by Viola Grace
She blushed. “I feel the need to apologize.”
He stroked her hair. “Why?”
“Um... because of my lack of self-control?” She shrugged. It was something she was used to saying.
“You have excellent self-control. I have read your file. That you can choose to enjoy yourself with a stunning and talented partner is not an embarrassment, it is a delight.” The low sexy tone he was using melted her spine.
She blushed and pressed her head to his shoulder. “It feels like I should be embarrassed.”
“I will just have to convince you otherwise. I am willing to devote a lot of time to this.”
She looked up at him, and he was smiling gently. He kissed her, and he started rocking into her, slowly setting off her nerve endings with deliberate strokes of his hips.
The night disappeared in slick touches and long spells of writhing against each other. By the time the dawn started lighting the room, she was exhausted, but her body was satisfied for the first time in her life. It was appalling to think that that was what it took.
Yatal stroked her back and murmured, “We should get up for breakfast.”
“I am going to have a shower first.” She rolled out of his embrace and walked to the lavatory.
Lyra tried to wash up without looking like she was attempting to scrub Yatal from her skin. That was the last thing she wanted. Everywhere she had been bitten, nipped, scraped, scratched, and just touched, in general, had a memory of that touch. She wasn’t trying to get rid of it, just wash off the sweat and other residue.
When she stepped out of the shower, Yatal was waiting there with a towel. He kissed her and then took his own turn. She brushed her hair and braided it wet before twisting it into a knot at the nape of her neck. Her hairclips were in the lab somewhere.
Lyra went looking for her dress, and it was missing. She groaned and gingerly moved the bedding around. Nope. It was gone. She tightened the towel and looked at Yatal when he returned with a towel low around his hips.
She sighed. “Something ate the dress.”
He laughed. “My mother came in before we went to bed and put some dresses and underthings in the wardrobe.”
She exhaled in relief. “I thought you were going to say she came in while we were... occupied.”
He shrugged. “If she did, I didn’t see her.”
He walked to the wall and palmed the release. Some of his guardian uniforms were hanging next to normal daily wear, and a tiny sliver of the available space had dresses in them as well as some chemises and underwear.
The underwear was aspirational at best, but after the previous night, any layers between herself and Yatal would keep her a little calmer. Or slow him down a bit. That would be helpful, too. She slid on a chemise and dropped a dark dress over her head, slipping her hands through the wide cuffs on the sleeves.
“Does your mother wear a lot of dark clothing?” She frowned. Every image of Yamira and Koron that she had ever seen had Yamira in soft pastels.
“No. Maybe those are clothes sent by designers that she just didn’t wear. That happens a lot.”
She nodded and looked at the wrapped fit, the slits on the dress that opened it just above the knee; it was very subdued but still pretty.
She noted one thing. Still no shoes. “So, I am going to be stuck here again today.”
He chuckled. “I think my mother will order shoes for you. You have a smaller foot than she does, though your heights are similar.”
He had dropped his towel and was putting on his uniform. She walked up behind him and helped him smooth the fabric over his shoulders before putting the closure down the centre of his back to his wings.
He smiled at her over his shoulder. “Thank you.”
She smiled back and patted his shoulder. “There you go. All dressed.”
He took her hand. “Let’s see what Iula has created for breakfast.”
“When do you go on duty?”
“I have been on duty for three days. If a call comes in, I go.”
She wasn’t a fan of being alone with Yamira and Koron, but there were probably places she could hide and things she could do that would keep them at bay. Iula might help her out for free labour.
They walked into a morning room, and there was some kind of heated beverage that she hadn’t gotten a grip on yet and standard breakfast fare. Soup, noodles, meat, vegetables, and bread. Just like any other meal.
They loaded their plates and were eating when Koron and Yamira came in. Koron’s head lifted slightly, and he smiled. A broad smile.
Yamira blinked. “That is quite the expression.”
“Well, it looks like we are going to be grandparents sooner rather than later. They created their link last night.”
Lyra turned bright red, and she kept eating. Yatal reached out and rubbed her back.
Yamira grinned. “Excellent. I always wanted to fill this house with family. If I couldn’t do it, I have expectations that you will have more than one.”
Lyra winced. “I will take that opinion under advisement.”
Yatal laughed. “Right, well, first, we will have to get Lyra on the path to citizenship.”
Koron frowned. “Fine. You are right. I can get away with pushing your classification through but not a child that you father.”
Lyra finished her breakfast and sat as she was discussed. She tried to do timing in her mind, but since her period had been silenced, she had to guess that the last time she ovulated was over a week ago. The timing was really not great to be starting a sexual relationship.
“Who, precisely, owns my bond?”
Koron cocked his head. “I do.”
“Oh. Okay. Good.” She exhaled.
Yatal frowned. “Why?”
“Technically, a child could be considered a product during my bond and be sold as a commodity.”
Yamira nodded. “With only six months left in your bond, we will get this sorted.”
“What? I have years.”
