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  She walked out of the bedroom and flicked her hair over her shoulders as she settled on the couch next to Xan. He appeared to have turned to stone.

  He cleared his throat. “Could you stand up again?”

  She was stifling her grin. She got up, lifted her arms above her head, and turned so that he could see the new outfit. When she was done, she dropped back to the couch.

  He swallowed, and she grinned, reaching for her noodle pack. “Did you want to race again?”

  He didn’t respond, so she opened her container and took the first mouthful out, slurping it, and she felt the noodles slap around and into her cleavage as she ate. There was a reason she tried to keep her breasts confined. No one ate her noodles but her, not even her boobs.

  She felt hands on her hips, and Xan’s mouth was squarely in her cleavage, licking and sucking at every trace of food.

  She felt the flickering of arousal but kept eating while he shifted the fabric to expose her left breast. He sucked, licked, and slurped, and she groaned as his ferocity lit a fire inside her.

  She finished her noodles and dropped the container and sticks, running her fingers through his hair as he moved to her other breast and repeated his enthusiastic, wet appreciation.

  He pressed her back on the couch and slid the fabric she was wearing aside, sliding two fingers into her slick heat, and she undulated her hips against his hand while his thumb circled her clit. She breathed hard, moaning, whimpering, and finally, she said, “Please, Xan. I need you inside me!”

  He leaned in, his hip wrap easy to get around, and pressed the head of his cock against her. She lifted her hips, and he eased into her before hammering at her hard, sliding her across the couch until she braced herself on the arm with his own arms above her head. He growled because he couldn’t reach her breasts, which appeared to be his favourite part of her, so he sat back on the couch, deep inside her with her back bent in his supporting hands and his mouth locked onto her nipples once again.

  It was difficult to gain the deep thrusts that she wanted, but he was moving her against him while his hips circled in place. Her brain rioted at the rivalling sensations, and she was relieved when he sat up, and she was kneeling astride him, and they were face to face. Her heart was pounding, and her breath was rushing in and out of her lungs. His chest was rising and falling rapidly.

  She leaned into him and kissed him. Bracing her hands on his shoulders and slowly rising and falling on him.

  Xan slipped one hand between them, and he pressed against her. She paused slightly but continued her slow and deliberate march toward her orgasm. As his fingertips circled and pressed hard, she whimpered and slammed her hips against his. The high-pitched whimpering that was coming from her throat stopped with a squeak when a rush of fire ran through her blood and left her clinging to Xan and shaking.

  He waited until she slumped against him, kissed her quickly, and cupped her buttocks to lift and drop her onto him until he threw back his head and groaned.

  She felt the deep throb inside her, and she held onto him as his body jerked against hers. When he relaxed, she pressed her forehead to his shoulder and caught her breath.

  Cyreen looked down, and the sight of her flushed and pink breasts greeted her, framed in the neckline of the item she was wearing. She lifted her head, and Xan was looking at her with the dazed satisfaction she was beginning to associate with him.

  He smiled. “I am very glad that you volunteered as a candidate.”

  She sighed and brushed her lips across his. “I am glad that you were the man that I had hoped for.”

  He grinned. “You wanted a man to take over your world?”

  She shrugged. “I just wanted a man I wasn’t nervous about crushing in bed.”

  Xan stroked her hair. “Excellent. Now, let’s finish those noodles.”

  She tucked her breasts back under the fabric, and she slowly dismounted, his cock sliding against her inner thigh until she reached the tipping point and flopped over, tidying the fabric until she was decently covered again.

  She reached out and flipped his wrap over his still-shining cock. “What if someone comes through the door? It has happened before.”

  He shrugged and reached for the noodles. “I do not have an issue with nudity. Nor should you, you are amazing.”

  She blushed and reached out for her second batch of noodles. She had worked up an appetite.

  Chapter Nine

  She was halfway through her noodles when the door opened, and Xaru and Terlina came in, unannounced.

