by Olivia Black
“It sounds like you are enjoying the food.”
Grant nodded rapidly as he swallowed down his bite. He licked his lips and said, “Yes, this is delicious.”
Ael smiled. He took a bite. The two of them fell into a comfortable silence as they ate. It didn’t exactly taste like home, but it was close enough. He inhaled the food, bite after bite, until the plates were empty and his belly was full.
“Deputy Commissioner,” Parker said.
Ael looked up. “Yes.”
“I’m sorry to interrupt your meal, sir, but there’s an important call for you.”
Ael sighed. “I need to take this call. I didn’t bring my handheld, and it could be important.” He pushed back his chair and rose to his feet. “I’ll be right back.”
Grant nodded. He watched as Ael strode through the restaurant. He sat back, relaxing as he waited for the male to return. As time ticked by, Grant started to draw some unwanted attention from the single Sweshian males in the establishment. He ducked his head, staring at his lap, pretending not to notice.
“Grant Byers.”
He jerked his head up and stared at the stranger standing before him. “Yes,” Grant answered cautiously.
“My name is Kiev. I’m Ael’s father.”
Grant sat up, straightening his posture. From his conversation with Paed, Grant knew that this male was the leader of Sweshan.
“It’s nice to meet you, sir,” he said respectfully.
“May I sit down and have a word with you?” he asked, motioning to the empty chair across from Grant.
“Of course.” Grant nodded.
The male sat down. He leaned forward, staring at Grant. “We don’t have much time. Ael will be returning soon.”
“Okay.”
“I need you to entice him.”
Grant’s brows pinched together. “Are you telling me that I should seduce your son?” he asked, needing clarification.
“You’re a handsome human, Grant. My son would be a fool if he wasn’t attracted to you. And trust me, I didn’t raise a fool.”
“Sir,” Grant said respectfully. He took a deep breath, taking a moment to carefully word his response so that he wouldn’t offend the male. “I’m not really sure if your son is interested in me.”
“You have to make him try.”
Grant sighed. If only it were that easy.
“From my understanding, Ael has been brought a few humans in the past, and they were taken from him. He doesn’t want to go through it again. He’s been hurt too many times.”
“You’re his last chance.”
“What does that mean?”
“My rank gives me a lot of special privileges, and my son benefits from it. But there are a lot of unmated Sweshian males, and they all want a mate. You are Ael’s last chance. I cannot keep giving him special treatment, especially when he’s been so vocal about rejecting potential mates.”
“He’s heartbroken,” Grant murmured.
“I need you to try to get through to him. Seduce him.”
Grant decided not to bother arguing with the leader of Sweshan. “I’ll try,” he said.
“I’m going to share a secret with you. A secret that my people don’t talk about and only a few others in the galaxy know.”
“Okay.”
“The Glecerians are helping us by bringing humans here. They transform your bodies using a mixture of their DNA and inoculations to make it possible for human males to bear children. Our population can no longer reproduce. A long time ago, toxic chemicals were dumped into the water. The animals and plants survived. They adapted. And we had to adapt as well.”
Grant nodded, genuinely interested in the story.
“We didn’t know how badly it would affect our people. Our scientists underestimated the severity of the toxins. But once it spread through the water, there was nothing we could do to stop it.
And as a result, the egg tissue, the female part of our body, was destroyed. We could no longer bear children. See”—he sighed—“At one time, we had both male and female reproductive organs.”
“Oh.” Grant really didn’t know what to say.
None of this information had been in the manual he received when he volunteered to leave Earth. But he now understood why Sweshian males couldn’t claim a human mate without impregnating them first.
“You can’t imagine how hard it is to watch my people go through something so traumatic. I couldn’t do anything to help. We tried to find other ways to reproduce, but nothing worked. When I heard that Glecerus was taking volunteers from Earth to their planet, I contacted High King Auden Q’Tal and made a deal. They helped us. Their scientists tested the humans, and we realized that humans were compatible. We could finally reproduce. The Sweshian people won’t die out because humans have saved us from extinction.”
