Once he’d calmed down a bit he asked, “Why see a midwife though? You didn’t with Littlespark.”

“It never actually occurred to me. There isn’t any such thing among firecats. Had I given birth back home my mother would have been there, or my nearest female relative. But talking with Corinne at the shop the other day I realized that seeing a midwife might be a good idea if I had another baby.”

Aidan hugged her again. “I can hardly believe it. Do you think it’ll be a boy or a girl?”

“Well, when we go see Corinne we can ask her.”

“She can tell?”

Flame nodded. “She’s a very good clerical healer. She’ll be able to confirm that I’m actually pregnant and tell us all about the baby.”

“Amazing! Remind me not to shake hands with her though.” He grinned. “When should we go? Not tonight, it’s already too late I think.”

“Tomorrow then,” said Flame.

And so the next evening they set out. The trip was uneventful and they slept that day at their usual inn. The young man at the desk greeted them with a smile and showed them to the same room. They left the inn well before sundown, Aidan squinting at the unaccustomed sunlight. They made their way through the streets with Flame Song in the lead. They came out into the market square to find that a crowd was gathered. Branson Alder was preaching again.

His voice rose and fell in melodramatic exhortation. Flame and Aidan exchanged concerned glances and hurried along the edge of the crowd, Flame holding Littlespark close.

“There is evil among you always!” shouted the preacher. “You must guard against it with constant vigilance!” Suddenly his eye fell on the hurrying couple. “There!” his finger stabbed in their direction. “There walks evil incarnate! There is a son of hell! Beware such as he that go by darkness, that flee the sound of righteousness!”

Aidan almost turned back at that. It was still broad daylight, and he wasn’t fleeing the sound of righteousness, he was trying to avoid a bigoted fanatic! But he realized that turning back and arguing with Branson wouldn’t do him any good, so he kept going.

“That complete, utter… Oh! I don’t even know a word foul enough to call him,” said Flame.

Aidan laughed. “I can think of a couple, but I’ll spare Littlespark’s delicate ears.” He normally didn’t like swearing, but he had to admit Branson annoyed him enough to make him want to curse a blue streak.

“He’s not a nice man,” said Littlespark. “I don’t like him.”

“You and me both, fuzz-ball,” said Aidan.

Fortunately they arrived at Corinne’s house without further incident. Flame knocked softly on the door, and a tall, willowy woman with long silver hair answered it. There was a hint of slant to her eyes, a touch of a point on her ears, and Aidan realized she was a half-elf.

“Flame Song! I didn’t think to see you again so soon,” she said. “Come in, come in.” She motioned them into her house. “Ariana is playing out back, Spark, if you want to go see her,” she added. Littlespark looked up at her mother who nodded permission. She darted off with a happy giggle. Then Corinne turned her attention back to Flame Song. “What brings you here?”

Flame grinned. “I’m here on business.”

“Ah! How wonderful,” she said with a twinkle. “And who is this handsome young man?”

“Corinne, this is my husband Aidan. Aidan, meet Corinne.”

Corinne held out her hand and Aidan had a moment of awkwardness. He didn’t want to shake it, since the cleric’s touch would be rather painful, but he didn’t want to be rude either. Corinne dropped her hand and looked at him oddly when he didn’t take it.

“Er, I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be rude,” said Aidan, trying to think of the best way to explain himself. “It’s just that I, um…” Bother, he thought, how do you explain to a cleric that you can’t shake her hand because you’re a vampire?

Corinne looked at him closely, head cocked to one side in a birdlike gesture. Then her eyes widened. “Oh! You never told me you’d married a vampire, Flame.”

Flame shrugged and smiled. “Well, I didn’t have time to tell you everything! And he wasn’t a vampire when I married him, but that’s not the reason I’m here.”

“Oh yes! You said you’re here on business, does that mean what I think it means?”

“You tell me,” said Flame. Corinne brushed a strand of silver hair out of her eyes and placed one hand of Flame’s flat stomach. She paused for a long moment, and she seemed to be listening intently. When she looked up she had a wide smile on her fine-boned features.

“My dear, you are indeed in a family way.”

“Can you tell if it’s a boy or a girl yet?”

Corinne laughed delightedly. “Well, one of them is definitely a boy, the other I’m not quite certain about.”

Aidan’s eyes went wide. “Wait a minute, you’re saying there’s two?”

“Congratulations, you’re having twins,” said the half-elven woman with a twinkle in her eyes.

Aidan shook his head in amazement. “Twins!” Then he asked, “Why can’t you tell what the second one will be?”

“Because most of my patients are at least humanoid, but your dear wife is not. The little boy is a half-and-half, like your daughter, but the other one seems to be all cat. My guess would be that it’s also a boy, but I’m not as familiar with feline physiognomy, and they are only about a month along, so I can’t be sure. Come back in another month and I will be able to tell you for certain.”

“We’ll be sure to come regularly,” said Flame. Then she turned to Aidan and her smile was radiant. “Twins! I can hardly believe it.”