Chapter Twenty-One #2
She burst across the floor while ripping off the clothes currently on her back.
Xexis chuckled as she tossed herself into the fabric he held open for her.
He showed her how to click the snaps into place before fixing her breasts into the jelly soft cups.
The dress fell off her shoulders and the sleeves were massive batwings, she flopped them about happily.
The hem hit the tops of her feet. Xexis pulled shoes out of the bottom of the bag.
He slid into his usual boots while she bemoaned comfort of her usual shoes for the plastic flats that suctioned to her feet.
One day in horrific flats would be worth it to look like a royal space princess.
“My apologies, Mphrovic’s orders. She refused to dress you in boots with official gowns.”
“Who?” Aphrodite blinked up at him.
“Xnasis’ mate, Kinsi. It is her duty to tend to our people since my mother’s passing. You’ll like her, she is feisty like you but not machines, about clothing and food. She possesses the best palette.”
Aphrodite snorted to herself, preparing herself for whatever in the stars that could mean.
Only to turn toward the glossy walls and cupher face with her hands.
Oh, yeah, space princess. Her inner child squealed loud enough to shatter the windows.
It’s the fanciest fucking thing I’ve ever fucking owned!
“Mphronatch wears black and chrome to match the Kannatch.”
“I love it,” she breathed, running her hands down the satin finished fabric. Swiftly, she switched gears and ruffled her hair and got it manageable.
“You look…stunning. I enjoy you naked, but this is a good second.” He wrapped an arm around her and tugged her close to his chest.
She barked with a laugh, twisting as if to say something to his face.
Words failed her as he stole the air from her lungs with a glance.
He put his forehead against hers. She hummed happily.
Melting into him, she almost didn’t want to leave.
The door hissed open, and the pack broke their peaceful quiet bubble to gawk at them.
She glanced away from Xexis to catch Kiefgr clutching their hands before their face.
“Is it bad?” She winced.
“You are more Mphronatch!” Kiefgr cried out, rushing inside. They clapped their hands together before bowing. “My Mphronatch, Kannatch, an honor.”
She flushed, turning away from them to grab her data pad. Buddy floated over her shoulder. “Sorry, Buddy, we can’t get you into the new stuff just yet. Your upgrade will probably have to wait.”
The text bubble appeared on her screen as she attached the data pad to her wrist under her sleeve.
I have patience installed.
She snapped her attention to the drone. Buddy twirled his tentacles innocently. Xexis grabbed her by the bicep tenderly and led her away, not letting her interrogate her drone. One of these days they would have to talk about his sentience.
She kept up with his stride as they left the room. His pack fell in step behind them. The distinct lack of sound in the ship meant one thing—they were here. Her heart leapt into her throat.
Aphrodite looped her arm in his, slowing their stride as they wound toward the dock. Xexis stroked her hand against his forearm affectionately. “It is loud, but not bad.”
“Huh?” She blinked rapidly.
“The crowd, when we leave, will be loud, but that is a good thing. They have been awaiting my return with my mate.” He flashed her one of his warm smiles.
She nodded vigorously, trying not to let the pressure get to her.
Right, he’s a prince, of course they’re waiting.
She clutched his arm for dear life as they came upon the ramp.
They were parked at a space station. She could pinpoint that steel gray floor anywhere.
Rexna and the other crew that were in the command deck stood at the bottom of the ramp.
The engineer beamed and waved two arms at her happily.
As if summoning the crowd, the air filled with a roar.
They were cheering. The people called Kannatch and Mphronatch like it were a sports stadium.
Aphrodite tried not to let her face pale and her feet stumble as they stepped down the ramp.
A massive crowd, more so a sea of people, waited before the ship.
And they kept screaming her title. Creatures of all shapes and sizes, but mostly Vroz huddled around hunters in heavy armor to keep them back.
There was a black and opal velvet rope that cleared their path across the dock.
A mountain-sized docking station opened around her.
Aphrodite gasped, absorbing it the best she could.
There were several levels with different ships of varying size, all obsidian and flat like Xexis’ ship, spread through the vast room.
It was dizzying to look up. People were on every platform, and they were all screaming her title.
Even as she cleared into the station, and was visible from all levels, they screamed.
They actually screamed louder. Aphrodite spared Rexna a panicked smile as she passed the engineer.
Rexna spared her a ‘you got this’ wince with all four thumbs up.
Aphrodite laughed nervously before returning her attention ahead. Head up, shoulders back, be a fucking princess. She could do this for Xexis. She could fucking do this! She’d faced monsters and broken ships and certain death; a crowd of screaming people was nothing!
Aphrodite steeled her spine, reining in her emotions.
I can’t control them, but I can fucking control myself.
Xexis smiled, waving into the crowd. As they got to the first wave of people, silence fell over the whole hangar.
The wall of people put their fists to their chests and bowed.
It bottomed out her stomach as they passed.
Wave after wave, people rose as they passed.
Her back was covered in goose bumps and the hair at the nape of her neck stood on edge.
Thankfully I raked my fingers through my hair earlier in the reflection.
They wound through the hangar till they reached a massive archway.
Underneath it stood a Vroz in even more opulent attire than Xexis.
A carbon copy of Xexis, but thinner. Their shoulders were slender and their waist a perfect hourglass.
However, their faces were exactly the same.
Same shade of teal with spots of white in the exact same place, large obsidian eyes, and proud pincers stood at attention.
Dressed in plum purple with golden trim, the stranger put a fist to their chest and bowed.
Aphrodite felt Xexis begin to bow and immediately followed his lead.
As they stood, another brother, she assumed brother due to the carbon copy effect, joined them in a muted green and silver garb, “Jrucvitz!”
