by Zara Zenia
“I admit I am jealous,” said Gardax. “I think you have the best location of all the home ships. I may have to petition Father to move us here, and you can take my location in Virginia.”
“Over my dead body,” said Cat all too lightly. “I’m a California girl and intend to remain so.”
“But,” said Gardax, “my beautiful blonde headed wife fits the image of the California girl better, does she not? I think we have to reassess here and apply some logic. The Earth people will expect the California delegation to fit the norms of the region. We should make this change.”
Amy chuckled. “The only change you are making, mister, is a change of attitude. Besides, I already picked out the schools for our child and they are on the East coast.”
“Schools?” said Gardax in shock. “The child is not yet born.”
“Which is the perfect time to start planning. All the best ones take applications before a child is even born.”
“I do not understand your concern. Any school would take a prince of Trilyn. Why would they not?”
“Or a princess,” said Amy with a smile.
“How would I know? You will not allow the test.”
“Sue me for liking a little mystery.”
“And does it matter?” said Cat.
“No,” said Gardax. “I am glad our child is healthy. I cannot wait to see our baby's face.”
“Soon,” said Amy sucking in a breath.
“Now?” said Gardax with excitement shining in his eyes.
Amy rolled her eyes. “Down boy. It’s just a Braxton Hicks contraction. I still have another couple months to go.”
Cat chuckled.
I stood and held out my hand for the sunscreen. “Your turn.”
I applied the sunscreen to Cat’s back and then allowed my hands to slip forward over her shoulders. I wanted to reach for her breast, but I was aware we were on a beach open to the eyes of the world and any drone could take a picture. Plus, my brother sat next to us, and I did not want Cat to feel uncomfortable.
“So, my love. How goes the program?” I kissed behind Cat’s ear.
“I’d rather hear if anyone has seen Bella and Sendrin,” she said.
Since we’d discovered that Bella and Sendrin took the mothership out of the solar system, we’d sent many messages to different Galactic governments to keep a watch for them. Eventually, they would have to go somewhere to resupply. Cat had been anxious since their disappearance since it was certain they carried the Iblis AI that could infect any computer system. The possibility that they’d return to Earth frightened her.
“No one has seen them, but it is a big galaxy out there. Now tell me about your successes in lining up possible mates for the rest of my brothers.”
She yawned and stretched as if she were tired. “It is a difficult job, as you Trilyn princes are impossibly handsome. I’ve determined that the fault is all on your side. If you all weren’t so perfect, there would be more women willing to take you on. As it is you intimidate them.”
“Us? It is our fault?”
“Totally,” opined Amy. “Your greatness awes most women and scares them away.”
Gardax snorted. “I have learned from you what a back-handed compliment is. This is one.”
Amy put her hand on Gardax’s jaw. “Not when it’s true, baby.”
Gardax purred at Amy’s touch. Then he glanced at me before he returned a loving gaze to his wife.
“How goes your work in extending the human lifespan?”
I pursed my lips. “It is not my work but the medical AI, Cal. The Innuki coding of the human and Trilyn genome remains a puzzle. Hundreds of thousands of old copies of genes and experiments that went wrong litter the human and Trilyn genome. We surmise the Innuki just turned off in the last half a million years. This code is there but inactive probably because the Innuki found no use for them. For instance, we surmise that Trilyn physiology allows larger, stronger muscles because of the heavier gravity of Trilyn, but found that coding maladaptive on Earth and its lesser gravity. Heavier muscles demand more food fuel to operate which Trilyn supplies because it is lusher than Earth. Because of the lesser gravity and the poorer food choices, the Innuki turned off the genes in the human genome that allows for larger muscle mass in the Trilyn.”
“Wow,” said Amy. “Just wow. They had control over all of that?”
“They were, or are, master geneticists. We don’t know if the Innuki even exist anymore.”
“Wait,” said Gardax with a frown. “What does this mean for Amy? If the baby is more Trilyn than human will it grow too big for her womb? Is she in danger? If the baby cannot grow big enough to survive outside her womb is the baby in danger?”
“Don’t worry,” said Cat. “Akrawn researched this. DNA is malleable. As an embryo develops in the mother's womb, the child’s DNA automatically edits to reduce the embryo’s growth rate. The size of the placenta matches the mother’s ability to survive the pregnancy. And the doctors are watching Amy closely, so you have nothing to worry about.”
“You are only trying to reassure me,” rumbled Gardax.
“Not at all. Akrawn researched this to reassure himself. Once he began work on the Life Extension project, the implications of me having his child freaked him out.”
