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  “So, that is why you came over.”

  Kreatha nodded. “And to get a hug.”

  Amylia gave her a hug and felt the touch on her skin. She closed her eyes. If she could pass anything on to Kreatha through her skin, she would do it.

  They adjourned to the hall again, and a lunch was being prepared. Dorren also stopped and murmured to Gyrion, and the slow smile was enough to set Amylia’s senses on edge.

  “What was that?”

  Gyrion straightened and announced. “Three women in the village have gone into season. I will have to supervise the mate fights after lunch.”

  Amylia didn’t know how this worked, but it was confusing. They could get pregnant because there was a woman in charge? Weird.

  “You look confused, Amylia.” Kreatha nibbled at a cookie.

  “I just don’t know why there isn’t a regular season for mating. Many species have it.”

  Artruo smiled. “Does yours?”

  “Oh. No. we are cyclical. We go off a lot. As an average, once every twenty-eight days.”

  The stunned expressions of those around her preceded Kreatha snuggling against Artruo and her whispering, “When we get home, I want you inside me.”

  Amylia got the feeling that that was going to happen on the way home.

  Gyrion lifted her grubby and bruised hand to his lips. “This might just be the boost that the population needs.”

  She made a face. “And no children for me.”

  He gave her a small smile. “Not in the normal scheme of things, but you are far from normal.”

  Kreatha gave the information on the incoming visitors, and she agreed to return the following day.

  Amylia was exhausted, and she was relieved when Kreatha and Artruo left. She got a shower and looked at the shreds of her dress. Tradition was one thing, but practicality was another.

  She put on a new dress and wandered out in search of Dorren. When she explained what she needed, he nodded, took her measurements and left the keep with a grin.

  The mating combat was taking place in the square, and once she was clean and dressed, she wandered out to see what was going on.

  A woman stood with her mate, and other males were invited to fight for the right to take his place.

  Amylia had a thousand things to say about that, but Gyrion looked at her and frowned, shaking his head. The women stepped aside as the men took the circle and stripped to the waist. She moved through the crowd until she was standing near the woman in question.

  While Amylia was outraged, the woman seemed eager to watch the fight. She was into it. This was her culture.

  The woman walked off after her mate proved himself, and they chased each other in turn off to wherever they could find privacy.

  The next female came forward and didn’t have a pre-chosen mate. The men fought, and the winner walked up to the female and bowed before pulling her in for a kiss.

  The woman went from timid to enthusiastic, and her new mate wrapped his arms around her, carrying her off.

  Gyrion moved closer and chuckled. “Are you upset that you missed a chance for your own consort battle?”

  She smiled. “I like you in one, large, un-bruised piece.”

  His eyes darkened as his pupils dilated. “Do you? Good to know.”

  “But, if you want to fight for the right to be my consort, meet me in my quarters tonight with a bottle of oil. You can wrestle me for the privilege.” She winked.

  “That sounds... fascinating.” He chuckled. He had to turn to the next combatants, and they squared off before attacking each other.

  About a minute into the fight, she found out why Gyrion had to be there. One of the men sprouted fangs and was about to use them.

  Gyrion was in the centre of the fight in seconds and holding back the feral attacker.

  His arms flexed, and he was letting out a low growl that appeared to work on the other male. The man slumped and the fangs disappeared.

  The woman was called forward, and she was made to choose. To Amylia’s surprise, she chose the guy with the fangs.

  Gyrion straightened. “Today concludes the first of what we hope will be many mate competitions. I would like to thank Queen Amylia for giving of herself to make this possible.”

  The crowd applauded, and Amylia nodded to those assembled. Today a mate fight, tomorrow the Imperium. Now, what else was she forgetting?

  Chapter Nine

  “So, how is this supposed to work?” Gyrion spread a handful of oil across his shoulders and chest.

  Amylia had gotten Dorren to put down a mat of sorts so they didn’t wreck the bed, and she was standing at the edge, gleaming and slippery. “Oh, whoever can pin the other for a count of five is the winner. Aside from that, it is anything goes.”

  She faced him across the leather mat. He had a few spots that he had missed, so she was going to try and take advantage of them.

  She hunkered down and touched one hand to the mat. “Agreed stakes?”

  “Agreed. Trousers for you or you will support my claim as consort.”

  “Done.”

  He lunged forward, and they grappled, slipping off each other and sliding apart. He scowled. “This is going to be harder than I thought.”

  She checked out his erection and grinned. “I promise not to pull.”

  His eyes widened, and she tackled him, throwing him off balance until he toppled to the mat. He tried to grab her, and she squirmed loose by sliding back across his cock and down his thighs.

  “I am beginning to see how this is a sport on your world.” His grin became predatory.

  She had his full focus now, and he grabbed and twisted her to the ground, holding her down with the weight of his body. Unfortunately for him, she slipped out on one side.

