Chapter 4
Lila
Iallow the tentacles to recede and rub my merman’s wrists and arms before stroking my tail across his, trying to get some of the circulation back into them. My desire still thrums through my body, but I want to make sure my pregnant merman is okay first and that what I did wasn’t too much for him.
I wrap my arms around him and nuzzle into his neck. Are you okay? I ask him. He’s had his eyes closed with a look of pure bliss on his face, but he now opens them and smiles at me.
So okay,he tells me, reaching up to stroke his hand over my face, our bodies as close as they can be with tails and a baby belly in the way. I’m actually looking forward to him being able to shift again so I can get him in my bed in our suite.
We lie together for a moment, enjoying being with one another. I want to ask so many questions, since there are things I’m dying to know about my merman, but before I can get my mind in some semblance of order, Nikos grunts and curls in on himself, and I panic.
What’s wrong?I ask. Did I hurt you or the babies? I ask him, worried that maybe he shouldn’t be having sex while pregnant. I just remembered how horny the pregnancy hormones made me. Should I get Link? I’m frantic, but as I go to leave, he grabs my hand, chuckling.
No, my precious jimble gem.He drags me back to him and rests my hand on his stomach. I can feel our babies moving around inside him, and when I look down, I see a small tail press against the inside of his stomach. My mouth drops open. Our children are very active. Strong and fierce, like their mama. He sounds proud, and when my eyes meet his, he’s looking at me with complete adoration.
I melt into his side. Whoa. I’m mesmerized, feeling no small amount of awe. It’s weird being on the other side of the situation, but I’m not hating it, which is kind of a relief because I have another pregnant husband as well. Then, something horrifying occurs to me. How, exactly, do you give birth to them? I ask him.
You have to cut me open with your teeth and assist them out,he tells me with clenched teeth.
I have to do what?I screech, and he winces before he can no longer hide his mischievous smile.
Just kidding, he says, and I smack him with my tail fluke. The same slit that my cock comes through births the babies. My cock retracts deep into my body, and the slit opens up so I can expel them into the water column.
I guess it’s a little like a seahorse from Earth. Well, that’s good to know, I mutter, and he just gives me a squeeze. I’m so glad you are feeling better, I tell him. I will have to let Nixie know, she was so worried about you.
My father was an asshole. I’m not sorry he’s dead,Nikos says without looking at me, so I grab his chin and make him.
Hey, it’s okay not to be sad. Can’t say I am either, and if Cronus hadn’t killed him, I would have done it myself, or Cas or Xavier. Nobody treats our can of tuna like that,I tell him, smiling, and he rolls his eyes, but he cheers up slightly. What is a phadoll or a jimble gem?
He said both of these things earlier, and I have no idea what he meant, but I want to know so much more about him than I do now, and it’s a great way to start.
Those are jimble gems, he says pointing to the gorgeous, brightly colored stones in the cavern of the walls. Well, that’s certainly my favorite of all of his names. As for a phadoll, you met one. Sweetpea is a phadoll.
He’s talking about his turtle seal cross creature that my kids have had so much fun chasing around the tank. We left her back on Aquilia at Nikos’s request. He said with the new babies coming and moving into our suite that she would be better off with his sister.
Are you sure you’re okay with moving into our home once these babies are born?I ask him, putting my hand over his bump again. I smile when I get kicked. I was told you didn’t socialize with the crew very often. Are you not comfortable on two feet?
It makes me so happy that you want me to be a part of your family. I will probably have to come for a swim every day, but I am just as comfortable without a tail as I am with one. Despite my father’s prejudice, a lot of mers had dry homes below the ocean and spent a lot of time without fins. My rooms in the castle were like that, and so were mother’s and Nixie’s. It ensured we didn’t need to spend much time with Father because he abhorred legs, said it was a sign of weakness.
Well, as long as you’re comfortable. We have a pool in our room now, but I’m not sure it’s going to be big enough for five krakens and three mers to regularly take swims, let alone Tirrian’s water dragon.I think about the size of the dragon I saw back on Fluxx, and I’m pretty sure it’s even bigger than my kraken. We’ll probably all need to make use of this pool. Maybe it’s not such a bad thing that there isn’t going to be a mer show anymore.
This gets a reaction out of him, and he flicks his tail and swims upright. There won’t be? Why not?