Yamira shook her head. “No, your bond started the moment that you signed, and you were in cold sleep for eighteen months on the ship and another four months here before you entered training.”
A roar of panic rushed through her, and she put her hands on the table while she tried to calm herself down. She heard the cutlery and crockery rattling, but she breathed in and out slowly until her heartbeat settled.
Yatal rubbed her back carefully. “Lyra, what was that?”
“I get upset and things vibrate.” She gave him a wry look. “Not as much fun as it sounds.”
He chuckled, and she saw a star in his eyes, slowly floating in a tiny nebula. “I thought your eyes were black.”
He scowled. “They are.”
“No, there is a star and a nebula in there.”
Yamira and Koron were up and staring at their son in a moment. Koron chucked. “Well, it looks like declaring you a Hmrain has done the trick. You are maturing.”
Lyra chuckled at the expression on his face. He was confused and unsure. She reached around his mother and rubbed his back just under his wings. He wasn’t going to find it calming, but the expression in his eyes made her laugh. She might pay for it later, but right now, he was his parents’ little boy again, and she had been forgotten about. It was a fun moment.
Chapter Ten
After another round of supervised and modified scans, Lyra was given access to a terminal and the run of the household. Seated in one of the family areas, she brought up the news reports from the previous day. She was stunned at the replay of her getting shot in the chest, over and over again. She held her breath as she watched Yatal roll her unit over to get at the hatch, and then, she blinked as he hit the emergency release to get her out. Few folks outside the teams knew how to find the release. He pulled her out carefully and cradled her body. Her chest was still smoking when he took flight. She exhaled and then watched the commentary.
Three people thought she was in on th
e assassination attempt and had changed her mind to step in front of the blast, but the shooter himself was arguing that particular point. He was screaming that it was him and him alone who would destroy the line of Koron and purge Nazua of the Hmrain influence.
She winced. “That is a death sentence.”
She looked for information on her unit, and folks on the street who were asked about the parade said that they enjoyed it but loved seeing the security units taking part instead of just stomping down the street like normal.
They went for an interview inside the frozen warehouse where Dommor was standing against his workbench. “I know a few things about unit six, and none of them are hostile toward Guardian Yatal.” He chuckled. “To my surprise, the pilot of unit six is the same woman that Yatal introduced me to a few days ago. She looks way better in the battle suit.”
Dommor added more information about her personality and the fact that she was an alien on Nazua. He totally painted a target on her back.
She grumbled and sat back until he said, “She is one of the most skilled mech pilots on Nazua, and the guardians have commissioned a new suit for her. I am honoured to be designing it right now.”
Lyra sat up. “What?”
She heard footsteps, and she turned to see Koron and Dommor speaking earnestly.
Dommor grinned. “It is good to see you again, Lyra. This was not the expected situation, but I am very glad to be doing some custom work for you.”
She pointed at the screen. “So, I hear. A custom what?”
“Battle unit. They need a heavy lifter that can fly. Since you have such quick reflexes, that puts you ahead of all of the military personnel who have applied for the position.” Koron smiled. “Yatal is mortified.”
Lyra snorted. “He will get over it. Have a seat.”
Koron blinked. “What?”
“Your son kept me up all night, and I want to know what Dommor has planned. We either discuss it here, or I am going to fall over and nap. Good luck waking me up after that.”
Koron smiled and said, “Dommor, have a seat. I will be with you in a moment.”
Dommor blinked and took a seat next to Lyra.
“So, you talked to Yatal after he flew off with me?”
He shook his head. “No, I recognized you when you came in and asked to be decorated. I saw Yatal’s face when he flew off with you, and I talked to your team. Koron was the one who asked me to design a mech suit for you. He contacted me last night.”
Lyra smiled. “So, what would you have in mind?”
Koron brought in a tray with a carafe of tea on it, and he set it down nearby, poured a cup, and handed it to her. “Drink. I need you awake for this.”
She was going to say something about that was a phrase no Hmrain had said before, but instead, she sipped at the hot liquid, and her eyes focused a little at the rapid dose of caffeine.
“Right. So. What the hell is going on?” She smiled pleasantly at Koron as he flared his wings out so he could sit in the narrow-backed chair.
Koron chuckled. “As you have skills at managing a unit and have the faster reflexes that this project requires, you are going to be the new guardian mech pilot for heavy response.”
She blinked. “What?”
Koron smiled. “You heard me. Your uniforms and clothing are being retrieved from your base as we speak. Dommor has a workshop down the hill, and you will be commuting to and from for fittings and testing.”
“So, not negotiable?”
“Your path to citizenship. One year as a guardian.” He smiled. “The law was signed an hour ago. Birthing a citizen is the other means, but I wanted to provide you with other options.”
She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. She turned to Dommor. “So, what do you have in mind for the mech design?”
Dommor lifted a tablet and began to show her the initial schematics for the bot. She added her ideas, and he made notes. She got up and showed him some of the moves she needed to be able to execute, and the servos and pistons had to be sealed inside the suit with her. If they were accessible, they were vulnerable.
