Innocent Devil’s Harem Ch. 71

January 16, 2022

ARTWORK: A couple of pictures of Serenity are posted now (Latex Police Girl Outfit and then one of her Devil form). The Gabriella in Silver Bikini picture is now available to the Demigod tier. The artist is working on Gwen right now.

There were 5 Sundays in January, which means five chapters overall (aka, free bonus chapter last month).

This chapter has a really nice moment with Natalie, which I hope you guys enjoy.

<< Chapter 70 | Ch 1 (Book1) | Ch 16 (Book 2) | Ch 31 (Book 3) | Ch 46 (Book 4) | Ch 61 (Book 5)

- CHAPTER 71: Bonds -

After helping Gwen get the crate with the sealed vampire into a storage room in their dungeon basement -- the same one that had been mostly repaired earlier that day -- the sexy devil maid then took me and Natalie to her private room in the main basement. More specifically, to Gwen’s private room with all the purple silk furniture, where Gwen and I had spent a little time fucking prior to us discovering that she had a wound on the back of her arm.

It wasn’t her main bedroom, but it was still a space reserved specifically for her, where she could get as hot as she wanted without having to worry about starting a fire.

Of course, the moment we began heading down the stairs, I couldn’t help but ask.

“Are you sure?”

Her response was somewhat unsurprising.

“Of course, master. I wish for you to be comfortable.”

“But what if something gets destroyed?” I wondered seriously, not specifically mentioning Natalie right behind me, but it being obvious why that might happen. After all, the blue-haired chick was technically a cursed werewolf, and we had no idea what might happen when she woke up after being transformed.

Hence, the precautions.

The last thing we needed was for her to transform into a monster and go on a rampage.

Granted, I was hoping that being Natalie’s alpha might prevent anything like that from happening, but it wasn’t a risk worth taking.

Gwen simply shrugged, still wearing her low-riding leather pants and matching leather vest and jacket, her long black furry tail swaying low behind her, her hooves clacking against the concrete floor as we began moving down the hallway more behind the stairs of the main furnished basement.

“Everything in that room can be replaced,” she replied simply.

I nodded, focusing on the wall where I knew there was actually an invisible entrance to the core of barriers that protected Miriam’s domain, recalling the experience we’d shared inside, when she gave me the same authority as her. The same ownership, as an equal.

Out of respect, I planned on asking her if she wanted me to return what she’d given, fully intending on doing so if she showed any signs of hesitation, since what she’d done was a pretty big deal. Like, while I was very interested in being with her, and while I understood that she was heavily in love with me, offering everything important and valuable to her was kind of a big deal.

As she said, it was like sharing her own arm with me, giving me joint ownership of something that was inherently hers.

Similarly, it would be like her owning a multimillion-dollar corporation, and me expecting her to give me half ownership, and thereby a decision-making level of control, in the company, just because she liked me. Just because we wanted to be lovers.

A company that she’d spent years upon years building all on her own.

The idea was ludicrous, especially when considering that we didn’t even know each other a few days ago.

So yeah, I was going to offer to return ownership of her place, and give it back if that’s what she wanted. And only accept it again when I’d truly earned it…or in the event it was necessary to save our lives, like this last time, but that seemed unlikely to happen again.

Still, either way, the decision would be hers.

That was the right thing to do, and if the situation was flipped, it’s what I’d want -- for her to at least offer to give it back.

When Gwen opened the thick metal door at the end of the hall, dimly lit by crystals in the concrete ceiling, she turned toward me while reaching into her leather jacket pocket.

“Oh, and here is the syringe you requested, master,” she said warmly.

I focused on her crimson slitted eyes, framed by purple skin that was a stark contrast to her otherwise pale complexion, her attractive face framed by chin-length pitch-black hair. I was a little surprised by the affection in her tone.

“Thanks,” I replied, reaching out to accept the packaged syringe. “What do you plan on doing? Will you go to sleep soon?”

