healthy is good, because it means you'll have time to squeeze me in tomorrow right?"

Titus grunted affirmatively, his mouth full of food once more. Jezza turned her gaze from Danica to Kamen, staring at him pointedly as she answered Titus's grunt, "Good, because you boys are in trouble." At the questioning look from Kamen, followed by the widening of his eyes, Jezza turned her attention to Titus and waited for him to come to the same conclusion that their lover had. Surprisingly it took him a few moments longer, and Kamen pointing animatedly at Danica, before Titus dropped his fork and gawked at her.

After that, Jezza was swept up into two sets of strong arms and peppered with kisses. The questions came at her too fast to answer and it took her forcing them back to their seats before she had enough time to breath and get her thoughts reordered enough to inform them of what she knew. "Genesis said that I am about two months along," she finally got out when both men's mouths were full of food or beverage. They talked about that for a while and came to the realization that they had all three been together for the first time right around then. After a few more minutes talking, Jezza let the next big bomb fall. "She also says I am carrying fraternal twins with very different genetic make-ups."

Silence greeted her from both of her men, and Danica fussed to be get out of her high chair. There was something the little girl wanted much more than bananas. Settling the growing babe across her lap, Jezza lifted her shirt and gave Danica what she wanted. When Danica was happily latched and nursing Jezza looked back up to Kamen and Titus. They were both staring at her dumbfounded so she laid it out for them, "Wolven, like their natural counterparts often ovulate more than one egg at a time. If a female were to have sex with more than one man at the time she ovulated it is entirely possible for her to get pregnant by each man."

This time Titus got it first, thanks to his medical background and when his cheeks flushed bright red she knew that he must've just realized who she said she'd seen. With a laugh, Jezza answered his unspoken fear, "Yes Titus, your sister knows. Whatever skills she has that told her the twins weren't from the same father also told her what their genetic make-up was. She knows about the three of us, and since I'm not sleeping with any other Alati man she was able to figure it out."

[Demeter]

Kamen and Titus both smirked at each other and punch each other, ignoring Jezza's exasperated sigh of "men" from across the table. Kamen blinked once and then looked across the table at Jezza. "Does your sister know?" he turned to look at Titus. "Her sister doesn't like me. Now that both of us have knocked her up, she's not gonna like any of us."

Titus remembered the sister. "I dunno, when I first met the both of them, she seemed to think Jezza should dump your ass and be mine. She liked me then."

"You weren't the one who knocked up her sister and ruined her chance at London. She liked the idea of anyone besides me for Jezza."

At the clearing of a throat, both men grinned at Jezza. "Just talking about how best to annoy your sister. She's not going to be pleased, is she?"

[Demeter]

He knew Emily sort of loathed him and he was pretty damn sure that she now loathed Titus. They were, after all, both responsible for knocking her sister up. Kamen was all for siblings being protective of each other but Emily took it to the extreme.

For example, he knew that she knew that Jezza was down in Cedar Valley for the weekend yet she was up in the mountains, on his farm and glaring at him. Lucky Titus, having drawn the short straw to escort their pregnant she-wolf to the Lady Parts Doc and Costco. Kamen knew that she knew because he'd been standing right next to Jezza when she'd called Emily to let her know she'd be in town today and they should meet up.

Emily had flounced up to him right as Jezza had called to say he was a morning sickness inducing bastard and that they'd arrived safely. Meaning, they'd probably passed each other on the highway. So, he stood there, hipshot and holding Danica like a football (she liked it, no matter what Jezza said) and scowled at his sort of sister in law. He could guess why she'd made the journey. "It takes at least two people to make a baby and I'm only one-third of this equation. I'm not the only one knocking Jezza up this time. You want to argue, wait till your sister and daddy number two are back."

Judging by the expression in her face, he'd flummoxed her. Jezza must not have mentioned their inclusion of Titus to her sister, he mused. He also wondered just what problem Emily had with him. Or with the entire male race. Was she jealous of something or would she someday request that they all call her Edward instead of Emily. Or had something happened in her past to make her loathe anyone with a penis. He was about to needle her with those questions when their houseguest bounced out of the house.

Petite, with wavy pink hair, Cerise literally bounced everywhere she went. She hadn't quite learned how to walk yet. Or dress properly, he mused as she was only wearing, all but buried by it really, one of Titus' plaid shirts, haphazardly buttoned. She bounced to a stop in front of him, sleeve covered arms held out in front. She flapped the extra material at him. "Kamen, Kamen, Kamen," she chanted, "I put the shirt on all by myself!"

He could only imagine the wonders having a half-naked young woman come bouncing out of his home when his lovers were out of town would do for his reputation with Emily. He thrust Danica at her aunt and, once the gurgling baby was held, turned to Cerise. "You mostly did it. Remember how we talked about the shirt edges need to line up?" He said while re-buttoning the shirt and rolling up the sleeves. And where are your pants?"

Cerise scrunched up her face. "I do not like The Pants. I itch at the scratch? Is that how you say?"

"You scratch at the itch. Remember how you are supposed to wear pants."

"The moo-cows do not have to wear The Pants. Not even the pants worn under pants. Moos hide nothing.

"Moo-cows are not persons. They don't have to wear pants," Kamen paused, giving Cerisa a long look, "did you put the under pants on today?"

She shook her head. "Cerise is not a person either so she should have to wear any pants. The other trees don't wear The Pants."

"When you are in this form, you are a person. When you are in your tree form, you don't have to wear pants."

Cerise rolled her eyes. All of The Clothing was stupid but the shirt was soft and warm, unlike The Pants. She peered over around Kamen and blinked at the person holding The Baby. "That is Jezza but is also not Jezza," she said, looking up at Kamen.

"That's Emily. She's Jezza's sister."

"Sister? What is sister?"

"They, uh, come from seeds of the same tree."

"Oh, the bees took the pollen from the anther to the stigma."

"Yeah, something like that."

Cerise bounced away from Kamen and stopped in front of Emily. She carefully took The Baby and turned to Kamen. "Titus says mustn't be rough with Danica," she said before handing Kamen his daughter. She turned back to Emily. "Welcome Emily, sister-seed of Jezza," she cried before pouncing on her.

And blinked when she suddenly found herself kneeling on the ground over a prone Emily. She tilted her head back to look at Kamen. "Is she still a sapling? Her roots aren't very strong and she doesn't have babies in her tummy."

Kamen swallowed his laughter. "No, she's fully grown and women don't have babies all the time. They kinda get to pick and choice when that that happens."

"She should. Ladies with babies are pretty! Emily is already pretty like the apple blossoms but she'd be prettier with babies! Titus said I should feed the chickens; he showed me how," she said before scrambling up and bouncing off.

Kamen called after her to put all of her pants on before holding out a hand to help Emily up. "She's a Cherry Tree Dryad from a very remote wild grove. She's exploring the world. We, uh, found her last week and decided to teach her how to pass as a eccentric human before she got burnt or chopped down. Its fall, after all, and a cherry tree in full bloom is a bit unnerving."