Little Suckers Bite Too (San Francisco Vampires #6) (Vampires of San Francisco series) (2 page)

I’m enveloped in Helena and Julian’s arms. Andrew wipes his eyes discretely while Liam puts his arm around him.

“What name have you decided on?” Julian asks.

“We haven’t yet. We know the middle name will be: Aidan. If it had been a girl it would have been Lilith,” I say.

“Oh, damn… I was so close to having a namesake,” Lily says. She maintains her light manner but I know how much she wants a baby.

“Relax, sistah, we plan on having more children,” I say. Diel wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me close to him. I love his warmth and constantly snuggle him to warm up my body. Oddly, the baby has kept me warmer than usual. Most likely because it is half demon.

We still don’t know which one of us the baby will be like. It will have both Demon and Vampire genes, but we don’t know which species he will favor. The baby could be warm blooded and also drink blood. Or he could be cold blooded and eat food like his dad. The only thing we are sure of is he does not have a tail or horns. Thank. The. Goddess. Not that we wouldn’t love him no matter what he looks like. But from what Diel says, it’s a sign of a lesser Demon and he will come from royalty so it would be a bad thing. Also it would require we live in Hell so he isn’t seen topside. So don’t want that.

But all is good and we’re having a boy. I’m so happy. I’m going to try and not make him a mamma’s boy. Well maybe a little bit. I’m still a kick-ass vamp so if he is a mamma’s boy he will be a force to be reckoned with.

Andrew hands me mulled cider and we talk about names for a while and the impending wedding cruise for Lily and Sebastian’s wedding. Lily and Helena head off to kickboxing so Aidan zaps us home. By the time we are back home, Aidan’s sadness and anger have returned. It’s how he’s been since Manda was turned against her will by the Queen and was taken who knows where. It tears us all up to see the fire spirit that lives on positive energy suffer like this.

“I love you, Aidan. Please come over anytime. Especially if you need a break. Promise me,” I beg him.

“I promise, Ganja Mamma,” Aidan says. “I love you too.” He gives me a big hug and pats Diel’s hard-broad shoulder before he transmanifests out of here.

“I can’t get a read on her,” Diel says as he watches the spot where Aidan had stood. “Manda is out there somewhere. But dammed if I know where else to look.” He rubs a hand across his face. “It will destroy Aidan if we don’t find her.”

“It will. And Lily can’t pick him up this time. I know she will try but it will destroy all the work she, Sebastian and Aidan have done,” I say.

Diel kisses the top of my head and walks into the kitchen as I think about all the implications. I follow him, as he builds a fifteen story sandwich. Demons burn through fuel fast as a fire through tissues. I decide to have a little snack too and when he sits down I take a little nip at his neck.

Diel moans.

“Babe, Goddess that feels good. How ‘bout I skip my sandwich and I reciprocate?”

“But you need to eat, Diel,” I say, wiping my mouth. “You need to keep your strength up.”

“I plan on eating.” He grins.

“Oh, baby,” I gasp.

Diel puts his sandwich in the fridge and throws some meat to Hades, our Hell Hound, to keep him occupied. He was less than impressed he had stayed home while we went to the manse. Diel picks me up and kisses me deeply. I run my fingers through his hair, gently pulling it.

Diel groans into my mouth, it’s so sexy. I suck on his bottom lip and graze it with my fangs. He sets me on top of the dresser and pulls off my pants. He pokes his thumbs through my panties, ripping them and throwing them to the floor. I grab my t-shirt and try to get it off, Diel helps and then he unclasps my bra and grins lasciviously at me. He loves how big my boobs have gotten.

“Diel, baby, don’t leave me hanging here,” I pant.

“Never, babe.”

And he doesn’t. It’s hot and hard on top of the dresser. When we’re done he carries me to the bed and sweetly finds me some new clothes. He picks out a t-shirt that says “I want out!” over my belly and a long stretchy skirt that somehow works with the t-shirt. He has great taste in clothes. Our baby is going to have more clothes than Lily.

