The Chosen One Ch. 10

Even though Atsuko was on the back porch, the three other Council of Lycan members braced themselves just in case Nadia was going to try something stupid before the Chosen One returned home.

Jim Gordon cautiously moved toward the window and pulled the curtain slightly back from the wall. He leaned forward so he could check the front of the house, then gasped in surprise. "Oh shit! Time to make like a tumble weed."

Both Candrea and Ed were shocked when their council member fled to the back porch. Walking quickly to the closed drape, she pulled it open and realized why Jim had left in such a hurry. "Come on Eddie, we have to secure the front yard by ourselves. Looks like Kevin and the gang came home early."

The werewolf couple unlocked the door and stepped out onto the front lawn. They both scanned the area as the two Navy SEALs and their wives got out of the cab. As Eduardo went to the rear of the taxi to help with the luggage, he nodded his head toward Kevin. "What happened to your hand?"

Kevin looked at his wrapped hand and then back up to Ed. "I spanked Laura while we were at Predjama. She turned around and bit me," he replied with a smile as he nodded his head toward his wife.

"I guess you need to work on those reflexes you're -- supposed -- to have."

Kevin ignored him and walked his wife toward Candrea. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Adam and Kristine walking next to them. The two couples stood in front of her and were surprised when she reached out and gave Kevin a small hug.

The blonde Australian werewolf released him and then scanned the area once again. "I'm glad it was an uneventful vacation, but I suggest we don't spend too much time outside. I don't think another slight-of-hand trick will work on Nadia again."

Kevin looked over at Adam with a shit-eating grin, and then back to the scanning female. "What do you think, Adam? I mean, we wouldn't want Nadia walking onto your front lawn and starting a fight."

Adam couldn't help but laugh at the sarcasm of the comment. "I hope not, Kev. I really don't want to hurl on my lawn."

"I know I'm a sympathy puker, I'd have to join you," Kristine said as she shivered at the thought of the torn, headless corpse of Nadia Karpov walking toward them.

The two couples left the confused woman standing in front of the house as the tired travelers strode into the Dawson residence. Once the whole group was inside, Kevin sensed Atsuko coming in from the back. The Asian female had a perplexed look on her face.

When Atsuko noticed her charge, she bowed in respect to the three humans and the Chosen One. "Welcome home, my new friends. I pray your stay was a restful one."

Kevin returned the gesture and smiled at the concerned female. "It was Atsuko, well, for the most part is was. Why do you seem so baffled?"

She glanced over at Adam as he headed toward the refrigerator. "A very odd thing just happened. James ran out onto the back porch just as you arrived, but when you came inside, he suddenly jumped over the fence and chased after the taxi as it pulled away."

Adam pulled the glossy white door open and reached in for a few beers. "What the hell? Where's all my beer?"

Kevin chuckled and then smiled at Atsuko. "I think I know where Jim's headed. How about we all sit in the living room and I'll fill everyone in on what happened. I have a feeling your services are no longer required."

Adam slammed the door shut and followed the group. "If that little fucker isn't headed for the store, he's gonna need services -- funeral services."

6 months later, Portsmouth Regional Naval Hospital, Portsmouth, Virginia.

The new birthing rooms on the fifth floor looked more like a living room than a delivery room. The only piece of equipment that even hinted of being a part of a hospital was the tall single bed on wheels and the small monitor next to it.

In one corner of the room, Kristine sat patiently in a large overstuffed recliner. She had her elbows on her knees as she sat forward and tapped her fingertips together. She remembered the nurse, Lorie, had told her and Kevin to act normal during the labor portion. That it was best for the expectant mother to be at ease during this joyous time.

Kevin sat quietly next to the bed as he held his wife's hand. Even though she had asked for medication to help ease the pain of the contractions, he could still feel her squeeze his hand as the moment grew closer. He turned his head and checked the monitor as the vital signs showed another large and sustained contraction. "How are you doing, sweetie? That looks another good one, so we must be getting close."

Laura had her eyes shut as she squeezed his hand tighter. "If you think they're that good, you switch with me and push a watermelon out of your ass. I'll sit there and tell you how great you're doing."

Kristine couldn't help but giggle. "I'd pay to see that, Laura."

Kevin Dvorska was saved from further embarrassment when Nurse Rice entered the birthing room. The cheerful woman, dressed in baby blue scrubs, moved toward the monitor and checked the vital signs. She placed her delicate hand on Kevin's shoulder, and turned to look at the mother-to-be. "Your vitals look good, Laura. How are you holding up so far?"

Laura turned her head toward the voice, her matted black hair clinging to her strained face. Slowly, she opened her eyes and glared at the smiling nurse. "I'm doing just fucking peachy, my husband however is cut off for life. He might need some counseling."

Lorie chuckled at the often-heard remarks made by women during the labor process. "Sounds like you're getting closer. Let me take a look and we'll see if your daughter is ready to join us."

The nurse moved to the foot of the bed and positioned Laura's legs so she could check to see how far she was dilated. With a pleased smile, she noticed she was at ten centimeters, and looked up at the straining woman. "So, what is your daughter's name again?"

"Kiralen - ugh -- Nevanka," she answered through clenched teeth.

"Well, Kiralen is ready for her grand entrance. I know you're going to want to push, but hold off for just a moment while I go get the doctor. Can you do that for me?"

Laura shot her hand out to her best friend and watched as she moved quickly to the bedside. "Kristine, I need a -- ugh -- favor."

"You got it, sweetie."

"Crush Kevin's testicles."

Hiding a smirk, Kristine leaned over combed the moist hair off Laura's face, and kissed her friends forehead. "It's almost over, Laura, just don't push yet."