Xexis slipped from Aphrodite to toss his arms around the green suited brother, then to the purple one. Yeah, pretty sure, siblings.
“Mphronatch.” The green suit bowed to her softly with a beaming look etched into their features.
“I—” She squeaked to answer. Thankfully, Reevar’s voice whispered in her right ear. Purple is Xnasis, crown prince; green is Xreck, younger brother. She smiled and made a mental note to thank Reevar later. “Xreck!”
Xreck illuminated even brighter, gasping with delight and pulling her in for a spine breaking hug. He swayed her back and forth in his embrace. “My brother’s mate knows my name! How he must have missed us in his travels!”
“Do not hog the Mphronatch, Xreck.” She was ripped from one bear hug to the next. Aphrodite wheezed for air as she tried her best to hug the crown prince.
She patted his back weakly. “An honor, Xnasis, to meet you.”
Returned, finally, safe and sound to her mate’s arm, she tried not to pass out from the air flooding back to her lungs.
“Mphronatch, you are more gorgeous than your stills.” Xnasis bowed his head to her softly. “Come, my Jrucvitz, we have much to celebrate and too much watzer to drink.”
She didn’t need to know Vrozian to know watzer was probably alcohol.
The group were whisked into an elevator the size of Xexis’ room.
The pack bowed and joined in tight embraces with the princes.
Aphrodite tried to calm the flush on her cheeks as she sat back and watched them box and play fight with each other.
It was actually cute to see Grooug playfully punch at Xreck and Xnasis before happily ducking and tackling them into the wall.
Xexis stayed by her side, seeming to love the view of the merriment.
“I have missed this,” he whispered.
“Your family?” She cocked her head up at him. The elevator began to ascend, but it was taking its time.
“I have been away for some time. As Kannatch, I have been bound by duty to my people. But, you do not join the court until you are Mated. I did my duties from my vessels, assigning hunts, checking in on my people from the stars. But now,” he glanced down at her, warmly, “my mate and I are home.”
“Home?” she croaked.
“Cyazkacop, our home is court. Where the Korzavic, and Kannatch, and all of the decisions are made. I have mated, I must now become true Kannatch in my seat. But…of course, that is after my last hunt.” he ended with a teasing wink at her. “My mate does not mind, correct?”
She snorted, “I would never get between you and the pack getting one last hunt together. It would be cruel.”
“Oh, my mate misunderstands.” He leaned in close and breathed in her ear, “My last hunt is with all my pack, including my mate. You will join us.”
Aphrodite laughed, “You’re joking.”
“I am funny, but I am not joking. Kiefgr would be sad if you did not join.” He smirked, proud pincers standing tall.
“Don’t use him against me!” she hissed under her breath.
“He would wallow in sadness at the missed opportunity,” Xexis shrugged nonchalantly, looking away.
Aphrodite scowled, “How dare you.”
“So, you’re joining us?” He flashed her a mischievous grin, tugging her close to his side. She glared. He snickered, nodding, “Yes, good, Kiefgr will be pleased.”
She was going to get him back for that. Not sure how yet, but oh it was coming.
Leaning against him, she found any panic or worry before slipping away.
She hated how fast he could adjust her mood without trying.
Well, maybe not hated. Her scowl fell away as she stroked her hand against the small of his back.
His satin fabric felt divine against her palms. Aphrodite studied the doors as the elevator stopped.
They all collected themselves at the chime over their heads.
The doors hissed open, and they were greeted by a small wave of people.
The cheers hushed as they bowed to Xnasis and stayed bowed while the whole group passed through the hall.
Long metal pillars with crystal holograms of events carved like glass statues.
Aphrodite held onto Xexis to keep in pace with the group, but her attention was on the figures moving in opalescent light.
Vroz rescuing beings out of burning spaceships, Vroz hunting large beasts in a pack, a pair of Vroz fighting something evil looming over them.
Then, the last one that snagged her attention was a Vroz stitching a being with an open wound, holding a rag to their forehead with a free hand.
It rammed into her brain at that moment, that her mate wasn’t just a Kannatch.
Vroz weren’t just the hunters of the universe.
They were the emergency services of the stars.
The calls, Kannatch’s duties; they received all the distress calls that went to the Council, and they answered those calls.
Oh. My. Stars. DUH! It was so obvious. Between Fqa, his little quips, and all she’d seen, it was so obvious and yet the revelation slapped her upside the head like a wet fish.
Her heart clenched in her chest. Aphrodite turned her attention to Xexis and found him gazing at the statues as well.
He smiled fondly, his pincers curled softly at the ends, and his chest puffed out proudly.
Aphrodite squeezed his arm. Pushing up on her toes swiftly as the party stopped at a door, she kissed his cheeks.
Xexis glanced down at her with confusion.
She kissed one of his decorated biceps next.
“Just really impressed with all your people do for everyone else.”
Xexis swept her up in his arms in front of the whole court and brought their foreheads together. “My mate.”
It took Reevar patting Xexis on the back to break him from his hold of her. As the doors opened to a massive mess hall of opulence and glittering light, Xexis purred in her ears. “The moment dinner is over, I am hunting my mate through the halls to our room…”
Her face flushed as he tugged her closer, voice dropping low and husky. “Aphrodite, I will claim you against the bed. My mate will need to strengthen her shaking legs as I toss her dress over her head and make her scream into the mattress.”
Reevar cleared his throat, putting two hands on each of their shoulders and shoved the couple inside the room. “Please, some of us are actually hungry.”
Aphrodite sputtered, fanning her face as the blush burned her flesh to a crisp. But the look in Xexis’ eyes said he meant every word.