Entranced

Lora Gainer has spent her time in space researching the physical aspects of Alliance races. Her life takes a sudden switch with her abduction and sale to a lion shifter who isn't even sentient by Alliance standards.

Tiern has a plan. He and his cloned brothers have gotten an agreement from the Alliance that if they breed true, the Seth-Ari clones will be granted citizenship to the Alliance of Federated and Sentient Planets. Their children will prove what the Seth-Ari already know, they are living, thinking and reproduction capable creatures.

Now, the all-male race just needs to find women who don't spur their hunting instincts. Since Lora will tolerate Tiern's touch, she is looking to be the first subject in their grand plan. She can hardly contain her excitement.

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Entranced

ISBN: 978-1-55487-458-3

Cover art by Martine Jardin

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Entranced

A Terran Times Novella

Viola Grace

Chapter One

Someone was watching her.

Lora Gainer, Bio Tactics Specialist to the Alliance, opened her eyes and glared at the face on the other side of the glass that protected the shoppers at the slave market on Geehee Nine. She was in the middle of her morning meditation and it was irritating to have to spend her time scowling at a prospective buyer.

The light inside her cage told her that the hooded figure wanted her to rise so that they could assess her physical form. If she didn't comply, the floor would be electrified so she stood. The gauzy folds of her covering fell delicately around her from her shoulders to her feet. When they tried to get her to pose naked, she had simply turned her back on the buyers. Nothing they could do would make her parade naked in front of strange creatures.

Her gaze met that of the creature in the cloak, she got an impression of liquid silver eyes while a surprised flicker touched her mind. She slammed her mind shut on him, it was definitely a him, and waited for the signal to resume her day.

The light flicked off and she sat back down to resume her meditation.

The creature in the cloak nodded to the dealer and they continued down the rows of women in cages.

Lora sighed in relief. No sale meant she had one more day to try to find a way to contact the Alliance for a rescue.

Her first two attempts at escape had been stymied by the dealer who had bought her from the pirates she had run into in the first place. He was wise to the ways of the Alliance and had no interest in bringing them down on his own head or that of his world. Her messages had been wiped from the minds of outgoing slaves and she had been put in a solitary display.

Crap.

Days blended together. She kept up her regimen of exercise and meditation to keep her calm. She had gotten quite the beating from the pirates who had taken her shuttle and had no urge to have the same experience again. Being outnumbered in hand-to-hand combat was not the way to win the day. Persistence and dedication were the only way she was going to get back into Alliance space.

She was just becoming focused in her morning meditation when the door at the back of her cell swung open.

"Come with me. You have been sold."

Her pause took just a little too long and a jolt went through her muscles. Four other females were leaving their private cells with attendants and she was shepherded to join the herd.

Conversation was not allowed as they went through decontamination showers and pulled on gauzy togas that ended just above their knees and were cross-tied to make their breasts a little more obvious. The attendants swiftly braided the hair of all the females in the group and handed them over to their buyers.

Buyers it was, for there were five figures wearing cloaks and each took possession of one of the slaves.

When a strong, warm hand wrapped around her upper arm, Lora looked up and into the molten silver eyes. They promised her safety and she could almost hear the whisper that she just needed to keep calm and everything would be all right. It would all be fine, as long as she trusted those swirling silver eyes.

A drifting sense of well-being took her over and she followed her owner to the large shuttlecraft that he and the others of his kind had brought to the station. She calmly buckled her harness when she was led to a seat and her mind drifted in a light fog as they left the station and progressed through the deep blackness of space. Lora didn't know where they were headed, but it was okay. Everything was okay. Those silver eyes were in her mind now, telling her that everything would be all right.

* * * *

"He's sleeping on the pod again." Daka shook his head at his brother's behaviour.

Eto was confused and wasn't shy about it. "Why does he do that? She doesn't know he's there and it won't help the bonding."

Siro brought his beverage to the table and sat with his siblings. "He says that she knows he's there."

Ahkon was insistent. "Nonsense. The pods are keeping them completely under. There is no way that she could be aware."

Daka looked at the table of faces identical to his own, Ahkon was the eldest, but Tiern had the most instinct for their undertaking. "It is what he says. You go drag him off the pod."

"I have better things to do. Where is my lunch?" Ahkon drummed his fingers and waited for his brothers to bring him food.

It was a long journey home and spending it with one's siblings was a trial. Knowing that the women they were bringing with them would likely not survive the first weeks was also a concern that hovered in the backs of their minds.

The last batch certainly had not lasted long. When instinct overrode thought, everyone suffered and the women died. Daka was hoping that this batch would last long enough to start relationships or at least the children that they needed.

The Seth-Ari would be born and would take their place in the Alliance.

Chapter Two

Waking from cold sleep was always a frightening experience. Lora's lungs sucked in air violently and she sat up to ease her breathing.

"Easy, Mistress. You are the last to wake. For some reason, your body took to it well, so we decided to start the others first."

A figure stepped into her field of vision and Lora blinked in surprise. She was sitting on a medical couch in a very well-appointed lab. The speaker was a female of a species that didn't register in Lora's mind. Elegant, bluish skin covered a lithe and feminine body enrobed in a deep blue gown. Deep pewter eyes looked kindly at her and a smile curved full lips.

"Are you awake? Thinking?"

"I believe I am. Where am I?"

The woman came forward and started to run a scanner over Lora. "You have been purchased as a breeder for the Seth-Ari prime family."

She couldn't conceal her shock. "What?"

"Have you been damaged? You are here to breed the next generation of Seth-Ari."

Concern flickered over the features, her mouth turned down at the edges. "I have a breeding contract with the Alliance. I have to create an heir for my own talents. That contract supersedes anything else."

The woman chuckled. "It did. Until you were taken out of Alliance space and sold. Now you are property of the Seth-Ari and your purpose is fixed."

Lora was not horrified, at least she wasn't dead, but breeding with a species she hadn't even heard of was not on her list of things to do this week. She had been hoping that she would be able to weasel out of her breeding contract, but it was looking like fate had conspired against her.

"Come this way, please. We still need to run a few tests on you to determine your sensitivities."

The woman gestured for her to rise. Lora did it with some reluctance. It sounded like they were going to conduct an SRT on her and she wasn't really in the mood. The Sexual Reflex Test was an excellent way of finding a possible mate's sensitive spots, but this was done by a computer using probes and sensors to drive the subject to orgasm. It recorded every nuance and created a report that was given to the respective recipient. Usually the one ordering the test.

"I am Dell, by the way. Chief medical officer to what remains of the Seth-Ari. Please lie here. I am sure you are familiar with this test."

It was an SRT rig. Lora sighed, "Yes, though I do wish it wasn't necessary."

"We have not had one of your kind through here until now. Blood tests have exhibited that you are a Class Zero, so that is excellent. This is the last test that we will put you through until you have coupled with him."

She settled uncomfortably on the table, completely naked under the lights of the lab. Her wrists were cuffed automatically and her ankles were separated by soft cuffs that looped out of the table. As they drew tight, her thighs parted to allow the array from the ceiling to descend between her legs. Now came the embarrassing part.

With her thighs wide, she felt the first delicate touch on the outer lips of her sex and closed her eyes. Her body was cold when the machine started, but minutes later, she was squirming under its ministration and trying not to gasp and pant aloud. Her skin was flushed and her wrists and ankles fought the restraints as she rocketed into a keening orgasm.

The machine held her there for a moment and to her astonishment, it started again.

"What the hell? What is it doing?"

"We need to know your physical threshold. The machine will continue until you cannot." There was pity in Dell's voice, but she did not stop the machine.

