Toxic Game (GhostWalkers 15)

A voice rose, a hiss of displeasure, Pepper telling Wyatt he could just go to hell. The women exchanged looks with mixtures of concern and amusement. Pepper was always the most accommodating with Wyatt. Anything he wanted, she gave him. She always spoke in low, almost sensual tones. There were never raised voices where Pepper was concerned.

The triplets rushed in, alarm on their faces. Ginger had her hands pressed to her ears. There were tears on both Thym’s and Cannelle’s faces. It was Cayenne who reached down to lift Thym into her arms to reassure her. Shylah hesitated. The girls didn’t know her as well, but she figured it was time they did. The perfect time. She held out her arms to Cannelle and the child immediately rushed to her. Shylah had just been thinking having babies with Draden was out, but holding the little girl made her rethink, just for a moment. The child put her little arms around her neck, snuggling into her.

Shockingly, it was Trap who leaned down and swept Ginger into his arms. “Nothing’s wrong, Ginger,” he reassured gruffly. “Your mama is having the babies and doesn’t always feel good. She’s just letting your daddy know that right this minute, she’s the boss and he’d better not cross her. Women get to do that when they’re having babies. It’s all about making that experience exactly what she wants, and she needs to be able to communicate that.”

Shylah nearly fell off the counter, even with Draden standing right in front of her, one hand on her knee, the other rubbing Cannelle’s back gently.

“She’s yelling. She never yells,” Ginger objected with a little sniff.

All three girls looked soberly at Trap for an explanation. Shylah thought that was very telling. Trap didn’t talk much as a rule. In fact, he ignored what was going on around him. Most of the time his attention was centered solely on Cayenne or his work. She was beginning to know the other members of GhostWalker Team Four.

Shylah found herself looking at Cayenne, not Trap. Her gaze was fixed on her husband’s face. She was pregnant, and actually much further along than she appeared, but she didn’t flinch under Thym’s weight. She was looking to Trap for his explanation just as the girls were. That, more than anything, really brought home the fact that both Pepper and Cayenne had no knowledge of childbirth or parenting. They were relying on their spouses and Nonny.

In spite of her age, or maybe because of it, Nonny was clearly the center of Team Four. She had the biggest heart, and everyone was always in her home, underfoot. She never seemed to mind. She’d left the cooking to Zara, Bellisia and Shylah while she helped Wyatt deliver. Ezekiel was with them and Wyatt had told two of the others, Gino and Joe, to stand by just in case the babies needed help.

“Trap?” Cayenne pushed for an explanation.

Trap reached out and cupped his wife’s face, cradling it gently in his palm. “Labor can be intense. A woman’s body has to work to help get the baby out and there’s no stopping it once it’s really gotten started. When she doesn’t know what to expect, it can be a little frightening at first. We looked at the video of birthing several times.”

“Everyone was smiling in that video, Trap.”

He nodded. “That’s true and a little unrealistic. We’ll find more realistic ones closer to the birth.”

“Does my mommy hurt?” Ginger asked.

Trap used the pad of his thumb to gently stroke over Cayenne’s mouth. Shylah could see her lips were trembling. Immediately, Shylah wanted to wrap her arms around the woman and comfort her. She clearly was afraid of the upcoming event.

Pepper’s voice rose in another curse. “You can just get out, Wyatt. I’ll do this myself.”

“Is Daddy being mean to Mommy?” Ginger prompted.

“Wyatt’s just acting like a moron,” Trap said, brutally honest as usual. “When a man loves a woman the way your daddy loves your mommy, he doesn’t like to see her in any kind of distress. She’s working hard and can’t reassure him that she’s all right, so he’s kind of acting like a husband, not a doctor.”

“Is that what you’re going to do?” Cayenne’s voice trembled.

“You know me better than that, baby. I’m not as emotional as Wyatt. I’ll be just as bossy when you’re giving birth as I am all the time.” His thumb slid in a little caress over her lips. He stared directly into her eyes.

She must have been reassured by what she saw there because she nodded, and he let go of her face. “Don’t forget, Nonny’s with your mom,” Bellisia said, practical as usual. “So is Uncle Zeke. They’re going to help her and pretty soon you’re going to have two baby sisters. You’re really going to have to help your mommy and daddy with them. Babies can be a lot of work.”

Ginger nodded solemnly and shared a look with her two sisters. “We know what to do. Mommy told us. She’s been reading books to us and we’re going to help her a lot.”

Shylah wanted to laugh as she put Cannelle back on the floor. The three girls were very advanced for their age, but they were so little and sometimes little terrors. She had nightmares thinking about having children like the three of them. They thought nothing of sneaking off and playing in the swamp. It took the entire team and Nonny to watch over them. She couldn’t imagine what it was going to be like with two more little girls in the mix—especially with the influence of Ginger, Thym and Cannelle.

The water was boiling and smelling very citrusy and good. Zara dumped a massive amount of shrimp into the large pot. The men’s gazes were immediately riveted on the food. Shylah started laughing.

