The Legion had taken Dominique into custody until Malum could decide what he wanted to do with her after he spoke to Mara. "Please, I didn't mean her arm harm, I swear it. I just wanted to make sure she was truly safe and okay!" Dominique pleaded. "And while I get that, MY QUEEN was still torture and subjected to horrors she didn't need to had you minded your own FUCKING BUSINESS!" he roared waving them off to take her with them. "Please Malum-" she didn't get to finish her retort as they teleported away with her.
Once they were back at the penthouse Malum ran a hot shower and used his shadows to hold her up right while he cleaned both of them and washed, detangled her hair putting it in box braids to protect her hair. "You are so beautiful my love." he said kissing her forehead. He secured her hair in a satin cap and laid her on their bed before slipping on a t-shirt and some gray sweats so he could start dinner for them both. If she wasn't up by then he'd have to wake her.
While he was in his own head space, planning out how he was going to tell Mara she was carrying their children Prudence let herself in and walked straight to the bedroom. Malum rolled his eyes and scoffed "hello to you too." he muttered. He let the blatant disrespect slide knowing Prudence was upset about the kidnapping and probably blamed him. And to an extent it was his fault. He knew his Mara better than most, she was a brat in a lot of aspects. "How did this happen my king?" Prudence asked angrily but trying to not blatantly get cut down. Malum told Prudence of Dominique and the Iscariot's ploy to use her to get close and take Mara and then use Mara against him. "I was advised the Legion has her. If I could request some time alone with her I'd-" she started asking but Malum shook his head cutting her off. "No. She was used like a pawn and as much as I'd like for us to all have rounds with ending her life, she is Mara's friend. The betrayal is Mara's to forgive should she choose." he informed her and she sighed with a nod. "I understand...Why are you making so much food?" she asked tilting her head to the side so she could look around his muscled form. "She's eating for three, what do you mean why? And before you ask yes I plan on telling her after she's eaten." he replied. "Well they're healthy and strong from what I can tell. Lil blobs of life forming." she said with a soft laugh. He nodded in agreement as he got lost in cooking again, he made some dishes that he remembered Mara loving when she was back home in Haiti.
Once the food was finished Prudence nabbed a togo plate and ran out. "You didn't even help cook, you fiend!" Malum playfully scolded as she squealed and ran out the house. Once she left he put up secondary wards around their home so no one could get in or out without his say or him knowing if they managed to break through. He returned to their bedroom as he looked at his beautiful mate laid out and tangled in the covers as her temperature spiked and dropped in her sleep. He slayed his hand out over her low abdomen and closed his eyes, letting his energy out. His children called to him like a moth to flame. Though they were only masses of cells and beginning formations he could feel them and their growing strength. There was no duress or discomfort, just peace.
"My sweet mate, my queen, my Mara. Wake up for me my love. Come back to me." he said kissing her awake with soft pecks on her lips and all over her face. She groaned and tossed before stretching letting some of her joints pop. Then she remembered where she was last and jolted up in a panic. "Easy! Easy my love. I got you. You're safe. We're home." he soothed her. The hand on her waist drew small comforting circles while his other hand turned her face to his so he could see the tears streaming down her cheeks. "No no. this will not do my love. Why do you cry?" he asked softly. She took a moment to compose herself as he wiped her tears away for her. "I-I was s-s-so scared Malum. What i-i-if I di-" he didn't let her finish the last part of her statement before his lips were on her in a hungry and needed frenzy.
The only reason he stopped kissing her is because he remembered she needed air. "Never fix your mind or lips to think or say such things. I will never and I mean NEVER let you be put in such a position ever again. For that you have my word." he said as his eyes flashed red. She nodded knowing that was kind of a big promise to make but she knew he'd try his best. He got one of his shirts and slipped it over her head before lifting her into his arms and carrying her to the dining table. He let her down softly in the seat and she noticed all the food laid out before she started to cry again. "Why are you crying now my queen?" he said, wiping her tears again. "I don't really know. I'm just happy I'm home, here with you and safe. And all my favorites you made me." she said with a laugh. He smiled at her and nodded. "Eat up, we have a few important things to discuss, one of which cannot wait, the others can put off however for some time." he informed her. She nodded her head and started piling on her plate.
