by Lexi Ander
Dargon's knees buckled under the emotions and memories shared with him—and he understood. His worries were for naught.
"If Zeus only wants our platonic companionship, then that will be enough for me. I do not want one without the other. The mating heat, the Marking, I did not influence that, nor could I. You chose Zeus. I was merely pleased we both agreed."
"We will need to discuss your warning to the bug," Dargon said. "You will also need to explain to Zeus what happened when we had sex earlier." He let out an unsteady breath and rose to his feet. "If he does not understand and runs from us, I will not survive."
Alpha did not reply, and it was just as well. Dargon was not sure how he felt—certainly numb and confused. He needed time to process what he had seen through Alpha. He could deal with one issue at a time, which meant Zeus came first, ensuring his health and safety. The others would have to wait.
The door swished open and he stepped into the dimly lit cabin. He briefly considered transforming into his Thylakos form but discarded the idea. It took time and energy. He did not have an abundance of either.
Zeus lay on the sleeping platform, the thick burgundy spyder douppioni silk pulled up to his hips. He had a powerful body. It was not difficult to see his multitude of injuries. But when Zeus opened those colorless eyes, Dargon was captured by the silvery gaze and pulled forward.
"Do not look at me so," Zeus muttered. "I am not that hurt. Mayra said I heal faster than normal, and with the help of the nanites I will be up and about in a couple of hours, with the exception of the arm, which will take a couple of days."
Dargon sat on the edge of the sleeping platform and picked up the nutrient mix, holding the canna reed to Zeus's lips for him to drink. The solution gave the nanites the materials they needed to repair Zeus's already taxed body.
"I never want to know what you consider a serious injury," Dargon said. "Watching you collapse took years off of my life. I prefer you never do that again."
Zeus cracked a smile but held his tongue. Dargon suspected it was because he kept shoving the reed against Zeus's lips and did not stop until all the liquid had been consumed. Dargon leaned in and kissed Zeus lightly on the forehead.
"When you are well, Alpha has something to discuss with you."
Dargon heard Zeus mumble in response, but whatever he said was snatched away by sleep. He sat and guarded the prince, at a loss for what to do. He had been confident when he had met the brilliant mechanic. The right questions in the right circles let him know Zeus was a genius who was competitively sought after by other space stations for his expertise. He liked that Zeus had a sharp mind, but it had confused him when he believed Zeus to be a Mar'Sani pet. Little did he know the young prince was such an accomplished warrior as well.
Zeus was more than Dargon's equal in many ways, but in Dar Massaga culture, the pairing for mates and partners was always with one physically stronger. He had always imagined himself to be the dominant partner, the protector of a fragile male. Zeus was anything but. There were set roles his people lived by, and Zeus was so far outside the social guidelines that Dargon did not know where he would fit in. Dargon's physical size, his military record, and his success in battle were all a testament to his power and virility. If he had returned to his home world, he would have had suitors clamoring for his attentions.
None of it mattered.
Originally he had planned to spend the journey to Valespia wooing Zeus, but recently he began to wonder if he would be able to. Watching Zeus and learning about him, Dargon realized he had never cared for the standards of his culture. It was the reason why he had left to roam the universe to begin with. Now he had found something—someone—he wanted, and he did not know how to proceed. On his home world, he would herd Zeus to his lair and bring home a large kill as evidence that he could provide, then seduce him. Dargon was pretty sure Zeus would not appreciate the gesture. He considered asking the twins about Mar'Sani customs and immediately discarded the idea.
Dargon checked the time. He had to meet with Prince Azaes soon. The warship would cut five days off their trip, but he needed to disclose information regarding the group who pursued them. Maybe the brothers would have ideas on how to get the Fal'Amoric to Valespia without another altercation. There had only been the one bug with the incursion on Gorgon. If more were sent, victory could not be assured.
