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  She pursed her lips, looked at him, and then, she got out of his lap. She slipped the underwear to the floor and stepped out, kicking off her shoes before she hiked up her skirt and crawled back onto his lap. She wrapped her arms around him and opened the back of his suit, and when that was open, she peeled the suit open down to his groin, and she stroked his erection out of the fabric.

  He shuddered. “You are very good at opening a suit.”

  Her fingers moved over him lightly, and she responded, “I usually wear one, so I can get in and out in a hurry.” He was just as striped on his cock as he was everywhere else.

  He slid his fingers under her skirt, and he shuddered when he found her hot and slick. “How long have you been like that?”

  She chuckled. “Since I had a memory after lunch.”

  “What was the memory?”

  She leaned up and kissed him, shifting closer and putting his erection tip against her opening. Lyra eased down onto him, rose, and did it again. She pulled her lips from him. “Us, together. A thousand days and hundreds of ways.”

  He groaned as she pressed more fully onto him. “Good memory.”

  She chuckled and kissed him again as he cupped her hips, and she rose and fell over him until she bucked and jerked against him, and he sank his teeth into her neck and shoulder as he did the same.

  His low groan rumbled through her bones. When he stopped twitching inside her, he relaxed his jaw and licked at her skin.

  She chuckled, and he licked up her neck until he was kissing her slowly, and she was kissing him back.

  A voice called out, “Even the newly mated need to eat. Uncouple and get in here.”

  If it had been Iula, it would have been fine. If it had been Yamira, it would have been embarrassing. It was Koron’s amused voice calling out from the dining room, fifty metres away.

  She looked at the amused face of the man who was her mate. “Why couldn’t I have chosen a guy who didn’t live with his parents?”

  He leaned down and brought his forehead to hers. “They would never have appreciated you as I do.”

  She kissed him quickly and said, “We had better clean up and get over there before he comes looking. He seems the type.”

  Yatal laughed, and in five minutes, they were presentable, and Lyra had cleaned up. Time for dinner. She had a question she needed to ask Koron.

  Chapter Eleven

  Dinner had been uneventful. Yamira and Koron didn’t taunt them too much.

  “Overseer Koron, I have a question.”

  He looked at her and cocked his head. “Yes?”

  “The accelerated healing I have. It wouldn’t have any other effects on my physiology, would it?”

  “You mean like an aging effect? No. Your effect is strictly regenerative. You are getting younger, if anything.”

  She nodded. “So, if I end up pregnant, it won’t show for the normal period of time. Right?”

  Koron frowned. “It shouldn’t. I mean, not unless the child has the same acceleration situation that you have, in which case, I don’t know.”

  Yatal looked at her warily. “Why are you asking?”

  She grabbed his hand and pressed it onto the curve of her belly that had developed during her nap. “This wasn’t there yesterday.”

  Yatal blinked. “Can it happen so fast?”

  She sighed. “That is what I am asking.”

  Yamira sat up. “Let’s check in the lab.”

  The dinner party changed venue, and soon, Lyra was sitting while her abdomen was being examined by scanners on their lowest setting.

  Yamira giggled when she saw the tiny image on the screen. “It’s a baby. It is also growing fast. I need to run some numbers, but the child may be ready by the end of the week. You are going to have to moisturize like crazy to avoid stretch marks.”

  Lyra looked at the stunned Yatal. “Sorry, it was so soon. I felt like we had just begun to communicate.”

  “Communication was fine. I am guessing that twelve hours of sex during your fertile period was the culprit.”

  He held her hand and crouched next to her. The same angle she had seen him in the vision. She looked at her belly, and it was only one-fifth the size from her vision. There were going to be more scans.

  Yamira was grinning. “Well, it looks like the child will be here by the end of the week.”

  Lyra nearly passed out. “A week?”

  Koron came over, and she was surrounded. “A week at the outside. The baby has accelerated regeneration and is on a solid template. Would you like to see?”

  Lyra only had a chance to nod slightly, and a large monitor was pushed in front of the med bed. She was staring at an image of a tiny person developing with small buds on its back.

  Yatal’s jaw was open. “That’s incredible.”

  Koron held the scanner over her abdomen, and they all watched the baby flex and move. Lyra cleared her throat. “How long can that scan be on me before it starts to have an effect?”

  Yamira spoke absently, “About five minutes.”

  Lyra looked around. The entire family of aliens was staring at the tiny creature that was rapidly forming inside her. Wings. It was going to have wings.

  She asked, “When will we be able to learn the gender?”

  Yamira did some calculations and nodded. “Three days from now if growth remains stable.”

  Yatal held her hand and smiled. “Unexpected but very welcome.”

  Lyra looked at Koron. “No experimenting on the child without a long discussion and proof of necessity.”

  Koron blinked and slowly nodded. “Agreed.”

  Lyra wanted to get out from under the scan, but the family was busy watching gestation television.

  This was going to be the weirdest week ever.

  Yamira spent the rest of the evening on her com. Koron was making estimated growth schedules and looking into compounds to keep acceleration from prematurely aging the child into a senior citizen.