  Xaru nodded. “You found her. Good.”

  Terlina looked a little nervous. “Cyreen, I have to make an apology.”

  Cyreen put her noodles down, and she looked at Terlina. “Come with me.”

  She walked Terlina into the gallery where the armor normally resided. “Yes?”

  Terlina frowned. “Why did you bring me here?”

  “Because you are making your apology to me, not to Xaru or Xan.”

  The older woman frowned. “I... I am not sure what to do.”

  “Are you going to apologize for your judgment of me, the contempt, or your mentioning women who would be better suited to Xan?”

  “Yes. That.” She waved her hand in dismissal.

  “Well, if you wanted to do that, I could get back to my meal.”

  Terlina nodded and grimaced. “I am sorry. I had a plan for my son, and you do not fit into it.”

  Cyreen nodded. “That is what I thought. Feel free to throw women at Xan; he isn’t going to take them.”

  “What? Why?”

  “Because against all the odds, he chose me. He knew that Thiria was close to what he wanted, so he kept that genetic line in mind. When I saw him and he saw me, there wasn’t any hesitation. It was the solid lock of his gaze on me, and while I was checking him out front and back, he was doing the same. We are drawn to each other, aside from my attachment issues. A little lady with cute hair and a pristine bloodline isn’t going to turn his head.” She turned on her heel and was walking out of the room.

  “Of course, you would say that. You are dressed like a whore.”

  Cyreen giggled and kept walking.

  She sat back down and picked up her noodles. She started eating. Xan looked at her cautiously. “So, did she apologize?”

  “Not really, and my clothing is something a whore would wear. I didn’t tell her about the cum running down my thighs.”

  Xaru coughed, coloured, and got to his feet.

  Xan chipped in, “I designed the loungewear. It is just faster, and I am trying to keep Cyreen comfortable.”

  Xaru nodded and walked toward his mate, grabbing her shoulders and turning her around, walking into one of the guestrooms at the other end of the hall.

  There was a raised voice, and then, a soft patter of conversation continued.

  Cyreen finished her noodles and smiled. “I will be right back.”

  She tidied up in the bathroom and sorted her hair out. When she returned, Xan was still on his own, the dishes were done, and she curled up against him. “Sorry about your mother.”

  “Don’t be. She just won’t be allowed anywhere near you or any children we have.”

  She blinked and sat up. “Children? Why would I want... you have never had the shot.”

  He chuckled. “No. I have not. I do know about them, but they aren’t calibrated for the Mechal.”

  She put her hand on her belly and did some mental math. Her heart sank. “This idea is going to take some getting used to.”

  “Don’t panic. You aren’t alone, and I am not going anywhere. Your child will be cared for.” He stroked her shoulder. “Our child will be cared for.”

  She nodded. “Right. And I am not my mother.”

  “Or my mother.”

  Cyreen chuckled. “That too.”

  She took a breath. “But, I am probably not pregnant.”

  He didn’t say anything. His parents were on the way back down the hall.

  Xa
ru sat in the chair, and Terlina sat across his thighs. It was obviously a spot she was used to sitting, but she was embarrassed as she looked over at Cyreen.

  “I am sorry, Cyreen. Genuinely sorry. No excuses. I have forgotten what it is like to be young.”

  Cyreen was still leaning against Xan. “Thank you. I will keep it in mind.”

  Terlina blinked and nodded. “Thank you.”

  Both of the men in the room exhaled slowly as if a pin was put in a grenade.

  Xaru asked, “So, what were you eating when we arrived?”

  “Noodles. Cyreen’s friend Kinoss has a shop down the road. They are amazing.” Xan was toying with Cyreen’s hair, running his fingers from scalp to the distant ends.

  Cyreen smiled. “I can go get you some.”

  Xaru shook his head. “No, you look comfortable. We will go, and if it is fine, we will return.”

  Terlina and Xaru got to their feet and left the apartment.

