Chapter Six #3
He kissed her. “That is how things had to be. All you can do is try to shape your future. You have opened her future from a tunnel into wide-open possibilities. Respect yourself for that. She will grow. She will process the last months on your world. You should engage in some therapy yourself. You were mad enough to feed yourself to raiders to get back to her side. That much desperation speaks to a lot of pain.”
She sighed and stroked the marks on his chest.
“Since we are talking, what was the situation with you and your sisters. None of you grew up together?”
She chuckled. “It is a strange story, our parents were a triad, and Zoey’s mother and Zaniah’s father wanted to have children in the polycule, but my mother didn’t want to have a baby.
So my mother donated the eggs, which is why everyone looks like her, the father donated sperm, and Zoey’s mother carried us to term.
The adoption for my mother and genetic testing for me went through, and my mother was forced to return to her home country with me.
She was born far further north. Without her to hold them together, the other two argued constantly, and each took a child and lived separately.
Zani went west coast, and Zoey went upper east coast. They had their twin link, and I could only touch their thoughts when we were all asleep. ”
“And you were on opposite sides of continents and rarely synced up.”
“Correct.”
“But, you are all together now.”
“Maybe, but if they are dreaming about defenders, I don’t know if I want to dip my toe into that.”
He grinned. “Do you want to bring something to the psychic plane?” He lifted her right leg and draped it over his hip as he nudged into her.
He thrust into her, and she arched into him. They moved together, bodies colliding roughly until she gasped and called out when she came and then again. As she dozed off, she wondered if Hmrain could get fat from sex.
There was a low chuckle. “No, we just work harder to work it off.”
Zelda was on the psychic plane and saw Zoey and Zani, who were still bringing up the defenders and trying to figure out which one they wanted to court or let court them.
Zelda walked up. “So, ladies, any decisions?”
Zoey looked at her and burst into laughter.
Zelda looked down and sighed. She was covered with bite marks and hickeys. “He was busy tonight.”
Zani nodded. “Obviously. I saw his teeth. Does it hurt?”
“Nope. There is a hot rush, and then I am frantically trying to get into his skin.”
Zoey smiled. “Or get his skin into you.”
“That, too. So, what do you see in the files?”
She sat with them around the campfire that had the defender dossiers that were far more in-depth than what Orex had provided. They had skills when it came to data.
Zelda put in her two cents, and then Zoey said, “Why not this one?”
“He loves independence but also loves being a researcher. He will leave you alone all the time and praise you for your ability to be alone. That’s icky.
You can meet with him if you like, but I am pretty sure that I am right on this one.
Bobby loved that I was independent, and he had no interest in raising Aretta.
But I was so independent, I could do it myself and do a great job of it. ”
Zoey blinked. “I didn’t know.”
“We weren’t communicating on this level then. We are now. Orex is turning into a great stepparent.”
Zani smiled. “But will he still be if he’s a dad?”
“I think so. He has all the hallmarks of a girl’s dad.”
Zoey laughed and blinked. “Oh, wow. He is.”
Zani nodded. “Making sure she is safe, making sure she is comfortable...”
“Running to her when she has a nightmare.”
Zoey blinked. “Wow.”
“Hmrain deal with traumatized species all the time. He’s picked a bunch of therapists for her, and they will be there to speak to her as soon as we are settled so that we can begin our lives with him. I might be going for some sessions myself.”
Zani tensed. “What happened to her?”
“A lot threatened but nothing that she speaks of happened. Apparently, they needed me more than abusing her would have gained them.”
Zani let out a slow exhalation. “That is something.”
Zelda nodded and went to the files. She picked out two defenders. “This one for Zani, and this one for Zoey.”
Zani frowned. “Why?”
“He’s protective, family-focused, and his Hmrain parent is huge on civic responsibility and family. He’s also a huge cuddler and good with animals. Built like a tank. Plus, his wings are fluffy.”
Zoey was grinning with delight. “Do me. Do me.”
“This was easy. His first job was in planetary analytics. He likes numbers just as much as you do. He also likes money but considers it a means to sponsor the most promising of inventors. He travels to seek out these inventions, and he calculates the years until they become useful. He isn’t in a hurry.
He volunteers at schools to help children find their focus.
He has a skill-sensing ability. He can lift fifteen hundred pounds, and he paints as a hobby.
He has fluffy wings that are part fur and part feathers.
His skin is smooth aside from the flat markings that are in his skin.
So, he’s physically comfortable for contact. ”
Zoey smiled. “Sounds like he would be a good choice. How do you know all this?”
“Oh, Skylar told me. She said you would need to know, and to pick one who makes you feel comfortable and who puts effort into making you comfortable. Someone who doesn’t put your senses on alert.”
Zani blinked. “Zo, you have good friends.”
“I know, right? And she’s also amazing riding a snowmobile.” Zoey sighed. “I am wondering how she died. I am betting it was spectacular and horrific at the same time.”
Zelda remembered the fixed expression and determined grin as she had danced with her own fire. “I think spectacular was definitely a thing.”
Zani nodded and then said, “Did she say which one was best in bed?”
Zelda smiled. “Hmrain can be taught. They feed off your pleasure, so they know what is doing it for you. That is where they put their efforts.”
Both twins looked at her, and their eyes went wide as they said, “Oh.”
Zelda laughed. “Do you want the basics?”
Zoey nodded. “Yes. I worked for a Hmrain but not like that.”
“Okay, so there is probably some foreplay, a bit of penetration, he can’t get that far in at first. Then there is a bite, and he will ejaculate some nanite fluid that builds tremendous pressure, and then it starts to absorb.
Next time, the Hmrain goes in a little further until you can take him all the way. ” Zelda knew her cheeks were pink.
