Chapter 35
A ping in the dark.
“No, he didn’t,” Wyn exclaimed, followed by peals of laughter.
I froze at the entrance of my quarters. Wyn was sitting on the couch, half bent over as he laughed hysterically. Cincin was glaring at him, ears flicking. Probably the noise was annoying her, but it was hard to know with the small house goddess.
“Yes, he thought he could tame a gon. The massive amphibian was less pleased by his efforts and attempted to eat him. Thankfully, he was too large,” Xapher said, chuckling. “He wasn’t the most intelligent when he was younger, but he is better now. I promise.”
“Xapher,” I snapped.
This scene had been repeated more than once.
I had come back to my quarters to find Wyn speaking to one or both of my parents.
They both loved to regale him with tales of my youth, almost as if they were both desperate to share everything about me with Wyn.
Through the conversations, he was growing more and more comfortable with them.
It soothed something deep within me. I was exceedingly close with them, and I wanted Wyn to love them as much as I did.
However, they didn’t need to tell him every horrible story of my youth.
“And the ender of fun is here,” they said.
I moved toward the couch and glared at Xapher.
“I’m not ruining the fun. I merely dislike you telling embarrassing stories.
” The one about the gon wasn’t the worst, but it was bad enough.
As a kit, I’d thought every animal wished to be my friend or become my pet.
Or more accurately, every wild animal. I’d had to be stopped on a great many occasions.
“Stories of your childhood are how your Wyn gets to know the child you,” Xapher said, crossing their arms. “And he deserves to know the child you. He deserves it all, and I will tell him.”
I couldn’t deny that, and it wasn’t because my xapher called Wyn mine. It wasn’t that at all. “Fine,” I replied, “but not all stories are complimentary.”
“Well, you weren’t a perfect child,” they said, lifting their eyebrows. Xapher gave Wyn a quick goodbye before ending the session.
I pressed a kiss on Wyn’s temple, inhaling his scent, then asked, “Did you have a good chat with Xapher?”
“I did.”
“I’m glad.”
Cincin jumped off her custom tree and waddled to her food bowl, then plopped into a seated position, her fluff going everywhere. She gave me a mournful cry, and I immediately moved to give her more hard food.
“Monqilcolnen,” Wyn said, grabbing me with his tail.
I turned toward him. “What?”
“No.”
My eyebrows furrowed. “I don’t understand.”
“She doesn’t need more food. Cincin is fine.”
“She’s hungry,” I said, looking at Cincin, who was releasing the most mournful cry. She was starving, and I couldn’t let her be uncomfortable.
Wyn stood and pulled me closer, draping his arms around my hips. “She doesn’t. Cincin is eating too much, and she’s training you to feed her whenever she wants, which isn’t good for her.”
“Training me?” I asked, lifting an eyebrow.
He laughed, touching my cocked eyebrow. “Your xapher does that.”
I blinked. He was right. I’d never noticed before. Most of the time, I never thought I resembled Xapher, besides my eyes, so it shocked me to realize I was indeed like both of my parents in small ways. “Very true.”
Wyn hugged me, then turned to his screen. While he was distracted, I moved to feed Cincin. I couldn’t bear her sadness. When I reached down to snag her bowl, Wyn snapped, “No, Monqilcolnen.”
Cincin pawed at her bowl and released a sad cry that shattered my soul. I glanced at Wyn, and he shook his head. I patted Cincin’s head and turned my back, ignoring her sad cries as she followed me, bumping her head against me.
I glanced back at Wyn, who was sitting on my couch again, working on his screen.
He’d been staying here more often than not, and I loved it.
I wanted to ask him to come live in my quarters, but it was too soon.
Our relationship felt as if it was moving too slowly and too fast all at the same time.
I wanted everything with him right now, but I couldn’t have it, regardless of my feelings for him.
However, I did love how much time he spent in my quarters, whether we were going to fuck or not.
Getting my own screen, I sat beside him and snuggled close to his side. “What are you working on?”
“My artificial intelligence kill code.”
