by Lyn Gala
“I’m sorry.”
Liam closed his eyes as the pain washed through him again. “It hurts Ondry that he can’t help me over the pain, and he doesn’t understand why I won’t let him fix this. If he had his way, he would keep distracting me with pleasure.” Liam rubbed a hand over his face. “I know I hurt him in ways a Rownt palteia wouldn’t because I can’t stop being human.”
“So, they’re caretaker doms?”
Liam had never heard the term, but then he never had gone to clubs or explored his sexuality. He had only known a few adolescent fumbles in the dark with another kid, and then Mort had come into his life. And nothing Mort did even approached caring. “Yeah, they are. But if you’re looking for status…if you think you can come in and play them for fools while setting up your family’s business for a nice monopoly, that Grandmother is old enough and wily enough to humiliate you.”
“My family’s business is a sorghum farm in Texas.” Mora held his arm out and lifted the sleeve. His hand was intact, and he had an elbow, but much of what was between was flesh-colored plastics and metal pins. “I went into diplomacy after I was pulled from the active forces.”
“Frontline injury?” Liam asked, reassessing his early conclusion that Mora wasn’t a fighter.
“No. I commanded a supply-line ship. We had mechanical problems, and the fighting meant Command couldn’t get rescue out to us quickly. A small injury from the hard landing got infected with a local mold. I nearly lost the hand, so I’m grateful for what I managed to keep. But most of the muscle is gone, and I have neural transplants to help me control the hand, so I’m not some rich kid trying to buy his way out of fighting with a position in the diplomatic corps. In fact, I think most of those classmates were running for the door by the time they got to the part of the message explaining the Rownt might not be returning anyone they accept as palteia.”
“I can almost promise you they won’t. If you’re the Grandmother’s palteia, she would die before letting you come to harm, and she’s not likely to trust humans to take good enough care of you. So if you have family here…”
“I have a sister who counts on my paycheck to support the family, including a father with progressive-age disorder. I gave up any hope of going home to Earth when we sold the family farm. I don’t have the right skills for the few home-world jobs that exist. But I have to say, keeping me forever…that’s taking the whole caretaker domme thing a little far.”
“Probably, but they aren’t human.” Liam struggled to gather his thoughts. “Pretend you took every kindness you ever felt for other people, all the little casual acts of charity, all the positive feelings. Now imagine you feel nothing for others in general, but all those same feelings are concentrated down so you only feel them when you see a child or a palteia.”
“So, they’re homicidally protective and emotionally constipated?” Mora summarized.
“Homicidally protective and emotionally unresponsive to adults because adults should be able to take care of themselves, so to show interest in their problems is to insult them.”
Mora narrowed his eyes as he clearly struggled to follow the mental path Liam laid down. “But we’re not adults?”
“We’re palteia. They feel love. I don’t care what Colonel Diallo told you; the Rownt do feel love the way couples might, but they can’t have it. They are a world of Doms, and they aren’t allowed to touch anyone. Touch is all about control. And then every once in a while a palteia comes along, and that’s the one person they’re ever allowed to love.”
“Fuck,” Mora whispered, his voice full of horror.
Liam nodded. “Now you’re getting it. Don’t get me wrong because they love their kids just as much, but they have to teach them to be successful and independent, and that means teaching their children to demand independence. A palteia is the only being a Rownt can ever love unconditionally and keep forever.”
“Oh God. I can’t…but… They never…” Mora let out a slow breath. “I’m out of words.”
“They’ll leave you feeling that way a lot. But they’re caring and strong, and if they make a commitment to you, they will do anything for you and trust you completely. The pressure is terrifying.”
“With an endorsement like that, I’m not terrified. Not at all.” Mora was very expressive, and exaggerated dismay twisted his features.
Liam shrugged. That was life as a palteia—love, cherish, and try to avoid Armageddon. “So, are you going to take the job?”
Mora looked over at the Rownt delegation. “Ten minutes ago, I would have said yes. Now I’m thinking it’s a good solid maybe.”
