Vadal looked up from where he was flicking his comm, likely going through medical notes. “Shaagra is correct. Walooth displays for you to compliment you and demonstrate his devotion and affections. It is seen as a sweet and attentive gesture among our kind.”
Reggie swore her eyes were going to drop from her head in shock.
“Your culture treats arousal as sweet and complimentary?”
She paused to think about it. Well, it was flattering even among humans to know that another desired you, but still—
Reggie groaned and ran her hands down her face, trying to ignore the sweet musk of his aroused pheromones flooding the air. “He’s making it very difficult,” she groused.
Vadal laughed. “My lovely mate, it is nature... he isn’t trying to make anything difficult for you. Rather he hopes that you will become comfortable and accepting toward him. He is just doing as his instinct demands to try to woo and attract the female he wants to join with.”
Shaagra nodded sagely. “Even his coloring is brighter in hue to lure your attention to him.” He paused thoughtfully. “Usually such things occur before a female brings the male into her nest that he might try to court and attract her so that she would embrace him, but our family seems to do most things backward,” he stated with no little self-mockery.
Reggie had in fact noticed that his colors became brighter and richer. She’d just hadn’t been aware that it was because of her. Truthfully, she thought she was imagining it. To know that it was part of his natural desire to woo her made her both want to squeal with pleasure and want to bolt from the nest. She still wasn’t sure if she wanted to have another mate, even if she hadn’t been hesitant about him joining the family in more official terms. It was just a big jump going from that to inviting him to join with her in the nest proper.
Oh, she had no doubt he was waiting for the invitation, with the way he hung on her every action, especially when she was retiring with Shaagra and Vadal. She always felt the pressing want from his gaze upon her. The air was heavy every evening from his desire. She could feel it like living thing under her skin.
It pulled at her.
“Reggie,” Vadal said, “there is no shame in desiring Walooth. I am bonded with Shaagra, but we both accept Walooth to share our nest with us. If you wish him to join us, you only have to give your indication. We will not think less of you, nor feel less about your love toward us.”
Reggie frowned. “It doesn’t mean anything to you if I take Walooth into our nest proper? Or to share me with him?”
Briefly, she felt a twinge of disappointment that just maybe her mates didn’t want her quite as much as she wanted them. If their positions were reversed, she knew she wouldn’t be advocating for her guys to slip over another female’s tail. She gnawed her bottom lip.
Shaagra let out a long hiss. “It does matter. I do not like the idea of sharing you—but I have a difficult time seeing Walooth joining with you in that light. He is part of our nest. We welcomed him as a part of us. That makes it different than sharing you with another strange male, which I would never welcome.”
Shaagra leaned forward and kissed her brow. “Just think on it, Reggie,” he said quietly. Reggie grunted and stared off at the resting room, thoughts running wild.
***
Shaagra muttered a curse as he attempted to apply the scale oils to the one place on his tail he never could reach quite right. In moments like these, he understood why Vadal enjoyed having the Prixli oil his scales professionally—not that he could abide the thought of their hands on him. He did not care to be touched by anyone except his family anymore. But damn the one place at the upper back of his tail where he just couldn’t reach.
The dry, vicious scar tissue was toughening his scales in that area, making them itch miserably. Since Reggie joined them, she had been the one to help him, but she was helping Vadal at the alcove with some new branch of his studies. Shaagra hissed irritably as he missed the vital spot again.
“Shaagra,” a soft voice broke in, hesitant, “do you need assistance?”
Shaagra froze and turned slowly to stare at the smaller male behind him. He had not even heard him come into the cleansing unit. He frowned, despite himself. Though he no longer felt the deep hostility toward Walooth, he was often disconcerted about how he should feel toward him. He always felt off-balance near him, and Shaagra did not care for that feeling.
The male offered him a small, hesitant smile and extended his hand slowly for the jar of ointment. Shaagra stared at his hand for several minutes before dropping the jar in Walooth’s palm.
