Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Lila
Along, hot shower later, I’m feeling a little more stable.
The last forty-eight hours have been memorable to say the least, and my emotions have been all over the place, but for the first time since I became aware of her, my beast is satisfied, and that is one less thing to worry about for the moment.
I can finally concentrate on other things, like my newly cemented bond with Saxon, my only a little older mating with Caspian, and finally, my ill grandfather.
I didn’t believe when they first told me John had been poisoned.
Who would want to poison him? Out of all three of my grandfathers, he’s probably the nicest and certainly the least annoying.
It’s like trying to poison Santa Claus. Unthinkable.
Drying off, I dress in a pair of yoga pants and a hoodie, wanting comfort over style, and go in search of Cas.
I made him shower after me because if we had been together in the same one, I probably would have ridden his cock like a pogo stick.
I can’t seem to resist any of my mates. Speaking of which, I need to find time to talk to Link.
I desperately want to bind him to me. There’s an irrational side of me that won’t be happy until I seal him to me in the Skarrian way, but I want to make sure it’s what he wants.
I know what it’s like to have that choice taken away from me more than most, and while I love Cas and I’m sure it won’t be long before I feel that way for Saxon, I still want Link to have a choice.
If he isn’t interested, though, I’m not sure what that would mean for us. I guess we would have to stop having sex, and I’m not sure I can just be friends with him since what I feel is so much more than friendship.
“Cas, are you ready?” I call through his open door. He’s not in the bedroom, so I’m assuming he’s in the bathroom.
“Yeah, I’m just moisturizing my tentacles.
They seem to be a bit dry. I’ll just be a moment,” he calls back, and I’m speechless for a moment.
Moisturizing his tentacles? You know what?
That’s a problem for future Lila. I turn and head out to the kitchen, programming the replicator to pour me a big ass glass of wine.
While I wait, I think about my predicament.
Fucking hell, how do Skarrians cope with these stupid biological rules?
I mean, who only has sex five times before deciding they want to spend the rest of their lives together?
There must be a lot of non-mutual orgasms happening in relationships.
I can just see it now. No, honey, it’s my turn for an orgasm, you got the last one.
Now get down on your knees and open your mouth.
No wonder Magenta is so free with her body.
The grandpas did explain that it’s easier on Skarr.
You grow up with people who you end up in groups with.
By the time you reach sexual maturity, you basically know who you want to spend the rest of your life with.
The grandpas and my grandmother had known each other since they were children, and there was no doubt in any of their minds that they would bond.
Apparently, it is common to have a sort of Skarrian Rumspringa, though, when they turn eighteen.
It’s basically spring break spread out over a year, where they get out and explore the planet, drink, take drugs, party hard, and sow their sexual oats.
It’s fully acceptable—even though you may have made a decision on your family group—for every member to fuck as many different people as they can just to make sure they are truly happy with their choices.
It’s actually a requirement, and you can’t officially get married without having done this.
Sure, there is nothing to stop you from forming the bond with your chosen ones, but the Skarrian government won’t acknowledge it without an official ceremony, and you can’t have the ceremony without producing your…
I guess fuck passport is the best term for it.
It lists all sexual relations for your eighteenth year.
This assures officials you are happy with your decision.
Seriously, it’s so fucking weird, I’m still having a hard time wrapping my head around it.
The replicator beeps, telling me my wine is done.
I reach in and pull out the glass before taking a sip.
It’s a bit tarter than I prefer, and I shudder slightly, but by the second mouthful, I’ve adjusted.
I sigh, feeling some of the tension drain out of my body before taking another sip.
Yup, this is what I needed. It would be even better if Susie was on the couch with her own glass, but it is now a possibility, so I’m not too upset that she’s not here right at this moment.
“Everything okay?” Cas asks, coming up behind me and putting a hand on my shoulder. I sink back into him, my gorgeous, caring husband, and sigh again.
“Yeah, just a lot going on in my mind.” I turn so I’m facing him, careful not to spill my wine, but stop and frown, looking him up and down. He’s in human form and wearing sweats. “I thought you were moisturizing your tentacles?”
