Chapter Twenty-Three
The Hadrian arrived in Arachnean space and docked at the land port. Captain Alaric had arrived with the dignitary he had been ordered to transport to Amphictyon where a Parvac ship would then take him to the new Galaxic Government Embassy on Parvac. In turn, the Hadrian would take the Parvac Ambassador to the new Parvac Embassy on Arachne. Eric invited us all to have lunch on the Hadrian. He was eager to meet Nico.
The two of them were icy but cordial enough. I was happy to see my friends. Mary and Paul were both cheerful and excited. I had brought her bags of dresses. The two of us took Neema to meet Mary’s friends while the men went on a tour of the Hadrian. When Mary became tired, we walked with her to her quarters, and Paul escorted Neema and me back to the command deck. Commander Bosh dismissed him.
“It is a pleasure to see you again, Lady Alaric.”
“I’m happy to see you, too. Have you met Neema?”
“I have not had the honor.” Commander Bosh came closer and looked into the shelter of my arms at Neema. I glanced up at his strong jaw line and almost black eyes. Need for him slammed through me. I ached for him, and my heart hammered. Horrified, I lowered my face to Neema and screamed in my mind for Yukihyo. “Please allow me to escort you to our living area.”
I dared not look at Commander Bosh. I felt myself grow damp. I saw Gary chatting with a man from his unit and rushed to him. “Gary, could you please hold Neema for a minute? You’ll be able to tell all of your friends that you had a princess in your arms drooling all over you.”
Gary took her and began making faces at her. Commander Bosh grinned at me. I rushed off to the ladies’ room and splashed cold water on my face. Someone knocked on the door. It was Yukihyo, and I pulled him inside. “Something is wrong with me. We need to leave.”
Yukihyo knew without needing a verbal explanation. He took my arm, and we went to Gary who reluctantly returned Neema to me. “Nico, Teagan is not feeling well. We must depart. Do you wish to leave with us?”
“Yes, of course. Thank you for your hospitality, Captain Alaric.” They saluted each other.
“Teagan, go to my chief medical officer.”
“No, Eric. I’ll see you later.” He walked with us to the lift. Commander Bosh winked at me as the door closed.
In our transport as we drove from the Hadrian’s docking bay, Nico said, “Princess, what is wrong?” I stared at his mouth and remembered what he had done with it to me on the day I had married him. I blushed.
“I would rather not say.”
“Teagan, do you feel uncontrollable sexual desire?”
“She does,” Yukihyo said.
“Drive to Tora. There is no need for her to suffer. This is normal for Parvac females after their hormones begin to change after pregnancy.”
“I’m Arachnean and Laconian.”
“More Parvac blood runs in your veins, dear wife.”
Yukihyo drove into Tora’s transport bay and closed the ramp. I took Neema to our quarters and placed her in her bed there for the first time. She was sound asleep. Yukihyo removed his clothing as the door to our quarters closed. He was hard, and his eyes sparkled with pink and gold. I removed my dress as he swept me from my feet to the bed. I gripped him around the waist with my legs as he entered me. I whimpered and rose to meet his thrusts. Yukihyo could feel my intense need through our bond, and that combined with our lack of private husband and wife time for the last few months was his undoing. Yukihyo surged forward and emptied himself into me. I wanted to cry. I hoped it wasn’t long before he was able to continue. Yukihyo pulled me to his chest and held me. I thought a cold shower might help to calm the horrible ache and began to rise. Yukihyo pulled me back down. I looked down at him, but he hadn’t recovered. “I’ll be back. I’m going to take a shower.”
“No, lady wife. Stay.”
My heart hammered in my chest, and I ached. I kissed Yukihyo and nuzzled his neck. Need clawed through me. Yukihyo got up and pulled on his pants. “Don’t leave!”
