13. Great Day for a Walk
Chapter 13
Great Day for a Walk
Isabella
I sa smiled at Bellator’s broad back as he took the lead. She noticed that he or one of his betas was always nearby, guarding her. It had been that way since she woke up this morning in a literal cuddle puddle made up of the alphas, consorts, and several other members of the hive. Her smile broadened at the memory. There was no need for blankets to keep her warm at night with all the snuggle buddies.
Phara and Artifex held her hands while they moved through the corridors, showing off the rest of the hive. The triplets, Diligen, Masculum, and several others joined the tour. Their happy smiles made her grin. She wondered how much of that was due to the festivities last night? Her smile broadened into an all-out grin as she shook her head incredulously.
Hey, Dad, remember how you wanted me to get married? Well, I did. Meet all two-hundred and fifty-nine of my husbands. The mental image of her father’s shocked expression made her snort. Sadly, no matter what she did her father still wouldn’t approve. Frankly, she no longer cared.
Phara heard her little snort. He smiled, blinking as he gave her hand a squeeze. She never thought it was possible to fall in love in the span of a day, but her hive, especially her alphas, were making her a believer. The idea of being married to all of them still freaked her out, mainly because she wasn’t sure she could do them justice; but they were the best thing to ever happen to her, and she was going to do her damnedest to give them all the love they deserved. Isa gazed affectionately up at Phara, slowly blinking the way they did. His eyes flared, a lusty growl vibrating in his throat.
“Do we need a break?” Artifex eagerly asked.
“No!” Isa giggled and shook her head.
“Aw,” Bellator pouted as he looked back at them.
She chuckled as they entered another cavernous room. It wasn’t as big as the five-story room that held the bulk of the hive’s apartments, complete with balconies and a courtyard with potted plants. This was more shopping warehouse impressive.
“Wow!” Isa admired the array of goods stored in cubbies carved into the purple rock.
The whole left side of the room looked like the shelves at a home goods store, just like the food storage rooms near the kitchen resembled a grocery store. Considering how big the hive was, it made sense to have all these things for replacements and trade, yet it was still stunning to see everything. Her archaeology background lent to her excitement. Even though she studied ancient peoples, it was really their stuff that she’d studied, since the people were long dead. This was right up her alley.
Isa was drawn to a nearby bank of shelves. She picked up one of the particularly lovely ceramic cups to examine the colorful floral pattern.
A blue copper-based glaze, she noted the primary color used on the handleless vessel, and recalled seeing similar on some ancient Egyptian pieces.
The cup sat amidst a variety of colorful ceramic plates, jugs, and tableware. There were also carved wooden goods for the kitchen or dining table in this section of the cavern. Her gaze panned down the wall of shelves, noting all manner of things from blankets to tools. On the other side of the room were a dozen evenly spaced work benches, each with a variety of tools. Not all the benches were the same, or had the same equipment. Obviously, they were geared toward the different trades that it took to make the goods on the shelves.
“So, this is the craft and storage room,” she commented to Artifex as she set the cup down.
“It is. We are also able to bake clay goods and form metal in the forges through there.” Artifex pointed to a room branching off. “We generally only fire up the forge in the cold season.”
“Because of the cold?” Isa tilted her head in confusion. That shouldn’t be the reason, since caves tend to stay temperate all year round.
“Our craftsmen are usually performing agricultural duties and taking advantage of the warm season,” Artifex explained.
“The forges do warm the legionnaire quarters which are near the surface and can get cold at that time of orbit,” Bellator added.
“Ah.” She nodded.
They continued onward through the hive and Isa’s head was on a swivel taking everything in. The Vorto were a fascinating culture. They were like humans during the iron age, somewhat primitive, yet they had technology like the refectio, which was more advanced than the healing equipment her people had on Earth when she left. It was totally captivating. She was having fun looking for combinations of advanced and primitive features as she toured with her men.
“What do you think of the hive?” Phara asked as they continued to another section.
“It’s amazing.” She leaned her head against Phara’s arm. “The talent and ingenuity that it took to create all of this is astounding. I’m very glad this isn’t a plain old cave, that you have running water, lighting, and heat when it’s needed,” she admitted with an emphatic nod.
