Shalia's Diary Omnibus

by Tracy St. John

  “I have no idea if Seot’s bunch will be my clan,” I pointed out. “If you think about it, there’s nothing to be jealous about yet.”

  “That’s what I’ve been telling myself these last few days. My damned heart doesn’t want to hear it though.”

  I was worried he was about to tell me we were done for good. Yet I just couldn’t bear not knowing what was happening ... it’s worse than wondering. “Where do we stand?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “I’m no longer being a jerk and thinking only about myself. Anrel is having difficulties. She needs me. You need me, and that’s more important than anything else. I am here and I’ll stay here for the two of you until you either kick my ass out or we reach Kalquor.”

  Hearing him say that eased some of the loneliness I’d experienced since we’d left the wormholes. I reached for him. “I’m so glad, Betra. I’ve missed you more than I can say.”

  Kissing him was coming home after a long absence. I won’t lie and say it wasn’t a relief to have his arms around me. I wish I was stronger emotionally and mentally. I wish I could say I don’t require every part of my support system. The truth is, I feel a lot more vulnerable without Betra, as if some major part of my defenses is missing. With him, I feel almost whole.

  We sat with him perched on the side of the bed, me crowded up against him, my face buried in his chest. It was awesome to be with Betra again.

  After a few minutes, he gently pushed me back and motioned toward the door. “Go eat. I know you can’t function without coffee on a normal day. I’m sure you didn’t sleep worth a damn last night.”

  “Obvious, isn’t it?” Now that the first rush of happiness had been given its due, I was feeling the exhaustion again.

  I went out and sucked down my coffee like a woman dying of thirst. Bless those Kalquorians in the kitchen who learned how to brew it right. Heaven help the empire if it doesn’t figure out how to keep my coffee coming.

  I tucked into breakfast, eating fairly quickly. Then I went into Anrel’s room. Betra talked to me, telling me about speaking to his parents and a few friends on Kalquor while we were in range of the wormholes. He was pleased to report everyone who matters to him at home was doing well.

  “You should have seen their shock when I introduced them to Oses,” he chuckled. “They can’t believe I have a relationship with a man, even though it’s not what any of them would consider typical.”

  “Are they happy for you?” I asked.

  “To a degree. They’re cautious about the matter for right now,” Betra said. “They’ve accepted how I feel about being intimate with men and that it was doubtful I’d ever clan. At first, they believed I was pulling a prank on them. Then they worried I was being pressured into doing what is ‘normal’.”

  “You have great parents to care so much.”

  Betra nodded. “It may take a while for them to understand that though Oses and I don’t have what most clanmates do, we’re making what we do have work for us. They’ll figure it out.”

  “No doubt your Nobek father is searching through Oses’s records to make sure he’s the right Nobek for his son.” I laughed, thinking how the protective breed was predictable in that regard.

  “I’m sure he is. I think they’re also concerned about our age difference.” Betra laughed too and shook his head. “What did you call him when you first met? ‘Old Man Oses’. I never thought about it before, but he’s older than my mother and two of my fathers.”

  “Which is probably why he manages to be so patient with the us youngsters.”

  “Oh, Resan commed. I hope you don’t mind that I answered your unit. I was afraid it would wake you.”

  “What did he want?” Though I had a good idea.

  “He complained about you missing rehab yesterday. I explained about Anrel, but he’s not happy that you failed to com and cancel.”

  In my sweetest, most syrupy tone I said, “If you talk to him again, pass along the message ‘fuck off’.”

  My comment surprised a burst of laughter from Betra. He smothered it behind his hand to avoid disturbing Anrel. “You rub each other wrong. He questioned me thoroughly on how sick Anrel is. He thinks you’ll use any excuse to shirk therapy.”

  “He pushes too hard and too fast. That time I got so upset I walked to Oses’s office before I was ready? Resan got the report and instead of approval he bitched, ‘It’s about time.’ He’s a jerk.”

  “He’s the best rehab guy on the transport,” was Betra’s mild rebuke. “Oses swears by him.”

  “I don’t care if he’s the best in the universe. If he thinks I’m leaving Anrel before she pulls out of this—”

  Tep came in, interrupting us. He looked over Anrel’s reports from the night before, checked her vitals, and scanned the latest test results.

  “She’s doing better with this first round of medication. Oxygen levels have increased. Responses are terrific. We’re on the right track with this.”

  Great news all around. Maybe I’ll sleep a night through in the near future.

  July 25

  Things are on the upswing on the good ship Pussy ‘Porter. First and foremost, Anrel continues to grow stronger. The heart valve thing is still a problem, but she’s gaining weight again, and her daily cocktails of medication are helping.

  Best of all, I found out that Imdiko Meyso had taken it upon himself to contact a Soln medical hive. Those little buggy suckers function in groups for everything. This particular hive had worked for the Earthers on one of our bases in a medical unit during the war. Not only had the Solns gotten the opportunity to treat soldiers who’d been hurt in battle, but two nurses had been pregnant and delivered babies during the hive’s tenure – and a child had been several weeks premature. The Solns had learned a lot about the problems facing a preemie. The Earther doctor in charge of the medical unit, husband to the nurse who’d had the premature baby, had nothing but praise for their work.

