Chapter 11
Lila
“Right, so we have an hour to kill. Should we find a few more aliens for you to mimic?” Xavier says, rubbing his stubby hands together and looking around.
“Probably shouldn’t,” Brannock grumbles, not meeting our eyes. “We need her to save her strength for Husadavia. She would use up a lot of energy shifting back and forth between forms, and then she would have to refuel.” His words trail off as if he’s embarrassed to remind me that I need sex to refuel.
Xavier eyes the Aaz’axian, mulling over his words before a sly smile crosses his lips. “I mean, that’s not a problem if you’re willing to help out.”
Brannock and I have exactly the same reaction. Our mouths drop open in surprise, and we stare at my warlock husband in shock.
“Seriously?” I ask, sounding a little miffed, and he shrugs—or this glamour’s version of a shrug, which almost looks like a jump.
“Look, we both know you’re attracted to each other, and honestly, I don’t know why you’re dancing around it. As far as I’m concerned, we’re killing two birds with one stone. You get more forms to choose from, and Brannock gets to fuck a woman who he is compatible with. For God’s sake, Lila, the man hasn’t finished inside a woman in over six hundred years. Take pity on the poor guy.”
I’m speechless, but Brannock isn’t. He glares at my husband, and his glamour flickers again. “I don’t need a pity fuck,” he growls.
Xavier rolls his eyes. “Hardly a pity fuck. She’s into you, and you’re into her, so what’s the big deal?”
What the actual fuck? I can’t believe this male. Is he really this fucking clueless? I know warlocks are blasé about sex, but he should at least know me better than that by now. I mean, yeah, I’m most definitely attracted to Brannock, and I know he feels the same way, but I kind of want it to happen organically, like maybe go on a date and see how that goes. That might be a little na?ve, considering all but one of my relationships has been forced, so to speak, but a girl likes to be wined and dined and not just sixty-nined…Well, I mean, the sixty-nine is a lot of fun too, but not essential until maybe like the second date.
Anyway, I digress. I want to throttle Xavier. If he had a neck, I would wrap my hands around it and squeeze while I watched him turn even more purple than he normally is.
Brannock and I look to be on the same wavelength, if his glare is anything to go by, but Xavier just huffs and changes the subject. “Fine, it was just a suggestion. You don’t have to get pissy.” Now he appears like he’s sulking.
We head back the way we came, an awkward silence falling between us. I keep looking at Brannock out of the corner of my eye. I want to make sure he knows that I wasn’t rejecting him so much as the timing.
He won’t even look at me now, and that pisses me off. We pass a little alcove, and I push him into it, leaving Xavier to continue on his way, not even noticing we stopped.
“Whoa!” Brannock teeters a little but manages to stay upright. I wince, because I forgot they aren’t very mobile in this shape. It still blows my mind that the glamour is solid and not just an illusion on top of their normal forms. I reach out to help steady him. “What’s wrong?” he asks, looking around for danger. His form flickers once more in agitation. He really struggles to hold his glamour when he’s emotional. I remember him saying alcohol affects it too, which is no surprise.
“Nothing’s wrong, I just wanted to take a moment to talk to you without the other asshat adding his galactic two cents.”
The flickering settles down, and his breathing slows, but there’s still a wary look in his eye, and he crosses his arms. “Okay?” I can feel how defensive and hurt he is, even in this form.
Now I feel awkward as fuck, but I’m going to pull up my metaphorical big girl pants and woman up. “You do know I’m attracted to you, right? If we ever have sex, in no way will it ever be a pity fuck,” I tell him, and I think I surprise him. “But I also don’t want the first time we have sex to be about powering me up like a Super Mario mushroom.”
I’m rambling with my nerves, and I can tell by the little crease between his eyes that I lost him with that reference.
I sigh. “Look, I think you’re sexy as fuck and would really like to take you for a spin in whatever form you want to. If that means your cock treats my inner lady walls like a pin cushion and tears me to shreds, then so be it…” I trail off and think about what I just said. Oh my god, now I want to slap myself. What the fuck just came out of my mouth?
Luckily, Brannock’s mouth twitches like he’s trying to stop himself from laughing. His hurt is gone, replaced with amusement and no small amount of lust. “That’s a very generous offer, Lila, thank you.”
“Okay, cool, just so we’re clear.” My wings beat faster as I prepare to escape this absolute clusterfuck of a conversation. How did I think I could make the situation any better? If anything, I just made it worse. Before I can leave, though, his hand shoots out and grabs me, slowly pulling me against his bumpy, corn kernel body. He pushes my long green hair back behind one of my little pointed ears, his fingertips brushing against a horn, causing a shiver to run down my spine, and leans in.
“When I tear your pussy to shreds, you will be begging for it,” he whispers before releasing me and waddling off down the hallway in the same direction Xavier went in, leaving me panting with suddenly wet thighs. It’s super unsexy watching him walk away, but I imagine what he normally looks like, and that’s way better.
