These babies are Touchstone. They’re mine.
My mother and brother, as well as my mother’s best friend, swooped down and helped me tend to my offspring. I’ve worked very little since their arrival and I’ve learned to feel comfortable eating actual meals with other beings instead of meal replacement bars. But after those first furious weeks, it seems that life is beginning to settle into this new normal with the arrival of my nanny. Now that Riley is here, I can return to my old work/sleep routine if I want. But I don’t want that. My old ways now sound cold and without life. I’m continuing this new pattern because I’m compelled to spend time with my offspring and this human.
I’m sitting at the table with Riley and there’s something I don’t understand emblazoned on the front of her human clothing this evening. I should know, considering I constantly stare at her luscious chest. “What does that mean?” I ask.
She looks down and laughs, her cheeks turning that charming shade of pink. “Oh it says ‘Friends.’ It’s a vid show from the original planet.”
“The original planet?”
“Yes, I was born and raised on New Earth, but the planet where my species began is Earth, and we call it the ‘original planet.’”
“Why weren’t you born on Earth?” I ask, trying to learn more about humans.
“Humans were secretly kidnapped from Earth for almost a thousand years by the Hurlians,” she tells me. “They eventually took so many of us they had to find somewhere to keep us, so they started dumping us on a different planet they named New Earth. Over the centuries our population on New Earth grew. None of us have ever seen Earth. Eventually the humans on New Earth were freed from Hurlian domination by the Xylan. But the thing is, we cannot contact the original planet. To do so would compromise their evolution and they’re still protected under the Indigenous Species Act. So, it’s weird, we’re separated from the planet where our species began, the place where most humans are, but on New Earth we think humans from the original planet are fascinating and we’ve found ways to tap into their vid channels. And now we’re obsessed with listening to their news, celebrities and fashion and watching their shows.”
“Huh. I can see that, it must be nostalgic for your kind to have items that represent your original home world.”
“Yes, it is.”
“And what does your clothing represent?”
“It’s from a very funny and famous vid show on Earth about a group of friends who all live together.” Riley glances down and plucks at her human shirt with a rueful smile. “I’m wearing this because I need to purchase new clothing,” she admits. “Well, I’ve got plenty of scrubs upstairs, which is technically my work uniform. It’s what the employment agency would expect me to wear for this assignment. Except I can’t help but feel when I work with the twins it seems more natural to wear comfortable civilian clothing. But I need more of it. And actually, I’d love to have some of the type of shirts I’ve seen the Hyrrokin females wearing.”
I stifle a moan of delight as I imagine my human baring her plump arms in the way of my species. “Why haven’t you ordered this new clothing yet? I gave you access to my account on the shopping channel.”
“I can’t use that to buy personal clothing,” she snorts and shakes her head like I’m crazy. “You gave me that for household supplies or the babies’ needs. It’s not for me.”
“It’s for you too. I want you to purchase new clothing with that account.”
Her lips purse. “I don’t need your currency for that. I can buy my own clothes. I’ve just been busy with the babies, but I’ll order that tonight after they sleep.”
Why is she fighting me on this? “Use my currency and purchase all the clothes you need.”
“No, I—”
I bang a fist on the table. “Do it,” I growl. A puff of smoke curls from my nostrils. “I want you using my currency for these purchases. I expect you to always purchase what you need with my account.”
Her eyes widen. “Okay,” she breathes.
And now I’m concerned that I’ve scared her again. Humans are very different from Hyrrokin. Sometimes I forget because she and I get along so easily.
We continue to eat, and I make a point of asking the female more about herself. I listen patiently while she tells me a lengthy story about a vid channel she’s watching of a Hyrrokin female with small offspring. I’m impressed. Riley certainly knows how to do her research.
“…I spent the last night learning ages and stages of Hyrrokin childhood development. I’m specifically interested in three-month-old babies and what they’ll need as they turn four to six months. My head is filled with ideas for the twins.”
I nod and ask questions in order to give her the opportunity to talk about this more, because I also find it interesting. I know nothing about infants, and I’m eager to learn. When Riley finishes with her meal, I help her add the Hyrrokin information subscription service to her tablet and I give her my password.
All of this brings a bright smile to my human’s strange features. I suspect she’s forgiven me.
She stands and goes to the kitchen to prepare the last bottle of the evening for the babies. We both move into the living room and I sit on one side of the couch and Riley takes the other. She’s got Loge in her arms and I’ve got Kari. We start feeding the twins and I decide it’s the right time to tell her more about my dealings with the biological mother of my offspring.
“Did my mother tell you about Kritan?” I ask.
Riley bites her lip. “Well, um…”
“It’s okay. I assumed she told you since the two of you were sitting together talking this morning. I don’t mind. Is there anything else you want to know?” I never tell anyone about my troubles with Kritan Softstone. I haven’t spoken of it to my employees, collaborators, clients or vendors—not to a single Hyrrokin outside of my immediate family. Except now I’m telling Riley everything.
