Intercourse in this chapter!
Valkyrie looked up at Skulduggery. Even though he had no face that could show any emotion, she could still see that he was worried, nervous, and… embarrassed? Since when in all the years she had known Skulduggery had he ever been embarrassed? She couldn't think of one. She sat up in the tub and put her arms on the sides.
"I'm listening."
"I went over to Ghastly and Tanith last night after our fight. I needed to talk to someone who would dare to be totally honest with me and who could make me understand what you are going through. Tanith told me about the ailments you both battle daily and how they make you feel. Ghastly in turn told me about how he behaves when he's around Tanith, which made me realize a few things."
"That you have been extremely clingy? That you have ignored my feelings? That you haven't given me a break? That you have…"
"You can stop now."
"Decided in advance what I will eat, wear, what I can and cannot do? That you've been following me around like a fucking bodyguard? Did you realize you've been behaving like a real fucking piece of shit?! I know you only want the best for me, but do you know how much it hurts me when you won't listen to what I have to say, especially when it's my body and my well-being that we're discussing? Don't you think I know best what I want and need? What gives you the right to decide over me and my feelings?!" Valkyrie asked in an angry voice. She clenched her fists and stretched so she could look down at Skulduggery. Her eyes radiated anger.
"Maybe that's how it was done in your time Skulduggery when you were married," she continued. "I don't know how men and women looked at things hundreds of years ago, but we live in the 21st century now and things have changed drastically since then."
"Valkyrie," Skulduggery began but Valkyrie just kept on talking as if she hadn't heard him.
"That you have the guts to think I'm a defenceless young woman who can't take care of herself is what angers me the most. I'm pregnant, not terminally ill! As soon as our child is born, I will be back to my normal self. My health will not be unchanged just because I have carried a child, Skulduggery!"
"I know that. If you could just let me talk…"
"And you know what the worst part of all this is? That you go over to our best friends to discuss our relationship instead of acting like a man and discussing our situation with me, your future wife! How do you think that makes me feel? I'll tell you how, Skulduggery: as if you don't trust me. We've known each other for over 20 years and after so long together you feel like you can't sit down and talk to me?!"
"If you feel that you have been able to ventilate yourself, I would like the chance to explain my actions."
Valkyrie opened her mouth and was about to give Skulduggery a sour reply but thought better of it. Instead, she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against the edge of the tub.
"Thank you. Firstly, I want to apologize again for the way I have behaved. I didn't realize how bad until I left home last night. As soon as I had driven for a while and the worst of the anger had subsided, I began to think about what you had said to me, which in turn made me seriously think back on things I had said and done recently.
I realized that I was acting like you were one of my possessions that I could do whatever I wanted with. I also realized that I completely ignored your wishes and completely disregarded your feelings about this whole situation. I began to think about whether any of the things I did were things that you wanted me to do, or that I thought you wanted.
It wasn't until I parked outside Ghastly's house that I realized I needed to vent my thoughts to someone who would listen to what I had to say without judging or reprimanding me. As you know, Ghastly is a great listener and is extremely good at making you see things from a different perspective."
Valkyrie nodded, feeling the anger slowly drain from her. "I know."
"Anyway... I sat down at the kitchen table and explained the situation to them. They both listened to what I had to say, and they both agreed with me that I had behaved in a bad way towards you. Tanith above all, which doesn't surprise any of us." Skulduggery laughed a little before continuing, "The reason she came here today was to see how you were feeling and if you wanted me to come back."
"She told me she thought you were nervous about fatherhood."
"That is true. In fact, I'm terrified. I think that's mainly why I acted like a 'fucking piece of shit' as you put it so nicely earlier."
Valkyrie smiled for the first time since Skulduggery came home. "I am good at expressing myself."
Skulduggery caressed her cheek. "That you are."
They didn't say anything for a long time, but just looked into each other's eyes. The first of them to break the silence was Skulduggery as he sighed deeply and placed his hand over Valkyrie's. "Valkyrie, I must ask for your forgiveness once more. I know you are strong and can do anything you set your mind to do. I should have understood that it would continue to be that way even though you would find it difficult to move in the way you are used to. I should have understood that if you had wanted my help, you would have asked me for it.
