by Viola Grace
Yeleki asked, “How do you know?”
“Because my mother married him to my younger sister and that is where she ended up.” She shrugged. “Somehow, he ended up getting beaten up and eating all his meals through a straw.”
Aber snorted. “So, you are not a fan of bullies.”
She smiled. “Correct. I also believe that I am a little hostile toward those who mess with my family.”
Yeleki asked, “So, how are you going to deal with being separated from your child?”
She sighed. “If it is permitted, I would love to remain to watch them grow, but Dr. Ock has already hinted at my being ejected from Gryphal the moment that Sephal is up and walking around.”
Khed nodded. “A lot can change in nine months.”
Levell grinned. “Now, what are you making for dinner?”
She snorted and said, “The roast is already marinating, the tubers are chopped and waiting. The side dishes are standing by, and the equipment for gravy is set and ready.”
The men grinned, and Aber opened his mouth, but an alarm went off, and they all scattered and went to change from lounge wear to their suits. They ran out, and Khed paused on the way out, kissed her quickly, winked, and headed out.
She blinked and pressed her fingers to her lips. That was strange.
The roast was huge, so she set it in the oven to begin its journey. She cleaned up after the ravages of lunch, and then, with her hands on her hips, she grinned and headed for the gym. She stripped off her robe and went to work up a sweat.
She had to be more cautious than she would be with a spotter, but she managed to lift her own bodyweight. Once that was taken care of, she went for a light jog around the track, and then, she went to check on dinner and take a shower.
Having the base to herself was a little weird. She tried to exit the door that she had entered through. It was locked. She wandered idly through the main floor and tried a few more doors. All of the electronics had her locked inside. She smiled. She would just get a cake in the oven and then start looking into the coding that ran the facility. By her standards, it was pretty basic.
The alarm for the cake went off, and she rescued it from the oven. Cooking for this many guys was definitely worth what she was being paid. It was a ton of math to work through.
She checked on the roast and put the veg in the oven. Things would be scheduled for a standard dinner time, but she wasn’t going to wait for them. If she was hungry before they got home, she was eating.
While the cake cooled she whipped cream and lightly sweetened it. The fruit was ready, and she walked into the living area, turning on the vid to watch the news.
An explosion at a research facility had called the heroes, and they were working with the locals to extract the workers while dealing with the toxic gasses. They had been at it for hours, and Khed was carrying people out in groups of four. He was entering and exiting via a man-shaped hole in the side of the facility.
First responders were taking those rescued away from the spot where Khed was setting them down. Levell was doing something with wind, Horro was carrying the badly injured over to the medics, Aber and Yeleki were visible, but she couldn’t tell what they were doing.
There were men and women crying, gathered people staring in horror, and the team continued working.
The channel broke from the tragedy and began playing some light entertainment. Dekora kept flipping through the vids until she found more images of the site. Vids were being taken from every angle, and then, the image focused on Khed.
The reporter announced, “And here is, of course, Gryphal’s most beloved son, Khed. We are privy to some excellent news. After years of trying, Khed’s legacy contract has been signed, and his child is on the way.”
The reporter paused and said, “We would ask Khed Amur’s feelings on the matter, but he and the others are busy. We will make sure to catch him for an interview at the gala later this week.”
She then signed off, and Dekora was left looking for more information on the accident.
She dozed off for a few minutes, and it was the thudding of feet that woke her. She sat up and bolted to her feet, staggering and leaning against the edge of the couch.
Hands helped support her, and she was pressed against a bare chest. “You don’t need to leap to your feet when I enter the room.”
She looked down and took in that he was completely bare. Her startled gaze shot up, and he looked tired but amused. “Decontamination procedures. We all had to strip when we landed, and our suits are being scrubbed.”
She blushed and nodded. “Right. I saw it on the news. If you get dressed, I will get dinner on the table by the time you are ready.”
He smiled and stroked her cheek. “Thank you.”
He turned, and the long swath of his blue-black hair nearly covered his butt. Nearly. It was still amazing watching him hike up the stairs.
Horro appeared next to her. “So, you two have a thing?”
Dekora blinked rapidly and shook her head. “No, of course not. It is just a pheromone thing. He’s the first Knothean or descendant I have seen in a while. Are you going to go put some pants on so I can serve dinner?” Her voice got louder, and he winced.
“Yes ma’am.”
She sighed and started loading the table. They trickled in, and Aber helped her to put the bowls and platters on the table. She got the water and juice pitchers and set them down.
She smiled at Aber. “I would put down some wine, but I can’t get into the cellar.”
He frowned. “Why not?”
“Med lockout.”
He glanced down at her belly. “Oh. Right.”
She chuckled. “Don’t worry. I forget, too.”
Dekora started to load her plate, and the other guys showed up, gleefully diving into the food. She sat down and ate her serving while they discussed the explosion and the aftermath. When her serving was done, she got up and brought her plate to the kitchen, putting it in the washer.
“We are on the hook for dishes tonight, remember?”
