by Poppy Rhys
Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit!
Breathe.
She took a breath, not even realizing she’d stopped. Soren’s arms squeezed slightly once he got over his surprise, and a low purr started up from him and Zun. Not loud and uncontrolled, but just enough to show their pleasure at the turn of events.
She closed her mouth and then sucked in her full lips to keep the incredulous smile hidden, even though it was a poor attempt. It was her turn to dip her chin appreciatively toward the queen, and for a wink in time she could’ve sworn a twinkle lit Gi’Moy’s eyes before she went back to addressing the issue at hand.
****
The next day, Lucia paced the room that had been given to her and her mates to use while aboard the military craft, both of whom had disappeared again. Her mind was split as she thought about many issues that bounced around in her head.
Who is aiding the Trepnils and why?
Is it the same person who wants me dead?
Is it even a single person? What if it’s a group?
She groaned and nibbled her bottom lip. It was slightly swollen and sensitive with all the biting she’d done in the past few hours. She consciously stopped chewing, and her eyes slunk to the box that had been taunting her for the last while.
Gi’Ren must’ve boarded his ship and retrieved the gift she purposely never took with her.
Fucking finger gauntlets.
Fucking Melier customs.
Ughhhh!
Lucia wanted to do it. She really did. She wanted to give Soren and Val’Zun the mark they so desperately wanted. She noticed how their gazes lingered on the marks some of the mated males aboard the craft displayed proudly.
I’m a terrible person, aren’t I?
You keep asking me that and one day I’m going to answer you.
Lu groaned again.
She hesitantly lifted the lid of the gift box and then slammed it closed again.
She sighed.
Once more, she opened the lid and looked at the frightening makeshift claws. Her stomach rolled as she imagined the razor points dripping with droplets of her mate’s blood, and she covered her mouth.
She stepped back, leaving the lid open as she began to tread the small space again, her eyes continuously straying to the box of horrors.
MoMo lay on the bed watching her with his wide, purple orbs. Lu could swear he was judging her.
“Stop looking at me like that,” she told him.
He chuffed, and then whimpered.
“I mean it,” she tossed a finger at him. His velvety black ears twitched and he sighed, laying his head atop his matching front legs.
I can do this right? I mean, they’ve both done so much for me…
What’s a little love mark?
Her cheeks puffed up with the bout of nausea that rolled through her at the thought of sinking those weapons into Soren’s and Zun’s pretty cobalt skin.
She swallowed repeatedly and then approached the box again, reaching out to pick up one of the claws. Slipping it onto her finger, she curled the digit and tested the foreign feel of something encasing half of her finger. The silver was cool but continued to warm with her prolonged touch.
Lu poked the tip, testing its sharpness and wasn’t disappointed at how easily it would be able to pierce flesh, even the thicker skin of the Melier.
“Goddammit,” she mumbled and looked to the ceiling while she blew out a defeated sigh.
She would do it.
****
“It is his daughter,” Val’Zun grinned as they both went over the latest intelligence from an elite team that intercepted communication from the ship Soren was looking into.
“A’Drast,” Soren sighed reverently. No one knew Vu’Mal’Su had a daughter, and it was beyond him why the emperor would keep her in a ship floating in space with very minimal security. Was it a trick? Was he that conceited?
He couldn’t be.
If anything, it was a disguise. A heavily guarded craft would draw a large amount of unwanted attention, especially in a time of war. In addition to little security, the ships location was in the Sak Pan galaxy, far off the normal trade routes many ships would take.
He was hiding her.
Soren’s eyes met the sights of his brothers before he returned Val’Zun’s grin.
With no communication to their military presence on the planet, it was nearly impossible to make any type of collaborative plan to clear the palace of the enemy. His father and sister were still down there in the middle of it all, hopefully still protected and within the safe room.
“We need to get onto this ship,” he tapped a claw against the hardened surface of the CID the message was on. “If we have Vu’Mal’Su’s daughter…”
“We may be able to bargain for a treaty,” Val’Koy nodded, rubbing his chin.
“No,” Soren shook his head. “That is not enough. He broke the treaty once, he will do it again. It is a flimsy promise to someone such as him. We need something stronger, longer lasting.”
“A show of force,” Gi’Ren supplied and Soren nodded in agreement.
“The emperor likes to play dirty, so we will play dirty,” Val’Zun contributed, his eyes narrowing in thought.
Already, Melierun’s allies were bringing military reinforcements to aid them, and they all sought retribution for their kindred wounded and killed during the party when the Treps invaded. Very few had actually escaped and reached the safety of their transports; most had fallen.
“We will send another Ze’Quv team for retrieval of the daughter,” he decided, resting his hands atop the table and eyeing all of his brothers. “Discreetly. No one outside of this room, and the team, is to know this plan since we still have no idea who aided the Trepnils.”
They all agreed.
****
“Will you both sit down, please?” Lu asked, ushering them into their sleeping quarters. It was a bit cramped with all three of them in there, but she didn’t really mind at that moment. She was much too worried about what was going to happen next.