Well, with the fallout on Aquilia, your mother wasn’t willing to commit to sending any new merpeople yet, and we’re going to have the babies. Once Grandma Lili is rescued, I am going to arrange for auditions. My grandpas told me it’s part of my job now.
That isn’t right. I will speak to my mother as soon as the babies come. It’s advantageous for the Aquilians to have an act in the circus. It shows the galaxy we aren’t as secular as they believe we are. It definitely helped my father, not that he would ever admit it.
That’s fine, but I’m still going to audition more performers just in case. It won’t hurt to have a couple of new acts as a draw, especially because I don’t know what’s going to happen with the Vilaxians either. We have to go to Vilux and sort out Saxon’s clan dissolution as well. I don’t think his brother and his two clan mates were willing to join the circus permanently. It was just as a favor for the queen.
My poor little coolmy, you sound like you are going to be very busy. He sounds sad and wears a pout with puppy dog eyes.
Don’t worry, I will make sure to see you every day,I promise him, and as much as I’d like to stay and cuddle, I need some sleep. We’re busting my grandma out tomorrow.
Yes, Link told me you found her. That is wonderful. I am so happy for the Adams brothers. Make sure you are safe and come back to us. I don’t think it will be long before our babies are here,he warns.
How will you know when they are ready?
I will get contractions just like a normal pregnancy. Link has left a communicator in the bottom of our house so I can let him know as soon as it happens.
Okay, good.I flick my tail and give him a kiss. He looks surprised, and I realize we really haven’t done much kissing. I can’t give him an open-mouthed kiss in the water, so instead, I press my lips to his and kiss him a little more forcefully before pulling away.
I can’t wait for you to get your legs back so I can kiss you properly,I tell him. Now be a good boy for me and get some rest. I’ll check on you when we return.
He still looks surprised, but a grin creeps across his face as I swim away. I feel a sense of relief that Nikos and I have started sorting everything out. It’s one less thing to worry about, though there is still the matter that we’re going to be parents any day now. Grandma first, new babies second. Shit, I didn’t ask how old they will be and how rapidly they will develop. We will need more clothes and beds and everything. Hopefully we can source these. I might give that job to Echo, since he’s already doing it for his babies. It’s not like Nik can do it underwater.
Seriously, how did my life become this? I’m not upset, but it’s a lot, and sometimes a girl just needs five minutes to breathe and down a couple of shots of tequila.
I allow the change to wash over me once I get to the surface, where I grab a towel out of the basket kept near the elevator and dry off before putting my clothes on again. I take it with me to throw in the laundry basket at home. It’s getting pretty full now that there isn’t any crew to do the washing, so I’ll probably have to ask someone where the ship laundry is and do a few loads. Then again, maybe I’ll just ask Xavier to show me how to use our warlock powers to clean everything with magic. God, I love magic.
When I return to our family suite, I find Link, Cas, and Xavier sitting around having a drink.
“Hi, how did it go with Nikos?” Link jumps up and hurries over to our fridge, grabbing a bottle of rilaxious before returning and dragging me to the couch to join them. He pops the top and hands it to me.
I take a long drink before sighing and wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. “Thanks, I needed that,” I tell him, even though I have a craving for a Jack and Coke. Hmm, I wonder why? “Nikos is good. He looks so much better, and we were able to have a little chat about a few things.”
“Hmm, I believe chatting was not all you did, phoeall.” Xavier has an annoying little smirk on his lips.
“It’s rude to read other people’s emotions without permission, or that’s what you keep telling me.” I glare at him, and he shrugs.
“But we are one now. Your feelings are my feelings, my beautiful intimate,” he says without shame.
I huff. “No, you’re right, I bit him so the mating wasn’t one-sided,” I tell them, waiting for their reactions, but none of them show any sign of distress.
“We had no doubt, sweetheart,” Cas says, swinging an arm around my shoulders and tucking me in closer to him.
“But that’s not all, right?” Xavier pushes, and I narrow my eyes on him.
“You know, just because there are a lot of people in this mating circle doesn’t mean I need to share all the details with all of you,” I say, baring my teeth.
He nods his head in acknowledgement but doesn’t look like he’s sorry. “No, but when I can feel how horny you are and some of us are in the position to fix that needy ache, I’m not going to keep quiet about it.”