I peered over his shoulder. This project had piqued my interest when he’d first mentioned it, even if I didn’t know much about it.
Him even making such a thing seemed out of the ordinary for me when he was so close friends with Edith, but his reasonings behind it made sense.
It was a fascinating project, nonetheless.
Creating this kill code would take a lot of time and refining before it could even be tested, lest it destroy our own NAID in the process.
This project, though, showed exactly how smart my Wyn was.
“What are you working on?” he asked, not looking up.
My work wasn’t nearly as interesting. “Reviewing the station we are approaching.”
Wyn glanced up. “We’re stopping?”
This was an important, not to mention expedient, trip, so we were making no non-essential stops, but a request for a pick up of a Drakcon citizen had come through.
So we were making a quick stop. It would also be a great time to pick up essentials.
Captain Talvax wasn’t allowing any shore leave, but a few people would go aboard the station.
I would be one of those people, because the Drakcon citizen was an old friend, Vorjyn.
He’d messaged me sometime ago about being at this station, but apparently he now needed a rescue.
“A short pick up,” I answered. Putting my knee on the couch, I faced him. “Would you like to go aboard with me?”
He smiled, and my soul stuttered. No matter how many times I saw that look, it would never grow old. “I would like that,” Wyn said, sliding his tail down mine.
Tingles rushed up my spine, and my cock began to swell. “Wyn,” I grunted, reaching for him and pulling him onto my lap, “can I persuade you to put off your academic pursuits?”
“Perhaps.” He pressed kisses along my jaw.
“How can I persuade you?” I asked, breathless.
“I can think of several ways.”
“Can you?”
“Yes.”
I captured his lips and stood with him in my arms, then headed to the bedroom, more than ready to persuade him to the best of my abilities.
Wyn was deep asleep against me, his tail wrapped around mine.
I kept running my fingers up and down his spine, relishing his place beside me.
I hadn’t even asked him to stay; he just had.
I kept my gaze locked to him, watching his eyelids flicker and his chest rise and fall.
Peace was so strong in my soul right now it felt as if I was basking in the light of the Crystal.
I didn’t want to close my eyes and end this. I wanted to stay with him, aware of him for as long as possible. I should sleep, as I had duty in the morning, but I couldn’t. Not yet. I needed more time with him.
A deep voice sounded in my ear. “Monqilcolnen.”
I grabbed my touchstone, and Wyn grumbled, tightening his hold on me. I ran a hand down his back to soothe him as I answered, “Vorjyn.”
“It’s been a long time,” he said.
It had been.
We’d been in the academy together and then stationed on our first ship together.
We’d never been stationed together again, merely meeting at random moments, before he had left the Planetary Navy altogether.
He was now a mercenary. I didn’t condone his life choices, but at least he tended to only escort powerful people or precious cargo from one place to another.
Or so he said. I wasn’t convinced. Vorjyn was rather bloodthirsty to only guard people.
“You realize this is not a short trip home,” I told him, skipping the formalities. Vorjyn loathed small talk. “You could be stuck here for cycles.”
“I know, but I need to get away from my last job. To say she developed inappropriately amorous intentions toward me would make light of the situation. She has basically started stalking me and is trying to get her father to ‘buy’ me for her pleasure.”
I shook my head. “That does sound concerning.”
“Hence my need for a quick escape, even one supplied by the Drakcol Empire.”
“Well, I shall be there soon.”
“I suppose I’ll stay in your quarters. It’s been a long time since we’ve fucked, and I could use a good fuck right now. It would calm me down.”
Once, long ago, Vorjyn and I had been fuck friends. It had been nothing more than convenience, but times had changed. Wyn grunted, shoving his face into my side. I smiled softly. Things had most definitely changed.
Even if I’d been so inclined to want someone else, Wyn had made it very clear he wouldn’t share me.
“You won’t be able to stay with me,” I said, trailing my fingers over Wyn’s back. His scales were so slick. He took excellent care of them, and I adored the feel beneath my fingertips.
