Cailyn clutched her mating stone. She was on the verge of losing it. Life was not what she’d hoped for when she mated Jace. She still recalled the Goddess telling her that the stone would protect their mating. At the time, Cailyn assumed the Goddess was referring to protecting them from the vile Lady Angelica.

Cailyn still shuddered when she thought about what that despicable sorceress did to Jace for over a century. Those days as her prisoner impacted Jace more than Cailyn knew. The emotional damage went cell deep, and Jace worked day and night to combat it and make changes, but his duty meant she rarely saw him or the progress he continued to make.

Now, years later, with loneliness bearing down, Cailyn had to wonder if the Goddess’s meaning went further than Lady Angelica. After all, Jace killed her months ago, so she no longer posed a threat.

Picking up her cell phone, Cailyn called her mate, determined to get time with him as promised.

“Shijéí,” Jace said after one ring. The fact that he picked up so quickly was a good sign. It meant the ER wasn’t too busy. “It’s great to hear from you.” Her chest warmed, and a silly smile spread across her lips at the honesty in his words.

“Hey, love. I know you’re probably busy saving lives, but I wanted to remind you about tonight,” Cailyn replied, sitting back on the big couch in the media room.

“Hmmm? Oh, yes. Jessie and James are coming over,” Jace murmured immediately.

“Yep. The couple will be here soon and are bringing Jonas with them. I can’t wait to meet the cute little guy,” Cailyn gushed, feeling her ovaries leap in her abdomen.

The traitorous beasts had been ticking like a time clock, making her ache for a baby of her own. It was ridiculous that she felt this way. After mating Jace and having her DNA altered, she was now able to have children for centuries to come. In fact, she wondered if there was ever an infertile time for supernaturals and their mates.

She’d never stopped to consider such a mundane issue like menopause. Not that she would miss experiencing hot flashes, weight gain, and hair loss. But, she couldn’t wrap her mind around being able to have children for years to come.

“That’s right. Jessie had the baby. I can’t wait to get a look at him. He’s the first of a new species to be born since I’ve been alive. No one knows what to expect from a dhampir and shifter breeding. My theory is that he will be like any other mixed race. He will either be a shifter or a dhampir, not a combination of the two. But, can you imagine if he was and we had another entirely new species? That would be incredible,” Jace said, his excitement evident in his animated speech.

Cailyn loved her mate more than anything, and his passion was infectious. She’d barely begun to explore her healing abilities since she’d healed Cade when he was near death during an attack on the compound, but it was undeniably a rush.

* * *

“I hope to be on the receiving end of some of that enthusiasm later tonight,” Cailyn replied. Her tone was just shy of teasing. Jace knew his mate was at her wit's end with him and he couldn’t blame her. He was grateful she understood his duties and his need to serve the Goddess. “And, if we’re lucky we can create a baby sorcerer of our very own.”

Emotions bombarded Jace at hearing her comment. The degree of his longing for a stripling of his own was flooring. Before meeting Cailyn, he couldn’t kiss a female without getting violently ill, let alone consider having children. And, to know they would inherit the full Miakoda bloodline was beyond a blessing. His blood was royalty among sorcerers, and his child could become Guild Master.

Jace was held captive by Angelica at the time his cousin, Evzen, took the role and he refused to take it when he gained his freedom. His head was in a dark, treacherous place and he wasn’t ready to lead. Killing skirm was the only place Jace truly belonged. Later, he discovered medicine and the gratification it brought. The two sides of his life gave an outlet to the opposing forces trying to tear him apart.

And then there was Cailyn. She was his shining light in everything. Zander may have rescued him from that dungeon, but Cailyn gave him life when she gave him her heart. It was a gift he cherished above all others.

Jace smiled into the phone. “If it’s the Goddess’s will, we will have a baby soon. A little boy with your coloring and a little girl with my long black hair,” he teased.

“Sounds perfect to me. Anyway, I don’t want to keep you. Please, don’t be late,” Cailyn sighed into the phone.

“I’ll be there,” Jace promised. “I love you, Shijéí.”

“I love you, too. See you soon,” Cailyn said before ending the call.

The Goddess had chosen the perfect mate for him, and he couldn’t wait to show her how much he loved her. He’d been so busy lately that they hadn’t had much time together and he was going to make it up to her.

“Jace!” called a female voice, drawing him out of his reverie.

He turned to see Alex, Bhric’s mate, rushing into the physician’s lounge. It still shocked him to know that one of his fellow Dark Warriors was treated at his hospital, and he’d hadn’t known about it. Of course, that was the Goddess at work ensuring Bhric, and Alex found each other.

“What’s up, Alex?” he asked as he climbed to his feet.

