by Amanda Milo
Dean looks up at me from where he’s attached himself to his mom’s hip. “What’s wrong with my name?”
“Nothing is wrong with your name, honey,” Reesa assures him quickly.
“Chekkers is,” I would rather eat a live bug than say this out loud, “fine,” I tell Dean. “But we named you Dean. Dean is your human name.”
“And Chekkers is my alien name,” Dean supplies, unbothered about this aspect of his life.
“It is, buddy,” I agree, swallowing down my eternal grimace at Keeper’s choices. I mean, the alien calls me something that sounds like Sweet. Me, and I’m an asshole. I didn’t have much hope that he’d do any better with the next generation.
Smiling wryly, I ruffle Dean’s scalp fuzz. I keep my other arm wrapped around Theresa, and when I feel her eyes on me, I know she’s trying to gauge how I’m handling this. I slide my hand up her back and tug her in until I can buss her hair. Once there though, I rest my chin on top of her head and release a long sigh.
“You okay?” she asks into my throat.
“Better,” I tell her. “I’ll be doing great when the other keeper is gone.”
From behind us, I hear a soft chuckle. They can so understand us. Or at least they got the gist of what I just said.
“This is Dree-uh,” Uteep announces.
Theresa proves she’s the ambassador of our huddle, glancing around me and smiling warmly. “Hello, Dree-uh. That’s a very pretty dress you’re wearing.”
“Thank you,” Dree-uh answers shyly, trying to eke behind her keeper’s leg like he’s her protector.
Seeing her comfort level with him eases a good part of the worry gnawing a hole through my guts. “Hi, Dree-uh,” I say.
And proving he’s my little man, Dean parrots, “Hi Dree-uh...”
I hug him and then I squeeze my arm tighter around his mother, turning us so that we’re facing her instead of hiding Dean from an innocent little girl’s gaze… and the two aliens who are assessing both of the kids.
Because that’s what everyone is here for. The Whistlers are hoping to see if Dean and Dree-uh, who are similar in age, show any indication that they might like each other enough to bond as adults.
Honestly? I don’t know what they’re hoping to see. They’re kids. There are days when we have to stop Dean from shoving rocks up his nose. There’s no way he can look at a girl and recognize that he’s found his soulmate.
...Except, when I glance down at my son, he’s staring at her.
I mean, he’s staring at her.
My eyes fly to Keeper, to see he’s smiling. Even his weird mouth-part things are showing; he’s got them flexed out and up like they’re holding their own bated breaths.
When I flick a concerned look to Theresa, she’s got the sappiest smile in the world and she’s aiming it at our boy’s head. “Dean?” she asks, her voice like a song—not like a Whistler song, but just her naturally musical vocal pattern.
I’ve always thought her voice was soothing. Pretty.
Theresa pets Dean’s hair. “Do you think Dree-uh would like to see the fish pond?”
And when Dree-uh chirps an excited, “I’d like to see fish!” ...I watch my son respond the same way I’ve felt myself responding to the woman I love. He just lights up, watching the happiness on her face.
I gape between him and the girl.
And then I turn narrowed eyes on her keeper.
His gaze rises from Dean, to me, and he meets my stare, unflinching. Letting me take his measure. Uteep’s an okay guy; I’ve never had reason to dislike him.
This though, is a whole different matter.
“Dree-uh!” Another voice calls. A human woman’s voice.
I turn my attention to a man and a woman and a herd of kids approaching from one of the many garden paths. The woman I know: JoAyyn. Uteep’s pet. She’s holding a human man’s hand. And as the man observes Dree-uh and Dean with an accessing, alert eye, I realize this must be JoAyyn’s mate, and Dree-uh’s father.
A couple of the kids I don’t know, but I assume they’re Dree-uh’s siblings because they all share her coloring and features.
The rest of the kids are ours; Ana, Molly, and Quinn—daughters by Avox and Tranq and Reesa, but raised with love by us all.
“Um, perhaps you should have your Lee pause for a moment. I’m not certain how Schweet will react to an unfamiliar male in his territory,” Keeper trills to Uteep.
Uteep calls, “Lee? Stop there.”
The man does, and when he halts, he doesn’t let JoAyyn’s hand go, and since he’s also holding the hand of one of their other little girls, she halts too, making the whole chain of kids stop in their tracks.
The man, Lee, watches me. And he reminds me of Tranq; he’s wearing the most relaxed expression—but he’s watching me. He’s not oblivious.
When I feel Keeper behind me, I don’t flinch. I don’t lunge away either. There was a time I would have attacked—him, everyone—but that time is long ago.
Keeper’s hand closes over my collar, and he makes formal introductions. “Schweet, this is Lee. He’s only here as long as Uteep is here. Can I trust you not to be aggressive?”
Letting out a silent breath as I keep my eyes pinned to the man across the garden from me, I nod.
Keeper releases my collar, and pats me on my shoulder.
Molly, Quinn, and Ava have spread out, playing games in the grass, and the gaggle of new children soon join them.
Theresa draws my hand into hers and takes Dean by her other hand and leads Dree-uh to see the fish.
I keep a cautious eye on everyone (maybe a touch suspicious whenever I cast a glance at the keepers), and I’m more than a little relieved to see the Lee guy is doing the same (albeit without the suspicion).
The keepers hang back, murmuring to each other, emitting little thrumming noises as they watch Dean showing Dree-uh all of his favorite fish, as if he himself caught them and raised them in this pond.
Dree-uh exclaims over them enough to make Dean’s chest swell, and soon all the kids are here, and the keepers start handing out fish food.
The fish always act like they’re starving, so this works out great for them, and the kids lose their minds feeding their ever-gawping mouths.
Dean’s words float to my ears as he earnestly informs Dree-uh, “My dad says that the people who raise fish think the ones with fancy fins are more beautiful than regular fish—but I think they’re all pretty.”
Dree-uh smiles up at him, rolling her tiny shoulder. “I like the ones with fancy fins the best.”
Reesa folds my arm around her waist, hugging me. I oblige her, bringing my front to her back, and we watch our son forge a beginning with the girl who could one day be his everything.
I hug Theresa tightly, and whisper in her ear, “I love you, you know.”
She leans against me, and I can hear the smile in her voice when she sighs happily and declares, “I do know, but I love it every time you tell me.” She rocks in my arms a little. “I love you too, Kory—and you should know,” she tips her head up and winks at me. “Sometimes, you can be really Schweet.”
I palm her ass under her dress and drag my freshly shaved jaw over her neck to punish her for teasing me until she’s laughing and filling the garden with happiness.
THE END ♥
AUTHOR NOTE:
I THANK YOU so much for asking for more stories in the Pet Project universe. Your reviews for that book MADE MY YEAR!!! <3 I hope you had fun exploring a little more of this fictional world. Thanks for hanging with me! =D
If you’re curious about JoAyyn, the woman who Uteep rescued as a girl, she has her own story right here:
The Pet Project: JoAyyn (Book 3) https://amzn.to/2ybVHfV
(*As you might have guessed, Trigger Warnings with JoAyyn’s book.)
(If you’re thinking, “What the heck is this other Pet Project book?” Take a peek at the oddball story that spawned the one you just finished: https://amzn.to/2UAU3ff )
My wonderful readers, I deeply, sincerely appreciate all that you do. For caring, for enjoying fictional trips with me, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your support.
I hope wherever you are that you’re safe, and that you found the escapism that you were looking for.
With love,
Amanda ♥
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cR_CNf
https://amandamilo.com/
https://www.facebook.com/AmandaMiloAuthor/
CARE FOR SOME TRIVIA BEHIND THE BOOK?
Tranq (and to an unofficial extent, Theresa) represented the population of humans who were the products of a species artificially selected for tameness.
In real life, there have been some neat studies involving animal domestication to Tranq’s degree. In 1959, Dmitri K. Belyaev with the Institute of Cytology and Genetics in Novosibirsk, Siberia began selecting for hypertame colonies of river otters (!!), silver foxes, minks, and rats on the institute’s experimental farm. The foxes in particular are, to this day, quite famous for their docility.
Next, the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, Germany captured rats from the wild, and with each generation, they separated the rats into specific lines, breeding the ones who showed the most tolerance for being handled by humans. Within a few generations, they had a line of completely friendly, fully domesticated animals with “fewer anxiety-related behaviors.”
Let’s talk Kory’s features! And allow me to start with this preface: any time a group begins to raise a thing with a serious intention for ‘type’—be it plants or animals—the subjects begin to change. (I feel it important to note that I have no anti-breeder agenda—quite the contrary; I find the subject of selective breeding fascinating, and I love many animals who are the product of selective breeding, and I happily survive on a diet that includes selectively bred plants. So I’m not bashing the practice.) First up, take a look at the bullet-shaped face of the Bull Terrier we know today. Now search for the original foundation dogs who built the breed. THE SKULL ALTERATION IN ONE HUNDRED YEARS IS CRAZY! Seriously, there’s a photo of a 1915 winning Bull Terrier and a 2016 Bull Terrier floating around the web—and the animals look like a different *species.*
It’s the same for Pugs, Persian Cats, Oriental Shorthair cats (I love them, they look so alien—same for Sphynx cats), Dumbo rats, Hijazi goats (just LOOK at those ears! Just look at them! Speaking of, how about English Lop rabbits?), Damascus goats, Mini Cows, Kladruber horses, scaleless ball pythons in every color under the rainbow—you name it. Whew, all that said to set you up for it being in the realm of believability that after many generations of pairing humans who have different features than the average person, a Kory could, in theory, happen.
There were a couple of celebrities with unique features that I used as light inspiration for Kory. One of which was Ilka Brühl, a model who was born with ectodermal dysplasia, a rare genetic disorder that affected her facial structure. Her message "Remind the world that everyone is beautiful," seemed like something poor Kory would have appreciated hearing a little more when he was a boy. I thought of her as his mom, whom he never got to meet. Actor Ron Perlman’s distinctive face and height inspired Kory’s dad, although the character never got screen time.
Hmm, hmm, hmm, what else? Oh! Trivia bite on the werewolf babies: they’re based on the real-life condition called hypertrichosis, where affected people have excessive hair growth on their face, shoulders, chest, back, and ears.
Remember the mention of blue-skinned people? Methemoglobinemia is a rare real-life blood disorder that turns the specimen (person or animal’s) skin blue. There’s some fascinating history of a Kentucky family in particular who was pretty affected. The following are links to photos and a news story of people still turning up blue and wondering about their origins and possible relation to the famous family:
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/blue-skinned-people-genetic-connection-kentucky-fugates/story?id=15871929#.T1oUTMDlPCU
https://weeklyworldnews.com/headlines/44136/inbreeding-turns-appalachia-children-blue/
https://www.livescience.com/34410-blue-skin-argyria-methemoglobinemia.html
~*~
Another thing: I wanted to add a footnote in the Kory zap scene, but I didn’t want to interrupt the flow of the story: remember when Theresa is being touched by Kory as he gets an electric correction, but she doesn’t get zapped with him?
Google answers were surprisingly all over the place on the topic of whether a bystander would receive a charge too, but guess what I’m so blessed to have? SOURCES FOR RANDOM CRAZY INFORMATION! =D I had a fun conversation with my dad, texting him to pick his brain about what he knew, because he’s a retired police officer, and he has experience with tasers.
He said the rule is you don’t touch anywhere on a subject that lands between the two contact points of the taser. So if the subject is getting nailed in the back of his neck, you can grab his front and not get a shock.
He added that if he’s in the water and you grab him, you might feel a tingle slam up your arm.
But otherwise, as long as you stay out of the taser’s path, you don’t get hit.
So what about an electronic collar?
Going to say that as long as you don’t have your finger pressed between the probes delivering the electronic stimulation, you don’t get zapped.
Is that true? Thankfully, this is fiction, and luckily I don’t know firsthand. But for this book’s universe, let’s say it’s true.
All right my friends! That’s it for this story’s trivia. If you don’t swipe any further than this point, leave with my well-wishes for you to take care of yourself, and to do something that makes you happy. <3
Cures for A Book Hangover
Smoke Bitten by Patricia Briggs is live! I haven’t gotten to read it yet, but I’m a long-time enthusiast of this book’s sister series, and Mercy books are frequent comfort-listens in my audio playlist. Ebook: https://amzn.to/2xr4ERU
Audio: https://amzn.to/33LTovz
Resonant Son by J.N. Chaney is a sci-fi I only just started, but I grabbed it because the audio is voiced by Mark Boyett, a narrator who is much loved by my ears.
And he. NAILS. The. Voices. He’s so good at differentiating a full cast of characters!
So far, the story is a little bit like a futuristic Die Hard. If that sounds like it appeals to you, I hope you like it! https://amzn.to/3bumZwu is the ebook, and https://amzn.to/2QKIjFI is the audio.
I was innocently stalking narrators when I tripped on to Lani Lynn Vale books. I’m hopping between her biker series and her cowboys, and for audio lovers, check out her narrators. Teddy Hamilton, Erin Mallon, Sebastian York, Jason Clarke—oooh, la la!!!
I’m just going to send you to her Amazon page so you can browse her crazy-awesome-sized backlist.
https://amzn.to/33M7kpk
Ahhh, this was a delicious treat. Entreat Me by Grace Draven is a fairytale as only Grace could have penned it. There is an audio option, but I curled up happily with the ebook. Ebook: https://amzn.to/2wtLcUR Audio: https://amzn.to/3duGuqj
If you grab any of these, may you have a fabulous time! <3
Books & Audiobooks by Amanda…
Want to check out what else I’ve written? YOU ARE SPECTACULAR AND I LOVE YOU. ♥. *Heart Eyes*
Arokh and Angie’s story ebook: https://amzn.to/2A6sH9T
This book is also available in Audio, narrated by the talented Nick Cracknell: https://adbl.co/2N7WXHF
Zadeon and Callie’s story ebook: http://amzn.to/2EZEitg
Audiobook voiced by Nick Cracknell: https://adbl.co/2Nx8WxR
(WARNING: This one has some Dark times. This couple’s love is beautiful though, and they get their Happily Ever After.)
Brax, Tara, and Tac’Mot’s story is here: http://amzn.to/2FeuFGl
Audiobook narrated by Teddy Hamilton and Callie Dalton: https://amzn.to/2zUkHWu
(If you had to classify this one, it’s almost Reverse Harem. This is an MFM book, which means there are
two (alien) guys and one woman but it’s not *quite* menage, because Brax is a Rakhii, and you know this means he doesn’t share his female. Slight problem: his female is bonded to Tac’Mot.)
Dohrein and Gracie’s story: https://amzn.to/2Qn4lwo
Audiobook voiced by Nick Cracknell: https://adbl.co/2s6gN96
Blind Fall, the standalone story that answers the question you’ve all been asking me: “Is the guide dog okay?”
Spoiler: She’s MORE than okay. ♥ This is Breslin and Sanna’s story. If you read this one, I hope you have fun.
https://amzn.to/2PvoaAm
Audiobook narrated by Teddy Hamilton and Callie Dalton: https://amzn.to/2WImX17
Beth’s Stable, a reverse harem romance for movie-lovers. Just trust me. ;)
https://amzn.to/2ZFxyLx
A fun side project *Not* related to the Stolen series:
Valos of Sonhadra Series
Alluvial, Book 1: https://amzn.to/2OhfX33
Tempest, Book 2, written by Poppy Rhys: https://amzn.to/2uPfihv
Galvanizing Sol, Book 3, by Amanda Milo & Poppy Rhys: https://amzn.to/2AgxDZE
Another side project:
Contaminated, a Cosmic Fairy Tale https://amzn.to/36RFbhS
(Erreck and Nancy’s story, which features Simmi as a lovably gruff secondary character.)
Contagion: Simmi’s standalone, germphobic HEA story https://amzn.to/2ElEVuk
The Pet Project: https://amzn.to/2UAU3ff
The Pet Project: JoAyyn (Book 3) https://amzn.to/2ybVHfV
And a random coloring book that I drew for fun :D https://amzn.to/2MSk3Pu
About the Author
Amanda Milo is a collector of the randomest trivia. Did you know that Kiwi fruit plants have separate genders? You need both in order to make Kiwi fruits happen. Isn’t that cool??
