Page 30 of Golden Darkness
He laughed and hugged her. “If it happens, it happens.”
Janessa nodded. “Okay, so I will keep my hands away from my abdomen because that’s what made your eyes gold over, right?”
His arms tightened around her. His growl was low. “Yes, that was what set me off. I would like you to do it again... when we are alone.” He licked her ear, and she shivered. “Or when you want to run.”
“Not doing that unless you give me a two-day head start.”
He laughed. “Deal. It will be a fun day to tell our offspring about.”
Janessa shivered. “You are that confident that we are genetically compatible?”
He got to his feet and smiled. “We will be.”
She sighed and returned to the hold while Kethen copied the items that had been verified, and he returned to the boardroom he had been working from.
It was time to crack the container marked with Terran origin. It was supposed to be headed toward an archive.
She figured out the access code, and the door opened. Janessa stepped inside, and her inner five-year-old was screaming happily.
Her hands caressed the boxes and the labels. She paused when she found a box markedArchive.Janessa opened the box and saw a long, thick crystal. It was four inches long, vaguely blue, and shereallywanted to know what it meant.
She closed the box and sealed the container before walking out of the hold and down the hall to the spot Kethen had pointed out to her. She knocked softly at the door and then opened it.
Kethen was speaking to another being in hologram form, expressing his sincerest regrets that the item in question had been stolen.
The being looked past Kethen. “What is that creature?”
Kethen didn’t turn his head. “That is my mate. I cannot pronounce her name, so I call her Pet.”
He held his hand out to her and gathered her close.
“I haven’t seen a creature of her nature. What is she?” The being leaned forward, his black, leathery wings flaring slightly. His skin was the same unrelieved midnight, and his eyes were filled with stars.
“She’s a Terran. Their world was hit by an asteroid nine seasons ago.”
The hologram cocked his head. “All is forgiven if you bring her so I can meet her.”
“You can meet her, but if you touch her, I will take your head off. She was not initially companion class, but the Vel-ech tuned her mind with horrific techniques. Thankfully, their techniques are lost to time.”
Janessa stood still when he said that.
“She doesn’t look much like a mate. She’s stiff beside you.”
Janessa took the hint and jumped into Kethen’s embrace and kissed him, sliding her knee to the outside of his thigh and showing a lot of skin.
Kethen growled and held her head as he kissed her. When their kiss dwindled, he set her back on her feet.
Janessa looked at the stranger’s hologram. “Being companion class is being able and willing to have sex at a moment’s notice. Not doing it. You wouldn’t get anything done.”
The stranger laughed. “Bring her for a conversation and keep her in your lap, or I will take her from you.”
“Bliahn, you will keep your hands to yourself. Your cock as well.”
Bliahn snorted and bowed low. “Yes, Elder. Give the stolen items to your consort. She looks like she can use some sparkle.”
“You live on a world made of gemstones.” Kethen snorted.
“You have the same.”