“It did not,” I said. “Your health concerns me always.”
“If you say so, darling.” She smiled at me sweetly, and I melted. Time only increased my adoration of my Cat.
“Stop drooling over your mate and tell me about the research,” huffed Gardax.
“What I was trying to say is that it is not as simple as turning DNA on and off. Aging is a complex process that involves different bodily systems. There are too many variables, and we have a lot more investigation to do before we can test out the solution to extending the human life span.”
Gardax folded his arms. “So what you are saying is that you don’t know how to do it.” His voice rumbled with disapproval.
I understood Gardax’s disappointment. I too, wanted to ensure my mate and wife stayed with me as long as possible. He knew this, so I wouldn’t let it upset me.
“You are welcome to supervise the project,” I said.
“No. I have other things to do,” huffed Gardax.
I couldn’t resist. “Yes. Enjoy sunning yourself on a beach.”
“Brothers,” snorted Cat, and Amy laughed too.
“See, brother,” said Gardax, “your impertinent remarks brought us both the scorn of our mates.”
“Hello, all,” said a voice from behind us. I recognized David Davon’s voice. While we weren’t friends, I’d warmed up to him especially now since he didn’t work with my Cat each day.
“Come and sit,” I said. “We are about to hydrate.”
I opened the cooler by my Cat’s side and pulled out three bottled beers. I offered one to David, but he shook his head.
“Open carry is illegal,” he said.
“Benefits of a private beach,” said Cat with a smile. I offered her a beer, and she shook her head. “Hand me a bottle of water, sweetheart.”
“I’ll take one too,” said Amy.
I gave my brother a beer and the women their bottled water. “So what can we do for you, Officer David?” I said.
“I came to tell you that the Iswan have formally dropped their complaint against you.”
I tipped my beer to my lips.
“And after only one year? Amazing.”
“They had to let the outrage they drummed up among the Middle Eastern States die down.”
“I’m still waiting for my apology,” I said. I refused to budge on this, and Dad agreed. Until they made a formal plea for my forgiveness for their foul accusations, there would be no trade deals with the Iswan.
“Oh, that explains it,” said Cat.
“Explains what, my love?”
“I got a message earlier from some Iswan princess wanting to meet one of your brothers. She must have persuaded what was that prince’s na
me?”
“Mohar Mohammed,” I said.
“Which brother?” asked Amy.
“I think it was—”
“Hello, sweet women, and brothers.” This greeting could only come from one person, and we all turned to watch Rawklix trot down the hill to the beach. He waved as he moved toward us.
“Is that beer for me?” He grinned. He swooped and retrieved the extra beer from where I’d set it. I noticed he dressed formally in a tuxedo which was an odd choice for the beach.
“What are you doing here, Rawklix?” I asked.
“Cat promised to hostess the meeting party for Manzar. I said I would escort her since you, brother, have your nose buried in binary and DNA codes.”
Now I felt like a bad husband. Why would Cat want to go to a social occasion without me? “Cat?” I said. “Why did you not mention this?”
She gave me a wry smile. “I did, darling, but you said you were busy.”
“When did we have this conversation?”
“A week ago.”
I was slipping in my attention to my wife because I did not remember. “Forgive me, my wife, for my inattentiveness.”
“Your loss, brother,” said Rawklix. “I thrill to the idea of having your gorgeous wife on my arm.”
“You’ll do no such thing. Come, my Cat, we’ll prepare and let this punk find his own date.”
“Hey,” he complained.
With one sweep of my arms, I lifted my wife in my arms. Her bottle of cold water splashed on me in my haste, soaking my tee shirt as I sped up the hill to our house on the San Francisco Bay. I ran to our bedroom where I dropped her on the bed.
“What’s got into you?” said Cat with a wide smile.
“No man will get the idea that you are free for the taking. Attending an event with my irresponsible brother will announce just that. As soon as he sees an attractive female, he’ll leave you alone.”
“Akrawn, I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.”
“No doubt, my love.” I pulled off my wet shirt, and she smiled.
“I’ll wear my tuxedo. Now, what shall you wear?” I asked.
“There is a dark blue gown hanging in my closet,” she said.
“Ah, here it is.” I pulled it out and then looked at my wife’s naked body. Did her breasts seem different? And when did she get bags under her eyes?
“My darling, are you well? You look tired.”
She took the dress. “I’m fine. Perfectly normal. The doctor said so.”
My heart rate shot up to the moon. “Doctor? Why would you see a doctor?”
“Well, I suspected, but I just made sure.”
“Of what?”
