by Regine Abel
“Right. More like tiny.” The Admiral’s impassive tone sounded even more robotic.
I stared in shock at the Admiral. The sense of déja vu was uncanny. I didn’t know what to think. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Khel, Ghan, and Lhor exchanging an uneasy look.
“See?” Alleria said in childish outrage. Lavenia caressed her daughter’s hair.
“Yes.” I smiled sympathetically. “You’re right. He’s truly a meanie. I know another one just like him.”
My heart ached looking back at the adorable child. I unconsciously laid a hand on my flat belly. Someday soon, the Goddess willing, we would have one of our own. A daughter no one would treat as property, or tear away from my arms to sell her off to some bastard.
“So where do we go from here?” Khel asked the Admiral.
“We have some common objectives,” Admiral Lee said. “You proved efficient in your investigation and could be even more so with our aid. We only care about recovering Veredians. We ask that you share all information regarding their potential location and don’t interfere with us relocating them. In exchange, we’ll assist you in rescuing any other captives whenever you need.”
Khel drew his brows together, pondering the Admiral’s request. Now that my initial shock had worn off, I replayed what I’d seen on the Tuurean ship when I hacked their cameras. The Veredians seemed happy. There were a few children playing, seemingly without a care in the world. Granted, this could be staged, but talking to Lavenia and Alleria convinced me this was genuine. I looked at Khel, hoping he reached the same conclusion. With their crazy technology, a Tuurean alliance could help us take down Gruuk’s empire. This exceeded by far my wildest dreams.
Khel exchanged a look with Ghan. I’m not sure what silent message passed between them but Khel turned back to the Admiral.
“These can be acceptable terms, but there are conditions. We want regular communications with the Veredians to confirm their continued welfare. And Amalia must be allowed to visit them to know her people and culture. When, where and how can be discussed so that it’s mutually agreeable.”
My heart swelled for Khel at his words. Even now, he thought of me, guessing what it would mean to me to spend time with my people.
Lavenia eyed Khel with respect and smiled. “I see why you’re so fond of your mate, Sister.”
I responded with a quivering smile and slipped my hand into Khel’s.
“Then we’re in agreement,” Admiral Lee said. “Our fleet has left Filgarion Moon. You should receive confirmation any minute now that your fleet’s rescue was successful. Can we expect the departure of the Sigma Squad from Crebios’ space?”
Khel glanced at Ghan, nodding for him to give the fallback order.
A thought suddenly crossed my mind. “Wait! Admiral, could you verify if Galicia and Gerana Brenis were among the captives? They’re twins. My aunts.”
“I’m afraid they’re not,” he replied with that same unsettling voice.
My shoulders slumped with disappointment. It had been a long shot. Gruuk sold them years before my birth, but I had to ask. Lhor wrapped his arm around me.
“I can give you something else instead, Amalia Praghan.” The Admiral waved his palm in a gesture of offering. “Don’t waste your time hunting down The Revenant. It was decommissioned on Zentarin in the Sarkesian Sector two days ago. But a Guldan ship of similar size and make was acquired there the same day and registered under the name Specter. I doubt it’s a coincidence. Consider it a gesture of goodwill to seal our new alliance.”
Khel bowed his head in thanks. He glanced at Ghan who nodded, confirming Khel’s orders were sent. “Sigma Squad will fall back shortly.”
“Your cooperation is appreciated,” the Admiral said. “This completes our business. We’ll speak again soon.”
The Admiral and the four Veredians by his side saluted us in the Veredian fashion. We responded in kind before he terminated the communication.
“Congratulations, General,” Ghan said. “You’re now officially allied with the most powerful military force in the galaxy.”
CHAPTER 31
Lhor
Alpha freed two-hundred and seventy-two females from Filgarion Moon’s stronghold. According to the Guldan guards, it was an unusually high number for this location. The guards were all low-level grunts. They were waiting for the transport ship that would take the females to an auction. They didn’t know its location.
