“Well, Abigail?”
“I want to stay with you. But I have a responsibility to Lucie—and to Amber. And you said you had a responsibility to your ship and your crew.”
“I have been considering that.” For his entire homeward flight. “I believe that some of my crew would choose to stay here.”
“Here? On Trevelor?”
“Yes. I’ll come back to that. But I know that not all of them want to stay. They are young, anxious for adventure, and I did make a commitment to the Confederation.”
Her face fell. “I see.”
“No, you don’t. I have spent all this time thinking that I was the only one who could handle the responsibility, but that was foolish.” He shook his head. “I was behaving as badly as the High Council, thinking of it as only a Cire ship that required a Cire captain. If I can find a good captain—of any species—I will donate the ship. My men may choose to stay here or to go with the new captain.”
“But it’s your ship…”
“It’s not as important to me as you are, Abigail,” he said firmly. “I know you don’t want to raise the girls onboard.”
“No, but I didn’t want you to give it up. What’s this alternative you mentioned?”
“I went on a journey this morning.” He told her about the village, watching her face carefully. To his relief, she seemed excited and was not as dismissive of the rural life as he had feared.
“As long as they have a good school, I love the idea of living somewhere peaceful.” She got up and began pacing the room.
“It’s true I’ve always lived in the city, but I could adapt to country life. And this planet is beautiful.” Her footsteps slowed. “But I can’t forget Amber, Hrebec. If she wants to return to Earth, I have to go with her and make arrangements for her. It could take some time, especially with such a new baby. Would you—could you wait for me?”
“I would wait for you forever, my mate,” he said sincerely.
“And you could come back for me?”
“Of course.” How could she doubt it? Despite the fact that it was strictly prohibited, he would never let a mere law keep him from his mate. “I will maintain ownership of the Defiance until you can return.”
“I can’t believe we can actually be together.”
Her eyes filled with tears but then she flew across the room and kissed him frantically. He met her mouth with equal urgency, pulling her closer, hands and tail roaming over her body. He had just worked his way inside her top, when a small voice came from across the room.
“Mama, you’s kissing Papa again—I mean Leonardo,” she added sadly.
Abigail dashed the tears from her cheeks and smiled at their daughter. “Come here, Lucie.”
She came eagerly, climbing up between them and winding an arm around each neck.
“Remember how I said we had to go home?” Abigail asked gently.
Lucie’s face fell, her lip poking out. “Yeah. I don’t wants to.”
“How about after we go home for a little while, we come back to stay with Hrebec?”
“Forever?” Lucie’s eyes widened.
“Yes, forever,” he said.
Her eyes flew to his. “And you’s be my Papa for real?”
“Yes, little one.”
“Yay! That would be the best thing ever. Better than… better than ice cream!”
He laughed and drew his family close, his own eyes stinging.
Abby pulled away from their happy huddle long enough to get Tiana from her bassinet.
“You’ll always be my daughter now,” she whispered to the baby. Tiana smiled up at her and wrapped her tail around Abby’s wrist, as if she understood Abby’s words. Abby’s eyes filled with tears again and she hugged her close. “That’s my girl.”
They joined Hrebec and Lucie on the couch, where her daughter was peppering him with eager questions about the village. Abby could see that she had already forgotten the part about returning to Earth first. Deciding that it would be best to find out where they stood as soon as possible, she excused herself and went to visit Amber. The girl still looked tired but radiantly happy. Abby admired Trevi, then hesitated, not quite sure how to broach the subject.
“Let me guess,” Amber said after Abby’s silence stretched out. “You want to talk to me about returning to Earth.”
“How did you know?”
“You think TeShawna can keep her mouth shut?”
“Amber, I want you to understand that there’s absolutely no pressure on you to stay here. If you want to return, I’ll go with you and remain until you’re in a place where you feel comfortable.”
“And then what? Are you going to stay on Earth?”
She hesitated for a fraction of second before shaking her head. “No. We’re coming back to be with Hrebec and Tiana.”
“Then you don’t need to go back there just for me.”
“I want to make sure you understand that you don’t have to stay here if you don’t want to.”
Amber plucked at Trevi’s blanket and then looked at Abby. “Do you know how I ended up with you?”
“No.” Amber was her newest girl and they hadn’t talked much about her history. Abby only knew that the baby’s father had died.
“I’m not like the other girls—I actually had a happy childhood. My mom and dad were great. But then when I was thirteen, they were killed in a car accident. I ended up living with my mom’s aunt. I’d only met her once or twice before.” She shrugged. “She wasn’t bad. She just didn’t care that much. Oh, if I stayed out too late, she’d tell me not to do it again, but then she’d forget all about it. I did a lot of stupid things trying to get her attention, but it never really worked. Then I met Danny.” Her mouth curved in a reminiscent smile. “I really loved him and he loved me, too. We started making plans to get married as soon as I graduated.”