He went to the corridor. I buried my face in my hands. I became hopeful when the door opened and then shocked to see Nico. He tore off his clothes, my blankets, spread my thighs, and buried himself inside of me. I groaned. Nico wasn’t careful as he had been on our wedding day. He gave me all of himself, hard and fast. I clawed at his back as I came. Nico grabbed my hands and held them over my head as he continued to drive himself into me. My breasts ached and dripped. He bent his head and sucked hard at each of them. I clamped around him. My back came away from the bed with the force of my release. Nico took it as an invitation to suck at my breasts once again. He began to move harder and faster and kept my hands prisoners. He found the place inside of me that had me moving against him for more. Tingles grew and grew inside of me until they burst thorough me. I shuddered and moaned. Nico moved even faster, and I burst apart again. Then, he slammed himself forward hitting our bones together. He yelled into the pillow under my head. He pulled himself back and rammed forward again. I felt him begin to soften. I still ached with need, but it didn’t consume me as it had. Nico gave each of my breasts another strong suck before he pulled himself from me. He kept my hands trapped over my head and stared into my eyes.
“Don’t be ashamed. You did not grow up with your own kind. There is nothing wrong with allowing your husbands to see to your needs.” Nico teased my lips open with his and kissed me. Then, he slid from the bed and dressed.
“Nico, I’m so sorry.” I saw what I had done to his back. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
He turned and smiled. “You didn’t. I enjoyed it more than you can imagine. Take your cold shower now. I will go and spar with Yukihyo in the exercise room.”
I got into the shower, and it was cold until Yukihyo joined me. After he adjusted the water temperature, he lifted my legs around his hips and made love to me. As he washed my hair, I said, “I’m so embarrassed.”
“Of allowing your husbands to make love to you?”
“You know what I mean, and yes, kind of, not you but….”
“I understand.”
“Do you think Commander Bosh knew? Please, tell me he didn’t.”
“I do not wish to lie to you, lady wife.”
“He knew?”
“I believe every male with an ounce of Laconian blood at the land port felt your need.”
“No, you’re just teasing me.”
Yukihyo put his hands to either side of my face and kissed my lips. “You do not feel the intense desperation for release you projected earlier. However, for the sake of your male relatives, I believe it best we stay on Tora until you are more balanced.”
I blanched. “It’s that bad?”
“You may receive a marriage proposal from Bosh.” He laughed, and I slapped at his wet chest. I heard Neema begin to cry. I rushed to dry myself and dress. Then, I fed her. The light above my door flashed, and I admitted Nico. I blushed at him.
“Teagan, we are well beyond blushing.” Phillip followed him.
“Phillip, where did you come from?”
“You ought to know that by now, Cupcake.”
I scowled at him. “Phillip, would you please give Nico some band aids?”
“What’s the problem?” Nico removed his shirt, and Phillip let out a low whistle. “It looks like you got attacked by a wildcat.” Yukihyo raised an eyebrow at me. “Come with me.” Nico followed him out of the room.
“You have never done such to me.”
“The two of you do things in completely different ways and get different reactions.” I shrugged.
Since Nico was with us and Simon planned to return to Parvac for business, Papa granted Kaoti permission to remain for the time on Arachne with his wife. Jorge and Stewart insisted that I allow them to clean Tora for me. “Lady Teagan, it seems you have enough to do in caring for little Neema. Let us help you,” Stewart said.
“Okay, thank you both. It is very kind of you to do my job for me.”
Nico took Kaoti’s quarters
. Tora would be following the Hadrian to Amphictyon. Then, we would follow Kane’s ship to Parvac. Ambassador Stine would be taking charge of the Galaxic Embassy on Parvac. I had extended to him an open invitation to visit my wing at the Palace whenever we were there. He seemed relieved at the prospect of familiar faces in addition to those of his staff and aides.
Thunderdrop was happy to have Cass along. Neema took most of my time. She was beginning to have traces of the same dove grey hair as her father. Her eyes kept me mesmerized. They were milk white with jade disks in their centers. She was breathtaking, and I had never loved anyone the way that I loved her. I could stare at her for hours. I loved her tiniest fingernail and everything else.
Yukihyo found us on his ice bear rug. Neema was moving her hands and feet. I was enthralled. “I feel your intense love for our child. Such is what I feel for you both. I had nothing, and you have given me a new clan. You amaze and delight me, as our daughter does you.”
