Page 72 of Claiming Demons
“Zagreus Financial could also donate a substantial amount,” Donny said with a grin. “Now that I’ve fired all those over-paid bank executives, we’re finding we have a significant surplus.”
“And if you need security, I’ll have some army buddies once I’m done with my first tour,” Eva said.
“If you need a mechanic, I’m in,” Trent offered. He turned to his sister, Lisa, and smiled. She was the type of woman we’d be helping, having recently gotten out of a bad relationship with a guy who was connected up the wazoo.
Lisa piped up. “I have some administrative experience if you’re looking for a receptionist or anything like that.”
“You’re hired, both of you,” Ana said, her loving smile only getting wider and wider. “Trent, how would you feel about teaching women how to take care of their cars so they’re not hustled by servicemen at dealerships or garages.”
He nodded, excited. “I’d love to.”
We were all excited. Even Raphael and Inanna — sitting hand in hand leaning on each other — were glowing with parental pride.
And for me… it would be a chance to finally create something instead of destroying things. And that thought gave me such hope and joy that I was close to tears.
Ever since I’d bonded with Ana, I’d been filled with so much peace that my wolf was practically dormant, happily resting.
My unending hunger was finally sated. It wasn’t something I had to work to control anymore. And the weight that had been lifted from me was so immense I felt like I was walking on clouds, a bird soaring through the skies. Not only was I finally done with my beast, but I had the most incredible woman in existence loving me, and that lifted me higher still.
A few tears of purest joy might have slipped down my grinning cheeks in that moment.
After dinner, Raphael and Inanna retired to their room and the rest of us sat around and brainstormed for the new business, making plans and sharing ideas, even making a few calls to get things moving.
When Ana, Grey, Ramsey, and I retired for the night, she was literally glowing with joy, and vibrating with excited energy. And all of that was pumping into us three guys through our bond.
We took our time pleasuring Ana that night, full of love and already over the moon with bliss. We held her and kissed her, then gave her a long soothing bath.
In bed, Ramsey and Grey lay on either side of her, kissing and caressing, while I pleasured her with my tongue, drawing out a long and relaxing orgasm from her. Then I cuddled in close behind Grey, feeling his warmth as I held him. He didn’t pull away, didn’t resist my affections, but I could still sense that that was all it was going to be. It might take some time before he was ready for more, but for now, he was comfortable being naked while near me and that was a pretty good start.
Life was perfect. I couldn’t ask for anything more than this.
RAMSEY
Harmonia,Freyja, and Aphrodite all joined Ana on the day she’d decided to give birth. She’d waited a little over three months, letting the fetuses grow naturally while minimizing a lot of the discomfort that came with three growing bodies inside her. She hadn’t wanted to have the children right away, said she wanted to feel them growing and savor some of the experience of pregnancy, and for those fifteen weeks, she’d been radiant and beautiful and already showing significantly by the end. Then, she’d decided, that was enough.
With three fertility goddesses there, the home birth was a breeze. Three crying babies later and Ana was resting on our bed, we three fathers each held our own tiny child… and it was clear right from the start whose was whose.
Merneith, my little girl, had my midnight-blue eyes and had already torn through several sets of swaddling clothes. She’d be a fighter.
Fen’s little boy, Wilf, shared his father’s pale blue eyes and was constantly changing shape between a baby, a wolf cub, a lion cub, and a dove. That one was going to be a handful.
Then there was quiet, serious Elissa. She had Ana’s silver eyes, but looking into them was mesmerizing as she possessed a hint of her father’s void.
I stared down at Merneith, stunned from the moment she’d been put in my arms. I’d never thought I’d holdmy ownchild. I’d always been a fighter, the Lord of Strife, and before Ana, my life hadn’t had any room for a baby.
Then Ana had bonded with me and almost instantly stilled my chaos and conflict. I’d never known peace like this and, having lived with it for several months now, it was wonderful. I could summon my conflict for a court case if desired, but usually I didn’t need it. I rarely went to the Empyrean Pits to fight. That held no interest for me anymore. Holding little Meri in my arms, I found a new and profound peace and love for this tiny being. She — and Ana — were all I needed.
The three goddess-midwives bid us goodbye and we three men with our little bundles climbed up onto the bed around Ana. She took them, one at a time, holding them, getting to know them, and feeding them.
“I can’t believe I’m a mother… again… three times over. I’m not quite sure what I was thinking,” she said, still in a bit of wonder-shock.
“You’ve given each of us the greatest gift,” Fen said when he wasn’t cooing to little Wilf. “We already know you’re an amazing mother. And, like we said, we’ll all be here to help with the little ones. My crew, both at the wrecking company and the restaurant can run fine without me most days. I’m so very happy to have another child.”
“That’s right, when we first met in that boutique store, you’d mentioned shopping for a daughter. But I’ve never seen you with her.”
Fen laughed. “Ah… yeah, sorry about that. It was just the tiniest bit of a lie. I do have a daughter, but she’s grown up and owns a modeling company in Sweden. She’s not a child. She’s… ah… seven hundred years old.”
Ana gave a guffaw of a laugh. “Yeah, tiny lie, only a few hundred years off… but… you bought several dresses for a young woman that day.”