She grew silent, looking off into the past, before she continued. “He died. Just happened to be in a convenience store when some asshole with a gun decided to rob it and shoot up the place. Two weeks later, I found out I was pregnant. I wanted the baby, so I didn’t tell anyone. I tried to hide it and did a pretty good job. I was eight months along before my aunt saw me changing one day and realized that I wasn’t just getting fat. All that time trying to get her attention? Well, I had it then.”
“What happened?” Abby asked, her heart already breaking.
“She said it was bad enough having to take care of one kid that wasn’t hers—she wasn’t about to take on two. Dragged me to the doctor and got so pissed when she found out it was too late for an abortion. That’s when she dropped me off at your door.”
“I’m so sorry, Amber.”
“Not your fault. But my point is I don’t have a family on Earth—I have one here with you and the girls. Please don’t make me leave.”
“I would never do that.” Unable to restrain her tears, Abby reached over and hugged the girl. Amber hugged her back just as tightly before finally giving a watery sniffle.
“So what’s the deal? Are we going to become permanent residents on the ship?”
When Amber handed her a tissue, Abby blew her nose and smiled. “I think we have a better plan.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
It wasn’t until Abby left Amber’s room that the realization finally hit her. They were going to stay with Hrebec. When she practically skipped back into their rooms, he took one look at her face and greeted her with a matching smile.
“You’re staying?” he asked.
She beamed at him. “We’re staying.”
He laughed and whirled her around while Lucie giggled and Tiana grinned toothlessly.
The rest of the day disappeared in a blur of plans and schedules. It wasn’t until later that night that they were finally alone together. She waited in silent anticipation as he solemnly locked the doors to the living areas and to the connecting bathroom.
“You know that doesn’t mean they won’t need us, right?” she asked. “It’s part of t
he joys of parenthood.”
“And I wouldn’t trade it for all the credits in the galaxy,” he said. “But I would appreciate just one night alone with my beautiful mate and a big bed.”
“Just one?” she asked breathlessly as he stripped off his clothes and prowled towards her, tail lashing. Every inch of that big muscled body was hers now, and she shivered with anticipation.
“I hope for many.” He knelt at the bottom of the bed. “But I’ll start with one.”
With startling speed, he pulled her hips up and buried his face between her legs, licking every inch as if he couldn’t get enough of her. She was already wet but he demanded more, teasing her clit, probing her entrances, overwhelming her with sensation, and sending her soaring into a rapid climax.
“That’s better,” he growled. “I have missed this delicious cunt.”
“I’ve missed you too.”
He worked his way up her body, slower this time, spending a long time on her breasts, teasing the sensitive peaks until they were aching and distended and she was tugging at his shoulders. When he finally left them and kissed her, she could taste herself on his tongue, mingling with his own delicious taste.
His tail had been teasing her clit as he kissed her and now it dipped lower, working its way into her pussy. She moaned and he raised his head.
“Are you still sore?” he asked.
“Oh, no. That feels amazing.”
“Good.” His tail slid deeper, vibrating rapidly.
“You’re going to make me come again,” she warned.
“Good,” he repeated, his tail thrusting in and out as she clutched at him.
“I want you inside me this time.” A wicked thought struck her. “I have an idea.”
He grinned down at her. “I like your ideas, my mate.”
“Let me turn over.”
He drew back with a puzzled expression. “I don’t understand. How can I—”
He choked on his words as she flipped over and wiggled her butt at him. His big hands covered her cheeks, squeezing gently, and his scent thickened, the musky notes dominating.
“This is most enticing,” he said in a husky voice as he traced her folds with his cock, the texture firing her senses. Her breath caught as he rubbed back and forth against her clit.
“Inside me,” she gasped.
“As you wish, my mate.”
Then the broad head was at her entrance. Despite their last encounter, it was still a tight fit and he had to keep pressing until her entrance finally loosened enough for him to enter.
“This is even better than I remembered,” he murmured as he continued to work his way into her pussy.
His tail was at her clit, teasing the swollen nub and distracting her from the immense stretch as her body softened. When he was finally embedded, he leaned forward, his body shaking.
“I will not last long,” he warned.
In response, she tightened her pussy as much as she could around his massive cock. He shuddered and began thrusting, his tail working her clit faster, as the pleasure began building. He groaned and plunged deeper, and she felt him expanding, stretching her body open as he came in a long, shuddering wave. Her body quivered, right on the edge of climax, and breathed a protest as his tail left her clit, but his finger replaced it, stroking slowly, too slowly across the needy flesh.
“Hrebec, please…”
“I have an idea of my own,” he whispered.
She felt his tail probing at her bottom hole. “What—”
The tip slipped inside, adding impossibly to the fullness, and she could feel each nub rubbing across her sensitive tissues as his finger circled, harder now, and sparks of light shot across her vision as she came in a burst of almost painful pleasure.
When she finally stopped shaking, Hrebec rolled them to one side, still deeply embedded in her body, and cupped her breast.
“I am lucky to have such a creative mate,” he murmured.
“You were pretty creative there yourself.”
“Did you enjoy it?”
“You know I did.”
“Good. Because I’m about to get creative again.”
Abby sighed happily.
