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  He moved his hips slowly. She sighed and held on.

  Lynni ran her hands over his torso, as far as she could reach. She ran her nails across his skin, and it seemed that the front of his ribcage was sensitive to scratchies.

  She moved her hands on him, drawing designs as his thrusts increased their pace and the fire started inside her again.

  Her veins burned, and her skin was sensitive. The air that rushed between them was an extra touch that she had never been aware of before.

  They struggled together until his limbs shook with the strain of control. She moved one hand between them, but he leaned to one side and replaced her hand with his. He stroked her clit, and less than a minute later, she was groaning and bucking as a completely different sensation tore through her nerves.

  He groaned and shoved into her, driving her upward until the headboard was the only thing stopping her from going through the wall. She braced her hands above her head, and he shouted as his hips pressed into her until they nearly fused together.

  Silence and sweat were the only things between them as their hearts synched into a matching beat. She felt the thudding of his pulse where he rested against her; his weight was on her, and she was very glad that the enhancements had come with an extra layer of muscle.

  She stroked his hair and listened to his breathing. Leko was as affected as she was.

  “So, you are now familiar with me. Any comments?” She grinned.

  He lifted his head and looked at her with exhausted eyes. “I just had to get the chatty one.”

  She laughed and stroked his face before kissing him. “Have something to eat. You are a little feeble.”

  He looked indignant. “Feeble?”

  “Feeble, weak, dehydrated. Take your pick. You have to take care of yourself, Familiar. I can’t lift you.” She grinned.

  He kissed her, and his tongue stroked hers for a moment before he pulled back and sat up.

  “You are a woman who knows what she wants.”

  “I am. And I will eventually want you again but not if you are going to get all faint on me. You just woke up today. Go have breakfast.”

  He cocked his head. “Will you eat with me?”

  “Sure.”

  He went to the dispenser set into the wall just outside her bedroom, and she enjoyed the view as he walked away. He had a butt she could use to crack walnuts... if there were walnuts on Lrrko.

  She got out of bed and walked toward him. “Hey, isn’t there an updated contract around here somewhere?”

  He paused and looked around. “Over on the table in the living area.”

  She pattered past him, smacking his butt lightly as she went. It didn’t seem weird to be able to see in the dark. It was just part of the enhanced vision.

  She picked up the data pad and carried it back to the bedroom, opening the file and reading it as she settled back in bed. She pulled the bedding straight as best she could so that when Lrrko came back, he could just put the tray on the coverlet.

  She delved into the contract and looked at the stipulations. “Huh, full citizenship, right to pursue hobbies and have an income, a differentiation when they clone me so that the clones don’t all look exactly like me, a choice of the male donor material for my personal heir, and why the hell am I listed as the female member of the council?”

  Leko set the tray down on the bed, and he stared at her. “You are a council member?”

  “According to this. Ty nominated me, and then, she seconded the nomination. Since she is the only registered female citizen, it was a binding nomination. I am going to give her such a pinch.”

  Leko laughed. “Are you sure about that last part?”

  She handed him the data pad.

  “I see. Well, this will alter my plans. I had hoped to show you a bit of the world, but now, it seems that you are going to be the voice of the women of Lrrko.”

  She scowled. “Wait, I thought that there were only two Lrrko women so far.”

  “True, but there are many women that have been picked up by agents in their travels and brought home. They are not citizens and have no votes. They cannot breed Lrrko. Their children have none of our characteristics.” He handed the data pad back.

  She nodded and looked over a few more items, including a harvest bonus each time eggs were taken from her. She would be paid by the egg.

  With her thumb, she pressed her mark on the contract, and she let the ocular scan take an image of her right eye.

  “You signed it?”

  “I did. I am far better suited to being a representative than Ty is. Plus, I am not a thrill seeker. I want to learn how to fly the runner because if anything happens to you or if you are called away, I don’t want to be trapped or dependent on a stranger.”

  He stroked her cheek. “I will teach you in the morning.”

  He popped a piece of fruit into her mouth, and she smiled and chewed at the same time.

  They had their picnic in the dark, and she made sure that he ate a proper meal while she sipped at her water.

  “Why did you offer to come here?” He asked it in between mouthfuls.

  “Ty. She and I are the last of our family, and I didn’t want to be without her. I had been trying to get the Volunteer Project to look at her for months, but it was only when I had the proof of alien DNA that they listened. I think they are watching some of those family genealogy websites for just this kind of genetic testing. It would make sense. Apparently, from what I read before I went into the tank, aliens of one kind or another have been dropping onto Terra for centuries. Well, they did until we were declared a protectorate. Enjels and Dhemon battled, the Admaryn tried to wipe us out, and of course, the Brides crashed. Who knows how many other species frolicked on our surface?”

  “Their surface. You are Lrrko now.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Right. That will take some getting used to.”

  “Don’t worry. You have time. We have the rest of our lives.”

  She took another piece of fruit. “I don’t know if you have that kind of patience.”