Once his own plate was made he shifted his seat so he was facing her and began to feed her then himself. "Baby I can feed myself." she said before taking another bite he offered her. "I know but you are my Mara and I wish to care for you and feed you tonight. So I will." he said giving her a stern look which made her roll her eyes but smile. "Oh thanks for doing my hair by the way. I was going to let Jesus take that wheel to be honest." he confessed having no intentions of dealing with wash day after being tortured. "Anything for you my Mara." he said, kissing her forehead.
They made small talk while he fed them both, even though she wasn't gone for long it was nice to have her home again and with him. Eventually she finished her second plate before declining any more food. "Sweet black baby Jesus in a hand basket. How did I eat so much!?" Mara groaned. "Well that's part of what I wanted to talk about, though you have the right idea." Malum said as he polished off his third plate. Mara looked at him with a confused face but somewhere in the back of her mind she refused to try and put two and two together. Malum pulled her onto his lap making her straddle him and he locked her body to his with an arm around her waist. He used his other free hand to cup her face and smiled as he looked into her eyes. "You are with child." he said, getting straight to the point. Mara's eyes grew so wide Malum fought to keep his fit of laughter contained. "I beg your pardon kind sir?" she asked in disbelief. At that he did laugh and pulled her impossibly closer. "You are carrying our children Mara. They grow within you as we speak. Prudence and I checked them, they're are healthy." he said with a smile of pure joy only to be met by Mara's darkening glare.
She tapped his hands away with light magic and slid off his lap, stepping out of his reach. He looked hurt but she was mad and could care less. "How and how long have you known?!" she asked as her heart rate rose. "Mara please my love the stress is-" he tried to get her to calm down but it only made her snap. "DON'T my Mara me MALUM! HOW and HOW LONG have you known." she asked again. "I don't understand your question considering the rate we make love to one another." he retorted confusedly. She walked over to the cabinet and pulled out a bottle of prescription pills and threw it at him none too gently. He caught it easily enough and read the label, she had been on birth control. He didn't know but it had hurt to think that she didn't want a family with him. "I-I don't understand? Did you not want a family?" he asked. His voice cracked as a rebel tear slid down his face. Mara felt his pain and as much as she wanted to stay angry, his hurt made her feel guilty.
"You answer my questions and I answer yours." was her only reply. He looked away from her as his mind tried to come back from the wild thoughts it ran off to before looking back at her. "I'm a demon Mara and a powerful one at that. Human drugs wouldn't work on me. Whatever it was supposed to do to you wouldn't have mattered." he replied. She looked at him waiting for the answer to her second question he wanted to desperately ignore like a typical man. "About two-ish weeks but before you get any angrier please let me explain. I promise I have a good reason!" he added with a rush at the end. Mara's eyes had turned purple and her hair wiped around her body but giving her lover the benefit of the doubt she didn't say anything and let him explain. "There was a LOT going on between Gabriel, us finding each other and the Iscariot coming after you. I wanted to tell you as soon as everything died down and I knew you were safe. Hand to Samael. I know you are a strong and resilient woman but I didn't want to put that stress on your shoulders. Prudence argued with me over and over knowing there was a risk you could do something to put you and the children at risk but I just planned on keeping you close and protected till everything was sorted and then I'd tell you.
"SHE KNEW TOO!?" Mara screamed and Malum realized his mistake. Before he could retort she uttered a spell as was gone, his ward having no effect on her. Malum dropped to his knees and let out a gut wrenching sob as his saline tears turned to black blood that stained the floor beneath him. He kept thinking about their conversation and he didn't think she was against children. Could he have read her incorrectly? He didn't have long to ponder as Karma had called him. He answered without saying anything. "My lord, I'm sorry to bother you but Death said he couldn't find Father Anderson's soul anywhere. When it didn't pop on the death registry he went looking for it personally. He couldn't find the body either. It looked like it was pulled from the wreckage." he informed him. "Gather everyone and find Mara!" he roared. He then had to explain to Karma what happened and after she scolded him like the mother he legitimately never had she did as she was told.
