Coming Home (Sequel to This Time Around)

Chapter One

CHAPTER ONE

The worst thing about being pregnant was a toss up between having to pee every five minutes and suffocating every time you tried to lay on your back. McKenna Carlin Odinson winced as she tried to get comfortable. Impossible. And she had to pee again.

“Will you stop moving around?” The plaintive growl came from the man lying beside her, paler than normal and grouchier than a bear being awoken from hibernation. Loki Odinson, the God of Mischief, sneezed and groaned. “Remind me to thank Selig for giving me his germs.”

“Oh, it’s just a cold, you baby,” she muttered, throwing the covers off to slide to the edge of the bed. “To listen to you, one would think you were dying.”

“I think I might be.”

“If you want sympathy, you’ve come to the wrong place,” she told him, getting to her feet with a breathless grunt.

“You’re evil, woman, do you know that?” Loki groaned, then coughed. Then he sneezed. “Damn it.”

She waddled around to his side of the bed and bent to lay her hand against his forehead. It was warmer than usual, which was saying something, since he was a Jötunn, of Frost Giant. His body temperature was generally far lower than humans, or Midgardians, as he referred to them. “I think you might have a fever.”

“Wonderful.” He jerked the blanket tighter to his chin. “I wish a true Viking funeral.”

“It’s a fever. You aren't going to die.” She frowned, smoothing his hair carefully away from his face. Against the pallor of his skin, his black hair and brows seemed even blacker, and when his eyes were open, they were piercingly blue. “At least, I don’t think you will.”

“Do not joke, love,” he grumbled, his eyes sliding shut. “I’m in no mood.”

“I’m not really joking, Loki. This is the first fever I think you’ve had since we met.”

He let out a halfhearted moan. “Gods don’t get sick.”

“Well, you did. Hmm… maybe you’re evolving into human.”

He grimaced. “That would be devolving.”

“Hey, watch it.”

“You are the exception to the rule, love.” He groaned as he rolled onto his back, wincing as he added, “For mercy’s sake, I’m freezing.”

With a soft groan, she straightened up, arching her back as she stretched. “Let me fetch Eir. She’ll know what to do.”

“Mommy?”

McKenna smiled as Selig came into the room. He was almost five, but his Jötunn heritage made itself apparent in his size. He was almost as tall as a nine year old, all long legs like his father, and he favored Loki in coloring as well. Only now, his thick black hair poked up at all directions and there were purplish smudges beneath his blue eyes. He rubbed one of those eyes now and she sighed softly. “What’s wrong, Sel?”

“I hurt all over.” He padded into their room and over to her, leaning his head against her hip. “And I don’t feel good.”

“Oh, sweetie…” She laid her hand against his forehead. Hot. “Why don’t you climb into bed with Daddy, but be careful because he’s sick, too.”

Selig nodded and slowly climbed up to snuggle up against Loki, who groaned even as he draped an arm over his son. “Try not to move too much, Sel,” he grumbled.