“I don’t even know what to ask,” she answers, staring at me with those bright blue, expressive, human eyes. “I’m just so sorry this happened to you, but I guess I can’t be too sad because in the end you got these two beautiful children.”
“You stated exactly how I feel. I hate the way it happened, but I’m grateful for the arrival of my offspring. I might have been surprised and wholly unready, but I’m doing whatever I need to change my life so they’re comfortable and healthy.”
“Even hiring a human nanny?” she quips.
I laugh. “Yes, I’m willing to even purchase a human nanny.”
“Purchase, hire, whatever.”
I shrug.
“Bestla said that you are legally bound to Kritan until the matter can be settled in the courts.”
I grind my teeth. “Yes, that technicality is hanging over my head. I am in limbo until the ruling.”
“Does it make you upset that you can’t, um, date?”
I am upset that I can’t have you. But I say, “I’m upset that Kritan temporarily has what she wants, which is access to me. She’s managed to link herself to me, forever.”
“That’s terrible.”
“I don’t normally date,” I tell her. “But I want to find a partner, my life’s mate to bond with and help me raise my offspring. But I have to remain celibate while I wait for the courts to determine my legal mating status.”
“Celibate?” she squeaks, then tries to cover her response with a fake cough.
My lips twitch. I suspect my human wants me as much as I want her.
“Hmm,” she mutters, trying to change the subject. “Why do you think she is doing all of this?”
I shake my head and play along. “I’ve often tried to understand. If she can claim herself as my mate, then she automatically has a right to one half of my estate and future income, that would be a reason. Although I don’t think this is her main objective. Her father is wealthy and powerful and she’s his only heir.”
“Oh wow. This is so strange. She isn’t even taking care of her children. She dropped t
hem off with you at one month old and she hasn’t seen them since. This has to be something that the courts would take into consideration.”
“I know. My lawyers are working hard at it.”
“Did you love her?” she suddenly asks.
I blink, surprised at the question. “No,” I answer firmly. “I went with her on one date because she persisted in her requests.”
She crooks an eyebrow at me.
“She got me drunk,” I admit.
“Aaah.”
“I never drink, so I wasn’t myself. In fact, I suspect she put something in my drink.”
Her eyes widen. “That woman is a criminal mastermind.”
“Yes,” I agree. “And it’s been exhausting becoming the unwilling target of her illegal obsession. I’m grateful for my babies, but I admit I wish they’d had the good fortune to have a different mother.”
I stare at Riley. I had no choice in my offspring’s biological mother, but I certainly have a choice when it comes to the female who will raise them. “I’ve only pleasure mated twice since I came of age and both times I was drunk,” I admit to her.
“Really?”
“Yes, I—"
And then Kari gurgles and chokes. I pull the bottle out of her mouth and sit her up.
“Oh no, watch out,” Riley exclaims.
But it’s too late. Kari spews up half the contents of her bottle all over my bare chest in a matter of seconds. “Ugh.” Spit-up drips down my skin and a tiny smile plays across Kari’s lips; she’s perfectly content now that she’s thrown up all over her daddy.
Riley and I work together, putting Kari and Loge down for bed, chatting while we tend to the babies in tandem. First we give them baths, then we change their diapers and dress them. This takes an hour. Riley insists we try to feed them again. She refers to it as “topping them off” to make sure they aren’t hungry overnight. I sit in a chair in the nursery and Riley sits cross-legged on the floor with Kari in her lap, feeding my girl an extra bit of formula, considering she spit up most of her last feeding.
It’s quiet in the room and my babies’ little eyes grow sleepy as we place them down in their cribs. Riley turns on a night light and soothing Hyrrokin baby music and we quietly step out of the room and shut the door behind us. And it’s quiet. The babies are asleep.
Shocking.
“I can’t believe how much easier that was.”
She smiles. “I think it was harder before because there were so many of you and maybe not a single schedule that everyone followed. All of you did a wonderful job and it was lovely that your mother, her friend and your brother were here to help you. But I think having things quieter around here and with me doing nothing but making sure their schedule is followed, this helps.”
“You’re amazing,” I tell her. “It’s true what they say about humans. You do make the best caregivers.”
She laughs. “I really don’t think all humans are automatic caregivers. We’re all different. It’s just that this is all I’m doing. I’ve learned everything I know about Hyrrokin babies from that mom on the vid channel and the tips your mother has given me.”
We’re standing together in the hall. I don’t mean to be this close to her. I am always fighting the urge to touch her, to grab her and put my claws on her tempting curves. Or simply wanting her in my arms so I can kiss her and shove my tongue in her mouth.
Usually I keep my distance because her scent is triggering, and I’m not a male who is available to commit to a bound. I glance down at her chest and I can see her hard nipples poking through her clothing. And I look back up at her mouth in time to catch her licking her lips. And then a scent wafts up and enters my nostrils and lights up every one of my possessive urges.
A growl rumbles in my chest. I should leave. I should run down the hall to my room and lock the door, but I can’t.
“Aegir,” she says, her voice trembling.