Grant stared at him with wide eyes. He couldn’t even begin to imagine what the people of Sweshan had gone through. He felt bad for them. His heart ached for the pain he saw in Kiev’s eyes.
“Father,” Ael said, interrupting their conversation.
Grant glanced up to see Ael standing beside their table. The male didn’t look happy to see his father. His jaw was tight, and his muscles were strained as if he were readying himself for a fight.
“Son.” Kiev rose to his feet.
“What are you doing here?”
Grant shrank down in his seat. He didn’t want to get in between Ael and his father.
“I just came by to introduce myself to your prospective mate.” Kiev smiled down at him. “It was nice to meet you, Grant.”
Grant nodded. “You, too, sir.”
Chapter Seven
Ael watched his father leave the restaurant. As soon as he stepped over the threshold, two guards moved in, flanking their leader. The phone call Ael received had been a diversion. It was set up by his father so that the male could have a private conversation with Grant. It was a juvenile tactic in Ael’s opinion, but it worked.
Why did his father want to meet Grant? They weren’t mated. And the male constantly preached about not getting emotionally involved until a mating could be confirmed. Ael shook his head. He couldn’t worry about his father, not right now. Ael blew out a heavy breath and glanced down at Grant. The human was staring at him with a look of apprehension on his expressive face.
“Are you ready to go?”
Grant nodded. He pushed his chair back and rose to his feet. He reached out and took Ael’s hand as if he’d done it hundreds of times before. Holding Grant’s smaller hand within his own gave Ael a sense of peace. It felt right. Natural.
Ael guided Grant out of the restaurant, maneuvering him through the crowd, toward the conveyor belt. When they stepped onto the people mover, Ael turned so that he was facing Grant.
“I want to apologize for my father,” Ael started.
“You have nothing to apologize for,” Grant told him. “Your father just wanted to meet me. And I’m glad he did. He was nice.”
“He didn’t say anything to upset you?” he asked skeptically.
Grant shook his head. “He was a perfect gentleman.”
Ael knew more had been said between his father and Grant, but since the human wasn’t distressed, Ael decided to let it go. He trusted his father. The male was honorable. Ael wasn’t sure why he’d been concerned when he saw his father sitting alone with Grant. Except this was the first time Kiev had introduced himself to a potential mate.
“Do you get along with your father?”
Grant’s question brought Ael back to the present. He’d been so lost in thought that Ael didn’t even realize they had left the market.
When Ael didn’t answer right away, Grant said, “I know it’s none of my business. It’s just that you seemed upset when you saw your father at the restaurant.”
“We have a good relationship,” Ael told him truthfully. “We’ve been through a lot, and we’ve had to depend on one another. I think he gets frustrated with me, though, because I rem
ind him of my sire. Truthfully, I wasn’t upset when I saw him. I was just surprised. He’s never wanted to meet a potential mate before.”
“Your sire?”
It had been many years since the death of his sire. Ael had been heartbroken. His heart still ached, but he could smile at the memories instead of cry over everything he’d lost.
“When the toxins were dumped into the water, my sire was pregnant. The baby died, and he became withdrawn and depressed. The pain of losing the baby was too much for him to bear and he killed himself.”
Grant leaned into Ael’s side. He placed his left hand on Ael’s forearm and put his head against Ael’s bicep. Grant didn’t say anything, and Ael was actually grateful for that. The silent support was exactly what he needed since there wasn’t anything Grant could say. His presence was enough.
“It wasn’t just my sire. There were others.” Ael took a moment to gather his thoughts before saying, “The bond between sire and babe starts in the womb when the child bearer is pregnant. The offspring has the ability to communicate. And when the baby died, it was very traumatic. The males that lived through the ordeal still refuse to talk about it.”
