by Lynn Tyler
Thantos’s reluctance at pulling away from his mate was nearly overwhelming, and Kim’s eyes filled with tears. The physical distance between the two men would take its toll on Thantos.
Finally, Thantos smiled weakly and straightened his spine with determination. “My guards will be waiting for me in the shuttle bay. I need to go. Have fun drafting your announcement.”
Kerek grinned and nodded as Thantos walked out the door.
What announcement?
“I see you, Kim. You don’t have to hide, you know. You can come out.”
She covered her embarrassment at being caught spying by sauntering out, chin held high. Instead of looking impressed, Kerek smirked. “You didn’t like any of the clothes, lira?”
Crap. She’d actually forgotten to get dressed. Worse, somewhere along the way, probably when the sensations of Thantos and Kerek making out started to invade her body, she’d dropped the sheet. It all resulted in her standing naked as the day she was born in front of Kerek.
The blush that crept up her chest to her cheeks was impossible to stop, but Thantos had said Helans didn’t have a problem with nudity. Raising her right eyebrow despite her probably flaming cheeks, she crossed her arms over her breasts in an aggressive stance and cocked one hip. “What if I didn’t like any of the dresses?”
Kerek crossed the few feet to her, looming over her with a sensual smile. “I find I quite like you nude, lira. You can stay just like this, should you feel the need.”
God, why was the idea of lounging around naked for him so damn arousing? Tiny goose bumps rose all along her body, and her nipples tightened almost painfully, and it was impossible to pretend the reaction was because she was cold. Not when her pussy was already wet and clenching.
Kerek reached out and feathered one finger down her breastbone, dipping it into her belly button and stopping right at the very top of her mound. He ruffled her neatly trimmed curls but never let his finger stray even farther down. “Be careful, Kim. Just because I haven’t bonded with you doesn’t mean I don’t desire you. And you will find that I’m not as…accommodating…as our Thantos.”
Holy crap, her clit was standing at attention, straining toward him, practically begging for that finger to drift down and give it a good, firm stroke. That was probably all she needed to explode anyway.
Kerek stepped back, putting a good six inches between them. “I need to work, though. Do both of us a favor and put something on before I decide that burying myself in your luscious little body is far more interesting than doing my job.”
She should have been insulted, but the idea that she affected him so strongly filled her with pride. Spinning on her heel, she walked back to the bedroom, swinging her hips for all she was worth, surprised when they didn’t dislocate. Kerek’s soft groan was all she needed to smile.
She stared at all the clothes and settled on the green number. It slid silkily over her body, leaving her feeling like a sex goddess. Of course, there were no underwear or bras in sight, and everyone who looked would be able to see her nipples pressing against the material, but hell, they were so hard, they’d probably poke right through a bra anyway.
By the time she was dressed, Kerek had sat down at his desk. The vidscreen was on, and he was typing away frantically. “Hungry?” he asked without looking up.
Her stomach growled loudly, saving her from having to answer.
He smiled and stopped typing long enough to gesture to the table behind her. “There is a selection of fruit, and the chef sent down a bowl of majtai. If you’d like anything else, we can go over to the mess hall, but I am due on the bridge in a little less than half an hour.”
Mouth watering, she picked up the bowl of the creamy Helan porridge, selected a few delicious looking berries, and carried it all over to the small couch next to Kerek’s desk. “This is great. What are you working on?” She popped one of the berries in her mouth and moaned at the sweet taste. Shit, these things were better than candy.
Kerek groaned again and shot her a heated look before clearing his throat. “We got some good news a few hours ago. Queen Jacy is expecting twin girls.”
Kim grinned. Even she understood the significance of that. “That’s awesome.”
“It is, but it gets better. There is another confirmed pregnancy, right here on this ship actually.” Kerek smiled and began typing away.
Well, there went one of her key arguments against Earth’s agreement with Helan. It seemed that Jacy’s pregnancy wasn’t a fluke after all.
Surprise raced through her as she ate quietly. She hadn’t thought about the rebellion she’d been spearheading on Earth once since coming aboard. Not that there had been much time to do anything other than absorb everything that had happened in the last couple of days, but still.
“Tell me the truth, Kerek. How bad is the crisis on Helan?”
He closed his vidscreen and pushed his chair back from the desk. “I’m not a scientist or a mathematician, but there are several theories floating around that say we have another eighty years or so before we die out. Sathon feels that it’s even lower than that, and I’m inclined to believe him.”
Wow, that was bad. “If this works, will it be enough to save your population?”
Kerek smiled at her, apparently pleased she was asking these questions. Then again, maybe he was hoping that she would encourage human females to sign the registry instead of avoiding it. “It depends on a lot of factors actually. The number of females to sign the registry and who are taken to mate. The number of children the women end up having. Even the number of female children that are born. At least Queen Jacy has proved that at least some males still produce the female gene.”
She dipped her finger into the majtai and sucked the mixture off thoughtfully. “How did things get so bad?”
