Chapter Twelve
“Iwas afraid I would have to send Dax to wheel you to the med bay. I’m glad you came up for air—and food. You do know that just because a Queen is in heat, she doesn’t have to spend all her time in quarters?”
“I’m aware, thanks.” Sasha blushed, holding out her arm.
Dr. Marcus put the needle in it and looked between her and Gideon. “Uh. Things went... well?”
“Very well,” Gideon said in a tone that warned that any other information would not be shared.
“Wonderfully well,” Sasha beamed.
Dr. Marcus beamed back.
“Uh. Doc? Tell Gideon and me about all those calls you were making yesterday. To other male Felids in the program, and those doctors at Bastet Mercy?”
Marcus looked surprised, and his eyes roved from her face to Gideon’s.
“Well. Bastet Mercy seemed to think that was actually a beneficial idea, pointing out that couples who wanted siblings for their cubs would save the hassle of the wait time and being matched again—and they said they would still like an initial set of six couples, including a Felid from all the major Systems, save the Pantherites and Lynxians.” Marcus frowned.
“The details are still being ironed out. I understand the point about the Lynxians, as they’ve got more pregnant Queens than the Comet Stalker has ever dealt with.
The Pantherites? They are afraid the political unrest will put human Queens in danger.
I am pressing for all Felids, and some Canids, to be included.
They are willing to pay the exact same rate to the human Queens as they were before—thanks to a sudden large donation that they received a few weeks ago,” Marcus gave Gideon a significant look.
“What about the male Felids? This would disrupt their lives and businesses, too. Wouldn’t they get some kind of compensation? A side contract?”
“Travel and time would be paid for. Bastet Mercy says there would naturally be hundreds of volunteers, and the Knights and Kings already in the program get the first options for a fraction of the cost. In terms of my second, long-range phase of the program, the research on artificial insemination? They’ve approved it and suggested I build a secondary team for that study.
It’s going to be a very busy time—and I’m not going to be able to rush this.
I love my galaxy and my system, all the Felids as a whole—but I’m a new father, and Abigail and I will hopefully bring home our other cubs any cycle now. ”
Sasha nodded, throwing a look at Gideon. “Farhet would get some of his money back?”
“Well, no, because he sent Gideon in his place.”
“What if Sasha and I wish to leave the surrogacy program because... Because we wish to be married and have our own family?”
Married? Sasha’s throat closed like she’d choked on an entire plumcotta. No sound came out, not even a gasp.
“Nothing changes as to the valuation of Sasha’s contract.
We’ll still be asking test couples to give it a try for six cycles, to do all the testing, etc.
For your time and effort, Gideon, you would be given a different contract that pays less than the Queens’ contracts.
They assume far more risk, and their bodies will require far more invasive procedures, including surgical delivery.
But that doesn’t matter, does it? You have a Queen and family, and you’re still allowed to work, to invest—I hear you’re an incredible secretary for one of the wealthiest families on Leonid-One.
Abi is going to leave her position with the clinic when we have three or four cubs on board. She could train you.”
“Or... I could, with the advance on my salary and the price you’ll pay to the first few male test subjects in the program, buy Sasha a little farm on Lynx-Nineteen.
I can find work there, and she can go back to medical school, or apprentice with the doctor in town you mentioned, where there are so many Felid-human couples. ”
Marcus nodded, eyes shining. “You could! Bastet’s whiskers, we’re already headed that way. I can put in some calls, set you up with Dane and Cherie for some information about the job market out there, what contracts are in demand...”
“I think you’re more excited about this than we are,” Sasha teased.
“No, but I’m close. Nothing is better than seeing a good Knight find his Queen and knowing they’ll have a shot at a happy future, hopefully with a little cub or two. But,” Dr. Marcus suddenly sighed, “I don’t know what this means for your current contract, Gideon.”
“I believe I do. Even though Farhet acted swiftly, I still read my contract thoroughly before signing. For even attempting this program, I earned three years of my current salary in advance. I believe, Doctor, that you will attest that I have done what was expected? I have, ahem, mated with my human Queen during a possible window for conception, even though I know this window was smaller than others.”