  “You would be surprised at how long I can last.”

  Lynni rubbed her hands together and waggled her eyebrows. “I look forward to finding out. Now, what did you do as a Selector?”

  “I went to the schools and interviewed students who had completed standard training and were old enough to specialise. I assessed them and made the assignment.”

  “Did you enjoy it?”

  “I only did it for three years. Hardly enough time to know. Before I knew it, my Selector was looking me over and reassigning me to be a Familiar. I got the informational download and was in the shell before I knew it. The next thing I knew, I was on the way to you.”

  She grinned.

  He took the empty tray away, and when he returned, he pulled her into his lap. “So, anything else you want to know?”

  She laughed. “Yes, what was your first impression of me?”

  He cocked his head. “You were the very image of the Terrans that we had been trained to expect. You seemed normal for your kind. When you began your transformation and ran afoul of complications, I felt you were weak, but when you fought the changes and survived the enhancements, you had my respect.”

  She stroked the arms around her waist. “Yeah, but when did you think I was attractive?”

  He chuckled and belted out a laugh. “When you used the hand signals to get the data pad into the tank. That would be it. I thought you were both beautiful and intelligent, and I knew then that I was in trouble. From that point onward, I was yours unconditionally.”

  She smirked. So, he liked smart and sassy women right from the beginning. It was good to know that he wanted her for her brains as well as her paint job.

  He turned the tables on her. “When did you know you wanted me?”

  She smiled. “I am pretty sure that it was when we were in the shuttle and I was sitting on your shoulders while we converse
d as if you hadn’t a care in the world. I knew then that if your flesh-and-blood form was half as fascinating as your metal one, I would get you into my bed and keep you there.”

  “One day, I will make you live up to that thought but not tonight. Tonight, we both need our rest. Tomorrow, you will be facing the fact that you have just made yourself an elder. I have never had an elder in my bed before.”

  She remembered the council of older warriors. “I must say I am happy to hear it. Tomorrow will be here soon enough. Let’s get under the covers, and I can try to practice my feminine wiles.”

  He pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I must warn you, I am a difficult audience.”

  “I will just have to be persuasive.” She turned her head to kiss him and rolled out of his embrace, scooting under the covers.

  He joined her under the sheets and blankets, and there was a lot of giggling as she worked her way down his body. She didn’t have to be persuasive at all. He was very easily convinced to see things her way.

  Chapter Eight

  The elders contacted her in the morning, and she was commanded to attend her first meeting by the afternoon.

  “There is going to be a special place in hell for Ty if this goes badly.” She held the steering unit of the runner and controlled it easily, though it was made for someone much larger than she was.

  “The meeting or the flight?”

  “Either, both.” She checked her altitude and cruised directly toward the council building.

  “You are doing well on the flying, so you need only worry about dealing with Hrakin and the others.”

  She chuckled and accelerated. She was wearing the royal-blue tunic and black trousers that were apparently the Bride uniform. She and Leko were twinsies.

  Lynni had to admit, she liked the boots and the weapons did bring the entire outfit together.

  When she landed them with a light thump, Leko laughed, “Well done, Lynni.”

  He only called her Bride when there were other Lrrko around.

  “Thank you. I notice that my sister and her Familiar were long gone by the time we got up.”

  “I am guessing that they were escaping your wrath. Well, she was escaping and Brex was telling her where she could hide.”

  Lynni grinned as they walked past security and into the council building. The elevator took them down to the council floor, and they stepped into the hallway that led to the elders.

  An empty chair sat next to Hrakin, and the council looked amused.

  “Greetings, Elders. I greet you on this lovely day.”

  Hrakin growled. “Skip the formalities, Nikkelson. Take your chair.”

  She frowned and her blood began to simmer. “Manners matter, asshat. A morning greeting is important, and being polite is the mark of a civilized society. You can want to dump me in an incinerator, but if you smile, I might just waltz in there to keep you happy. As it stands... I will take the seat, but you can go fuck yourself.”

  Leko appeared locked in place, but he let out a strangled sound before he said, “Not the quiet one.”

  Hrakin began to laugh, and the other elders joined him.

  “Well, it seems that your sister was right. You do have a head for statesmanship, though you are hardly the panacea of peace that she described.”

  “My sister has been injured for the last two years. I had to be nice to her. You are capable of taking care of yourself, so I expect you to.”

  She stalked around the table and took her seat. Leko took up his position behind her.

  She placed her hands on the table and looked at the astonished council. “So, gentlemen. What is on the agenda?”

  Just like that, she got to work.

  She didn’t contribute much during the first few days, but when she was ordered to head to the medical centre, the elders had a peculiar excitement among them.

  Leko was at her side, as always, when she was on the table with Alveck working on the harvest of her pre-ovulation. Jimkol was watching and making frantic notes as the left eggs were extracted.