When it came time to discuss the flight system, she was out of her depth. Koron asked for the tablet, and he made alterations to the fold-out wings. They sat together and discussed the necessary range and lift capacity of the suit before Iula called them for lunch.
Lyra had to ask, “Where is Yamira?”
Koron smiled and passed the tray of sandwiches. “Who do you think went to get your personal effects.”
Lyra nearly dropped the tray. “Oh, no. They are going to be freaking out for weeks.”
He chuckled. “I believe that was her intent.”
Dommor watched them and ate silently.
“Is this what she does for entertainment?” Lyra asked as she sipped more of the caffeinated tea and nibbled at her sandwich.
“Normally she does me for entertainment, usually when I least expect it, but she wants to make sure that everyone knows that you have been accepted and welcomed by our family. This will add to your social protections.”
Dommor nodded. “Yamira is respected globally for... uh...”
Koron chuckled. “Taming a Hmrain.”
The other man looked embarrassed. “Correct.”
Koron smiled. “Yamira has been essential in my research and in dealing with the growing local governments. She has put the Nazuans forward and instituted intense nationalism.”
Lyra blinked. “Right. And she made sure that no alien could get a foothold.”
Koron nodded. “Correct. So, we are working to adapt to the modern era.”
“I pitched a fit.”
He grinned. “Correct, and Yatal was very firm while speaking to his mother. Your vision was also compelling.”
She frowned and then dropped a hand to her waist. “Oh. That.”
Koron nodded. “Are your visions always accurate?”
“Yeah. I see them when they happen, whenever that may be.” She thought to the night before, and the images began to flicker through her mind. She kept her breathing calm and didn’t let the arousal get the best of her.
Koron looked at her, startled, and Dommor started to tug at his collar.
She went scarlet. “Sorry. I was just having flashbacks. I will calm down in a moment.”
She focused on her food, and the heat gradually faded. She looked at Koron. “Better?”
He chuckled. “Certainly less distracting. Are your pheromones always so strong?”
She wrinkled her nose. “I can’t detect them. I just have to go with the arousal level of my body and try to calm it down.”
Dommor cleared his throat. “That was... intense.”
She laughed. “It really wasn’t. It can be much, much worse. That was just a memory.”
Koron chuckled. “I do remember reading something about that in your file.”
She made a face, and he laughed out loud. Lyra looked at a stunned Dommor, and he looked back at her with shock in his features.
Koron paused. “Why are you so surprised?”
“I didn’t think you laughed. I thought your face was stuck that way.”
He snorted. “You are a lot less timid than you were yesterday.”
She sipped at her tea. “Sleep deprivation makes me snippy.”
He snickered. “I will let Yatal know. You are very amusing in this state.”
She didn’t flip him off, but it was very tempting.
Dommor remained for another hour, and then, he left to get started on the mech. He already had a skeleton that he was working on. Koron had provided him with her measurements from her time in unit six.
Koron took her tea away, and he said, “Go back to bed, Lyra Lannark. The moment you let yourself relax, the stimulant will leave you.”
She blinked at him. “I’m not sleepy.”
The moment the words passed her lips, she knew that he was right. She got up and went to Yatal’
s room without a word.
She used the bathroom, unclipped her hair and loosened her braid, and crawled on top of the covers of the bed, breathing slowly until she relaxed. She fell into warm, soft darkness, and her body claimed its rest.
She woke up, and she could tell hours had passed. There was a glass of water next to her, and as she sat up, a light blanket slipped down to her hips. Lyra got up, drank the water, went to wash her face, and smiled at her uniforms hanging next to Yatal’s when she checked on the state of the wardrobe. She put on a set of slippers and wiggled her toes happily. Shoes were important to her.
Based on the light outside, it was close to dinnertime. She left the room and went for a walk. She checked the lab and then headed for the common space where she had been watching the previous day’s news. Yatal was sitting, and it looked like he was going through documentation on a tablet.
She walked toward him, and he looked at her with a smile. “Lyra, you are up.”
She nodded, uncertain of what to do next. “I am. How was your day?”
He smiled. “Lots of negotiation and paperwork, and two criminals apprehended. So, is it horrible that I look forward to the flashes of peril?”
“No. I get it. Duty at the rehab centre was a lot of boring with a few bitchy protestors and that one girl who wanted to have your baby.”
He winced. “Yes, that was unfortunate.”
He held out his hand, and she walked up to him, settling into his lap at his urging. She leaned her head against his chest and inhaled slowly then exhaled. He set his tablet aside and ran his fingers through her hair.
“How was your day?”
“I spent the morning with your father and Dommor.”
“Ah, I heard about that. They want to get you a new mech.”
“Yeah. I don’t object. Piloting is my favourite thing to do on Nazua.”
He chuckled. “Should I be insulted?”
“I didn’t do you; you did me; there is a difference.”
He ran his hand through her hair again. “Would you care to redress that balance?”
She lifted her head and looked at him in surprise. “Here?”
“Why not? My parents are having a conference in one of the meeting rooms. We have at least an hour.”