by Poppy Rhys
“We are much more powerful,” Kahn had assured me, a wicked gleam in his eye before he stole a kiss from me. “We won’t let them get out of control.”
I trusted him, them. They’d had centuries to perfect their abilities and hone their knowledge of their element. They were the best of the Ghians, after all, my four.
I stared up at the twin moons in the dark sky scattered with stars that had no constellations I was familiar with. The thick grass cushioned my back as my guys lounged around me.
We came out here a few times a week. I loved this spot. It had a perfect, unobstructed view of the night sky, and the meadow of golden flowers that glowed in the dark like millions of fireflies gave off a warm feel.
Home.
That was what this spot had become to me. So much, in fact, I’d chosen it as the spot we’d build on.
Well, the spot they would build on. None of them would let me lift a finger.
Rezz moseyed from the field, the glowing flowers parting, and he gently head-booped my bare belly before his huge bristly tongue licked it.
I giggled, pushing his head away. “Stop it Rezz, ya big dope.”
The baritone ripple of laughter from my guys broke through the silent night around me when Rezz came right back, rubbing his furry face over my stomach. The tickle of his soft fur and feathery mane sent me into a fit of chuckles.
He loved loving on my belly. Weird lion-bird.
The babies went berserk, rolling around and kicking, getting riled up by Rezz who watched with wide eyes before licking me again.
“Arrrrg,” I groaned. “I just got these guys settled down, Rezz!”
The lion-bird rubbed his whiskers on my belly, a rumbling in his chest rising before he laid his chin atop my middle and closed his eyes, determined to lull the babies to sleep with his giant purr.
It worked. Every time.
Kahn stroked Rezz’s back, ruffing up his fur and feathers before smoothing them down, silently saying ‘good boy’.
Zaid had already been working on a blueprint for the new house and scoping out materials. Lonan and Kahn would be working out the power situation so we could have electricity, just like in Ghi. Dason would oversee the plumbing so I didn’t have to bathe at the tarn anymore if I didn’t want to.
I was so looking forward to hot water.
The spot wasn’t far from where Preta lived with Ryan and her valos. About a fifteen-minute walk. And it was safe. Not many predators ventured into Kahav territory unless they were desperate. I was still cautious, and usually one of the four were with me anyway.
But it’d be safe for our young or as the Kahav liked to call them, sproutlings.
I grinned.
They’d been helpful in our search for the main hub of the prison. Being able to ride their dragon forms and get an aerial view of Sonhadra was amazing. We’d found another crash site, but no one alive was there. It, too, looked as if it’d been attacked.
My fingers rubbed against my tags that hung from my neck. I didn’t care about the damn things back on Earth, but my dad did. I’d given them to him the last time we were together.
Finding them at that crash site months back had given me too many mixed feelings. I still didn’t care about the tags. I cared about what they meant.
Our dad was here.
How it was possible, we didn’t know. Nothing made sense.
Preta and I hadn’t given up hope of finding him, even after months of no success. While we didn’t voice it, I knew she wanted to talk to him just as much as I did, probably more.
I’d spent plenty of time with him in the months leading up to my arrest, planning. Preta hadn’t seen him in nearly a year.
I laid a hand on my stomach. We were bound to the ground, currently. Preta and I had been banned from going out on the dragons. I knew my pregnancy wasn’t normal, and I had the overwhelming feeling these babies would be coming sooner rather than later.
We’d have to wait to go out there on the search again until after the babies were born. Patience was the hardest thing. That, and not knowing if dad was alive or dead.
Any day now, Preta would pop. We were all nervous, but especially Ryan, Mace, Chor, and Ammos—her guys. They circled around her like hawks, annoying the shit out of her. It gave me a good laugh, until one of my guys would fuss over me.
Heaven forbid I had to bend over for anything.
It wasn’t so funny when I couldn’t even pick up a pebble on my own unless I snatched it up while one of them weren’t looking.
Rare. Very rare.
Being constantly watched was getting old, but I was dealing. I figured, it was better than being ignored like some human men were with their pregnant partners.
Dason picked a glowing golden flower and tucked it into my hair. It would last the night, but by morning, its glow would fade, and it would die.
Sonhadra wasn’t all bad, and being in this territory, I’d had a chance to see the beauty it held.
