Chapter Three
Orex was rubbing her back as they went over to Aretta’s sleep unit. Zani stood next to her, and Zelda held her breath.
Orex said, “Breathe, Zelda.”
Zani grinned.
The woman with purple and black skin smiled and said, “I feel like a drumroll is called for.”
That was the point Zelda realized the purple woman was human. “My name is Zelda.”
“I am Cori. My sister is friends with Zoey. We snagged Zani on our way, and my other sister, Isolde, is the one who sang the Terran tribute. Trin is our half-sister, and she found her own Hmrain at Sanctuary Base. When all is sorted, we are going for a visit.”
As she spoke, Cori was running the wake-up protocol for the unit, and the temperature was changing on its side. Cori said, “How long have you been apart?”
“Just over eighteen months. She was taken to ensure my good behaviour.”
Cori frowned. “What?”
“They kept her behind a wall so that I would defend the enclave. They were safe, and Aretta and I talked over the walls. When the ship arrived, they held me off with their guns and took her out to the shuttle. By the time I was on the next available shuttle, she was asleep and being transported.”
Zani murmured, “Ouch. Does she know about us?”
“Of course. Different countries, same blood.”
The temperature kept climbing and then settled at nominal human body temperature. The waking injection was administered, and Cori lifted the lid. “Hello, little miss. There are some people who want to see you.”
Zelda stepped forward and looked at Aretta’s surprised expression, then the tears, and then the sob, “Mom!”
Aretta rolled into her arms, and Zelda held her as she sobbed. “I am okay, sweetheart. I waited for you, and then I found you. We made it.”
Aretta sobbed, and Zelda held her; her own tears crossed her smiling face.
“I’ve got you, baby.”
Aretta hiccupped and rubbed her face. “Who are these people?”
Zelda said, “This is Cori. She’s human, too, and there is probably a long story.”
Cori grinned. “Very.”
She cleared her throat. “This is Lord Orex. He owns the worlds where we are going to be living on, and he’s sort of a stepparent to you.
He has wings, and he made sure you were written into our contract.
We have been together for less than a week, but we are bound together for a few years. Like a hundred years. Minimum.”
“Mom, you are consort class?”
“Yes, punkin. Now, I would like to introduce you.”
“Okay.”
Orex smiled and crouched down. “Hello, Aretta. I have heard much about you over the last week. You will have attendants, education, pursuit of most things you can imagine, and four hours per day with your mother, guaranteed, and I may not interrupt unless you request it. You can also come with us when we travel.”
Aretta blinked. “I just woke up, but that all sounds good. You agreed to alone time with me and Mom?”
He extended his hand for a handshake. “I am the one who put it in the contract.”
He caught Aretta as she lunged for a hug. “Oh. This is unexpected.”
Zelda smiled. “She’s deceptively strong, isn’t she?”
He laughed, Aretta laughed, and then Zelda turned her toward the woman with dark hair and aqua eyes.
“Mom, is that one of my aunts?”
“That is Zaniah. The one in the tank is Zoey, but she is recovering from a lot of burns. We won’t be here when she finishes, but I am pretty sure that Orex can arrange transport in one of those bizarrely fast ships of his.”
Orex stood. “I am sending one to Ra, so he might need it taken on a shakedown run.”
Aretta smiled at Zoey, and Zoey waved in return. Her skin was now taking on the colour of skin, and there were many tubes in her body. The healing unit obviously knew what humans needed.
Aretta looked at Zoey, then Zani, and then Zelda and asked the question that Zelda was waiting for. “Mom, why do they have matching eyes, and we don’t?”
“Because we won the lottery. You remember Gran? She had the same eyes, and it was her eggs that made me and the twins. She donated the eggs, Reynauld donated the semen, and Brigit carried the pregnancy. We all showed up on the same day, but I was one egg, and so were those two. They split.”
Aretta smiled. “Got it. I remember that class in school.”
Zelda smiled and touched her again. They hugged, and Zani asked, “Where is your home world now?”
Orex smiled. “We are going to set up our home on Ornor.”
“Do you mind if we visit after we go to see Trin?”
“Any friends of Zelda will be most welcome.”
Zani inclined her head. “Well, we are family, and if I read the contract basics, that makes us your sisters.”
Orex was stunned. “This is a lot of family for one day.”
Zelda smiled. “I apologize, Lord Orex. You are only responsible for me and Aretta.”
He relaxed a little. “Thank you. They are still welcome to come for visitations.”
Zani nodded. “Thank you, Lord Orex. Zoey thanks you as well.”
The floating family member put a hand to her heart and bowed her head.
Orex nodded. “Well, what do you wish for your birthday, as I know you share it with my consort?”