“It’s kind of complicated. See, we’ve always bonded with our mates, though historically, ménage relationships were rare. As males, the easiest way to protect our female mates was to be the strongest male possible, and so bearing the strongest males became imperative. Think of it as selectively breeding positive traits. Eventually, of course, our ancestors’ incessant attempts to breed the strongest males affected our women, too, eventually rendering it impossible to for them to support a female fetus.”
Before she could comment, Kerek glanced at the strange clock on the wall. “It’s time for me to go to the bridge, lira. I’m on duty there for the next six hours or so. The ship’s communications officer is mated to the newly pregnant woman, and apparently, he wants to take the day off to celebrate with his family, so I agreed to step in. Feel free to wander the ship. Just please, don’t stir up any trouble. King Jaron and Consort R’oan took a risk bringing you on board with the other women, and I don’t want to prove their risk a bad one.”
Any other time she would have taken offense at the implication that she didn’t know how to behave, but she let it slide this time. She had gone out of her way to make things difficult for them on Earth, so she really couldn’t blame him. “I promise to be good,” she said, crossing her heart and smiling at his confusion.
He shook his head but smiled. “Okay. Most of the males will either be sleeping or on duty, but you’ll see plenty of women around. Have a good day.”
“You, too,” she said, standing on tiptoe and tugging him down to kiss his cheek.
He pulled away and placed his hand over his cheek, looking as surprised by her kiss as she felt. That slightly bemused look was still on his face when he left.
She wandered over to the window and looked out at the stars. Everything was so bright up here, but most of the stars still seemed so far away. There was one thing that she could see in detail, and that would be Earth. She suspected she’d never get enough of the view on the green-and-blue ball. Unfortunately, it seemed that the room she, Kerek, and Thantos had been assigned did not come with a planetary view.
How long could one be expected to stare at stars? They were beautiful, certainly, but they didn’t do much.
Kerek did say she could leave the room, and at least the observation deck would allow her to look at the Earth some more.
Decision made, she grabbed her cup of what was probably the Helan equivalent of coffee and left. It took her some time, but she finally found her way back to the observation deck after only getting lost three times. Luckily, the general wariness the occupants of the ship had for her didn’t seem to extend far past a few awkward conversations. The men she’d run across were happy enough to help get her back on track. One was even kind enough to walk her directly to the observation deck.
Cradling the cup in her hands, she sat down on the long bench and stared out at the view of Earth. They weren’t up far enough that she could see the entire planet, but the curving horizon stretching out below her was truly awe inspiring.
She must have sat there for hours, staring out at the planet she called home. While staring at the stars had only captured her interest for a few minutes, the Earth held her concentration like nothing else. Slowly, the moon appeared, rising until it looked like it was suspended in the Earth’s horizon.
Nothing she had seen while on board prepared her for the sight. She was holding her breath, totally dazzled by the sheer beauty and raw power of the sight that she didn’t even notice that someone had sat down next to her until they spoke. “It’s called a moonrise. Pretty amazing, isn’t it?”
Kim jerked back to reality and turned to the woman who was sitting beside her. “I’ll say. Do you ever get used to it?”
The woman laughed and shook her head. “I’ve only been on board for six weeks, but I’ve never gotten tired of it. I’m going to miss the view when the ship leaves for Helan, but it’ll be worth it.”
Kim covered her stare with a sip from her cup as she looked the young woman over. Unlike the almost hostile looks she’d gotten yesterday, this woman’s expression was open and happy. “Do you know who I am?” she blurted out.
Smooth. Now the woman would probably run screaming.
“Yes,” she answered with a smile. “You’re Kim McManus. I saw you on television a few times when I was on Earth.”
Well, color her shocked. Kim would have bet that the woman had never heard of her before.
The woman giggled and held out her hand. “Not the response you were expecting?”
Kim shook her hand and grinned back. “No, not at all. I figured I’d get the cold shoulder from most people on board.”
The woman shrugged and looked back out the window toward the Earth. “You’re only doing what you think is right. How can anyone fault you for that? Besides, you’re here now to educate yourself on Helan culture, right? Even if you still think that Earth’s agreement with Helan is wrong, at least you will have made an educated decision. I’m Becky, by the way.”
“Kim,” she replied with a smile. “But you already know that. Can I ask you a question?”
Becky nodded. “Sure.”
“If you’re going to miss Earth, why did you choose to sign the registry? Why did you put yourself in the position to be chosen as a mate? Was it out of a sense of obligation because of what the Helans are providing for us?”
Becky laughed and pushed her long hair over her shoulder. “I said I would miss the view, not Earth. I have family and people I love on Earth,” she added quickly, “but no, I’m not here out of some misguided sense of gratitude. I signed the registry after the Helans made the announcement that they would provide medical and agricultural technology and provide defense against other species regardless of how many females signed it.”
That still didn’t answer Kim’s question. “But why?”
Becky sighed and stood up, walking over to the window to touch the glass. “There wasn’t really much of a struggle for me to decide, actually. I like the idea of traveling to a new world, of seeing space up close and personal. Can you imagine the things I’m going to see, to learn? Add two men whose entire purpose in life is to make me happy and give me as many children as I want into it? Seemed like a no-brainer to me.”
