âTacitus,â Kade moaned quietly into the sleepy sunlight. The figure snuggled tightly into Kadeâs back didnât respond, his breathing slow and steady against the tightening muscles along Kadeâs lower spine. The harpy sighed and shifted slightly, feeling the hot slide of eggs inside of him. His belly cramped again and he shivered despite the warm starlight pouring in the window. He had been dozing for hours, knowing what was to come, yet deliberately ignoring the increasing pain in his gut.
The eggs, which had nearly doubled in size in the last few days of gestation, now pressed firmly against his abdominal walls as they became dislodged from his abdominal tract as they matured. He could feel the slick gooey lumps beneath his taught skin, sliding and slipping past each other as his bodyâs natural rhythm pushed them further along.
He moaned as another cramp gripped his lower belly,This time an answering moan from Tacc followed his.Â
âYou up already?â Tacitus snuffled sleepily against Kadeâs sweaty skin. He shifted closer to stretch as Kade panted out a whispered âYeah...â
âYou okay?â He could hear Tacitus beginning to fully awaken and take in his surroundings, âEggs coming?â Kade could only moan as another wave of agony ripped through his middle. Tacci uncurled himself slightly and rubbed soothing circles into the hot skin, exactly where he knew it would be hurting. Kade focused on the gentle press of his mateâs fingers and forced himself to take slow deep breaths.
Many minutes passed before Tacitusâ quiet words of reassurance reached his ears, âApodomere eggs have always been easy for you in the past. Youâll be just fine.â Lips that felt like starlight pressed into his shoulder blade, âLet me run you a bathâ
âW-waitâ He pulled Tacitus back down to him, wrapping his mateâs arms around him, âStay with me? Just for a while?â
The bemused huff tickled against his spine as they snuggled into one another. It wouldnât be long before his body would force him to get up and do what needed to be done. But for now, he was content to spend another few minutes, grasping at the last few moments of sleep.Â