Zani smiled. “Clothes that don’t make me remember the station.”
Zoey nodded and then made an upward motion with her hand.
Zelda sighed. “Clothing that isn’t flammable.”
Orex nodded. “That can be done. Oh, Aretta, we brought you clothing that should be more comfortable than what you have on. I wasn’t sure about your sizes or personal style, so there are six different options in here.” He handed her the bag.
Aretta grinned. Cori smiled. “Come this way. You can take a solar shower and then get dressed.”
Zelda took the hint, and the moment they were off to the bathing-change room, she jumped up and kissed the surprised Orex as she expressed the bubbling joy that filled her.
He held her, and the kiss went on and on until she was panting and Orex was grinning. “I like you happy.”
She blushed, and Zani laughed. Zelda turned her head toward her sister, and Zani was fanning herself.
Zoey was peeping through her fingers.
Zelda paused and leaned back in his arms. “I am really glad I have authorization to touch you right now.”
His eyes gleamed. “I am really looking forward to finding her a nanny.”
Zelda grinned, and he pressed his forehead to hers.
Aretta’s voice snapped through her as Zelda heard, “I love them. This one is perfect.”
She spun in the tunic and trousers. The heavy jewelled belt matched the black and red on platinum that was all over Zelda.
“You look amazing, baby.”
Aretta looked at them and giggled. “Are you adult hugging?”
“No, but we are starting. We won’t do that in front of you.”
“Okay, so go around the corner.” Aretta grinned.
Cori chuckled. “I’ve got her.”
Orex didn’t hesitate. He picked her up and walked to an alcove down the hall. He kissed her and gathered her skirt to her waist.
Zelda’s eyes got wide, but he lifted her against the wall, and she slid down onto his erection while he caressed her breasts and kissed her savagely.
She felt mauled on all fronts, and then he gripped her hip with one hand and started a slow thrust into her until he was all the way in.
He looked at her with his eyes filled with stars as he thrust into her until she gritted her teeth to hold back her cries.
He kissed her, and their positions pressed every sensitive bit of her.
He thrust into her, and she felt her release thundering through her before she screamed, and he caught it, his wings giving them privacy and darkness as he shuddered inside her.
She shivered and twitched on him; small sounds were caught. Orex smoothed his hands over her back and hips until she stopped clasping him. He lifted his head and smiled. “I really like your daughter.”
Zelda laughed and pressed her forehead to his shoulder. “If she is around, always flare the wings.”
He caressed her throat. “Noted.”
He helped her straighten her skirt and get back onto wobbly legs. His erection was tucked away, and he helped her get back to normal with stops to kiss her cheek, lips, and neck every few seconds.
She was smiling softly when they returned, and Aretta giggled. “You look happy, Mom. Happy and soft. I barely remember you like that.”
Zelda jolted. “Aw, Aretta. I am sorry.”
“It’s okay, Mom. You needed to be hard; now you don’t.” Aretta sighed. “Lord Orex is going to take that part.” She paused. “Right?”
Orex nodded. “Your mother is a treasure that I do not wish to part with, so I will take care of her and keep her from danger. If I am not there, she will have guards.”
Aretta smiled. “Good. She’s protected long enough.”
Ra walked in and nodded. “The consort class seem to be warriors in this species, and they have definitely protected long enough. How is Miss Zoey?”
Zelda watched Zoey’s expression with Ra standing in front of her. She tented her hands, and Zelda said, “Yes, he is that Ra, and yes, you are in a pyramid.”
Ra smiled. “My queen is not the friend of stairs right now and just got comfortable. She has a few weeks yet to go and is unhappy.”
Zani perked up. “Rub her lower back and her ankles, Lord Ra. Her body has doubled its blood, and it tends to build up in the ankles as it has trouble making its way home.”
“Miss Zaniah, would you assist in this matter? My hands are not built for fine motions.”
“Oh, of course. Where is she?”
Ra said, “Follow the bot.”
Zaniah smiled and blinked. “And there it is.”
The bot flew in, and Zaniah smiled and followed it with a final wave to Zoey and Zelda.
Zelda looked at Zoey and said, “Will you be all right if we go? I feel the need to be settled.”
Zoey nodded and gave her a signal to go ahead. She touched her temple, and Zelda nodded. “I will see you on our dreamscape, hopefully with clothing.”
The blank of a human laughed and nodded. Then she held up her hand in the number one.
“One time was enough.”
Zoey’s new eyelids closed and opened again as she smiled. She blew a kiss around the respirator, and her aqua eyes sparkled with excitement.
Aretta asked, “How long will it take her to recover, Lord Ra?”