“I would attest to that.”
“Do you need to do an exam, or—”
Marcus shook his head. “The nose knows. Humans don’t know it, but Felids do.
Moving on. I will attest to that, but you need to terminate this contract at once and take a new contract prepared by me, with certain specifications from Bastet Mercy.
I’ll send those over now. If I might ask, Gideon, aside from your relationship with Sasha, is there some other reason you want to end the contract with Farhet?
No, listen,” Marcus took off his glasses and gave the younger Knight a hard stare, “I want you to tell me anything you think of that he said that might contravene the protocols and standards of the original surrogacy program. He’s a powerful Leonid, who has a lot of credits to throw at problems. I want to have mithrium-plated reasons that I can give to support the termination of your current contract and still pull you on as a viable test subject with Sasha. ”
Gideon looked at Sasha and took her hand in his paw.
“I did not tell Sasha this, but he had disparaging things to say about human Queens. This would contravene the respectful working relationship of surrogates and their partners. He also told me he did not want a little Queen, only a son. If we had a daughter, I could not imagine sending her to live with a Felid who would resent her and treat her as a second-class citizen, as he has always treated me.”
Marcus’ calm face transformed into something shining with righteous fury.
“That’s all I needed to hear. I worried about that myself once I spoke to him, but he would never say something like that to the head of the program.
But he’d say things like that in confidence, and that is why he’s out, and you’re in.
Oh, in time, if he genuinely changes, perhaps he’ll be eligible for the second-stage program in several years. ”
“It is my word against his, of course,” Gideon pointed out.
“I observed how he treated a human Queen. Trust me. Your word is all I need.”
“SASHA? ARE YOU WORRIED about this? I know it might not be as easy, but I promise you, I’ll be able to work at pretty much any task. I would never let you down,” Gideon murmured as Sasha sat in silence in her room, looking at a blank screen on the media viewer.
“Gideon. You told Marcus we were going to get married.”
“Oh. Are... are we not?” Gideon felt things crumbling in his mind once again.
In the past few days, many rosy dreams had been built and toppled, but even though they ended up being smaller, the new dreams were more meaningful.
He and Sasha. A cub. Their little house.
Maybe a few goats. A few trees. More would come.
Slowly, sweetly, more would come in time.
“I don’t know. You kind of forgot to ask me.” Her voice was pointed, and her expression was inscrutable.
Gideon dropped to his knees beside the sofa she sat on, placing his paws out to take her hands.
Sasha’s flat expression broke into a smile. “This is off to a much better start,” she teased.
Relief coursed through him. “Sasha Cordovair, my Queen. My love. My partner in a life that may be hard or easy, but will always be full of love for you—will you be my mate and wife? I thought I should wait to ask, you see, but I wanted Marcus to know that I was not playing with your heart or your feelings. I would marry you tonight, or ten cycles from now.”
“I don’t know about ten cycles, and I definitely know it’s not going to be tonight... But I’m going to say yes. And I think... I think I’d like it to be sooner, rather than later.” She leaned forward and stroked back his mane, kissing his lips softly, chastely.
“Why, my love?”
“Because when people hear me screaming ‘My King’ when you’re fucking me, I don’t want them to have any doubt as to who I mean.”
Lightning skittered down his spine. “Sasha!”
“Is it true that Felids can smell when two people have been intimate?” she asked, cheeks a pretty pink.
“Mmm. Right now, with my head just here,” he gave her a devilish look, “it is terribly obvious that you’re full of me.” He licked his lips.
“Gideon!” It was her turn to cry out in amused shock.
“What? You don’t think I’m serious? You smell even better when you’re marked by me. I cannot wait to see what you taste like.”
Sasha watched him with an open mouth and wide eyes as he bunched up her pale blue skirt around her hips and grabbed her legs, parting them on his shoulders. “But—”
“Aren’t you still feeling the urges, my Sasha?”
“Like never before,” she admitted, gasping when he ran one thick digit over the wet streak in her panties.
“Usually when a guy proposes, he gives out a ring?” she protested faintly.