by Jade Waltz
“Are you cold?” Xylo asked, concern coloring his tone.
Pulling the cup away from my face, I glanced at Kaede before looking into Xylo’s concerned teal gaze. The room was slightly chilly, but I hadn’t intended to complain about it. I leaned back and tucked my legs up onto the loveseat, trying to conserve some heat.
I finally admitted, “It’s a little bit chilly in here.”
“There’s a blanket stored in the chest next to the nestbed. It’s dark green and should be near the top, Xylo. If you grab it for Selena, I’ll raise the temperature in the suite.”
Xylo eyed Kaede before tracing my body with his eyes. “Do you want me to get it for you, Selena?”
My cheeks heated, causing me to look down in embarrassment at the cup in both of my hands. Being the center of attention was something I wasn't accustomed to though it seemed to be happening more frequently. The care that Xylo—and to a degree, Kaede—expressed made my heart flutter. For years, the only person who’d cared had been my dreamscape male. Having actual flesh-and-bone people care about me was something I’d never thought to experience.
“I can get it myself,” I suggested.
“No, I insist. You need your rest. Let me get it for you.”
“If it isn’t any trouble, I’d love it.”
“It would not be a problem at all. I will be right back.”
I watched Xylo until he disappeared through the door, then took a sip of my drink. It had cooled down just enough to not burn myself.
“You must trust me, Selena. We may not always agree with one another, but I need you to trust me,” Kaede pleaded.
Glancing over, I noticed his focus was on me, his black-gloved hands gripping his knees.
“As the Head of Security? Or as someone who wants to become friends?”
“Both. Your health and safety are my main concerns.”
“I don’t know how you can ask me to trust you when I just met you. Scratch that. I still haven’t met you. You don’t trust even me with your identity. At this point, you could be anyone. I’m not that foolish, Kaede. I’ll accept your service, but it’s too early to talk about trust,” I stated with a pointed look.
Silence fell between us for a few moments, waiting for the other to say something. I took another sip of my warm tea as I waited for Xylo to return.
“I will prove myself to you—”
“‘Actions speak louder than words.’ That’s one of my favorite quotes from Earth’s history. Prove to me I should trust you, and I will. Right now? You’re the person who was hired to protect me by the one person who hurt me, whether or not he meant to. If you know his plans, then you have to know our history—”
The sound of the bedroom door sliding closed silenced me. I did not want any more inadvertent slips. I’d already be in trouble for accidentally mentioning the dreamscape visit.
Xylo had a smile on his face and carried a large green blanket.
Returning my gaze to Kaede, I continued, “I want the best for my children. Right now, I have a bad feeling about what’s going to happen when we arrive at CEG HQ. I will never allow myself to become an experiment ever again—I’d die before I allow that to happen to my children. Not after experiencing those horrors myself. Not after this sample of how it feels to be free. I can’t go back to that. Please understand my point of view, Kaede.”
I set my cup down as a Xylo spread the blanket over me, tucking it in carefully. He handed me back my drink, then turned with his in hand to sit in the chair next to me. The blanket had the same soft felt texture as Xylo’s chest. It felt heavy on my legs, already enclosing me in warmth.
“Thank you.”
“What did you want to discuss?” Xylo asked.
Glancing over at Kaede, I noticed he looked more relaxed, leaning back on the couch, drink in hand.
“Kaede, I need to know what your client plans.”
Kaede paused a moment, then nodded as if he had decided something. He turned to Xylo.
“What I’m about to tell you is highly confidential—and I shouldn’t be telling Selena this—but if this eases her mind and allows her to trust me, I will share it. Swear to me you will not breathe a word of this.”
Xylo’s expression turned to steel. “I wouldn’t jeopardize Selena in any way. If this will help, lessen Selena’s stress, I will not tell a soul. May the Fates and Stars witness.”
“You don’t want to disappoint me.”
“I won’t.”
Kaede nodded and turned toward me. “He wants you and your offspring to live on his property on a small planet in one of the three Aldawi star systems.”
“And if I want to continue traveling with Xylo and the others? If I want to build a family in the stars? Explore the galaxy? Relocating me from my cell on the Yaarkin ship to a property on a planet is still a prison, just one of a different size.”
Kaede threw back his head and laughed. “Believe me when I say where he wants to take you is no prison.” He took a sip of his drink before continuing. “I understand your reluctance, but moving to his property would make it easier for him to protect you and your offspring. Once you become known in CEG, others may want to steal you for their own research and experiments.”
“So, basically, he wants her blind trust he will not do the same and is giving her little choice.”
“He won’t let any harm come to her or their offspring.” Kaede swirled the remainder of his drink around in his glass. His visor turned toward my stomach. “What’s your definition of a family? There are many different forms in CEG with all the different species and cultures. A few don’t even have families. So, what’s your plan, Selena?”
I could feel the weight of both their stares as they waited for my answer. I took a long sip of my drink, trying to collect my thoughts before setting the cup down on the table. Pulling the blanket up to my shoulders, I glanced at Kaede before turning to meet Xylo’s eyes.
