Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
V’dim
“The readings look normal. Everything states you are completely healthy, and your wounds left no permanent damage,” Xylo announced.
“Other than the growth of glands near your fangs along the roof of your mouth, I see nothing concerning.” He turned away from Selena and faced Kaede, holding his scanner and medical tablet.
“Would you allow me to compare her glands to yours?”
Kaede’s eyes hardened. “You think I am a fool?” he growled. “You would have to kill me before I would allow you to examine my body.”
“That can be arranged,” V’dim murmured.
Shock crossed Kaede’s face, ruining the menacing expression he held well. He nodded with a smirk, crossing his arms.
Selena gasped and grabbed one of V’dim’s tentacles, tugging it. “You don’t mean that.”
V’dim gave her an innocent smile. “He was offering.”
“I know Kaede is difficult, but you would not kill Kaede so Xylo can examine him,” she said, giving his tentacle another tug to prove a point.
“It was playful male banter, Selena. You have nothing to worry about.” He met Kaede’s gaze. “Tell her that what I am saying is the truth.”
Kaede chuckled. “It’s far from the truth,” he leaned against the arm of a nearby couch with arms still crossed.
“If he had it his way, he would have tried to kill me already. But have no worries, Selena, since I am a ‘walking supply of gadgets,’ I am fully capable of defending myself from such threats.”
“Including finally answering my questions?” Selena challenged.
V’dim had to stop himself from chuckling at how fast Kaede’s smirk fell at Selena’s question.
Selena was an amazing female.
It didn’t matter that she wasn’t a Circuli nestqueen; her intelligence and ability to adapt to any situation to her fullest astonished him. Her ability to take in those around her and give them the drive to become better—to be more—was something unparalleled.
Odelm was a severed male, lost in his inability to fit in. He still needed a lot of reassuring, it seemed, but V’dim had faith Selena could help heal him. The male was a brilliant musician with a gift all should cherish, not kept away behind locked doors.
Xylo was a knowledgeable scholar, and even though his fathers were known for their work as healers back on Circul, he’d followed his own path and wanted to study the anatomy and culture of the other species in CEG.
His desire to travel among the stars and meet the species he studied made him the perfect candidate to join the Destiny’s crew.
V’dim was glad to have him on the journey, for he was a valuable member and helped maintain their relationship with the Aldawi.
Xylo was also the male who, by Fate's guidance, court bonded with Selena and started the chain of events that granted the Destiny’s members a new home.
Selena would forever be remembered for her sacrifices.
And now, both he and Z’fir were a part of her clan, making history along with her.
“Yes, I promised,” Kaede confirmed. “And unlike other males, I will keep my promise.”
“You are still someone who I am upset with, so I wouldn’t get too full of yourself.”
“I can accept that, but I have reasons for doing so.” He sat down on the chair he was leaning on and kicked up his legs cockily onto the armrest. “What do you want to know?”
“Why did you leave me after…” Selena paused and watched Xylo walk over from checking on Odelm’s sleeping form and sit down on her other side.
“Why did you leave me at my most vulnerable time? I didn’t know how the labor would progress or if everyone would survive.
What happened to the male who would do anything to protect me? ”
“I am not in your clan—you made sure I knew that—nor am I medically trained to aid your team with your delivery,” Kaede hissed.
“Look at the males who surround you! They are the ones you need to go to when you need your hand held or to be examined.
You were better off with them, while I was preparing for the Destiny's arrival. If anything was in dire need, I could have called for an emergency medical team to be sent from the CEG HQ, but everything went smoothly after I did my part.”
“So, you will only talk to me when you are forced to? Not because you want to?” Selena demanded, her voice a sharpened whisper—quiet enough to make her point without waking the cubs.
“I am a busy man, Selena,” Kaede smirked. “You have enough able males around you to keep you… satisfied.”
“I would hardly call your short performance satisfying.”
Xylo covered his mouth and coughed as Kaede’s smirk fell.
V’dim didn’t know what made Selena so aggressive today. One thing was for sure, he was proud to have her next to him as his nestqueen. Her newfound confidence was attractive and made it addictive to watch her work.
“That wasn’t what you were saying before I left you,” Kaede mumbled. “Besides, I accomplished what I said I would do and did my part to help. It’s not my fault you didn’t climax.”
“I hope you remember those words, because I will make sure I tell them to the sorry female who ends up with you.”
V’dim sent out a calming aura to try to defuse the tension that was building and stood. “Drinks anyone?”
“Some Osso Tea, please,” Selena replied, eyeing Xylo.
“Xowyn,” the other two males said, their focus on each other, shocked they both picked the same drink.
V’dim stumbled, remembering why she loved Osso Tea—it reminded her of Xylo’s taste. His tentacles trembled from the visions of her private time with her clan.
Would she want to taste him too?
“Keep focused, V’dim,” Z’fir scolded. “Now isn’t the time for such thoughts.”
“It’s becoming harder as the day goes on. I can feel my body changing, can’t you?” V’dim asked as he gathered everyone’s orders from the drink dispenser.
“Of course,” Z’fir confirmed. “Whenever I pick up a faint thought from her, my vines react, wanting to reach out to her no matter the distance. It is becoming a distraction.”
“Perhaps we should see if she would—”
“No. We agreed to wait until we reunited on Destima. I don’t want to put any more pressure on Selena when everyone seems to want something from her at the moment.”