The Rownt had all turned toward them. “I think the Grandmother will appreciate your caution. Invite her over and speak to her about your concerns,” Liam suggested.
Mora gave him a sidelong look. “From here?”
Liam nodded. “They have good hearing, and trust me, Rownt are always looking out for palteia and children. She’ll hear you.”
Chapter Sixteen
Ondry felt chagrined he had not anticipated the Grandmothers’ actions. A palteia was to be envied and valued, and the humans did not properly respect them. Under such circumstances, it was reasonable to try to claim one or more.
“Will Captain Zachery Mora adapt to the ship?” Ondry asked. Diallo had not, but then she had brought her own status to the ship, and Rownt expected one who was ka ranked to handle her own business, so no one had offered her any assistance. This new human would have Grandmothers to ease his way.
“I believe so. I think he’s half in love with the Grandmother already.” Liam took off the cuffs and put them into a small storage area set into the wall and pulled down the mesh restraint that would keep them in place if the Li took off.
Ondry suspected they would leave soon. Liam had spoken to his battle mates one last time, the doctors had conducted tests and showed Tuk-Bectl the equipment used to measure the health of a human, and the new human palteia had moved into the Grandmothers’ quarters. The ship had only to wait for the last of the supplies Liam and Ondry had purchased to arrive, and then they could leave.
The Grandmothers might even decide to rejoin the Calti now and have Ondry retrieve the last of his goods when they delivered the goods to fulfill their contracts with the human military.
Ondry held out his hand once Liam had removed his clothing and put on the loose pants he preferred to wear in the nest. After accepting Ondry’s assistance, Liam slid down into the nest, sending a cascade of pillows to the bottom. Ondry asked, “How could he attach feelings to her so quickly?”
Liam knelt and rearranged the pillows to his liking, and Ondry lowered the light level using his computer. When Liam didn’t answer immediately, Ondry grew concerned and turned all his attention to his palteia.
After flopping down into the pillows, Liam reached for Ondry’s arm, and Ondry moved closer. “It’s a thing palteia do,” Liam said slowly, as though not sure of his words. Ondry settled in next to him, wrapping his tail around Liam’s leg. “We want people to be happy, and we look for someone we can take care of.”
“And he feels the Grandmother requires care?” Ondry asked. That didn’t make sense. When Ondry had made his claim on Liam, Ondry’s status was in grave danger and other Rownt had seen Ondry invest years in teaching Liam to steal meat from a plate. Ondry had needed Liam’s help because one refusal—one denial of Ondry’s claim—and Ondry would have lost all status. He would have spent the next hundred years simply reclaiming his ye status, never mind advancing. But as much as Ondry had needed Liam, the Grandmother did not require Zachary Mora’s assistance.
Liam said, “We want to be in partnerships, and the idea that you are precluded from having love and a partner hurts us. Zach would want every Rownt on Prarownt to have a palteia if that was possible.”
“So this is a function of being human and caring for many people?”
Liam seemed to consider his answer. “Yes. And maybe those feelings aren’t as strong as the ones I had fo
r you, but they’ll work until Zach forms a deeper relationship with the Grandmother.”
Ondry darkened. “You had stronger feelings for me,” he said with pleasure.
“Yes,” Liam said, and he reached up to rest his hand on Ondry’s fora. “I had much stronger feelings. You taught me and treated me with respect. You acted like I was worth your time, and maybe that’s what gave me enough confidence to get through some difficult nights alone in the human base. I never was good at being alone, but other than one drunken night with Craig, I had the strength to avoid old patterns of bad behavior. I think part of that was the knowledge that you were waiting for me. If I could trade well and force you out of a few more measures of metal, you would look at me with what I imagined to be pride.”
Ondry thought back on those days. He had ached to take Liam home, and Ondry had fought with that instinct because he feared damaging his status and proving himself to be a fool. “I was proud of every good trade you made. How could I not feel pride when I had taught you to steal?”
Liam smiled. “I appreciated every lesson.” He traced small circles around Ondry’s fora. He wasn’t quite performing the ilsil, but the gesture was close enough that Ondry’s muscles began to relax. The increased blood flow made him feel so good. “I enjoy all our lessons,” Liam said, and he leaned close for a kiss.