“Yes, those things are nice,” Artifex chuckled.
“Here we are at the chrysalis chamber.” Bellator stopped at a pair of doors.
“We’re going to show you the chamber, but it's best to not go inside.” Phara cringed.
Her brow furrowed at his expression.
“We don’t know if your hormones will force the amnio sacs to mature. We think it’s best if the next generation doesn’t emerge yet,” Artifex hesitantly explained.
She instantly understood. The alphas didn’t know what the future held, if she was compatible with them or not. They still needed to hold off on waking the future generations as if nothing had changed.
“No, I get it.” She squeezed Artifex and Phara’s hands sympathetically. “Let’s not disturb anything.”
“We can open the port a bit. That should be fine.” Artifex cracked the door.
Isa peered inside the cavern and her mouth dropped open as her gaze rose up, up, up, then panned way down again. Ten stories of honeycomb compartments were connected by a spiral staircase in the towering room. Out of the thousands of cubbies in the chamber, only a few hundred niches directly in front of her contained the purple sacks which reminded her of basketball-sized butterfly cocoons.
Those are amnio sacs. She recalled them being mentioned but had no concept of what they were.
She gaped in awe at the spheres that held Vorto fetuses in them. Maybe she was right about the Vorto being similar to insects. In fact, caterpillars turned into goo inside their cocoons before transforming into butterflies, the way the Vorto could shift from their humanoid shape into the flux or plasm form.
Isa pulled back. “So, what happens when the babies are born, I mean emerge from those sacks? I’m picturing the little guys plopping out of the cubicles and falling over the balconies,” she worriedly asked.
The alphas and several of the other Vorto laughed.
“That happens,” Artifex chuckled.
“Usually, it’s the sign of a hatchling legionnaire,” Bellator snorted.
“That’s awful!” She gaped at them. “That’s a several story drop.”
“Don’t let them tease you.” Phara rubbed her shoulder.
“Hatchlings are in their flux form when they emerge,” Gregis reminded her.
“They can fall several levels and bounce,” Galis added.
Her eyes widened imagining the gooey baby balls falling and bouncing. It wasn’t any more comforting.
“Some of us bounced more than others,” Gregis teased Galis.
Everyone laughed when Galis made a face at him.
“We always have someone tending the chamber, keeping watch for the little ones. The hatchlings get more active as they get closer to emerging. We form catching parties, so I’ve been told,” Artifex explained.
“But I thought a fall hurts you, even in your flux form?” She looked to Phara, recalling his story of standing at the cliff.
“Oh, it requires a fall from much higher up,” Phara assured her.
“It’s a lesson many of us need to learn,” Bellator explained as they continued walking down the passage.
“I understand, but I still don’t like the idea of babies falling.” Her brow furrowed. “Life is hard enough without the scary lessons starting right off the bat. And you guys didn’t like my story about Little Red Riding Hood,” she grimaced at the irony.
“I—I never thought of it that way.” Phara frowned, his gaze thoughtful as he seemed to be playing out the scenario.
All of her men went from amused to contrite. Her heart plummeted.
“I’m sorry.” Isa cringed. “I didn’t mean to be critical. I have no right to judge.” She shook her head. For all she knew this was just like the trials of baby birds getting booted from the nest.
“Do not apologize.” Artifex shook his head. “We wish to know all of your thoughts.”
“You are right, my queen. The fall must be terrifying when you’ve never known anything else about life.” Phara cupped her cheek.
“Yeah, but I bet breaking out of their sack is, too.” She considered things further. “You guys already said you have more attendants when the time comes for them to emerge. It’s not like you’re neglectfully letting it happen. I just imagined a human baby and freaked out.”
“We attempt to attend to everything, but it is always good to be aware of other ways and perspectives.” Bellator led them up a steep incline away from the unusual nursery.
“We could add bumpers to the individual chambers and ledges. That shouldn’t restrict airflow,” Artifex suggested.
“The chamber walkways need barriers before our queen goes in, too. She couldn’t withstand that fall,” Phara added, looking suddenly worried.
“Well, yeah, you’re right.” Isa nodded. “If I fell from even the second story I’d probably be hurt.”