She shook her head. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to sleep until the sun rises. I will watch over my mistress until then, and ensure she gets some rest.”

I nodded, deciding to reach out and wrap her up in my arms, hugging her thin waist tightly, enjoying that our heads were level since she was the same height as me. She wasn’t even remotely surprised by the gesture, returning the embrace just as snuggly, her deceptively strong arms holding me tight.

“Love you, master,” she said as she pulled away. “My mistress will be down shortly to instruct you on how to create a barrier around the room, so that only the two of you may be permitted passage.”

I nodded.

She then abruptly peeked her head inside the room as if she’d forgotten something, focused up at the ceiling, only to speak again. “Just making sure the vents are open. This room is almost completely airtight otherwise, and my flames consume most of the oxygen in the air when I catch fire.”

My eyes widened in surprise, peeking my head in to focus on the ceiling too. Sure enough, there were two inconspicuous vents made of a dark gray metal, one on the left and one on the right, likely one that drew air in and another that pumped fresh air out. “Dang, good to know,” I commented. “That would be a dumb way to die.”

She frowned at that, her tone serious. “Never, master. I would never allow such tragedy to befall you. I knew they were open after I was last down here, and only chose to doublecheck for the sake of redundancy.”

“Of course,” I said reassuringly. “I’m just glad to know about it too.”

She nodded. “Love you, master. Bye for now.”

“Love you,” I replied, focusing on her plump ass and thick thighs in those glossy leather pants as she turned to walk back down the hallway, kind of wishing our time hadn’t been cut short earlier. I mean, sure it was true that I at least got to cum once, but I really wanted to get her there too. And now, since I was determined to go back home in the morning, I wasn’t sure when I would get a chance to spend time with her again.

But I did need to go back home.

I still had about a month of classes to get through, and didn’t want to end up just staying at Miriam’s mansion forever. At least, not until we’d both given it some thought, and were sure it was what we wanted to do. Granted, I couldn’t imagine a world where I didn’t take her up on the offer at this point, but I still felt like it was important we take a break from each other.

In response to my gaze, Natalie sighed heavily beside me.

“Ugh, you’re such a guy,” she commented.

I turned my head to smirk at her. “But at least I’m not a bad guy, right?” I said playfully.

She frowned, her tone a little somber now. “Yeah. At least you’re not a bad guy. Far from it.”

I gestured with my hand toward the room. “Ready to get started then? Please have a seat on the bed.”

“Not like I have a choice,” she scoffed.

That drew me up short. “Hey,” I said, trying to keep my tone gentle. “Is this not what you want?”

She sighed as she walked into the room and sat right down on the purple silk-covered bed, the wire springs and frame squeaking under her weight.

Her expression was somber again. “No, it’s what I want.”

“Then what’s up with that comment?” I wondered, still trying to keep my tone gentle as I took one step into the room, waiting to close the door behind me. She’d left her leather jacket upstairs, so I could see most of her body underneath the sheer black dress, with only the vinyl bikini top and thong keeping her from being completely exposed.

“Sorry,” she said sincerely, only to sigh. “I guess I’m just bitter about everything.” She abruptly looked up at me apologetically. “Not about you,” she clarified. “Honestly, as I’ve said several times now, I’m not sure I could have gotten luckier.” She sighed again, looking down at the floor. “But this last year has just made me bitter. I finally got revenge, and I’m eternally grateful to you for making that happen, but it’s just really sunk in that they aren’t coming back. My mom and dad are gone forever.”

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

She sighed. “No, you don’t need to be. I know you lost your parents too. I’m not trying to be a drama queen. It just…really sucks. Everything sucks. And I’m also a little anxious.” She sighed. “I get snippy when I’m anxious. It’s kind of a reflex for me. I snap at people without meaning to.”

I nodded. “Well, as I said before, we can go at your pace. I’ll go as slow as you want, and if you say stop, then I’ll stop.”