Brushing a kiss against Zeus lips, Dargon rose to leave. There was much to accomplish before he could come back to Zeus's side. Outside the cabin door, Hadon stood defiantly with his arms crossed. Dargon nodded his gratitude to the Battion, leaving Zeus in the bodyguard's care. If he was swift, he could be back in time to have late meal with Zeus.
Zeus was elbows deep in the control panel for the scout ship's shields. He had been up and out of bed, without his cast, for a week. He had barely seen Dargon. Zeus knew Dargon had sat with him while he slept and recovered. Since he had left the bed, they had been doing a dance of sorts around each other with both of them unsure how to proceed. Dargon tried to make late meal where they shared stories about their lives, but that was the only time they were able to spend together.
The crew, the Fal'Amorics, even Zeus's brothers, took up Dargon's time. He only slept a few hours at a time, and if Zeus had not seen the burning look Dargon gave him, he would have believed Dargon was avoiding him. Even though he enjoyed slowly coming to know Dargon and was fascinated by his past, Zeus wanted more than this budding friendship between them.
A jolt of electricity zapped the end of his fingers, causing him to curse and shake the pain out of his hand. At least he had found the short. Otho scampered up the wall where Zeus's harness was tethered, the tool kit dangling from his grip as Zeus pulled out the offending wires.
"Do you mind if I ask you a question?" Otho watched Zeus examine the wires.
"Sure. What do you want to know?"
Otho pulled out the soldering kit and assembled it for Zeus. "Why do you not spend time with the Fal'Amorics? Well, you do, but you do not."
Zeus's hands slowed, caught off guard by the question. Otho had a voracious appetite for knowledge, and he had thought Otho would ask more questions about fusion and physics. He was not anticipating a question of a personal nature.
"They are like you, are they not? Some say you are related, but they are strangers to you." Otho's tail wrapped around a pipe for stability while he assembled the kit. He had four double-jointed fingers and two opposable thumbs per hand. Watching them move fascinated Zeus.
"We are the same species, but they are not my people or my family. They are strangers because I do not know them."
"But they wish for you to be more."
Zeus accepted the tool Otho handed him and began working on the wires. "We are different, they and I. I know they desire a deeper connection. Right now, they need a leader, and I cannot be that person for them. Maybe someday we can be friends, but they cannot be my family."
A horrified gasp sounded from below. Athena stood inside the engine room door, a hand covering her mouth as she stared at Zeus with watery eyes. Spinning on a heel, she fled. Zeus sighed heavily. He did not regret how he felt, only that she had been hurt by the admission. The woman who claimed to be his older sister was a mixture of fierce and fragile. From what he had deduced, the colony had been captured five years ago. The experiments by the humans had cut their number in half. They were not aware that other clans had been held on the prison planet because they had had been isolated.
The scientists had tried to breed the women with human men with no success. Human sperm was too weak to fertilize the eggs, even when they had tried artificial insemination. The embryos had always aborted within a few short weeks. He knew Athena had been extensively experimented on since she was of the royal line and sister to the Bespoken. Zeus suspected they had wanted a Bespoken they could control. The reason why continued to be a mystery.
Otho took over the repairs so Zeus could go after Athena. She had not gone very far, and he found her sitting in an
alcove weeping. Zeus understood what she had wished for, but he could not be who she needed. Gently, he helped her to her feet. She immediately clutched him to her, crying harder while he held her. She smelled of delicate flowers, which contrasted with her athletic physique. Once he had overcome the shock of discovery, he could see the resemblance. The shape of the face, the color of her hair, the curve of her nose; the likeness was there for everyone to see.
"All these years, I held onto the hope that you and Prometheus would return, and I would have my family back. The two of you are all I have left." Athena sniffled into his shoulder.
"That is not true. You have people who have been with you all of this time, who love you, look up to you, and admire your strength."
"I am no leader," she murmured.
"Some of the best rulers in history did not think of themselves as leaders either." Zeus steered her down the corridor toward the Fal'Amoric quarters. Azaes had offered them separate rooms on the warship, but the clan was not ready to be separated.