“Holy fuck!” I didn’t think Brannock had it in him, but that was hot. I wave my hand in front of my face, trying to cool myself off with very little success. Well, at least I know we are both on the same page.
When I leave the alcove, I see the two of them waddling together. Xavier must have stopped and waited for us. I’m grateful he gave us a moment to chat without adding his damn commentary to the conversation. He winks at me when I get to them, and we keep moving.
We maneuver through the crowds milling around storefronts and dining establishments. This space station seems to be popular. One of the guys told me it has a more unsavory clientele than the other space station, X69. My eyes don’t know where to stop as I look over the different beings, but there’s something on my mind that’s been plaguing me since I saw the tree men at the sign-up, so I drop down to ear height with Xavier so I can ask him a quiet question.
“Did you fuck all of your harem members?” I ask him as I bite my lip, unable to hide my worry. He frowns and looks at me with a raised eyebrow.
“Why do you ask, phoeall?”
I guess I wasn’t doing a good job of controlling my anxiety. “Because I’m worried that our sex life has been fairly vanilla if you’re used to fucking different alien species.” Sure, his harem girls were all warlocks, but the men were a collection of weird and wonderful creatures. I’m worried that he’s going to start looking elsewhere for the spice, and it’s not like my guys are all that different. He said he can feed exclusively from me now that our intimate bond is established, but I’m sure it’s probably tastier when it’s kinky.
“Should I be shifting into my alternate forms like this so that you can have some fun?” I ask him, waving at my little fairy body. I’m almost certain Xavier will split me in half with his cock in this form, but I’d still be willing to take one for the team. I think about my other forms. There’s the Barcoa, but I’m pretty sure neither of us want to fuck like that. There is also my necro form, which I avoid using because it’s slightly terrifying being able to communicate with the dead, and I’m pretty sure my Madovian form would kill Xavier as quickly as fuck him, since she’s the hardest to control, and to be honest, Madovian sex is fucking disturbing.
The confusion on his face clears and is replaced with a smile and sympathetic understanding. “No, baby.” He stops, spins, and holds up his arms to catch me. They aren’t long enough to reach me, so I drop down, and he gathers me into his embrace, holding me against his bumpy torso. I relax into him, enjoying a moment in my husband’s arms. My insecurity slowly drifts away. “While I would have fun playing with whatever form you want, I don’t need or crave it. You are everything I could ever want or need in a sexy, curvy package. The fact that you allow me to play with your other mates as well is more than I could ever wish for, and I am so very grateful that you are such a generous, loving woman.”
“Well, I mean, they are your mates too, right? That’s what being married is about. What’s mine is yours, and what’s yours is mine.” I pull back and wink at him, feeling relieved, and he chuckles, giving me a quick kiss before letting me go.
“Indeed, I like your way of thinking.”
I flutter my wings and rise, taking the lead before asking something else that has been plaguing my mind.
“So, I was wondering, when the grandpas first told me I was Skarrian and what being mated was about, they said I could gain powers from my new mates, and they could get them from me, but so far, I seem to have gained everything and you guys nothing.”
“I wouldn’t say we’ve gained nothing,” my husband quickly argues. “In fact, you could say we have all gained so much more than boring old powers.”
“Aww, and this is why I keep you around.” I blow him a kiss, and he grabs it from the air. I like that I can see him—or a version of him. If he was in his warlock form, he would be all shrouded in mystery. I mean, I get it, it gets strong reactions, fear being the greatest, but I like being able to look at him, even if he does resemble a shuffling corncob at the moment.
“Didn’t you mate most of them in their own species’ way?” Brannock asks, and I think about it. Cas, Xavier, Saxon, Echo, Max, and Nikos all mated me in their way. Link is the only one who mated me the Skarrian way.
“Yeah, so does that mean there isn’t a crossover? Why isn’t Link showing any signs of my mimic or whisperer powers?” I ask the Aaz’axian.
“I don’t know for sure, but I’m going to guess that’s why none of them have gained your powers. As for Link, it’s probably because he’s a cyborg. Magic, which I guess is what Skarrian power is at its core, doesn’t work for them.”
Xavier cuts in. “Their nanobot abilities, which you have shown remarkable control over” —he winks— “is purely technologically based. There’s nothing magical about it but pure science, so he wouldn’t be able to wield your powers anyway.”
I mull over the two explanations, and that seems to make sense. “Yeah, okay, I guess I can see what you’re saying. I just kind of feel like maybe they all got the short end of the stick.” I hadn’t realized how much it had been bothering me because I’ve been so busy, but now that we’re talking about it, I realize it really does. I don’t want them to resent me further down the line.
Xavier opens his mouth to argue, but Brannock gets there first, scoffing loudly. “Think about it this way. If they mated their own species, it wouldn’t be any different, would it? They wouldn’t have gained any extra abilities. I think they are lucky and extremely thankful for their beautiful and loving mate.” I can see the longing in his eyes before he turns away from me.