“So, jump on and hope for the best?” Zani grinned.
“And repeat.” Zoey laughed. “Zel, how do you know we are Hmrain-compatible?”
“Oh, that’s easy. We are very close to being the same person. I am consort class, therefore, you two have to be as well or really close. We can share a dream realm. That’s mental coordination, and that is what the Hmrain need for their output.”
Zoey looked around and laughed. “Yeah, I guess we have some similarities of thought.”
Zani chuckled. “I think Orex is awake. Three more marks have appeared in the last five minutes.”
Zelda snorted. “Right. Well, that is my two cents for your possibles. I will get going before he starts working on my back. See you in the morning.”
She blew a kiss before she returned to her body and the very interesting things that Orex was doing to it.
He smiled. “Oh, good. You are back.”
“We had to have a very blunt conversation. That is best done without little girl or Hmrain ears listening. She doesn’t need to know yet, and you would warn their targets.”
He laughed. “Probably. Your family is fascinating.”
“Your family now.”
He paused and smiled. “Fair enough. That means that the suitors will come to me.”
“That is true. That is the burden of the instant patriarch.”
He laughed. “A house full of females, and I am in charge. That is going to be an issue.”
“Why?”
“Because I know your histories, and I want to make up for it. I don’t want Aretta to feel fear ever again. I wish to destroy those who threatened her. I want her to see the city, to learn the countryside, and to feel that she is free and safe.”
Zelda lunged up and kissed him. “Marta is going to have a coronary when she realizes what she could have had if she were just a little different.”
Orex grinned. “What could she have had?”
“The affection of a good male. A contract that covers things I couldn’t have gotten the nerve to request. My daughter safe, and someone who doesn’t want me killing people.”
Orex kissed her softly. “You have all of that and more. Just wait until I get you home.”
She grinned, and they moved together again until he curled her against him, kissing her lightly.
She didn’t get a lot of sleep, but she was still smiling when she sat up in the morning.
There was a new black outfit at the foot of the bed, and Zelda got ready.
Today, it seemed he was confident in what she could and couldn’t wear in front of her daughter.
The skirt was low on her hips, and the top was comfortable enough that she could raise her arms with confidence.
The top was snug and strapless. The skirt had two slits, one in the front of each thigh.
The slippers went on, and she brushed her hair.
Orex walked in and said, “We are docking in four hours, and you need to look like a consort. Hold still.”
Zelda stood still, and he wrapped her with gems around her waist, over her shoulders, down her arms, around her ankles, and to her surprise, he brought out a coronet.
He grinned at her surprise. “Nothing gets the point across like a coronet. Plus, it helps you keep your shoulders back.”
She laughed, and he put the coronet on her head, bent to kiss her, and then held his hand out to walk her to the dining room for breakfast.
Aretta stared and then smiled. “That is how I see you in my head, Mom. You are beautiful.”
Her sisters just stared with their jaws dropped.
Orex said, “We dock at the station in four hours, and then we will take a shuttle to the surface.”
Zelda settled on a chair, and she ordered her meal from the in-table menu.
Aretta came over to learn how to use it, and then Zoey and Zaniah did the same.
It was fun, and Orex was using his tablet, smiling occasionally as he did something. “There. Seamstresses are going to meet us at the palace, along with shoes, tech, and jewellery. We minimize fabricators on the surface.”
Zelda nodded. She had done her homework already.
Orex looked at Aretta. “And once measurements have been taken, a yendal breeder is bringing the most recent litter to the palace. You can choose if you are chosen.”
The high-pitched squeal that emerged brought three crewmembers at a run. Zelda smiled and said, “Teenager Terran happy-excited sound. It fades with time.”
One of the males rubbed his ears. “I hope so. I feel I will be hearing it in my dreams, Lady.”
“Apologies for my child.”
The man blinked and nodded. “Of course, Lady.”
Zelda turned to Aretta. “First thing, most species that we will be associating with have hypersensitive hearing, including Orex and other Hmrain. Second, if you do that around the cute, venomous animals, the result might mean medics and antivenin sooner than later.”
Aretta looked to Orex. “I am sorry, Lord Orex. I am sorry, sir.” She spoke to the crewman.
The man nodded. “That has minimized the ringing. Thank you, miss.”
Orex nodded. “That was well done. Dismissed.”
The crew nodded and went wherever they had been before the shriek.
They sat in a lounge while Orex wandered off to do what he needed to before they docked.
Zoey looked at her. “That looks comfortable and heavy at the same time.”
Zelda smiled. “Yes. The coronet brings it all together, and I am probably wearing about ninety trackers.”
They laughed and continued chatting until a crewmember arrived and asked them to go to their seats for docking so they wouldn’t rock around.
Aretta grinned. “Almost home.”
Zelda settled next to the Hmrain seat. “Yes, baby, almost home.”
Zoey and Zaniah were grinning as the displays showed the space station and their approach to it.
Orex came in and kissed Zelda before they clicked into the dock, and then there was clanging while they were tightened to the station.
The moment a light flashed, Orex got to his feet, took her by the hand, and led her out of the exit and into the station. The others were right behind them.
They walked through the station with crewmembers watching over them, and the traffic in the station slowed as they walked to the drop ship area.
She saw Orex’s eyes gleaming as he took their parade to the specified area.
Zelda murmured, “You are getting off on this.”
He chuckled. “I have a consort and three obviously consort-class women with me, all with the bearing of queens or warriors. Yes, I am feeling smug.”
“So, instead of using the drop ship in your warship?”
“This one is more eco-friendly.”
She snorted and said softly, “Don’t think using Terran terms will make me forget that you just put us on display.”
“Of course not, dearest.”
She snorted. He grinned, and twenty minutes later, they were falling toward a new world with all new possibilities.