I should have understood that your needs would change during this period, but instead I let my fear get in the way. I just wanted so badly to be there for you and help you as I know that this is a very intense period in a woman's life and that many have a very hard time during the nine months that the baby is growing in their stomach. I really thought I knew what was best for you that I completely neglected to stop and ask you what you wanted.
You must understand Valkyrie that if anything were to happen to you, I don't know what I would do. This fear is constantly with me and with each passing day I can breathe a sigh of relief that both you and our child have made it through another day, that you are still with me. This fear took over me completely and made me stop thinking rationally."
"Skulduggery, nothing will happen to either me or our child. We are both fine and there is no indication that will change. I go to Synecdoche for regular checkups and every single time she says everything is fine. If anything were to happen, I would feel it at once and you would be the first I would tell."
"I know that Valkyrie and that's one of the reasons why I'm apologizing. It is your body, and you are carrying the child. You know what's best for both of you and I should have listened to you the first time you told me I wasn't listening to your needs." Skulduggery pressed Valkyrie's hand.
"I must also apologize, Skulduggery. I said some things last night that I regret saying. I should have been more insistent and made you listen to me instead of letting you get away with it as long as I did." Valkyrie leaned forward against Skulduggery and let her lips touch his teeth. "I love you Skulduggery and I don't want to lose you."
"I'm here, Valkyrie. I'm not going anywhere." Skulduggery pressed his teeth against Valkyrie's lips while caressing her stomach.
"It's best for you." Valkyrie smiled and was about to say something more when she received a hard kick just below her belly button that made her moan in pain. "Hello to you too, little fella."
Skulduggery laughed and put his hand where their child had just kicked. It wasn't many seconds before another kick came and this time Skulduggery could feel the force of the kick. "We have a little fighter in there, Valkyrie. Just like its mother."
"Considering what we both have for work, it's not so strange, is it? I'm most surprised that he/she doesn't kick more than he/she does."
Skulduggery laughed again and gave Valkyrie's stomach a kiss. "Lie down and sleep, little one. You need rest so you can grow and become as big and strong as your father."
"Where are you big?" Valkyrie asked with a teasing tone.
"I sure hope you weren't just teasing me, Valkyrie."
"And if I did?"
Skulduggery waved his hand and a wave of water washed over Valkyrie. She yelped in surprise but soon laughed. She cupped her hands and filled them with water before pouring it over Skulduggery. "If you're going to wet me, I'll wet you."
"Now you're just being childish, Valkyrie."
"You started it."
Skulduggery shook his head but instead of answering he removed his gloves and picked up the shampoo bottle that stood on the edge of the bathtub. He raised the shampoo in his hands and let his skeletal fingers massage it into Valkyrie's hair. "Relax Valkyrie and let me take care of you in a way that I know you need right now. See this as my way of starting to make up for all the pain I have caused you under these past weeks."
Valkyrie closed her eyes and moaned in pleasure. She relaxed her entire body and let the feel of Skulduggery's fingers caress her hair wash over her. She put her hands over her stomach and stroked it slowly in time with the movements Skulduggery's fingers did in her hair.
Skulduggery continued massaging Valkyrie for a little while longer before gently rinsing off the shampoo. When he was done, he retrieved a brush and began to brush Valkyrie's hair, causing Valkyrie to smile.
"Since when you became so caring?"
"I've always been caring, but I don't show this side of myself very often. After all, I have a reputation to uphold."
Valkyrie laughed. "True."
Skulduggery put Valkyrie's hair up in a small knot before placing his hands on her bare shoulders. "Get up from there now. The water is getting cold, and I don't want you to start freezing again. After all, I put you in this tub to keep you warm."
"Just as it was getting so lovely," Valkyrie replied but did as Skulduggery ask her.
She was just about to go for a towel when Skulduggery held up a hand in front of her. "I said I wanted to make it up to you, didn't I? Let me take care of you tonight, Valkyrie. Let me show you how much I love you."
"How could I say no to that?" Valkyrie asked, smiling.