Revealing this to him sealed our fate. There would be no second-guessing accepting our bond after this. I took a deep breath.
“The Aldawi male that hired Kaede? He has been visiting me in my dreamscape since I woke from my tube. He calls me ‘his little Nova’—whatever that means. He’s said the connection he and I have is rare, and I know he’s afraid of someone using me to get to him. I’m assuming by sending Kaede and our escorts, he’s either rich or powerful, perhaps both. But before anything happens between you and me, I need you to know there’s another male that’s bound to me.”
Xylo gave Kaede a sidelong glance before his gaze returned to me.
As he opened his mouth to reply, Kaede interjected, “You shouldn’t have told him that, Selena. He could tell others, and it could jeopardize your safety.”
“He is bound to me!” I yelled, turning to stare down Kaede. I pulled my arm out of the blanket and gestured at Xylo with an open hand. “Don’t you get it? I’m not going to keep secrets from him when his life is also affected by my decisions. After a lifetime of secrets—secrets your contact is still keeping from me—I refuse to do that to him. I know too well what that feels like.”
“My client will not agree,” Kaede criticized.
“I do not care,” I growled, giving Kaede a dirty look before pulling my arm back under the blanket.
I blew out a breath in frustration before turning back to Xylo.
“Look, I know what we have is unique, especially with me being human. I want to start things with open communication. I hate secrets. Maybe it’s because I grew up in seclusion, only reading about families in my studies, but I want a big family. I don’t know exactly what I want that to look like yet. I have so little experience of such things, but even with what little I’ve seen of your culture, I can see the advantages of having multiple males. There were a few examples of both men and women in human history with multiple partners—marriages, permanent partnerships, poly-style relationships, arranged marriages for political gain with consorts on the side—so I know this is part of my culture as well.
I’m not saying what we have is love, I’m not saying I have things figured out, but I am attracted to you and—"
“Well, this isn’t awkward—”
“If you’re uncomfortable, you can leave. Door’s over there,” I growled and pointed, daring Kaede to continue making rude comments to interrupt the important conversation I was having with Xylo. One Kaede had no right to be privy to, come to think of it. “But I believe you’re too nosy to do the polite thing and give us privacy.”
“No. These are all things that will help me plan for the future. I just didn’t think you’d be talking feelings so soon.”
“I believe it is good for Selena to express how she feels. It prevents misunderstandings. We will already have enough of those with our different cultures. My biggest question for her is...” Xylo turned to address me directly. “Selena, what do you want to do with all your offspring—current and future ones?”
“Huh? What do you mean?” I asked, confused. Do with them? Of course, they’d stay with me.
“Both Wudox and Ulax nestqueens typically only keep their daughters, placing them in their resident hatchery to be raised by their nestmates. They send their sons to the local or regional hatchery and never reclaim them.”
“Why would they do that?”
“Male offspring are considered military fodder. If a male is sent to the regional hatchery and is left unclaimed by the time he fully matures, that male is sent to the military academy. The tradition started when soldiers were desperately needed during the Ulax and Wudox wars. Once we signed the peace accords, the tradition remained to ensure we could protect our planet from invaders. When our technology progressed to allow space travel and the Aldawi came, our military was instrumental in assisting them and CEG in the Yaarkin War.”
“That’s horrible,” I gasped, covering my mouth with my blanket.
“It is life.”
“Well, I am neither Wudox nor Ulax. I will be keeping my children, no matter how they turn out or what gender they are. I won't abandon them. And I want whoever I’m with to raise them as their own.”
Kaede interrupted, laughing. “You forget that you carry Aldawi offspring—even if they turn out to be hybrids. The Aldawi have different thoughts about family and children.”
“And those are...”
“Females and males live in separate communities. While the males are politically and militarily in charge, the females are self-reliant businesswomen. The females pay taxes to the government and live in their own communities; the only males with them are their adolescent sons and the rare males they claim as mates. Typically, female Aldawi only interact with males when they are in heat. Then they will couple with any male—no commitments. Their sexual needs during heat drive them to seek out multiple partners for the entire week, usually staying at a female haven in neutral grounds outside a male community. If she becomes pregnant with a litter, she’s under no obligation to tell the male—or males—who sired them. The only exceptions are the rare cases of bonded or fated mates—Nova. Honestly, the temperaments of the genders do not mix well. They rarely want to deal with one another, other than during business deals or a female's heat.”
“Now what he said to me makes more sense,” I mused. “But he said he wants to claim me, not the other way around.”
“He’s hoping the difference in your species will allow him to do so to protect you and your offspring. Knowing your relationship status at the time of your mating was nonexistent may cause some issues since neither of you claimed the other. Failure to do so at the time of conception will raise questions. He’s hoping to have that resolved before we arrive.”
Turning to Xylo, I searched his worried face.
“Xylo, he knows about you and our courting bond. He said that as long as I didn't claim any other Aldawi, he would welcome any additional males I claim,” I stated soothingly, trying to banish his worries.
He traced my face with his teal eyes and visibly relaxed.
