Sweshan- Claimed

by Olivia Black

  “Where are we going?” Bryson asked, curiously.

  “You’ll see when we get there.”

  Talr swam through a forest of trees, winding his way around the trunks. The trees surrounded them, soaring skyward, as far as the eye could see. And the forest was filled with alien underwater life that Bryson had never seen before. It was astounding. Suddenly, the trees around them disappeared, opening up to a field of grass. Talr came to a halt, and Bryson slid off the male’s back.

  He stared in wonder at the sight before him. The entire field was full of dazzling lights. The fish were glowing, flashing, and twinkling in the dark. They looked like stars dancing through the water in a display of intense colors. Bryson’s eyes widened.

  “Oh, wow,” he breathed out, completely taken by surprise.

  “This only happens once a year,” Talr told him. “It’s mating season for the Light Thirp. The chemical reaction is called bioluminescence.”

  Bryson didn’t know what bioluminescence was, but this, these lights, seemed magical to him. It was a light show. A glimmering, captivating, bizarre, and totally wondrous light show. Words were inadequate to describe what he was seeing.

  He stared at the lights, unable to look away. “It’s beautiful.”

  Talr’s hand touched his. The male ran his fingertips across Bryson’s palm. Bryson glanced down and watched as Talr intertwined their fingers. The male applied some pressure, tightening his hold, and Bryson did the same. Bryson looked up at Talr and smiled. Their eyes held for a moment before the field of lights claimed his attention once more.

  The amount of light was tremendous. It was so different than any other time Bryson went out into the ocean to swim. This scene in front of him was pure magic. They watched the multicolored beams of light in silence as they danced through the water. The event, the Light Thirp mating, went on for several hours.

  When the lights started to dim, and the field darkened, Bryson climbed onto Talr’s back, and the male swam back home. Bryson kept his arms loosely wrapped around Talr’s neck. This time, as he looked around, Bryson saw his surroundings differently. He had a greater amount of respect for the ocean and its inhabitants.

  Talr helped Bryson off his back and into the glass cylinder. The male joined him a moment later. Talr closed the door and pushed the button, draining the water out of the cylinder.

  Bryson removed the mask covering his face and grinned. A laugh bubbled to the surface, and he chuckled. “That was amazing.”

  Talr grinned. “Night swimming has its benefits.”

  “Does the light show really only happen once a year?”

  Talr nodded.

  “Thanks for taking me to see it.”

  “My pleasure.”

  They stood there on the ground floor of Talr’s building just staring at each other. After a minute or two, Talr held out his arm, and Bryson wrapped his hand around the male’s muscular bicep. They strode toward the elevator and took the cylinder up to Talr’s floor. The door opened, and they walked down the hallway to the male’s dwelling. Talr pressed the button on the wall, and the door opened.

  “Well,” Bryson said, clearing his throat. “Good night.”

  “Sleep well.”

  They went in opposite directions. Talr went to his bedroom, and Bryson strolled into the guest room. Just thinking about the day brought a smile to Bryson’s face. Talr really was a wonderful male.

  Chapter Eight

  Bryson woke up with a smile. He stared up at the glass ceiling. The bright rays from the Sweshan suns shot through the ocean, lighting up the world. Bryson tossed the blanket aside and climbed out of bed. He lifted his arms over his head and stretched out his back. Bryson groaned. He shuffled his feet against the floor as he walked to the bathroom.

  He went through his normal morning routine, brushing his teeth, taking a shower, and getting dressed. When he was ready to face the day, Bryson left the guest room. As soon as he stepped out of the hallway, Bryson saw Talr. The male was sitting at the kitchen counter eating breakfast.

  “Good morning,” Bryson said.

  Talr looked at him and grinned. “Good morning.”

  Bryson sat down beside Talr. “How did you sleep?”

  “Good,” Talr told him. “How did you sleep?”

  “I passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow.”

  “Are you hungry? I can make you a plate.”

  Bryson shook his head. “No, I’m fine.”