“Diel, we have to go to Hell tomorrow for another checkup. Are you caught up on work?”

“Yeah, still working on this Dominic thing. I am going to meet with his father tomorrow after our appointment to see if we can negotiate something first. If not I will get the banishment orders completed. I’m only meeting with him as a favor since Dominic and Mark’s dad is the mayor. Otherwise I would throw the little punk into a section of Hell much worse than the city he would be banished to.”

“I hate Lily and Sebastian having to watch their back all the time,” I say. I absently rub my belly. My little guy is excited and moving a lot after all that sex.

“We’ll figure everything out, Hannah. We’ll keep them safe.”

CHAPTER 2 . DIEL

While Hannah sleeps the next morning, I drive us to the public portal to Hell in Bakersfield. Hannah has to use them. Our Hell Hound, Hades, is required to get a live, or in this case undead, soul into Hell. I can open a portal anywhere. But since Hannah is not a Demon she will always need Hades. I’m not sure about our child. Another question to ask the doctor.

We get to the portals just as Hannah wakes. She looks so peaceful in her sleep, her tummy extending at odd angles as the baby moves around. It amazes me that she is not bruised but she assures me she only feels pressure. She loves it. She is such a natural mother.

“Are we there yet?” Hannah asks as she stretches.

“Yes, babe, just got here.”

“Perfect timing as usual, Diel,” she says and yawns.

She is so adorable. I love that she still sleeps because I will have the baby to myself while she sleeps. Otherwise I know she will hog him.

“When does our portal open?” she asks.

“When I say it does. Benefit of the Duke and Duchess thing, babe.”

Han grins.

“I must say, I like this perk.”

“Me too,” I lean down and whisper in her ear, gently tugging on it with my teeth.

She moans softly into my chest. She is so sexy and smart and funny. I have no idea how I am lucky enough to have her as my mate. I swat her butt and take her hand. She has Hades’ leash in her other hand. I grab our bags and we head into the building, which is unassumingly disguised as a manufacturer for a pyramid make-up franchise. The Pink Ladies or something like that.

I punch in the access code and then we’re in amongst all the demons that have to travel public. I’m not a snob but I do hate to travel this way. It’s so much easier to open a portal and step through without having to do all this.

Hannah and I walk Hades right to the front of the line and are greeted immediately.

“Your Graces, you honor us with your presence,” a stately demon with purple hair and a pinkish hue to his skin says as he scrambles to meet us. Some sort of low level administrator.

“Thank you, we will travel quickly and leave you to your work,” Hannah says.

“You bring us good luck, your Grace. Bringing your heir through here is very special for us. Blessings on you and your child.” He bows low as do many people around us. I’d never heard that before. But then again, I’ve never had a child before.

“Thank you for your blessings. We will go through the portal now if that is acceptable,” I say.

“Of course, of course. I am sorry I delayed you. Please forgive me.”

“Nothing to forgive,” Hannah says. She is rubbing her belly and looks pained. That panics me and I pull her into the portal with Hades immediately. We pop down under.

“What’s wrong? Are you in pain?” I ask her while I rub her tummy and then kiss her temple.

“I just had a small twinge. But they have become more frequent. I think it is good that we are going to see the doctor,” she says. She looks nervous and that throws me into a total panic.

I hail a taxi and throw everything in before I help her carefully into the back. I tell the driver to step on it and give him Dr. Hildebrand’s address. It takes us all of fifteen minutes to get there and that is twelve too many for me. By the time we get there, my foot is twitching. I’m doing an annoying thing tapping my fingers on the handle. Hannah finally takes my hand, kisses it then squeezes it, reassuring me. I get it together. I should be reassuring her. Man, labor is going to suck. I’m glad Lily will be in there with me. She’ll keep me in line.

We arrive and I grab our bags and Hades and still manage to give Hannah my arm as she gets out awkwardly. She’s at that cute waddling stage now and I just want to wrap her up in my arms and snuggle her. I know, not very demonly.