She looked up at me in surprise. “We’re having sex?” she said in confusion.

I tried not to laugh. “No, silly. I’m going to inject you with some of my blood. But just because it’s not sex doesn’t mean we can’t still do things at your pace. I’m not going to do anything until you’re ready.”

“So…” Her voice trailed off. “What if I’m never ready to have sex again?” she asked hesitantly.

I tried not to scoff. “Then we won’t have sex again. It’s that simple. Everything I said before is still the same. And, I mean, just because I’m your alpha doesn’t mean we even have to be in a relationship. I told you that from the beginning, remember?”

Her expression was vulnerable, her tone quiet. “Do you want to have a relationship?” she wondered.

I did scoff this time. “Natalie, I’m a guy, and you’re hot. What do you think? Of course I’m interested in getting to know you better, and starting something more serious with you.”

“Yeah, but…” Her voice trailed off again.

I sighed, uncertain of where all this was coming from. “But nothing. If you want to, then I want to. And if you don’t want to, then we can just be friends for now. That’s perfectly fine too.”

She frowned at that. “I assume you don’t mean friends like where I could date someone else, right?”

That drew me up short. “Umm…are you actually asking that?” I said seriously. “Or just messing with me?”

She gave me a small smile. “Relax dude. That was my version of a joke. I know that’s not an option.” She then sighed. “And if I’m being honest, I’d be hard pressed to find someone as great as you anyway. I mean, even if I’d somehow escaped on my own, I wouldn’t normally be interested in dating anyone either way. Not after everything I’ve been through.”

“So then, I assume that applies in this situation too. You’re not really interested in dating anyone.”

She took a deep breath, her light brown gaze lowered. “Maybe can we be ‘on and off?’ I might be okay with it some days, and not others.”

I shrugged. “Yeah Natalie, that’s totally fine. And we can have a relationship without the sex part.”

She looked up at me in surprise. “But isn’t that just friends?”

I shook my head. “No, because ‘friends with benefits’ is a thing, and that usually has a lot less commitment than a relationship with very little sex. Like, I don’t think that sex defines what is or isn’t a relationship.”

She frowned. “Yeah, that makes sense. The guy I did fuck prior to all this shit happening was kind of a random hookup. And the boyfriend I had before that was much more serious, even though we never had sex.”

“Huh, part of me is curious now,” I commented playfully. “And the other part of me is afraid I’m going to get my head bitten off for even asking.”

She grinned at that, answering the question she knew I wanted to ask. “Dated a guy in high school. We kissed and stuff, but that was about it. Thought he was the one.” She frowned. “Then he cheated on me, broke my heart, and I had the random hookup as a sort of rebound thing. Regretted it afterward, but it wasn’t like I could undo what was already done. Never talked to the guy again, and decided not to date after that, at least not for a couple of years. Just planned on doing my own thing.”

I nodded. “And I assume that’s about when things got fucked up.”

She grimaced, looking down again. “Yeah, that’s about when things got fucked up, a few months later.”

I sighed. “Well, I would be very interested in being in a relationship with you without the sex, if you would also be interested.”

She looked up at me in surprise. “R-Really?”

I smirked. “I said that you were hot, but not that it was your only attractive quality.” I paused, my tone more meaningful. “I like you Natalie. A lot. You’re pretty cool, obviously have a backbone, seem to sincerely care about other people, and I feel like that’s all just scratching the surface.” I shrugged. “Plus, it’s not like I’m going to go completely without sex.”

“Ugh,” she groaned, her tone lighthearted. “You were being so sweet, and then you had to end it that way.”

I could tell she wasn’t entirely serious, so I continued. “Yeah, but that takes the pressure off you. If you don’t want to fuck, then we don’t have to fuck. But I am definitely very interested in getting to know you better, and I would absolutely like to date you.” I then shrugged. “But if that’s too much for you, then we can do just friends too. Although, I have to admit that I’d prefer us having a relationship with no sex, rather than friends with benefits.”