The Vorto gasped.
“I am glad we are having this discussion!” Bellator worriedly declared. “I’m also reconsidering our tour outside.” He opened a door leading into a brightly lit foyer.
“We are blessed you survived the fall from the ether.” Artifex grimaced.
Isa was instantly fixated on the windows, ignoring the reminder of her brush with death.
Sunlight! That’s sunlight. That’s the outside.
This was the first time she’d seen the sun in over a day, actually over a hundred years, though she’d been in stasis for all that time, so it felt like just a day. For someone accustomed to regularly seeing sunlight, that was a long time to be in a cave, even a fancy one. This was also her first time seeing the alien planet.
“Ooh, let’s go.” She tugged Phara and Artifex toward the window for a peek.
“A moment,” Phara chuckled, resisting her pull.
“Would you like additional coverings?” Artifex gestured to the shelves in the walls holding clothing.
“No.” She adamantly shook her head, chomping at the bit to get outside. She hadn’t realized how eager she was to see the planet before now.
“You may find it cool.” Phara held her hand, resisting her pull toward the door.
“They’re teasing you. They can see how eager you are to go out.” Bellator clasped her around the waist and snatched her away from the other alphas. “It’s our warm season.” He playfully hustled toward the door, evading the other two.
“Rotten!” She made a face at Phara and Artifex.
“Never!” Artifex attempted to look insulted, but laughed instead.
His laughter was echoed by several of the Vorto who’d joined them for the tour.
Bellator set her on her feet and opened the door. Isa blinked as she stepped into the bright daylight streaming into the foyer. The sun on Tellus was very much like Earth’s, one of the reasons this planet was chosen for the Manifest mission. It took a bit for her eyes to adjust. When her vision cleared, the first thing she noticed was how pink the sky was.
“Oh,” she whispered in awe, soaking in the mountainous landscape, as she stepped farther onto the stone patio.
“Don’t go too far.” Bellator pointed out that the veranda extended for twenty feet before dropping off. “I think we’ll need to add barriers here, too. Invicta, please help me remember these locations, so we can discuss it with Artifex later.” He took her hand.
“Of course, my alpha,” the Vorto man replied.
“Thank you.” Isa smiled, appreciating they were thinking of her, but at the moment the view had her preoccupied.
Holding on to Bellator’s hand, she ventured closer to the edge, while taking in the mountain range with its stunning peaks, some snow-capped. The view was as breathtaking as the Grand Canyon, with its striated rock formations, though instead of shades of red these were purple against a cloud-dotted pink sky.
Just gorgeous. Her heart sped up, excited by the wonder of it all.
The hive sat on the side of one mountain, looking out at others in a chain of peaks. There was forest growth on the side of the peaks that grew thicker near the valley.
Still clasping Bellator’s hand, she stepped closer to the edge of the veranda and looked down. The drop wasn’t too steep, but she certainly didn’t want to fall off the ledge, either. Below, on the mountain slope, she had a better view of the plant life. The trees were filled with yellow foliage. They had spiraling red trunks, like fancy manicured topiaries, except the corkscrew was their natural shape. Between the trees in the valley, she spotted a pale violet river. Something flew from one tree to the next. When it landed, she was surprised to discover that instead of a feathered bird, it looked more like a flying lizard. Everything was entirely foreign and everywhere she looked something new enthralled her.
Isa panned to the left and was further stunned to find massive steps formed into the neighboring mountainside, where crops were being grown. They were similar to the terraces built by the Incas of Peru or cultures of Asia. The staggered fields were fed by a stream flowing down the mountain to the river below. Although it had to be a kilometer away, she could see several Vorto working on the terraces.
“Wow. Are those your fields?” she asked, unsure if they belonged to a neighboring hive or not. Either way it was impressive.
“Yes.” Artifex joined them. “They were built generations ago.”
That didn’t surprise her. The stone walls and water channels would take a long time to build, so they would be maintained and used for generations.
“We grow grains, tubers, greens, and fruits, basically everything,” Phara added as he admired the view with them.