  As soon as Talr finished eating, the male rose from his seat and put his plate in the sink. He picked up his white coat from the counter and folded the material over his forearm. “Let’s go to work.”

  Bryson practically skipped as he followed Talr out the front door. He was really looking forward to another day at the medical building. They took the elevator down to the ground floor and stepped onto the moveable walkway. Bryson followed Talr from one conveyor belt to the next as they made their way to the medical building through glass cylinders.

  Rune was waiting for Bryson when they arrived. He waved to Talr. “Have a good day.”

  “You, too.”

  Bryson spent the day with Rune. He followed the male around, watching him closely and taking notes on a small handheld device. In between taking notes, Rune allowed Bryson to do a few minor procedures. Bryson was trying to learn as quickly as possible, especially since he only had a week with Talr.

  The week would be over soon enough. And although Bryson enjoyed the time he was spending with Talr, the male still hadn’t tried to get Bryson into bed. Talr was a perfect gentleman. He cared for Bryson in a way that none of the other Sweshan males ever had.

  “Are you ready for lunch?” Talr asked.

  Bryson glanced up from his handheld device. “Yeah.”

  Talr held out his hand in offering, and Bryson took it. The male intertwined their fingers together. Talr gave Bryson’s arm a gentle tug, pulling him to the elevator.

  “Aren’t we going to the cafeteria?”

  “I’m taking you somewhere else for lunch today.”

  Bryson shrugged. “Okay.”

  They took the elevator down to the lower level and stepped onto the moveable walkway. They moved from one conveyor belt to the next, making their way through a few different buildings.

  Bryson glanced around, and he asked, “Are we going to the café in the marketplace?”

  “Yes.”

  Bryson walked beside Talr as they made their way to the central marketplace. He’d been to this market before, several times in fact. It was one of the largest on Sweshan. The entire building was filled with shops. The lower level had rows of stalls that sold different goods and wares. And the upper levels were filled with boutiques that offered clothing and furniture, specialty stores with various treats, jewelers that crafted wearable pieces of art by hand, and dozens of eateries. There were even a few nighttime entertainment venues and clubs.

  Talr led Bryson to the moving conveyor belt. He stepped on and held on to the railing with his free hand as the floor beneath his feet moved at a sharp, upward angle. Once they stepped off the conveyor belt, Talr walked toward a small café that served Earth food. It was a popular place, especially for the humans.

  As soon as they stepped over the threshold, the owner, Parker Richards, walked over. “Hey, Bryson, it’s good to see you again.”

  “You, too.” Bryson smiled.

  He’d been to this particular café quite a bit. All of his other prospective mates had brought him to this restaurant, since they served Earth food. It was a reminder of home. Bryson glanced around the restaurant, and his eyes locked onto an identical pair of blue globes, shining brightly in the dim café. The other man rose from his seated position and smiled. Brian.

  Bryson jerked his head to the side and looked at Talr. “Did you do this? Did you know he was going to be here?”

  “I would do anything to make you happy,” Talr told him. The sincerity in his tone caught Bryson by surprise. “I care about you.”


  Emotion clogged Bryson’s throat. His vision blurred as his eyes filled with moisture. Tears fell down his cheeks. The remaining walls around his heart shattered into a million pieces. Bryson sniffled, and his lower lip trembled. Talr lifted his free hand and wiped Bryson’s cheeks, removing the tears from his face.

  “Go see your brother. He’s been waiting a long time to see you.”

  Bryson nodded. He couldn’t speak. Bryson loosened his hold on Talr’s hand and dropped it. He strode through the restaurant. Bryson moved between the tables and around patrons, walking straight toward his twin brother. They didn’t speak, but words weren’t necessary. Brian held out his arms, and Bryson embraced him.

  Bryson tightened his arms, holding his twin close to make sure he wasn’t imagining this moment. He couldn’t believe that he was finally seeing his brother. Bryson had been waiting for this moment since he arrived on Sweshan.

  “I’ve been waiting for you,” Brian said.

  “I got here as fast as I could.”

  He chuckled lightly. “I know.”