“Major traumas coming in. A small plane crashed on I-5, hitting at least fifteen vehicles and causing multiple pile-ups. We are expecting at least a dozen to come through our doors. Chief is calling in all surgeons, as well as, additional ER staff. It’s all-hands-on-deck tonight,” Alex informed him as they headed out the door together.

“How does a plane crash on the freeway? There wasn’t anything blue involved, was there?” he asked referring to the latest archdemons to join the war. The blue-winged sisters had been a consistent pain in the ass, and Crocell had been pissed and retaliating for the death of her sister by kidnapping children.

“There haven’t been any strange sightings. From the sounds of it, the pilot lost control. Are you on patrol tonight?” Alex asked as they headed toward the ambulance bay doors.

The sound of several sirens reached his ears despite the fact they were miles away. He donned a gown and snapped on latex gloves as he walked, and Alex followed suit.

“No. I wasn’t on the schedule tonight. I was supposed to be spending time with Cailyn and her best friend Jessie,” Jace admitted with a shake of his head.

“At least they won’t be scrambling to cover you in the field. And, Cailyn is so easy-going. You’re lucky. Bhric gets testy when I can’t make it home when expected. My mate sends Nate here to make sure I’m still here. I appreciate it, after my ordeal with Crocell and Cresil,” Alex stated, and Jace noticed her shudder at the thought.

He recalled how close to death she’d been when he and Bhric found her on the street. Crocell and Cresil attacked her, and she was close to dead. Alex's whispered words about being stabbed through the heart had torn at Bhric and had Jace sweating. He could heal many wounds, but not those beyond help, and he worried she’d been beyond his ability. Jace had poured all of his power into her frail body, healing her heart and saving her life.

“Cailyn is a phenomenal female, but she deserves better than I've given her lately. Tonight was important to her, and I hate disappointing her, but there’s nothing I can do. I can’t leave injured humans to die,” he admitted.

“She’ll understand,” Alex assured him as they rushed out to meet the arriving ambulance. The red and blue flashing lights speeded through the parking lot toward them.

Taking a moment, Jace withdrew his phone and shot his mate a quick text telling her there were incoming traumas then sent a silent prayer to the Goddess to give him the chance to make this up to her soon. Putting his mate’s needs second ate away at his soul, and he couldn’t take much more.

* * *

“Dammit!” Cailyn cursed as she read Jace’s text. She knew better than to get her hopes up, but she thought he was going to be home this time.

It wasn’t fair. Everyone in the house had time with their mates, and she barely got a few hours during which he was so exhausted he slept. It was selfish, especially considering Izzy was missing, but she longed for her mate something fierce.

Cailyn even shifted her focus, trying to figure a way to rescue Isobel. She searched the Mystik Grimoire for hours on end while Evzen searched other tomes for information.

The Grimoire responded to her because she mated Jace. Aside from him and Evzen, she was the only one that could study the book. Every member of the house looked for a way into Hell to rescue her niece. Elsie wasn’t talking anymore and walked around like a zombie with puffy eyes and a scowl on her face. And, to make matters worse, Ramiel disappeared. No matter how much they called him, he didn’t answer.

None of that stopped the hurt and disappointment of her mate missing another evening with her. It wasn’t that they were going to sit around playing games all night. After a bite to eat, the four of them were going to brainstorm new places to search for answers about reaching Izzy.

Snatching up the remote, Cailyn turned the TV on and switched to the news. Her face flushed with heat as she saw the devastation on the freeway. Jace's hands were full dealing with this catastrophe. Knowing he was needed didn’t soften the blow. She was too far down the path of bitterness for that to help.

That might make her a bitch, but she didn’t care. She and her mate weren’t the only ones that needed to sacrifice for the cause.

“Hey, biznitch,” Jessie called out as she entered the media room, followed by her hulking mate, James. Cailyn noticed she was carrying a car seat covered by a blanket in her right hand.

Cailyn pasted a smile on her face and rushed to her side. “Hey, chica. It’s about time you brought that baby to see his favorite aunt.”

“I gave birth less than twenty-four hours ago,” Jessie replied wryly. “But, I was nervous about bringing him. How’s Elsie holding up?”

“She’s a wreck. I’ve never seen her this bad, and we both know what she went through when Dalton died,” Cailyn admitted.

“We’re all looking for answers. We will find Izzy,” James reassured her.

“Yeah, everyone but Ramiel it seems,” Cailyn said bitterly.

“Not according to my intel,” James replied as he set the diaper bag on the coffee table. “Where’s your mate?”

Cailyn turned and pointed to the newscast trying to hide the bitterness eating away at her insides. “At the hospital dealing with that mess. He won’t be home anytime soon, but he wanted to meet Jonas. He has this whole theory about your miracle baby.”