Ondry curled his fingers around the back of Liam’s neck and held him as they pressed their lips together. The tiny prickles from Liam’s facial hair stimulated Ondry’s nerves, sending little shivers through his body. The twin sensations of the kiss and the near ilsil left him warm and tingling everywhere.
As soon as Ondry could gather his thoughts, he slid his tail past the waistband of Liam’s pants. It took only a second to rub against Liam’s hole and then curl the end of his tail around Liam’s easily accesible genitals.
Liam gasped and arched his back. “No fair,” he managed to say, but every time Ondry undulated his tail, Liam twitched and moaned. Liam grabbed Ondry’s arms, ending the ilsil. Ondry loved the utter pleasure of the ilsil, and he was quickly growing addicted to the tactile stimulation of a kiss. However, his greatest pleasure still lay in owning Liam’s body so completely that Liam responded despite himself. Ondry continued to rub against Liam’s genitals and then shifted so he could use his hand to pin Liam’s arms.
Unsurprisingly, Liam thrust his hips up into the air and began to smell of the musky ecstasy that meant Ondry had brought him pleasure. Usually night was the time for Liam to give Ondry pleasure, but Ondry wished to take control of his palteia. While keeping Liam’s hands pressed to the pillows with one hand, he used the other hand to trace the shape of Liam’s hard cock. A small drop of moisture stained his pants already, and Ondry tightened his tail.
Liam made a sound that was best described as a squeak, strained against Ondry’s hold, and then he sagged as if he had lost the ability to control his own body. Ondry used his weight to pin Liam down, and then he kissed him. Liam tasted of sweet bread and a tang Ondry could only call Liam. It was a deliciously deep flavor that was a faint echo of the perfect salt and bitterness of Liam’s genetic material.
Ondry pulled back and began to kiss the side of Liam’s neck. When Liam arched his neck, Ondry nipped the sensitive skin.
“You don’t play fair,” Liam said, his voice heavy with lust.
“You are mine. I want to enjoy your body and give you pleasure,” Ondry said before he slid his tail away.
Liam didn’t answer. He panted, and when Ondry looked into Liam’s eyes, the black centers had grown to nearly twice their normal size. At one point, Ondry had not understood the human body well enough to even find the pleasure organs, but he had found each of Liam’s erogenous zones. Ondry had profound pride because of that. Ondry kept a bottle of oil on his side of the nest, buried in the pillows, and he rolled to the side and grabbed it. A quick flip of the dispenser on the top of the bottle, and Ondry had enough oil to slick his tail.
Then he turned his attention back to his palteia. He stroked Liam’s bare stomach and traced words on his warm skin—words like “strong” and “devious” and “beautiful” and “wise” and “mine.” Ondry wrote all the reasons for cherishing Liam.
This time when Ondry pressed his tail against Liam’s hole, Liam spread his legs.
The silent trust, the complete surrender made Ondry grow warm with pleasure. He rumbled, and Liam jerked and gasped for air. His whole body drew tight as Ondry slid his tail inside Liam while Liam strained against Ondry’s hold. He slid his tail farther in, stretching Liam and forcing his body to yield. When Ondry found his hidden, internal erotic zone, Liam bucked. He planted his heels into the pillows and lifted himself as far as he could.
Ondry shifted until he was half on top of Liam, pinning him down.
“Please. Please, more,” Liam begged. As usual, he had fallen back into English. “Please.”
Ondry slowly thrust, and Liam cried out. When Ondry withdrew his tail, Liam wilted into the pillows, but then Ondry curled his fingers around Liam’s cock. Ondry could keep Liam on the edge and gasping for hours, but humans needed sleep, and it was late. So Ondry indulged for ten or fifteen minutes, stroking and thrusting and nipping Liam’s neck while his cries grew less and less coherent.
