Chapter 11

~ Hel ~

Hel lay cuddled in Raec’s arms, unable to keep from touching him. Stroking her hands over his muscular arms, she nuzzled her face against his neck. He still smelled divine. His warm powerful body pressed closer and his hand smoothed over her hair.

“I can smell your fear over risking me today.”

“You’re exaggerating. Fear doesn’t have a smell.”

“It does. Why do you think our former queen loved tormenting others so much?”

“God, I never knew that. I’ll try to keep my feelings under tighter control.”

Fisting his hand in her hair, he pulled her head back and his dark eyes sought hers out. It was a dominant move for a drone who had worked his entire life on being submissive. The possessive look on his face pulled her in, binding her to him in ways she scarcely understood.

“I am a selfish drone, my queen. I wish to experience all your emotions, even the unpleasant ones. It is thrilling to know you value me enough to loathe the thought of losing me.”

“I didn’t realize you would be selected for the mission, so I wasn’t prepared. I almost asked Vraden to choose someone else, but I didn’t want to embarrass you.”

Smiling slightly, he murmured, “You care for my feelings on such matters?”

Nodding, she explained, “I’ve never been in love before, so I wasn’t expecting to feel quite so much for you.”

Bringing his forehead to hers, he spoke softly. “Words fit to shackle a drone’s soul fall from your lips so effortlessly, my queen. You have no need to worry over me being in danger because as of now my time as a warrior is over.”

Pulling back, she peered up at him. “I would never ask you to give up a career you love just because we’re together.”

Covering her hand with his, he slid their entwined hands down to a warm patch of skin on his side. “Some things are more important than action and adventure, my sweet queen.”

“What is that? Are you well?”

“I just noticed it when I got out of the cleansing unit. Though I have not had it scanned, I believe it is our young.”

Bolting upright, she placed her face close to his skin. The coloring was a variegated purple instead of the smooth plum color of the rest of his lower torso. She felt her emotions beginning to tumble into a jumbled mess as she considered the implications of making children with the gorgeous drone. “Does it hurt?”

Shaking his head, he responded with a note of arrogance in his voice. “I am a warrior. I have been shot, tortured, and almost lost an arm in battle. Do you think spawning our young will cause me undue pain?”

“We should have you scanned, just to make sure.”

“I wish to sleep with my queen in my arms.”

“I’d be too worried to sleep.”

“You know not what you ask.”

“Please, Raec.”

Sitting up, he pulled her into a heated kiss. “The human kiss is one of my favorite customs.” How adorable. He was trying to seduce her into doing his will. Clearly he didn’t know who he was dealing with in that regard.

Skating her fingers over his collarbone, she stated seductively, “Human women have a courting ritual we have not tried.”

“Tell me.”

“The thing we did the other night, when you held me against your face.”

“The halabow. It is the most sacred mating rite my people have. Every drone dreams of performing the halabow. Doing it with you was more erotic than I imagined possible.” His reverent tone bespoke his fondness for having his mouth on her privates. It sent a little thrill snaking through her gut.

“Human women do that for our males. What do you people call that?”

Jerking to attention, he looked her up and down, shaking his head. “There is no word for this, for it is not done.”

“If you go and get scanned, we will create a new ritual for your people. I’ll even let you chose the name for it.”

He was up and speaking into his com device so fast, she thought he’d disappeared for a second. She’d barely gotten out of bed before he had pulled the last of his clothing into place.

“You are not ready, my queen. The healers await.”

Giggling, she teased him. “I didn’t know queen makers could move at twice the speed of light.”

“You make my blood boil with anticipation then tease me?”

Though his words sounded annoyed, his tone and facial expression was an odd mixture of happy, excited, and sexually aroused. It looked good on him.

Struggling into her gown, she slipped her feet into a pair of shoes and took his outstretched hand. The moment they stepped out the door, she had to do a double take.

The corridors were lined with drones, all backed against the wall and looking awestruck. Slowly walking down the narrow hallways, she felt hands touching her lightly on the arms, back and hair. Without having to be told, she somehow knew it was because they were expecting. The touches were light, respectful and reverent. Maybe they were touching her for luck or to bestow some kind of superstitious protection on her newly forming family. Whatever their intent, it felt kind and supportive.

Turning a corner, she saw Penny and Alexis running towards her. Penny hugged her and asked excitedly. “Is it true? Are you having a baby?”

“We believe so. We’re going to the medical unit to have Raec scanned.”

Vraden and Arac joined them as they walked.

Arac looked at his brother intently. “I can probably tell by looking.”

Pulling aside his uniform, he displayed the area to Arac’s practiced eyes.

Making a happy noise, the man responded. “I would be hard-pressed to imagine anything else that could be, other than your young.”

Hel was thrilled when he gave a relieved chirp.

Vraden hurried ahead to make sure everything was in place. When they entered every healer on their ship was present. Hel thought maybe they just wanted to witness the scan. With a formal air that she’d not seen before from the healers, they placed him on the scanner and began performing their now familiar procedure.

Hel paced on the other side of the room, never taking her eyes from Raec.

“Why are you so nervous?” Arac’s curious voice brought her to an abrupt stop.

