by Jade Waltz
I watched in awe as he swam toward us in the golden-white marble pool. His skin almost matched the fresh lavender color of the water as his long, thin sea anemone hair trailed in his wake. The dark speckles along his back glowed under the shallow waves.
His elegance spoke to me and attracted me. Being in the water came as naturally to him as playing music.
Odelm launched himself out of the pool, rising onto the pool’s nearest edge with a wide grin. When he flicked his hair back, time seemed to stop as I watched the water drizzle down his body.
How I would like to dry him off with my tongue...
Instantly, his pale-green eyes locked onto mine, burning bright with desire.
“I can make that happen,” Odelm purred, his voice like a caress upon my mental shields, sending a shiver through me. “Let me take your worries away.”
Hands clapped onto my shoulders, instantly pulling me out of the strange trance. I shook my head to try and clear my thoughts.
Where did that come from?
“What Odelm means is that we didn’t see a need to pester you about a minor incident,” Xylo announced, his voice laced with annoyance.
Zirene stood and started pacing along the poolside, working his wristband as his tail jerked wildly. “You don’t understand. No one outside of my division should know about the gems and their power. Only a select few with direct contact to the teleconstruct bots are given enough information to work with them.” He stopped before us, his fierce amethyst eyes locked on mine. “This means their existence has somehow been leaked, along with other confidential information I’ve worked hard to keep hidden.”
His serious tone scared me.
I thought we had just left the problems in the CEG behind us, only to be caught in the middle of another malicious plan. When would we finally have a chance to live freely?
“Are you saying that it’s not safe here?” I asked, steeling myself for the worst. “Were all the sacrifices I made wasted on a foolish dream of peace?”
“Selena, you mustn’t worry,” Zirene purred. “This is the safest place for you. I will send the Fab Five to investigate, and Agent Kaede will supervise security on this moon, ensuring our clan’s protection.”
“Do we need to talk about this now?” Odelm scolded. “We were supposed to make her forget about her troubles and relax before tomorrow, not add one more thing for her to worry about.”
“I would rather discuss this danger out in the open than have it kept from me.” Crossing my arms, I raised an eyebrow at my musician, silencing his gruff attitude. “Zirene,” I said, redirecting my attention to my Aldawi prince. “My nestmates are not at fault for not telling you what happened. It was their best judgment on what they thought was a minor incident. All I ask is that you keep me updated. I can’t be blinded to a danger to my clan.”
“I don’t fault any of them.” His gaze quickly surveyed my four nestmates around the pool. “I’m just used to males reporting every incident to me. Even a minor risk to you is a major problem to me,” he sighed. “Thank you for understanding, Selena.”
“How about we drop the subject for now?” Xylo suggested, rubbing his thumbs in tight circles upon my shoulders.
A moan escaped my lips as my legs instantly grew weak. If this was a sample of what my males had planned, I couldn’t wait.
“Let’s show Selena what we prepared for her.”
There was no pleasure like being pampered by my five mates, waiting at my beck and call. Each Circuli male fed me bite-size fruits and snacks with their appendages as they each took a turn massaging a part of my body—each foot and leg, my back, and my shoulders and neck.
My robe lay discarded on a pool chair as I leaned against Zirene’s chest, nestled between his legs. His paws worked some sort of floral-scented oil into my shoulders, kneading my aches away. A moan erupted from me as I threw my head back, lolling against his chest at the long-awaited relief.
“Enjoying yourself?” Zirene chuckled, his voice rumbling through me like a deep purr. “I can make you feel better, but only if you explain one thing to me.”
A part of me wanted to roll my eyes at his cockiness, but like Kaede, he could come off like a confident asshole unintentionally. Perhaps I had grown accustomed to their arrogance—or I wasn’t afraid of matching their attitude—but I knew that Zirene was attempting to flirt, in his own way.
