A Valentine for Two

by Lia Davis

  “More than anything.” She cuddled up to him and shivered. “Always.”

  Again, he covered her up. His partner was always so chilly at night. Rather than the comfort of sleep and relaxation coming on, he held her and stared up at the ceiling trying to silence his mind’s questions.

  Against him, she stretched and gave him a kiss before settling down once more. “I hope Talbot is all right. He’s all alone.”

  “Don’t worry about such things.” He combed his fingers through her hair. At her words, he supposed he now knew who she envisioned with them.

  Chapter Three

  Mersenne was a contrast of color unlike any other planet. Their bounty of minerals made the planet a prime trading location.

  Talbot stood at the edge of a cliff looking out into the distinctive pink Mersennean sky. Femkat, the planet’s glorious moon ringed in ribbons of lilac, navy and pink, rose in the sky as Helia, their orange star set as if sinking into the maroon ocean.

  In the distance, a choir began to sing. Talbot never heard the song before, but the song blended with this amazing setting around him. Alphax would have appreciated the aesthetics of it all. At least, he thought so.

  Amazing or not, now he was trapped on the regimented, stringent planet completely at their whim to help him get to his own excuse of a home. He ran his hand through his hair and shook his head.

  “Would you like to say a few words about Alphax?” His little caretaker, Kenna, pressed her palm to his arm.

  He glanced down at her. Leave it to the Mersenneans to provide him with the picture perfect helper. Only here would they produce a beauty with flowing violet hair, a sweet yet sultry little face and a body that definitely wasn’t on the sweet side. “I don’t think anyone here would care to hear it.” Though he had to admit there was quite a large turnout for the ceremony for an alien no one there had ever met.

  “We are all here to listen.” As if planned, a light breeze blew, causing the flowing yet slightly transparent pink gilded dress she wore to billow out as if she were some angel.

  Something told him he would be breaking protocol if he didn’t say a word. Maybe a little lesson in Kinjanian tradition was in order. Maybe he should tell them that back in his galaxy he had his own set of rules, first being procreating with Alphax if he wanted to or not. Maybe he should talk about how when he returned without a mate, the whole process of trying to find another one who even slightly aroused him enough to be able to finish the act to produce an offspring would have to begin all over again, and he wasn’t easy to please.

  He didn’t think the pretty little thing would understand. “Alphax provided me with what I needed.” He raised his voice to be heard by the guests. Part male, part female, what the ambigender lacked in conversation, Alphax provided in entertainment. Though, if he were completely honest, he would say he wasn’t that attached to his would-be mate, barely even knew the being. They spent most of their time in suspended animation getting here.

  She blinked and waited.

  He leaned down to her ear breathing in the scent of fresh flowers. “I’m finished.”

  “Of course.” She cleared her throat and addressed the small gathered crowd. “Now Lucas Kerr will read an excerpt from Passages.”

  Ah Lucas, the partner, the scholar, the reader of the book Mersenneans used to commemorate moments. Yes, this species loved a ritual.

  Open book in hand, Lucas stepped forward. “Life is unexpected. A journey we have no choice to travel. Though we all take different paths, some trips are shorter than others, and we all come to the same end. For those still on the path of life, watching another trip come to an end is hard. However, just like the end, those left to continue their journey have no choice. We will now use those who have traveled on to be our silent guides and perhaps we will meet again.” He closed the book and nodded at Kenna.

  Kenna touched her partner’s cheek.

  Talbot watched them. For a moment, he caught them staring at each other, speaking the silent language of those who have traveled the path together. It was no secret Mersenneans mated in triads. Couples were rare and temporary, usually a transient state if one of the three passed. However, from the little snippets Kenna offered on her personal life, these two had bucked tradition and had been in this state for a while, he wondered why.

  Another male brought Kenna a black smooth orb.

  Kenna cradled the orb in her palms and held it up to him. “Talbot, would you like to scatter the ashes to the sea?”

  “I may as well.” He took the orb and walked to the edge of the cliff and hit a button. The top opened and he held out the orb, allowing the ashes to float away, down the cliff and into the water. Was that it? All that was left at the end? A bunch of nothing floating away on a foreign sea? Maybe it was better than returning to a planet and fulfilling an obligation for no other reason than commitment to duty.

  With a sigh, he closed the orb. The choir and other onlookers slowly left but Kenna, Lucas and the man he recognized at the official remained. “Now what?”

  The official patted his shoulder. “If you wanted to rest, we can discuss your future plans later or tomorrow.”

  “I would rather talk about it right now.” He needed to know his options, if he had any. Thankfully, the Mersenneans were a peaceful species. If they had landed somewhere else he could have easily joined Alphax’s fate, though he would have put up one heck of a fight.

  “All right.” The official stood in front of him. “We have a cargo mission beginning in five days. As a show of good will to your planet, we are offering to take you and your ship back. Your assets were saved from your ship, and we are willing to make the trade originally negotiated. We are providing the technology your planet requested in return for the ore you brought.”

  “That’s it?” He flew to a different galaxy to negotiate and trade, and they were simply going to give him what he wanted in less than a minute?