Isa turned to tell the alphas how impressive it all was when she spotted the door they’d just exited through. Actually, it wasn’t the door itself that had her attention, rather the entire building facade carved into the face of the mountain. The edifice reminded her of the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde or Petra in Jordan. Like those monuments, this amazing building was built into the face of the natural rock. The broad arched entrance was cut into the striated purple marble. The ornately carved portico was flanked by two massive statues of an alien creature that was a mix of a bear and a cat. Between the stunning effigies stretched a second-story balcony. The facade was dotted with rose windows here and there as well as nature inspired carved designs, much like the interior.
“It’s breathtaking,” she gasped in awe.
As Isa stared at the wondrous architecture, something stabbed at the back of her mind and refused to let her fully appreciate how stunning this all was. Before she could put her finger on the thought, she caught a glimpse of a large bear-cat prowling at the edge of the patio. It looked just like the stone statues, except real. Then she spotted another and another. Somehow half a dozen wild creatures snuck up on them while they were admiring the view.
“Oh!” she declared and backed up.
“Halt!” Bellator barked. The mental shout stabbed at her mind while an actual panicked bark emerged from his mouth. At the same time, his hand shot out and snagged her arm.
He caught her just as she was about to step backward off the edge of the deck. His arms wrapped tightly around her and he hugged her against his robust body. Horror filled his dark eyes as well as Artifex and Phara’s.
“You must be careful!” Phara wrapped around her.
“We have to get the barriers built right away.” Artifex joined in the group hug.
It was a relief they’d kept her from falling, and she was deeply touched by this show of affection, but there was still a big problem.
“Hey, there’s dangerous animals,” she murmured against Bellator’s chest, sandwiched amidst the trio.
Artifex pulled back and glanced at the bear-cats. Understanding flickered in his dark eyes. “Ah. The fero are your hive. They’re in one of their anima forms.”
Fero? Anima? Her brow furrowed in confusion. She would’ve repeated the unspoken question, but she knew the guys heard her.
“Galis, come here,” Phara called to the consort beta.
Isa’s eyes widened as one of the beast’s heads popped up from sniffing the ground. The bear-cat trotted over. She couldn’t help but warily gape at the purple furry creature that stood as tall as her on all fours. All it would take was one swipe of its paws and its claws could easily gut her. If that didn’t finish her off, the mouth full of sharp teeth certainly would. As she was taking in the predator’s features, the bear-cat plopped down on his butt, his big purple tongue lolling out of his mouth, totally ruining the menacing vibe. The goofy expression on the beast’s face was an instant give away.
“You are Galis, aren’t you?” She tilted her head as she stared at him.
“We call taking a natural creature’s form an anima form. This particular animal is a fero . They are a mountain dwelling beast,” Phara explained as she studied Galis.
“We can take any creature’s form that we have touched, but we are most adept at the ones that inhabit our environment.” Artifex patted Galis’ head.
“This really is stunning.” Isa stroked Galis’ shoulder. His fur was coarse but felt like fur with skin underneath. The best she could tell, he’d turned into the actual creature, not just the shell of one.
The Vorto are shape shifters. Her mind spun as she considered this new revelation. It made sense since the Vorto could flux, but it still surprised her. That seemed to be the theme lately.
“You were right to be wary. An actual fero would probably view you as food. They sometimes come to us when they are injured, so it’s best to stay with one of us until the local dens are familiar with your scent,” Bellator added. From the crease in his brow it was clear he was still worried about her near accident.
She smiled up at her sweet, protective, alien husband. “I will remember.” She rubbed the big guy’s chest, hoping to soothe his anxiety. “How come you never changed inside the hive?”
“It is not proper.” Artifex shook his head.
“We do take on some of the creature’s instincts when we flux. There have been problems like tearing up coverings and raiding the food stores, so we don’t shift inside the hive,” Phara added.
“Oh.” Isa nodded, even though she wouldn’t ever truly understand since she couldn’t change into an animal.
“Hatchlings learning to take anima forms tend to forget the rule,” Rego laughed, his gaze shifting accusingly to Galis.
“Oh no, not you, Galis?” Isa giggled.
Galis yipped, his tongue darting out and sliding up her cheek.
“Oh my,” she squealed as she mopped slobber off her face.