Soren and Zun looked at each other before slowly lowering themselves onto the edge of the bed.
“Is everything alright, Loo-Sha?” Soren asked.
She sighed and ‘woosah’d’, shaking out her limbs to try and relax her tense muscles. Again, the brothers shared a look and watched her worriedly.
“I’m ready.”
Their expressions brightened considerably, but there was still an air of confusion.
“For another youngling?”
“What? No,” she scowled and shook her head.
Apparently they are.
They also aren’t the ones that have to push a large melon through a very small hole.
Lucia shook her head again.
“No, I’m ready to, ya know…” she waved her hands about, “mark you.”
“Truly?” they both said at once.
“No,” she grumbled and grouched under her breath, her fingers curling in on her palms before she shook out her limbs once more. “I mean, yes. I’m still not comfortable with it, but I’m starting to understand the importance your people place on the act.”
Their grins plastered to their faces as they looked at each other and then back at her. Lucia covered her face with her hands and moaned because she was happy they were happy, but she really wished it was because of anything other than this weird, beastly ritual.
They began purring and she felt even worse.
No backtracking now.
Groan.
She sucked in a breath and then lifted the lid on the box as it sat on a small table. She nervously began putting on the finger gauntlets, sliding the chained rings onto each digit one by one.
When they were all placed, she held her hands in front of her and flexed her fingers. It looked strange, almost as if she was some kind of wicked sorceress in a fairy tale.
“I don’t even know what I’m supposed to do,” she admitted, her brows knitting in frustration. “Are there words I
need to say, or…?”
They both chuckled and Zun got up. “I will get the others,” he said excitedly, leaving the room.
Her expression was confused, and before she opened her mouth to ask Soren what Zun meant, the door was reopening. The already cramped room barely had enough space after the door shut again, this time with three more Melier. Gi’Ren, Val’Koy, and Gi’Moy stood just within the door.
“I…” she trailed off.
Laying his hands upon her back, Zun guided her to stand in front of Soren who was no longer sitting down. He placed her hands upon the biceps of Soren’s upper arms, and then brushed aside her locks before he softly kissed the curve of her neck and shoulder.
Being surrounded by her mates and their heat made her a little more relaxed, even though her mind was still blaring with apprehension about wounding two people she loved.
Loved.
Yes, she loved Val’Zun.
A small smile tipped the corners of her mouth.
“What is amusing?” Soren asked curiously.
Her clawed fingers gently scraped his thick skin where her hands lay, and his pupils widened with pleasure, which surprised her. She didn’t realize the act might actually be gratifying for them.
It made her feel a tiny bit better.
“I love you,” she said as if she was just now realizing it, which she kind of was when it came to Val’Zun. “I love both of you.”
They both purred loudly at her admission, and Zun’s hands traveled her body with a careful slowness while his lips continued to reverently place kisses along the back of her neck and shoulders.
“It is an honor to the immediate family to witness the marking of ones mate,” Zun explained to her as he continued to stand at her back. “Though we are missing some individuals, and your family, they will be able to watch the vid.”
Her eyes bugged. “You’re recording this?”
Soren and Zun grinned, gesturing to the CID Val’Koy held up.
“Oh my god,” she moaned, and her eyes widened.
“Smile,” Val’Koy smirked before Gi’Ren elbowed him.
Soren stole her attention when he leaned down and placed a soft kiss along her bottom lip, the heat sending a sizzling jolt down her body and warming the blood in her veins like a drug.
“Now, Loo-Sha,” Zun whispered in her ear, the timbre of his voice and his warm breath against the sensitive skin of her lobe sent shivers rippling through her. Instinctively, her fingers curled just slightly with the sensations her body was reveling in, the action pricking Soren’s flesh.
Lucia’s brows knit together, worried, but she didn’t stop. Again, her fingers curved a little more, the tips of the gauntlets easing into the thick, cobalt skin just below where his scales faded into flesh. His tail slithered up her leg, tickling the skin of her calf, and then he kissed her again, fully that time.
Her fingers clenched and dug into his skin all the way. She gasped against his mouth and immediately let him go, the tips pulling from the flesh and coated in his dark red blood. Before she could apologize, or ask if he was alright, he and Zun were switching places.
Once again, her hands were placed. Zun’s thin lips kicked up into a grin that spoke of only happiness in the moment. She just couldn’t understand why they were so eager to get scarred up by her. Why scarring? Why couldn’t their custom be something like, exchanging locks of hair?
She supposed that would be impossible, since they were bald and their tail hair wasn’t long enough.
Soren’s lips kissed the curve of her ear, his purr and warm breath tickling against her skin, causing her to actually giggle, and her clawed fingers sunk into Val’Zun. They slid in easier the second time, already slick with Soren’s blood.
Immediately, Zun’s purr revved, and she was glad it wasn’t overly painful for them. Neither winced, growled, or showed any signs of distress; only gratification.
Zun’s lower set of arms gripped onto her hips before he leaned down and kissed her quickly, withdrawing. He removed the bloodied gauntlets one by one and placed them back into the box. When she mentioned washing them, they both told her no.