“Me too,” she whispered, sounding somber again.

“And you don’t have to decide now,” I added. “We can continue this whole limbo situation for as long as you’d like.”

She frowned at that. “Well, actually I don’t like it,” she admitted. “You’re my alpha, but I feel like my relationship to you is undefined. I’m not a servant, but I’m also not a friend. Not a partner, not a subordinate, not anything. Shit, I’m not even a fuck toy to you, and I can feel that in our bond.”

I was a little surprised to hear that.

“Okay, so what do you want to be? A friend? A girlfriend with no sex? Something else?”

Her light brown eyes were suddenly vulnerable again. “W-Would…” She hesitated, looking really nervous now. “C-Could you b-be my…husband?”

I was shocked. “You want to marry me?” I said in disbelief. “And here, I thought we were debating being just friends or maybe boyfriend and girlfriend. That’s a lot more serious.”

She visibly tried to swallow. “Well, our bond can be defined however you choose. And…” She took a shaky breath. “W-Well, a husband and wife may not always have sex a ton, especially not after the first couple of years of being married, but they still love each other. So…it’s kind of serious. A relationship, but with the sex being sort of optional. Maybe some days I’m in the mood, and other days I’m not…” She swallowed loudly.

Again, I was just stunned by the proposal.

Finally, I responded. “I mean, yeah. We can do that, Natalie. Although, I am sort of engaged to both Gabriella and Serenity, so might not be the best thing to go around calling me husband.”

She seemed surprised. “Oh. No, I won’t do that. And yeah, I saw their rings,” she added.

I gave her a small smile. “You really want to be my wife?” I paused when she nodded. “Sure you won’t change your mind? I mean, we did just meet today…or I guess it was technically yesterday.”

She visibly swallowed again. “You’re my alpha now. That’s already forever. And on top of that, you’re pretty much perfect. You’re nice, considerate, and handsome, and you saved me. You’re strong, and powerful, and you protected me. Even though I was a stranger to you. And even though it literally brought hell to your doorstep. You defended me. You saved me from a literal hell.”

I smiled more fully. “Then, yeah, I want you as my w…” My voice trailed off as I abruptly felt that shift in our bond, feeling the ambiguity, which I hadn’t really paid much attention to, completely vanish as I suddenly felt her become defined as one of my wives.

More than that, I suddenly realized that the sensation I had with Gwen, Avery, Serenity, Gabriella, and Michelle was very similar, with it finally dawning on me that ‘claiming’ them was something more than just recruiting them to my team. I’d literally formed a sort of marriage pact with each of them, Michelle being the most recent after her own feelings for me solidified.

Granted, the bond with Natalie felt inherently different, given that she was a werewolf and I was her alpha, but the resulting bond was still very similar.

“Wow,” I finally said after a couple of seconds. Even though I hadn’t legally married anyone at this point, I already had six wives, if I included Natalie. And soon to be seven, if I included Miriam.

Natalie smiled, seeming genuinely touched by the shift in our bond. “I…umm…thank you. I actually feel really happy about this.”

I returned the smile. “You’re welcome, sexy. This actually makes me really happy too.” I paused, shifting the subject slightly. “So, obviously us having sex will be completely up to you, but what about kissing and other shows of affection?”

Her face flushed. “Umm, yeah. Okay.”

“I can kiss you whenever I want?”

She gulped. “Umm, yeah.” She paused, glancing up at me. “I mean, if I don’t want it, I’ll let you know. But, umm, yeah. Seems harmless enough.”

I nodded, enjoying it when she stiffened as I finally closed the door and took a few steps toward her. I then bent down on one knee, beginning to open the syringe, which prompted her to focus down on me in surprise.

“Y-You’re not going to kiss me?” she asked, almost sounding incredulous.

I grinned at her, the two of us now only a couple feet apart, her hands between her tense bare thighs. “Well, while I realize that a kiss is usually the way two people sort of officially start their marriage, after they’ve said their vows and such, I figured that breaking your curse would have a lot more meaning.”