  They slipped, slid, genitals came in contact for moments, seconds and longer as they ground against each other, striving to be on top.

  Amylia finally had enough. She pinned him on his back, straddled him and slid him into her. He locked in place and gripped her hips.

  She started to slide on him, and before he knew it, she had gotten her five count.

  She leaned forward and kissed him. “I win.”

  He groaned and held her hips, rocking her over him. “I don’t care, keep moving.”

  She moved with him, slipping and sliding over him. She clawed at his chest for support, and he shuddered. His slick fingers moved over her clit, and she was soon rocking to the rhythm set by his hand.

  Heat built in her bloodstream and tension coiled in her belly as she got closer and closer to release. He didn’t draw out the torture; he tipped her over the edge and followed her in a rush.

  She slumped over him, feeling the thickening and gradual reduction inside her. Her body pulsed around him again.

  He grunted, and his fingers dug into her hips. She could see a flash of white as he gritted his teeth and he held himself back from her until he calmed.

  “Um, what was that?”

  Gyrion ran his tongue over his teeth before answering. “Five percent of the population have mating teeth. I have them; the rest of my family does not.”

  “What does it mean?”

  “Higher testosterone, better breeder.” He looked embarrassed.

  “Oh, so that is why the lady chose him over the other guy that didn’t go insane.”

  He covered his eyes with one hand. “Probably.”

  “And why you had women lining up to sleep with you.”

  He mumbled. “There wasn’t a line.”

  She smirked and sat back, slowly unravelling her braid. “Thankfully, I am an open book. No embarrassing secrets.”

  “Do you really go into heat twelve times a year?”

  She wrinkled her nose. “It is hard to detect, but yes.”

  “You don’t need any special trigger or food or anything?”

  “Nope. My species just goes off, some more, some less, but as long as the bo
dy is sound and everything is normal, that is how it happens.”

  “So, it is possible that we could interbreed?”

  She bit her lip. “I don’t know if my species and yours have ever been assessed for compatibility. I know that Terrans are easy to tinker with on a genetic level, but I am not sure about us.”

  “Would you mind if I looked into it?”

  She shrugged her shoulders and combed her hair out with her fingers. “Go nuts. I have never had a plan for family either way.”

  He grinned. “Are you going to sit on me all night?”

  “I thought about it. Would you like me to get off?”

  He chuckled and stroked his palms over her butt. “I would like to shower and try this on a less slick surface. You have meetings tomorrow, but I think a little relaxation is in order.”

  She ran her hands down his chest and levered herself free of him. “Shower, huh?”

  He was on his feet as soon as she completed her dismount, and he had her under one arm, hauling her into the shower with her giggling and her feet skidding.

  Morning would come soon enough. Tonight was for spending with her consort.

  The shuttle hovered at the top of the cliff, and Amylia stood with Gyrion on one side of her, Kreatha and Artruo on the other.

  The Imperium wasn’t taking any chances. Six guards came out with the representative.

  The shuttle let them out, and then, it sank down to the actual landing site.

  “Queen Kreatha, we are here on behalf of the Nyal Imperium to arrest you for the death of Ambassador Nefican.”

  Amylia stepped forward. “The Imperium has no grounds to remove a Rohul citizen from its soil. Queen Kreatha served six months in Janial, and that was a gross breach of etiquette. As ruler of these lands at the time, she had complete sovereignty. A sexual advance from the ambassador was met with the restraint of her people.”

  The representative scowled at her. “Why are you speaking for her? Wait, are you Guard Caxton?”

  “No, now I am the Queen of Rohul, Amylia. It is an alpha-based society and no treatise will be concluded with this world until all charges have been dropped.”

  “But, you were... were you working with her during the escape?”

  Amylia shook her head. “Most assuredly not. The Imperium had my loyalty to its legal system until I was no longer in Imperium space. I believe that a treatise with the Alliance might be a good idea. They have far more respect for the social mores of the people on the worlds they deal with.”

  The representative blubbered and tried to go on the attack about the contract that had been in effect when Amylia had been taken.

  Artruo stepped forward. “All contracts cease to hold effect when the employee is deceased. Both Guard Caxton and my wife, Kreatha, were technically dead on extraction from the court. We have the records and medical vids to prove it.”

  Amylia had been treated to that bit of info the day before, so she didn’t go into shock, but it still felt weird. They saved her life and then tortured her. Messed up.

  “So, Representative, you can see that I would never allow one of my subjects to be removed for an act of self-defence.”

  “Of course. Please allow me to communicate with the high courts, and I will tell you what action we are taking.”

  She smiled and knocked the entire contingent out.

  She was crouched next to the representative when he woke and his men were down at the shuttle.

  “So, just so you understand, everything I am is at the disposal of Rohul. I will defend this world and her people to the best of my ability, and if you have read my file, you know what that means. So, call your shuttle and get off my world.”

