The Struggles of Marrying a Demon {Completed}

Hovering Husbands

Mabel winced when the glass jar she'd been holding slipped from her fingers, shattering against the floor and coating the hardwood with a crystalline snow of tiny shards.

"Crap," she grumbled, maneuvering around the mess to get the broom. At least she wouldn't have to worry about neighbors complaining, she decided as she pulled the broom and dustpan from the pantry, thankful for small miracles when it came to owning a house.

She hadn't agreed with Aleron at first about needing to move, but he'd been resilient (when was he not?), and so they'd bought their first house several miles out from the city. It wasn't huge, but it was cozy with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, and Mabel absolutely loved it.

Aleron did too, she knew: he greatly enjoyed being able to teleport freely outside, as it made yardwork a lot easier when ladders weren't necessary to fix a leaky roof. And even though Mabel actually felt safer in a house farther from the city's crime, Aleron still worried constantly.

Especially now, the big goon, she thought adoringly, beginning to sweep up the glass. It's even worse than normal.

As if he'd heard her, Aleron's voice echoed off the walls when he boomed, "What are you doing, Mabel?! You will harm yourself; stop that at once!" He appeared in front of her half a second later, scooping her carefully into his arms and transporting them both into the master bedroom.

Mabel laughed at Aleron's terror-stricken face as he settled her onto the large bed, running his hands up and down her barely-there baby bump. Seeming to realize she was fine, he sat back on his heels and glared up at her. "It is not amusing," he muttered, put out, "I do not know why you are laughing."

His words only sent her into another fit of giggles, and she stroked her fingers up and down his face when he tried to pull away from her. "Oh, I'm sorry, Al." Mabel cooed, bending down to give him a kiss. "I didn't mean it. But, come on, I'm alright; it was just glass, and it was my own fault."

Letting his head fall forward, Aleron placed gentle kisses on her abdomen. "It does not matter, Little One. I will worry about you and our little one regardless."

Considering his words, Mabel's nose scrunched with distaste. "Wait a minute, you can't call the baby 'little one' too. How will I know who you're talking to?"

Now it was Aleron's turn to crack a smug smile. "Oh, do not worry, my Little One, there is no need to be jealous. I will come up with another name for our young warrior."

With a gasp of offense, she leaned back, out of his grasp. "I am not jealous of our baby! I have to birth the thing, remember?"

Standing up with his smirk still firmly in place, Aleron only shook his head with amusement. "Not a 'thing,' Mabel. Our little one. Oh no, I apologize, I did it again. Perhaps you should be the warrior, and the baby will be my new Little One." And then he spun around and shot out of the room, barely dodging the pillow she threw at his head.

Feeling agitated with pregnancy hormones, she hollered, "I'm your Little One! But I'm not jealous!"

His laughter let her know exactly how convinced he was by that statement.

***

Life, Mabel decided, was going exceptionally well. There hadn't been much activity in either Hell or Earth, and—even with Aleron hovering around her almost incessantly—she was truly happy.

"Look alive, Mabs!"

She was even happier that Zephyrine had convinced Colby to distract Aleron for the day so the ladies could have some girl time, though part of Mabel had the distinct feeling that Zephyrine really hadn't had a hard time 'convincing' Colby.