Hours passed with her limbs locked in position and her body mindless with pleasure. The penetration of the machine was so light that it merely inserted one spiralling probe and extended one on her clit. The machine had also picked up on her love of penetration, that instant when the tissues at the base of her channel were stretched and forced wide, she experienced her largest flood of pleasure. It did it often.

Lora mercifully blacked out. For all she knew, the machine kept going, but her mind could take no more.

Waking this time was painful. Every muscle was sore and she was groaning as she tried to move.

"Mistress, I am Hami. I have drawn a hot bath for you if you would care to enjoy it." A young blue woman bowed deeply and helped Lora to sit up. "I understand you are sore. The machine kept going after you fainted and it was determined that you will not tire under heavy use by the primes."

"Fabulous. Help me to the bath, please." Lora needed the help--her thighs did not want to hold her weight as she tottered along with the surprisingly strong woman helping her.

The bath in question was a sunken tub with stairs on either side and benches on the opposing edges. It was scented with a wild flower that Lora didn't recognize, but it did relax her. "Thank you for your help, Hami, but why are you here?"

"I am to be your servant, Mistress. I will fetch what you need, take messages, run baths, help you dress, anything you need."

"How are you at massages?"

"Excellent, Mistress. I have prepared the oil in case you were interested. As soon as you have had a good soak, I will help you out." Hami left the bath.

It was only then that Lora noticed the other woman had simply helped her all the way into the bath without thought for the dress she was wearing. It was simpler than Dell's, but the same striking shade of blue. "How many women were brought here with me?"

"Five in total. It is better I think. The last time, they brought ten and none of the women were suitable." Hami had wrung out her skirt and was now filling a plate with tidbits that she presented to Lora.

"What happened to the first ten?"

"They were unsuitable, so they were discarded."

"What does that entail?"

"They were destroyed. By the time the primes were done with them, they were no longer capable of functioning."

Didn't that just sound fabulous? Lora was going to have to get a message out or find a way to escape. She liked all of her functions and wanted to keep them running. Settling on the bench, she leaned back and looked up. What she saw made her blink repeatedly.

The sky above her was unrelieved black with occasional sparks of stars. She was on a world with no atmosphere and the dome curving above her clued her in to the biosphere that she was in. "We are in a dome."

"We are. Each of the primes has his own and you are housed in the women's quarters of Tiern's dome."

"Tiern. Is that the name of the prime I am to service?"

"Not service. Breed with. They have other outlets for mere service."

As she finished fiddling with the towels and oil at the massage table, Hami made her way back to Lora's side.

"You won't regain your strength if you don't eat, Mistress. These are slices of fruit that have been rolled in powdered sugar and nuts. There is wine or juice as well." She took a piece of fruit and before Lora knew it, she was being fed like a small child.

The servant didn't give her a chance to put up much of a fuss, simply presented a new tidbit to eat every few seconds and waited until Lora had swallowed the previous bite. Hami continued to stuff her until the plate was empty. The servant smiled at her and moved to fetch her some wine.

"You are very determined, aren't you, Hami?"

"Yes, Mistress. Your health is my main concern."

She took a hefty swallow of the sweet and rich wine that was handed to her. "That is good to know. So, why wine? Am I allowed to get plastered before Tiern arrives to breed with me?"

"Oh, there isn't enough wine to get you drunk, only to relax you. It will only be served to you before your massage to help loosen your muscles."

The warmth of the wine splashed through her system, acting exactly as Hami had said. Disgruntled, she placed her goblet on the side of the pool and dunked her head under the water. She was under for just over a minute by her count when a hand reached in and pulled her up.

"Mistress, it is unwise for you to stay under that long." Hami didn't just stop at pulling her above the water. She pulled her right out of the pool. She was stronger than she looked. Lora was plopped into a nearby chair and then pulled up as Hami towelled her dry.

"I needed to think. Without an audience."

"I will never intrude on your thoughts, Mistress." She bowed low and her black hair swung around her. "Would you care for that massage now?"

She wanted to say no, but her muscles were tense from the SRT and she needed to relax them in the worst way. "Fine. But no funny stuff."

Hami held her hand and supported her to the massage bench. "I will not be entertaining you, Mistress."

That final comment had Lora smiling at the same time it sucked a little hope away from her. Hami was a robot. She had suspected it the first time that the woman had helped her sit in the pool. The skin did not change colour from exposure to the warmth. Dead giveaway. Her literal translation of the Alliance Common words was the other clue.

Hami helped her lie down and then moved her swath of chestnut hair to one side. The warm touch of hands coated with oil caused her to tense at first, but she relaxed gradually as they merely sought out the tight muscles and worked them loose.

Lora groaned, moaned and grunted as Hami worked, then rolled reluctantly to her back to let the massage continue on her shoulders, belly and thighs.

* * * *

Tiern groaned when she flipped over, his shifted form translating it to a deep growl. He had watched her from the moment that she woke in his bed until now. Her naked, gleaming body on the massage bench was driving him out of his mind.

She had fallen asleep. Hami wrapped her lightly in a towel and carried her back to the bed. The servant nestled her in the cushions and silks, then left to clean the bath area. She was also programmed to put herself to sleep unless called for after her duties were carried out.

The instant that she turned away from her burden, he began to move. He came out of the shadows slowly, dragging the scent of his female into his lungs. It would help to keep him in check if he recognized her while they fucked. If his instincts took over and she fought him, her death would not be quick.

The last two women had taken days to die, the clawing and bites he inflicted infected immediately and the fever had taken them. He regretted their loss, but he learned from their deaths. Becoming familiar with her before he bred her would help him keep control.

When he climbed onto the bed, she stirred but did not wake. He touched her mind with his and pushed her deeper into sleep. He held her there while he explored.

Her dark brows furrowed when he came closer to her, but her expression smoothed in a moment. His feline eye caught every move she made, every trembling breath she took. She was lovelier now than she had been in the slave market. Even there, he had scented her, wild and sweet in the dark miasma of the pens.

Her breasts were firm and silky, globes peaked with nipples in a dusky rose. A growl rose in his throat as he held himself back from tasting them and she shifted, muttering in her sleep. He lightened his touch on her mind, letting her wake slowly as he lay between her thighs, making room for his shoulders with light caresses of his paws. She parted easily for him, opening her cunt to his view. The slick petals of her sex parted with the spreading of her thighs and Tiern dug his claws into the bedding at the heady aroma greeting him. She would be in heat within the day.

There was no more time. He released her mind completely, reaching forward to taste her.

chapter three

Don't scream. Don't scream. He'll bite if you scream. Lora kept that as a chant while she slowly sat up, eyeing the large silver lion between her thighs. When his tongue flicked out to lap at her again, she held perfectly still.

Her legs were spread wide, the skin on the inside of her thighs delighting in the smooth texture of the liquid silver fur. His silver eyes met hers as he returned a third time to lap at her, this time keeping his head fixed and his tongue moving steadily.

Lora had no idea what to do. Hami had left her and this lion had an intelligence in his eyes that reminded her of her buyer. No one had said that the Seth-Ari were shapeshifters, but they had not really been discussed by either of the two creatures that had spoken to her.

Her mind blanked as the tongue began to work inside her a little with every stroke. She was still sensitive from the SRT, so the roughness of his tongue woke nerves and sensations that she would not normally have in the presence of a predator. Her arousal was spiking fast and hard.

A rumbling purr rattled her bones while driving her heat to a new level. The wet noises coming from his mouth combined with that purr had her shaking in seconds. The coil of sensation in her sex was drawn tighter, tighter, until it snapped. She gasped as she shook with the spasms of her channel frantically trying to clamp down on his tongue. He continued his attentions as she moaned and twitched with every scrape of his tongue across her clit.