“You are a perfect husband and daddy. I hope to give you all of the babies you want.”
“Then, get in our bed, wife.”
“Neema is awake, silly.” He laid down on the ice bear with us.
Later, I had Neema in her perambulator in the kitchen while I enjoyed a cup of coffee. Phillip came in and threw his leg over the bench across from me. He directed his huge grin at me.
“Hello, Phillip.”
“Hello, Cupcake.” He took my hands from my coffee cup and ran his thumbs over my fingers. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, why?”
“I am concerned about your emotional wellbeing.”
“Why?”
“Well, you are a new mother. In addition to that, you have a new husband. I’m here if you need to talk. It will stay between us.” I squeezed his fingers.
“I am really confused. How am I supposed to be married to two people at the same time? I feel really guilty. In my heart and mind, Yukihyo is my true husband. Papa arranged my marriage to Nico, and I accepted out of duty.”
“Well, I’ve never been married. I do have a few lady friends at every land port, but I have never had them together at the same time and place. It seems like a nightmare just imagining it.” I nodded.
“Thanks for listening.”
“How’s the other thing?”
“What other thing?”
“Eric called me and expressed some concern. It’s why I showed up on Tora in time to treat Nico’s abrasions.”
“Eric knew?” Of course, he knew. My face burned.
“Several of his crew members reported to the medical bay.”
“Um, why did they do that?”
“They have to report any odd occurrences.”
“I can never show my face on the Hadrian again.”
“Don’t be so melodramatic. I’m sure they enjoyed it. So, how are you?”
“Honestly, I’m a wreck. How long is this going to last?”
“After conferring with one of the doctors at the palace, it can last for a few months.”
“Months? I can’t deal with this for months. I’ll go crazy. Can you give me sedatives or something?”
“No, Cupcake.”
“Well, what can you do?”
“I just gave your husbands vitamin injections and offered to babysit.”
I stared at him. “Phillip, that’s hilarious. Seriously, think about poor Simon. When one of your cousins has urges, it makes your life miserable.”
“I’ve got Simon taken care of, Cupcake.”
“How?”
“I picked up a nifty neuro-dampener from the Hadrian. It will give him the control he needs to shield his emotions from yours.”
“Poor, Simon. Did you warn him what was wrong with me before he got on board?”
“I informed him of the hormonal changes you are going through, but there is nothing wrong with you. Apparently, a Parvac male’s ultimate fantasy is to be trapped with new mothers on a deserted Thalassan island.”
“Shut up, Phillip.”
“I’m not joking. I found movies. They were great. The women are insatiable. Ask Gary or Nico if you don’t believe me.”
“Gary?”
“Yeah, he’s the one who told me about them.”
“Gary has been watching movies about that?”
“Well, sure. Eric got pissed and put a stop to it, but the Laconian crew members started it. Don’t blame Gary for being curious. Look on the bright side. Now, the Laconians know they have something in common with the Parvacs.” I stared at him. “Both Parvacs and Laconians evolved in specialized ways to survive. Laconian males need females to provide emotional and mental stability. Parvac females draw males to themselves and control them with sex pheromones. Yukihyo is the envy of every Laconian male on the Hadrian.”
“Parvac women control Parvac men with sex pheromones?”
“It works on Laconian males, too. The Hadrian’s chief medical officer is writing a paper about it. If it’s okay with you, if I confer with him, he’ll put my name on it, also. I can research Parvacian female sexuality every time we visit.”
“Phillip, that might be dangerous for you.”
“Not if I have permission from the Emperor for my research.”
“Shame on you.”
“No, I think you need to be confronted with scientific proof about this or you are never going to accept who you are and stop punishing yourself for having needs. Remember when Yukihyo tortured himself for bonding with you without your permission?”
I sat up and stared at Phillip. “I told him not to punish himself for having a survival instinct.”
“Low birth rates have made reproduction a survival instinct with Parvacs. We would propose in our paper that the instinctual need to reproduce caused the aggressive tendencies of Parvac incursions into other territories for mates since females are severely outnumbered in the Empire.”