  She stood and returned to her group.

  There would be other altercations between the Imperium and Rohul, but today, she was drawing the line with plenty of backup.

  The shuttle retrieved the man and took to the skies.

  She smiled. “Well, I think I need to head back and talk to the other alpha. She will be driving Dorren crazy by now.”

  Kreatha sighed. “I was hoping you could help us celebrate.”

  “What are you celebrating since yesterday?” Gyrion wrapped an arm around Amylia.

  “I have had a successful conception. We are waiting a few weeks before we announce it, but a micro scanner was able to locate it.”

  “In one day?”

  “I am lucky. Some try for years with no success, but my body was just waiting until someone took the burden of prime queen from it. Thanks, Amylia.”

  Artruo wrapped his arms around his mate. “Thanks, Amylia.”

  Gyrion chuckled. “I suppose she should meet Mother.”

  Amylia was shocked. “She’s still alive?”

  “Of course. She just had to go into hiding when she had us. I will explain it on the way.”

  They walked to their riding beast, and he explained on the way. His mother could have been a queen, but she loved her mate and hid when her time came. She would simply be pregnant and there was nothing that the ruling consort could do. She didn’t want him, but he watched her like a hawk.

  When she had two children in a keep with a queen, the ruler passed away and the consort was in search of the next queen. Gyrion’s father was talented but not a warrior, and when the challenge came, he died.

  Rather than submit to the man who killed her mate, Yadora ran. She raised her boys outside of the keep system until she was beyond childbearing. She turned to the communities for support and finally retired to a house in the hills. Her talent for manipulating water was still in demand, but she didn’t need the funds, so she took on projects as she wanted to. For now, it was high water so she had time off.

  They skipped the keep and headed for a small white stone cottage in the hills. Amylia could see it gleam from a distance.

  The woman didn’t look old enough to have a son Gyrion’s age, but she patted him with the familiarity of a parent.

  “So, you are the alien that the waters are whispering about.” Yadora scowled at her as she walked into the small yard in front of the cottage.

  “Apparently.”

  “And already the prime queen. You work fast. So, have you seduced my son?”

  Amylia smiled. “No. He did all the work. I just didn’t run away.”

  Yadora snorted. “I hear you can fight.”

  “I hear you can cook. I am willing to take it on faith if you are.”

  There was a chuckle, and the woman with midnight hair and laughing eyes rushed forward and hugged her. “Welcome, daughter.”

  Gyrion looked relieved and gave her a big grin. Amylia was about to speak when she heard a familiar sound.

  She turned, and the farm beast walked up to her for their daily communing. “Apparently, she can find me anywhere.”

  Yadora was impressed and said so as Amylia and the other alpha female had their moment.

  After the communication, the beast returned to the farm and Yadora made dinner.

  Amylia looked at Gyrion. “Are there ever days when there is nothing to do?”

  He lifted her hand to his lips. “Those are the days we do each other.”

  Amylia grinned, Yadora snorted and one of the uncomfortable moments shared by family commenced.

  Epilogue

  Mel watched her parents argue, and she was smug when she took the information to her siblings.

  “They are only pretend fighting, Lil. You can come out now. We just can’t see them until tomorrow.”

  Tov gave her a sober look. All his looks were so serious. “How do you know, Mel? They seemed serious.”

  “Dad grabbed the oil. They are having one of those fights.”

  Mel took her place in the schoolroom and held the fruit in her hand, levitating it until it was even with her eyes. She held it there for as long as she could and then started over.

  Like Mom said, there is always time to start over, as long as you mean it
to be a better effort. Mom and Dad always make the effort and each child just makes things better.

  With six siblings, Mel was happy to be part of the largest family on Rohul. It made them special and made them stronger. They might not have the brightest strips, but they would be breeding queens and consorts, bringing their people back from the brink. Mel already had her eye on one of the young guards, but it would be another twelve years before she could act on it. Plenty of time for him to grow into those shoulders.

  She smirked and continued her lessons in telekinesis. There was plenty to learn before it was her turn. She wanted to know it all.

  Author’s Note

  Okay, one more to go. Quit is going to answer a lot of hints I have been planting in the series, and now, I finally get to get everything up and out in the open.

  I want to thank everyone who has read all the Terran Times and hope that they will tune in for my next series of novellas that begins in August. Untrained Fascination-Book One Brace for Humanity.

  Thanks for reading,

  Viola Grace

  About the Author

  Viola Grace (aka Zenina Masters) is a Canadian sci-fi/paranormal romance writer with ambitions to keep writing for the rest of her life. She specializes in short stories because the thrill of discovery, of all those firsts, is what keeps her writing.

  An artist who enjoys a story that catches you up, whirls you around and sets you down with a smile on your face is all she endeavours to be. She prefers to leave the drama to those who are better suited to it, she always goes for the cheap laugh.