She was too sore, too sensitive for any more. Taking her courage into her hands, she placed both palms on his forehead and pushed him away. Surprisingly, he went.

He crawled out from between her thighs and up near her shoulder, then he flopped down and laid his enormous head on her belly and closed his eyes. Lora let out a relieved breath and tentatively ran her fingers into his silky silver mane. The purr began again.

"I am guessing that you are to be my lover, but if this is your only form, it will take some doing to get inside me."

Her boyfriend made a chuffing noise. His tail lashed until it wrapped around her calf, then it moved restlessly up and down her leg.

Hami came forward and the lion looked up in surprise. "He is trying to remain in a form with physical limitations so as not to force himself on you. That is Tiern of the Seth-Ari. Third-generation clone of the progenitor."

"Clone?"

"If they can prove that they can reproduce outside of a lab, they will be granted the rights to the minerals of the planet we are on." Hami bowed and walked over to an alcove where she plugged her back onto a prong on the wall.

"I guess that answers that. In case you wondered, I already knew that Hami was a robot."

Comforted by confirmation that he was a sentient creature, Lora resumed her examination of the lion on her belly.

"I am Lora by the way. Interesting first meeting, Tiern. You could have woken me up first." She chuckled and kept up her one-sided conversation. "It's a little presumptuous to go down on a girl on the first date. But I guess you don't get many seconds."

The lion stopped purring and looked at her. This close, she could only look into one of his eyes or go cross-eyed. "What? I know about the other women and I can assure you that I am not going quietly into death. It is one of my personality flaws."

The lion kept a view of her face for several long moments, then got up and left the bed. He prowled around the room for a moment before gathering speed and bolting out an archway that she hadn't noticed.

She could hear the clatter of claws for a few seconds before he was gone. Shaking with relief, she lay back against the pillows. Seven years ago, before she had volunteered to leave the Earth with one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine others, she had never conceived of clones, shapeshifters or robots that could almost pass for living beings. Creatures of that sort had never occurred to her.

Once she passed the volunteer entry exam, she had gone on to specialize in seven alien forms of hand-to-hand combat. None of them did her any good when she was overwhelmed by gas and a multitude of attackers. If she was a television heroine, she would have fought her way out of the slave pens and stolen a shuttle, but practicality had reared its ugly head.

Basic training in the Alliance for this kind of thing dictated that she wait until she could send for help and then send out a distress call. At this time, there was no way for her to send such a signal and so she would bide her time.

Aside from the vague threat that she had been given regarding a savage mating process, she was in no danger. Having settled that little matter in her mind, she arranged her limbs and started to meditate. A calm mind rarely gave in to fear. It was time to calm down.

The patter of claws woke her from her trance. Tiern was back.

"Hey, fuzzy butt. How has your day been going?" Her chipper tone froze him in his tracks.

The enormous lion strode toward the little nest she had made on the bed and he elongated as he walked, shifting to two legs when he reached the dais that supported the round mattress.

As a man, he was extremely tall. Over six and a half feet if she didn't miss her guess and all taut skin and rippling muscle. One appendage caught her gaze and it was definitely taut, but not a muscle. A deep silver cock seeped a liquid that was reminiscent of mercury as he approached.

His chiselled features and high cheekbones flattered his dark brows, aquiline nose and full lips. An intricate design of tattoos marked him on face and body. Tiern was meant to be seen as a whole and not divided into parts. He was beautiful.

"Wow. You're pretty." It slipped out of her mouth before she could say anything intelligent.

He preened. There was no other word for it as he flipped his waist-length hair behind him and bowed formally to her. "And you have a beauty like no other I have seen. You glow from within, Lora of Terra."

"You looked me up. Was it the tattoos?" She glanced down at her belly and grimaced. The solar system that she had grown up in was stylized on her abdomen.

"That and there is a bulletin out for your safe return. A reward has been offered and all Alliance outposts have been alerted. You Terrans are quite the commodity." He was coming to her slowly, stalking her.

She couldn't help but respond by backing away from him until she was against the headboard and he was crawling toward her with disturbing feline grace.

"I am guessing that you are not going to be in a hurry to collect the reward."

He was slowly moving until he was hovering over her. His hands in the sheets at her side and his knees between hers. How she had let him get the better of her, she didn't know, but she was not upset about it. Her body was reacting to him, she wanted him and judging by the heat and hardness pressed against her, he was reacting to her as well.

"You have guessed correctly. I have never tasted a woman like you before."

She was instantly suspicious, it didn't sound flattering. His mouth was hovering over hers when she asked, "Why, what do I taste like?"

He leaned back and his eyes glowed dark silver in the light of the dome, "Mine."

Chapter Four

Tiern's kiss was as possessive as his statement. His lips teased hers until she sighed and the instant her lips parted, his tongue flicked out to lap at hers. The rough tongue of his lion form translated to his bipedal one and she moaned as he learned each texture of her mouth in turn. The instant that she moaned, he began to purr.

She jumped when he took one of her hands and placed it against his chest. He was hot to the touch, but feeling the vibration in his chest at the source made up for any discomfort. Her belly clenched and she felt moisture dampen her sex in anticipation.

Lora pulled a shuddering breath into her lungs, breaking his kiss and forcing him to explore her neck and shoulder. She squeaked when he traced her skin with his teeth and in turn with his tongue. As he moved down her body, his cock left a trail of damp heat on the inside of her thigh. The trace of his arousal radiated warmth, causing her to wonder if his cum would feel as hot.

All thought fled her mind as she relaxed into the feel of his mouth and hands on her. He stroked her core with two fingers, working them inside her to the sound of her groans. His purr got louder as she parted her legs to let him shift his head between her thighs. The vibration had her mindless in seconds. Lora's heart pounded as her senses were over-stimulated to release and she squealed as he backed away and flipped her to her knees the instant before she came.

His cock rubbed against her wet slit for a few seconds before he sank his teeth into her shoulder and thrust into her in one move. A scream rose in her throat and she throttled it back when his growl made it to her consciousness. This was what had caused the women to fight, so she held her instinct to flee and tilted her head to the side in acceptance.

Nature shows featuring large felines flickered through her thoughts until the slide of his cock inside her pushed aside her analytical assessments. His satin hardness was stroking against her g-spot repetitively as he pumped into her. With the bursts of sensations coursing through her, her arms buckled so she braced herself on her elbows and leaned her forehead on the pillow. The unintentional act of presenting herself started him snarling non-stop as he pounded into her with abandon.

Her scream was silent, but her body locked around him in an effort to hold the scalding rod within her. His roar followed hers, the spurt of his seed warming her from within. As his body relaxed over hers, he bore her down to the mattress in a sprawl of silver limbs.

Lora turned her head to get air and she was almost overwhelmed by the scent of their mating. Her pheromones rode the air side by side with his and the scent was enough to start a gush of wet warmth in her slit once again. His purr was vibrating her from head to toe. His cock was now smaller, but still firm within her.

"I was right."

The husky tone of his voice was so low that she felt it more than heard it. "About what?" Her voice was hoarse from her screams and groans.

"You being a match for me and my getting you acclimated to my touch. You didn't fight like the others." He rubbed his chin against her shoulder and licked the marks that he had left behind.

"They triggered your aggression response?"

"Exactly." He rubbed her with his head again. "We don't have enough experience with other races. It took me until now to figure out what to do."

"You did it very well. Can I get up now?"

"I like you where you are, but I suppose you are not up for another round yet. The computer was over zealous with your calibration. Dell said you were sore."