Skulduggery laughed and gave Valkyrie a kiss before retrieving a towel which he wrapped around her. He began drying her wet body slowly and methodically. He couldn't help but stay a little extra long at her breasts and ass which made Valkyrie laugh again. Skulduggery looked at her. "I've missed your laugh."
"I haven't laughed in a long time, have I?"
"Unfortunately, no. I'm glad to see you can still laugh."
Valkyrie laughed again and gave Skulduggery a kiss on the cheek. "It's not that hard to laugh at you, Skulduggery."
Skulduggery didn't respond, instead grabbing Valkyrie's waist and pressing her naked body against his own. Valkyrie gasped, feeling her body instinctively react to Skulduggery's proximity. She could tell by him that he could see it too, causing him to tilt his head to the side in a way that told Valkyrie he was amused.
"Is there something you want to tell me, Valkyrie?"
"Nothing you don't already know."
"Is that so?" Skulduggery leaned closer to her and put his teeth to her ear. "You like it when our bodies are pressed against each other, don't you?"
Valkyrie nodded and placed her hands on Skulduggery's chest. She slowly began to stroke her hands over his shirt, and she could feel his bones under it. She was filled with a desire to rip off Skulduggery's clothes and caress him warmly. It had been so long since they had last had intercourse and she only now understood how much she had missed his body against her own. She had been so tired for so many weeks that the last thing she wanted to do was sleep with Skulduggery. The closest they'd come to intercourse had been a few nights when Skulduggery had let his fingers caress her body before she fell asleep.
As if Skulduggery could read her mind he whispered "I know it's been a while since last time. I've missed our more intimate moments Valkyrie, but I haven't wanted to push you. I understand that you have had a lot of other things to think about and that neither the energy nor the desire has been there."
"I've missed it too, Skulduggery." Valkyrie kissed Skulduggery's neck. "Let's go up to the bedroom. I want to see you naked. I want to caress your bones. I want to feel your hands all over me. I want to feel you inside me Skulduggery."
"Your wish is my command." Skulduggery picked up Valkyrie in his arms and carried her up to the bedroom. In the few seconds it took him to get from the bathroom to the bedroom Valkyrie let her lips explore his face, throat and neck. "Valkyrie..."
"I've missed this…" Valkyrie whispered. She let her tongue caress over Skulduggery's teeth. "I've missed the taste of you, hearing the way you moan in pleasure when I touch you, hearing the way you whisper my name when I caress you..."
Skulduggery laid Valkyrie down on the bed and let his hands roam over her body. He started by caressing her cheeks then moved down to her neck, collarbone, sternum and breasts. He let one of his thumb's caresses one of Valkyrie's nipples and smiled as he watched her close her eyes and arch her body upwards towards him. A deep moan came from her throat, and she grabbed Skulduggery's tie.
"Come here." Valkyrie pulled Skulduggery down on top of her and let go of his tie so she could start unbuttoning his shirt. "You're wearing far too many clothes."
Skulduggery laughed and pressed his teeth against Valkyrie's lips. He continued to caress Valkyrie's nipple and let his other hand caress her side and stomach as she pulled his shirt off. She threw it down on the floor and let her hands slowly explore Skulduggery's legs. She started with his collarbone before moving to his upper and lower arms then moving back up until she reached his sternum. She leaned forward and let her lips slowly caress the outside of his chest while her hands caressed the inside of it.
"Oh, Valkyrie…" Skulduggery moaned, shuddering at her touch.
"You're so beautiful, Skulduggery… I can never get enough of seeing you like this." Valkyrie's hands travelled down to Skulduggery's spine, and she got a loud moan in response. She smiled and kissed his ribs slowly. Every now and then she let her tongue come out and play a little too, making Skulduggery shiver.
"Did I hit a sensitive spot?" Valkyrie asked in a honeyed voice. "Forgive me, darling. I guess I had forgotten how sensitive you are right here…"
"You are not sorry, Valkyrie."
Valkyrie laughed and unbuckled Skulduggery's belt. She pulled Skulduggery's pants down and let her hands caress his hipbones before caressing his pelvis excruciatingly slowly. Skulduggery moaned loudly and grabbed Valkyrie's hair as he pressed himself hard against her. "My God, Valkyrie…"
Valkyrie didn't respond, just continued to caress Skulduggery. She lowered her head and let her tongue caress Skulduggery's most sensitive part, causing Skulduggery to gasp for air. "Oops, looks like I managed to make you lose your breath."
