“You’re mine too, love,” he whispered. “I was only curious.”

Her blue eyes burned into his. “Good.”

He smiled. “I rather like this possessive side to you. We’ll have to explore it more later.”

“Much later,” Leela cut in. “Because the baby is ready, as is Caro.”

Sethios’s neck twisted so fast that it was a wonder his head didn’t fall off. “Now?”

“Yes,” Caro and Leela said at the same time.

He gave up trying to understand the baby process. Everything he thought he knew didn’t apply. Two-month gestational period. Less-than-an-hour labor period. Dying immortals who miraculously healed. Babies who heeded his command.

Sure. Why not?

“Do I need to do anything?” he asked, voice remarkably calm given the situation.

Caro squeezed his hand. “Talk to her. She likes your voice.”

Also bizarre, but his daughter apparently would possess the power to destroy an entire bloodline. Why should this shock him?

He kissed Caro once more before drawing patterns over her exposed belly and cooing, “Okay, little one. It’s time, but be nice to your mom, okay? She has a death grip on my hand, and I don’t want to lose it.”

Caro responded by tightening her hold on him, something that would have concerned him more if she hadn’t also giggled with the move.

There’s my angel, he thought warmly.

Her pain tolerance had to be high given everything her body had experienced these last two months. The sweat dotting her brow and the stress lines around her mouth were the only indications that whatever was happening hurt.

He continued to lightly trace her stomach and speak to their daughter. “I can’t wait to meet you, sweetheart,” he admitted softly. “I hope you resemble your mom more than me, though. She’s far prettier.”

“Liar,” Caro breathed, her eyes closed as she focused on expelling a living being from her body.

Holy fuck, this is happening.

I’m going to be a dad.

He knew that already. But the reality crashed into him as Leela told Caro to give her first push. Nothing happened, but he sensed their child was on the verge of entering the world.

“She’s stubborn,” Caro grumbled. “That would be from her father’s side.”

Sethios chuckled even as he beamed at the possibility. “Pretty sure that’s a combined effort, darling.”

“Another push now,” Leela urged. “Come on, Caro.”

An ache shot up his arm as his angel grasped his hand in earnest. Not to punish, but for support, and he gave it to her. Fuck, she was bringing a miracle into the world. A few broken bones hardly compared.

“She’s crowning,” Leela announced.

“I know!” Caro growled, her brow dripping sweat. “Fuck!”

Sethios bit his lip to keep from chuckling at what appeared to be her new favorite word. She used it around him fairly often, usually when she wanted something from him.

“Come on, Caro. I know you’ve got more in you than this,” Leela chastised. “Keep going.”

An unfavorable reply fell from Caro’s lips, causing Leela to chuckle. Definitely not a normal Seraphim. Where did Gabriel find her? He glanced at the stoic male still leaning casually against the wall. No way were these two lovers. Friends, maybe. If the guy even had any of those.