My toes curled from the sensations he ground into me, as sounds of pure bliss escaped my lips. If we were in public, I would’ve been embarrassed, but we were in my mate’s private backyard in my villa on my moon; we couldn’t get any more privacy.
“What’s that?” I asked, unable to open my eyes as I lay there, absorbing his attention.
“I found out the true reason for your cave outing.” His paws paused, letting the words sink in. “What is the meaning of this date? Why do you want to be alone with him?”
I snapped my eyes open in shock, finding a still Xylo, eyeing Zirene with the same confusion that I felt.
"I don't see what the problem is. You’ve always said I’m allowed to do anything I want as long as I stay on Destima.” Annoyed, I turned around in my seat to face him. “How did you learn about it, anyway?" Narrowing my eyes, I rolled my shoulders out of his embrace. “Kaede told you, didn’t he?”
Gripping his thighs, I rose as I surveyed the backyard, unable to find evidence of the male in question.
“He reported to me as soon as you confirmed your plans,” Zirene chuckled, gripping my hips as he tried to distract me by tickling my sides with his thumbs. “Selena, I’ve told you many times that I know everything that goes on around you.”
“But not what the old shopkeeper said at the space station,” I muttered under my breath as I sat back down. I smirked at my four nestmates who were staring in alarm at my brazen sass.
“Nova,” Zirene hissed, squeezing my hips tightly as something hard pressed against my back. “Your words wound me--”
“Not enough, it seems,” I quipped, throwing a sly smile over my shoulder. I attempted to scoot away from my broody Shadow, but he dragged me back into place. “Why does it matter if I go on a date with Xylo? He is in his right to ask me, as I am to accept his offer.”
“What’s a ‘date’?” Z’fir asked from beside me, holding a glass of Xowyn to his lips. “You keep repeating that word, but I don’t understand the concept.”
“It is how unbonded males attract a nestqueen,” Xylo explained, sitting on the other side of Zirene and me. “My team was educated by the recent female additions to our staff. Kaica questioned my—well, in this case, our—dedication to Selena, since we’ve never taken her on a planned outing designed to impress her and make her feel special. She explained how important it is to constantly show your appreciation for the female you are interested in—no matter if you’re already bonded together.”
“How come you never told me about this, nestbrother?” Odelm questioned Xylo, his voice filled with worry. “You knew I was a rejected male! Doing this ‘date’ could’ve attracted—”
“I believe you’re forgetting that all four of you are permanently bonded to me!” I growled, meeting each nestmate's eyes, stopping this descent of thoughts. “I am your nestqueen already, and I don’t need anything fancy to feel appreciated.” I paused, letting my words sink, as I gestured to the elegant villa and its backyard. “All I want is to surround myself with my lovers and live peacefully as a clan while we create a safe-haven for Destima’s citizens.”
“But you are still going on one of these dates with Xylo,” V’dim replied, looking between Xylo and me. “Why would you entertain spending time alone with him, but not any of us?”
Sighing, I closed my eyes as I tried to come up with an answer.
It would only be fair to allow each one of them to take me out on a date. They didn’t understand that I was already content, and there wasn’t any need for them to go out of their way to attract me. I was already theirs. As stressed as I was about tomorrow, I could
n’t fight the smile that arose at their eagerness to please me. These males wanted to get to know me better, in a personal setting beyond the villa.
Why should I deny them?
“Fine,” I sighed, flicking my gaze toward my Circuli princes. They were the ones who would benefit the most from alone time with me. “However, I don’t want this to create any strife between any of you. I don’t know how to stress this enough: I am already your nestqueen, so there is no need to fight to convince me to take you in. I already have.” I turned to Odelm. Out of my four nestmates, he would be the most sensitive about this. “Xylo offered to take me to the cave in hopes of finding the answers I seek. If you want to plan a date for just us, go ahead, but know that I don’t need it.”