“These spots are the worse to get to,” Walooth observed. “My brothers liked to jest on how much time I spend getting my scales tended to professionally, but being in the jungles, often in the trees, does quite a bit of damage. I can imagine it is even worse from such scarring,” he said, gently fingering the thick scar winding its way around Shaagra’s tail.
“I am truly amazed that your scales are in as good condition as they are if you have been treating them yourself,” the male stated with a raised brow as he slathered more of the cool oils on.
Shaagra clicked with pleasure and leaned into the strong, lean hands massaging the tough skin of his scales. “Normally, Reggie does this for me,” he muttered.
Walooth blinked in surprise. “Really? It is not common for females to see to the needs of her mates. Usually it is the other way around, that the males pamper her, and she ignores them unless she desires something. Or so it seems with the females in my clan,” he muttered.
Shaagra unbent enough to laugh. “Our Reggie is quite different from any other female on Vora. Her heart is soft and full of love for her males.”
Walooth smiled, but it faltered and quickly died. “I do not think Reggie sees me as one of her males,” he said quietly but then earnestly looked up at Shaagra. “Do not misunderstand—I am very grateful that she accepted me into her nest, and that you welcomed me—I just hoped…” Walooth trailed off.
Despite himself, Shaagra felt a clench of pity in his hearts for Walooth. He set a gentle hand on his shoulder. “You hoped that she would accept to mate and invite you to join with us in the nest proper,” he supplied.
Walooth nodded with a wry smile.
“I do not care that I am a breeder male. I have exactly what I want: a family. I do not need to be a bonded nest brother to be happy, or I never would have asked to join your family. Reggie so far has been much kinder than I have heard other females being toward their breeder mates. I do not wish to be removed from the family. But I worry that if she does not feel inclined to touch me, that maybe it will happen that she will have you remove me.”
Shaagra stared in disbelief, unable to reconcile that vision of Reggie with the female he knew and loved so well. He had to remind himself that Walooth did not know Reggie as he did.
Not knowing what to say to the male to give him comfort, Shaagra looked down at his scales and smiled at the exemplary job Walooth did.
“This is much better. Thank you for your assistance, Walooth,” he said.
Walooth flushed with pleasure and beamed at him. “I am very glad if it gives you some relief.”
Shaagra paused before exiting the cleansing unit. “I was planning on watching a new human vid I downloaded in Norveth when we were there. I had not yet watched it. You are welcome to join me after you are finished in here,” he invited, feeling ridiculously awkward.
It was worth it seeing the way Walooth’s face lit up.
“Yes, thank you! I will be quick!”
As he had said, Walooth was out within minutes and joined him on the large rug in the central room of the nest common. At first, Shaagra went rigid when Walooth pressed up against him to look at the view screen, the light fall of his coils tight against his own. He waited for a feeling a revulsion or discomfort, but none came.
Instead, he felt a sort of warm comfort fall over him when Walooth trustingly rested his head against Shaagra’s shoulder. Without comment,
Shaagra started the vid and shortly after drifted into slumber coiled up against the smaller warm body of Walooth.
***
It was in this manner that Reggie found them, an hour later upon returning with Vadal, curled together asleep with the lights from the vid trailer playing over their skin and scales where orange blended into red.
***
Reggie leaned into Vadal’s embrace, her mate’s hands stroking down her body, luxuriating in the soft feel of her skin. It felt strange not having Shaagra in the nest proper with them, but she couldn’t bear to wake them when Shaagra and Walooth looked so comfortable.
She leaned forward and caressed Vadal’s lips with her own.
“I do so love you,” Reggie whispered against his mouth before his plundered hers. He devoured her, taking cues from her sighs and moans of pleasure.
The coils of his tail looped around her, holding her securely against his pelvis. Reggie blinked down at him in surprise. It was unusual for Vadal to take charge like that. He squeezed around her, grinding her down against his salet. Reggie’s eyes rolled back in her head as the texture of the skin hit her in all the right places.
“Vadal!” she gasped. She could hear the longing in her voice.
