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  Ty pried the fabric free of his shoulders and enjoyed the feel of his skin. There were scars, tattoos and other marks that defied description. She thought they might have been burns, but they were flat and not raised.

  She wrapped her arms as far as around him as she could reach and pressed her lips to his chest.

  He shuddered in her embrace and let her trail her lips across his pecs and down toward his leather leggings. There was a light trail of hair that led her downward as she kissed her way across his belly.

  She was wearing her suit open, and when he pulled her to an upright position, the fabric trapped her arms as he pulled the sleeves down to hold her.

  She squeaked a little in surprise when he lifted her by her arms and suckled on one breast and then the other. She twisted and kicked her legs, but he just took one of her nipples between his teeth until she stopped wriggling.

  Ty gritted her teeth as his torturous foreplay continued. “Were the other Lrrko women my size?”

  He let he nipple he was toying with pop from his mouth. “They were. We were bred for size; they were stealthy.”

  It was the first time he had insinuated that the women of the Lrrko were not just for genetic donation.

  “So, they participated in the work that the Lrrko were up to?”

  He pulled his head back and smiled up at her. “Do you really want to discuss this now?”

  His lips were shining and there was amusement as well as exasperation in his eyes.

  “Well, since my arms are pinned, my mind is running a little overtime.”

  Brex nipped the inside of one breast. “I will have to work harder at distraction.”

  She was going to reply, but he lowered her and pressed kisses to her neck, licking, sucking and heating her skin until she was one giant pulse.

  Her fingers clawed at her thighs as frustration began to mount.

  Through gritted teeth, she muttered, “You had better be prepared to finish this, or I am going to be testing your survival skills while you sleep.”

  Brex chuckled against her neck and bit her lightly. He slowly lowered her to the floor. A few sharp jerks freed her arms and pushed her suit to her hips.

  Acting on impulse, she jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist.

  She kissed him, and he walked with his hands under her butt, supporting her with a firm grip. Her breasts rubbed against his chest, and she held his head to hers as he lowered her to the mattress and pressed back. His hands shifted and he pried her legs away before stripping the last of her suit from her.

  He had handled her naked body every day since she had gotten out of the tank, but this was definitely different.

  Brex sought out her most sensitive spots and tickled, caressed and rubbed until she was twisting under his hands.

  She had no idea when he took his boots off, but as he peeled off his leather pants, she was paying full attention. Up on her elbows, she watched as he stripped and knelt on the edge of the bed. He parted her thighs as he moved up and over her.

  Ty wanted to be nervous, wanted to be shy, but she wrapped her legs around him as he settled between her thighs and held him tight.

  Brex reached down between them and rubbed the head of his cock against her until her wetness parted her folds and he could slip inside.

  She groaned and arched into his slow intrusion. Ty gripped his shoulders and pulled him down to her so that she could feel his weight.

  Brex moved into her slowly, undulating his body against hers as he worked inside her.

  The feeling of being filled and surrounded was heavenly. She had spent so much time without the comfort of someone’s skin against hers; this was like breaking a fast with a ten-course dinner.

  Pleasure, a strangely satisfying ache and the urge to pick up the pace all battled in Ty. She had never considered sex a competitive sport, but she wanted to win.

  She undulated under him, coaxing him in. Brex answered her in the most basic way possible, bottoming out and thrusting into her with a rhythm that started slow, built to a pounding beat and slowed again to tease her.

  Sweat coated them as time spun out of Ty’s ability to focus. They could have been battling for hours or minutes, but she wouldn’t trade a moment.

  Brex started to mutter low phrases in Lrrko that she couldn’t quite make out, but she understood what he was asking her to do.

  “Cum with me, Ty.”

  She released his shoulder and slid one hand between them, rubbing her clit hard and fast until she lost all the air in her lungs while her body twisted with release. A silent scream belted out of her throat while her nerves lit on fire and her inner muscles pulsed around him. He grunted softly and a fine trembling seized him. His hips jerked into her, and he hissed as if he was in pain.

  Ty stroked his cheek and held his shoulders again as he continued to vibrate above and inside her.

  It took him five minutes to cease quivering, and when he did, he slowly slumped down against her, bracing his weight on his arms to keep from crushing her.

  When Brex came out of his daze, he kissed her softly before brushing his lips against her cheeks and forehead. “The poor men of the Lrrko.”

  She whispered with a soft smile. “Why?”

  “They do not know what was taken from them when the females here died. The feel of your skin against mine is enough to make me cum. To be inside you was an act of will.”

  “Well, Familiar Brex, I can safely say that you now live up to your name.”

  He shifted his hips and pulled out of her, rolling to his side before pulling her on top of the huge expanse of his chest.

  Ty smiled. “I am glad that we got through the first awkward encounter.”

  Brex grinned. “You are up for another?”

  She did an honest assessment. He had stretched her, and she was sore. She wanted to go again, but her body was telling her to smarten up.

  “I think we will table it for tomorrow. Now, tell me about the Lrrko women, when you had them.”

