Chapter 41
“Her breasts are already full.” He must have understood his brother because Lenime’s eyes light up and a second later he has latched himself onto my breast.
“Len!” He pulls back and looks at me innocently with a drop of milk hanging from his lip, but he catches it before it can fall.
“Mmm. Tasty.”
Before I have a chance to react, I feel another mouth.
Aaron is trying to rock and trying to soothe the wailing baby as Phe does the same. But I don’t fail to see his grin at my mates actions.
He pulls back and I glare at them both as I pull my top half back on and slip the pads inside my top back reaching out for the infant.
Standing up, I take him back in my arms. “My pretty little boy,” I coo and he stops crying. His cream covered body made smug marks on my clothing, but I don’t mind.
“Take this…” I look up to see Lenime still only in half of his clothes, but now the top half had been cut away and he held it out, wrapping it around the blue haired boy.
“And I’m sorry for embarrassing you,” He whispers though I am certain everyone can hear him.
“Yes, we are sorry.” Both Phe and Lenime are wearing this wounded puppy dog look.
Neither of them caring about the others watching them – even though the doctor still can’t understand I think he has an idea what is going on.
“Come on,” I lick both their cheeks in turn and they look like they won the lottery. “I’m hungry.” I turn to the door. They both join me at my sides, placing a hand on my naked back.
“You look perfect with a baby,” Phe whispers sniffing my neck.
“And you taste perfect too.”
“I want to lick those sweet abs.” We have just left the medical area a couple minutes ago – this house is huge.
I glare but then smirk at my drooling brother. “Speaking of abs, we should apply the next course of UV1A.”
“But you’re hungry.”
“I can wait a few minutes. Plus I do not want any of you guys getting hurt.” I turn my attention to Dallas. “Have you got a room we could use for a few minutes?”
He nods. “This way.”
A minute later we are led into the same meeting room we were in earlier.
The guys begin stripping almost instantly. Dallas and a couple of guys shift from foot to foot awkwardly before Dallas excuse them, saying they will wait outside.
Aaron and Lance, however, decide to stay.
“I would help, but…” I glance down at the sleeping baby in my arms.
“It’s alright, Snow.” Aaron grins at me. “I guess I’ll have to help your luscious mates and the others.”
“Amber?”
“Sorry, I can’t. The baby will cry.” I know only one thing would lead from me touching my mates right now. They would take me right here. And that is one of the last things I want in front of my brother, not to mention the rest.
Plus Marmite, I want to make sure he sleeps as much as possible while he is healing. And if that means I have to hold him, then so be it. After all, they do say sleep helps you heal faster, right?
Aaron’s eyes widen as each of the men remove their clothes. “Wow,” He says in awe.
“They have no hair or belly buttons,” Lance thinks out loud.
“Yes, but I was more thinking how buff they were and what big c-”
“Aaron!”
“Yes, my beautiful sister.” He grins at me.
“They physically can’t play or be with anyone but their mates. Plus you have Lance if you want to play.”
“Wow, Snow, you’re a lot more forthright than before.” His grin widens. “I like it. The two big cocks have done you good.”
I feel my cheeks burning.
“How does the mating work? Who went first?”
Phe and Lenime take great pleasure in tell him almost everything. From me, mating Phe first, to later finding out about his brother, his fear and them then mating me together.
I wanted the ground to swallow me.
Thankfully, Lance seems to notice my discomfort and gives me a comforting side hug.
“Don’t stress, we’re all family now,” He whisper. “None of us think any less of you. If anything, Aaron thinks you’re a God. But then he already did worship you.”
I like that he is trying to make me feel better but I still doesn’t.
“I’ll tell you a secret,” He whispers quieter. “Aaron was sleeping with Adair Marshall before he found us.”
My mouth fell open.
There is no way. Adair – our boss – was married with kids. Not to mention he was in his fifties and big, as in fat.
I stare at my brother and my lip curl at the thought. He pauses rubbing Ty’s back – the Poyun are nonchalant about the touching, after all, they do it to each other, if is nothing.
“What?”
“You slept with Mr. Marshall?”
His expression said it all.
He glares at his mate as though to say ‘You told!’ Lance shrugs and releases my waist.
“I’m not proud of it,” Aaron says with a sigh. “It started just after the accident. You were lost to me. I felt as if you were dead. I was depressed. We drank and one thing led to another… He promised to do research to help me get you back… Well, we all know how that ended up, bombings, death, and destruction. For a while, there was a war between the unchanged and changed. They wanted to stop the deaths… In the end, the war made the planet unliveable. Thankfully, several different countries were working on ships for long-distance travel. It was a sort of race. But the war and the impending doom of the planet meant we had to use them all. Even the ships meant for short distance were adapted best they could. Most didn’t last long, we had to tow them,” He smile remembering.