“Have you talked to Yukihyo about this?”
“Actually, I think your father did. You’ve had to grow up without guidance or compassion. He doesn’t want you hurt in any way. However, he is helpless to protect you from yourself.” Neema woke up crying in hunger. Phillip didn’t turn away when I fed her. I frowned at him. “Feeding a baby is normal, too. You shouldn’t be embarrassed for using your breasts for their purpose. Okay, I’m done with the lecture.”
We sat in silence for several minutes. I burped Neema. “What am I supposed to do when, you know? Am I supposed to ask?”
“Sure. Why not? What’s the worst that could happen? Why don’t you let Uncle Phillip take her? She’s got a belly full of milk.” I placed Neema in his arms, and walked out. I could hear activity in the exercise room. I couldn’t show my face in there at the moment. I went to my quarters and buried my face in my hands. I sent my thoughts out for Yukihyo. “My lady wife needs me?”
“Yes,” I said in anguish. I stood and went to him. I kissed him, and even though the kiss he gave me in return was full of passion, the rest of him wasn’t. I became increasingly frustrated.
“Teagan, you have given me intense satisfaction four times this morning. Forgive me, but it may be a while before I can make love to you again.”
“Are you sure? Can’t you try?” He chuckled.
“I will be on the bridge.” I stood in shock and watched him leave.
“Whatever.”
I peeked out into the corridor. It was empty. I stayed by the wall and waited by Nico’s door for entrance. My eyes were level with his chest when his door opened. I blushed, but before I could say anything, he pulled me inside and locked the door mechanism. Then, Nico picked me up and put me over his shoulder. He tossed me onto the bed and ripped my clothes from me. Then, he was inside of me hard and fast. I bit his neck, and he moved faster and deeper. I screamed my release. Nico pulled himself from me and flipped me over onto my stomach. He spread my legs and lifted me. His movements were slow and deep. He kissed my shoulders and neck. Each time he neared his own release, he stopped and changed our position. I thrummed w
ith satisfaction. Nico reached the point where he had to succumb to his needs. He collapsed on the bed beside me. I crawled on top of him and kissed his mouth. We were both sweaty and panting. “You have amazing stamina, husband. When can we do that again?”
He gave an out of breath laugh. “I’ll sneak up on you and slap you on the ass as a sign.” I bit him on the shoulder and went to use his shower. I had to wear one of his shirts to my quarters and told him to recycle all of the clothes he had torn off of me. Phillip was sitting in a chair by Neema’s crib chatting on the vid-screen with his colleague on the Hadrian when I entered. I picked out some exercise clothes and took them into my bathroom to change. Neema slept soundly.
Hiroshi was on a treadmill. I activated the one next to him. After I had walked a mile, Hiroshi asked, “How are you feeling?”
“Still like a terrible person. How’s Uncle Lee?”
“He is doing well. Mother and father returned to Earth and are keeping him occupied.”
“What are your plans in the Empire?”
“We loaded the cargo hold with merchandise from Earth and Scipio. We plan to either sell or trade it. We are making a fortune. The merchants of Parvac are very agreeable with us in our dealings. They hope to ingratiate themselves with us in order to gain Imperial favor. If you wouldn’t mind, it would be good for business if you and Neema could make a few rounds with us.”
“I would love to! I’ve only seen what Papa has arranged and nothing real.”
“What we have seen is only the merchants of the upper class, so don’t get your hopes up.”
“It still sounds like fun. Do you think Papa and Nico will allow it?”
“Allow what?” Nico asked as he entered with Simon, Cass, and Thunderdrop. Hiroshi filled him in. “I can make security arrangements. I’m sure it will be fine.”
Nico began working with a machine in the back corner. He had made no attempt at slapping my ass. I turned to Simon and slowed my speed. “I’m deeply sorry, Simon.”
“I know, sweet cousin. I can feel all of your conflicted emotions quite clearly.”
The Space Merchants of Arachne Page 35