Darkness Vanquished (A Loki Love Story) Book 3 in Darkness Series

"Go"

(His point of view)

"Oh my gods..." I am barely able to will myself to mutter. I am completely paralyzed by so many overwhelming emotions. Jubilance. Giddiness. Pride. Fear. Shock.

I can do nothing but stand here, goggling down at her glowing smile. Her eyes continue to wield tears of joy as she clings to my face.

"A baby....." I finally whisper before pressing my forehead to hers.

"Yes, Loki. Our daughter. The one you saw in your dreams," she breathes through her bewitching smile. My eyes widen all the more as the image of the perfect, little one from my dream fills my thoughts.

"You said that in time, the Gods would fashion her just for us," she whispers. "It appears that they have decided we are finally ready for her." My mind is spiraling. Can this really be so?

But then another thought surfaces. One more displeasing.

"You said that you will remain ill? Does this mean that you will suffer for the entirety of your pregnancy?" She lifts her forehead away from my own without looking away from my face.

"There is no real way to be for certain," she responds. "But I do know that these sort of symptoms are quite common in any pregnancy. I honestly do not know how I did not make the connection before, especially after witnessing Kendha in her delicate condition. She was severely ill almost the entire time, with almost all of the same symptoms. All except the fever and chills."

"And what of those? Did he happen to say what might be possibly causing those particular symptoms?" I ask. She hesitates for a moment before answering. A look of pity overtakes her gleam for only a moment.

"He...he believes that it may be from the baby as well. Because, she is half of you after all. And...you are Jotun." What?!

"What do you mean?" I ask, feeling all the more dumbfounded. She takes my hands, holding tightly to them.

"Loki, it is no reason to get upset. She is going to have Jotun blood in her, therefore quite possibly allowing for her to be able to phase into that form. Dr. Lomberan believes that she may be phasing in and out of a Jotun being, even within the womb." I cannot believe this! I do not want her to have to deal with this as I do. I do not want to subject her to such a dreadful curse.

"Loki," she whispers, grabbing my face only after releasing my hands. She takes on a stern and confident expression, cradling my cheeks so tenderly.

"You had to know that this was a possibility. Just because she is half Jotun does not mean that she will suffer or be ridiculed as you were. And you should be proud of what you are. Look how far you have come. Jotun form and all." I shake my head at her, feeling all the more overwhelmed.

"But-," I go to say. But she silences me once again.

"No, Loki. I know what you are thinking. You are worried that she will feel like you once did. Different and out of place, that she will feel like an outcast. But that is so far from true, for we shall surround her with nothing but unconditional love and acceptance. She will never want for anything, and you will be a much better father to her than yours was to you. You will not shy her away or make her feel like a burden." I want to hang my head, suddenly finding myself terrified that I may not be the father that she needs. I pray to the gods that I am capable of being so loving towards her.

"What if I am not able to give her what she needs? What if I cannot be the Father that she deserves?" The words come flying out of my mouth before I can stop them. But my angel only giggles at me, tightening her grasp on my face all the more.