“Understood,” Odelm whispered, nodding his head as relief flooded his face. “But I want you to remember this, Selena. You may not need us to pay you extra attention, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t deserve it. I understand the concept of dating; I traveled along with my fathers when they did their trade runs. Many species have unique traditions when it comes to courtship and mating, and while it may not be normal for Circuli, the concept isn’t completely foreign.”
“Bonded Circuli males typically fight to be Favored and granted a spot in the center of their nestqueen’s bed,” Z’fir explained. “You claim you won’t choose any Favored, but our bodies don’t know this. We have a biological need to make you happy and protect you, the core of our clan. But just as our bodies yearn to make the courting bond permanent, rebelling against us whenever we are close to our nestqueen, the same happens when you don’t declare a Favored. It doesn’t matter whether we know rationally, why we don’t share the center of your bed, we can’t control our need for an established hierarchy within our clan.”
“Z’fir and I understand that our clan is unique—different,” V’dim added quickly. “But from our standpoint, Xylo and Odelm are already your Favored because you rotate through them as your center guards.”
“But—”
“No, Selena,” Zirene warned, squeezing my hips. “What they are saying is true. Unknowingly, you created a hierarchy amongst your males, even though you never declared a Favored officially. There’s a clear divide between them. Even I’ve noticed how they all refer to Xylo.”
“Is this true?”
The four Circuli males kept silent as I stared each one down, hoping one would speak up.
When I’d accidentally formed a courting bond with Xylo, I didn’t know anything about Circuli culture. Stars, I didn’t know anything! After we had sealed our fate together, I discovered the details of their species’ clan relations and the power the nestqueens held within them.
Am I just like them?
“We could sense you were spiraling,” Z’fir revealed, placing a hand upon my leg and halting my thoughts. “V’dim and I accepted your offer to join this clan fully aware that its dynamics would be different. This fate is far better than the one our mothers were trying to force upon us. We would rather take you as our nestqueen, despite our differing species, because we saw how you treated your current nestmates.”
“Both Xylo and Odelm have grown as individuals, becoming more open-minded and active within the community ever since they bonded with you, Selena,” V’dim added while one of his tentacles brushed back my hair. “It’s clear that your love for them has made them better—and happier. Z’fir and I know we are lucky to call you our friend. A normal nestqueen wouldn’t even fathom accepting one bonded male, let alone a set pair, but you did. Our only hope is to continue to support you while helping our nestbrothers take care of our clan.”
“But I don’t want to choose any Favored,” I admitted, tears threatening to form. “I don’t want to draw lines between anyone.”
What happened to relaxing? Was I unconsciously creating problems within my clan?
“You may not want to believe you have favorites, Selena, but unconsciously you have already declared them.” Z’fir gave my leg a gentle squeeze, rubbing soft circles with his thumb. The coolness of his skin battled the warmth radiating from Zirene behind me. “It’s clear that Xylo is the leader of your Favored, followed by Odelm and Zirene. Xylo and Odelm have been with you since the beginning, and have built a connection with you that almost rivals the one I share with V’dim.”
“But—”
“No, listen to us, Selena,” V’dim urged, gripping Z’fir’s shoulder as he leaned closer. “It wouldn’t be fair to deny Xylo and Odelm their rightful place. It’s only natural for our species to have set ranks within our clan, so why not grant them the titles that they deserve?”
“And just because they are your Favored, doesn’t mean we are any less yours. You were the one who took us in.” Z’fir shot a glance toward my other nestmates. “It wouldn’t be fair to keep us all on the same level. As much as you care for us, you love them. They are your foundation—we shall be your walls, as we protect you from outside forces.”
“We’re happy to remain in your outer rim, for that is the place we deserve,” V’dim explained. “Just because we aren’t Favored, doesn’t mean we will think any less of you or the clan. It is the Circuli way. Living in uncertainty will only cause strife between us until a choice is made.” He shrugged. “Blame how we have evolved over the generations, but our drive is to be claimed by a nestqueen and to be accepted in her clan. By not assigning us a place, our nature drives us to rank ourselves until you declare a defined hierarchy.”