  Lyra exhaled. The child continuing to age was a very real concern. She was sitting in the common space, and Yatal was next to her, with his arm around her, and when she looked at him, his face was still stunned.

  “I would say sorry, but it is a little too late for that. It’s a done deal.”

  Yatal blinked. “You are apologizing to me?”

  “Sort of. When I did the math, I was not in a safe zone, and since sex hasn’t been something I do with other people in the room, I didn’t think about it.” She grimaced. “Also, I haven’t had a noticeable cycle since I got the enhancement, so I have been able to feel something going on, but my body doesn’t go through the normal motions.”

  “Is it distressing for you?”

  “It makes it hard to track time when something that used to happen on schedule doesn’t show up again. I got used to it.” She chuckled and shrugged, patting her stomach. “I will get used to this, too, and then, it will be over.”

  “And then a new round of adaptation starts. Hells, we are going to have to set up a nursery.”

  Yamira looked up from her calls. “On it. We have a few of your things still in storage.”

  Lyra blinked and saw that the family worked very well together. She felt a fluttering, and Yatal’s eyes went wide. He looked at her in shock. “Did you feel that?”

  She nodded. “That is too early. Based on the development that was guessed at, I should only be two months along.”

  Koron looked up. “Four. You are four months along. Hmrain gestation is twelve to fourteen months, depending on the species of the female. Our guess was just that. We will monitor you closely and keep an eye on development or signs of distress.”

  The weird slippery feeling was almost like gas but much more specifically targeted. “Oh, that is odd.”

  Yatal kept his hand there, but the baby was quiet. “Can you make it do that again?”

  She chuckled. “No. It is a developing being all it’s own. It wi
ll start moving when it wants to.”

  She exhaled and swayed.

  “What is it, Lyra?”

  “Just a little tired.” She chuckled. “I am behind on sleep, even for a normal person.”

  Yatal picked her up and nodded. “Right. Straight to bed. No distractions.”

  Yamira called out as they headed down the hall, “You do realize that she can’t get pregnant again, right?”

  Yatal muttered softly. “Why does she think that you aren’t going alone?”

  Lyra laughed and leaned her head against his shoulder.

  It was three hours before she got any sleep, but this time, she understood what the hell was going through her when she saw visions from the view of someone two feet tall. There were a lot of knees in the line of sight.

  Lyra sat up, drank the water left for her again, and groaned as she checked out the advancement of the growth. This was going faster than Koron had guessed. Yatal leaned up on his elbow. “Are you all right?”

  She grinned. “It is a good thing we did that last night. I don’t think I would be able to get that close to you today. This little critter likes to grow in the darkness.”

  She got up and headed to the bathroom, and walked into the shower. Things were more awkward, but she could still manage. She felt like she was burning through a trimester a day.

  Yatal entered the shower and rubbed her lower back and shoulders. She groaned and leaned back against him. He gave her soft words of encouragement, including, “Get through this, and I will take you ice blading again.”

  She laughed. “You say the sweetest things.”

  “I am very charming. You pointed it out the day we properly met.”

  “So, not the day I shot you in the face with a stunner.”

  He chuckled. “I hope to hear you remind me of that for the next twelve decades. Hopefully, by then, we will have a new family joke.”

  She grinned. “That sounds fun. I hope I am around then.”

  “Talk to my father about it. I think you are going to be surprised.”

  She sighed. “Seeing Koron is going to involve scans.”

  “I know, but he is very excited about the developing child. He will be a very weird but doting grandparent.”

  She chuckled. “I know. Yamira will also be the terrifying grandmother who shows up at teacher conferences and terrifies the instructors.”

  “No matter where I am in the world, when I hear you are in labour, I will be on my way.”

  She nodded. “I know. Hopefully, it will make its entrance into the world while you are home.”

  “Do you want to know the sex?”

  Lyra shrugged. “It doesn’t matter to me. I am interested in how developed the wings will be.”

  “They will be flat to the body, curled around the back of the thighs and down to the knees. They will grow as the child does until they are an adult. By the time they are adolescents, they should be able to fly.”

  “Wow. Right. I forgot about that.”

  She eased away from him and smiled. “You should get to work.”

  He sighed. “Right. I forgot about that.”

  She laughed and headed out to get a towel as she moved into the bedroom while drying her hair. When her hair was damp, she wrapped the towel around her and glared down at the bump in the fabric. Hm. This was going to require some improvising.

  None of the dresses that Yamira had left her were suitable. All of her own clothing was formfitting without being restricting, so that left her a set of leggings and one of Yatal’s shirts. Her breast bands wouldn’t even consider going around her, so she grimaced and put on a set of boots. The boots fit comfortably.

  When Yatal came out, he paused, nodded, passed her, and found a sash, wrapping it under her breasts while he kissed her. “There. That looks good enough to stop my mother from ransacking her wardrobe before the seamstress arrives.”

  “I can just go into the city and buy three outfits for the pregnancy. It won’t really last longer than that.”

  He chuckled. “There may eventually be other pregnancies.”

  She looked at him in horror. “How many?”