  Brian dropped his arms, but Bryson was a little more reluctant to pull away. He didn’t want the hug to end. Bryson was afraid that if he let go, Brian might disappear. Taking a deep breath, Bryson lowered his arms and took a small step back. Now that they were together, it didn’t feel like any time had passed.

  “You look good,” Brian told him.

  It was Bryson’s turn to laugh. “I hope so. The last time you saw me, you were leaving Earth, and I was sick. The medicine you sent on the transport cured me. Thank you.”

  “It’s a good thing that my mate is an ambassador. He’s the one who made sure you got the medicine.” Brian locked his right arm with Bryson’s left and spun them around. “This is my mate, Takar.”

  The male rose to his feet to greet Bryson. But Bryson wasn’t paying attention to Takar. He was too focused on the little boy in the male’s arms.

  “And our son, Teagan.”

  Teagan had bluish-green scales like the Sweshian people, but other than that, he looked like any other human child. He even had their blue eyes.

  “He’s perfect.”

  Brian let go of Bryson’s arm. He leaned forward and plucked his son out of Takar’s arms. Brian put the boy on his hip and faced Bryson once more. “This is your Uncle Bryson.”

  Teagan looked back and forth between Brian and Bryson several times, a look of confusion on his angelic face. Bryson chuckled. It was an expression that a lot of people had worn over the years. Being identical twins allowed Bryson and Brian to confuse a lot of people.

  Bryson held out his arms, wanting to hold his nephew. The little guy didn’t hesitate. Teagan let Bryson take him from his father. Bryson wrapped his arms around the little boy and gave him a hug. “It’s nice to meet you, Teagan.”

  The little boy didn’t say anything. He simply wrapped his arms around Bryson’s neck and hugged him.

  “Aww, you’re so sweet, Teagan,” Brian said.

  Teagan laughed, and the tinkling sound made Bryson smile. The little boy unlinked his arms and went back to his father. Brian tickled his belly, and Teagan squealed, giggling uncontrollably. Watching Brian and his son warmed Bryson’s heart. It was nice to see his brother so happy. Brian took a seat beside his mate, Takar.

  Talr came up from behind Bryson and pulled out a chair. Bryson sat down, and Talr took the seat beside him.

  They were sitting at a table in the back of the café. Sheer material covered the windows, blocking out most of the natural light from the suns above. Flickering candlelight changed the atmosphere. And the instrumental music in the background helped to drown out the conversations from the other patrons.

  But Bryson wasn’t paying attention to anyone else. He was focused on his brother and Talr, the male sitting at his side. Talr reached over and grasped Bryson’s hand, giving him the emotional support he needed. Bryson glanced at the male and realized that he forgot to introduce him.

  “Brian…Takar…this is Talr. I’m sorry that I didn’t make the introductions sooner.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Talr,” Brian said. “And thank you for contacting me and inviting us to lunch.”

  “Bryson talks about you all the time,” Talr told him. “I feel like I know you.”

  It was true. Over the last three months, Bryson had told Talr a lot about his brother and their life on Earth.

  “I feel the same,” Takar added. “My mate talks about Bryson, as well.”

  “Thank you for taking care of my brother,” Bryson told Takar. “I’ve never seen him look so happy.”

  “It’s been my greatest pleasure. I love your brother very much.” Takar wrapped his arm around Brian’s shoulder and pulled him in close for a kiss. The pair shared an intimate look. It was obvious that they were very much in love.

  After everyone put in their orders, Brian took over the conversation and did most of the talking. He recounted his time on Glecerus, his journey to Sweshan, and finally his life on the underwater planet with his mate and son. Bryson listened with great interest. They had similar stories, except, of course, that Brian found his mate right away. Brian finished his story by ruffling his son’s short, brown locks.

  “And then we were blessed with our son, Teagan.”

  “How did you know that Brian was your mate?” Bryson asked the question of Takar.

  The male lifted his hand, placing it on his chest. “I don’t really know how to explain it. I took one look at Brian and knew that he was my mate. He was the one. I just had to claim him.”