He moved off her, but kept her close to his body as he rolled to his side. Now that he mentioned it, there was a throbbing ache between her thighs that wasn't all his doing. As they spooned, she took a mental inventory. Her psyche was not traumatized. She had fallen into bed with men she had hardly met before. The confinement that she was currently subjected to had not yet been tested, but she had no doubt that it was there. She had never seen a species like the Seth-Ari before and the heat still generated by his semen was not endemic to any species she had ever slept with.

"I suppose I am sore. It has been quite a day." Rocking her hips against him, her lips curved in a smile at his growl.

"Don't do that unless you want me buried inside you again. I don't want you injured." He swept his hand over her breast and belly repeatedly, petting her more than caressing.

"I don't want me injured either, but I want to know what is going on here. This situation is a little odd to my way of thinking."

"The short history of the Seth-Ari can wait until you have had some genuine rest. Now sleep, Lora. I will still be here when you wake."

"How comforting." She knew he would be around in some form when she woke and she did find it comforting. Something in her was responding to him and the primal reaction had her sleeping in his arms. He would watch her until she woke.

"What the hell did this?" Dark rims surrounded her eyes, a permanent stain that no amount of scrubbing would remove. Elegant lines moved from the outside corner of her eyes to sweep along her cheekbones.

Tiern chuckled from his position in the bath. "It's a chemical reaction to one of the supplements that Dell gave you when she did the first physical."

"What triggered it?"

"It is a reaction to the seminal fluid of the Seth-Ari. Each of us causes a specific set of marks to surface in their female. This is the first time I have seen my marks. They are quite beautiful."

His hair was longer than it had been last night. It flowed into a silver curtain on the water's surface.

"Are you lengthening your hair?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"You prefer it."

"How do you know that?"

"I read your file. I can make cosmetic shifts to my personal appearance beyond hair length if it would make me more attractive to you." He had a certain eagerness in his tone.

That managed to distract her from her reflection in the glass. "Your physical appearance is fine. You read my file? Seriously?"

"Yes. I also received formal authorization to claim your first offspring. The Alliance now knows you are here and will take no measures to retrieve you. You will only be required to make quarterly updates as to your status and health."

She knew her mouth was hanging open. "You contacted the Alliance while I slept? And they just handed me over?"

"On a trial basis. They are eager to see if the characteristics of my people will be inherited in the offspring. If we succeed in bringing a child to term, it will be the first ever born to the Seth-Ari."

"Is there a doubt about my ability to carry a child? Wait. The first?"

"We are a clone species designed for deep mineral excavation in little to no atmosphere. We desire status as a separate species in the Alliance of Federated and Sentient Planets. With only males designed into our race, we have a need to obtain females from other species."

"Wait. Say that again, slowly." Lora moved to sit on the edge of the pool, her hair surprisingly smooth for the activities that preceded her nap. She suspected, but could not prove, that he had untangled her strands with his fingers.

"I am a clone, as are my four brothers in my hand. A hand is the set of five clones that are grown at the same time from the same original cells. The Seth-Ari were originally designed by colonists from Admar when they could not mine the minerals to create their cities on a nearby planet. Against Alliance regulations, their scientists designed our people and once the miners were in place, they needed only to create enough replacements for those who died in the mines."

Lora joined him in the bath when Hami shooed her in. "So, how long has your race been in existence?"

"Fourteen hundred and eighty-six years. We have a population of three hundred and twelve and a lifespan of one hundred and fifty years by your reckoning. My line is one of the original progenitors, strong genetics to pass on to our child." His pride was unmistakable.

"You are sure that you can get me pregnant?"

"My entire hand has been altered to assure fertility. We have endured rounds of testing, but have not been able to practice with fertile females until recently. Our bots were used for training purposes so that we would have a basic knowledge of the female body."

"Basic? Oh boy." She got warm just thinking about his basics. Her body was recovered from its workout the day before and with the pounding of the water mixing with the remembered warmth of his touch, she was feeling fantastic. "If that was basic, I think advanced might just make my head explode."

He laughed. The sound was rusty, but genuine. "Thank you for the flattery, but once the burn of your heat is over, I will have time to explore what gives you pleasure."

Am I in heat? It was possible, likely even. The timing seemed right and the slave pens made sure to not interrupt her normal functions. That sparked a thought in her mind. She floated toward him and straddled his lap. He looked surprised. "Good. Then I can explore now."

His cock was hotter than the water surrounding him and it sprang to firmness the instant that she caressed the silken length. "Are you sure that you want to do that? My research shows that most human females want the male to be the aggressor." He seemed pleased but confused.

"Aggression can come with security or trust. Aside from our differences of species, you have offered me no injury or insult to my senses. You have offered me food, comfort and a certain amount of freedom in time. If I am going to get pregnant, I may as well take a hand in the process. It will give me the illusion of control." His proximity had her more than wet. It would have been enough to be audible above the water. She wanted him and she wanted him now.

She braced herself on his shoulders and moved over his cock. Lora rocked against him until the tip slipped inside her. He grunted in reaction, so she sank on him as fast as she could. It took her three lifts and plunges for him to be firmly seated, but once he was, she smiled up at him, enjoying the look of blissful lust on his face.

Her nails dug into him as she began to move, each impalement bringing her closer and closer to the orgasm that lurked just beneath her surface. She rode him restlessly, moving faster and faster on him, leaning her head against his chest as her muscle tension failed her. Lora screamed as his hands dug into her hips and pulled her onto him hard, slamming her against him. Her orgasm hit her hard, freezing her on his cock as her body clenched and locked.

It didn't slow Tiern down. He merely waited a moment and then continued to move her body on his until he snarled his own release, throwing his head back as it ripped through him.

The instant he recovered, he took her mouth in a savage kiss. "I knew the theory of coupling like that, but thank you for proving it."

Her breath was still sawing in her lungs, her lips swollen from his kiss. "Terrans have entire books and treatises on the subject. As do some of the other races I have visited. Being a Bio Tactics Specialist means that I have to understand all aspects of a race's biology. Not just the fighting specifications. Tiern, you said you and the rest of your hand were altered for mating. What did you do before?"

"The answer should be clear to you. We created relationships with those we felt an attraction to."

"So, you had boyfriends?"

"Male lovers. Yes. They were a misleading training tool for dealing with females. You have an entirely different set of responses to stimuli. Since we have the feline form as primary much of the time, running away only drives our instincts from mating to hunting in seconds. Your response was perfect."

She was still astride him with his cock buried inside her, softer, but still there. The semen he had given up was humming with the warmth she was coming to expect.

"Lora, why were you not more hesitant to mate with me? The others have been terrified."

"It is a long story. Are you sure you want to hear it?"

"Until I am at full strength and can fuck you again, sure."

At that mention of him taking her again, she flushed. Her body readied itself for round two of the day. "Fine. When I was back on Terran and had just been offered my contract to be a volunteer, they explained the offspring clause. Terrans were not being invited to simply show up and die out. We were to become a part of the Alliance in everyway. That meant children. Mating with our own kind was forbidden right off the bat. So, that meant we were going to have to find our sperm donors in the people we worked with, met, socialized with and eventually, we would have to provide an heir to our own talents or be penalized half to all of our earnings since we left our world. It's a hard choice and occasionally, the Alliance will make the choice for us, but we have to ask. I had written the request for assistance before I was abducted, but hadn't gotten around to sending it. This little sojourn will let me fulfil my contract and possibly become a piece of your race's history. Heady stuff."

"Will you not miss the life that you had before?" He was genuinely curious. It showed in his pewter eyes.