"We will never be more than friends, will we?" she asked, staring straight ahead.
"I do not know," he replied. "I have a family whom I dearly love. I never wondered about my origins. I see myself as Mar'Sani, and I do not desire to be more. But I would be your friend, if my presence does not cause you too much distress. I know you want more, but I cannot fill that role for you. I hope you understand."
Athena patted his hand. "I do, and I know I will adjust." Zeus had a feeling she only said the words to placate him. When he glanced at her, there was a stubborn tilt to her chin even as her bottom lip trembled. "What is important is that you are safe. I only wish I knew if Prometheus was safe as well."
"I have an idea how to find him. If I am right, he will be returned to you in no time."
Athena wiped away a stray tear and whispered a watery thanks before retreating into the Fal'Amoric quarters. Zeus watched her go and wished she had someone who would be there to support her when she needed a shoulder. He felt they could be friends in time, but at the moment, he was painfully awkward around her.
She had not walked far before she was joined by a silver-haired man, Altan. He watched Athena with adoring eyes. Maybe she was not as alone as she believed herself to be.
Leaving Athena in Altan's care, Zeus went back to the engine room to help Otho finish switching out the circuit boards. With the repairs finished, he hurried back to the quarters he shared with Dargon to prepare for late meal. Several hours later, he crawled under the covers disappointed Dargon had not joined him and trying to decide on a plan of action. He drifted off to sleep with a new found resolve:
No more dancing around Dargon.
*~*~*
Zeus sat up, gasping for air. The nightmare made the scars on his back burn. Hands firmly grasped his wrists, restraining him and keeping him from clawing at his shoulders.
"… answer me."
He blinked rapidly as he came fully awake. "Dargon?"
"Ah, you are awake."
There was an odd quality to Dargon's voice that caught his attention. "You sound different."
The room lights rose to a faint glow. Dargon sat next to him, but he was not completely Dargon. Alpha had moved to cover his face and head; the pink veins changed the features and gave him a completely different appearance. It was like he was a transformed person—and maybe he was.
"It was only a nightmare," Zeus said. "I did not know you could do that. Does he know—is he aware?"
A startlingly beautiful smile crossed Alpha's lips, and Zeus could not help but stare. "He is asleep right now, but he will remember the moment he wakes." Dargon's eyes were normally a vibrant green, but now they were the amber of aged liquor. "Does it bother you to speak to me as I am now?"
"No," Zeus replied truthfully. "You are a part of Dargon. I know the two of you are close, and I had hoped to be able to speak to you."
Alpha shyly lowered his eyes. "You did?"
"Why does that surprise you?"
"You are attracted to Dargon. You interact with and touch him."
Zeus reached up and placed his palm on Alpha's cheek, the dark green blunt against his own alabaster. "I do not touch you because I was taught it was rude. Dar Massagas are protective of their Alphas." He watched Alpha's lids flutter closed in unbidden bliss. When Zeus stroked his thumb over the cheekbone, Alpha made a small noise of pleasure.
"Yes, I would like for you to caress and interact with me too."
Rising up to his knees, Zeus took Alpha's face between his palms and brushed their lips together. Alpha's eyes snapped open.
"Again, you are surprised," Zeus said. "Talk to me."
"You see me as something more than an object or pet." Alpha did not sound like he believed the words. "You—like me?"
Zeus smiled and cast his eyes down. He probably should have said something before now. "When I touch Dargon, if you are talking I can hear it. I do not know what he says in return. I do not mean to intrude …"
Alpha looked pleased. "You have telepathy?"
"Not really. I was taught how to listen. With a friend of mine, Cleito, I am able to reply back. I wish I could hear and speak to you like Dargon does."
Alpha licked his lips. Zeus followed the course of the dark tongue. "You like what you have heard?"