Ael felt Grant stiffen beside him. He glanced down at the human and watched as the man’s mouth opened and closed several times. It looked as though he wanted to say something, but in the end, he sealed his lips shut and remained silent.
They walked at a slower pace, strolling through the cylinders, and back to his home. The crowds thinned out as they got closer to his building. When they reached his place, Ael noticed a bunch of bags lined up across the countertop. It seemed that the items he’d purchased for Grant had been delivered.
Grant made a soft sound as he let go of Ael’s hand. He walked over to the bags and started looking through them. His brows furrowed in confusion. After a moment, the human pulled out an intricately designed glass bottle, cradling it carefully in his palm.
“This isn’t mine,” he said. “I think Joran made a mistake.”
Ael knew that Joran never made mistakes. Everything he delivered belonged to Grant. And since Ael hadn’t picked it out, he assumed that his father had purchased a few extra items for Grant, including Ael’s favorite soap. The concoction was rare and incredibly expensive since it was made from the small-flowered nightshade plant that bloomed once a year.
“It’s yours,” Ael told him.
Grant made a face. “What is this?”
“Soap.”
“Soap,” he murmured, as if he’d never heard the word before.
“Would you like to take a bath?”
Grant’s eyes instantly lit up. “You have a bathtub?”
Ael nodded. “Yes.”
“I can’t remember the last time I took a bath,” he said, his voice filled with longing.
“Follow me.” Ael walked down the hallway, through his bedroom, and into the adjoining bathroom. “Take your time. Relax.”
Ael turned to leave, intent on giving Grant some privacy. He hadn’t even taken a single step when Grant touched his forearm, stopping him in his tracks. He glanced at the human, giving him a questioning look.
“Do you want to join me?” Grant asked.
Ael had to admit that he was tempted. It would be so easy to say yes. The word sat on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn’t say it. Even though he wanted to strip Grant out of the jumpsuit and rub his hands over the human’s body, Ael needed to walk away. He couldn’t afford to open himself up. The outcome would be the same as the others.
“I…” He shook his head. “I can’t.”
Grant dropped his hand. “That’s too bad.” He shrugged his shoulders, trying to appear nonchalant, and said, “It’s your loss.” But the look on Grant’s face said something else entirely. The human was disappointed with Ael’s answer.
“I know.” It was the truth. It was his loss.
Ael turned his back on Grant and walked out of the bathroom. When the door slid closed behind him, Ael sighed heavily. He wanted to walk back into the bathroom. He wanted to tell Grant that he had changed his mind. He wanted to tell the human that he was worth the risk. But he couldn’t bring himself to do any of those things, so he walked away.
* * * *
Grant watched as the opaque glass door closed behind Ael. He stood there for a moment, hoping the Sweshian male would change his mind and return. When Ael didn’t come back, Grant was disappointed. He had taken a huge risk by asking Ael to stay, even knowing the male would most likely say, no.
He turned and glanced down at the oval pit carved into the floor. It looked more like a small pool than a bathtub. The smooth surface called to him, and excitement sang through his veins. Grant grinned. It had been a really long time since he was given the opportunity to soak in a hot tub. Water was a necessity on Earth. It wasn’t used to indulge in something as trivial as a bath.
Grant knelt down and pressed a few buttons on the rectangular-shaped keypad. Water poured in from the bottom of the tub, filling it at a rapid pace. Grant uncorked the intricately designed glass bottle. An intoxicating fragrance, similar to tobacco flower and vanilla, instantly filled his head. He lifted the bottle to his nose and inhaled deeply. Grant closed his eyes and sighed. The soap smelled amazing.
He tipped the bottle, pouring a large dollop of the thick, metallic fluid into the tub. Grant recorked the bottle and placed it on the floor before rising to his feet.