When Liam reached the place where he could no longer speak at all, Ondry tightened his grip on Liam’s cock and licked the side of his neck. With a scream, Liam spurted his genetic material out, and it landed in a spray like air bubbles caught in imperfect glass. Liam lay as though boneless, and Ondry arranged him carefully, pulling up his pants and bringing his legs together. With his eyes closed, Liam lay still, his heart beating so loudly Ondry could count each beat.
“You are so beautifully mine,” Ondry whispered. He leaned down and licked at the cum. A shiver traveled the length of Liam’s body, and he moaned softly. His body was always so warm. Ondry curled around him to enjoy the heat and feel the tremors that would occasionally shake Liam.
“You worry we are not compatible, but I know of no joy that equals this,” Ondry said. After sex, Liam was usually silent for hours, so when Liam opened his eyes and blinked slowly in the dim light, Ondry was surprised. Liam moved sluggishly, but he managed to pull a hand free before he rested it against Ondry’s fora. The heat poured from Liam, and the scent of his orgasm filled Ondry’s senses, making him feel a rightness with the world.
Liam said nothing, but he started rubbing his thumb against Ondry’s fora. He was usually so much more creative with the ilsil, but in this warm and musky nest, the slow stroke of Liam’s thumb was perfect. Ondry’s muscles relaxed, and the blood began to shift away from the muscles, allowing the complete relaxation of the ilsil to overwhelm him. The world faded until all he knew was pleasure and the feeling of Liam in his arms.
Fighting against his own lethargy, Ondry kissed Liam; however, he missed Liam’s lips and kissed the edge of his jaw instead. Liam chuckled and turned his head. On his second attempt Ondry managed to press his lips against Liam’s. He curled his tail around Liam’s thigh, and Liam kept caressing the fora. By the time Ondry drifted off to sleep, Liam was snoring, his hand finally still where it rested against Ondry’s neck.
Chapter Seventeen
The Calti felt twice as large after spending so much time on the Li and in human buildings with their low ceilings and narrow corridors. The temple with its lines of light and intricate beams was comfortable in a way human buildings weren’t anymore. Part of Liam grieved he couldn’t connect with his own species, but he had the Rownt.
Liam looked at Zach at the far side of the spacious temple and wondered if he would adapt as easily. He had never been alienated from Earth and humanity, so maybe it would be harder for him to latch on to the Rownt. Zach said something, and the eldest Grandmother ran a hand over his neck. When Zach leaned into the touch, she darkened.
“They’re well matched,” Liam said softly.
Ondry tugged on the nictel and then wrapped his arms around Liam.
>
The eldest Grandmother turned toward them, and Zach wandered over to one of the other Grandmothers and looked at her computer. No regular adult would ever get away with that, but the Grandmother tilted the screen so Zach could see it. Liam wondered what the rules were with Grandmothers and palteia. After all, the Grandmothers were the only Rownt who lived communally. Liam much preferred living alone with his chilta.
When the eldest Grandmother gestured, Ondry urged Liam forward. Most of the Grandmothers and tuk-ranked traders glanced at the nictel, but only the eldest Grandmother came right out and asked.
“Does your palteia require control?”
Ondry developed twin pale spots on either side of his mouth. “No, Grandmother. However, after so many have discarded him, he enjoys the feeling of being held close.” Then Ondry made a point of looking over at Zach, the clear implication being that perhaps she was in the wrong not to have her palteia similarly leashed.
She widened her eyes. “An interesting concept,” she said. The simple statement was as good as admitting she didn’t know how to respond. She turned her attention to Liam. “You have provided excellent advice through this, Tuk-Palteia Liam. I hope my palteia and I will have your advice in the future.”
Liam bowed his head. “Of course, Grandmother.”
“I worry he will need you. He never turned from his people, so he may have needs I cannot fulfill.”
That confession shocked Liam. Always before Grandmothers had maintained an aura of omniscience. “I have no doubts in your ability as a chilta, Grandmother.”
“Nor do I,” she said, her tone carrying a little bite. “But wisdom requires asking others for their insight.” She watched Zach as he moved closer to the other Grandmother and stared intently at the screen before she turned her attention back to Liam. “Have you ever heard calti used as a word rather than as the name of our ship?”