“Why not? Has there been a change in regulations? Can’t fuck the outcast of the navy anymore?”
I scoffed. “There’s been a change in my relationship status.”
“Really?” Vorjyn asked, his voice not shifting in the slightest, still remaining bored. “Good for you.”
“Thank you. Wyn and I are simply courting at the moment, but he means a great deal to me.”
“Wyn… that’s a short name.”
I growled at the implication.
Wyn opened his eyes, looking around—nothing was to be seen in the darkened bedroom. He climbed on top of me, his weight settling me. Head tucked under my chin, he patted my chest and said, “Go back to sleep, Monqilcolnen.”
I didn’t respond, but I did rest my free hand on the small of his back to keep him close to me.
Vorjyn continued as if I hadn’t growled at him. “He’s clearly of a different station.”
“So?”
“You’re a royal and that has its complications, as much as you like to ignore them,” he said.
I might not be able to see him, but I could easily picture his bored expression that basically said I was an idiot and he shouldn’t have to tell me these things.
I’d seen it frequently enough when we’d served together.
“I am aware. My parents adore him, as do my cousins.”
“All helpful, but it’s going to be hard for him to conquer the stigma of hopping classes, even if you two are bound-mates.”
“The Crystal didn’t choose him. I chose him.” My inner fire might have led me to Wyn, but I was the one who’d chosen him. I refused to give him up.
“Beautiful sentiment, I’m sure, not to mention, disgustingly romantic, but people are still horrible. I much prefer them dead.”
I ignored the latter comment. “No one has said anything.”
“Of course they haven’t. Right now you’re in a bubble, but one day that bubble will pop and he’ll have a whole host of stupid people making comments about the two of you.
I’m not saying give up. I’m saying be aware of what you’re asking of him.
I wouldn’t choose you if I was him. Not worth the trouble or hassle. ”
Talvax had said something similar.
“But what do I know?” Vorjyn chuckled without even an ounce of humor. “Single for life and horrifying my parents a little more everyday.”
I laughed, but it was forced. “Do you think they will try to make you stay?”
“Probably. They’ve issued many orders about me returning, so I’m sure you’ll be ordered to keep me on board once you have me. Don’t worry, though, I’ll sneak off before we get home. I’m not going to be contained and ordered about by an ancient tradition that no longer makes sense,” he said.
I grunted. Many people hated the second phase of adulthood laws. I didn’t. My parents were kind, and they also never enforced them, letting me do as I wished. Others, like Vorjyn, were not as lucky.
“Will I get to meet your Wyn?” he asked.
“Yes, he’ll be with me when I go to the station.”
“Excellent. I need to make sure he measures up. See you soon.” He ended the session before I could comment.
I stared at the darkened ceiling, grateful for Wyn’s weight on top of me, grounding me.
Vorjyn and I weren’t close like I was with my cousins, but we were still friends of a sort.
He’d never tried to use me for my position, which I appreciated.
Vorjyn honestly never cared one way or another about my relation to the royal family. I was just Monqilcolnen to him.
However, he’d never tried to get to know me better.
Vorjyn was rather self-centered. If it didn’t directly affect him, he didn’t care about it.
It was all about him. He had always been content with whatever I offered him in regards to our relationship, never pressing for more unless I pissed him off. Vorjyn did have a potent temper.
We had a complicated friendship, to say the least. It would be good to see him, though.
A part of me almost felt guilty about calling him a friend when I truly didn’t know much about him.
Vorjyn had refused to share much unless he wanted something from me.
Also, deep down, I didn’t know he was actually capable of caring about me, or anyone for that matter.
If I didn’t call him friend, though, I’d have to call him a fuck partner. Somehow I was certain Wyn wouldn’t like that. And fuck partner didn’t sum up my relationship with Vorjyn either.
Hopefully, Wyn would be fine with meeting Vorjyn. While I wanted to see a jealous Wyn asserting his claim over me again and again, I didn’t want to push him so far as to hurt him. Besides, he had nothing to be worried about. He was my everything.