“Isn’t our appointment in two hours?” Hannah asks me.

“Yes, but these twinges don’t sound good and I don’t want to wait.”

The receptionist is happy to accommodate us and even puts our luggage in their staff room and watches Hades for us. He happily goes behind the desk with her. Everyone stops to pet him as they go by. He’s in seventh heaven. The nurse leads us to an exam room and I help Hannah change into a gown.

Hannah’s stomach is huge. Much larger than I thought it could ever grow. I find it fascinating and she has never been more sexy to me than when she is swollen with my son. My son. I still can’t get over that.

The doctor walks in and doesn’t look happy.

CHAPTER 3 . HANNAH

Dr. Hildebrand looks upset. Diel is practically coming apart at the seams and I am the one who is calm. That’s a first.

“I hear you’ve been having some discomfort and cramps, Hannah?” Dr. Hildebrand asks.

“Yes, for about a week now.” Diel growls. Most likely because I haven’t told him. “They started as just fleeting moments. Nothing to get worried about, I thought. But now they are stronger and I am having several a day. They are getting painful too.”

“I think these are contractions you are having and it’s much too early for the baby to be delivered. I’d like you to go at least two more weeks…”

“But won’t that be a week early?” Diel interrupts.

“Yes, but the baby will have the best chances at that point. He may be a little small but everything should be developed by then.”

“What happens if I deliver now?” I ask.

“If the baby needs lungs, they will not be developed yet. The baby will be too small and will have a fifty-fifty chance of survival. Remember that vampire pregnancies are much shorter so the baby needs as long as possible in the womb. Boys develop more slowly too.”

“Yes, I remember. What do we do now,” I ask as I take Diel’s hand for support. He looks very pale.

“Is Hannah in danger?” Diel asks.

“Not really. The danger is to the fetus. I’m putting you on bed rest for the next two weeks and suggest you stay in Hell until you deliver. Do you have arrangements made for this?”

“Yes, we are supposed to be renting a house for a month. I’m sure I can get it early and for as long as we need. We have some friends who will be with us for the birth. I should probably contact them to start moving them down,” Diel answers. The house is news to me. Sneaky Demon thinks of everything.

“I want them early if they will come. I will be bored to death in bed.”

“You will be able to get up for the bathroom and to shower but the rest of the time you need to be in bed or lounging somewhere on a couch,” Dr. Hildebrand explains. He walks up to me and pats my knee. “It will be okay, Hannah. You just have to rest and let that baby boy finish growing. I need to do an exam now to make sure everything is okay.” He looks at Diel. “You staying or going?”

“Staying,” Diel says defiantly. I have to cover up a snicker. He gets a little squeamish sometimes. The birth should be interesting. Ha!

“Lie back, Hannah, let’s see if the baby has descended and if you are dilated. That will give us a closer idea of where you are.”

I lie back on the table and assume the position. Gods, I hate this. Feet in stirrups and open wide for all of Hell and back. At least the doctor puts a nice soft blanket over me so he can be as discreet as possible.

He does his exam and frowns briefly. When he is done he pulls the blanket down from my belly and measures it. Then he listens to the heartbeat. I have to say that it is reassuring to hear. When he’s done he looks at us.

“Hannah and Diel, I’m so glad you had an appointment today. Hannah is already two centimeters dilated and the baby is descended. The baby is measuring quite large and we may have to do a caesarian section as Hannah is so small. We’ll see. But for now, I want total bed rest and I will be stopping by every few days to check on her.” He goes to the sink to wash his hands. “If you have any more contractions, you need to call me immediately. There are things we can do to stop them.”

“Thank you, Dr. Hildebrand. I’ll text you the address and you have our phone numbers,” Diel says. He is so white, all the blood drained from his face but he is holding on. I am so proud of him. I know how scared he is. I would be the same way about him. And I’m just as worried about the baby.

“Rest, Hannah. Lots of rest and make sure you keep drinking fluids of some sort and I want you to feed every three days too. I’ll see you soon.”