The females were taken to their respective species’ embassy at the Galactic Council headquarters. After thoroughly interrogating the guards, Khel’s soldiers handed them over to the Galactic Council. The Terran and Aveans representatives would lay formal charges against the guards and the Guldan government for its continued failure to stop the rampant flesh trading activities of its people. This unexpected rescue would improve the tense relationship between Xelix Prime and these two governments.
I met with Detective Gravhin in Capital District about the hunt for the other Blood Houses. We examined all the evidence but were at an impasse. On my way home, I detoured by Minh’s clinic for a quick check up. One didn’t come back from death’s door every day. I felt better than ever.
Truth was, I left the estate to give Khel and Amalia some privacy. This situation was overwhelming and I didn’t know how to act. She was my mate too, but it felt like I was intruding on Khel’s territory. Amalia couldn’t help constantly touching one or both of us if we were within reach. I loved that she enjoyed touching me. But I also couldn’t help feeling I was indulging in something that wasn’t mine.
Volghan was astounded by my blood work. Amalia’s hormones were fighting my Taint even more aggressively than they had Khel’s. He suspected my Taint, being much more advanced, spurred the hormone fiercely into action. Another theory was that dormant genes in Amalia’s body had been awakened by her mating with Khel through the exchange of saliva, semen and Thylin venom. This caused a slight mutation of her oxytocin to be more virulent against the Taint. Volghan said if I drank from her at least once a day, symptoms of my Taint would disappear within two weeks – faster if I drank more. I didn’t tell him I drank three times from her this morning alone.
I got home right after Khel finished Amalia’s combat training. They had gone to their room to shower. Judging by Khel’s emotions, they were doing a different type of wrestling. Feeling awkward, I showered in my own room.
Amalia showed up while I was readying for bed, giving me the ‘are you serious’ look. She dragged me back to the master bedroom. Khel sat on the left side of the humongous bed, fiddling with his datapad.
“I realize we all need some adjustment time, but we’re mated,” she scolded me. “That means we sleep in the same bed. Khel gets the left side, you get the right, and I’m smack in the middle. Tomorrow, you bring your personal belongings here. The right side of the closet is all mine! You share the left side with Khel.”
She crawled into bed, gesturing for me to follow. Khel hadn’t said a word the whole time, watching us impassively, his emotions blocked off. I hated not knowing what he felt. Growing up, Khel had often slept in my bed. Initially, because I needed the proximity; later, because it was easier for him to look after me. Sharing a bed with him was no hardship, but this was different. I feared Amalia was asking too much from him too soon.
Khel put his datapad away and lay down. Amalia curled up against his side, putting her head on his shoulder. I got in bed after her and she grabbed my hand, wrapping my arm around her midsection as I spooned her. Khel turned his head so his lips rested on her forehead. Our eyes met above her head, his still unreadable. The muscle jumping on his temple told me plenty about his inner turmoil. It took all my willpower not to get up and leave. After a few seconds, Khel closed his eyes and went to sleep.
If only I were so lucky. My heart couldn’t reconcile with the knowledge that I was hurting Khel. He had given me his blessing and he meant it. But the reality was proving harder than he’d anticipated. We needed to give him time
to adjust and not force him into something he couldn’t handle. Amalia and I needed to talk. She was my mate, nothing would change that. But Khel was my Gem. His happiness was as important. I buried my face in her silky hair and fell asleep too.
We woke to find Khel gone. Another emergency Council Meeting had been called because of the fallouts from Filgarion Moon’s mission. Amalia and I made love twice that morning – once in bed and once in the shower. I didn’t think I could make love to her with Khel in the house. After we finished dressing, I pulled Amalia to the balcony and sat her on my lap.
“Lia, we need to talk.”
“Uh oh,” she said, her eyes suspicious.
I couldn’t help smiling. “It’s nothing bad, love, but we need to discuss our mating.”
“What do you mean?”