I moan. I’m throbbing for her. All I want to do is take her to my bedroom, toss her on my bed and sink my hard cock in her wet pussy and listen to the sounds she makes when she comes around me. I can feel my resolve cracking. “I can smell your arousal,” I rasp.
“I’m so sorry, it’s so unprofessional. It’s just that we’re spending so much time together…
I slam both of my claws on the wall over her head and lean in close. “I want you,” I growl.
“Y…you do?”
“Yes.” I press the long pipe in my trousers against her stomach. I shouldn’t, but I can’t seem to stop myself.
“Oh,” she moans.
“But I can’t take you while I’m legally bound to another.”
“I know,” she gasps.
“If I weren’t, I’d have you underneath me right now.”
Her tiny hands grab at the waistband of my trousers. “You would?”
I shove my face into the crook of her neck and inhale. My forked tongue flicks out and runs along her luscious skin. Gods, she smells and tastes amazing. I want this for the rest of my days.
“I’m a virgin,” she blurts out.
I pull back and glance down at her, puzzled. “You’ve never pleasure mated before?”
“I’ve been too busy?”
“But you’re so…” I pick up a strand of her hair and rub it between my claws.
“So, what?”
“Beautiful, you’re so beautiful.”
“Me?” she squeaks, like she has no idea, which is impossible. She must be one of the most beautiful females on her planet.
“You,” I answer. “You’re gorgeous.”
She places her palms against my bare chest. “Aegir. We can’t do this.”
“I know,” I sigh. “I know we can’t.” It’s true. This is impossible. I cannot pleasure mate this female while my offspring’s biological mother is suing me in the courts for bound status. I am technically taken. I place my forehead against hers and catch my breath, then I deliberately push away and take a step back. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. “I can’t mate with you, or even touch you, but I don’t want this to ruin what we have here. I want you to remain in my domicile, with my offspring,” I tell her. “You take good care of them.”
“And I want to be here, but how can we work together with this…between us?”
I clench my jaw and bare my fangs. I’m a Touchstone, from a long line of males of honor. I lift my chin. “I will keep my claws off of you while I wait for the outcome of Kritan’s suit. Will you stay and tend my offspring?”
“Yes, of course I’ll stay,” she answers. “I’m here for the babies.”
I nod. “For the babies,” I mumble. And then I turn and force myself to walk away and shut the bedroom door behind me.
6
Aegir
I can’t keep my mind off the sexy virgin in the room next door.
How am I supposed to have her living so near and yet not touch her? I want her in my domicile because not only is she the sexiest female I’ve ever encountered in my entire life, but she’s also terrific with my offspring. She’s the glue that holds us together. Riley is charming and pleasantly hard-working and she gets along well with my mother and brother. My babies adore her. They let me know with their smiles and coos. They want her to stay.
All three of us are addicted to this human.
And she wants me too. So I need to make sure I don’t scare her away.
I squint at the morning light that shines through the window and manage to pull myself out of bed and ready myself for work. I go downstairs and feed Loge while I stare obsessively at Riley’s perfect ass and the flare of her wide hips as she walks around the kitchen.
After an uncomfortable breakfast where we both pretend last night didn’t happen, I go to my office to start my work day. I sit in my chair and imagine cupping her large breasts in my claws. What do her nipples look like? How do they taste? How would it feel to have my dick sliding between those breasts? And what if I cum on her face?
Oh hell, my cock
is getting hard again.
I shift in my office seat, trying to find relief.
I shake my head and turn on my equipment and pull up my schedule. Enough. I need to get to work.
Hours later there’s a knock on my office door and I’m grateful for the interruption. I power down my screens and greet Riley and my offspring. I’m genuinely happy to see their smiling faces. Riley boldly steps inside my sanctuary and shoves a baby in my arms, so I give her a quick tour.
“So what do you do in here?” my female asks.
I chuckle at this remark, finding it refreshing how she has no idea who I am. “I create currency systems,” I answer simply.
“Oh.” She seems completely disinterested. She steps around the office, glancing at the awards on my shelves while cradling Kari in her arms.
I sit back down and Loge patiently waits on my lap while I talk. “I invented a new way to manage and invest currency that’s revolutionizing the way regular Hyrrokin are increasing their wealth,” I try to explain.
“Hmm.” She glances around at the three different high-tech glass screens scrolling real-time stock data from the major markets across the four sectors. “Sounds interesting…um, can you hold Kari for me for a moment?” She shoves an extra baby in my arms. “I promise I’ll be right back,” she yells as she runs for the restroom down the hall.
I chuckle again and look down at the two babies in my lap. They’re blinking up at me, surprised to be in my arms on such short notice.
I recline in my plush office chair, with all of my equipment arrayed around me. I’ve been at the top of my game for the last year or two. I retired early from the military and started my business and not once did I think I could squeeze family into my plans. I wasn’t against the idea, but the fact that I almost never pleasure mated or felt the need to interact with other Hyrrokin beyond my online vid connections with work colleagues, or employees and my family—well, I felt this was a sign that I wasn’t meant to become a father or find my bound.
His Human Nanny Page 5