“It seems there is much to prepare before we get to the space station. It seems we may have a legal battle on our hands.”
Chapter Eighteen
Selena
Kaede and Xylo spent another hour discussing preparations though I tuned most of it out. When they finally decided to call it a night, I walked them to the door and wished Kaede a good night, putting my hand out to prevent Xylo’s exit. Once Kaede had passed out of sight, I turned to face Xylo.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
He looked at me in confusion. “I was planning on going to my cabin to retire for the night.”
“We are court-bonded, right?” I leaned forward and grabbed his hand. “Isn't it a traditional part of your culture that you stay with me from now on? I mean, assuming you want to...”
He looked down at our entwined fingers.
“Of course, I do. Are you sure this is what you want?”
Raising my other hand, I ran my hand along his jaw, tipping his face up so I could see his eyes. He closed his eyes briefly as he leaned into my touch. The scales of his face felt cool against my hand but not hard—smooth and supple.
“I believe so. I asked you, didn’t I?”
“Then I would like that.”
He let go of my hand, and I slid my hand down his cheek in a last lingering caress.
Pausing before the door to the master bedroom, I turned to him nervously.
“I seem to have gotten ahead of myself. Do you need anything for tonight? What are we going to do about your belongings? Do you have to report to someone to get reassigned to my room?”
“I will deal with it tomorrow. Do not worry, Selena. Let us get ourselves settled and go to sleep. You need a lot of sleep in your condition.” A small smile crossed his face.
I opened the bedroom door and peered inside. I couldn’t see much. The room was dimly lit along the perimeter of both floor and ceiling. As I stepped across the door frame, the lights brightened, revealing the strangest furnishings I’d ever seen.
“What in the Stars is that?” I exclaimed.
Xylo looked over my shoulder to see what I was talking about.
“That is a Queen’s nestbed. One fit for royalty. It is large enough to allow up to fourteen nestmates to surround her—two in the center with her and twelve surrounding them.”
“You’re telling me your Queens have fourteen nestmates? And they need a nestbed this large?”
“They each have ten nestmates, last I heard. I do not pay that much attention to them after their treatment of our princes.”
The nestbed covered almost the entire room. There was enough open space around the nestbed for a few people to walk side-by-side. There were stairs built into three of the corners, while the back corner contained a table with an elegant lamp. Dark blue pillows decorated each of the outer sleep platforms, and the center was a lowered platform, its walls covered with pillowed pads. All the sheets were black.
In the corner, across from the nestbed sat an L-shaped couch wedged against the glass wall overlooking the terrarium. Two doors led to additional rooms.
It was completely overwhelming.
“So, how do we do this?” I asked, looking around the room.
“How about you get ready for sleep, and I will prepare the nestbed,” Xylo suggested.
“Okay. I won’t take long. Which door is it?”
Xylo pointed to one of the doors next to the L-shaped couch, and I nodded in thanks. I gasped as I pulled open the door and saw what lay within. These were the wash facilities? The room was enormous. To the right lay a pond-like bathtub with breathtaking views of the terrarium. It was filled from a flowing waterfall that constantly refreshed the bathwater. Baskets of scented soaps sat at the tub edge. In the center of the room stood an elegant sink, topped with a silver mirror. Two additional alcoves held the waste unit and shower unit. The walls were covered with shelves and cabinets, presumably containing towels and other bathing sundries.
Conscious of Xylo waiting in the next room,
I hurried through my ablutions and headed back to the master bedroom. The lights had been dimmed and a tinted curtain covered the glass wall, cutting the glare from the terrarium lights.
I blushed when my eyes fell on Xylo. He lay on top of a silver blanket on the raised area at the back of the nestbed. My eyes traced his strong body, the way the grass-like strands of his hair fell across his pillow, simply appreciating how gorgeous he was. He’d removed his wristband and placed it on the table beside the nestbed. A second silver blanket had been placed in the sunken platform at the center of the nestbed along with one of the navy pillows.
“I prepared your bed.” Xylo gestured to the central space as I shucked my gown and wristband and ascended the nestbed steps. “If you need any more blankets or pillows, let me know. I will be happy to get them for you.”
I eyed the sunken platform as I stepped down onto it. The black sheets were silky smooth, and the mattress felt soft, yet springy. Giggling, I bounced up and down a few times, testing the mattress’s elasticity. I heard Xylo’s answering chuckle at my antics.
“Aren’t you going to join me?” I glanced up at Xylo, peeking through the fall of my hair.
“The center is reserved for the nestqueen and her Favored—”
“You keep forgetting I’m human. And what do you mean ‘Favored’?”
He avoided my gaze, staring down at the center of the nestbed.
“Only the nestqueen’s Prime and Second sleep with her regularly in the center, her Favored occasionally. Everyone else sleeps up here. And we are not even fully bonded.”
“Then why don’t we correct that?” I whispered, my cheeks aflame at my brazen suggestion.
His eyes snapped up to mine, face shocked. “Right now?”
“I told you I wasn’t going to reject you.”
“But are you sure, Selena? I don’t want to rush—”