  He stroked her hair, and the slick skin of her spine. “From what we are told and what the records say, they were the more deadly portion of our population. The men paired with a female were the muscle and the women did the killing.”

  “Wow. That is different.”

  “It wasn’t. It was a partnership. They each went for their strengths. As the population of females receded, they became desperate, and their more aggressive and wild behaviours came out, so the Familiars were assigned. They helped for a while until the women were forbidden from leaving Lrrko. Their behaviour became wild, and they engaged in dangerous actions.”

  “And then they died out.”

  “Correct. Even their Familiars could not stop them. They have so much life inside them that holding them back was the worst thing that could have been decided.”

  She smiled slyly. “So, I will get to try the flight suit?”

  “I will apply for the permissions tomorrow. As they already have samples from you and your kinsmen are expected, we will have a point to argue for it.”

  Ty nodded, but she felt it in her bones. She was going to learn to fly. She didn’t care what the elders thought. They had her eggs; she was going to take the rest of her and learn to fly.

  She would break it to him in the morning.

  Chapter Eight

  The morning was one like any other. Brex nudged her into the shower, he set up breakfast and he kept her company while they ate.

  “I must confess, I did not think that the bites and other marks on you would be quite so visible.” There was a definitely smug tone to his concern.

  “Pale girls mark up easily. It is part and parcel of the skin tone.” She smiled wryly. She was sitting and having breakfast in a towel, so it was easy to see the trail of hickies that he had left from earlobe to breast.

  “Do they hurt?”

  She touched one of the marks on her left breast. “Nope. J
ust a light ache in the skin. So, what is on the agenda today?”

  “Training in the morning and a trip to the elders in the afternoon. Now that we have formalized our relationship, both you and I have rights and demands that we can make on the council.”

  Ty finished her breakfast and put the plate back on the tray before she got to her feet and did the dishes by sliding the plates into a slot.

  “Was that considered formal?”

  “Well, it locked in my position as your Familiar.”

  Ty stared at him. “Was that the only reason?”

  She sauntered up to him and dropped the towel before straddling his lap.

  Brex jolted, and his eyes darkened as she leaned up until her lips were just an inch from his.

  His hands wrapped around her and covered her back. He pressed her to him until his lips were touching hers.

  “It was not the only reason, but it was an important one. Too much delay and they could have assigned you to another Familiar. You had to be attached to me in some way within the first few weeks. Sex accomplished the physical portion of the connection.”

  She brushed her lips against his. “That it did.”

  He kissed her softly. “Now, we need to go and demand my heir.”

  Ty blinked and leaned back. “Your what?”

  “My heir. As your Familiar, I am entitled to be the genetic donor of the first of your offspring. Normally, you would be offered the chance to carry it for a few months if you wished to, but I am not sure about the current situation.”

  Ty leaned back while still on his lap. “I wasn’t really counting on being pregnant.”

  “It is an option, not a requirement.”

  Her hands were on his shoulders, and the slick surface of his Familiar uniform made it hard to get a grip on the rigid muscle. His palms on her back kept her from sliding off or tipping over.

  Ty looked him over and found that there wasn’t anything about him that she didn’t enjoy staring at. Sure, it had taken some getting used to, but he was now the one familiar thing on an alien world.

  She finally sighed. “Well, with that on my mind, I am in the mood to punch something. Give me a minute and I will get into my suit.”

  He grinned. “Good. I am glad that you are willing to keep working.”

  Ty headed to the wardrobe and paused. “All the clothing has changed.”

  “Now that you are no longer recovering, you are going to dress in a more appropriate manner for your station. Get dressed. I look forward to wrestling with you.”

  She took out a two-piece suit with black leggings and a deep-blue fitted top. “When did this appear?”

  “Two hours before dawn. I updated our status, and the elders sent over the new clothing.”

  She frowned and started to pull on the form-fitting leggings. “I didn’t hear it arrive.”

  He grinned. “You were tired.”

  She rolled her eyes and smoothed the fabric over her hips. The sleeveless top acted as bra and shirt in one. When she sealed the closure, it actually moved on her, fitting like a second skin.

  Boots! Ty sat and laced up the fitted boots until her calves were encased in comfortable leather. The boots shifted and formed around her feet as the shirt had. It was amazing; she had never had footwear that fit perfectly before.

  She braided her hair and tied it off. “Okay, let’s go for a workout.”

  Brex looked her over, nodded and grinned. “This is going to be fun.”

  She shook her head. “You always say that, and it rarely is.”

  They left her quarters, and she asked, “So, by being my Familiar, you have the right to father my heir?”

  He blinked. “Yes.”

  “Yeah, since you are a clone, your own heir would not be an issue. So, in effect, in taking care of me, you have been offered immortality.”

  Brex inclined his head. “Yes.”

  “What happens in case of an accidental pregnancy?” She asked, because she felt it was a genuine concern.

  “That isn’t possible. Before we took our position as Familiars, we were sterilized. Our genetic samples were taken for storage prior to our assuming the metal avatar, and if you and I had not developed a partnership, they would have been destroyed.”