"The life that I had ceased the instant that I left my home world knowing that I would not be able to return. Everything after that moment has been one adventure after another. This will just be a new one." She knew that she should be more upset, frustrated or desiring of her personal freedoms, but she couldn't make herself care at the moment. She had life support, she had pleasure and she had food. It was all she needed for her survival and they had drilled survival into them during basic training--stay alive, stay healthy and contact the Alliance for a pickup as soon as you were able. With most of the volunteers unable to fly a shuttle, having them escape into the blackness of space was akin to ordering them to death. With only two thousand humans in space, the Alliance wanted to keep them alive, if only to see what would be produced with the next generation.

"I will need to confirm with my Representative that I have been handed over to you." She hoped that her voice was firm and not wavering, his increased girth within her proved that he was quite firm.

"In ninety minutes. There is a shift change in process and waving you in front of those not yet authorized to breed is a tad cruel."

Absently, she started to rise and fall on him again. "A mining shift? Or your brothers?"

"Both, probably. Their females have not been as receptive as we had hoped, but now the bots have been programmed to protect the females so no harm was done." Tiern placed his hands on her hips and kept her to a slow and even pace when she would have sped herself into orgasm.

"That is a mercy at least. Why didn't we have a problem?" Her question ended on a squeak as he nuzzled at the side of her neck, causing her to clench around him.

"I took pains to touch your mind and introduce myself to you while you slept. I told you that you could trust me and eventually you will see that you can." He was pumping her faster on him, his teeth lengthening as he dropped his head back an instant before he struck. His mouth held her in place as he pounded upward with bruising force.

The confining pain in her shoulder distracted her for almost a minute, but by the time her orgasm was rippling through her, she had watched his transformation from companion to ferocious lover. His mane was fluffed out, his teeth longer, his eyes took on a severe feline slant and his nose flattened. The feline aspect was unmistakable, but he groaned his own release and freed her shoulder to roar his satisfaction while her body milked his cock of its payload.

As soon as her breath came back to her, she moved off him and sat across the pool from him. "You touched my mind? How?"

"There is little to no atmosphere here, not enough oxygen for speech outside the domes. It was necessary that we have mental communications so that we could get our work done. Until you, I had never touched one who wasn't Seth-Ari."

Lora had a ton of questions, but a harsh chime coming out of the bedchamber got her attention.

Tiern sighed and pushed free of the water, leaving the liquid sheeting off him as he walked to answer the summons.

She could hear his voice, but not make out the words and in mere seconds, he was returning to pull her free of the water. "We have been summoned to medical. Dell wants to do a complete workup on you for the after-mating check."

"So that's it, we just have to go immediately?"

"Dell would not summon us if it was not necessary for the progress of our project." Tiern wrapped her in a towel and then stepped aside to let Hami dress her mistress.

Dress was a little bit of an exaggeration. A dark brown bikini was tied into place, the straps almost invisible, they were so thin.

"This is charming. Is there a stripper pole nearby for me to grind on?" She was only a little sullen--the scant clothing looked good against her skin.

"I don't know what that is, but we can probably arrange something." Tiern looked her up and down, the surprise in his face making her turn to the mirror.

Her face still bore the marks that she had noted when she woke, but now lines and designs were beginning to appear on her torso. Black and white sweeps of fine lines were moving under her skin, settling into intricate patterns that took her breath away.

"Is this part of your grand plan as well?"

Tiern was wrapping a short black sarong around his hips. He looked amazing with the contrast to his silver skin. "Yes. You are taking the markings faster than anyone had guessed. Let's get going."

"Is there any footwear?"

Hami jumped in surprise. "Of course, Mistress. I was busy recording the progress of your designs." The servant quickly gave her some soft boots that laced tightly to her calves. In seconds, she was dressed, so to speak.

"Alright, Tiern. Take me on a tour of the facility while we head to medical. I can see other domes in the distance."

"Follow me and do not stray into any unmarked hallways. The last thing you would want is to end up in the clutches of one of my brothers. They are not as keen on this project as I am."

They slowly walked together down the quiet and empty halls. Occasionally, she heard something moving in the dark spaces, but no one ever intercepted them, so they made it safely to medical.

She only grabbed Tiern's hand twice. He let go once, she didn't fight for her freedom and had the sinking feeling that it was a sign of things to come.

Chapter Five

"You seem to be in the peak of health considering the sudden onset of your pregnancy." Dell was moving efficiently, taking samples while monitoring her blood pressure and other vital signs. Tiern had already had his check up and had been pronounced fit and healthy.

"Whoa. Pregnancy?" Startled, Lora looked over at Tiern. "It isn't possible, is it?"

Dell answered, "You were in heat when you arrived. It was likely that you would get pregnant rapidly. The emergence of the markings confirm it. Tiern's biology and yours are now both existing within your system. The gestation should run its course in three months or so."

Lora was stunned. "You have to be joking. I can't be pregnant. Not this soon and my species has a nine-month gestation, not three." She placed her hand over her womb and pressed gently.

Tiern came forward and pressed his hand over Lora's. "Amazing. I thought I felt a new mind, but since I have never seen your species before, I did not know it wasn't you."

Dell looked surprised, but pleased. "You can sense the mind already? That is excellent. It bodes well for the remainder of the gestation. As for the speed, the Seth-Ari develop quickly and then cease to age. It stands to reason that the children will develop at an accelerated rate from their mothers."

"So, three months? Do you have something for stretch marks?"

"Your servant does. It is the reason for the daily massages. She also has midwifery programming in case something untoward occurs."

Lora looked at her and frowned. "You mean a miscarriage? What are the odds of that happening?"

"There is a twenty-five percent chance of a prematurely terminated pregnancy in the first thirty days. That percentage goes up considerably if you are physically stressed or under emotional strain."

Tiern looked at the doctor. "How often should I bring her in for checkups?"

"Once a week should be fine. If Hami detects any abnormalities, she will let me know." Dell smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "Congratulations, you look to be the first Seth-Ari father."

Bemused, Lora watched her lover change colour in what she had to guess was a blush, a deep grey flushed his cheeks, ran down his throat and across his chest. His response to Dell's comment was to pick Lora up and leave medical.

"I am sorry that it happened so quickly. It was my hope that we could enjoy our relationship for a week or so before your egg welcomed me." His lips were against her cheek and the heat of his breath brushed down her neck to set off a wave of gooseflesh down her arms and across her chest.

"I thought that that was your plan the whole time. Why be sorry?"

He nuzzled her neck and drew his lips in soft kisses against her skin. "I had hoped to have a few more acrobatic adventures with you in bed, the bath, up against the wall. With the child growing inside you, I don't want to take any chances."

"It is perfectly fine to have sex all the way through the pregnancy according to what I know about my species' gestation. Just, maybe, tone down the biting?"

She caught a glimpse of silver skin as they passed a doorway, but it disappeared the instant she focussed on it.

"But I like the biting, so do you." His warm chuckle brought a smile to her lips.

"True, but it makes me want to bite back. I don't know if your blood would be good for me to ingest."

"I will check with Dell. I don't think the possibility of you biting me occurred to her. Most of the others are cowering away from any of the Seth-Ari who come near them."

"They aren't with their…uh…assigned males?" She didn't know what to call them. Owner was a little inaccurate if the women were to be birthing citizens, the first of a new race.

"Not until they are in heat. All of the selected women are from species which have oestrus. The males will be more conscientious if there is a chance to immediately impregnate their female."

The halls were smooth, made of a glass-like substance that branched into rooms of large bubbled domes. She could get lost easily in the maze of hallways and bubbles. Finding her way out or to a launch area with a shuttle was becoming a remote possibility. The only doors she had seen were for their quarters and for medical. The rest of the domes were all connected by open doors. It was weird--most facilities would not have pumped in that much atmosphere into unoccupied areas.

