Epilogue
CASSIE
“Well, the vaccine is a success!” Commander Sylvan smiled at the three of them as they sat across the desk from him in his office.
“You know that of course—it’s one reason the three of you were able to come back to the Mother Ship.
But I wanted to tell you how well it’s going on other worlds as well.
We were able to save the survivors on Visslick Prime.
And on several other nearby worlds where the Hunger Virus had spread, we were able to knock it out before it killed large numbers of their population. ”
“That’s wonderful news—though I wouldn’t mind hearing that Cassie’s ex-mate had been turned into an Infected,” Ravik said.
“Ravik, every life is precious,” Severin admonished him.
“Not that fucker—he kicked Cassie out into the Dead Zone!” the Beast Kindred said indignantly.
“Well, on this point, I concur,” Severin agreed. “If her ex-mate contracted the Hunger Virus, he got what he deserved. Though if he hadn’t cast her out, you never would have found her and we wouldn’t have her as our mate right now.”
“All right now guys, let’s not talk about Sskarth—he’s in the past,” Cassie reminded them. She looked at Commander Sylvan. “I’m so glad everything worked out.”
She was also extremely glad that the anti-viral agent they’d made from her breast nectar could now be synthesized. She’d spent over three months on Cherubin Three getting “milked” daily and she’d gotten heartily tired of it.
But it hadn’t been all bad—she and her two guys had spent a lot of time exploring the alien bird world and every night renewing their Triune Bond.
The strange thing was, having so much Kindred cream from younger males pumped into her body seemed to have done something to resolve her perimenopause symptoms. In fact, the last time Dr. Verityx had tested her hormones, he’d told her that she was technically no longer in perimenopause at all.
“Why, it’s almost as though you’re aging in reverse, my dear!” he had exclaimed enthusiastically, swiveling his head around in a 360 degree circle in that way he had when he was especially excited. “I do believe that receiving so much seed from your two mates has rejuvenated your body.”
Cassie had to admit, she did look younger now. The wrinkles around the corners of her eyes and mouth had smoothed out and her skin was glowing and healthy. Also, she never had hot-flashes anymore, which was wonderful.
Who knew that the fountain of youth was actually to be found in having lots and lots of sex with hot Kindred warriors, she thought. If this secret got out, every “Mature Elite” on Earth was going to want to bond with their own set of Kindred males!
“…do you want to do now?” Commander Sylvan’s voice drew her back to the present and she realized she’d missed something.
“Excuse me, what?” she asked, frowning politely.
“I asked what the three of you would like to do now. I assume you’d prefer to take less dangerous missions now that the two of you are Bonded?” he asked, looking at Severin and Ravik.
“Yes, absolutely,” Severin answered without hesitation. This was something the three of them had discussed at length. The two big Kindred no longer wanted to go into war zones or life-threatening situations since—as Ravik put it: “Now we have something to live for—each other.”
“We don’t want to bring Cassie into any combat zones,” Severin added.
“Well, you could work together as explorers for the Mother Ship,” Commander Sylvan offered. “We can issue you a specially outfitted long-range shuttle and you can find new worlds and cultures for us to make genetic trades.”
“Oh, that sounds like fun!” Cassie exclaimed.
She’d always loved the idea of traveling to exotic new planets.
Sadly, Visslick Prime had been no fun at all—probably because Sskarn had been such a jerk and she didn’t enjoy insect-based foods.
But traveling the universe with her two men and seeing new planets and having adventures sounded perfect.
“I think our lady likes that idea,” Severin remarked and shot her a smile.
“Fine by me,” Ravik rumbled. “We can send regular updates back to the Mother Ship.”
“But can we go back to Earth for a while first?” Cassie pleaded. “I really need to see my children—it’s been over a year since I last talked to them.”
“Can we meet your other ex-mate—that Mitch guy?” Ravik asked. “You know—the one who never satisfied you in bed?”
“Ravik!” Cassie felt her cheeks go pink with mortification and Severin shot the Beast Kindred a reproving look.
“What? I just want him to know that he missed out and that his ex-mate is being well satisfied now,” Ravik said.
Cassie couldn’t help herself—she started to laugh. The thought of old stick-in-the-mud Mitch seeing her looking younger than ever with two hot Kindred warriors on her arm was a delicious idea. Maybe an idea she couldn’t pass up.
“Of course you can’t pass it up!” Ravik sent through their link, catching her thought.
“We shouldn’t torment the poor male,” Severin objected, also catching the thread of mental conversation. “Isn’t it bad enough that he lost Cassandra? He’ll be angry enough with himself for letting such a beautiful woman slip through his fingers without seeing us with her.”
“No, no—I think I like Ravik’s idea,” Cassie sent to them both. “It wouldn’t hurt to let him know how I’m doing now.”
“See? It’s a good idea.” Ravik’s mental voice was triumphant. “We’re gonna show him exactly what he’s missing out on! Imagine letting a gorgeous Mature Elite get away from you. The male must be an idiot.”
“…would be just fine,” Commander Sylvan said and Cassie realized that she had missed part of the outward conversation again, because she’d been so focused on the inner one between her guys.
“Excuse me?” she said to Commander Sylvan, who was giving the three of them an amused look.
“I said, take as much time on Earth as you like,” he repeated. “While you’re away, we’ll be getting your special long-range exploration shuttle outfitted.”
“Sounds fucking perfect!” Ravik said, rising from his chair and offering his arm for a warrior’s clasp to his Commanding Officer.
The rest of them rose as well and Cassie thanked Commander Sylvan again.
As they left his office, she felt a surge of excitement. She and her guys were going to go on adventures together and see strange new worlds! She couldn’t imagine a more perfect way to spend their time.
“Exactly!” Ravik remarked, having obviously caught her thought through their link. “It’s going to be like an episode of that old Earth show you showed us—Star Trek, right? But with lots of hot three-way sex!”
“Ravik!” she and Severin exclaimed, as heads turned in the hallway they were walking down. But she couldn’t help laughing and she saw the corners of the Blood Kindred’s mouth twitching upward too.
“All right—I won’t say it out loud,” Ravik sent through their link.
“But speaking of three-way sex, how about we go back to the guest suite they assigned us. I’m feeling the urge to Bond our female to us all over again before we go see her ex-mate.
” He gave Cassie a wolfish grin. “I want our scent to be all over her when we meet him.”
“Actually, I like that idea myself,” Severin admitted, giving Cassie a look that was lazy with lust. “What do you think, sweetheart? Should Ravik and I scent mark you and Bond you to us all over again before we go down to Earth?”
Cassie felt a surge of excitement mixed with lust that sent a pleasurable shiver through her entire body.
“Hmm, you know, I think that sounds like a perfect way to spend some time before we go back to Earth,” she murmured. “Come on, boys—let’s go.”