Natalie just stared at me in disbelief for a second, before her light brown eyes filled with passion.

She moved quicker than I was expecting, abruptly reaching out to grab my face and attacking me with her lips.

I quickly set the syringe to the side as she practically climbed onto me, with me now on both of my knees and sitting on my heels as she straddled my waist, her hands combing through my hair urgently as she thrust her warm tongue in my mouth, moaning loudly as she smothered her lips against mine.

Given that her sheer dress didn’t cover much anyway, I easily got my hands on her bare ass and squeezed tightly, before running my fingers up her soft skin until I was wrapping my arms around her underneath the sheer material, holding her tightly as we continued to rock our heads together.

She finally slowed down after a second, only to pull away a little with a content smile.

“Dang,” I commented, my breath sincerely taken away. “That was an amazing kiss.”

She gently bit her full bottom lip, only to smash her juicy lips into mine again, thrusting her tongue in my mouth a second time. Simultaneously, one of her hands moved from my head to my bare chest, beginning to rub over my exposed torso, her scent actively strengthening with arousal.

However, after another few seconds she pulled away again, desire in her light brown eyes.

“Hey,” she said in an almost husky tone, her expression becoming a little somber. “I just wanted to say thank you.” She paused, her light brown gaze seeming to search mine. “Like, even if this doesn’t work out, and you can’t break my curse…or something goes wrong, I really appreciate everything else you’ve done.”

I was surprised by the comment. “It should work though,” I responded.

She grimaced. “And I really hope it does. But just in case.” She sighed heavily.

“You’re nervous,” I pointed out.

She took a deep breath, her vinyl-covered snatch beginning to feel really warm on my cock as she straddled my lap. “Yeah, that’s why I sort of snapped at you a few minutes ago. Just kind of feels like I’m going in for surgery or something, and there’s that chance I’ll never wake up. Or that I won’t be myself when I wake up.”

I gave her a sympathetic look, knowing that this anxiety was going to be the same kind of apprehension that Miriam would have, if she decided to do this too.

With Gabriella, it had been an accident, and with Avery the alternative was being paralyzed for an unknown amount of time, possibly forever. But then, with Serenity, she’d already seen Gabriella, Avery, and Michelle change successfully, whereas Natalie’s situation was very different.

Unlike them, she wasn’t a normal human.

She was a cursed being.

And even if this did work out for Natalie, I knew that both Miriam and Gwen might still be anxious about it.

Because, what if something did go wrong?

Or worse, what if my blood really did kill one of them? Or cause them to fall asleep and never wake up?

Jeez, just thinking about it was starting to make me paranoid. However, I knew in Natalie’s case that it was better to try, since the alternative was reoccurring agony and trauma every full moon. Never mind the fact that I might not be able to easily control the monster she turned into.

In many ways, Natalie’s situation was similar to Avery’s had been.

Still, it was obvious she was scared.

Scared of more misfortune plaguing her.

When I didn’t respond to her comment, my expression somber, she took a deep breath and focused on the concrete floor where I’d placed the partially unwrapped syringe.

“I guess it’s time,” she whispered quietly, only to focus on me again, shifting her weight in my lap, her knees on either side of my hips. “Will…” Her voice trailed off, only for her to try again, her voice barely above a whisper. “Will you stay with me the whole time?”

“Of course,” I replied gently.

She took a shaky breath, her tone still quiet as she averted her gaze. “Will you hold me?” she added somberly.

I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into a tight hug, prompting her to curl her back a little and bury her blue hair underneath my chin. “I’d be happy to hold you,” I replied gently, both of us falling silent for a few seconds. I then sighed, knowing it was best to get this started. “Ready to get comfortable on the bed?” I wondered.