  Cyreen groaned and slid her head into Xan’s lap, looking up at him. “I think I am going to put on a suit. It seems less dangerous.”

  He slid a hand under the fabric, and he stroked her left breast, cupping and massaging it gently. “I would be a little sad if you got dressed.”

  She snorted. “You will get over it.”

  He groaned. “Tomorrow, we begin making declarations and explaining the situation to the population. There will be a lot of clothing then. Today is our last day of relaxation for weeks.”

  She arched into his hand and smiled. “Well, I suppose they won’t be back for ten minutes. What can we manage to do in ten minutes?”

  He smiled, pulled her so that she was cradled in his arms, and his hand slid under the fabric and between her thighs while his mouth tugged the neckline aside until he could nuzzle and suck at her nipples.

  She winced when he brought his teeth into delicate play and blushed when she felt the slick coating on his fingers. Well, she heard it more than felt it.

  He played her body competently, and she sang for him until she reached her breaking point. When her body surrendered, she curled up in his arms and shook lightly as the spasms continued.

  He kissed her forehead, cheek, and lips.

  When his parents returned, she was sitting next to him, and they were both drinking tea. Cyreen was wearing a long dress that covered everything.

  Xaru quirked his lips, and Terlina seemed relieved.

  Cyreen got the two some tea and smiled when Terlina settled on the couch next to Xan. Oh, if only she knew what had been going on just five minutes before they returned.

  She set the tea down and watched the family settle into their reunion. She took care of the dishes and summoned up some desserts for everyone.

  Xan’s eyes lit up. “Is this one of the upgrades?”

  “It is.” She smiled and sat back with one of the pastries in her grip. She opened her mouth and crunched into it, the pastry trying to escape.

  Xan did the same, and he managed to take the whole treat down in two bites. She finished hers in four.

  The gleam in his eyes was unmistakable; she went back to the kitchen and flipped through the menus for the desserts.

  She felt a familiar presence behind her and glanced back as Xan came to wrap his arms around her. “What other options are there?”

  He rested his chin on her head. She grinned and showed him the display. He began to tap one of everything, and she snickered. “Sweet tooth?”

  “Not enough calories. It has been a long day.”

  She nodded and picked out the most calorific selection on the menu. It was pastry, filled with high-fat creams, and topped with a fat slab of rich icing.

  She selected the item and hit the authorization button with one finger. “There we go. Now we wait.”

  He kept his arms around her, and he kissed her neck, pausing here and there to suck gently.

  “What are you doing?”

  His voice was sly. “Nothing.”

  He went back over the spots he had sucked before, and while her toes curled, she began to suspect what he was up to.

  The dispenser began to chime, and she pulled out a tray. She piled the myriad desserts onto it while trying to dislodge Xan subtly. When she had the tray in her hands, she set it back down, pulled her hair over the spot that Xan had been working on, and then, she picked up the tray again with her hybrid lover following close behind.

  She set the tray down on the low table. “Some more desserts.”

  Terlina smiled. “No wonder you have such a curvy figure.”

  Cyreen smiled tightly. “No, that is genetics.”

  Xan reached out and took the special dessert, taking a bite. Cyreen watched as his eyes went wide.

  There were enough calories in the pastry to supply all of Cyreen’s needs for a day. He was eating it in one sitting.

  Xaru finished his second pack of noodles, and he grabbed at the dessert tray. Terlina frowned, but she reached out and took one of the pastries, biting down and closing her eyes. “This tastes just like I remember.” She sighed happily and continued to make selections.

  Xan finished his mega-calorie pastry, and he smiled. “That helped tremendously. Father, you need to get one.”

  Cyreen smiled and walked back to the kitchen. “I will be back in a few minutes.”

  She ran pastries for the men, only belatedly realizing that the speed they had shown must take a lot of calories. Xan talked with his family about the plans for the next few days. Cyreen listened, but she eventually found herself dozing.