“We understood why you wanted to keep us on even ground. You didn’t want V’dim and I to feel left out, but we don’t want to ruin the clan’s peace because we made you afraid to hurt us.”
They were right.
I wasn’t being fair to my clan.
Xylo and Odelm had stuck by my side since the beginning. While Xylo didn’t stress about becoming a Favored, for Odelm, it was almost as if his quality of life depended on it. He craved my attention, wanted to sire my offspring, and needed to be loved. Living as a severed male for such a long time had changed his priorities, and I didn’t want to be the reason why he suffered.
My Circuli princes weren’t delusional. They knew where we stood within our relationships.
I just didn’t want to make this impactful decision tonight. We were supposed to practice my speech, relax, and go to bed early. Instead, I was on the brink of crying because I didn’t know my actions had made them silently struggle—maybe even suffer—without my knowledge.
“Are you sure?” I asked, my voice breaking.
“As surely as you are our nestqueen.” Z’fir leaned forward and cupped my cheek, pressing his lips gently to mine. “Give our nestbrothers their titles, for being in your clan with you as our nestqueen is enough for us.”
Pulling away, he left me breathless, watching me intently with his radiating emerald eyes.
A red glint caught my eye, and I glanced away from him toward V’dim. On his shoulders appeared a sea of tiny crimson buds, faintly glowing against his dark-green moss.
Without thought, I reached for his chest and lightly ran my hands over the buds. Something clung to my fingers, making me pause. I shot a confused glance at Z’fir as I turned my hands over to find red pollen covering them.
“What’s this?” I peered over my shoulder toward Xylo. “Is he well?”
Xylo regarded me sheepishly until I spotted the same buds on his shoulders, only in teal. “What’s happening to you two?”
Curious, I did the same to Xylo and traced my hands along with his buds, mixing his teal with Z’fir’s crimson on my hands. I rolled my thumb along my fingers, feeling the similar consistency clinging to my skin.
Were they ill?
Frantically, I scanned my Ulax nestmates’ bodies, only to find no sign of injury or sickness. They both met my gaze with smiles, as if they knew what was happening to their nestbrothers and it was some secret joke between them.
“Xylo, you’re a Master Scholar. Tell me what’s wrong, or I will contact Chyox,” I scold
ed, glaring. “I am sure he will have no reservations telling me what’s wrong with my nestmates.”
“You are nearing your heat-cycle,” he replied, failing to hide his smirk. “Your body is about to enter its ovulation period, and it is sending us signals to prepare our bodies to copulate with you, in hopes of creating offspring—if we are chosen.”
“By the Stars,” Z’fir muttered. “I never thought I would experience this. Not so soon.”
“Well, you had better get comfortable because it’s only going to get worse,” Xylo replied. “If you thought separation was bad, you’re forgetting our nestqueen is a demi-human. She will cycle once a moon.”
“A moon?” Z’fir choked. “She already has unparalleled levels of desire. How are we supposed to keep up with her?”
“I’m right here, you know,” I grumbled, rubbing my hands together as I tried to wipe off the pollen. Raising a hand to my face, I sniffed. “What am I supposed to do with this?”
“Selena—”
Immediately, a tingle of electricity spiked down my spine, initiating an ache in my core.
“Oh,” I moaned as a heat coursed through my body. “This is more potent now, isn’t it?”
“Yes, Selena,” Xylo replied. “Whatever you do, don’t ingest it, or you may be affected all night.”
“It looks like we are going to have to work together to take care of her after all,” Zirene chuckled.
Chapter Four
Zirene
He’d planned to seduce Selena and take her in front of her Circuli mates. He didn’t see a reason to hide their time together; the other males would feel what she was experiencing as they rode her bliss to its completion.
Her clan was composed of Circuli males, and as their nestqueen, she was the clan’s center. It was a Circuli clan’s tradition to watch their nestqueen mate with her Favored and those Unfavored lucky enough to be entertained.