“That Vorto is not fully fluxed!” Bellator declared, mocking Galis. He then plucked her off her feet and took off running across the veranda.
Isa giggled at the barks and subliminal shouts as Bellator took a trail leading into the woods flanking the hive. He was absurdly fast and quickly left the rest of their group behind. The woods and snippets of the mountain landscape rapidly passed by.
“This was the real plot, to get me alone,” she teased when Bellator slowed.
“Galis was attacking you with his tongue. It is my duty and honor to protect you.” Bellator attempted to be serious, but a smile tugged at his mouth.
“Very gallant of you.” She grinned then nuzzled his chest, loving how he purred as she brushed her cheek against him. “I can walk,” she said when she pulled her face away. She was wearing her shoes today.
“I’d prefer if you rode me,” he replied.
“Oh?!” Her eyes widened, an impish grin spreading across her face.
The sonorous bellow that erupted from Bellator sent the lizard-birds fleeing from the nearby trees and even echoed off the peaks across the valley.
“That is not what I meant,” he conveyed when he stopped laughing. “Although, I do prefer that over what I was thinking.” Bellator grinned as he set her onto the path. “Stay right there. Don’t get startled.”
Isa nodded, noting where the drop off of the path was and moving closer to the safe side, even holding onto a small tree for extra assurance. Bellator waited until she was safe then melted into his plasm form. He was barely a puddle of goo for a moment before a pair of pointy furry ears emerged from the pool, followed by his whole head. Totally enthralled, she watched as a bear-cat formed. Bellator intently watched her, too. She stayed still so as not to worry him. Finally, he stood in front of her in all his four-legged glory.
“Magnificent,” she whispered in awe. She’d never be able to get used to this.
“Thank you, but you, my queen, are the magnificent one,” he spoke through their mental link as he dropped down to the ground. “Climb on and grab the scruff between my shoulders.”
“Okay.” She did as he instructed, glad she could still understand him even though he was in animal form.
“You won’t hurt me if you grip tighter.” He rose to his feet once she was seated.
She held tighter to the mane of fur extending from his head and neck as they started walking again.
“This is a first,” Isa chuckled then sobered. “In fact, the last day has been full of a lot of firsts,” she added wistfully, staring out at the alien forest with its glimpses of the mountains and valley.
“I know some of what you mean. I too am experiencing many firsts, but I imagine it is magnified for you since you are so far from your hive. I would like to hear if you want to share.”
“I don’t even know where to begin.” But as soon as that came out of her mouth one big difference jumped to the forefront. “Well, for starters, no man back home would care if I had anything to share or not.”
Bellator, in his bear-cat form, snarled in objection.
She smiled as she patted his shoulder. “I’ve barely been here a day and yet I feel more treasured than I ever did back home. I worry that will somehow change.”
Bellator halted mid stride. “That will not change.” His adamant voice echoed in her mind. His big bear-cat eyes looked back at her imploringly. “The things I feel for you will never change. You are my queen!”
He didn’t give eloquent reasons for his conviction. Bellator wasn’t a poet or a scholar. But the emotion in his voice and swimming in his dark eyes said it all, speaking directly to her heart. Isa’s eyes misted. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Bellator’s furry neck.
“I love you, Bellator.” She squeezed him tight. “I am beginning to believe you. It’s very hard to reprogram how I think. I was raised to believe my only value was in having babies and keeping house. It’s hard to believe you don’t see me that way when you so desperately need me to help create a new generation.”
A woman’s worth amounted to what could be gained from between her legs or the sweat of her brow. The moment a woman showed any intelligence or bucked the norm, she was harshly silenced, sometimes violently so. Isa had rebelled against these notions her whole life, yet it was still ingrained in her brain. It would be a long time before her subconscious would trust the Vorto were different. Some scars took time to heal, and the marks never went away.
As she clung to Bellator, he shifted into his humanoid form. She slid off his back and he rolled, then scooped her up as he stood.
“Queen Isa,” Bellator stroked her cheek, “I love my brethren deeply, but the love I feel for you is indescribable. It makes me want to whoop with joy and at the same time I feel like I’m bursting from the immensity of it. Yesterday, I wasn’t just checking with my betas. I had to go flying, to let all of these emotions free. Yet I couldn’t keep my screo form, I was so overwhelmed. I shouldn’t say this, but I don’t care about the next generation, I care about you!”