  He said it in such a matter-of-fact way that she almost didn’t catch it. “What? Are you saying that your genetic line would have ended if I hadn’t slept with you?”

  He nodded as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “Of course. The elders would have assigned you another Familiar, and he would have taken the same risks.”

  They arrived at the gym, and now, she really wanted to hit something.

  Ty began with fight practice and managed to get Brex to back up a few steps with her furious attack.

  He tried to distract her. “How were you injured back home?”

  She paused after kicking at his knee and watching him buckle. “I knew something was wrong.”

  She punched him, and he deflected it. “Tara and I were going for lunch with a bunch of others when I saw her ex-boyfriend coming toward us. Their breakup had been public and violent the week before.”

  She kicked and then jumped over his leg as he swept out to trip her. “The rest is a bit of a blur. I went forward and surprised him as he wound up to douse her with the acid. I shoved her to the side and caught the full wave in the chest and neck. I was too close for him to get off unscathed, so he was splashed in the eyes. Then, I started to burn.”

  She backed up a few feet and waited until he straightened as he always did when he thought her attack was over. She moved quickly, jumped as high as she could, wrapped her legs around him and overbalanced him to the ground.

  He went down with a thud, and she jumped clear, crouching and watching him. “I remember a lot of screaming before they got my clothing off and the acid neutralized. Then, it was into the bed and Lynni visiting me regularly, keeping me company.”

  He leaned up on an elbow. “What did your people do to the attacker?”

  She shrugged. “Nothing. He actually tried to sue Tara for his blindness, but I was able to testify from my hospital bed, and the suit was dropped.”

  Brex was astonished. “They didn’t kill him?”

  “Nope. When men make all the rules, a little thing like rage at rejection is considered understandable if not completely reasonable. It is frustrating as hell. I was written off as a paranoid spinster who was jealous of their relationship. It was the damage to my body that won the day, not who I was or his reasons for acting as he did.”

  Brex paused. “I see.”

  “Yeah, so I am going to be finding out what kind of citizenship I have here on Lrrko and what it entails. If I don’t like it, they are going to be hearing from me regularly.”

  Brex stood and offered his hand to her. “Why put it off? Come with me and we will speak to the elders.”

  “Now?”

  “Yes. Before any of the others arrive. If you are the first Bride here, you will have more bargaining power.”

  “Why?” She raised her brows.

  “Because, according to the public address system, there have been thirteen little Ty’s cloned and placed in storage until you get your heir.”

  He pulled her to her feet, but her head spun.

  “Thirteen of me?”

  “Yes. That was the result of the egg harvest, so they did some work with the DNA to create a population of backup genetic donors. You have fourteen votes within you; until your genes are released, you speak for them.”

  Ty looked at Brex. “What are we waiting for? If I have thirteen little mes to protect, I had better get to it.”

  Brex grinned and offered her his arm. With their matching outfits, they left the building and got onto the riot runner. They took to the skies and flew toward the house of the elders.

  Brex was at her side as she faced off against the council once again.

  Elder Hrakin incline
d his head. “Bride Tyanni, it is good to see you again. Have you recovered from your harvesting?”

  Ty smiled tightly. “I have. I have also heard that I have thirteen clones, and I am here to speak on their behalf.”

  The elders glared at Brex.

  Hrakin asked, “You told her?”

  “She is a Bride, not a wife. She is granted the knowledge of her children as a full citizen of Lrrko.”

  The men looked at each other, and one brought the screen of his data pad up, holding it. “He is right. The original Bride contract included full citizenship, voting and property rights.”

  Ty gave Brex a small smile. He had known that she had rights. They had just admitted it in front of the council of elders, on record.

  “As one of the five survivors and best candidates for a new infusion of blood into the Lrrko line, I demand not only my right to choose my heir, but to also choose the father. I also wish for my thirteen copies to be altered in the hair and eye colour if possible so that they will never feel like they are copies. It is important that they feel they are individuals. Sisters but individuals.”

  Elder Hrakin nodded. “Done. I will have Medic Alveck work on the splicing.”

  “And I want to see the countryside. I want to be able to tour the world and see it.”

  The elders scowled. Hrakin inclined his head, “After you are no longer the only genetic donor, we will revisit this.”

  She paced and began to negotiate for income, spending money, occupational training, more fight weaponry and better food in the dispenser.

  Hrakin narrowed his eyes as the recorder took the notes. “When will you bear your heir?”

  “Do I have to take it to term?”

  He shrugged. “It has been done in the past, but it is not necessary.”

  “Good. I just got my body back under my control. I don’t want to lose it, but I don’t want to hold back this project either, so the next time Alveck is doing a harvest, take one of the eggs and implant it with Brex’s contribution to create my heir. From there, I will visit her every day, but I don’t want to carry her.”

  Hrakin and the others looked at each other. “We were given to understand that it was a desirable thing to have a pregnancy, a live birth.”