"Change of subject. Why is there atmosphere in these empty domes? Isn't it wasteful?"

They were almost to their rooms, but he answered her. "The rooms aren't empty, Dell merely sent a notice that I was bringing you to medical and all of the occupants moved out of your sight."

That baffled her. "Why?"

"Because they are not conditioned to take a form that will be pleasing to the eye. They are in their mining forms. They have strong claws and impenetrable hides. It takes a few days to take a form similar to this one the first time. No one wants to scare you."

She blinked for several moments. "That is very thoughtful. Now, what am I going to do for the next three months?"

They were at the door to their quarters. Funny how she already thought of them as their quarters.

"What would you like to do?" Carrying her inside, he put her down on the bed and unlaced her boots. He left her miniscule bikini intact.

"Grow a garden, study the Seth-Ari. Those are the two things on my mind right now."

"Study us? How?" His quirked brow over his pewter eyes, a cheeky grin lighting his features.

Moving suddenly, she grabbed the short sarong he was wearing and yanked it off with a few quick tugs. His cock sprang erect in a matter of seconds, bobbing invitingly in a rhythm that made her giggle.

She quieted the instant before she leaned forward to take him in her mouth. The taste of him sparked on her tongue. He didn't taste human, but it wasn't unpleasant, more musk than she was used to, but a delightful undertone of citrus. His heat seemed to increase as she drew him deeply into her mouth and then sucked as she retreated. He was groaning and growling above her as she sucked relentlessly. Feeling a little wicked, she cupped his sac and rolled his balls gently as she worked. His hands fisted in her hair and held her tightly to him as he snarled his release, the spurt of his cum splattering in her mouth in a stream that she fought to contain.

Lora wiped her mouth and leaned back, out of the way, as Tiern buckled to his knees.

"What was that?"

"A blowjob. A dating tradition amongst some humans." She ran a surreptitious finger around the outside of her lips, catching any drips that escaped.

"I do love learning about new species' traditions." He shook his head and looked up at her.

"Do you really?" The sceptical tone in her voice escaped without her willing it.

His grin was wicked. "I do now."

She grinned back and then broke into giggles. "Nothing like a little interspecies cooperation and communication."

Chapter Six

The hands holding her down skimmed across her breasts, careful of the sensitive tissue. Lora's nipples had darkened as her pregnancy had advanced and Hami had insisted on daily heavy-cream massages. Occasionally, Tiern helped, but today he was updating his correspondence while Hami gave her a rub down.

Yesterday, Dell had given her a clean bill of health and pronounced both mother and baby in excellent shape.

"Lora, the Empress of Haldis wishes to have you contact her at your earliest convenience. Do you know her?"

Tiern wandered into her line of sight as he read the communications tablet. He intently watched Hami's ministrations across Lora's belly. She had just started to show a little and he was fascinated by the changes. Her tattoos were now firmly in place--markings on her arms, legs, feet, chest and belly complimented her permanent eye makeup.

"I know of her. She's another Terran, one of our five Champions. She is also our species' Representative. I was wondering when she would get around to contacting me. The Alliance Representative said that since we were closer to Haldis space, Amy would be handling anything I need."

He frowned. "I have asked you if you need anything, your workshop and greenhouse are available whenever you wish, as am I. What does she want?"

"Calm down, clone-boy. I am sure it's fine. I will check in and she will be content. Too many Terrans have gone missing in the last few years. They want to keep an eye on all of us."

He blushed. "You may have a point. The rumours about Terrans drove me to the slave market when I heard that they had one in stock."

"How flattering."

"Well, since you are still the first and only pregnancy to date, I think I was proved I was correct in my instincts." He seemed miffed.

Hami finished the massage, helped her stand and patted Lora's skin dry. When she was done, Lora tied a sarong around her hips and another sash of fabric around her breasts. With her body changing, she needed the extra support.

Barefoot, she padded to her mate and pulled his head down for a searing kiss. "Your instincts are infallible, Tiern. However, I am Terran and need to keep in touch with others of my kind. The Seth-Ari are all around us. You have your people. Let me have mine." Although she phrased it as a plea, she would simply make contact when he wasn't looking if he said no.

"Fine. I am attending a hand meeting today. We are discussing letting you meet the other women to convince them to join us without struggling. Two of them will be in heat within the week and time is of the essence."

"Okay, you do that and I will make the call. It will be nice to see a pink face for a change." She winked and slapped his ass as he wandered out the door.

They had a sexually charged camaraderie that had blossomed into something deeper over the last month. She wasn't ready to name the warm feeling that bloomed in her when she saw him, but by the end of her pregnancy, she would force herself into honesty. Love was a funny thing--it rested inside her comfortably until she tried to examine it and then slipped out of sight.

With a bounce in her step and a swing to her hips, she entered the bedroom and opened the hidden panel to expose the office inside the wall.

Settling into the chair, she typed in the code for her personal correspondence. The message that Tiern mentioned popped up on the screen, so Lora followed directions to make the exceptionally long-distance call to the Haldis Imperium.

While Lora waited, she wandered around the room, tending to the floral arrangements that she had created out of the plants she was developing in the greenhouse.

When the beep sounded, she scampered back to the console and took her seat. "Call for Empress Amanda of the Haldis Imperium."

"Call accepted. Connecting." The screen was still black an instant before it sprang to life and a very elegant but approachable-looking woman in an elaborate kimono and corset was looking back at her.

"Hello, Empress."

"Hello, Lora Gainer. You cannot know how happy I am that you are alive and well."

"Pleased to meet you, Empress."

"Please, call me Amy."

"Amy then."

"I have gotten a report that you have been bought by a member of the Seth-Ari and are being used as a brood mare."

That was certainly going directly to the heart of it. "That is very direct. And it is also true. But at this time, I am a willing partner in the breeding aspect. I am due in two months."

Amy's eyes widened. "Two months? You have only been there for five weeks!"

"They are a clone race. Accelerated growth and an extended lifespan. Pretty sweet deal if you think about it."

"I am on my fourth right now and I can tell you that I would kill for a shorter pregnancy." Amy grimaced and Lora laughed.

"If the child is whole and healthy, I will let you know. At this point, if the child is unable to reach maturity, I am off the hook." Her heart hurt saying it that baldly, but time was of the essence in long-distance calls across space. She placed her hand over the baby and sighed, tears forming in her eyes.

"I hope for your sake that the child is beautiful and strong. Good luck and expect a package to be delivered in a few weeks. By the way, I love your outfit."

Lora laughed, "What there is of it. In the domes, there is no fluctuation in temperature so dressing like this is comfortable. Mind you, so is going naked."

"Palden would kill me if I sprinted around naked. In that outfit, I may be able to leave the bedroom, but I doubt it." She chuckled. It was a nice noise, friendly. "I intend to check in on you regularly. You can start receiving our newsletter, The Terran Times. I try and keep tabs on as many of the Terrans as I can. It has been nice talking to you."

It was like talking to a big sister. A big sister that was helping to run an empire, but was trying to split her focus to help those like her.

"I will keep you informed on the pregnancy. It was nice speaking with you as well. Communication ended."

Amy nodded and waved. "Communication ended."

A wave of light spilled through Lora's heart. One of her own kind was in communication range. It was a surprise she had not expected. A flutter low in her belly was the next surprise. "What the heck?"

"Are you in distress, Mistress?" Hami appeared in the room and gave her a worried look.

Distressed, no, stunned, yes. "I think…I think the baby just moved."