A considerable time later, Hrebec withdrew carefully from Abigail’s limp body and unlocked the bathroom so that he could cleanse her. As soon as he was done, he gathered her close. She snuggled against him and stroked his chest.
“I’m so glad we found each other,” she whispered.
“Granthar has smiled on us,” he agreed.
“Mm.” She wiggled a little, stopping only when his body responded. “Hrebec, you’re hard again. I thought that after you knotted, you didn’t remain hard.”
“I didn’t remain hard,” he corrected her. “I am hard again.”
She rolled over and arched her back so that the tips of her luscious breasts rubbed against his chest. “Well, in that case, maybe we should take—”
They both heard the whimper from the monitor.
Hrebec laughed. “I suppose I should be grateful she waited this long.” He stood up and pulled on his sleep pants, tossing Abigail his shirt. “I’ll go get her.”
As he went to get his daughter, he realized there was one last thing he would need to do to separate himself from his old world.
The next morning, he arranged to use L’chong’s conference room to send a message to Ciresia. Joining him in the conference room were the shipmates who were choosing this new life with him. His family was there as well, with Lucie warned to be silent.
He stood alone on one side of the room so that his would be the only figure visible in the screen.
After a brief pause, the weathered features of Councilman Okaza appeared. “Well, Captain Hrebec? Did you find any other Cire females?”
Everyone in the room held their breath.
“No,” Hrebec said finally. “It appears that the female who gave birth came from one of the ships that stopped here, but so far we haven’t found any records to indicate which one.”
Okaza sighed. “That is disappointing, but not surprising. It was too much to hope that another female would survive. This makes it even more imperative that you bring the infant female to us as soon as possible.”
This was the difficult part. “Would that still be true if she wasn’t of pure Ciresian blood?”
“What?” Okaza recoiled. “I thought her mother was Cire. Her father must have been also. We cannot mate with other races.”
“We don’t know that for sure,” he pointed out. “We have not made an effort to confirm whether or not it is true.”
“And we will not. We are trying to save our race, not create a new race of half-breeds.” Okaza’s face wrinkled with distaste. “Are you sure that the infant is not a true Cire?”
“I’m sure that her mother is—was—not actually Cire.”
“How disappointing.” Okaza sighed. “Perhaps it would be best if you did not bring her back to Ciresia. I do not want any of these young fools getting the wrong idea.”
“Yes, Okaza.” After a brief pause, he continued. “However, I still feel a responsibility for the infant. Under the circumstances, I will not be returning either.”
Okaza raised an eye ridge. “Since you abandoned your position at the Reproduction Laboratory to go on this misguided adventure in the first place, I’m not surprised. I shudder to think what your father would have said.”
“I don’t think he would be surprised,” Hrebec said slowly, looking around the room at his mate and his girls, at his companions.
“Perhaps not,” Okaza acknowledged. “Your efforts have been most helpful and so I wish you well, Hrebec.”
“Thank you.”
He disconnected the call and smiled as he took another look around. His old life was behind him now and he felt not an ounce of regret. His future awaited.
Epilogue
Two years later
“Mama, fireworks!”
Lucie burst into the room just as Abby was putting the bab
y to sleep. As usual, Tiana was right behind her, but even at two years old, she was still a quiet and observant child. Abby often wondered how much her first traumatic months had influenced her, but all that really mattered was that she was now safe and happy.
“Shh, Lucie. Let me get your brother asleep first.”
“But doesn’t Leo want to see the fireworks?”
It was perhaps inevitable that when Abby gave birth to a boy, Lucie had insisted that he should be called Leonardo. Since Hrebec was equally as enthusiastic, Abby didn’t attempt to argue.
“He’s just a baby, sweetie.”
Lucie pouted. “But I want him to see.”
“Perhaps next year, when he’s older,” Hrebec said firmly as he followed the girls into the room. “I think Mama’s glad he’s sleeping right now.”
She laughed and nodded. Leo was cutting his first tooth, and he’d kept both of them up most of the previous night. Hrebec had been at her side the whole time, just as he always was whenever she needed him. She gave his tall, broad figure an appreciative look, her heart still beating a little faster in his presence.
“Come on, girls. Let your mama put your brother to bed so she can come watch with us.”
“Yes, Papa,” they chorused.
Both of them stopped to plant a kiss on Leo’s cheek before they followed Hrebec. Big, dark eyes, so much like his father’s, blinked up at them, his mouth forming a sleepy grin. He was almost the spitting image of Hrebec, only the pale gold of his skin indicating his human heritage.
When they had decided to try for a baby, she hadn’t really expected to get pregnant, but she had been thrilled when it happened. Hrebec was just as excited. Once Leo was born, they had debated telling the High Council, but in the end decided against it. Ciresia was still fixated on producing “pure” Cire children. At least their suggestions had helped and the survival rate was significantly higher.
Sitting back in the rocking chair, she hummed and rocked until Leo’s eyes closed again, then placed him in the wooden crib handed down from Tiana. It had been one of Hrebec’s first projects and the sides were not completely even, but she loved it and had firmly refused his offer to make a new one. She turned on the communication bracelet she still used as a baby monitor and went to join her family.
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