He toed off his shoes and removed the jumpsuit, kicking it aside. Grant descended the steps that were cut into the ground. He waded through the water and sat down. When it rose up to his neck, Grant leaned over the edge and shut it off. Grant leaned his head back. He stared up at the open ceiling and watched as a large school of fish swim by overhead. He took a deep breath, inhaling, and exhaling, as he relaxed, going limp. The hot water mixed with the earthy, masculine fragrance helped to lull Grant.
Grant tried to clear his mind, but he couldn’t stop thinking about the conversation with Ael. He had questions about the bond that developed between the child bearer and the baby while it was still in the womb. Grant wanted to ask Ael, but it wasn’t the right time, considering the male was opening up to him about something personal.
Could they really communicate? How exactly did that work? If he got pregnant, would Grant be able to talk to his baby while it was still in his belly? Would they have real conversations?
It didn’t sound real. But, since this was the mythical land of Utopia, anything was possible. Grant chuckled lightly.
Grant took a deep breath, filling his lungs. He closed his eyes and sank beneath the water. Grant crossed his legs and sat on the bottom of the tub. He stayed in that position until he ran out of oxygen and was forced back up. Grant tilted his head back as he surfaced. He ran his fingers through his hair, combing the strands from his forehead.
Grant aligned his body with the surface of the tub and floated on his back. He emptied his mind and allowed himself to relax. No thinking. No feeling. Just being.
He stayed in the bath until his fingers and toes were shriveled and the water was cold. Grant leaned over the edge and pressed a button, and the water started to drain. He stood up and walked up the stairs. Grant tiptoed across the floor and grabbed a towel from a nearby shelf. He wrapped the soft material around his back and started drying off, removing all the moisture from his skin.
When he was done, Grant wrapped the towel around his waist, cinching the material at his hip. He picked up the jumpsuit and shoes off the floor before leaving the bathroom.
He walked through Ael’s bedroom, dragging his bare feet across the floor. Grant took his time, looking at the male’s space. There weren’t any personal items. There was only a bed, a wall unit, a desk, and a sitting area. It was sad. Ael had a lot to give. The male deserved to have a mate and a family.
Grant pressed the button on the wall, and the door slid open. He stepped out into the hallway, and his eyes automatically landed on Ael.
“Did you enjoy your bath?”
“Good.” He nodded. Ael’s eyes dropped down, sweeping over Grant’s body. “That’s good.”
Grant did his best to hide his smile as Ael eyed him closely. The male adjusted his crotch, moving his erection.
“I…uh…” Ael cleared his throat. “I should probably take a shower.”
“Enjoy,” Grant told him.
He walked down the hall and into the guest room. Grant tossed the jumpsuit and the towel into a slot in the wall marked, Soiled Clothes. He grabbed the loose-fitting pajama pants from the bed and pulled them on.
Grant wanted to spend more time with Ael, but he decided it might be best to just call it a night. He’d already made some progress with the male, and he didn’t want to push his luck. Climbing into bed, Grant pulled up the sheet, covering his legs. He pressed his back against the carved headboard and grabbed a book off the side table.
He looked through the encyclopedia of underwater life found on Sweshan. Grant went through each page, trying to educate himself so that he could impress Ael with his knowledge of the planet.
The Sweshan Ocean was a continuous body of water that covered the entire planet. It was home to a diverse assortment of plants and animals. The Sweshian people depended on the water for survival. According to the book, there were a lot of different ecosystems in the ocean, including deep trenches, seagrass meadows, reefs, forests, marshes, tide pools, sandy and rocky bottoms, and many others. The types of plants and animals found in each ecosystem were distinct and suited for survival to that specific area.
The more he learned, the more Grant wanted to go exploring. He couldn’t wait to go swimming with Ael.
Grant read through the tome until the suns dropped, the water darkened, and the natural light disappeared. He shut the book and placed it back on the side table. Grant rubbed his tired eyes and yawned. He inched his way down the bed and placed his head on the pillow. Rolling to his side, Grant faced the door. He closed his eyes, wishing and hoping that Ael might visit his room.