Chapter 23
TWENTY-THREE
“I hope they like each other.”
Jessa walked alongside Virak as he carried a tall metal cage covered in a dark cloth. The creature within was silent. Jessa peeked under the shroud again to check. A dark eye blinked warily at her before ducking away.
“They will,” he said.
“But what if they don’t?”
He raised a brow and gazed down at her. “Why don’t we just see what happens, okay?”
Jessa nodded. Her hand smoothed over her rounded belly.
She was due to give birth soon. Gestational periods for Virilian hybrid babies were shorter than a typical human pregnancy, but her back still ached and she had to pee all the time.
She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t nervous, even though her physician told her that her pregnancy was proceeding perfectly.
They entered Jessa’s old chambers, which were still hers, but now part of the royal suite and connected to her and Virak’s primary residence. Henry still lived in his treed habitat.
The hulpu, now named Indig, could usually be found on Jessa’s shoulder or dozing on Jessa and Virak’s bed. She made the occupant of the cage nervous, so Jessa left her in the bedchamber. The catlike creature didn’t need to make this introduction more stressful.
Jessa closed the solarium door behind them.
The trees were as tall as they’d been when she’d first walked into this beautiful space, reaching up toward the soaring ceiling where natural light filtered in.
Henry sat on a branch. He didn’t look good.
His feathers were dull and still missing in patches.
He was thinner, too, but he continued to eat and make his nest every day.
“Oh look.” Jessa pointed up to the curved grass and stick nest constructed in the branches. “He hasn’t destroyed it yet.”
The gruti hopped down to a low branch at the sight of Jessa and let out a long coo. Wings fluttered, and a surprised chirp came from inside the cage.
“She’s excited,” said Virak.
Henry came closer, curious about the cage and the small noise that came from within it.
Jessa grinned back at him. “Let’s take the covering off.” She gently lifted the dark covering from the cage.
Henry spied the female gruti and was so surprised he hopped backwards, missed the edge and toppled right into the stream. Jessa clapped a hand over her mouth as the birdlike creature clamored out quick enough and shook off his feathers. His gaze didn’t leave the female for a second.
The female gruti gazed out gravely, head slightly cocked, wings smoothed at her side.
She didn’t look much better than poor Henry.
Virak’s people had found her at one of the trading posts, starving and neglected.
After some feeding and proper care, Jessa was hoping this female would be a mate for Henry.
“They don’t seem to dislike each other,” said Virak. “I’m going to open the cage.”
Jessa held her breath. Virak opened the latch and the front of the cage slid open.
Henry leapt onto a low branch, giving her space, but also inviting her to join him. He tilted his head back and let out an ear-splitting screech. The female tentatively hopped out of the cage. Her dark eyes opened and closed. She looked around as if amazed by all the space before her.
“I bet this is the first time she’s had room to spread her wings,” said Virak. “Look at her take it all in.”
Instead, Jessa turned her gaze to Virak. This was one of the things she loved about him. He found great joy in the comfort and happiness of others. He looked down at her with a smile. She took his hand, happy that the thick red veins were long gone, as well as the flaming eyes and unbearable heat.
The female gruti wasn’t as graceful as Henry, yet, but she climbed and flew up, branch to branch.
Tree to tree, inspecting each one. She let out trills to Henry, who responded with noises in kind.
He followed her along her exploration, until at last, she reached his lovingly constructed nest. Her long, elegant beak poked the woven strands, testing for strength, maybe.
Then, she stepped inside it and settled in.
Her long neck arched upwards and from her beak came the most lovely, fluted song Jessa had ever heard.
Henry chimed in, adding to the song as he climbed in the nest with her. Their heads came together and their songs mellowed to coos and quiet twittering.
“That’s that,” said Virak with a mischievous glint to his eyes. “If only all species settled on mates so easily. We would be working on our second child by now.”
“Ha. Ha.” Jessa rolled her eyes. “I think we should leave these two alone now.”
They left the solarium and walked down the hallway to their own chambers.
She squeezed Virak’s hand and curled her other arm around her swollen belly. A swift kick came from the baby to her palm. “Oh.” She stopped and placed his hand to her belly. “Feel that. She’s awake.”
His grin went wide as he felt his child’s brisk movements. “How do you know she’s a girl?” he asked, smoothing his hand over the firm mound. “Maybe she’s a boy.”
Jessa leaned up on her tiptoes and pressed her mouth to his. “Maybe. We’ll find out in a couple weeks.”
He leaned in. Arms came around her. The sensual scent of him enveloped her, turning her skin tingling. A familiar warm wetness began between her legs.
“I will never get enough of you,” he murmured against her lips.
“Hmm.” She opened her mouth and his tongue slid inside, teasing hers in a dance they had gotten very good at since Virak’s primal form had faded away.
She sighed happily as he bent and scooped her into his arms. She wound her own around his neck and snuggled close to her lover, friend, and partner, whose child grew healthy and strong in her belly. “I’m all yours, my love. Always.”