“I was, and then I changed form. They seem to absorb the lotion better if I don’t run around on them for a few hours after.”
I open my mouth to ask more questions but quickly slam it shut.
Future Lila problems. “Have I told you how much I love you today?” I ask him instead, then I wrap my arms around him and lean my head against his chest, which is covered in a hoodie similar to mine.
When I look up at him, there’s a huge smile spread across his lips.
“No, but feel free to tell me as many times as you like, I love hearing it,” he says and leans down and kisses me. It starts to turn heated, so I pull away.
“Come on, I think we’ve let the grandpas wait long enough. If I know them, one will be knocking on our door in no time.”
I take his hand with my free one and drag him and my wine toward the door.
“You know I feel the same way,” he tells me, and I turn back and grin at him.
“Yeah, I do, but you’re right, it’s awesome to hear it, so keep telling me.”
It’s not long before we’re knocking on the door to my grandpas’ suite. Eric must have either used his speed to get there or just been standing on the other side, because it opens before I’ve even dropped my hand.
His sigh is full of frustration as he gestures for us to come inside. “Finally, you’re both here. Now we can start this family meeting.”
My eyes slide to all the people waiting on the sofa, and a big grin crosses my lips because it’s not just William waiting for us, but also Saxon, Link, and Xavier as well.
I love that my grandpas have included all of them, but I still need to have that convo with Link.
Maybe I should do it before the family meeting, because I have a funny feeling that I know what this is going to be about.
“Well, come on, don’t just stand there.” William waves us forward, but before we do, I stop Cas and lean in to whisper to him.
“I really need to talk to Link for a moment. Can you distract the others so I can have a quiet word with him?”
“Of course,” he agrees, and we move over to the long sectional.
Cas takes a seat on the end, but I make my way down the line, stopping first at Xavier and giving him a kiss before moving farther down to shuffle my butt between Saxon and Link. Turning to Saxon, I smile at my newest husband, still feeling the slight awkwardness of a new relationship.
“Hi, I missed you,” I tell him, and he leans in and nuzzles my neck, giving it a nip without breaking the skin before pulling away.
“I missed you too. Glad to see you’re okay after your swim.”
I feel my eyebrows jump in surprise. Leaning forward, I place my glass of wine on the table while I gather my thoughts. “You know about that?” I’m not sure if he’s talking about the mental breakdown or our krakens doing the beast with the two backs.
“Yes. I searched for you after I finished with Susie and Mark,” Link tells me.
“And the Aquilian merman messaged me to let me know.” Saxon has a confused little purse to his lips that makes me grin. Huh? The can of tuna has a surprisingly thoughtful side. Extremely surprising.
“I’m okay. I really needed the swim, and Cas joined me, and we let our beasts out to frolic. I’m feeling a lot more stable, and she seems to be satisfied for now.”
“Good, but I still want to do another full exam when we’re done here just to make sure.” My sexy doctor has the cutest little furrow between his silver eyebrows, and I just want to reach up and smooth it out, so I do. The frown drops, and his gaze turns from concerned to soft.
“I missed you too,” I whisper, moving a little closer and letting the rest of the background noise fade away. I hear Caspian ask Xavier and Saxon about the Aaz’axian, but I tune all that out so I can focus on the cyborg in front of me. “Cas is distracting the others so I can ask you a question.”
I take one of his hands in mine. It’s the arm with the display screen built into it, and I run my finger over it, marveling at the fact that there is a seamless join between it and his skin.
You would think it would be obvious, but if my eyes were closed, I wouldn’t even know it was there.
It is turned off at the moment and blank, so my fingers don’t activate any programs as I continue to caress his skin, awkwardly considering how to approach this topic without making too much of a fool out of myself.
I know we discussed it earlier, and he said he was in, but I’m trying to make this official, a proposal I guess, and I just know I’m going to fuck it up.
“Lila, look at me.” Link places a finger under my chin and lifts it so I can’t avoid looking into his molten silver eyes. “What do you want to talk about?”