When Prudence got the call from Karma she called Malum since she couldn't portal into the house. "WHY IS SHE MISSING AGAIN? WHAT HAPPENED!?" she asked, confused. "I told her and she flipped. She was on birth control that of course didn't work and I didn't know. She realized I had known for some time and she knows you knew." he informed her of what happened. "SAMAEL FUCKING MORNINGSTAR!" she screeched before sighing heavily. "We'll find her." she said before ending the call.
~
The Legion had left Dominique to her own devices as they got the call about their missing queen. It was a simple home off the grid that they could use to deal with living, loose ends that they needed information from. Not long after they slipped out Dominique was looking around for something to pick the lock on the chains but Mara teleported in, in front of her. "Why'd you do it?" Mara asked, pulling off Dominique's gag. Her old friend went on to explain what happened and what she had actually intended to do versus how things turned out. "They just went looking for you, how do they not know you're here?" she asked, confused. Mara chuckled into a sigh, cloaking spell. Remember I've been at this for some time." she said simply. "Okay but why are you hiding?" Dominique asked. Mara explained her fight with Malum as she unlocked Dominique from the shackles.
"Okay. As ya friends I'm playing devil's advocate here, so don't kill me. Question." Dominique said and Mara signed. "Yes?" she replied as they sat on the couch. "Do you not want kids?" Dominique asked and Mara sighed. "Yes but, I'm not ready. I don't know the first thing about being a mother. I rarely ever dealt with mine before she was gone and I don't wanna fuck this up and ruin my kids you know?" she said as she started to cry and Dominique held her and rubbed soothing circles on her back. "Okay so, you do realize you can never be prepared to be a parent. You could take college level courses and never be ready. That being said. If you felt you were in the right mindset to raise a child, would you want to do so with Malum. Mara nodded not even having to think about it. "I mean of course he's my mate but our connection is so much more. The bond drew us together yes but he's everything. Not perfect but always there, always putting me first no matter how annoying he is about it. Even today he made me all my favorite meals your mom would make me and fed me. Sis bump that. Nigga washed, conditioned, detangled my hair and then put it in a protective style. I woke up smelling like honey and love with a satin bonnet on!" Mara screeched in appreciation.
Dominique smiled, this is the conversation she wanted to have in her hotel, open and honest. Better late than never. "Ok so when yall talked about kids, which I'm assuming you did. Did you explicitly tell him you weren't ready? Cuz yanno...he is a guy." she said shrugging her shoulders. Mara groaned loudly into her hands before dragging them down her face. "No we were talking about how they'd look and I gave my wisdom in all knowing detail of how I'm sure they'd look. And then he asked about names and I told him I didn't know and I never thought about it or that I'd ever really be able to settle down." she informed her. "Okay so he's not aware you are not ready mentally cuz you aint say shit but you explained in detail what your kids would be like. And then you said you hadn't thought about things because you never imagined being able to settle down, but here you are with an entire ass mate. Not a half or a quarter. A WHOLE ass mate, who seems to do nothing but love and cherish you like you hang the sun, moon and stars." Dominique said giving Mara a knowing shoulder tap. "Should you be mad about him hiding the pregnancy? As a doula I can understand why he did it so maybe yes, but not 'I'ma take off to parts unknown' mad." Dominique reasoned. Mara remembered the tear that escaped his eye and the way his voice cracked and she banged her forehead against the coffee table in front of her a few times. "Merde!" she swore loudly. "You could always blame the over reaction on the hormones. Dominique tried to joke and they both laughed. "WAIT BITCH DID YOU SAY CHILDREN? AS IN MORE THAN ONE?!" Dominique screeched making Mara laugh even harder.