  Meyso explained to this hive about Anrel, asking them to contact with Tep to discuss what they’d learned in case something had gone wrong. Maybe Meyso was psychic. How could he have anticipated trouble ahead? Prophets bless that man for his foresight.

  The Solns did contact Tep and offered their help if needed. The delay between the hive’s location and our vessel is only about 22 hours. Once Tep heard from them, he was quick to send them the particulars about Anrel’s heart valve issue. He hopes to hear word from them soon.

  With all that happening, Tep urged me to go to my quarters and indulge in some real rest for a change. “You’re not doing Anrel any favors by wearing yourself out fretting over her.” Tep handed me a sedative. “I insist that you sleep. You’re in danger of undoing all the recovery you’ve managed.”

  “I don’t want to be apart from her,” I protested. “Why can’t I take the sedative and snuggle next to her as I’ve been doing?”

  “Because you need to be in a proper bed without being disturbed by us coming in and out every few minutes. Besides, you’ll wish to be ready for shore leave on Alneusia in a few days.” He gave me a knowing wink.

  That’s the other thing that has everyone in better spirits. We’re nearing the planet Alneusia, which is a mostly aquatic planet. The people all live underwater there, but they make accommodations for air breathers. Boy, do they make accommodations. Many Alneusians are crazy for biological research, and terrestrial types such as Earthers and Kalquorians fascinate them. Specifically, our sexual expression fascinates them. They’re eager to study us getting it on. They aren’t turned on by it or anything of that nature ... they just love collecting scientific data, apparently. I suppose with brains three times the size of ours, that shouldn’t be a surprise. But what a weird thing to fixate on. To me, it would be akin to watching lizards humping. That’s how different we are from Alneusians.

  I scowled at Tep. “Maybe sex in the water for science would have been fun, but I’m not leaving as long as Anrel is having problems. Besides, you forget I’m not allowed to do the
horizontal bop.”

  Tep snickered at the euphemism. His clan has been romancing my fellow Earther shipmates, so he’s pretty adept with our turns of phrases. “Anrel will be fine. Besides, it’ll do you good to leave for a few hours. And you are cleared for sexual relations.”

  I blinked at him. “I am?”

  “You are, and I already informed your liaison of that fact. However,” Tep gave me a mock glare, “you’ll get some rest before you engage in intercourse. Go to your room and relax before I call Betra and Oses in here to escort you. I’ll tell the weapons commander you are also cleared for discipline if you don’t behave.”

  My face flamed hot. “If I’m ready for all that, then there is no reason for you to be aware of my private activities from now on,” I shot back. “I am beyond happy this day has arrived, Doc. You know more about me than you should.”

  Ugh. Talk about overexposure. Since I know Tep as a doctor as well as he knows about me as a patient, I decided a retreat was in order. His threat to have Oses punish me for not obeying his orders was not an empty one.

  Even so, it was hard walking out of Anrel’s room and leaving my sweet baby girl. I kissed her soft-as-down cheek and told her I loved her. I fussed with her bedding until Tep made an impatient noise that warned he was about to com a certain Nobek to come and collect me.

  “I’m going, I’m going,” I groused. I dragged my feet to Isolation’s door. It opened, and I reluctantly went out.

  A couple of minutes later, I was in my quarters. My rooms looked almost alien to me after spending so long Medical with Anrel.

  Knowing Tep would send Betra to check on me, I decided to behave myself. I stripped my clothes off. It was too great an effort to put a nightie on, so I took the sedative and got into bed naked. Long-lost sleep crashed over me within minutes.

  I slept for ten hours straight. If I dreamed, I don’t remember any of it. I had a sense of heavy darkness pressing in on me just before I began to come to the surface of consciousness. Then there were layers of softening grays, each level brighter than the last.

  I had the impression of lying on a cloud, sunk deep in billowing cushion. I was warm. Safe. Contentment spread over me like a balm. I stretched wide, my arms and legs spreading to luxuriate in the gentle comfort supporting me.

  A feather-soft touch glided over the slit of my pussy, ticklish and arousing. Something warm brushed a nipple. I opened my eyes.

  I did not rest as an angel on a cloud. I was in my bed on board the Kalquorian transport that had been my home for over seven months. Oses and Betra lay on either side of me, smiling to see me awake.

  Maybe I was in heaven after all.

  “We thought you were close to waking.” Betra leaned down and kissed me.

  His lips were as tender as the mat beneath me. Pleasantly heavy, I refused to move except to kiss him back. Meanwhile, his fingers traced up and down my tingly female folds, making me wet for him. Oses’s wide palm circled over the breast on his side, bringing my nipple achingly aware.

  My arms were flung wide and upward from my awakening stretch. I tried to move them so that I could stroke the strong bodies next to mine. I discovered the men had my wrists pinned to the pillows, holding me down. Their legs slung over mine, pinning those limbs as well.

  I didn’t complain or struggle. I sank into my imprisonment, glad to be in the position I was.