“Also, if Caspian mated a fellow shifter, especially a kraken shifter, he would have been expected to ignore his bisexual urges. How unhappy would he have been locked into a relationship like that because that’s what his animal requires? The man’s soul would wither, and he would end up resenting that mate.” Xavier shudders at the thought, because he was in the same boat.
“He told me that his kraken wasn’t interested in men prior to our mating but is super happy to have fun now that we are mated and have the babies.”
Brannock nods. “That’s no surprise. Most alien species are primal, and survival of the species is definitely a major need. Once that need has been met, then they tend to relax a little.”
“Okay, I guess I can understand that. I just worry I’m not going to be enough, that the lightning cats need more cats in their streak, Xavier’s kinky side is being stifled, and there isn’t enough of me to go around with the seven mates I have now, not to mention three babies with four more on the way, let alone the males my mimic side is pressing me to seal to us.” I wince at how desperate I sound.
“From what I know about you, Lila Adams, I would say those worries are unfounded. I have spent the last few weeks watching you with your mates, and I can confidently say every single one of them is happy and having their needs met. I haven’t ever seen such a joyful and flourishing mating circle as yours, and that’s with all the added stress you’ve been under. Remember, I’m as old as dirt and recall a time when mimics were more common. Relationships are hard work, but you seem to be coping wonderfully.”
My heart thuds hard inside my chest at Brannock’s words, and my mimic powers pulse erratically. It’s all I can do to stop myself from tackling him, riding him to the ground, and buttering his corncob. My mimic side wants this man with a fierceness that is hard to control, and I’m certainly coming around to the idea.
Damn it, Lila, if you don’t mate that man, I might have to do it for you,Xavier says in my head. Who would have guessed he was so in touch with his emotions?
“Thank you, Brannock. I really needed to hear that. It has been a whirlwind since I arrived at the circus.”
“Don’t forget you don’t always have to be strong, Lila Adams. The universe gave you so many mates for a reason. Use them to lean on when you are doubting yourself, and you will never go wrong.” He starts walking again, leaving Xavier and me to exchange another look.
“Seriously, if you don’t ride him like a pony, I will,” my husband growls and tries to stomp off, but he fails and falls on his face instead, rolling until he hits the wall of the hallway. Colorful curses pepper the air as I watch him struggle to right himself. I take pity on him and fly down, grabbing his hand to pull him back to his feet, my elemental form so much stronger than it appears.
He glares at me before muttering, “Thank you,” then adds, “I mean it, Lila, you husband that man up and make him a part of our family. We need someone else with emotional depth, and he has it in spades. Who would have thought an Aaz’axian would be so thoughtful and caring?”
“It doesn’t hurt that he’s sexy as fuck in his real form.” I arch a questioning eyebrow, and he rolls his eyes.
“No, it doesn’t hurt at all, but remember, none of us will be able to play with him, Lila, not with his spiky appendage. This is all about you.” He sounds defensive, and I didn’t mean to do that to him.
“I’m sorry, I was just messing around.” My apology doesn’t seem to appease his mood.
“Not all of us are bisexual, and you need to remember that. A good portion of us are, but Brannock and Tirrian haven’t ever shown any sign of it.” He sounds grumpy as fuck as we follow the Aaz’axian who has gotten a little farther ahead of us. “Don’t assume I’m encouraging you to add mates for my benefit, because I can assure you, that’s not the case.”
“Whoa, wait, I’m sorry. I never thought that was the case,” I apologize, feeling guilty. I never thought that, but I guess my joke may have made it seem that way. He heaves out a sigh and waves a stubby hand at me.
“No, it’s fine. I’m sorry too. I guess I just want you to be happy, and I can feel what you feel for him, not to mention the snake. There’s also your attraction to Ghosie, and despite his asshole ways, Tirrian, so in my mind, mating them all is the key to your happiness. An added bonus is that having all these powerful and dangerous men around you would help ensure your safety, because we know people will be coming for you.” I stare at Xavier in astonishment. I had no idea he was so worried about everything. He certainly does a good job of keeping a wall up around his emotions.
I stop and throw my arms around my warlock and snuggle against him. “I love you. I promise I’m working on it all. Stop hiding how you’re feeling from me. I know it’s still a reflex from your harem, but I’m your mate. I want it all, the good and the bad,” I tell him, and his relief is visceral as he practically sags against me. I give him a few quick kisses and stroke my hand over his nubby head before pulling away. “Okay, let’s get our minds on the job. We have a grandma to rescue and a planet of bloodthirsty creatures to thwart. We will worry about my thirsty mimic side once this is done, I promise.”
We’re just about back at the space dock, and I see Brannock inside, waiting for us, so we break apart and make our way to him. Xavier will lead us to whichever ship belongs to the harvesters.