“Your kind can’t have encountered humans before. What if something goes wrong?”

“He will simply try again and our healers will compensate for whatever went amiss. It is our way.”

“Well, that’s not the human way. We do everything in our power to protect the men we love, not that they give birth. I just worry that my little ones won’t take, that carrying an alien’s children will be a miserable experience for him, or that he’ll be disappointed when they have weak human characteristics.”

Taking a step closer, he spoke quietly. “Drones are very resilient. We have been cross bred with many different humanoid species over the years. It was the quickest way to get the unique characteristics our queens valued so highly. I expect no problems in that regard.”

Reaching out to touch his hands, she fought back the tears. “Thank you, I appreciate knowing that.”

“After being Kabelda’s queen maker, it is hard to believe you are as guileless as you appear. You actually seem to have compassion for my brother and some care for his approval.”

“I love him. Before you say anything, let me just say that I understand we haven’t known each other very long. Somehow, I know in my heart he is my one.”

“Queen makers are different from other drones. We absorb the egg of our females to create our young. If Raec’s young are even half as caring and respectful as their mother, he will be well satisfied.”

Before she could respond, he reached out to touch her shoulder. “Come, they are ready for you to see your young.”

Stepping over to the hovering table, Hel slipped her hand into Raec’s and they watched the three dimensional image view screen project images of their young.

“They look like tadpoles squirming in a stream.”

“Penny, that’s enough.” Alexis’ mortified voice cut the youngster’s opinions short.

“Leave her alone, Ally. She’s kind of right.”

The physician spoke. “I am seeing eighteen viable eggs. They look to have been activated for only a few days. Raec is what we call a sensitive breeder, in that his spawning is progressing at an accelerated rate. Exactly fifty eight days from today you will have mature eggs for the hatchery and some sixty days thereafter, you will have tiny hatchlings. They can be removed from their incubator a few weeks after that.”

“Eighteen babies? Wow, that boggles my mind a bit. Is Raec healthy? He’s not sick or anything, is he?”

Making a chirping sound of amusement, the older man responded sincerely. “He’s possibly the healthiest male in this sector of space. Have no worries about your breeder, my queen.”

Sitting up abruptly, Raec swung his legs over the side of the platform and stretched his wings. “We must get back to our quarters. We are developing a new courting ritual for drones to enjoy with their human queens.”

Arac responded helpfully. “Try not to injure yourself, brother.”

“It does not seem dangerous. It involves…”

Clamping one hand over his mouth, Hel whispered in his ear. “No talking about the reverse halabow in mixed company. Humans do not like that.”

Arac asked politely, “What is a reverse halabow?”

Hel could feel her face flaming red as Raec answered conversationally. “The male and female reverse positions. We must not speak of it with queens present. That is apparently a taboo among their kind.”

The drones in the room broke out in whispered conversation.

Arac looked a little alarmed. “Perhaps I should have advised you not to hurt yourself, my queen. If you don’t mind me saying, I do not think you could lift my fat brother.”

Vibrating with anger, Raec sputtered. “I am not fat. Fattening is what our ancestors did to animals before killing them for food. I am exactly the specified size for my height.”

Penny shook her head. “What do you mean by ancestors killing animals for food? I’m really confused. If that’s not meat we’ve eating in the dining hall, what the heck is it?”

Alexis asked, “Who cares. I want to know what the heck a halabow is.”

Clinching her teeth, Hel grabbed Raec’s hand and headed for the door, grumbling over her shoulder. “It’s the thing that’s going to get my new mate murderized if he does not shut his mouth about it.”

Vraden called after them, “You cannot kill the male currently carrying my grand hatchlings.”

How the hell did her life get to this point? Eighteen babies being hatched from a man who talked openly about their sex life. It felt a bit like a bad dream. Before she could get too wound up, Raec spun her around to face him.

“I do not think you are seriously considering murdering me. If so, know that I vehemently object to being terminated.”

His large dark eyes seemed so sincere that it made her snort a laugh. “Sorry, I got wound up back there. Humans consider mating personal. I don’t like all those drones knowing anything about what we do together.”

Pulling her closer, he looked down at her curiously. “You must hold our mating in high esteem to guard all knowledge of it so closely.”

Jumping onto her toes, she kissed his chin. “Something like that.”

Lifting her slightly, he gave her access to his lips and she made good use of it. Her kisses must have inflamed his lust because her back hit the wall and his chest pressed against her as he took over the kiss like the dominant beast he was. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she settled in for a little lip locking in the now isolated corridor.

Arac sauntered past, remarking over his shoulder. “For a couple that guards their secrets so closely, you’re practically mating in public.”

Making a frustrated trilling noise, Raec pulled back, scooped her into his arms, and walked off with her. “You don’t have to carry me. I can walk.”

“I can walk us faster, my queen. We must hurry, for my body calls to you.”

Hel imagined that was a polite Maruvian expression that meant he was super aroused and ready to rip her clothes off. The thought of him being hot for her, was nothing short of thrilling. Shoving her long dark hair over her shoulder, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and rubbed her face against his chest as they moved through the ship.