  Betra tasted my lips, sliding over them before questing between. I opened to him, surrendering to his kiss. His tongue twined with mine, drawing on it, caressing it. I lost myself in the sensations, coming alive under the men’s care.

  As Betra kissed my mouth, Oses did the same with my breast. His rough tongue stroked my nipple, sending a cascade of tremors through the flesh. The point sharpened into hardness even as it grew more tender under his attention. Every suck and lick was profound pleasure to me, making my breath grow short.

  Meanwhile, Betra’s fingers delved into my womanhood, exploring the crevices though he knew them all by heart by now. He spread wetness over the trembling petals, around and over the throbbing nubbin that grew swollen under his tender coaxing. Another set of fingers, Oses’s, joined in. Fingers filled me, making me utter a glad cry into Betra’s mouth at the abrupt invasion.

  After the initial demanding thrust, Oses pumped slower, more sensuously. Tiny waves of bliss lapped through my loins, the slow build-up too sweet to be hurried. I let them men take me as they wished, demanding nothing as they pleased themselves with play.

  I had just begun moaning with growing desire when Oses pulled free. His thick fingertips drew a slick trail down, finding my other entrance. I had not been allowed pleasure there for some time, but I ached for it. He obliged me by pushing a demanding finger inside, pressing the reluctant muscles apart to fill the long-bereft void. I could have wept from relief.

  Betra kissed down to the breast that had thus far been denied attention. It rose to his mouth, begging for his touch. He obliged, his tongue swirling over the areola to make it throb like its twin.

  As he lavished consideration on the mound of flesh, he stroked my clit. I burned down there, the surges of rapture increasing with each passing moment. I could tell from the star-bright flashes that it had emerged from its hood. Betra teased it until I shuddered violently, the excitement almost too much to handle.

  Oses urged me open with a second finger. Knowing he prepared me for a greater taking, I did my best to relax tight muscles. I wanted to yield, to be as pliable as soft butter. I wanted everything they could give me.

  When I could at last accept a third finger, when I was writhing beneath them, when my whimpers of need were steady and my pussy clenched in helpless spasms as it tried to realize completion; only then did Betra move aside to allow Oses to take position over me. The huge Nobek’s body eclipsed mine, making me feel small, soft, and vulnerable as never before. I stared up at him, the heady twist of danger and excitement making arousal more poignant.

  His hand moved to position himself for that initial glorious thrust, that moment of full possession. I spread myself wide, welcoming him as the tip of his dark, glistening penis found me.

  The first inch slid inside, claiming the core of me. Then the secondary cock found its target. It joined its brother in burrowing into the welcoming warmth of me.

  I cried out in joy, feeling every pounding vein of Oses’s dual manhood as it entered me, every sweet, slick inch that claimed its ground. There was some hurt as my body fought to remember its long-absent companions. It was a glorious thrill of ache that only fed my urgency to be loved by the Nobek. I did all in my power to make myself surrender even as Oses demanded I do so.

  My fingers dug into his shoulders, hanging on for dear life as he pressed in. His face worked with effort, letting me know he fought animal urge to pound flesh into flesh, to give into the fierce need to grant himself release. Through it all, his eyes riveted on my face, the light within that of a man who loves without holding back, who surrenders his heart as readily as his body. I’ll treasure the memory of that gaze for the rest of my life.

  Then we were joined, a being gasping with two voices, shuddering with two bodies. He was inside me, his pulse pounding as if his heart would beat for us both.

  Oses’s initial movements did not betray the want riding him. He went slow at the beginning, savoring me as a man long denied should. Every stroke was drawn with deliberation, every thrust strong but unhurried. His arms surrounded me, cradling me like a cherished child even as he loved me like a woman. He moved me beneath him, his strength far beyond mine. I basked in the heat of his easy passion, delighting in the moment and not worrying about the next for a change.

  Had arousal allowed it, we might still be locked in that embrace, clinging in the sheer joy of each other. Yet passion insisted on having its say, and we were driven by its impatient spurs in the end.

  Oses thrust strongly, his groin thudding against mine in sharp report. I wailed and clawed, ecstasy ripping through me. Tiny detonations in my
gut birthed larger ones, and then larger ones. Then the explosive finale, lighting me up as bright as a nuclear blast, sending me into elated dissolution.

  We lay gasping, limp in the wake of orgasm. I could feel Oses’s cock twitching yet, micro-bursts of the aftereffects sending answering shivers through his frame. He blanketed me, his bulk comforting with its weight.

  “Ah, Matara,” he breathed at last and left me. He sat on the floor.

  Oses watched Betra slide next to me, kissing all over to arouse me again. I might have thought myself fully sated, but that Imdiko knew my triggers far too well to let me stay that way. Fingers and mouth performed a well-rehearsed dance, igniting new sparks and rekindling the ones that smoldered. Within minutes I was aflame again.

  He rolled me over onto my stomach. I felt his cocks in the cleft of my buttocks, as wet as my sex was. Betra lay on top of me while keeping most of his weight on elbows and knees. I sighed in anticipatory joy, feeling again the agreeable warmth of Kalquorian male upon me.