  “I was thinking that three or five would be nice. It would certainly keep my mother busy.”

  Lyra staggered to the bed and sat down. “Five.” She looked at her abdomen and rubbed it absently as the baby started kicking.

  He got dressed and knelt in front of her. “Let’s see how the first one goes, and you can decide afterward. I promise that you won’t get pregnant until you are ready again.”

  She sighed and nodded. “Feeling a little overwhelmed and weepy this morning.”

  He kissed her forehead, her nose, and her lips. “Feel the way you like. I am only going to work, but first, breakfast.”

  He took her hands and stood, pulling her up with him. She grumbled as they walked through the house. She was muttering about figuring out names for five babies, and what the heck were they going to call the one she was carrying.

  She walked along the buffet, and when she sat down, her eyes were huge. “Oh. Dear.”

  Yatal chuckled. “I can get you more if you need it?”

  Lyra grimaced at him and started on the pile of food with focus. She was building a person. That took fuel.

  She was nearly done with her breakfast, and Yatal was looking slightly afraid when his parents entered.

  Yamira walked up to her and paused. “May I?”

  Lyra pivoted, and the older woman pressed a hand to her abdomen and smiled at the solid kicking that was coming through Lyra’s bump.

  “The little one is awake.”

  Lyra nodded. “Very. I will head for a scan after breakfast.”

  Koron nodded and cast a look toward her abdomen. Lyra sighed and got up, walking past Yamira to Koron and put his hand on the kicking and thudding arc. “Grandpa, meet the little person.”

  Koron’s stellar eyes swirled and glowed brightly. He chuckled. “Very strong. Thank you.”

  “Well, it isn’t going to last long, and I am debating a repeat performance.”

  Koron looked at Yatal. “How many were you thinking?”

  Yamira smiled as she got her food. “At least one of each sex, no matter how many times you have to try.”

  “Oh, no. I am capping this at five.”

  Yatal snickered, and she grabbed a roll and threw it at him. It caught him on the shoulder, where she aimed it. It bounced onto the table and landed on her plate. She sat back down and bit it. “Tastes like speed and victory.”

  Koron laughed. “I am really looking forward to these children.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Lyra felt the twinges after midnight. She sat up and scowled. This was not the labour described on all those television programs where women suddenly went into delivery.

  Yatal sat up and rubbed her back. “Is something wrong?”

  “I am not sure, but something is going on.”

  “Right. I am going to take you to the lab.”

  She grunted when he lifted her, and she muttered something she had been holding in. “You know most folks don’t have a lab in their home.”

  “They also don’t have a mech skeleton parked in the garden, but Dommor wanted to do a fitting, and you couldn’t go to him... This is not the time to think of normal.”

  She grunted as something squeezed her belly. He took flight, and they were there smoothly and in under a minute. He tried to set her on the bed, but she shook her head and gripped the edge of the bed while she groaned. “Maybe a med gown or something.”

  He nodded and paused. “Should I go?”

  She glared at him. “Go. I am not going anywhere.”

  She crouched, and her body started to do whatever it was going to do. The splash of fluid confirmed that something was on the way.

  He came in with one of his casual tunics; she pulled it on and then groaned low. Koron and Yamira ran into the lab, half-dressed and r
umpled.

  Yamira checked on progress, and her eyes widened. “How did you want to do this?”

  Lyra groaned as her body squeezed again. Through gritted teeth, she muttered, “Catch it.”

  Yatal supported her by putting his arms under hers, and she was able to grip him, and when her body pulsed, she used him for power, and Yamira yelled as the little one landed in her hands.

  Lyra gasped and leaned back against Yatal. “One down.”

  Yamira laughed and handed her the new person. A little girl with a fuzz of blue hair. Koron was peering over his wife’s shoulder.

  Lyra chuckled. “You can dissect the afterbirth all you like as soon as it detaches.”

  He grinned. “I just wanted to see the little one. Is she healthy?”

  The baby against Lyra’s chest let out a wail that answered that question. A few more minutes of necessary fussing, and Lyra was sitting on the med bed. She looked at Yatal. “Are you really attached to your shirt?”

  He laughed. “No.”

  “Good.”

  She tore the neckline, and the tiny little banshee quieted as she was introduced to her first meal. Lyra sighed in relief as all of the boxes were checked.

  Yamira completed the scans, Koron checked the bloodwork, and Yatal held his little girl’s hand. It was the end of a very busy week.

  Koron scanned his granddaughter as she kicked her feet. It seemed that getting into the world had been her priority, and now, she was settling into normal growth patterns.

  “She’s fine, and she is shifting to a normal growth pattern for a Nazua-Hmrain-Urther hybrid.”

  Lyra was back in her normal clothing and smiling at her little one. Yatal was with her as he was a new father. He had some time off coming, barring a natural disaster.

  Yatal chuckled. “Then, she is perfect.”

  “She needs a name.” Lyra chuckled. “We can’t just call her she for the rest of her life.”

  Koron smiled. “I decided that I wanted Yamira’s name represented in my child, so if naming the little one after Lyra, you could use your name as a jumping-off point.”