Skulduggery growled and tightened his grip around Valkyrie's hair. He bent her head back and pressed his teeth to her lips in a hard kiss. Valkyrie could feel the desire pouring out of Skulduggery's body and it made her excited. She loved the feeling of being able to give Skulduggery pleasure even when he wasn't using his façade. She was always just as happy knowing she could make him feel things even when he was just bones held together by magic. It was a drug she never wanted to get rid of.
Skulduggery pulled away from Valkyrie. He looked at her and caressed her cheek slowly. He let his teeth graze hers, causing Valkyrie to sigh and she opened her mouth to give Skulduggery better access. Skulduggery chuckled softly and let his middle finger caress her bottom lip as he nibbled on her neck. Valkyrie let out a small moan and turned her head to give Skulduggery more room.
Skulduggery let his free hand caress Valkyrie's chest and side as he continued to nibble her neck with his teeth and caress her lip with his finger. It wasn't long before he let his hand travel down and Valkyrie moaned deeply as she felt one of Skulduggery's naked fingers slide into her. She moved in step with him as best she could consider her stomach and she bit his finger every time he hit an extra sensitive spot.
"How much do you want to feel me inside you, Valkyrie?"
"I want nothing else, Skulduggery…"
"Just the words I wanted to hear…" Skulduggery whispered, pulling his finger out of Valkyrie's insides. He activated his facade and the moment his human body enveloped him he let his now human lips touch Valkyrie's.
Valkyrie pressed against him and kissed Skulduggery with a hunger she hadn't felt against him in weeks. By the way Skulduggery kissed her back, she knew he had missed her just as much. As they kissed for a moment, Skulduggery pulled away from Valkyrie's lips before gently turning her over, so she was lying with her back to him. He let his now human hands caress her body as he kissed the side of her neck and shoulder. Valkyrie moaned and pressed her sex against Skulduggery's, inviting him in.
Skulduggery lifted Valkyrie's leg slightly and then slowly slid into her. Both lovers moaned softly and let the feeling of becoming one envelop them for a few seconds before Skulduggery began moving in and out of Valkyrie. He took it slowly and carefully as he wanted to enjoy the feeling that being one with Valkyrie gave him. He also wanted to show Valkyrie how much he loved her and how much she meant to him.
He didn't want to fuck her but make love to her.
"Skulduggery…" Valkyrie whispered, moving in step with him. She grabbed one of his hands and wrapped it in her own. She lifted his knuckles to her lips and kissed each of them slowly.
Skulduggery buried his face between Valkyrie's shoulder blades and sighed contentedly. "Valkyrie, I love you. Until the end."
"And I love you. Until the end." She turned and let her lips wrap around his in a tender kiss.
The days continued to fly by. Before Valkyrie knew it, it was already summer, and the baby could arrive any day. Ever since their big fight a few months earlier, their relationship hadn't been better. Skulduggery had respected Valkyrie's wishes and listened to her in a way he hadn't in a very long time. Valkyrie hadn't felt this happy with Skulduggery in a very long time, not since their first few months as a couple anyway.
The child continued to grow as it should and was doing well according to Synecdoche. Luckily Valkyrie hadn't had any major problems as her belly grew, just expected ones. Difficulty bending forward and down, continued fatigue, pain in the back and feet. All these things were bearable though, especially after she started using the belt, she had asked Tanith to buy for her. The two women had quite quickly realized that if they hadn't had it, their everyday life would have been much darker and much more painful.
Valkyrie was currently sitting on the sofa with her head in Skulduggery's lap in her house that she had inherited from her uncle Gordon and which she still sometimes referred to as "Gordon's house". Next to her sat her little sister Alice in one of the armchairs. She had come to visit to celebrate her first day of summer vacation and had asked Skulduggery to pick her up after her graduation was over. She was just sitting there telling her how everyone had been staring at the Bentley when it pulled up in the school parking lot and how her popularity among her schoolmates had increased even more.