“Akrawn, when have I passed up good alcohol for a glass of water?”
“Cat, please stop talking in riddles.”
“I drank water for the same reason Amy was.”
I stared, and my mouth opened. I mean, we’d been ‘trying’ as the humans said, but after the first few months, I stopped thinking about it. If Tri meant it to happen, it would. But now the moment was upon me I had no words.
“Pregnant? You are pregnant?”
“Yes, my love.”
“When? I mean when will the child arrive?”
“We have a long ways to go. Seven months.”
“Seven months!” I exclaimed. “No. I cannot wait that long to see the child.”
Cat laughed. “You don’t have to. I had Cal do an extrapolation of what our child would look like. Hugh, show us our child.”
“Cal knew and didn’t tell me?”
“I asked him not too.”
“Hmph!” I will have to have a stern talk with that AI. But my heart turned to mush when on the wall a holo projection of the most beautiful baby that combined both our features appeared. A blanket wrapped the child, so I could not see the pertinent details.
“And what will the child be?”
“Whatever the child wants to be.”
“You know what I mean, Cat of Trilyn.”
“You mean Cat of Earth.” She laughed again, and I fell next to her on the bed and lightly tickled her side.
“You will give me this information, my mate.”
“No.”
I tickled more, and she erupted in peals of laughter. “Stop, you monster,” she gasped playfully.
I pulled back and then pulled out Cat’s handcuffs from her old job.
“Well, if I can’t torture you by tickling, I have to resort to sexual torture.”
Cat threw her arms around me. “Torture me all you want. You won’t get any information out of me.”
And then she kissed me with all of her passion which filled my heart. I forgot all about teasing my mate through binding games, but only thought of only her pleasure.
If you loved this book, you will love the next book in the Trilyn Alien Fairy Tales series! It is called Valiant Alien Tailor! You can get it here!
Make sure to sign up to my VIP Reader Club here to find out when the next book comes out! And check out book 1 in the Trilyn Alien Fairy Tales series if you haven’t already, Alien Prince Charming here!
Or check out my other series, Alien Auction House, starting with Sold To The Alien King here!
About Zara Zenia
Zara Zenia writes steamy, sexy, and suspenseful sci-fi romances! You will find her writing alien romances from intergalactic planets, bionic romances, superheroes and time travel romances too.
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For more information, be sure to check out the links below!
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Also by Zara Zenia
Trilyn Fairy Tales Series:
Alien Prince Charming (Book 1)
Alien Prince’s Mermaid (Book 2)
Beauty And The Alien Beast (Book 3)
Alien Aladdin (Book 4)
Aliens of Dragselis Series:
Zaruv: A Sci-Fi Alien Dragon Romance (Book 1)
Karun: A Sci-Fi Alien Dragon Romance (Book 2)
Ragal: A Sci-Fi Alien Dragon Romance (Book 3)
Pavar: A Sci-Fi Alien Dragon Romance (Book 4)
Rizor: A Sci-Fi Alien Dragon Romance (Book 5)
Royally Blue - Celestial Mates:
Blue Alien Prince’s Mate: A Sci-Fi Alien Romance (Celestial Mates)
Alien Gladiator’s Mate: A Sci-Fi Alien Romance (Celestial Mates)
The Blue Alien’s Mate: A Sci-Fi Alien Romance (Celestial Mates)
Blue Alien Prince’s Captive Bride: A Sci-Fi Alien Romance (Celestial Mates)
Blue Alien Prince’s Mail-Order Bride: A Sci-Fi Alien Romance (Celestial Mates)
Reverse Harem Romance Series:
Fire, Blood, and Beauty (Book 1)
Fangs, Flames, and Allure (Book 2)
Alien Abduction Series:
Alien Zookeeper’s Abduction (Book 1)
Alien Mate’s Abduction (Book 2)
Alien Captive’s Abduction (Book 3)
Alien Auction House Series:
Sold To The Alien King (Book 1)
Bought By The Alien Prince (Book 2)
Owned By The Alien Prince (Book 3)
Warriors of Orba Series:
Benzen: A Sci-Fi Alien Romance (Book 1)
Jarick: A Sci-Fi Alien Romance (Book 2)
Voland: A Sci-Fi Alien Romance (Book 3)
Draygus: A Sci-Fi Alien Romance (Book 4)
Ethazol: A Sci-Fi Alien Romance (Book 5)
Khargals of Duras Series:
Rock My World
Diablo Falls
First Fangs
Standalones:
Bionic Outlaw’s Baby: A Secret Baby Sci-Fi Romance
ading books on Archive.