I groan, because he’s not wrong. The needy ache inside hasn’t disappeared. It’s this constant pressure, which I now know are my mimic powers making themself known. I shifted forms, so now I need to refuel. “Ugh, Nikos’s belly and our tails are not conducive to pregnancy sex, so I took care of his needs. I remember how horny I was while I was pregnant.”
“Nothing’s changed,” Link says, chuckling, and my glare turns from Xavier to him, but he holds his hands up. “Hey, we know you can’t help it, and we love it, so there are no complaints, believe me.”
“Not at all, and I’m glad you have a lot of mates to keep your voracious appetites satisfied,” Cas adds, brushing a lock of damp hair back from my face. “And none of us will be upset if you decide to add a dragon and snake to the roster. You and Silac looked pretty cozy during the meeting.”
I don’t hear a hint of jealousy, just curiosity from my kraken. “He declared his intentions to pursue me if he can get his situation sorted out. I told him I was interested, and I enjoyed sitting in his lap. I love being wrapped up by his snake body, it’s soothing.”
“And the dragon?” Xavier can’t help but push boundaries.
I down the rest of my drink before putting the bottle on the table and pulling my legs up under me, snuggling against Cas. “Who knows?” I really have no idea. We’ll see what happens.
“And then there’s Brannock and our new friend Ghosie as well. Your marks appeared on them,” Link says cautiously, knowing I’m pretty close to losing my shit.
“Yes, but we all know that mimic Lila is a slut,” I grumble, feeling my cheeks pinken slightly with embarrassment.
“Aw, babe, don’t say that about yourself. That’s an Earth concept. The galaxy isn’t like that.” Cas gives my shoulder a squeeze.
“My mimic powers are basically a Pokémon trainer. She wants them all.” My grumble turns into a whine, and I don’t look at any of them as I bury my face in Cas’s chest. His arms wrap around me, and he gives me a hug.
“And we love you and don’t care if you add three more or thirty more,” Xavier says, and I lift my head off Cas’s chest to gape at him in horror.
“Thirty? Let’s just hold a funeral for my poor vagina now. Even my magic Skarrian vagina powers won’t be able to handle that many men. RIP, Lila’s vagina.” I know I sound slightly hysterical, but wouldn’t you be? “It’s like a porno in the making. Lila Does the Galaxy, or Lila’s Alien Gang Bang, or Lila Fills All Her Holes, or Lila’s Bukkaki Party.” I know I’m rambling, but give a girl a break. I’m tired, horny, and hungry, and not necessarily in that order.
“Bukkaki? I don’t think that’s a term I know,” Link muses, and I groan and drop my chin against my chest.
“Of course that’s the one thing you pay attention to. Look, all I’m saying is how am I ever going to give all of you the right amount of attention?”
“Baby, you have so much love to give, and with the circus and our rapidly growing family, there will always be someone around to love on the babies or help you out with the show or the cast, and I promise we all know to come to you if we are feeling neglected, but you are handling this wonderfully.” Cas presses a kiss to my forehead as I sag against him again.
“How about we take care of all your needs so you are in peak condition for Husadavia tomorrow?” Link suggests. “You too, Xavier. You need to have a power boost, and I know Lila gives you everything you need now, but it won’t hurt for you to be extra topped off.” Link stands up and offers me his hand. When I take it, he pulls me up, and we start in the direction of the bedroom.
“You coming?” he calls to Cas and Xavier over his shoulder, and I hear them scramble to catch up.
Well, I do like this assertive side of Link. Apparently I’m getting my freak on, and I am not going to argue. I can’t wait to see Link and Cas together again, and this time, I want to be involved. A certain scenario that I’ve been fantasizing about for a while floats through my mind, and I hear Xavier start coughing behind me.
“Are you okay?” Cas asks him, and when I look over my shoulder, my warlock mate is smirking at me.
“I am very much okay, just a little surprised by what Lila wants.” I feel my cheeks heat again, but he shakes his head. “Oh no, my dirty little intimate. I didn’t say it was a bad surprise. I would very much like to see it too.”
When we get to my room, Link opens the door, and we all pile in. We reach my massive bed, and he turns around with an eyebrow raised in question.
“Well, are you going to share?”