  Due to her situation, a second needle had been prepared, and Alveck started again on her right side. He drained the follicles and sat back with a smile and a bit of sweat on his brow. “Excellent. It looks like we got six on the left and five on the right. It isn’t as much as Tyanni’s thirteen, but it is an excellent start. These eggs will be transformed into clones, but in your case, they will not have your appearance. They will have only one of the distinct characteristics of your body. It will still be impressive. Two DNA strands for the price of one.”

  Lynni was wracked by pain. She breathed through it, and in seconds, Alveck was applying a small regenerator to her abdomen. She breathed a little easier as the punctures were sealed. Now, the financial bonus that Ty had arranged made a lot of sense. It hurt.

  “How many of the clones are you going to grow, Jimkol?”

  “We must wait until you have your heir before the first of your clones is grown. This is just to make sure that you have operational ovaries. When Alveck begins the cellular division, they will be transferred to the gestation facility where they will remain until your child is grown to decanting.”

  “So, first my baby and then my clones? So my baby will be older than her aunties? Cool.” She kept her hand holding Leko’s while the healing continued.

  When she sat up, she felt a little dizzy, but it soon passed. With stiff movements, she reached for her clothing and Leko helped her get dressed again.

  “Right, well, I suppose I need to get back to the elders council. We were just debating the merits of changing the council colours. Apparently, Hrakin thinks he is more of a winter.”

  Leko snorted.

  Dr. Jimkol looked confused. “I don’t know what that means.”

  “My Familiar does and that is all that matters. Okay, Leko. Let’s get me back to work.”

  He lifted her in his arms, and she waved farewell. “See ya’ll in twenty-eight days or so.”

  Leko shuddered as he walked. “I don’t know how you can be so cheerful after that. You were in agony.”

  “Yup. But pain passes. Don’t get me wrong, I am not going to be skipping in there next month with a grin on my face, but there is a reason that the contract stipulates a maximum of sixty eggs per year. I can do this for six months as long as I get six months off.”

  “What if you want to donate more?”

  “I can, for a bonus. If they come up with a way of changing the harvesting methodology, things will be better. I know that Alveck is working on it, and hopefully, he is nearly there.”

  She rubbed her abdomen. “Yeah, if I have to do that regularly, I am not going to be carrying a child to term, though it would give me some time off.”

  “Give it some thought. You can always have your heir and bear another child later.”

  “Fair enough. I know that Lrrko is depending on us for the new DNA injection, but why does it have to involve actual injections?”

  He chuckled and flew her back to the council building while she bitched and whined the entire way.

  To her amusement, the men looked at her with concern when she returned.

  Hrakin frowned. “Are you all right? Do you need to rest?”

  “No, I need to do something. The number was eleven by the way, six and five.”

  The men grinned as if they were proud grandfathers.

  Leko set her in her chair, and it was back to business as usual.

  Tyanni poured tea for both of them. “Well, at least you had a good first harvest. When mine was done, there was some internal bleeding involved. It was not a pleasant day. Good thing that Brex caught it.”

  “Definitely. So, when are you going to have your heir? And are you going to have Brex’s at the same time?”

  Ty blinked and picked up her cup. “Next harvest, I guess. It will get started, and I can visit it while it is growing.”

  “They are so cute.”

  Ty
was surprised. “You have been to the gestation lab?”

  “Yes. Haven’t you?”

  “No. I think Brex is worried about how I will take it. It is a little different from human gestation after all.”

  “I think he might be worried that you will see him as a clone. It’s nice. They grow them in small batches to keep the possibility of errors low. If there is a problem, they can spot it in the small batch and engage in gene therapy right away. Easier for five than fifty.”

  “Definitely. Wow. Cool.” Ty grinned. “So, how are you doing otherwise, Elder Lynni?”

  “Funny. You will eventually pay for that.” Lynni smiled. “I am actually enjoying being on the council. I am learning a lot about the Lrrko and the aliens that they have living among them.”

  “The women?”

  “The very same. I am working at getting Leko to bring me into the city to meet and greet some of them, but he says we have to wait until the other three are here. Just to make sure that I am not endangering the gene pool.” She rolled her eyes to express what she thought of that. She sipped at her tea and sighed.

  “What was that sigh?”

  “I miss chocolate. It wasn’t until I was near ovulating that I realized how much I miss chocolate.”

  “Maybe they can come up with something to substitute.” Ty sounded hopeful.

  Lynni grinned. “Perhaps. I will have the elders look into it. With five Terran women each having four working ovaries, chocolate is going to be a necessity.”

  “So, sis, when are you going to have your heir?”

  “Next harvest. I plan on breastfeeding in the elder council if I can get my body to cooperate.”

  Ty nearly sprayed her tea over the table. “I will pay money to see that.”

  “I will call you on the day. So, what are you hoping for, a little boy or a girl?”

  “I think I want a little boy that looks like Brex.” Ty’s features softened as she thought of her Familiar.

  “I love Leko’s hair and eyes, but I think a little girl would be adorable with that colouration.” Ly sipped her tea. “I will have to give it some thought, make a decision tree. That kind of thing.”