Mere moments later, an eternity for Laura, the doctor, and a team of highly trained nurses entered the room. While the nurses disassembled the lower half of the bed, the doctor slipped his gown over his body and placed his face shield on his head.

Laura was panting quickly as she tried not to push. She felt Kevin squeeze her hand while Kristine was stroking her hair. She was engulfed with a sense of urgency as she felt her legs lifted up and placed in the stirrups.

Once the doctor was ready, he rolled a small stool over to the bed and sat down. He quickly checked his patient and then looked up at her. "Laura, when you feel the next contraction, go ahead and push until it passes."

Laura took a breath and crunch forward. She didn't mean to hurt Kevin, but began crushing his hand as she pushed with all her might. After a few moments, she inhaled deeply and started panting again.

When the next one hit her, she started the process again as Kevin and Kristine helped the weak woman scrunch up. Laura knew she had to keep holding her breath, although she felt like screaming out for relief. When she fell back once again, she looked down at the doctor. "Anytime you want to help out there, Doc, feel free."

The doctor chuckled. "You're doing a fantastic job Mrs. Dvorska, but I appreciate the offer. A few more pushes and your daughter will join you."

The young wife squeezed her eyes shut and pushed hard. Laura knew as the pain increased, Kiralen was closer to being in her arms. When she couldn't hold it any longer she fell back and sucked in a deep breath.

Suddenly, the doctor placed his fingertips on the baby's head. "Push, Laura, come on, one big push, honey."

Kevin helped his wife sit up. "You're almost there, baby. You can do it, I know you can."

Laura tried, but lost her ability to remain quiet. She cried out as she pushed with all her might. Tears began to run down her cheeks and her legs trembled from the strain. She was about to collapse back again, when suddenly the pain vanished and she heard a high-pitched wail. She wanted to fall back but her eyes remained on the doctor.

Kevin was crying as he too stared at the doctor. When Lorie handed him the surgical shears, he moved toward his new baby girl. A lumped formed in the SEAL's throat as reached over to cut the umbilical cord and saw his daughter's deep blue eyes.

After cutting the cord, he moved back to comfort his wife as the nurses moved Kiralen to an examining table. Kevin kissed his wife's lips and Kristine went to check on her Goddaughter. "She's beautiful, Laura. We have the most beautiful baby girl in the world."

Too exhausted to sit up, she searched her husband's eyes. "Where is she? Where's Kiralen?"

"Hang on for a bit. The nurses are checking her over to see if she's okay."

Laura shifted her head as she saw Kristine rush to her bedside. "Is she okay? What's taking so long?"

Kristine pushed a button on the side of bed and raised Laura to an upright position. "She's more than okay, Laura; ten fingers and ten toes, along with the most stunning blue eyes ever."

A few moments later, Lorie Rice walked next to the bed and placed the bundled Kiralen Nevanka Dvorska in her mother's arms. Nothing could stop Laura's happy tears as she gave her daughter her first kiss. When she turned her head to look at Kevin, his image was blurred as she wept. "Look what we made, sweetie."

"The old fortune teller in Predjama was right, Laura. She's a smaller version of her mother -- stunning."

**********

It was still dark outside as Kevin heard Kiralen crying out from her crib. Laura heard the beckoning child as well and rolled over on her side so she was facing her husband. After being home for a week now, she was still tired from the experience. "Kevin, our daughter is screaming for her daddy."

"I'm part werewolf and fully aware of our baby. When do you get the night shift again?"

"I'm resting up because your mom arrives tomorrow evening to see her granddaughter. Come on honey, you promised."

Kevin climb out of bed and stumbled over to the crib in the corner of their bedroom. Laura insisted that Kiralen sleep in their room for the first few months before moving her to the nursery in the next room. After picking up his daughter, he held her wailing body protectively as he moved to the living room.

Since the baby was not yet sleeping through the night, Kevin had begun leaving a lamp on low so the sleepy parents could safely navigate through the apartment. Placing his infant daughter on the changing table set against the wall in the living room, he started unsnapping the lower portion of her footed pajamas. Being a new parent made the Navy SEAL wish he could turn his werewolf senses off as the familiar aroma overwhelmed him.

She was still crying as he opened the diaper and scrunched his face. "I don't care what anybody says. There is no way it can be good for you, if comes out smelling like that."

Kevin finished changing Kiralen and moved her to the basinet. He couldn't help but smile as she began sucking at her small fist. He picked up the spare pacifier that was kept in the softly lined bed and placed it in her searching mouth. "Hang in there, sweetie. I'll go whip you up a bottle so you can make it smell bad again."

He was glad that Laura kept a ready supply of breast milk in the refrigerator. He felt that having milk from her mother would build an unbreakable bond between them. After warming up her bottle, he returned to the living room and found his daughter's eyes searching for him.

The new dad set the bottle next to his chair and picked up his daughter. When he was settled in his recliner, he removed the pacifier and placed the nipple of the warmed bottle of milk into Kiralen's seeking mouth. He couldn't help the loving feeling that flooded through him as his daughter gazed at him and placed her tiny hands on the bottle.

While his daughter drank, Kevin reached over for the remote and turned the television on so he could catch the football scores. After finding the sports channel, he put the remote down and relaxed while he cradled her.

Instead of contemplating the scores rolling across the TV screen, the Navy SEAL could have learned more about the future of his young princess had he been observing her. As Kiralen Nevanka Dvorska's tiny mouth sucked away at the bottle, her precious blue eyes flashed to a very bright iridescent gold.

The End.

Well, there it is, all 98,500 words of it. I hope you enjoyed this series and thank you so much for going on this site and reading my work. To all those who have helped me along the way with my craft, I will always be in your debt. Until the next time, enjoy the journey everyone -- you never know where it will lead you.