“You are my big teddy bear.” Tears slipped down Isa’s cheeks as she leaned in and kissed Bellator.
She reveled in the kiss, and the way Bellator purred as they held on to each other. How had she gotten so lucky? Bellator gripped her ass, and she wasn’t the least bit ashamed to admit she liked it—a lot. Bellator deepened the kiss as he pressed her against a nearby tree.
“I told you this is what we’d find,” Phara’s laughing voice echoed in her mind.
The rest of the group had caught up with them on the path. Her heart leapt at being caught in a compromising position. Her reaction didn’t make sense since she’d had sex in front of the whole hive already. It was undoubtedly one of those taboos from back home, so it would probably always stun her. It was also titillating.
“Heh,” Isa snorted. Learning she had a voyeurism kink was yet another of those new experiences she’d been encountering since her arrival.
“I knew I should’ve run farther,” Bellator groaned as his lips retreated from hers. He then cast Phara and Artifex a bemused glance.
The Vorto were vastly different from humans. Amusement along with love danced in Bellator’s eyes as he gazed at his brethren. The affection was returned by her hive which was crowded on the path, happily ogling them. As she panned everyone, her heart swelled even more. At home, she’d wished she could share her true self and love honestly without boundaries, yet never saw it happening. Now she would get to spend her days loving and making connections with these beautiful, caring men. Isa’s eyes burned as tears began to form again.
“I get your necklace,” Phara said to Artifex, reaching for the beaded jewelry.
“I’m not giving you my favorite necklace. We weren’t wagering.” Artifex swatted Phara’s hand away. “I agreed with you. I knew what Bellator was up to.” Artifex made a face at Phara. He then focused on her and grinned as he added, “because that is what I’d be doing with our stunning queen.”
She barked out a laugh at their teasing banter and Artifex’s unapologetic flirting, her tears instantly halting.
Phara huffed in disappointment, but as he passed her on the path, he cast her a sly grin, making her laugh harder. He was apparently only tormenting Artifex.
“Come on. At this rate we’ll finish the loop past dark,” Phara teased, urging them forward.
“I don’t have a problem with that,” Bellator chuckled and followed, still happily cradling her in his strong arms.
“So, you said you can shift into many different animals. Can I see?” Isa asked.
“This was my favorite game as a hatchling,” Galis called out from behind Artifex, farther back in the entourage.
As she was glancing over Bellator’s shoulder at him, Galis morphed into a hawk and shot into the air. He perched on a branch several feet ahead.
“I’m a screo !” his chipper voice rang in her mind.
“I see.” She grinned as she studied the raptor. “I notice the fero and screo you mimic are still shades of violet,” she commented.
“Aye. They are adapted to blend in with the mountain range, same as we are,” Artifex answered.
“Oh.” She nodded.
“This is a capo .” Phara dropped forward, shifting mid fall, his hands becoming hooves before they hit the rocky path, and antlers sprouting from his head.
“Oh, that looks a bit like a deer mixed with a mountain goat on my world.”
“We don’t mimic the capo often since we hunt them,” Bellator explained.
“Oh.” Her eyes widened, seeing how that might be bad.
“We stick to creatures that have a similar mass. We can’t reduce our size.” Artifex gestured to an insect that zipped across the path as an example.
“That makes sense, but have you become a big insect before?” she asked, admiring the flower the bug landed on as they passed.
“I have,” Masculum called out.
Her eyes widened at the absurdly loud buzzing sound behind her, then a giant dragonfly zipped overhead. Masculum showed-up Galis by doing a loop in the air.
“I think screo eat anoxu .” Galis, still in hawk form, shot off his perch, flying after Masculum.
Isa laughed at their antics. Her cute men entertained her by shifting into an array of animals as they hiked the mountain trail. Galis was right, it was a fun game, and she was learning the names of many creatures.
“This is so wild.” She grinned as one of the men came swooping toward them in his hawk form.
The screo morphed as he landed in the middle of the path. “We found another egg!”