"Are you certain?" The bot approached with a scanner and knelt in front of the bemused Lora. "You are correct. It is moving. Tiern should be made aware of this."

Lora stood and grinned evilly. "You are correct. Let's go tell him."

"He is in conference with the rest of his hand. They are not to be disturbed."

"That is too bad. I am not stopping my joy in this movement until he returns to us. Either come with me or leave me to the Seth-Ari in the halls."

It was a bluff, but evidently that exceeded Hami's programming. The bot nodded and walked with her to the door.

The halls were no longer empty. Shocked Seth-Ari scrambled for the open doorways as she approached them. They bore a striking resemblance to Terran lions in their facial features. The teeth were pronounced, protruding slightly, but their eyes ranged from the deepest black to the lightest silver over their flattened feline noses. The claws were the most frightening aspect of an unaltered Seth-Ari. They extended over four inches beyond the fingertip and seemed designed to cut rock or gut someone.

She tried to set them at ease with a small smile that did not show teeth. It worked for some of the skittish males around her, but most simply hid.

"This way, Mistress. They are inside the second chamber on the left." Hami steered her to the indicated doorway and opened it, ushering Lora inside.

Six males froze in mid-conversation and slowly turned toward her. It was a little unnerving to have five identical faces looking at her with one face that was obviously their progenitor.

"Hello, all. I have just come to give Tiern some good news."

The progenitor leaned back in his chair and smiled, it was not a pleasant smile. "If you can find him, sweetling, you can tell him."

Lora shrugged and wandered around the room once, watching the faces carefully. She had spotted Tiern the instant she had come through the door, but for some reason, she didn't want them to know that. The second time around the room, she placed her hand on Tiern's shoulder, much to his visible relief.

"Hello, Tiern. Something wonderful happened today." Knowing that the whole room could hear every word, she paced herself.

"What was that, Lora?"

"Well, I got in touch with my Representative…"

"And?"

"And the baby moved."

Her grin was contagious. His smile broke free in an instant. "Really?"

"Really." Tired of waiting, she held his hand over her belly and pressed to the spot where she had felt the flutter earlier. It only took a few seconds before a light went on behind his eyes.

"I felt it! It's alive." The last was said on a low reverent breath.

The room was completely silent until the progenitor spoke. "Well done, Tiern. You not only picked the female that was scheduled to go into heat first, but you have been successful with impregnation."

"I hate to burst your bubble, but my species goes into heat every twenty-eight days."

The shocked murmurs that went around the table made Lora lean back, but Tiern caught her and pulled her into his lap.

"Lora, this is our progenitor, Toth. He is most eager for our success. This is the rest of my hand, Daka, Eto, Siro and Ahkon. They are currently waiting for their females to reach oestrus."

"Pleased to meet you all." She nodded her head as well as she was able, given Tiern's tight hold on her.

"I suppose that you are pleased to be the mother of a new species?" Toth was leaning back in his chair, idly running his fingers through the waist-length locks of his hair.

"It was not something that I had ever planned, but I have no objection to it."

"You don't object to carrying the spawn of clones?"

She scowled at that. "Well, I am only carrying the spawn of one clone. I don't do multiples."

He howled with laughter. There was no other word for it. Toth threw back his head and roared his amusement. When he stilled, he looked at Tiern. "I like this one. She doesn't cry and beg for freedom."

Tiern took the credit for her. "Thank you, Toth. When I saw her in the market, I saw her spirit first."

One of the brothers, Daka, she thought, asked, "Why did you not fight him when he took you the first time?"

She cocked her head and thought back to that first coupling. "First, he showed me that there was nothing to fear when he touched my mind. Second, when his feline form came to me, it did not even scratch me. Third, when his body was over mine, he purred. I find that a very soothing sound. There was no reason to fight him."

The purr that she mentioned was starting underneath her.

He seemed astonished. "That is it? You make it sound so simple."

"I am a simple woman. However, if your female has been raised as a slave, there are steps you can take to make it easier for her to adapt to you." She looked up to Tiern, asking for permission to tell the men about her theory. They had talked about it many times, the thought of women dying under claws and fangs chilling them both.

Toth demanded the answer, "How?"

Her belly fluttered again and she smiled for a moment. "Introduce yourselves as their masters. If they have been raised as slaves, this will calm them. If not, they will fight you. It is imperative that you find out everything you can about the woman before you try and mount her." The last sentence was said with a blush, but Lora pressed on.

"The sneakiest way to get to know them is to introduce yourself and then to touch their minds from nearby while they sleep. You can get them used to your mental touch and then the physical will come more easily. Shift in front of them. Let them know both of your primary forms. When it comes to mating for breeding, comfort is found by familiarity. Jumping on the woman while she is sleeping is not the way to go. Many races are scent sensitive, make sure that your body chemistry is pleasing to the project female. Research any specific mating practices that your woman may need to ovulate."

Toth looked at her with intent interest. "How do you know all this?"

"Bio Tactics was my speciality. Researching and investigating the practices of Alliance races has been my field of interest."

"So now you study the Seth-Ari?" He seemed perturbed.

"No. Just Tiern." She gave him a cheeky grin and snuggled into her mate's embrace, wrapping her arms around his silver torso as far as they would go.

"If you wish to know the history of the Seth-Ari, you will come to me. The hand of breeders created from my body know only what they have been told."

She expected the males around her to be offended, but they were not. She took umbrage on their behalf. "If they are intelligent, then they can learn. To keep a sentient being deliberately ignorant is an affront to your society."

Tiern stroked her hair, trying to sooth her, "It's alright, Lora. We have access to our histories. We just have not had time to learn them."

Surprise was now cast on Toth's features. "You have really bonded to him, haven't you? It's amazing."

"Why?"

"A large quantity of people here did not believe that a pregnancy was possible, let alone a bonding. You have proved them all wrong. For that, I thank you. Now, Tiern, I wish for permission to visit your mate for the purpose of racial discussions." The look on Toth's face was now one of deep curiosity.

Lora looked up at Tiern to see a scowl and tightness around his eyes. He was not pleased.

"I am sure that Toth can restrain the visits to when you are able to join us. It would not be proper otherwise."

Toth inclined his leonine head. "It will be as you wish, lady. Only when your mate is with us."

Tiern's voice was still not happy, but he agreed, "You may come to our chambers for the purposes of intellectual discussion. It is your grandchild growing within her, after all."

That stopped Toth in the act of grinning. "Grandchild?"

"Indeed. As my progenitor, you are in the position of being my DNA donor. I am half of the child's contribution as is Lora. That makes you the grandfather by Terran standards."

"I had not thought of it that way. Frankly, I had not thought of it at all."

Tiern was pleased that he had surprised his parent. "The others of my hand will be uncles. Each responsible for the survival and protection of my offspring."

Ahkon scowled. "Why?"

"Because we are family. We bear the same DNA and therefore, the survival of the child will be the survival of our line."

That convinced the surly Seth-Ari. The rest were all looking at Lora's belly with a dawning understanding.

Tiern whispered to Lora, "I think they have enough to think on for now. Let's go back to our quarters."

"Good idea," She whispered it back and they left the five men mulling over the consequences of tiny people who were dependent on the adults around them as well as the research they would need to do on their prospective mates.

Hami was still outside the conference room and quietly padded back to their rooms with them.

Lora nodded and smiled at a few of the Seth-Ari who were still in the halls and three out of four nodded back. It would take her some time, but she would crack this insular race entirely made of men. It was her new project.

As the door to their quarters closed behind them, Hami went to her charging station while Tiern took Lora's hand and pulled her to the bed.

She gasped in surprise when he tumbled her to the bed and hissed at her, "What the hell were you thinking?"