"You and Dargon care for me very much. You do know I adore both of you too?" Again Zeus noted Alpha's disbelief. "If I had objected, I would have said something after we were together." Those amber eyes widened before they glanced down. Zeus grinned at Alpha's shy embarrassment.
"You did have sex with us. It was the most freeing, astounding experience I have had in a very long time." A wistful smile pulled at the corners of Alpha's mouth.
"I know you are a separate entity. By pursuing a relationship with Dargon I knew I would also seek one with you."
That caught Alpha's attention. "It sounds as if you have made up your mind. You want more than companionship from Dargon?"
"From you both. I am working on designing a translator I could use to hear you without touching Dargon. I would enjoy having conversations with you."
Alpha bit his bottom lip, mesmerizing Zeus with the sharp indentions. "Sometimes there are those who we wish to be able to communicate with, without outside assistance. In times of heightened emotions our telepathy is strong enough that our voice is broadcast to those who are closest. As you know, I can speak to you using Dargon's body. For those we choose an enduring intimate relationship with, I give a piece of myself to. We would be able to speak directly to each other, the three of us, without vocalization."
Zeus understood it was an offer that was not given lightly. This would tie them together in the most intimate way. "I would be honored by your trust."
An agonized expression crossed Alpha's face. "Before you do, I must tell you what I have done. Dargon was not aware until recently, and he has been quite upset with me because he is afraid of how you will react."
"I do not see how you could have done anything that would upset me that much."
Alpha gave a bitter laugh. "It was not intentional, and by the time I realized what I had done, it was too late."
"Alpha?"
Alpha's voice was emotionless, but his eyes were slightly wild with fear and vulnerability. "We are pregnant."
Zeus could not speak. When he was thirteen and had overheard the Chtichlians talk about how they had altered his body, removing his ability to procreate, he had not fully understood the implications of their actions until he was older. The Mar'Sani had males and females; they did not have the third sex, like other species, that encompassed both male and female reproduction. He had been too young to comprehend exactly what it meant, but at the time he was happy. He was already different from the Mar'Sani and did not want anything else added to what had set him apart.
As he grew older, he became acutely aware of what had been stolen to make him into the decoy. The Chtichlians had noted they could not change him completely because he had to have th
e DNA chromosome structure to fool those who sought the Bespoken.
"How?" Something warm bloomed within Zeus's chest. He held his breath, gaze searching Alpha's face and only seeing earnest chagrin mixed with a dawning hope.
"You told Dargon earlier about your physical structure being manipulated by the Chtichlians. They redirected the eggs you ovulate to be expelled when you ejaculate. When your sperm was released onto Dargon, there was an egg within your essence."
"I thought a Fal'Amoric egg had to have two separate sperm donors to start the fertilization process?"
"That is true, and in this case there was Dargon's and mine."
"Yours?" It had not occurred to Zeus that Alpha would find enjoyment in their sexual interaction. Nor had he believed that he would be able to have children. After he turned twenty summers, he had begun to desire offspring and ached doubly so knowing the ability had been robbed from him.
Alpha made a pained noise. A single tear escaped down his cheek. "Please do not be upset. It was not intentional."
Zeus had no words for the elation he felt, and he did the first thing that came to his mind. He kissed Alpha, fully and without reservation. He took advantage of the startled gasp and delved into the warm cavernous mouth, tasting the sweetness inside as euphoria bubbled up within him and bloomed.
He was going to be a father.
After his initial shock, Alpha responded with hunger. The intensity made Zeus suspect Alpha starved for the intimacy. He cupped his hand at the back of Alpha's head; his other hand stroked the warm, dark-green skin. That his caress was enjoyed was evident in the soft sounds of pleasure that were expelled. Zeus swallowed them, greedily devoured the delicious noises as he delved deeper, taking everything Alpha gave him. Reluctantly, he pulled away and rested his forehead against Alpha's. He loathed the distance between their bodies, but first he had to make a few things clear.
