The Cambion's Hoard

The birthing room was dark and warm. Rose had decided she wanted our child’s transition to the world from her womb to be as peaceful as possible. The only sounds were Henson and Thatcher’s soft words of encouragement and Rose’s strained grunts. Rose reclined against Thatcher’s chest and gripped his hands to her belly as it contracted.

Rose relaxed for a moment and looked at me. Her eyes were tired, strained with her labor. Her curls clung to her neck and face, damp with sweat from her body’s exertion . I had never seen a more beautiful creature. Her body contracted again and she squeezed Thatcher’s hands.

“That’s it, you have this.” Henson wiped sweat from Rose’s neck.

She groaned as the pain subsided again. “Its like they don’t want to come out. I feel like they’re holding on.”

I swallowed back my nerves and finally went to my mate. When she went into labor, I had been the only one to panic. My frantic energy overwhelmed Rose. I closed myself off to her, so she could focus more easily. I was scared our child wouldn’t recognize me. It was silly, they wouldn’t know this world but they peace they had given me was precious. I wanted them to feel safe in the world outside their mother. My fear wouldn’t help them, or Rose.

Placing my hands on the top and bottom of Rose’s luminous belly and rubbed soft circles. I leaned down and put more lips on her skin. “They’re all ready to meet you little one, Mamma is ready to hold you in her arms. Daddy and Pa want to see you too.”

Rose rubbed the rubbed the back of my head. Her fingers dug into the skin as another contraction wracked her. I held still has her pain transferred to me. I welcomed it, she needed to send it to us.

Her grip lessened and she let out a winded sigh. “What about you? Are you read for them?”

I rubbed her belly again, feeling our child’s head pressing against her pelvis. “Papa is ready for you too. I have missed you my little one. I’m ready to shower you with love.”

More of Rose’s discomfort washed over me. “I will take all of your pain Rose, let me bear this burden with you.”

Her words came in little huffs. “Its not a burden. This is joy, excitement and longing, but not a burden.”

Rose shifted her body into a more comfortable position. “I think they needed to know you were here. I need my midwife.”

Henson ran around the bed and pulled the hall door open. “She’s ready.”

He quickly returned to his place. Rose guided him to where she wanted him to hold her body. The midwife came into the room and went to her place at Rose’s feet. She ran her hands over Rose’s lower belly and smiled.

“Well baby finally stopped pushing their head against your pelvis. You’ll be able to push on the next…” She couldn’t even finish her sentence and Rose was bearing down.

She wathced as Rose pushed through the contraction, patient and mindful of what her body was going through. “Good, so good. Am I catching or is one of your mates?”

“Biggs.” Rose didn’t even hesitate in her answer.

The midwife pulled me to the place she had occupied and it took me a moment to realize what I was looking at. The top of our child’s head was sliding from Rose’s birth canal. Her body stretch to accommodate their arrival.

“Put this hand here, and put this one here. When they come it will be quick. They’ll slip right out.” She moved my hands so I could pull our child towards me.

Rose’s body once again contracted, she followed her bodies instincts and pushed.

“They’re coming Rose, they’re almost here.” In that moment, like the midwife said, our baby slid into this world.

I held them as they left the protection of their mother. A nurse helped me wrap them in a blanket as the midwife collected the afterbirth. The nurse and I moved to the other side of the room, out of the way of nurses and the midwife so they could finish tending to Rose. I laid the baby carefully in the bassinet waiting for them. The nurse rubbed their little body, and after a moment a powerful wail rang out in the room.

All of us let out a collective laugh and sigh. I looked back at my family, Henson and Thatcher continued to sooth our mate with their energy. It allowed me to focus on the little being before me.

They nurse had moved the blanket aside and I was able to tell what our child was. A girl. We had a daughter, a perfect little girl. I moved the thick black hair from her forehead and notice tiny buds of horns. Her little face scrunched up as she voice her displeasure at being in the cold room instead of her mother’s belly.

The nurse quickly put a diaper on her and handed her back to me. I held her gently to my chest and I let a gentle heat radiate to her. She settled in my arms. Doing my best, I sent her soothing energy hoping she knew I was going to keep her safe.

“Papa, is here. I’ve got you.” I carried my daughter to her mother. She held her hands out, arms wide open waiting for her baby.

I handed her to mother, and Rose pulled her snuggly agains her breast. Henson rubbed her horn numbs and his eyes brimmed with tears. Thatcher tucked one arm under Rose’s and placed his other hand on mine.

“Boy or girl.” Rose didn’t look up from her daughter’s little face.

“Ruby.” I ran a finger over her little thigh. I’d never told them that she and I had discussed names. She had liked Ruby for if she was a girl.

Rose looked up at me, her face tired but overjoyed. “Ruby?”

“Its what she picked. I hope its alright.”

Rose stroked Ruby’s head. “Its perfect.”

Everything was perfect.