“We aren’t any different, Z’fir,” V’dim said, smiling as he handed Selena her drink before sitting down next to her. “We want the shelter she is providing and the chance to be together in a clan—no matter if she is capable of continuing our lines or not.”
“We will not become a nuisance to her, V’dim. We will make sure our position in the clan is worth the sacrifices she has made—no matter if our relationship with her remains political.”
“You know I believe the same,” V’dim replied, sipping his Xowyn.
“Focus on Selena,” Z’fir commanded. “My shift is almost over, and I will join the clan shortly. Until then.”
“Until then.”
Silence fell on the group as they nursed their drinks.
Xylo grabbed the empty glass from Selena and placed both of theirs on the table. Wrapping an arm around her, he pulled her close. She snuggled into his side and rested her head on his chest, taking one of his vines in her hands.
V’dim watched in awe as she aimlessly traced Xylo’s vine’s flower with a finger.
How could he handle such intimacy? Not even Circuli nestqueens played with their Favored like that.
“Kaede,” Selena said, drawing everyone’s attention. “I want to know: how did you… we… move from one place to another? I am assuming your new suit has something to do with it.”
“You mean teleportation? Location jumping?”
“Yes, if that is what it is called. Is that how we got from the Assembly’s Waiting Room to your bedroom instantly?”
V’dim’s focus was turned to the conversation, forgetting about the provocative display Selena was putting on.
“Correct.”
“That is dangerous! How can you be so irresponsible and use such new tech on Selena? Do you understand all the trouble you would cause if something happened to her?” Xylo demanded.
“You mean your own sanity? Of course, I know what consequences there would be if I failed. But I didn’t,” Kaede said matter-of-factly. “I knew exactly what I was doing and took all necessary precautions before attempting to jump with her.”
“That doesn’t explain how you can teleport or how safe it is. You jeopardized Selena’s life for your own experiment and didn’t tell her. That was selfish of you and doesn’t make you better than anyone else who has recently crossed her.”
“As I said, I knew what I was doing.”
“Everyone knows what they’re doing, but that doesn’t mean someone or something else won’t come around and ruin everything they planned,” Selena said. “You tested a new tech on me without my consent; the least you can do is tell us exactly what the tech does.”
“I can’t say much,” Kaede began. “Since it is so dangerous”—Kaede rolled his eyes—“I am the only one testing the technology’s limits.
My new suit lets me teleport to any of my drone’s locations at any given time.
It is based on the new Aldawi tech Prince Zirene found, and my sisters helped develop.
If all my tests succeed, it will become the primary technology for every special agent—and perhaps even citizens—to travel within limits. ”
“You have the new Aldawi tech?” V’dim asked in disbelief.
Kaede smirked. “I helped make it.” In an instant, he blurred and appeared across the room. “We based it on Aldawi’s shadowstep ability.” He jumped again and leaned against the glass wall. “And made it better.”
“Better how?” V’dim asked, confused.
“We learned their ability’s requirements and limits—studied everything about it, added it to the Yaarkin tech we stole, and made it ours,” Kaede explained before teleporting back to his chair as if he never moved. “We can travel farther, but we also have our limits.”
“What limits?” Xylo asked.
“While we can teleport to any of our drone’s locations, we require our suits and their energy cells.
” Kaede paused as a small sphere dome uncloaked and landed on his black-gloved hand.
“The Aldawi’s shadowstep ability is limited to their line of sight and individual power.
This is how they can sneak behind their enemy in hand-to-hand combat. ”
“It is foolish to depend on an ability such as that amid battle,” V’dim warned.
“Of course.” Kaede tossed the drone and caught it. “That is why I am the only one testing the new tech. I don’t need to depend on it to win, and if things go wrong, I have no one—other than my sisters—left behind for it to matter.”
“You are quite the martyr,” Selena scoffed.
“Quite the opposite, really,” Kaede smirked and tossed the drone toward her. V’dim reached out to grab it before it could hit her, but it disappeared before impact. “Someone has to do it—it just happens to be that I was created to do so.”
“I was created to be a breeder, but that doesn’t mean I am going to open my legs to anyone who wants to repopulate a planet with a new species,” Selena barked.
Kaede’s visor came alive and unfolded over his face.
“I will take that as my sign to leave,” he said, standing up and turning toward V’dim.
“I will return for my cape in the morning. The little warriors can have it as a temporary battle souvenir,” he chuckled with a wide smile.
“Make sure Selena gets some food before bed; it seems she has forgotten to take care of herself once again. Good luck.” In an instant, he faded away.
“Of course, he has the last say before he runs away. Again,” Selena growled, jumping to her feet. “He is such an ishing frax. I need to remember never to take him seriously.”
V’dim stood up and joined her. “It’s been a long day.
Let’s get you fed and retire for the evening.
” He gently took her hand and sent calming waves to her.
“We can relocate Odelm to the nestbed since Xylo confirmed nothing is wrong with him. By the time you are done eating, Z’fir should be here to retire with us. ”
Selena pursed her lips and glanced over to the sleeping warriors on the floor.
“The cubs…”
“If Zi—” Xylo cleared his throat. “If Prince Zirene wants to back out of his deal…”
“If he wants nothing to do with them, so be it,” Selena hissed. “I am done waiting for that male to figure out what he wants and how royally he fucked up.”