“Khel has made a huge sacrifice by accepting me as your Second Mate. However, agreeing to something is quite different than living with it.” I was relieved to see her nod in agreement. “I love that you came to get me last night and that you want us as one tight unit. It’s what I want too. But I don’t think Khel is ready for that. He will endure it for you, but…”
“We already discussed it,” Amalia said. I opened my mouth to argue but she silenced me with a kiss. “Yesterday morning, before I came to you, Khel and I had a long discussion about the three of us. Correct me if I’m wrong, but we believed you would have no problem with the three of us sharing a bed.”
I nodded. Khel was my Gem. I didn’t see him as competition. We were an extension of each other. Him touching Amalia was like me touching her, especially since I felt his emotions.
“It’s not that easy for him,” she said. “But separate bedrooms means putting up schedules. What would that look like? You get Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. He gets Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. And what happens with Sundays? I sleep in my own room or you two roll the dice for it? I don’t want to do that. There’s no way I’m hopping rooms every other night, or whatever the schedule looks like. I want one bedroom with the males I love around me, every night for the rest of my life.”
Her reasoning made sense. I wouldn’t want that either. In truth, I could see it driving Khel up the walls as well. But that didn’t solve his problem.
“When our daughters decide it’s a good idea to wake up their parents in the wee hours of the morning, I don’t want them having to play three guesses to figure out where to find us.”
I couldn’t help smiling at the visual: a pair of mini-Amalia hellions rushing into our room and jumping on our bed to force us awake.
“And what did Khel have to say about that?”
Amalia ran her fingers through my hair before caressing the ridges of my ear. I closed my eyes and purred at the tender touch.
“He agreed.”
My eyes snapped open.
“Khel doesn’t want that either, though he admits it will be hard for him. But he says there’s no point delaying the inevitable. The sooner he embraces this, the quicker he’ll get over it. This was his choice. I would have waited a bit.”
That did sound like something Khel would say. Pride swelled in my heart. My Gem’s motto was always to suck it up and get it done. Still, I hated being the cause of his pain.
“Then I guess we’ll need to be supportive and understanding every time he loses it,” I said rubbing my nose against hers.
She smiled, an impish glimmer in her eyes. “I’ll just use you as a shield when he does.”
* * *
Ghan waited for Amalia and me in the compound where we tried to track down Gruuk’s new ship, the Specter. Even with the help of her hacking abilities, we didn’t make much progress. A little after noon, the three of us had lunch without Khel. His meeting would extend late into the afternoon. It should have been me in the Council Hall, but I couldn’t take on the role yet. My mating with Amalia had to be recorded, making me officially Khel’s Consort. Only then could we proceed with a formal transfer of Councilor duty.
The Trial would end in less than three weeks. Khel suggested we make my Second Mate status official then. I dreaded the moment I would set foot in the Fastening Hall. While it would be a joyous moment, my previous visits had all been an endless humiliation.
After lunch, I went back to my office to manage the family business. I had been delinquent in my duties. But we had amazing staff that didn’t require micro-management.
I was wrapping things up and shutting down my computer when Amalia showed up in my office. She watched me with lust-filled eyes, the markings on her arms almost black.
I licked my lips in anticipation. “You haven’t taken your tea.”
She closed the door behind her and prowled toward me with a hungry look that had blood flooding straight to my groin.
“I don’t need tea. I have two mates,” she purred.
We never made it to the couch or out of our clothes for that matter. She had her way with me on my office chair, then I had mine with her on top of my desk. Her season was making her insatiable. Not that I complained. Our lovemaking was rough, primal. It drove me crazy when she raked her nails down my back. The burn was exquisite and made me rock hard. She loved when I pinched or bit her nipples, just this side of painful. Watching her sprawled on my desk, her eyes smoldering with lingering passion, I wondered how she’d feel about nipple clamps… and other toys.
I couldn’t get enough of her. Last night was pure torture sleeping by her side, my arms around her, and behaving due to Khel’s presence. But I couldn’t be greedy. I had already had her four times today. At this rate, she would be too sore to be in any kind of amorous mood with Khel.