"You should have seen their faces when they realized it was me the car was waiting for, Stephanie! They had eyes as big as saucers and their mouths hung down on their chests! They looked just like fish on dry land. I have never laughed as much as I did then."
"I can imagine the scene." Valkyrie turned her head so she could look up at Skulduggery. "And let me guess, you couldn't help but get out of the car and open the door for Alice like the gentleman you are, but also because you know it will start a lot of rumours around Alice which will make her even more mysterious, which in turn will make her more popular."
"You're welcome," Skulduggery replied in a pleased tone.
"He was absolutely fantastic! He called me 'Miss Alice Edgley' and even bowed! He took my hand as he helped me into the car and put on my seat belt. I suspect all my classmates either thought Skulduggery is my private chauffeur or my rich, much older and extremely handsome boyfriend. Can you imagine their faces when I tell them the truth? That Skulduggery is just my older sister's boyfriend and future husband."
"They will be very jealous of me, which in turn will cause them to ask you even more questions where they will want to know everything about what Skulduggery is like as a person. I can guarantee you that some of the girls will even ask for his phone number."
Alice and Skulduggery laughed. "Then you'd be jealous, wouldn't you, Valkyrie?"
"Why would I be? I happen to know that you aren't turned on, on girls who are under 18 and can't use magic, so I'm quite safe from Alice's female classmates."
Alice laughed again; this time so hard that she fell off the armchair she was sitting in. Valkyrie sat up and was about to ask Alice how she was when a contraction went through her body. She moaned and put one hand on her stomach and the other on the edge of the couch. She was breathing hard and felt Skulduggery wrap his arms around her.
"Valkyrie, how are you?"
"Just a contraction. There is no danger, it is already on its way away."
"Are you sure? You don't need to call Synecdoche?"
"Like I said, it's on its way out already and it doesn't hurt. I just wasn't prepared for it. I'm fine, I promise. The baby is not on its way out yet."
Alice looked worriedly at her older sister and placed a hand on Valkyrie's stomach. "Be kind to your mother, my future niece or nephew. She's the only sister I have, and I don't want you to wear her out beforehand. She has many good years ahead of her and I don't want to hear about you giving her any premature grey hairs."
Valkyrie laughed and hugged her little sister. "There is no danger, Alice. I'm fine, I promise. If the baby was on the way, you would notice."
Alice didn't look entirely convinced but said nothing more on the matter. Instead, she asked "After the baby is born, are you going to get a new puppy then? After all, it's been a year since Xena left us and you've talked for a long time about wanting to get a new dog."
Valkyrie sighed and stroked her belly. "I really wish she could have been here and experienced this. I still can't believe she's gone some days. I find myself listening for her footsteps or her barking every time I open the door after I've been on an errand."
"You know what they say: when a candle goes out, a new one lights," Alice said, giving Valkyrie a sad smile. "Surely you got pregnant right after she disappeared. Perhaps you were meant to conceive right now, Valkyrie."
Valkyrie nodded. "Just a month or so after she died. I was just starting to accept that she was really gone and started trying to move on. I think I may have gotten pregnant around that time because me and Skulduggery didn't have intercourse for the first time after Xena passed away."
"Ugh, too much information!" laughed Alice.
"You were the one who mentioned it first!" Valkyrie laughed back and gave Alice a hug. She was about to say something more when another contraction shot through her, stronger than the one that had come just a moment ago. She hugged Alice's shoulder tightly while gasping violently for breath.
"Valkyrie, what is it? Do you feel ill?"
"No, a contraction." Valkyrie took a deep breath and was just about to relax again when another contraction shot through her. She opened her eyes and looked first at her little sister and then at Skulduggery.
"I think the baby is on the way!"
Another cliffhanger! I know, I am so evil X) And I am sorry if some of you hate me for killing off Xena, but since this story takes place a couple of years ahead in the future, Xena unfortunately probably wouldn't be alive, since dogs don't live as long as we would like them too.
Anyway... We are starting to get to the end of this story. There will be two more chapters: the next one will be the birth of Valkyrie and Skulduggery's child and the last one will be of their wedding.