Khed came up close behind her, and he took the utensils from her hand. She turned and was up against his chest.
She glanced up at him and blushed. “I am used to cleaning up, and I wanted to make room for dessert.”
He smiled, but his eyes were tired. “You made dessert?”
“I did. I have already had my allotted one today, but you guys can go nuts.”
He frowned. “What do you mean, your allotted dessert?”
“I am allowed one per day, as per the contract. Tomorrow, I will have to go to your med scanners and send the results to Dr. Kelway.”
Khed smiled. “If I am here, let me know, and I will help you.”
She nodded. “Thanks. I might need a bit of assistance the first time.”
She moved around him and went to the chiller and grabbed the cake. She grabbed the stack of plates and clean forks before carrying everything back to the table.
She was a little stunned that there was nothing left. She set the cake down and then the plates and forks. She was about to step aside, but Khed pulled her into his lap.
Her eyes were wide, but he was calm. He cut a slab of cake for himself and plopped it onto the plate.
The other guys made quick work of the cake.
Yeleki frowned. “You aren’t having any, Dekora?”
“Nope. Contract regulations. I am not allowed more than one dessert per day. They don’t want the carriers to get fat.”
The guys were shocked, but Khed forked up a piece of cake for himself, raised his brows in approval, and then, the fork was hovering in front of her mouth. He swallowed. “Your turn.”
“What? I just said that I am not allowed...”
“You are not eating a serving of dessert, you are being fed a serving of dessert. There is a difference. The team can confirm that you have neither touched the plate, nor the fork. Heck, you are not even seated at the table.”
She was going to give him a p
iece of her mind, but a second piece of cake passed her lips.
The other guys were chuckling, and she sighed and chewed slowly. The guys were all remarkably cheerful as she shared the cake with Khed. It was weird, but the conversations were interesting.
When the cake was done, she was sitting in Khed’s lap and he was rubbing her back. She drooped her head onto his shoulder, and he sighed and got up. “Looks like she is exhausted. I will take her to her room.”
She murmured to him as he carried her up the steps. “They aren’t going to leave you any cake.”
He chuckled. “That’s fine. I get to hold you, and they don’t.”
“Yeah, about that, why are you holding me?”
He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I am utilizing the expressing affection toward my legacy carrier clause that is in the contract I signed years ago. Technically, I am allowed to make free with your body provided that I don’t damage you. I feel emotional damage is still damage, so I am trying to work at seducing you.”
She snorted. “In the base with a team of heroes? You do make things complicated.”
“I have nine more months to win your affection. I believe I am up to the challenge.”
He opened her room and set her gently down on her bed, sitting next to her.
He leaned in and kissed her, using his tongue softly. She could taste the fruit and cream from the cake, and she shivered.
He stroked her shoulder and kept the light but teasing kiss until he leaned back with a smile. “Good night, Dekora.”
He got up and left her. She watched him leave, counted to ten, put her pillow over her face, and she screamed. Slow seductions were the stuff of nightmares.
* * * *
Yeleki chuckled. “Whatever you did, you got a reaction. She is screaming into a pillow right now.”
Khed sat down and got the last piece of cake. “Good scream or angry scream?”
“I would say frustration. So, well done.”
Khed chuckled. It was easy enough to get a woman when he wanted one, but Dekora was the first woman that he wanted to earn. He now officially had a hobby.
Chapter Six
The next morning, she made a mountain of pancakes and heated up the syrup and butter; there was fried meats and a tower of muffins. That should be enough to get them through to lunch. She ate her meal, and then, Horro came down.
“So, how are you enjoying cooking for the equivalent of twenty teenage boys?” Horro grinned and filled his plate.
“It is a challenge but rather fun. I like keeping busy, and the pay is comparable to being on the firebreak team.”
“Why did you do that? I mean, sure, she is a friend, but you are risking your life for her.”
“It is my life to risk. My existence is better with Sephal in it. She is a good friend, and she also does not have family to rely on.”
She looked at Horro. “Why are you on the team?”
“Well, I received treatment from Dr. Ock when I was a child, and now, I have superspeed. It is the same with all of us. He has been carefully selecting children for generations.”
“What do you mean, generations? How old is he?”
Horro shrugged. “No one knows. It seems that he predates the colonists. What we do know is that he carefully selects candidates from children in the population, and after their treatment at the research hospital, there are developments. Khed got strength, I am fast, Levell has bursts of wind—”
“I noticed but was too polite to mention it.”
He snorted. “Aber has analytical skills second to a computer, and Yeleki has enhanced senses, so they are our investigation team.”
“Ah. Got it.” She finished her breakfast and frowned. “I am going to make more food.”
He laughed and grabbed her wrist. “Don’t. This is plenty. We have supplemental bars that we normally eat for breakfast. This is a luxury. We are big boys. We can figure out what we need.”
Khed’s voice growled. “Why are you touching her?”
Horro didn’t flinch. He kept his hand on her wrist. “She wanted to make more food. I don’t want her tiring herself out trying to keep us fed. We have the supplements for this very reason.”