Dinner was a genial affair. Khel updated us on the discussions with the Council. I had delayed my visit to the orchard until after dinner so Khel and Amalia could have some alone time. When I returned, Khel had completed her swimming lesson and they were playing Bakhol. Amalia applied the strategies I’d taught her and gave Khel a real challenge. I joined the next game and purposefully sabotaged Khel who was too fierce an opponent, so I could easily defeat Amalia afterwards. He must have been teaching her too because she obliterated me. Needless to say, Khel didn’t let me live it down.
This became a variation of our routine over the following week. Amalia was mine during the day, and Khel’s in the evening. Nights were awkward with the three of us sharing the bed. Mornings found Khel gone before we rose. He worked hard on reining in his jealousy and I did my best not to stir it on purpose. But with Amalia’s touchy-grabby habits and constant display of affections, there was no avoiding it. To my relief, he blocked his emotions less and less when the three of us were together. The frequency of his jealous flares and pangs of insecurity dwindled.
Determined to get our three-way mating over the lingering awkwardness, Amalia decided the three of us should shower together. Awkward didn’t even begin to describe it. Normally, I wouldn’t have a problem being naked in front of Khel. Seeing naked males was common for him since soldiers had communal showers. As for me, he’d seen me plenty of times in my swimming breeches and when I was young and sick, he often bathed me. With Amalia here though, it was different. Plus I was still extremely self-conscious of my body. Even more so now that Amalia’s oxytocin was on a rampage to eradicate the toxin. With the frequency of our tumbles, my system was continuously flooded with her hormone.
As grateful as I was for its effect, I wished it would have been more even like on Khel. My body, almost obsidian from overflowing with toxin, was now littered with light grey blemishes of my natural skin color. I looked like a neption, a spotted furry pet that spent most of its time eating, sleeping or destroying property. At least, my face was spared this infamy. Strangely, so were my hands and feet.
After undressing, I glanced warily at Khel who gaped at me. Seeing revulsion from him would be the death of me. Instead, he stared in awe, transfixed by the extent of the changes. He stepped close to me and ran two fingers over some of the blemishes.
“This is amazing,” he whisp
ered. He took a step back to make a clinical examination of my body. His acceptance of my current appearance further destroyed the dark pit of self-doubt buried deep within me.
“How are you feeling, brother?”
I still felt awkward. “I can’t remember ever feeling this great. I’d forgotten what it’s like to not have the constant pain of the Taint.”
He nodded, knowing too well what it felt like. The happiness and relief on his face made my chest tighten. Under different circumstances, I would have hugged him. But doing so naked would just take awkward to another level of weird. Instead, Amalia hugged me and placed a soft kiss on a blemish on my chest.
“That’s me, inside you, making you better,” she said staring into my eyes.
I gently kissed her lips, expecting a wave of resentment from Khel. To my surprise, I only got a fleeting sense of begrudging possessiveness from him.
Amalia turned to face Khel who looked at her with tenderness.
“You get one too!” She pecked his lips as well.
She grabbed our hands and took us to the shower. To our mutual embarrassment, we both caught each other staring at the perfect curves of her bum while she led the way. She washed each of us and we both washed her. We tried to keep it innocent but were both rock hard by the time we were done. Amalia’s twitching lips betrayed how tremendously she was enjoying herself.
We dried, dressed for the night, and got into bed. Except this time, she placed a hand just above Khel’s crotch, her fingers almost touching the stiffness straining against his breeches. And she wiggled her ass a few times against me, bending back just enough so that my painfully hard shaft rested against the seam of her behind.
“Goodnight, my mates,” she whispered huskily.
Khel and I exchanged the same pained look, before uncomfortably settling down for what would be a long night.
* * *
The end of the second week marked another significant improvement in our three-way mating. Khel woke up with us a few times and he didn’t block his emotions as often from me. Showering together was still rather awkward, though. Thankfully, it only happened once more. I still ‘snuck around’ to have sex with Amalia. However, Khel no longer bristled when she kissed me, sat on my lap or cuddled with me in front of him.