  She got to her feet. “Please excuse me. I think I am out of everything right now. Have a nice chat, Xan.” She pressed her hand to his shoulder, and then, she headed to the bedroom.

  She closed the door and removed the dress she had thrown on. With a heavy yawn, she went to the bathroom, and when she looked in the mirror, she shrieked. “Son of a bitch!”

  Laughter came through the door, and she grimaced at the chain of love bites that went down her neck and to the edge of her shoulder. She groaned and stepped into the shower, blanking her mind and removing the last traces of the day’s activities.

  Once dried off and out of the shower, she stumbled over to the bed, pulled the sheet back, and she crawled in. Tomorrow was going to be hell.

  Chapter Ten

  “Xan, if you leave another trail like that, I will find a way to break your lips.” She was lying pressed against him, and his mouth was on her shoulder. She tapped him on the forehead.

  “But you have to be balanced.” He said it like it was the most logical thing in the world.

  “I have three outfits that will conceal that kind of a thing, and one of them is in the cleaner right now.” She felt him softly sucking at her shoulder, and she grimaced.

  “I won’t mark you where it can’t be hidden by a suit.”

  “That leaves about eight percent of my skin.”

  “I think that is generous.” Xan chuckled and kept moving toward her neck.

  She huffed and relaxed as he worked his way to just above her collarbone and then started working his way back down to her shoulder. Her toes were curling, she was hot and wet, but she didn’t want to tell him that.

  He made his way to her shoulder and rolled her to face him. “Good morning, Cyreen. Shower?”

  She sighed and nodded. “Good idea. Thanks for easing me awake.”

  He kissed the tip of her nose. “My pleasure.”

  Their shower was quick and had minimal shenanigans.

  She got dressed in a grey and black suit that had been waiting on the clothing rack when she got up. Darfan had sent a set of clothing options after she had gone to bed.

  She checked herself out in the mirror, making sure that the bites weren’t visible.

  If she put her shoulders back and stuck her neck out, she could just see the edge of the one on her left. She grimaced, split her hair, and pulled locks forward.

  Xan chuckled and copied her. “At least we match.”

  “Do
you have a deep-seated need for coordination?” She looked down, and her suit was nearly his skin colour.

  “Occasionally.” He shrugged. “Waiting for you to come to me was an exercise in patience, and I developed a few obsessions.”

  “Wait. You were awake the whole time?” She was shocked.

  “My body was asleep, but my mind was alert. I was rather glad that they put me on display. It made for a bit of entertainment.”

  She blushed. She had lifted up her shirt and pressed herself against his tube during her graduation tour when she had gotten her official designation as workman.

  He gave her an innocent look. “All I could do was hear.”

  She headed for the door.

  “You would not believe what graduating classes got up to around my pod.”

  She ignored him, heading past the living room and ending up in the kitchen. She selected a solid breakfast for herself and then moved aside to wait.

  Xan grinned. “Don’t you want to know what I heard over the years?”

  “Nope. None of my business.” She leaned back on the counter as she waited for her food.

  He chuckled and walked up next to her, moving through the expanded selection with glee. He occasionally looked down at her cleavage, and then, he resumed his perusing of food.

  Her tray slid out with a chime, and she took it to the table, sitting and eating quickly. They were meeting downstairs for the press conference in half an hour.

  She finished her food half a minute ahead of Xan and his own meal. He was highly skilled at eating fast.

  He took care of the dishes, and she ran her palms down her thighs.

  “Why are you nervous?”

  “Because I am pretty sure that the cameras are going to catch a glimpse of me. I have no idea how folks are reacting to the takeover.”

  “You will be fine. You can hide behind me if necessary.” He offered her his hand, and she got up, letting him lead her out of his apartment.

  Xaru did the announcements, explaining about the solar event and their request for asylum five hundred years earlier. He explained their desperate situation and the actions that they had taken.