Her mate groaned beneath her, his skin shivering from where she laid her hands on his abdomen. Suddenly, on the next upward thrust, his cocks slid out from his salet and, with the guide of his hand, impaled her. Reggie cried out as she felt herself stretch around them as they plundered her channel, gently nudging against the mouth of her womb. Vadal loved her, his hips rocking upwards in rhythm to the thrust of his tongue against her own. Each thrust punctuated by a rippling light squeeze of his coils.
“Vadal, more,” she demanded.
Her mate’s muscles tensed, and Reggie cried out in ecstasy as his rhythm picked up, plunging deeper within her. Even the press of his coils, tightened just shy of uncomfortable, fueled her lust. Vadal’s breath was coming out in shaky gasps. This too fed her desire. Despite his tight hold, Reggie subtly moved her hips and squeezed her internal muscles, delighting in the thick feel of him inside of her as his cocks began to swell with his cum.
Reggie almost shrieked in surprise when his tail moved and the lower length secured behind her, a thick pressure pushing into her ass, anchoring him against her and triggering the release of his pheromones. Reggie’s body shuddered at the dual sensation of the thick barb and the intoxicating scent of her mate. Her pussy clenched with micro-orgasms as she rode the mother of all orgasms.
Vadal’s tail bore down, writhing against her, his cocks pulsating deep within he as he gave one final deep thrust into her channel. Their cries of ecstasy mingled, her pussy bearing down, milking his spurting cocks, as her orgasm rolled through her viciously, carrying her away on currents of pleasure. His tail loosened to lay in gently warm coils around her, releasing her so that she could fall against her mate’s chest, breath panting out of her in ragged draws.
Hours later, Reggie traced the firm muscle of Vadal’s stomach thoughtfully, the vision of Shaagra and Walooth coiled together in the central room at the forefront of her thoughts. Vadal’s tail swept upwards playfully and she caught the tip in her hands, her fingers teasing the tip.
“Vadal… what’s the story with you and Walooth? I know all three of you guys have history.”
Vadal lay beneath her silently for several beats of his hearts.
“You don’t have to tell me if you aren’t comfortable with it,” she said quietly.
Vadal shook his head. “No, it is nothing like that. It is just unfortunate history. Walooth and I grew up together,” he said. “His clan’s territory borders ours, just south of Norveth. Our clans always got together, and when I became old enough to take on responsibilities for our clan’s safety, Walooth became a close ally. Unlike me, he is the youngest of his brothers, and made use of his time keeping surveillance of Norveth which sits close to the border of his clan’s Ithai territory. He was instrumental to keeping both territories safe. When I came of age to take a nest brother, our clans expected that he and I would solidify the alliance of our clans.”
He smiled sadly. “Walooth was never shy of making his interest known. I always knew he cared about me and having him as nest brother sounded logical enough when my mother suggested it. I couldn’t bring myself to bond with him when I did not feel that kind of connection to him. Still, it was always a possibility—until Shaagra came down from the Shagorith. There was just something about Shaagra that spoke to something within me. I knew he would be the one I would bond with and make a nest with.”
“Walooth didn’t take it well?” Reggie asked, pressing a kiss to his chest.
Vadal let out a soft laugh. “It was nothing as obvious as that. Walooth never said a word against Shaagra, but he was unhappy and withdrawn. He did try to maintain some manner of friendship for a time, but as time went on, I saw less and less of him after the bonding ceremony. It didn’t help that Shaagra took an instant dislike to what he saw as a rival. Shaagra was never unkind to him, just surly and watchful. Walooth faded away from my life. I hadn’t seen him in a great many months when Shaagra and I left for Evath.
“Truthfully, when I went to Norveth for information, I didn’t know whether or not he would even speak to me. But Walooth was never one to hold a grudge, and after all this time, he still wanted to be a part of my nest, especially after he found out about you.” He gave her a sideways smile.
Reggie felt for her guys, and for Walooth.
“Seems like no matter where in the universe you wind up, finding love and a family is always a complicated mess,” she muttered.
Vadal hugged her in silent agreement.
***
Many days later, Reggie eyed Walooth, her jaw thrust out stubbornly. He was trying to distract her. Unlike Vadal, who calmly took over, or Shaagra, who was immovable in his decisions when it came to her welfare, Walooth took an entirely different approach to “managing her.”