Khed sighed. “Well, you can let go of her now.”
Horro brought her hand to his lips, kissed the back of it, and then, he put her hand in her lap.
She looked around and said, “Would either of you tell me what that scanner and generator is for when you first get into the supply area?”
Horro nodded. “Sure, it’s our suit generator. If we have a power surge or a long-term injury, we go and get a scan, and it makes us a monitor suit that compensates for the issue. Why?”
“Oh, I didn’t want to stumble on it and set it off.”
Khed shook his head. “It wouldn’t do anything for you. It only goes off when it senses enhancements.”
She stilled. “Oh?”
“Like the ones that I mentioned. The doctor finds good candidates for team members, and he injects them with some weird cocktail along with the repair machines.”
“Right. Of course.” She chuckled weakly.
Khed ate, and the others came down. She put her dishes into the washer where they joined all the prep dishes.
She then tried to sneak past the table, but Khed grabbed her arm and got to his feet.
“We will go to our medical center now. I confess to being curious as to what the progress looks like.”
She nodded. “Me too. I have been a little sleepy lately, but I have no idea if that is normal.”
“So, scan and then conference call with Dr. Kelway?”
“Yes, as long as you aren’t busy.”
He smiled and kept hold of her hand as they walked through a doorway off the gym. The medical center was shockingly complete.
He led her to one of the horizontal scanners and helped her onto the bed. “Scoot down so your feet are at the end.”
She stifled her snort as every intimate exam she had ever had rippled through her thoughts. He lowered the scanner to within twenty centimeters of her body, and then, he murmured, “Try to remain still.”
She nodded, and he triggered the scan.
It took six minutes to scan her completely, and when he had the report, he sent it off to Dr. Kelway.
Khed moved the scanner out of the way, and he frowned. “Are you sure that you are only one month along?”
“Yeah. I believe I would remember being pregnant on the freighter. It took four months to get here, but it would take either intervention or another Knothean to get me pregnant and that didn’t happen.”
A holo projector fired up, and Dr. Kelway was on the screen. “Dekora, what is going on?”
Dekora frowned and scooted to the edge of the bed. “What do you mean, what is going on?”
“You have growth accelerator in your system. The baby is more than twice the size it should be at this stage.”
Dekora glanced at Khed. “I haven’t taken anything. I went straight from the hospital to the base, and there hasn’t been anything in between. Even my few hours alone are monitored. I am not taking an accelerator.”
She put her hand protectively over her belly. “Is the baby okay?”
“Yes, but I would rather that you were here. This development is highly abnormal.”
Khed nodded. “I will bring her back for you to check her right away.”
“I won’t just check her. She will be remaining at the hospital.”
Khed froze. “You won’t give her back to me?”
There was something in the slow and precise way that he spoke that made Dr. Kelway stutter. “I mean, if we had daily scans, we could get a better idea of what is going on.”
There was a chime. Another screen appeared, and Dr. Ock was grinning. “Well, done, Ms. Mills. I knew that if anyone could make the serum work on their child, it would be you.”
Khed was horrified. “Doctor, what did you do?”
“Your companion there had a broken arm
and a lot of tissue damage. I gave her the serum along with the repair bots, and then, we implanted her with the embryo. Her body is doing the rest. Healing the bone takes a lot of energy on behalf of her body, but if you check that progress, you should get an idea of how long it will be before she is completely healed. In the meantime, her body is busy building the child. I would guess that she is close to four months along based on that scan.” He chuckled. “Wonderful.”
Dr. Kelway was pale. “Scans. Every. Day.”
Dekora nodded. “Yes, Dr. Kelway.”
She put her hand over her belly and noted that her slightly curved belly was now under tension.
Khed disconnected the calls. He looked at her. “I am so sorry.”
Dekora blinked and patted his hand. “It’s fine. I am just surprised that he didn’t mention it when I was at the hospital. It must have been showing up there.”
On impulse, she grabbed his hand and pressed it to her belly.
His eyes went wide. “I can feel something.”
Dekora felt her eyes widen in shock when she felt a fluttering. Khed stared at her in shock.
“Did you feel that?” He was excited.
She chuckled. “I did. From the inside.”
His eyes were shining as he looked at her. “You will stay here.”
She nodded. “I will need to order more clothing. When the baby starts taking up more room, things are going to change quickly.”
Dekora hopped off the table, and she smiled. “Well, that does explain the fatigue and dizziness.”
Khed put an arm around her. “Are you all right?”
“I am fine. Disgustingly healthy. You saw the report. I am just further along in our pregnancy than we thought.”
She walked with him into the gym, and the team was all there, working out casually.
Aber looked up. “Well?”
Dekora looked at Khed and back to the team. “I am fine, but I was injured, and there is a slight side effect.”
All the eyes in the room were focused on her. “It is progressing more rapidly than anticipated. I will need to scan daily to determine the rate of growth.”
Khed smiled. “It moved.”