“A hard thing to do in space. But eventually, we added the ships to the bigger ones, building on. They didn’t look that good, but they did the job. The changed on one set of ships, unchanged on another. We made a sort of peace. Then we found these two planets and the rest is history.” Like me, he has a tenancy of trailing off and letting his mind wander once he began talking.
Before long he is hugging me again. “I begged him, I really did. I wanted to go back for you, but they wouldn’t let me. They said you were probably dead because the unchanged were bombing the area. But I knew you weren’t. I built you in. I made you safe. I always planned to come back I just had to wait for our people to catch back up technologically. You see, we had to strip all the ships, use them to build when we settled. That is partly why we were in stasis so long. We had to wait to rescue you,” He is kind of rambling now. But I like hearing the stories.
“None of us expected the extras we got with the change – perfect health, mates, extended life, slower aging and a few other abilities in some lucky people.” He rubs my back still holding me and surprisingly not squashing Marmite.
“But Adair Marshall was jealous because even though he got as high dose as me, it never had the same effect. Something about my DNA being more accepting and it had a slight genetic defect that made us Vanderveer’s perfect test subjects. Long story short, I aged little the whole hundred plus years I was alive. And after mating me Lance and Lula’s aging slowed down. The rate we were aging, I was pretty sure I would still be around when we had a chance to get you. But I wanted you to be sure.” I am shocked, I kind of knew but still… “You want to know why we didn’t mind leaving our children behind.” I nod my head and he turns, now giving me a one arm hug.
“Kurt…”
“Dallas’s father?”
“Yep. He is our son.”
“What? Really? How is he still alive? Does Dallas know? What about your other children?” I’m pretty sure I asked every question.
He chuckles. “He has the Vanderveer genes as you seen he is aging, just after the teen years it slows down, a lot.”
“It the same for Poyun,” Lenime says appearing behind me, now dressed, at least his lower half. His arms circle my waist ignoring my brother’s arm which remained around my back. Phe joins me on my other side, Lance now is stood beside Aaron.
“Dallas doesn’t know but we’ll tell him. Dallas really is only thirty.
Dawn is already over seventy when my son found and mated her. She lived in a different, more isolated part of the planet. Both had given up on finding their mate. She was already going through the menopause when he mated her. Thankfully, they were able to have Dallas before it stopped completely. Her aging slowed to the pace of a Vanderveer, but she was unable to have any more children.”
“That explains a lot.”
“Our other children are alive. Though the world doesn’t actually know the true extent of the Vanderveer aging, so they are out of the public. Most choose to only have several children, or they could end up with a hundred. I will introduce you all and Dallas to them before we leave. They take in turns, handing down the ruling seat to each other until finally Kurt ruled. He was the last of them to rule and it was decided his son would be the next. Sadly, we lost one of our daughter’s in an accident years before we went into stasis. Technically she wasn’t my DNA, she was born to Lance and Lula before I met them but she was still my daughter in every way that matters, as Marmite will be now,” He smiles down at the baby.
“But she did have a child before she died. He was watched over and his child and so on. Sadly, they are dead too but I have information there is one boy left and descendant. He was taken in after his family died. What was his name?”
“Dax,” Both me and Lance say at the same time.
“Dax?” Kiy smiles. “He is a fine man.”
“You know him?” Lance asks hopefully.
“Dax Obama?”
“Yes,” He nods his head.
“He has asked to join our crew,” Kiy replies.
“He calls me Ann.”
“He flirts with my mate,” Ty is still jealous.
“He flirts with everyone’s mate,” Tou adds but seemingly unaffected. “But that is all it is.”
“I can’t wait to meet him and Dallas’s children.”
My stomach growled angrily making my mates frown.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes, just hungry…” And tired, I add silently. In truth, that transporting thing earlier really took it out of me. I have no idea how I did it. But I am going to try and do it as little as possible if it makes me feel this weak.
“We should go now. Lunch should be done.”
We all agree and Aaron moves his arm, Lenime releases my waist.
I take a couple of steps forward. But a haze suddenly washes over me and my legs feel weak. If it weren’t for Phe’s arm still around me and his quick reflexes, I would have fallen and hurt both Marmite and me.
Everyone seems to speak at once, asking me what is wrong.
“That teleporting earlier made me weak,” I admit. “Finding Marmite gave me a little adrenaline boost, but now…” I trail off.
“You will not do it anymore.”