Although she felt bad Mara let Malum stew a little longer as she got Dominique together and back on a plane home. "God help me on this one." she muttered to herself before she teleported to Prudence's apartment. "PRU!"she yelled out. She immediately heard loud bangs and running that sounded like a body hitting the floor, getting up violently and running out to Mara. Ready to protect herself and her unborn Prudence ran out of her room with used tissues in hand, hair and makeup a mess and eyes red from crying. "MARA!" she screamed, jumping and clinging to Mara like a koala bear. "Mara I'm so sorry! I should have told you but he was worried for your health and he made me promise not to tell but I wanted too and he was like noo an-'' Prudence started to apologize but Mara couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Damn is. Threw him under and rolled that bitch over him a couple moe times!" Mara joked. "It's okay Pru I forgive you but I clearly remember that Jrs. Cheesecake you said you'd get me, in strawberry." Mara muttered like he was remembering a conversation the both knew never happened. Finally letting go of Mara Prudence nodded. "Okay, okay but you need to go to him. He's hurt and mad with worry and crying. I've never seen him cry." Prudence informed her and she nodded.
Mara teleported back into the penthouse to see everything a wreck. She could see the stains of his demonic tears all over the furniture and floors. "I fucked up up." she whispered to herself as she began casting her spells to return everything to its place and fixing broken items. Funnily enough the only thing he didn't toss was the food he made her, sitting safe in the fridge. She sat on the couch and rubbed her face a few times before letting out her magic as her eyes changed colors. ' Here goes nothing' she thought to herself as she sent out the beacon of her magic and called to him through their bond, "Malum. Come home my love." she whispered into the air. It didn't long before a plume of smoke filled the living room and there he was in all his hot mess of glory. She could see the broken pain and hurt in his eyes as the tears continued to fall as he kneeled before her.
He went to speak but Mara didn't let him as she pressed her lips firmly to his, praying to any deity or higher power that would listen in hopes that he would forgive her. Someone listened clearly because he hiked her up into her arms forcing her to wrap her legs around his waist and arms around his neck as they starved one another of as much air as possible before letting one another breath. "Mara my-" she cut him off with a finger on his lips. "First things first. I accept your apology and the hundreds of thousands you're probably going to throw my way over the course of the next twenty four hours. Second, I never thought I would be able to have a family of my own or get a chance to settle down, as I told you before when we first spoke about family and kids. However, my friend made a very valid point that here I am, very much settled down. I also had worries that as someone who grew up without a mother that I wouldn't make a good one, that I wasn't prepared but that same friend pointed out that as a parent you can literally never prepare enough or properly. Every situation and child is different. So in a long winded ass answer to your question. Yes I would love to have a family with you my love." she said. He went to speak and this time she placed both her hands over his mouth, "Lemmie finish!" she yelled, giving him a playful scowl. He nodded, "And I'm sorry for how I reacted to everything. Don't get me wrong I'm still upset that you knew and hid it, but you had a kinda sorta valid reason for it kinda maybe I guess. But I should have stayed and talked it out like an adult, like mates should. Instead I got angry and lashed out hurting the very man I hope to spend the rest of my life with and raise our family with in the process. I'm sorry Malum. From The bottom of my heart. I hope to never bring you such pain again and to only bring you tears of joy. To be the mate and queen you need standing by your side always in life, love and the battle field. To be your Mara." she apologized and finally let her hands fall.
"I forgive you." he said with a smile and tears she assumed were for joy since they were clear again. "I love you so much Mara you don't even know and I let my mind get dark fast and I'm sorry." he said, making her roll her eyes. "Yes I know you forgive me but I still need to say it. I just want us to go from her carefully, prep as best we can for our boys to come into the world and take this one step at a time." he suggested and she raised a brow. "What?" he asked, confused. "You said wait for our boys? You know they're going to be girls right?" she asked him, trying to hold down her smile. Now she was playfully arguing with him about the gender of their children. She never saw herself here, yet here she is in the arms of the love of her life preparing for their future.
~
The machines beep loudly in the overly silent room as the doctors observed the patient from the other side of the one way mirror. "Doctor how is he?" the man with nearly floor length silver hair asked. "He will make a full recovery and with the introduction of the new serum he'll heal faster, be faster and stronger than before." the doctor replied. "Excellent. Keep me posted." the man replied before walking off.