  “It was an unexplainable feeling.” This came from Talr.

  Takar nodded. “I just knew that he was mine.”

  When lunch was served, Bryson picked up his utensil and started eating. In between each bite, Bryson talked, recounting his trip from Earth and his new job at the medical building.

  The meal was over way too soon. Bryson wasn’t ready to say good-bye to his brother, but he was grateful for the chance to spend some time with him. Brian was happy. His brother was loved, and he had a family. That was all that really mattered to Bryson.

  As soon as their plates were cleared and the bill was paid, Bryson pushed his chair back and rose to his feet. He embraced Brian before shaking Takar’s hand and kissing Teagan’s chubby cheek. They lingered in the café, saying their good-byes.

  “I’ll see you soon, brother,” Bryson said.

  Brian grinned. “Take care of yourself.”

  Bryson sighed, blowing out a heavy breath, and his shoulders dropped. Watching Brian, Takar, and Teagan walk away was tough. This wasn’t the first time he’d said good-bye to his brother, but at least now, they were on the same planet. Bryson knew he would see Brian again. It was just a matter of time.

  Talr wrapped his arm around Bryson’s shoulder and pulled him to his side. Bryson tilted his head back, resting it against the male’s chest.

  “Don’t be sad,” Talr said. “You’ll see him again.”

  “I know.”

  Talr ushered Bryson out of the café. They walked through the marketplace and took the moving walkways back to the medical building.

  Bryson found Rune and shadowed the male the rest of the day, trying to help where he could.

  Chapter Nine

  The rest of the day went by quickly, and soon, night fell over Sweshan. When they got back to Talr’s place, the male made dinner while Bryson took a shower. He got dressed, wearing a comfortable pair of pants and a shirt, before joining Talr in the kitchen. They ate dinner together in silence. It didn’t bother Bryson. It was comfortable, almost as if they had been eating dinner together every night for years. As soon as they were finished eating, Bryson slid off the barstool. He collected their empty plates and took them to the sink.

  “Do you want to go out tonight?” Talr asked.

  “Sure.” Bryson shrugged. “Where do you want to go?”

  “We could go dancing at the foam club, if you’d like?”

  Bryson knew the place well
. It was a popular dance club located on the top floor of the central marketplace building. They served great drinks that were incredibly potent. And the thick foam on the dance floor made it possible to get away with almost anything. Sweshan was a hedonistic society. The males weren’t opposed to watching others fuck in public. Bryson had to admit that he was a little surprised with Talr’s suggestion. The male didn’t seem like the type that would enjoy spending time at the foam club, dancing and drinking.

  “Maybe we should do something else tonight,” Bryson suggested.

  “What do you mean?” Talr asked, a look of confusion flashing across his face.

  “The foam club might be a little too wild for you.”

  Talr let out an exasperated sigh. “I’ve been to the club before.”

  Bryson arched a questioning brow. “Really?”

  “Yeah,” he confirmed. “Really.”

  Bryson smiled. He was really looking forward to seeing Talr’s moves on the dance floor. Talr didn’t seem like the kind of male that would frequent the foam club. But if he wanted to go out and have some fun, Bryson wouldn’t stand in his way.

  “Just let me change my clothes, and then, we can go.”

  “I’m going to change, as well.”

  He went into the guest room and changed his clothes, trading the loose-fitting clothing for something that clung to his body.

  Talr grasped Bryson’s hand as soon as he stepped foot into the hallway. The male led Bryson out of his home. They walked down the hallway to the elevator and took it down to the bottom floor. Talr guided Bryson back to the marketplace.

  Bryson could hear the music before they even reached the club. The bass vibrated the ground beneath his feet, sending a pulsing sensation up through his body. His heart started pounding with the beat, euphoria filling him. It felt as though the music was giving him a full-body massage.

  As they walked into the club, the air became thicker. The Sweshan pheromones hung on Bryson, clinging to every inch of him. He moaned as his cock responded, hardening within the confines of the trousers. Bryson adjusted his erection, hoping that Talr might make his move tonight.