by Viola Grace
“Charming. Were you in pain?”
“No. And subsequent exams indicated that I was fully developed, if a little early. My aging slowed to normal parameters, and I was ready for whatever happened next.”
“Have you wondered what will happen when you are receptive?”
“Nope. I am not usually near the Rrassic long enough for them to catch on.”
He paused with two bowls empty and one rotated to prime position. “What?”
“Humans are cyclical. Here, most of us have been tapped the moment we start showing any signs, but with months between checkups, we can feel the changes. Mind you, I am happy not to have a week of down time, but there is activity.”
If she had said that she had another head under her shirt, she could not have shocked him more.
“What?”
“You heard me. Just because the hormones aren’t showing up on the scans, doesn’t mean they haven’t been present in the system. By the way, when were you going to mention the human men that were here? They aren’t part of your breeding plan.”
Iktabi was suddenly busy with his meal.
She sighed and kept eating. She thought she had figured it out, but the idea was so ludicrous that she was sure she was wrong.
“We believed that it would be easier to see that there were men of your own species here, for security.”
She snorted. “So, they are yours after all.”
He shrugged. “Altering Nools to look and think like humans is easy enough. When they go through their change, their tribal memories come back to them.”
“Tribe?”
“Tribe, clan, race, whatever you wish to call it. When they take their adult form, they know what they are and what they have always been.”
“So, that is why there are revolts now and then. You have to arrest the Nools before they go through puberty and the deception is exposed.”
“Correct. When they return here, they have knowledge of the human women and are socially more adept than those who didn’t come to their change while they were here.”
She exhaled heavily and then slurped up the last of her meal. “That explains quite a bit. Are you ever going to tell the women?”
“It will not be necessary. They don’t know that they are alone, and it is for the best.”
She sat back and drummed her nails on the table. “You are taking my mention of the ladies needing to feel settled a little far.”
“It has worked well on other worlds. When the Nools mature, they go through a gene therapy to regain their Rrassic characteristics. From there, they become normal Rrassic.”
“Why are you letting me fill in all the blanks?”
He smiled slowly, and she shivered slightly at the surety in his gaze. “It is safer to have you know what you need to now and not have you guessing randomly or hacking into our data files. As you are not leaving my side, there is no danger that the information will become common knowledge.”
“As if I would do that to my people. They are having a hard-enough time adapting to this world without telling them all this. I have kept my silence so far, and I will continue to do so.”
He chuckled. “Excellent. Now, shall we settle the matter of your clothing?”
She made a face. “If we must.”
“We must.” He got to his feet and extended his hand to her.
She looked around, and the vast majority of Rrassic who occupied the shop were looking, whether directly or in reflections in the windows. She slipped her hand into his and felt the strength of his hand curl around hers.
He pulled her to her feet and settled her hand on his arm again as they left the shop and headed for the commercial district of Imrahl.
They went past three shops that catered to human clothing, and Isabella waved at the shop owners as they smiled at her while she passed.
“Here is the tailor that you will use. It is a requirement of your office that you be appropriate, and so, you will represent your people.”
“Got it. You don’t have to belabour the point.”
Iktabi snorted. “Somehow, I want to.”
They stepped into the shop, and a large and bulky Luthin came out from behind his counter and bowed. “Overseer, it is an honour to serve you. The samples you requested are in the fitting room.”
“Excellent. Kromil, this is my assistant, Isabella Thems. Isabella, Kromil is a master of materials. He can make whatever you need and do it in materials stronger than you could imagine.”
“You flatter me, sir.”
“You know me better than that. Kromil creates my clothing and makes it fit like a second skin.”
Isabella had to look at Iktabi, and she had to admit that the rich, dark colours that defied her knowledge of the spectrum were well fitted to him in both a wrapped tunic that left his wings free and the trousers tucked into boots below. She had leaned up against that fabric, and it was just as soft as the skin it covered. The fabric felt like the softest suede, and it matched Iktabi texture for texture.
“It looks comfortable.”
Kromil smiled and bowed. “Thank you. Please, come this way, and we will look through a few clothing styles that might appeal to you.”
“Excellent. Let’s get this over with.”
“Ah, an eager customer. I can hardly wait.” He chuckled and led the way to the back of the shop.
Isabella nodded and steeled herself for the ordeal about to come.
Three hours of trying on costumes and clothing from around the Earth and she had come out with a few items she could live with.
The clothing that she really wanted to wear was the few designs of Rrassic origin that Kromil had produced.
Rrassic clothing was long, elegant and wrapped around the body. Bands of metallic lace twisted around the limbs and torso, marking and enhancing the form and figure of the wearer. Well, the female clothing was like that. The masculine clothing was tunics and trousers with trim, so the Rrassic on Imrahl were just wearing what they would on their home world.