It would be a treasured token of their sealed bond.
Lucia thought they were both strange to want to keep bloodied claws, but who was she to rain on their joyful time? Claws obviously held some importance to the Melier.
They both looked immensely pleased when they cleaned and admired their new marks with their brothers, and the queen.
She sat down, watching them with a strange fascination. She was honestly just glad the entire thing was over, and that they were happy. Now no one could question that Soren and Val’Zun were hers.
Soon they were alone once again, and her mates were crawling onto the bed, taking their places on either side of her and purring as they loved on her. Lucia giggled sleepily and sighed before she dozed into a slumber, surrounded and protected by her males.
Chapter 18
Lucia cradled a crabby Lenny to her chest and rocked the fussy infant. Another few days had gone by and being aboard a ship with a bunch of military Melier was starting to get to the both of them. Most of them were stiff to begin with; enter the human and they were positively stony.
She thought she’d grown used to frigid, unfriendly Melier, but it apparently still got to her just a smidge.
When she asked what was going on with the plans to get back the palace, her mates had told her in the privacy of their quarters the current mission in motion. Lu had been relieved they were keeping their promises and not being secretive, but she was torn about it all.
Capturing the emperor’s daughter seemed the logical thing to do, as she could be good leverage, and it could end up saving many more from being slaughtered on the planet.
But it was the capturing and leverage parts that unsettled her.
No matter whose daughter she was, she was still a living being. It was wrong to use her in such a way.
None of the princes agreed with her and she figured this was another difference between them and her. They were born royal. They were military males. They made decisions based on the betterment of Melierun, even if that meant sacrificing one to save many.
When Lu’s thoughts were interrupted by the sight of Gi’Ren rounding the corner, she smiled happily and waved him down.
“Ren!” she whisper-yelled and waved. “Ren!”
She didn’t want to scream his name and draw unnecessary attention. He heard her though and slowed down so she could catch up. It was like running a marathon for her when trying to keep up with the walking pace of the Melier.
“Sooo,” she grinned up at him as they continued to walk through the corridor, various military personnel passing as they went about their business. “I never got a chance to thank you for saving my life in the garden that day. So, thank you.”
He dipped his head as if to say ‘you’re welcome’.
When her cheesy grin didn’t go away as she rocked Lenny in her arms, his green eyes narrowed down at her.
“What?”
“You said my name!” she gushed, and bubbled a gleeful laugh when he groaned. “Say it again,” she poked his arm.
“I am not a puppet,” he grunted.
“Please?” she stuck out her bottom lip in a pout, and normally that wouldn’t work on Gi’Ren at all but apparently she caught him in a good mood.
He sighed like it was the biggest favor in the world.
“Loo-Sha.”
“Eeee!” she squealed, causing Ren to wince and scowl. “Sorry!”
Lenny giggled and startled them both. They stopped walking and looked down at the pretty blue babe who had the biggest, goofy, gummy grin she’d ever seen. Lu and Ren shared a look and then focused back on Lenny.
She squealed again but a little quieter that time as she tickled under the younglings chin.
Lenny giggled harder.
“Oh my stars,” she breathed and laughed with Ren as they showered the babe in strange sounds and kisses. “S
oren and Zun are going to be so jealous you heard Lenny laugh first.”
He grunted smugly.
****
A while later, Lucia stood behind one way glass as she watched the captured Trepnil princess.
The daughter was not what she was expecting.
She didn’t have the extremely freaky exterior the male Treps did. She shared the green scales, but they were smaller, smoother in appearance and a little paler. No elongated snout took up her face, but instead a hump where her nose might be, adorned with smaller tear shaped nostrils that opened and closed with her harried breathing.
The princess’s eyes were copper, and kind, which Lu wasn’t expecting in the least. There wasn’t a calculating air to her at all, and the fact that she’d been captured like an animal made Lucia all the more uneasy.
It isn’t right!
The princess wrung her wrists with hands that had four fingers, unlike the males who had three. No lethal talons either; only shortened, manicured claws. Her sandaled feet were of similar design.
Unfortunately her teeth were still nightmarish and needle-like, matching the males.
“She looks so scared,” Lu frowned.
Zun made a sound, agreeing.
“She is not what I anticipated,” Soren voiced. The brothers and the queen all stood in there with Lu, watching, and deciding what to do next.
“It could be an act,” Gi’Ren said skeptically.
“I do not think it is,” Gi’Moy replied.
Before Lucia really thought about what she was doing, she made her way to the door and slipped into the holding room before Soren could grab her. Of course, she wasn’t alone, as he and Zun stepped through after her.
“Loo-Sha,” Soren warned and laid a hand upon the back of her elbow before she shook him off and cautiously stepped further into the room.
The princess was standing with her back to a corner, no longer roaming about, but watching them warily.
“Hello,” Lucia said, trying to appear as nonthreatening as possible, which wasn’t really hard since she didn’t have any natural weapons to top that of the princess.
She did have a mean bite if she really put her mind to it though.