My stomach loudly gurgled, breaking the silence.
Cue the chuckles.
“Hungry, babe?” Kahn grinned, using the human endearment.
Cheeky.
I let them help me to my feet. My hand rested on Rezz’s head as we started the walk back to Preta’s. “I could go for some pudding right about now.”
They groaned. I failed at suppressing my snicker.
“Hey, don’t deprive a pregnant lady of her treats.”
Naturally, they gave in, Dason shimmying up an etchi tree he’d located nearby—and no, that wasn’t the reason I’d picked this spot for our new home.
At least, not the whole reason.
In the moonlight, they watched me enjoy my bug spray, caramel fudge pudding, chuckling at my never-ending enthusiasm for the stuff.
When the babies kicked happily, I rested a hand there, and then lay eyes on each of my four guys.
They would be good dads, but I was positive they didn’t know what they’d gotten themselves into. They had no idea what trouble they were in for with half-human babies.
When my shoulders shook with laughter, their curious stares silently asked what was so funny.
“Just wait,” I patted Zaid’s arm, and let Lonan thread his fingers through mine. “One day, you’ll all miss this peace and quiet.”
Dason nipped my earlobe, Kahn ran his fingers through my curls, and then we headed away. I tossed one last glance over my shoulder at the perfect spot where I’d live out my days with my guys and our children.
Home.
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
WELL? Did you like it? I hope you did! Writing a reverse harem was a serious challenge. Making sure every hero had their own personality, set of quirks, and voice: hard.
Who was your favorite hero? I really want to know! Tell me in your review (if you do, THANK YOU!) or catch me over on my Facebook page. I’d love to hear from you!
Then again, #whychoose?
Charlie was a tough cookie to crack. I’ve never written a female operative before. I love tough heroines. She couldn’t be completely ‘live to kill’, however. She had to be relatable and human! Had to toss in some humor and sarcasm from her side as her situation changed. Laugh or cry, right?
Have to give a HUGE hug to Amanda Milo! She was absolutely amazing to work with, because we had to! Charlie and Preta (her heroine in Alluvial if you haven’t read it) were sisters, after all. It took a lot of (wo)man hours to make our stories flow together.
Success!
Many a night we were in each other’s brainz, (I suggest you try it sometime, but only with a friend!) and riding the same wavelength was creepy and funny and awesome. Check out her Facebook page, because she writes some freaking fantastic books you’re going to want to read!
Working with the group of authors for this collaboration was insanely new (to me) and a unique experience that I’m still shocked we pulled off. Like, whoa. We did it! (I was serious when I said we had no fucking clue what we were doing. Ahem.)
And we�
�re all still friends. Ha-ha, crazy, I know.
It isn’t over yet! Amanda and I grew so attached to Charlie and Preta’s dad (Gerard Sol) while writing this, we were unsure we could walk away without giving him a happy ending too. Thus, an idea was born late at night... We determined “Daddy Sol” needed us. Oh, yeah. Look forward to a novella on him. ;)
Want to be on the next ARC Team? https://goo.gl/hfjyzy
Want to discuss spoilers? https://goo.gl/5GAmvH
Want to discuss the whole series? https://goo.gl/DYSq7F
(Come talk to all of us!)
Thanks for reading!
VALOS OF SONHADRA
(In Series Order)
Alluvial by Amanda Milo
Tempest by Poppy Rhys
Blazing by Nancey Cummings
Whirlwind by Ripley Proserpina
Radiant by Naomi Lucas
Shadowed by Isabel Wroth
Undying by Tiffany Roberts
Enduring by Marina Simcoe
Unfrozen by Regine Abel
MORE BY POPPY RHYS
WOMEN OF DOR NYE
The Melier
The Melier: Home World
The Yarian
The Khyma: Taken Part One
The Incuabri: Taken Part Two
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
POPPY IS A SMALL TOWN American girl, living in a tiny Canadian hamlet, who spends her days pounding on the keyboard, drinking tea, and living one step outside of reality. Her retirement plan is to be abducted by the aliens she writes about, but for now, she enjoys life with her husband, their three cats, and when she’s not getting sucked into cute animal videos, you can normally find her with her nose in a book.
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