Kromil sorted through the fabric samples and nodded. “I can work on this today and get you something to wear tomorrow if that is acceptable?”
Isabella smirked. “Sure, I have plenty of stuff to wear.”
Iktabi winced. “The sooner the better, Kromil. I have to look at her fashion choices. It is becoming painful.”
“I understand, Overseer. I will do what I can.”
Isabella chortled. It was fun to torment someone who couldn’t fight back but still held her life in his hands. The frisson of danger was always with her, and she definitely enjoyed it.
Iktabi sighed. “Come along, Isabella. You have one more appointment today.”
“I do?” It was news to her.
“You do.” He walked out the door, and he must have shortened her tether because she was hauled along after him, stumbling until she caught up to him.
He snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her to his chest. “Lean your head on my shoulder.”
It was all the warning she had as he lifted her in his arms, bent his legs and leaped skyward.
If her head hadn’t been pressed to his shoulder, she would have suffered whiplash or worse. Unlike the glide from the top of a building, the ground takeoff was quite violent.
She closed her eyes and remained still as he flew them across the city. When he circled for a landing, she opened her eyes. The med centre was getting larger beneath them.
“I am not due for a physical for a few months.”
“I know, but as you pointed out, we could be missing out on a change in your biological state. We can’t have that.” His voice rumbled against her temple.
She definitely wanted to run, and he likely sensed it. He didn’t set her down but rather walked into the roof access door and down the stairs to the exam labs.
She had nowhere to go.
The med team was waiting, and when Iktabi set her down on the scanning bed, he didn’t go far. The m
edics moved around him with deference as they took hormone levels from her and ran internal scans.
The whole time she was being fussed over, Isabella glared at Iktabi. He seemed remarkably immune to her irritation.
“Overseer, you are correct. We wouldn’t have been able to catch it if you hadn’t mentioned it. She has already passed into receptivity.”
Isabella drummed her fingers against the table and didn’t say anything. She sat up and swung her legs off the table, preparing to hop off.
Iktabi picked her up again. “Thank you for the diagnostic, Umrion. I will advise you of her progress.”
“Uh, thank you, Overseer.”
Iktabi walked out with her trying to glare a hole in his throat. “You can stare all you want. I am not putting you down.”
“Why did you bring me to the med centre?”
“Because I can smell your body’s reaction to mine, and I wanted to make sure that it was an accurate assessment.”
Her blush could have set his shirt on fire. “I don’t have a reaction.”
“Your mind may not, but your body isn’t listening.” He left the roof access and spread his wings.
He jumped and held her close as his wings beat slowly, taking them home.
She just knew that they were about to have a long conversation, and for once, she wished she had kept her damned mouth shut.
Chapter Eight
When Iktabi set her down in his quarters, she stared at him warily.
“So, do I go on the receptive registry and attend those stupid mixers?”
“No. I don’t know what to do with you yet.” His words were nearly a growl.
She sighed in relief. Being paraded in front of a bunch of horny Rrassic who were trying to impress her was one of her personal queasy points.
“Do you know how to cook?” Iktabi asked as he headed into the kitchen.
“No.”
“You will learn. It is a good survival skill.” He pulled his wings tight against his back and started to pull vegetables and bread out of storage.
She watched and tried to pay attention, but there were requisitions that needed authorization and several medical scans were coming through that identified the young women as receptive. Damn.
“We have half a dozen women who have been tapped as receptive thanks to their supervisors or acquaintances mentioning them.”
Iktabi smiled. “Excellent.”
“Not excellent. You can’t just drop those women at the secure quarters and call it a day.”
“Why not? They will be briefed while they are there as to what is expected of them.”
Isabella groaned. “These women don’t even know about Rrassic physiology. Hell, I barely know about it. I have only researched it through the files, and there are details lacking.”
He sighed and gave her a wry glance. “What do you need to know?”
She blinked. “You are going to tell me? Just like that?”
“I am. I am guessing you will be filling the position of councillor from time to time, so it will be best if you know what you are dealing with.”
“Or, what they are dealing with.”
“Just so.”
She nodded and opened the file she had with questions D’mere wouldn’t answer. “What is a mating spine and why does it have to be used?”
Iktabi juggled the fruit he was pulling out of the chiller. “You get right into it.”
“No sense easing my way.”
He exhaled. “Right, well, the Zjin and the Luthins have a spine in the penis that hearkens back to the days when we were in such direct competition for females that they could have multiple partners in an evening and children from whichever they chose. The spine triggers ovulation, increasing the chances of reproducing and keying the female to the male.”
“Did it actually work?”
“In about seventy-five percent of cases. There are always those that are not well matched, though attraction is there.”
She chuckled. “It is the same on Earth, but we have a far lower success rate, and spines are not a factor. What about the other Rrassic?”