She took a deep breath and pulled away, nodding as she stood up, keeping her hands on my shoulders until she turned around to get back on the purple silk sheet covering the metal spring bed. As she laid down and got comfortable, resting her head on her bent arm, I went ahead and got the syringe in position in the crook of my arm, figuring I’d play it safe by only filling up half the tube like I’d done with Avery and Serenity.

Of course, I knew that Michelle’s death was probably unavoidable, but I couldn’t help but fear that too much of my blood might cause a person’s body to go in shock, and I definitely didn’t want to have a mishap like that happen now. Plus, I knew that half the tube would do the job, so best to play it safe.

Once the syringe had my dark crimson blood in it, I got up and sat on the edge of the bed, unsurprised when she slowly held her free arm out, angling her wrist upward so I could get at the inside of her elbow.

“Ready?” I wondered, patiently resting the needle in my lap to ensure she knew that we would do things on her timing. “This should make you feel really sleepy,” I added.

She took a shallow breath, only to close her eyes. “Okay, I’m ready. And thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” I replied softly, moving closer and carefully grabbing her arm. She kept her eyes closed as I continued, the tasteful cosmetic tattoo around her eyes really looking like she had her makeup professionally done. Using my hearing and sight to find a vein, I got the needle in and began slowly injecting it directly into her bloodstream, a little surprised when she winced just as I finished.

“You okay?” I asked seriously, concerned that she hadn’t immediately passed out.

“C-Cold,” she stammered, only for her eyes to abruptly fly open, her pupils constricting to pinpricks as she started hyperventilating, her pulse suddenly visible in her neck, only for her pupils to suddenly dilate to their fullest, her light brown irises all but disappearing as her eyes became nearly black. “H-Help,” she stammered, her entire body beginning to tremble.

Instantly, before I could even respond, her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she began convulsing, the reaction looking just like the seizure that hit Michelle right before she died.

SHIT!

I flew to the door and yanked it open, yelling at the top of my lungs. “MIRIAM!”

I knew she was coming when I heard footsteps running down the hallway on the second floor, surprised when it sounded like she leapt over the banister railing and half glided, half fell, to the grand foyer, only to continue rushing down the next hall and bolting down the stairs at record speed. Gwen must have been alerted too, because her hooves came rushing down from the second floor as well, going even faster than her mistress.

The metal frame was creaking loudly as Natalie continued to convulse, only for the noise to abruptly stop.

FUCK!

I turned around urgently, panicking when I saw that Natalie was motionless, with me rushing over to the bed and placing my fingers on her neck to feel for a pulse.

Her neck throbbed against my skin.

Her chest rose just incrementally.

And I suddenly felt like I was going to pass out in relief when I realized she wasn’t dead. She was still alive. But something was happening with her. She was sweating profusely, beads of sweat covering her forehead, her blue hair already starting to look wet at the edges. It was almost as extreme as when Miriam used that lightning attack and became drenched in her own sweat.

Except, this was different.

It wasn’t the same kind of sweat like when someone exercised a ton, instead reminding me more of when I’d seen Serenity have a fever that broke.

A second later, Miriam burst through the open door just as I focused up at her.

“Is she okay?” she asked urgently, seeing the relief on my face.

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “She started having a seizure.”

Miriam straightened up more and folded her wings tightly as she stepped closer, focusing on the blue-haired vixen intently, Gwen now heading down the basement stairs too. “I heard the bed creaking just a second ago,” she replied, as if to verify that she believed I wasn’t exaggerating. “Did she say anything before she passed out?”

“Just that she was cold,” I replied.

Miriam nodded, looking her up and down, only to glance over her shoulder when Gwen appeared at the doorway.

“Moonstone crown,” Miriam said simply, prompting Gwen to turn right back around and bolt back up the stairs, not even taking the time to examine the room in its fullest before she was off. The short redhead then focused on me. “I’m only guessing, Kai, but I think her body is reacting to the curse being broken. She looks like she just broke a fever.”

“Can you verify that with your crown?” I asked seriously, assuming that must be why she requested it.