Jessie laughed. “I imagine he does. I recall all the tests he ran on me as he tried to understand what kind of freak I’d become.”

“You’re not a freak, and neither is our little wolf,” James said affectionately, hugging his mate from behind and kissing her neck.

“Wolf?” Cailyn asked, ignoring the pang of jealousy at their affection. It wasn’t that she wished her friend ill, just that she wanted to be able to have any contact with her mate.

“Yep,” Jessie beamed. “Our bundle of joy transformed into a beautiful brown wolf right after birth. The little guy couldn’t wait to show off what he could do.”

Jessie set the car seat next to the diaper bag and removed the blanket. Cailyn’s heart melted as she reached for the tiny bundle of rolls. There was nothing better than a chubby newborn. That, and the way they smelled.

“That’s fantastic. Your next one will be a little girl with fangs,” Cailyn teased.

“Hey, babe,” Jessie said to her mate. “Can you go find Zander and the others and tell them what you heard about Ramiel hunting demons? I know they feel he’s abandoned them and Izzy, and I think this will help them.”

“Yes, they will want to hear he’s searching for a way into the Underworld,” Cailyn reiterated, knowing Ramiel wouldn’t bother torturing demons. He used his flaming sword to send them back to their maker. The only reason he would be going to such tactics would be to get information.

“Just what I was thinking,” he replied and kissed his mate, then his son on his fuzzy forehead where he rested in Cailyn’s arms. Jonas was so warm and cuddly and made the most adorable cooing noises. When his dad’s lips touched his forehead, he opened one sleepy eye and smiled a half smile before his entire body shimmered with light and heated in her grasp.

James was there in an instant when the wiggly wolf appeared, startling Cailyn. Instinctively, she flinched, and the baby began to fall. James caught him before he landed on the floor.

“Say hello to your Aunt Cailyn,” James murmured as he petted behind his son’s ear. Cailyn smiled at the cub and ran her hand over the soft, fuzzy fur of his back.

Typically, she kept her telepathy on lockdown, but she was curious and tuned into the wolf. It was jumbled thoughts, like other supernaturals but she picked up on small pieces. Mostly a bone-deep love for Jessie and James.

Handing the baby over to Jessie, James excused himself and gave his mate one last kiss before leaving the room. “Can you spread that blanket out please?” Jessie asked. Cailyn nodded and laid the soft blue blanket on the floor and Jessie set the wolf pup on it.

The two stood there watching Jonas roll around and play. “You don’t look so good. Want to talk about it?” her best friend asked.

“Just tired. We’ve all been so busy and stressed in the house. That’s all. It will get better,” Cailyn replied.

“I can only imagine. Sorry I haven’t been around more,” Jessie said right as Jonas let out a loud cry before he shifted again, revealing a naked baby. “That’s his hungry cry. I need to feed him,” Jessie murmured as she scooped her baby from the blanket. She had a diaper on him, and the blanket draped over her shoulder in seconds. Her preternatural speed came in handy with a newborn.

“Hey, ladies,” Cade remarked as he entered the media room. “You had that baby, I see.”

He was wearing sweats, and a tank top and there was no way to hide the impressive bulge of his groin. Cailyn averted her gaze. What was she thinking? She shouldn’t notice such things about another man.

“Yeah. I’ll introduce you after Jonas is done feeding,” Jessie replied as she peeked under the blanket from where suckling noises emanated.

“Can’t wait. I love babies,” Cade said before turning to Cailyn. “And, how is the most beautiful female in the house this evening?”

“Same as usual,” Cailyn mumbled, trying to hide the blush she felt creeping up her cheeks. The dance the other night and now his flirting brought a smile to Cailyn’s face, and she had to admit she liked his attention a bit too much. Stuffing her hand into her pocket, she wrapped her fingers around her mating stone.

“Have you had the chance to try those dance moves I taught you?” Cade asked with heated eyes. He wasn’t a cambion and obsessed with sex like Rhys, and Cailyn didn’t know how to respond to the male at times.

“Not yet. Jace has been working non-stop,” Cailyn admitted.

“Well, if you ever need to practice, you know where to find me,” Cade replied easily. “That little guy is making me hungry. I’m going to grab a bite, and I’ll come back to meet him.”

Cailyn couldn’t help checking out his backside as he left the room. He was a very sexy man, and his swagger had game. She needed her mate to come home and pound some sense into her. Literally.

“He’s such a nice guy,” Jessie replied as she cooed at her baby.

“Yes, he is,” Cailyn agreed, telling herself it was not okay to ogle him, much less seek him out for another dance lesson. Doing so would only spell trouble for Cailyn and Jace, and that was unacceptable. They had enough problems as it was.