“What?” Draden asked, reaching to take several pieces of fresh warm bread from one of the many baskets. He handed the girls each one and then ate half the other in one bite.

“All of you think with your stomachs,” she accused.

Draden grinned at her. Not most of the time, sweetheart. I think with my dick.

She rolled her eyes. Okay, that too. I’m okay with that.

Zara is nearly as good a cook as Nonny already.

Is that a hint that you want me cooking more? They usually cooked meals together. Construction was going on big-time at the property Draden had purchased. Mostly they camped there, needing to spend time alone together. She loved being his wife. She loved everything about Draden, down to the smallest detail. He could get a little bossy, but she noticed all the men seemed to be that way, some a little more dominant than others. She supposed it was the amount of gene-editing done in each of them.

She especially liked Ezekiel and Gino, the husbands of her best friends. Each was very different from the other but suited his wife perfectly. She had grown fond of Trap, although she hadn’t thought she would. He was very distant, but she could see he had great affection for all of them. Joe had become a favorite as well. It was impossible not to like him. Mordichai and Malichai made her laugh, especially Malichai. Ruben and Diego broke her heart at times. She couldn’t help feeling their energy and the dark shadows residing in them. They both felt deep sorrow that at times threatened to overwhelm them. She wanted to find a way to make it better for both.

Baby, you’re too empathetic. When the Campos are having a difficult time, you need to keep a distance, so you don’t take that on your shoulders.

She was listening to the sounds coming from the bedroom. For the most part, Pepper was stoic, not crying out or letting on that she might be hurting. It was only when they could hear the murmur of Wyatt’s voice that she protested. Whatever he was telling her to do, she clearly didn’t want to do.

Shylah watched as Zara removed the shrimp from the boiling water when they turned pink. She couldn’t figure out how Zara could keep her mind on what she was doing when so much was happening around them. Zara immediately placed the shrimp in icy water to prevent further cooking and she did so automatically, as if she were listening to the sounds coming from the other room even while she was making the appetizer for all of them.

“I don’t know about this baby business,” Gino said, leaning down to brush kisses on Zara’s neck. “I have to say, it freaks me out, just a little.”

&nbs

p; Zara laughed. “Nothing freaks you out. And you’re the one pushing for babies.” Her lashes swept down as she deftly began peeling shrimp. Shylah immediately pitched in as did Draden.

Gino wrapped his arms around Zara’s waist and nuzzled her neck as she worked. “Lots of babies to keep you home with me.”

Zara didn’t miss a beat, working as if she were used to Gino keeping his arms around her while she did so. “I’ll stay home with you babies or not, Gino.”

“Just making sure, princess.”

She laughed. “The truth is, you want children.”

He didn’t argue. Shylah realized Gino did want children with Zara, that it was important to him. She glanced at Draden. Is having children important to you, Draden? If it doesn’t happen, are you going to be upset? She felt a little anxious over the issue. She wanted to have his children, she already knew that, but what if, because of her genetics, she couldn’t? Or something went terribly wrong?

Loving you and living my life with you is important to me. Having children is a natural progression, and yes, I want them. I’d like to have a large family, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t be equally as happy with just the two of us. If you don’t want to go there …

She did. She liked that he gave her that choice. She could hear that he meant it from the sincerity in his tone. I’m getting used to the idea and with all these mothers and Nonny around, they’ll help me.

I’ll help you.

Shylah sent him a smile because that was adamant. A declaration. She watched Zara pour equal amounts of orange, grapefruit and pineapple juice into several pans. She added fresh lemon and lime juice and then pointed to the fruit she had sitting out on the counter. Gino moved around her without missing a beat and began quickly slicing through oranges, grapefruit, lemons and limes, which were added to the mix in the pan with crushed red pepper. The shrimp were added. She covered the pans and put them in the refrigerator. Gino began the cleanup while Zara washed her hands.

“How long until we get that?” Malichai asked.

“About thirty minutes. The pasta is prepped and will be ready around the same time. If you can keep from eating all the bread, we’ll have plenty with a salad.” There was amusement in Zara’s voice.

Malichai groaned. “I don’t know if I can last that long.”

Everyone, including the little girls, laughed. Malichai held out his hand to them. “Come on, let’s get out of the kitchen so I don’t eat all the bread. We can play outside before it gets too dark.”

Cannelle grabbed his hand and the three little girls tried to skip out of the room with Malichai. Mordichai made a face. “I guess I’d better go along and keep them out of trouble.” He sounded long-suffering, but Shylah knew better than to buy into his acting.

Ruben and Diego exchanged a long look and then they drifted after Malichai and Mordichai. Shylah knew they wouldn’t be playing with the triplets. They’d be outside, on the roof, guarding them.

The group moved out of the kitchen, Draden keeping his arm around her waist. He liked being close to her. She had never particularly liked to be touched, but it was different with him. She found herself needing to feel his hands on her almost as much or more than he insisted. She also reached for his mind often. The way he stroked caresses through her with that psychic touch was both exhilarating and comforting.