Secrets

53. Hello Sophie...

Christmas Eve update for you all! Wow I have to admit, the timing on this is pretty good 😂
Thank you all for 4K reads!!! I love you guys!
Here's my Christmas present to you amazing people 😘

Valkyrie felt a trickle of liquid run down her leg. She gasped and her hands went to her stomach.

"Valkyrie?" Skulduggery asked. She looked up at him slowly and her eyes widened.

"The baby," she gasped. "It's coming."

Skulduggery burst through the bathroom door just as Valkyrie cried out. The early contractions were starting to get more frequent now, and more painful.

He rushed to her side and scooped her up into his arms bridal style. Gabrielle rushed around the corner, Tyrell at her side.

"Oh my god!" She exclaimed. Tyrell held her shoulder, and Gabrielle nodded. He put an arm around her and they teleported.

The Bentley was parked right next the house thank god, and Skulduggery quickly laid Valkyrie down on the backseat. He took out his phone as he got in the driver's seat, and called Ghastly on the way.

"Skulduggery?"

"Valkyrie's gone into labour. Can you have Reverie organise a bed for her?"

"Sure thing."

Skulduggery hung up and focussed on driving. Valkyrie screamed in the back.

"We aren't going to make it!" She cried.

"Yes we will. Just breathe."

"Shut! Up! You aren't the one pushing a baby out of your vagina now are you?!"

Skulduggery didnt know how to respond to that. Instead he just stayed silent as more screams filled the air.

"Goddammit Pleasant I'm going to kick your arse so hard when this baby is out!"
Another scream.

"We're almost there," he said.

"SHUT UP!" She yelled. "ENOUGH WITH THE CLICHÉS!"

Skulduggery smirked, then shook himself. Stop, she's in pain. Be nice. He stayed quiet and listened to her scream. God he was going to go deaf before they reached the Sanctuary...

"WHEN THIS IS OVER I'M GOING TO KILL YOU FOR A SECOND TIME!" Valkyrie screamed.

"No need to make it personal," he replied. As soon as she'd given birth he was getting as far away as possible. He promised himself that.

He pulled up outside the Sanctuary and Valkyrie still screamed. Skulduggery got out and carried her through the doors of the Irish Sanctuary. Immediately the Mages got out of the way. They knew what was happening and some of them started chattering away excitedly to one another. Skulduggery met Reverie, Gabrielle, Tyrell, Tanith and Ghastly in the Medical Wing and Tanith grinned.

"Here," Reverie called over the sound of Valkyrie's screaming. She patted the bed that had been prepared earlier. Skulduggery placed her down gently and took her hand in his.

"WHEN THIS IS OVER PLEASANT I'M GOING TO MAKE YOUR DEATH GO ON FOR DAYS!" She shouted. Skulduggery only nodded. Yep, far, far away.

***

Claret smirked. "It's come early," she whispered. Ravel narrowed his eyes.

"Good. I'm going to the Sanctuary. Please behave while I'm gone."

"No promises."

Ravel sighed, and walked out the door, leaving Claret smiling after him.

***

Tanith sat outside the room, listening to her sister scream. She shuffled uncomfortably, and saw Gabrielle biting her nails. Tyrell stared at the door, lost in his own thoughts. Ghastly had his arm wrapped around Tanith's shoulder, following Tyrell's gaze to the door.

Tanith looked over at Gabrielle, and gave her a warm smile, which the blonde girl returned. Tanith stood up, and approached her.

"She'll be fine," she said, wincing as another scream pierced the air. "She's Valkyrie Cain."

More hours passed... And Gabrielle wasn't so worried about her friend anymore, she was more excited, and she couldn't wait to see the baby. Tanith was back sitting next to Ghastly again, and Tyrell's gaze was now on the floor. He hadn't spoken a word since they'd arrived at the Sanctuary. Then again, he never talked much anyway. When Gabrielle had been little, she had always imagined him to be a secret spy, sneaking around, never making a sound... She had pretended to be his partner, always crouching behind him. Then he'd turn around, give her a funny look, and keep walking.

She would spend hours following him around, and it had never got old... But she had stopped one night, when she'd followed him into his room and had seen more of him and another girl than she'd wanted to...
That night she had hid in his closet for half the night, listening to lots of moaning noises coming from Tyrell and the strange girl...

Gabrielle's thoughts were interrupted when Valkyrie screamed so loud that Tanith had to cover her ears. Then all there was, was the sound of a baby's cry. They all exchanged glances, smiles forming on all of their faces.

Skulduggery looked up as Valkyrie got her breath back. She was sweating a lot, and she looked at Reverie who had her gorgeous little girl and was wrapping her in a pink blanket, just as Gabrielle, Tyrell, Tanith and Ghastly walked in. Tyrell smiled, and Gabrielle's blue eyes sparkled in excitement.

Valkyrie felt a tear roll down her cheek. The blonde doctor smiled and handed the baby to Valkyrie. She cradled the little girl in her arms and felt just how fragile she was. Her eyes were shut now, and she was no longer crying. Valkyrie stroked her tiny head gently, and the baby's big brown eyes opened slowly.

"Hello Sophie," Valkyrie cooed. Sophie stared at her mother and yawned. It was the cutest thing Valkyrie had ever seen. She looked up at Skulduggery.

"She's beautiful," she whispered, smiling. "Here, hold your daughter," she said, and handed Sophie carefully over to Skulduggery. He held the little girl in his arms and stared at her face.

"Hello baby girl," he said, and Sophie tilted her head a fraction. Valkyrie laughed.

"I know where she got that from."

Skulduggery leaned over and kissed Valkyrie on the forehead.

"Sophie Alice Pleasant," Valkyrie smiled. "A beautiful name for a beautiful little girl."

Merry Christmas! Xoxo