Chapter Seven

Tiern pinned her down, his hands pressing hers to either side of her head.

She was so surprised all she could say was, "What?"

"Why did you go through a kilometre of halls filled with males who don't care if you live or die while they fuck you?"

"What?"

"There have been petitions to have you passed around the barracks if you failed to bear offspring."

She didn't want to say what again, but that last thought scared the hell out of her.

"Ah, I see that you finally understand. It is dangerous here, Lora! I want you and our child alive and safe. Even if I have to stay here around the clock." Tiern sighed and pressed his forehead against hers. "I care for you very much. I want you safe."

Tears pricked Lora's eyes. It wasn't a declaration of love, but it was as close as Tiern could get for now. "I care for you, too, but I was so excited about the baby moving and curious about your meeting. I will not interfere again unless requested."

"That is all I can ask." He nuzzled her neck in affection and soon they were play growling with each other and rolling from one end of the bed to the other. Eventually, they ended up naked in a tangle of sweaty limbs and satisfied smiles, but when he curled her against him to sleep, he kept one hand carefully on her belly to catch every tiny flutter of their little creation.

* * * *

Two months later.

"Why are all of you looking at me as if I could blow at any moment, Dell?" She was at the limit of her patience. Every unattached Seth-Ari stared at her as if she was an alien contagion and practically ran out of her way. Her belly had hidden her feet two weeks earlier and she was thanking her lucky stars that she didn't have to go for the full nine months.

"Because, based on my latest scans…you could."

"That's comforting."

Hami reached out to help Lora sit up straight. She had been invaluable during the last few months. Lora could lay the health of her skin solely at the bot's feet.

"Tiern has told me that you are having some trouble with your feet swelling."

"Yup. The change in vascular arrangements makes for some funny water-retention properties."

"Well, your blood pressure is fine, so I will say that we can just take a wait-and-see attitude for the actual labour. If you are pregnant for another three days, we will induce."

Three days. Just three more days and her little one would be in her arms and she would fit back into Tiern's embrace. Her bulk had made sex rather awkward and he had settled for shifting to lion and licking her to orgasm. It was nice, but not the same as having the heat of him driving into her.

"Fine. Hami, if you could help me, we will be on our way through the halls and back to our rooms." Her bot and companion simply picked her up and carried her through the halls. It was faster and highlighted her enormous belly to the few Seth-Ari who were still haunting the halls with the thought of her in their beds.

Three of the other women were pregnant now, the fourth needed to see a child to ovulate. Ahkon was being a very doting uncle in anticipation of his female finally going in to heat. He checked on Lora daily.

Lora and Tiern had agreed that if all went well with the delivery, Ahkon could bring his woman to visit them and meet the baby. Nature should kick in immediately after.

Tiern met them in the hall, sighed and took Lora from Hami. "The hand would like to speak with you."

"Really? More questions about why women occasionally like to wear clothing?" Lora waggled her eyebrows at him, but it took almost all of her energy. She was in a state of perpetual exhaustion, which followed three days of psychotic rearrangement of their apartments.

She became a little confused when they continued to their rooms and upon opening the door, Lora began to cry. All of the hand and Toth were there, each carrying a gift wrapped by a careful hand. It was a baby shower!

Apparently, the sight of her bawling like an infant distressed them, the gifts were thrown aside and each of the men with Tiern's face came forward to sooth her. Toth had begun to shift his form into a more standard conformation, the nails were shorter, the feline features less pronounced but still strong. She had learned that the claws were used in the mining process to withdraw the gems and minerals from the rocks with minimal destruction. The reality that the claws were designed to cut rock had shaken her, but eventually, she had relaxed and taken it as just part of the Seth-Ari.

Tiern carried her through the crowd and propped her up on the bed. He tried to calm the men, but they hadn't seen a hormonal Terran before and it was freaking them out.

Lora started to laugh and the instant she did, they stopped fussing.

Toth picked up his present and came to the bed, offering it to her tentatively. "It is for the baby. Dell says it is fine and healthy."

"Yup. So far. She says I could have it at any moment. Here's hoping." Smiling, she pulled the package next to her because her lap had left her three weeks earlier. Untying the bow, she worked at the wrappings until she found the blanket, baby gown and tiny slippers within. All of the garments were in a soft butter yellow silk. Pretty and gender neutral.

"Oh, Toth, they are beautiful." She struggled out of her nest on the bed and Tiern helped her rise to her feet. She threw her arms around the startled progenitor in a hug and was gratified when he hugged her back. Her water breaking was a bit of a surprise and Toth began to apologize to Tiern for squeezing her to tight while Lora laughed her ass off.

Tiern looked to his giggling mate and abashed progenitor, sighed and called for Hami. "Hami, alert Dell that Lora is in labour. Get the birthing chair ready and prep Lora for the necessities."

"Yes, Tiern. Dell is on her way." Hami took Lora into her arms and washed, dressed and took care of the essentials for her mistress.

Tiern's family was still standing around and as Hami resettled Lora on the bed and began to clean up the amniotic fluid that was still pooled on the floor, they fidgeted from foot to foot.

"This is going to take a while, guys. If you want to continue with the gift giving, I will find it a nice distraction from the pain." She held out her hands eagerly and Daka was the first to take the invitation.

Daka gave her two stuffed animals. One for her and one for the child. That was thoughtful and the suggestion of his pregnant mate. Tiern kept her calm with his touch on her mind, she was fairly sure that he was entrancing her like he had the first day they met, but if it kept the pain at bay, she was all for it.

Eto gave her a baby sling and kissed the back of her hand. He had taken to calling her sister in the last few months and she felt very comfortable with him.

Siro looked anxious as she opened his gift. "Norhala told me that babies needed a lot of those."

Spit cloths, diapers, light-weight receiving blankets and bibs filled the two-foot-by-two-foot box.

"She was right. It is a wonderfully thought-out gift. Thank you, both." Lora held her smile as a ripple of pain started in her centre and flowed out on a wave.

Dell came in at that moment and swiftly checked her progress. "Doing good, Lora. Almost there."

Ahkon's present cut her eye contact with her doctor and she heard Tiern chuckle.

"Why thank you, Ahkon." She opened the box through rapidly increasing contractions and when she opened it, the glow was beautiful. Tiern helped her lift it and the mobile made of rare minerals sparkled and spun in the light of the bedroom. "It's beautiful. A mobile?"

"Yes. I researched Terrans and it is common to hang an attractive item over the infant's cradle."

"Thank you again, Ahkon. You may want to get your female. I think that it's time."

He asked Tiern, "Time for what?"

Tiern ignored him and held her hand as Dell checked and announced that she could see the head.

Time stretched into a blur of pushing, the murmurs of Tiern in her mind and the thought that her baby was almost here and then it was. The tiny squall broke the amazed silence of the room.

Dell broke the silence, "She's alive, she's healthy and she is Seth-Ari. Call the Alliance."

Lora looked tiredly over at her mate and he looked back at her, then over to their daughter. He pressed his forehead against hers and purred. "I love you, Lora of Terra."

"I love you, Tiern of the Seth-Ari. Now, what do we name her?"

Dell finished her examination of the tiny one and handed her to her mother.

"Tiera. Our names combine nicely, don't you think?"

"Tiera. It's a good name." The baby scrunched up her face and opened her eyes. A wide chocolate brown gaze contrasted with her silver skin and deep pewter downy hair. "She has my eyes."

"And you have my heart."

"And you have my soul."

Tiern gathered them into an embrace and looked to the amazed faces of his family. The future had arrived and she had her mother's eyes.

About the Author

Viola Grace was born in Manitoba, