Materfamilias

by Wendie Nordgren

  “Oh, Yukihyo.”

  Chapter Nine

  I sighed as I dried my hair in front of the sink, knowing what I would have selected to wear would no longer fit. Covering my stomach, I smiled. Twins! I was so happy that it didn’t really matter. I’d find something.

  Fitz came up beside me and kissed my cheek. “Would this be to your liking?” Draped over his arm was a lovely soft-pink dress.

  I quickly put it on. It was long and full but tied under the breasts. “Oh, Fitz, it’s so pretty.”

  He was pleased that I loved his gift.

  Yukihyo said, “Our Lady Wife has a fondness for dresses.”

  “Then, perhaps she will be pleased with the several additions I have made to her wardrobe.”

  Hurrying to adjust the dress and tie the ribbon in front, I ran to look at the rack in my dressing room. An entire section was filled with feminine dresses in pastels and floral patterns. “I love them! I’m wearing this one tomorrow.” The pale blue fabric had colorful fish embroidered around the hem hiding among lacy coral.

  “She’s delighted. What have you done?” Drex asked.

  Turning at the sound of his voice, I examined him for injuries as I rushed to him. I thought of Cory’s amputated arm, and then looked at Drex’s healed hand. It too had once been taken by an unstable suitor. It was a recurring theme which I wished would end. “Were you injured? Are you alright?”

  Thoughtfully, Drex said, “It hurts here.” He pointed to his lips and bent his knees so that I could see.

  Placing my hands on his cheeks, I kissed him. “I’m glad you’re home. I was worried about you.”

  Some unfamiliar emotion entered his eyes. Yukihyo and Fitz left us alone.

  “What is it?” I asked, suddenly worried.

  Drex caressed my lips with his fingertip. “I never hoped to have someone worrying for me at home.”

  I heard muffled footsteps and sensed Neema. “Daddy Drex!” She ran into his legs. “Oof!”

  Smiling, I said, “You have a few of us missing you and worrying about you. We need you. Don’t forget it.”

  “Yeah! Don’t forget! Where’s Neema’s kisses? You gonna play paints?”

  Bending down to her level, Drex picked her up, kissed her cheek, and offered me his arm. “How does one play paints?”

  Sweetly, she said, “It not hard. I show you.” She fiddled with his rank insignias.

  I asked, “Why are you in uniform?”

  “I came to you as soon as I had completed my mission reports.”

  “I am troubled by what I have seen.”

  Confused, he said, “I thought you would be relieved. We are no longer required to subjugate the inhabitants of those two universes for which you show a fondness.”

  I snorted at him. “Not about that, about the other thing with Cory.”

  He said, “We recovered them. Problem solved.” Drex showed me his reattached hand and flexed his fingers for me. “I am willing to give you an intimate demonstration of what my fingers can do if it will put your mind at ease.”

  “Oh, it’s my mind which worries you,” I said playfully.

  He smiled at me.

  “Drex, what can you tell me about the dreadful probe?” I asked as we entered my sitting room. Neema pointed at her painting book on the floor where she wanted him to play with her.

  “Don’t tell her, Drex. Theorizing it is an assignment,” Eli tattled.

  Frowning, I went to Eli where he sat with his vid-screen and waited while he set it aside. I sat on his lap. Tracing his eyebrows and nose with my fingertips, I asked, “What’s the harm in telling me? Aren’t I your sweet princess, your very own loving wife?” I ran my hands over his strong shoulders. The fabric of his black shirt interfered with my seduction. Capturing his bottom lip with mine, I kissed him. Eli hardened against me and had to adjust himself to a more comfortable position. “If you tell me about the probe, I can devote all of the time I would have wasted searching for what you already know to pleasing you, husband.” I blew on his neck and watched as chill bumps rose on his skin. His heart thudded underneath the palm I held to his chest.

  “Here, you see the effectiveness of allowing females into our ranks. Aside from a highly-skilled Inquisitor such as Beck, what male could resist telling her anything she might want to know?” Rovek asked.

  Dreamily, Cedrenus said, “I couldn’t. I’d tell her everything.”

  “Hey, you! Move the foot!” Neema said as she scowled up at Binder.

  “Yes, Princess Neema. My apologies.” Binder moved to the side of the room and out of her way.

  Eli said, “I’d have had everything I wanted had you shown up a few minutes later.”

  “Minutes? You?” I laughed. “You’d have done your best to keep me to yourself for days.” I kissed his cheek but was distracted by toy blaster fire.

  Peter was moving around the room in his acquired starship walker. He was chasing Thunderdrop. They narrowly avoided hitting Niklos who was playing with a color shape.

  Sighing contentedly, I asked, “Why don’t you all sit and enjoy this perfect moment with me? I may not be able to get Eli to talk, but Cormac doesn’t stand a chance. Help me find him, and I’ll get our answers.”

  Eli grinned. “Will you seduce the information out of him?”

  “Either that, or I could simply learn what I want from Izaac. He won’t ask anything of me in return.”

  “Teagan, that would be cheating. We can do this on our own. Think of it as a stones game, but with live players with their own agendas,” Stayton suggested.

  “Fine,” I sighed. “Where do you want to work?”

  Fitz said, “The patio would be nice for you. I’ll have refreshments sent out.”

  I gave Eli another kiss, got up from his lap, and went outside. Rovek remained in the sitting room. Clark held out my chair. Braving a look at his eyes, I said, “I’m truly sorry. I didn’t want that.”

  “Teagan, again, it had nothing to do with you. It was between males. Father shouldn’t have gotten caught.”

  “Clark!”

  “It’s true, and you know it. He should have been listening to the mercenary channels. Had he done so, he would have known to pass the mission onto someone else. His cover was blown. Now, his genetic markers will have to be altered before he can return to the field.”

  “Can we put the topic to rest?” Stayton asked. “The continuation of it is pointless.”

  I rolled my eyes at him. “Are you all coming with us to Chione? My husbands are going hunting, but we might be able to gather better information if we are in the same sector as the probe.”

  Binder asked, “Do we know if they have removed the probe from the comet to better study it?”

  We looked around at each other. None of us knew the current status of the probe.

  “Very well. Who gains the most from an interstellar war?” Cedrenus asked.

  “The economy would be temporarily stimulated,” Clark suggested.

  “The military,” Tyler supplied.

  “Shipbuilders and weapons manufacturers,” I said as an idea came to me. “As a matter of fact, a wealthy Earth shipbuilder wants to meet with Yukihyo. Papa wanted me to go on a diplomatic mission to Earth. I’m not sure if he still does. Clark, your father actually told me a name. I don’t remember it.”

  Clark tapped away at his vid-screen. “Was it Rupert Warren of Earth?”

  Snapping my fingers, I pointed at him. “Yes!”

  “Someone with his wealth and access to ships wouldn’t have any difficulty planting a probe, even one attached to a comet,” Stayton said.

  “We need to see the surveillance technology so we can trace it back to its manufacturer,” Levi said.

  We spent a great deal of time attempting to enlarge and clarify the image we had been provided of the probe. We were getting nowhere.

  “Clark!” An idea came to me.

  “Teagan?” He looked away from me and down at his hands.

  Into my th
oughts, Zared said, “He is consumed by guilt from his time in the ring with you. He feels that he and his father deserve any punishments they receive.”

  The insight annoyed me. I was glad Clark had fought me and treated me like an equal. I said, “You said it earlier. Why don’t we try hacking into mercenary intel? Maybe, they know something about the probe.”

  Seven sets of eyes focused on me. “That could be dangerous,” Ross said.

  “Agreed. We need to plan carefully so that we are not discovered,” Stayton said.

  Fitz opened the door and stepped out onto the patio. “Teagan, we are all being called to dinner in the formal dining room.” He helped me stand and gave me his arm.

  “What are we having?” I asked.

  The next morning at breakfast, Terre pulled me aside. “Teagan, I beg of you. Help me.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Mother is the matter. I must put distance between us. If I do not, I may say something unkind, and I do not wish to do so.” Terre’s lips were arranged in an annoyed pucker.

  “What did she do?”

  “She is pushing males at me for consideration. I am quite pleased with Phillip and want to enjoy him and the child I carry. Proving my fertility has caused an increase in offers from males wishing to court me.”

  The look on my face surprised her.

  “You must be dealing with similar experiences. You carry twins!”

  I shook my head. “They haven’t been bothering me anymore than usual.” I thought of Merick and Cormac.

  “You are fortunate. Violet, Sparrow, and Tracy benefit from the fear their males inspire in the opposite sex. Phillip is so very affable that he serves as no such deterrent.”

  “Huh.”

  “Is that it? Have you no help to offer?”

  I thought for a moment. “I have an idea if you can handle it. Take Phillip and Fitz out on my pleasure barge. They can fish, and you can get away from unwanted attention.”

  “Brilliant!” Terre kissed my cheek.

  “Chirp! Clack chirp.” Thunderdrop interrupted to let me know that he too was pleased. His baby turtles were safe. The groundskeepers had added a decorative, plasti, domed, walk-in terrarium around the pond. It would not only protect them from hungry predators but would also provide them with additional warmth. “Chirp clack chitter.”

  “Yes, babies do require a lot of attention. Do you need a break? Would you like to accompany me to the Academy this morning?”

  “Chirp!”

  With Thunderdrop clinging to my skirt, I kissed Yukihyo, Fitz, Eli, and Drex goodbye. Zared was guarding me today. Niklos was already out on the lawn with Ridley doing his lessons. “Where is Neema?” I looked for her, but she wasn’t out on the lawn with them.

  “She wanted to sculpt clay with her Gama. Lorca is pushing Peter around in the garden in his stroller,” Zared informed me.

  “I feel like I’m not spending enough time with the children,” I confessed as I shared my guilty feelings with him.

  “You spend a healthy amount of time with them. They are happy. I am happy. I know your mind, female. It isn’t only the children about whom you worry. You also worry about me. I assure you that I feel your love. You and the children give me peace along with mental and emotional stability. In fact, I have discovered something that I have in common with Eli and Drex. Never did I imagine finding you, a woman who loves, needs, and wants me.” Lifting my hand to his lips, he kissed my fingers. Then, he smiled down at my small baby bump. “All of us are happy and content with one exception.”

  “Who?” I asked.

  “Quaid.”

  I frowned. “His behavior has made him feel like a stranger to me.”

  “Female, have you forgotten what I was before you claimed me?” I gazed up into his eyes and listened. “Quaid has far less darkness in him than do most of us. Even Yukihyo spent years of his life battling a blood rage against those with whom he now resides.”

  Wrapping my arms around him, I closed my eyes. Zared stroked my hair.

  He said, “You have calmed feral beasts, tamed us, and made husbands and fathers of us.”

  “Chirp! Chirp!” Thunderdrop leapt from my skirt, hissed, and showed us his fangs. He let venom drip from them.

  “Oh, yes! I agree with you. You are still a dangerous, feral beast. There is no taming you,” I assured him.

  “Chirp! Chirp!” Happy with my answer, he climbed my dress and nuzzled my neck.

  Grinning, Zared led us through the front doors, which my Imperial Guards held open for us, and over to the waiting transport.

  Once I was seated, Ross said, “Dinner was amazing last night.”

  “Having dinner with the Emperor gave me a reason to call home,” Cedrenus said.

  Stayton said, “My grandfather was unimpressed.”

  “Yes, I would imagine so after all of the things he did with my grandmother on Thalassa.” I scowled at him.

  The guys chuckled. Stayton said, “Your grandmother is still a lovely lady. Older women are intriguing and mysterious. She’s a bit old for me. However, you are perfect.” He gave me what he probably hoped was a seductive grin.

  I rolled my eyes. “I’m only a few years older than you.”

  “Yes, and you know so much more.”

  “Would you like him doused in cold water?” Zared asked.

  “No, we have work to do. Unless, you want to tell me….”

  “No, female, I will not give you answers or leads.”

  “Ugh. Fine.” I winked at him so he’d know I still loved him.

  At the Academy, our two teams were working as a group in our classroom. Clark was in a foul mood when we arrived. Zared took up a guard position at the door.