The whole business was slowly getting on her last nerve.
Not that his methods were entirely objectionable. Instead of telling her what to do, he did his damnedest to sway her in the sweetest possible way. He soothed her ill temper when it rose with gentle words and caresses. He was currently utilizing his go-to method of coiling his tail snuggly around her until she leaned back against his torso and stroking his hands through her hair and down her upper back and shoulders. Reggie had little defenses against this maneuver. It took only minutes for her to become boneless in his arms.
“Relax, Reggie,” he soothed. “Let me take care of you.”
Reggie snorted to herself. Oh, she’d just bet he wanted to take care of her. She pulled back and looked him in the eye.
“Walooth, this is sweet and all, but seriously—where is Vadal?”
Walooth hissed reluctantly. “Vadal was summoned by his mother.”
Reggie waited for him to continue, her eyebrow raised. When he did not elaborate, she grit out, “For what, exactly?”
“I am not entirely sure, Reggie,” he admitted. “Vadal only said that it was something about clan affairs that she wished to address to him.”
“Can you take me to him?” she asked.
Walooth stilled nervously, the tip of his tail twitching. “No one is permitted to go into another’s nest without permission,” he objected. “Especially not that of the clan mother!”
Reggie scowled. She was liking all these rules of Vori etiquette less and less.
“Am I, or am I not, part of her family? Surely there has to be some exception, since her son is my mate?”
“It is possible she would be less hostile toward your invasion of her space than that of another, but I would still be concerned that she may attack you for the offense,” Walooth said plainly. His hands threaded through her hair and he gently turned her to face him. His expression contained such worry and something new… something that looked surprisingly like love. Reggie felt everything still within her… and respond.
Very gently, she pulled away from Walooth. Her emotions sped through her at a confusing pace. She needed to sort out these new unexpected feelings.
“Please take me to Vadal,” she insisted gently.
Walooth grimaced but finally nodded.
To her surprise, he didn’t drop her at the front of the clan mother’s den and leave her alone to deal with her own foolishness. He didn’t look happy about it, and seemed pretty scared on top of that, but he stuck to her side like glue as she approached the doors. Even she felt a tremor of uncertainty about how wise her decision was when Vadal’s fathers sternly frowned down at her when they met her at the door.
“Can I please see Vadal?” she squeaked.
The males exchanged a look, and the one to the left huffed. Whether it was with amusement or irritation, she couldn’t tell. These guys played their cards close to their chest. Still, she gave them a small hopeful smile and tried to pretend she wasn’t quaking in fear when she reached back and grabbed Walooth’s hand tightly in her own as she followed them into the nest.
Esfalee looked up from a desk set in the corner of the room where she sat with Vadal and frowned.
“Reggie, I was not expecting to see you.” There was a hint of disproval in her voice, but she otherwise sounded unruffled over the unexpected visit. The crimson eyes slid over to focus on the male at Reggie’s side and warmed affectionately. “And Walooth, I am pleased to see you are well. I will be sure to send word to your mother. She is very pleased that you have joined Vadal’s nest and awaits word for any nestlings to come in the future.” That last part Reggie knew was directed at her.
Esfalee straightened slowly behind her desk. “That is in fact a matter I had brought Vadal in to speak to him about, one of a few things I wished to discuss. I am, naturally, concerned that we have no news that you are breeding yet, Reggie.”
Reggie stiffened. It sounded like Vadal’s mother was throwing her fertility into question. Reggie resisted, grinding her teeth together in frustration.
It wasn’t like she didn’t want children.
“I’m sure they will come in time,” Reggie said carefully. As much as she wanted to tell her nosy mother-in-law to mind her own damn business, she didn’t want to risk offending the female. “I had just started a Depo-Provera regimen that hormonally affects my fertility until it works its way through my system. It has been quite some time since my last dose, and considering that it was my only my second dose, I imagine my fertility will return soon. In any case, I don’t see the rush. I’ll be with Vadal for a long time. We will have plenty of opportunities to have nestlings.”
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