“Yes,” she agreed, only to take another step forward…this time toward me.

I was surprised when she walked right up to me, seated at the edge of the bed, and leaned forward to wrap her arms around my neck, giving me a tight squeeze. Suddenly, I felt overwhelmed with her maternal presence radiating from her body, filling the entire room with its potency.

“It’s alright, baby,” she whispered, her tone full of tender love. “I think she’s okay. And I’m here for you.”

Fuck, I wasn’t a wimp, but suddenly I wanted to cry, just like when she comforted me after I’d accidentally turned Natalie into a true puppet for a brief few minutes. I wrapped my arms around Miriam more desperately than I intended, pulling her between my legs, my head ending up against her chest as she straightened a little due to the proximity. Her ivory shirt was soft against my cheek, her small tits just squishy enough to make for the perfect pillow.

My eyes were beginning to sting.

Miriam gently ran her fingers through my hair as she shushed me gently, like she knew I was about to cry, her leather bolero shrug creaking softly with her movement. “Shh, it’s alright, baby. I’m here for you. I’ll make sure she’s okay. You can relax now.”

I took a shaky breath, my voice quiet. “Thank you,” I whispered, only to sigh, squeezing her tighter as I gathered my thoughts.

“You’re welcome, my love.”

I took a deep breath, finally pulling away to look up at her now that I’d gathered myself. “I really do appreciate it,” I emphasized. “Although I think I would have been okay.”

She gave me an affectionate smile. “I know, sweetie. I’m sure you would have been fine. But as a succubus, I can’t spawn males and I’ve always wanted a boy, so you’re going to have to let me baby you a little. And, as I’m sure you’ve realized, it’s the same for Rebecca. We both have the urge to take care of you, even though you’ve done so much to protect us.”

My eyes widened in surprise, kind of confused by the change in subject, but not focusing on it long as I responded. “You talked to her already?” I assumed, knowing she was planning on it.

“Briefly,” she replied. “I asked her to stay at her place until morning, just to be on the safe side, but she plans on visiting as soon as the sun rises, so that I can tell her everything that happened in person.”

I nodded. “And why bring up her babying me?” I finally asked.

She grinned. “Well, because when I reassured her that Gabriella was alright, and then told her that you handled most of the problem, she became especially concerned about her ‘baby boy.’” Her smile turned affectionate. “Of course, I already know how I feel, so understanding how she feels is simple enough. Although, I admit that I think her maternal urges are a bit stronger than mine.” She sighed. “Difference of personality. It took her a lot longer than most to grow out of playing with dolls when she was younger. And while I wouldn’t consider myself a bad mother by any means, she was definitely a better mother.”

I heard Gwen finally rushing back down the basement stairs as I responded. “Well, from what I’ve heard, you were a great mother.”

Miriam gave me a warm smile, only to lower her voice. “And, I also brought the subject up to help keep you from being anxious while we waited,” she admitted, almost seeming a little sad now.

I was just stunned, realizing she’d had an ulterior motive to redirecting the conversation a little, but feeling the powerful maternal essence behind it, knowing she just wanted to comfort and distract me, instead of letting me worry needlessly about something that was outside of my control.

Because that worry wouldn’t solve anything.

And really, that was her whole point about babying me.

She was here now, Natalie was alive and breathing, and she would make sure Natalie was okay. Of course, I had no idea what she’d be able to do if Natalie wasn’t okay, but she was making it clear that she had taken responsibility for the situation and would provide instruction as appropriate.

I just had to stay levelheaded and follow her lead.

“Thank you,” I whispered, wanting to express my appreciation.

“You’re very welcome, my cute boy. Anything for you.”

NOTE: I wasn't intending on this being a cliffhanger, so I'll just say it now -- Natalie is okay.

FEEDBACK: What did you think? Did you like the interaction with Gwen/Kai, Natalie/Kai, and Miriam/Kai?

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