  Levi said, “If you’re going to be pissy about it, go change.”

  A delicious smell wafted to my nose, and I fixated on it. My mouth watered. It was divine, and I followed it. The scent led me straight to Clark. He dropped his hands to his sides along with the napkin he held as I invaded his personal space. “Oh, what is that?” I whispered as I sniffed him.

  “Chirp. Chirp.” Thunderdrop jumped from me to the back of my chair.

  I held onto Clark’s jacket and leaned closer. “What is that? Whatever it is, I want to lick it off of you.” I gave him a shake, demanding answers.

  “It’s…it’s…gravy…from breakfast.”

  Desperately, I stared up into his eyes. His pupils had blown wide. I realized that my Parvac pheromones had kicked in and were controlling him. However, I didn’t care. I needed the gravy. “Take me to it, Clark. I want it.”

  Bending slightly, he picked me up and strode with me from the room to the cafeteria. Zared followed, and he was laughing. I didn’t understand why. Once we were in line, Clark ordered a gravy-covered omelet.

  “I want juice, too.” I was mesmerized by the ladle as the server dipped it into the creamy, meaty gravy and poured it over the eggs.

  Zared picked up the tray and carried it to a table. He was laughing even harder than before. Clark sat with me on his lap and fed me. The food was almost gone when I came to my senses.

  “Um, what just happened?” I turned my head to look at Clark.

  His pupils were huge and so was his dick. It was hard and thick, pressing into my hip through our uniforms.

  “I recorded it for future reference,” Zared said while wiping his eyes and laughing.

  “What did I do to Clark?”

  “Clark? Look around. You did it to all of them.” Zared gestured around the cafeteria.

  Every Parvac male within a few feet of me looked at me like love-sick puppies. Cedrenus’ face was red with rage, and veins showed in his neck. “What do you think you’re doing, Clark? You’ve fought her in the ring, not holding back, but now you think you have the right to hold her?” Reaching down, Cedrenus lifted me from Clark’s lap and took a few steps away.

  “She wants my assistance. She needs me. She ordered me to provide for her. You can’t take her from me w
ithout her consent,” Clark snarled.

  “Don’t pretend either of you are worthy of her. You’re boys, playing at being men.” Cormac took me from Cedrenus. His pupils were blown wider than anyone else’s. “I have you, Teagan. What may I do to please you?”

  Furiously, Clark rounded on us. “You think you are better than us because of your rank and position. None of that matters to her, and you don’t deserve her. Give her back!”

  Cormac’s anger made his skin heat under my hands. I was confused by the animosity between a high-ranking officer and an Academy student, but the smell of bacon distracted me.

  “I’ll take my wife,” Zared said. I could feel him using his abilities to get his way.

  The cadets and ensigns were all crowding closer. Chairs and tables scraped against the flooring. Zared carried me behind the buffet line and placed me on my feet in front of the deep serving pan of bacon. I grabbed several pieces and started eating while trying to figure out what was wrong.

  Then, Kaoti appeared at my other side. He was speaking into a communications device. He said, “Request assistance in the cafeteria.”

  Cormac shoved Clark so hard that he flew. His back slid over the surface of a table and sent forgotten plates of half-eaten food and cups of coffee clattering to the floor. Then, the table tilted, spilling Clark to the floor and crashing onto him. He flung it off of himself. Levi and Stayton converged on Cormac.

  “I want some milk,” I told Zared.

  He raised both of his eyebrows at me.

  One of the servers, his pupils large and black, provided me with a glass of it.

  Kaoti asked, “Can’t you do anything?”

  Zared said, “I’m attempting to calm them, but this isn’t emotional or mental control. It’s biological.”

  Chairs and fists were flying as all of the males with the exception of Zared, Kaoti, and a few servers, fought. “We need her out of here before we can disperse a sedative,” a male voice said over Kaoti’s device.

  “Understood.”

  Zared picked me up. He was going to take me away from the bacon. I’d finished the milk. “No!” I cried out as I grabbed a handful of it.

  The fighting in the cafeteria stopped, and all eyes, some that were swelling shut, focused on us.