Wow, who knew Lenime could be so bossy. Obviously, Phe and the others gang up and agree.
Phe cradles me, Lenime strokes my cheek and Aaron looks worried.
“You have to take better care of yourself, Amber!” This isn’t good, Aaron never calls me that unless I did something wrong. I can see the worry in his eyes as clear as I can the others.
They all really care for me that much? My heart swells with pride. I love them too, all of the Poyun on our ship. They are family.
“I am fine. Honestly. Just drained. Food and rest and I’ll be fine. Also, you don’t have to worry at me doing it again. I don’t know how I did, but I don’t want too.” This pleases them and I gained relieved smiles.
Thankfully at some point during my fall Tou had picked the baby from my arms so I didn’t drop him. He is now holding the quiet and still sleeping infant. He is tiny in his arms. I couldn’t help but watch him rocking him. He is a natural.
“You look beautiful with a baby,” I say without thinking as we head for the door.
He smiles with pride. “As do you. But I do love children. I am hoping for another on our next cycle.” His mate’s next heat.
“I wish you luck.”
We arrive outside the room just in time to see Dallas finish speaking on his phone thing.
“They have Tyme. She will be held in custody until we can speak to her and decide what is to be done. But first lunch is ready. You need food,” He says not commenting on my position.
“Dallas, can I just say…” His attention never left me. “You are an amazing person and from what little I have seen, a great emperor. And I love you.”
He smiles brightly and leans in, kissing my forehead. “Thank you and I love you too.”
“Don’t forget me,” Aaron moves and gives his grandson a kiss on the lips.
“Weirdo.” He stuck his tongue out at me.
“His is my grandson. I can kiss him. And I love him too.”
“As do I,” Lance kisses his grandson’s forehead.
Dallas stood stunned for a moment.
“I… Wow. Well…” He clears his throat. “I am glad you are both alive. This is a good day for our people and our family.”
I don’t know where it came from but at the moment, I can sense love and hope. I know without reason that the last few years have been hard. But Dallas saw our arrival as a good omen.
It makes my heart sad at the worry I felt from him. What is he worried about? A long shot, but maybe the recent alien visit?
“You have us now. You have nothing to fear.” I don’t know, it just feel like the right thing to say.
Dallas looks at me, his eyes filled with hopefulness and I know I am saying the right thing.
“I know. Thank you.” He takes my hand and squeezes it.
“You truly are angels. Our people will be pleased to learn we have allies and that not all Aliens are evil.”
“Yes, allies,” Kiy smiles.
Another thank you and we are finally on our way.
“I still find it amazing how you two and Snow works. She is so tiny compared to you. Aren’t you scared you’ll crush her?” My brother is saying this just to wind me up.
“No. Maybe in the beginning but we are connected, en-sync now. We know her as well as our skills.”
Can I just say it again, I love Lenime. Finding out not only his brother but also he is my mate is the best thing that ever happened to me.
“Though I did think she was a junior at first, it was quite disconcerting for a moment.”
I glare at Lenime who looks back at me innocently.
“What? Even we have an age limit. Younglings are a no-no.” I have to agree with him there.
“Speaking of age,” Kiy speaks up looking at Phe. “Did you ask her to make sure she was of age before completing the mating?”
“He asked me if I wanted to mate if that’s any good,” I add when Phe doesn’t reply.
Aaron laughs and Kiy frowns. “I will have to speak to the others, make sure they ask the age in the future.”
Dallas nods in agreement. “Many Humans look of legal age but are nowhere near. It is a good idea if you wish your people to interact with them.”
“Yes. Many haven’t found their mates yet, but as both my sons and Xuina have found their mates in your people, I would like if they could possibly interact.”
“Yes. I was thinking of starting small at first, letting my people know they are safe. Perhaps letting your people gather, children play and meet with some of my people on the field near the ship. I have tents, marquees and maybe some stalls set up?” Dallas suggests.
Kiy and Phe exchange a look and my mate nods.
“That sounds perfect. With your permission we could start giving them a Zap? The translator works with all languages, even the many of the old Earth.”
“Zap is the translator nanite?” Kiy nods his head. “Yes. That would be very much appreciated.”
“Good, then I will send a message to the ship. There will be enough by morning.”
“What would you like in as payment?”
All the Poyun looked confused by the question. “Payment?”
“Yes, for the nanites?”
“Nothing.”
“We could not-”
“They are simple and inexpensive to make.”
“Plus in the long run in will help many,” Lenime adds.
I could see Dallas trusts them, but his men have doubts.
Not that I blame them. I would probably be the same in the place. But I will convince them before we leave that we are allies. I am just not sure how yet.