  “Yes.” The male smiled. “We want to have good relations with the Kinjani.”

  “Are you playing me?” Deals didn’t work this way and he stepped closer to the official.

  “Excuse me?” The official asked, a slight quiver in his voice.

  “Is this some sort of game? Do you think I’m distracted because my crewmate died?” Fire raged through him, and he leaned down nose to nose with the male.

  “Mr. Savita–”

  He cut off the official. No way would he fail at everything, be taken in by this species peaceful tactics, and he grabbed the official by the flowing tunic he wore. “Maybe I’m more focused than ever now that I don’t have anything holding me back.”

  “Talbot, no!” Kenna ran over and grabbed his arm.

  Lucas followed. “Kenna!”

  At her soft touch, he glanced over at her.

  “Talbot, in our tradition the actual negotiations are merely a formality, a chance to know another species. We know you need our technology, and we want to give it to you.” She pulled him off the official.

  Never in all his years of training was anyone ever able to stop him, yet with her touch and those big violet eyes staring up at him, he had no choice but to take a breath. “Then what am I here for?”

  “You were also on a mission to learn about Mersenne.” She patted his arm and stepped back.

  They made this all incredibly easy. The offer was more than generous, and he didn’t have any other options. However, in many ways it didn’t feel much different than if he threw his desiccated body over a cliff or floated around space in suspended animation like dead weight. Not that it was any different than his life on Kinjani. He stared out at the sea. Alphax was gone, and now it was left for Talbot to finish the work. “I want to complete my mission.”

  “We will arrange a guide for you.” The official smoothed his tunic down and pulled one of those tablets out of the folds in his clothes.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he spied Kenna and Lucas huddled together. She now stared up at the man who was her partner, and he le
aned down and gave her a light kiss.

  “I have my guide.” Talbot held his hand up to stop the male from doing something on that little piece of glass.

  The official raised his head.

  “I only feel comfortable with Kenna.” With the Mersenneans attention to tradition and protocol, he knew it would be bad form to deny him what he wanted, or in this case who he wanted, even with his faux pas.

  “Excuse me.” Lucas let go of his female and stepped forward.

  At last, the male showed a little something. “Of course, I would want you to come along as well.” Talbot knew two things, first, no alien would be allowed to go off with a cherished Mersennean female alone, and second, he wouldn’t mind getting to know the tall, intelligent male with the navy hair and dark eyes. “I hear you work at the university, so surely this would give you plenty to study.” He motioned toward himself. “In turn, I am happy to educate you on the Kinjani.”

  “I’m sure it would be a great honor to both Lucas and Kenna to serve as your guides.” The official returned his attention to his tablet. “We can work on a proper itinerary, and you can set off tomorrow. I will make all the arrangements.”

  Lucas turned to Kenna, and she gave him a slight nod.

  “Of course we would be honored to serve as guides.” Lucas held his hand out.

  Yes, he would be honored. Talbot almost laughed. It would be shameful not to be honored. He shook Lucas’ hand holding on a second more than necessary.

  For one brief second, Lucas caught his eyes, then looked over at Kenna. The two gazed at each other. Talbot could say he never looked at anyone the way Lucas looked at Kenna. Above all else that was what he wanted to learn about. His life needed to mean more. He wasn’t made for suspended animation.

  Chapter Four

  At a small inn designed for travelers, Lucas stopped the hover vehicle and squeezed the steering stick.

  “Lucas?” Kenna ran her hand down his arm.

  He turned to his female. Flanking her other side was the intruder, taking the place normally reserved for the third of a triad. He should have made the so-called warrior get in the backseat where they put the offspring.

  “Lucas?” Kenna softened her tone, slightly teasing, and slightly sweet.

  “Everything is fine.” He touched her cheek. How they got caught up in this nightmare was beyond him. One second he was trying to make Kenna happy by reading from the Book of Passages for the funeral of some being he didn’t know, and the next he was providing the heathen with a personalized tour of their planet.

  Worse yet, Kenna was raring to go. She stayed up half the night making the itinerary to some of Mersennean’s greatest points of interests, including a grand finale of a trek by foot to their Spectral Reflecting Pools. However, on tonight’s docket was a stop at this inn where Talbot could taste some local cuisine before tomorrow when they took their guest to a famous Mersennean outdoor bazaar, though he had a feeling that trip might be more for Kenna.

  “Let’s go, I’m exhausted.” He got out of the vehicle.

  Before he had a chance to walk to the other side and let Kenna out, the Kinjinian opened his hatch and offered his hand to her.

  Kenna took it and stepped out of the vehicle.

  As he got the bags, the alien male joined him, and Lucas studied him. All of him. Tall, extraordinarily so with white hair and silver eyes, the male radiated an energy the like of which Lucas had never experienced before. In truth, Talbot was spectacular. He could understand why Kenna seemed taken with him, and he was relieved this whole thing was only for a visit.

  “Here, let me assist.” Talbot leaned in to grab his own bag and one of Kenna’s, leaving him the other. “No matter where you are in the universe, the females always require double the supplies.”