“Like the Dorbin? We rely on genetic matches. Our sex drive is not high until we are with our mates. Once we determine that we have a match, our instincts rise to the fore.”
“That sounds ominous.”
He chuckled. “It does, doesn’t it? The Saya are the same. A female with a Saya needs to have the potential for mental connection. They are good at finding their own mates, but it takes quite a population sample to create a proper candidate.”
“So, what about erogenous zones? How much foreplay is involved? Is casual sex an easy option, or is it one and done?”
Iktabi paused and stared at her in horror. “What have I done?”
She grinned. “You told me I could ask, so I am asking.”
His face contorted for a moment before he nodded. “Right. Well, each race has different sensitive spots. What works for one might not work for others. Like with any lover, you must first explore to determine the places that give your partner pleasure.”
He started peeling vegetables, and he cleared his throat. “Foreplay is the same. It depends on the woman.”
She chuckled. “Fine. What about casual sex?”
“There is rarely anything casual about sex, but sex without a mate bond is common enough. Each division of the Rrassic has a different requirement for linking to a mate. The Saya need a compatible mind, the Zjin need scent. The Luthin require their mate to have keen senses.”
“What about the Regiz?”
He snorted. “They want a mate as attractive as they are.”
“Funny.”
“Well, physical attraction is part of it, but what they find attractive is up to them. Women with fuller figures seem to do well with them, though your society has made all the females so self-conscious about their appearances it is hard to crack through that shell.”
Isabella wanted to comment on that, but she couldn’t. He wasn’t wrong. She had spent so much time trying to be invisible because she couldn’t figure out what anyone saw in her.
She changed the topic. “What are the Dorbin after?”
He grinned. “We just want mates with a good grip. For us to manage a proper mating, we need to be in the air.”
“Ohmygod. Are you joking?”
“No. Flight is important to the Dorbin. The longer the flight, the better the chances that both parties will achieve satisfaction. Of course, unlike the other races, the Dorbin don’t immediately fall asleep after orgasm.” He was chuckling.
Isabella didn’t find it funny. “What about for casual sex?”
“That can remain indoors.”
She didn’t say, Oh good, but she was thinking it. The idea of having all that grey skin at her disposal was fun, but only that. She didn’t want to take it to the air. Her goal was to remain free of entanglements as long as humanly possible, her current house arrest notwithstanding.
“Any other questions?”
She paused and then decided to shoot the works. “As clones, how long do we live?”
“Your body clocks have been slowed to one-fourth of your actual spans. This will vary from woman to woman, but it is the average.”
She exhaled sharply. “So, under ideal conditions, we could live as long as four hundred years?”
“On average, yes.” He finished his prep, slid everything into a pot and set it on the heater. “It is less than was hoped for but a satisfactory situation.”
“What were you hoping for?”
He washed his hands and cleaned up after himself. “A thousand years, but that would be too much to ask.”
She shivered. “I guess so, yeah.”
Isabella quickly pulled up medical records and sighed with relief. No one was pregnant yet.
“Do you want to be swamped in Human-Rrassic hybrids?”
“That is the idea. You are clones, we are clo
nes, our children will be naturally born hybrids who can create a new species of Rrassic to make sure that our kind survive.”
“Wait, you are trying to make a new species?” Of all the data she had gleaned over the last few months, this was a huge surprise.
“We are facing an extinction-level invasion of our home. We are using all techniques available to make the next generation stronger, smarter, more resilient and with a higher population.”
“So, you copied the best of what you could find on Earth and hoped that we would find you attractive?”
He chuckled. “Well, we also spliced Rrassic genes into yours, so it is likely that our drives would communicate themselves well.”
For some reason, she stared at her hands. “I don’t feel different.”
“The changes will only become apparent in the next generation. We have turned the women here into genetic carriers.”
She found a chair and sat heavily. “Carriers.”
“The Rrassic genes will manifest in your children. Instead of our mixing and matching dominant traits to make better warriors, we are breeding them.”
“How... how will that work? It will be twenty years before the children have gone through puberty for either species.”
“It will be, but that is a discussion for another time. What did you think of the clothing choices you had today?”
The sudden switch in topics made her glad she was sitting down. “They were fine. None of them felt like me, though.”
He nodded and began setting bowls and plates out, along with sporks. “I gathered as much. I will have Kromil search the archives for something more suitable for daily wear.”
She smiled. “I am fine with what I picked out today. I don’t want to fuss.”
Iktabi sat next to her, and he stroked a curl of hair from her cheek. “It is no fuss.”
“How about, I don’t want to be bothered?”
“That sounds more like you.” He chuckled. “We have an hour before dinner is ready. Would you like to exercise or glare at me for that time?”
She snickered and got to her feet. “I think... both.”
She went to her room, and when she had changed into workout gear, she opened her door to let Iktabi at the machines.