When she put it like that, it really did seem like a no-brainer. But still, the whole thing seemed to smack of women being traded away for the things that the Helans could give the governments of Earth.
Becky turned away from the window and smiled again. “There are a bunch of us who meet for lunch in the mess hall. Did you want to join us?”
Kim grinned, absurdly pleased to be invited. She wanted to tell herself that she was just happy to have the opportunity to question the motives of the other women on board, but the truth was, she was happy to have made a new friend. “That would be great, thanks.”
She followed Becky to the lift, grateful that the other woman seemed to know exactly where she was going. The trip to the mess hall was far shorter than her own convoluted route to the observation deck. Hopefully it wouldn’t take her long to get her bearings. Then again, she probably wasn’t going to be on board long enough for it to matter.
For some reason, the thought of leaving the ship was a depressing one.
There was already a group of women in the mess hall, all crowded around a woman with black hair, who was grinning from ear to ear, her hand fluttering over her stomach. She must be the pregnant one, Kim thought.
“Hi, guys,” Becky said as they joined the group. “What’s going on?”
“I’m pregnant,” the black-haired woman said, practically glowing with happiness.
“Oh, Cathy, I’m so happy for you. How did you tell Siri and Palis?” Becky squealed, giving the woman, Cathy apparently, a huge hug.
Cathy giggled and pulled away. “I waited until after dinner yesterday and gave them each a pair of baby booties. They were a little confused at first but figured it out pretty fast. Then they rushed me to sick bay as if I hadn’t just been there that afternoon. Once Dr. Tabar assured them that everything was fine, they took me back and…well…we did what we usually do at night.”
The women giggled, catching her meaning. “So, they’re happy then?”
Cathy nodded. “Of course, they’re a little over protective right now. I mean, they both took time off today and haven’t let me out of their sight. Heck, it was hard enough to convince them that I was perfectly capable of walking. But, yes, they’re thrilled.”
Kim scanned the room. If they hadn’t let her out of their sight, they were probably here in the mess hall somewhere.
Ah, there they were, off in the far corner. They were sitting together, shoulders touching and hands linked, smiling indulgently at their mate, obviously giving her some space to be with her friends. One of those men was the Chief of Communications for the ship, and his day off was the reason Kerek had stayed on board.
The women stopped giggling and were starting to stare at her. “Becky, why did you bring her here?”
Kim cleared her throat. She wasn’t used to this kind of reception. Usually women cheered when she got up to speak. Although, that might have something to do with the fact that she was usually speaking with women who supported her cause. “Congratulations, Cathy,” she said instead.
Cathy looked at her steadily. “Thank you. I’m very happy with Siri and Palis and can’t wait to see my new home.”
Kim felt as if she’d been put firmly into her place.
“Now, now,” Becky interjected. “Kim is here to learn, not to judge. Let’s cut her some slack.”
“You believe her?” one woman asked incredulously. “She pretty much compared us to brainwashed bimbos just a few months ago.”
Kim cringed. She had made an accusation like that back before the changes in the original deal had been made. “I apologize if I offended anyone.”
They waited for her excuse, but she didn’t have any so she didn’t even bother to try and defend herself.
Becky cleared her throat. “Why don’t we clear the air here. Kim, what exactly are you doing here?”
“I was invited here by Ambassador Thantos and Chief Kerek. I promised to stop trying to talk women out of signing the registry if I believe
that the Helans really are making a concerted effort to tell us the truth about their situation and the way they treat females.”
Cathy’s expression lost a little bit of the suspicion. “Have you had a chance to find what you’re looking for?”
“Well, I’ve only been here for a little over a day actually, but I’m starting to see how happy you all are.”
That seemed to put the women at ease a little, and they began to chatter again about baby names, labor and delivery techniques, and Helan politics.
Kim relaxed a little and listened intently to the conversations flowing around her.
Chapter 10
By the time the mess hall began filling up with people, Kim’s cheeks hurt from smiling. She’d found the women on board to be intelligent, funny, adventurous, and utterly in love with their Helan men. Once the women had realized that she wasn’t going to try and talk them into going back to Earth, they’d relaxed and talked freely around her. She’d learned more about Helan politics in the few hours she’d spent here than the entire six months the Helans had been in contact with humans.
Of course, as soon as the Helan males began trickling in, the women drifted off to be with their mates, and she was left alone at a small table for three.
She was staring around at all the triads and even couples, surprised at the sheer amount of affection the people shared.
The conversations she heard around her surprised her even more. Though there was plenty of excited talk of the baby-to-be, conversations tended to revolve around political reform on Helan to give the women a more equal voice in government, despite their lower numbers. Of particular interest was the voting process. Interestingly, the males seemed to think each female’s vote should carry more weight, while the women felt that a single vote should count for just that, a single vote.
A throat cleared to her left. “Do you mind if I sit down?”
Dr. Tabar stood over her, a plate in one hand, glass in the other.