  If the little quip would have come from another Mersennean or a different species, or simply anyone who wasn’t Talbot, Lucas might have laughed. Instead, he hoisted his and Kenna’s luggage up on his shoulder and walked toward the inn with Kenna by his side.

  Talbot caught up to them, taking position at Kenna’s other side. “Of course, it seems as if Mersennean women need double the males as well.”

  While Lucas tensed, Kenna let out a little laugh.

  “I need an ale.” He opened the door and they were greeted by two anthromachines. The robot devices were becoming more and more popular to help with domestic tasks. While they had the shape of a normal being, they were made of a white shiny composite with lights rather than true facial features.

  Kenna reached into her traveling bag and held up a card. Their names splashed over one of the anthromachine’s chests and the other took their things.

  “You both must be starving. Let’s go have something to eat.” Kenna laced her arm in his and headed toward the tavern.

  “Extraordinary.” Twice Talbot glanced back as the anthromachines took their items. Another came over and guided them through the stark modern dining room of sleek molded furniture to one of the many identical tables dotting the space.

  “When we are ready, they will see us to our rooms.” Kenna patted Talbot. “The anthromachines can be wonderful help. I was hoping one day Lucas and I could get one.” She gave him a kiss as she sat at the small circular table.

  “Maybe we will see what happens for your Arrival Celebration Day this Helia cycle.” He gave her one more kiss and looked around before taking his seat. All around, triads were grouped together in threes, a couple of sets of sixes. In truth, he couldn’t remember the last time they were with a third. Yes, those around the tavern turned to gawk at them, but not to whisper and then turn away at the fact that they were only a couple and not a triad, but because of the fascinating male with them.

  Great, now he thought spectacular and fascinating all in the course of minutes. He put his arm around the back of Kenna’s seat.

  An anthromachine practically glided over and presented them all with the much needed ale, as well as a tray of assorted pickled vegetables.

  He lifted his glass first toward Kenna and then just to follow tradition, toward Talbot, and took a sip. The effervescent spicy brew danced in his mouth, and he almost felt like ordering a second glass before finishing off the first.

  Talbot mimicked his actions and gulped his drink, before he sat back and crossed his legs. “This is an interesting place.”

  At seeing Kenna spy the vegetable tray, Lucas retrieved it and held it out to her.

  Kenna took a few of her favorites then grabbed both his plate and Talbot’s plate and dished out the treats. She gave each of them their respective plate.

  Talbot blinked and stared down at the food. “Why are you serving me?”

  “It’s tradition.” Color took over her cheeks. “I wasn’t sure what you preferred, but I thought you may want to try a little of everything.”

  “What’s Lucas’ favorite?” Those silver eyes gave a quick glance toward him.

  “He prefers the leafy vegetables with a little sweetness.” She pointed them out.

  “What do you think I’ll like?” Talbot’s low voice seemed to play with Kenna.

  Though he tried to focus on his own plate, he couldn’t help but want to jump out of his seat and pummel the intruder.

  “I thought you may like the root vegetables the best. They are savory with a bit of spice.” She pointed them out.

  “I have a feeling you may be correct, but before I indulge, I need to take a quick break.” He stood and walked away, instantly adapting to the anthromachine and asking it for directions.

  “Kenna.” He wanted to make this a quick meal and go back to their room.

  “It’s going to be all right.” She grazed his cheek.

  At her touch, he exhaled. Right as he went to kiss her, ground himself, they were interrupted.

  “I was hoping I might join you.” A shorter male around their age with dark green hair and lighter eyes came over, and as protocol dictated, he offered a gift in the form of a quite nice bottle of ale.


  Though Kenna turned away, he nodded. It would be considered bad form not to accept the request.

  “I am Vitar. I am a single.” He shook Lucas’ hand and bowed to Kenna before taking a seat and opening the bottle. “I think you two might enjoy this.”

  “Lucas.” He nodded and tilted his head toward his female. “Kenna. We are a couple.”

  As if on cue, one of the anthromachines glided over and gave them three fresh glasses. The male slid closer to Kenna as he poured the refreshment.

  Kenna grasped the edge of the table. Since Sandro’s passing, Kenna had never even as much as flirted with another male. While he knew they both craved a third, Kenna wouldn’t allow another in their bed, and he didn’t push it, but after seeing her and Talbot, maybe they needed to entertain the idea again.

  “I would like to propose a toast.” Vitar lifted his glass. “To fresh beginnings.”

  As if on automatic, Kenna put the glass to her lips.

  “She’s a beauty, but she’s a little shy.” The male snuck his hand around the back of Kenna’s chair and touched her hair.

  Kenna shuddered.

  “You know...” Lucas put his arm around Kenna in an effort to move the other male off her.

  “Little too soon?” Rather than retreat, Vitar reached out and grabbed his arm. “How long have you been a couple? What happened to your third?”

  Everyone knew those questions were strictly off limits for a first meeting. Those not in triads were rarely in that position out of choice. She wrapped her arms around her shoulders.

  “I’m not sure that’s a topic we need to discuss right now.” Lucas shifted in his seat. Something about this male was definitely off. “You know, while we appreciate the offering, we are in the middle of a business trip.”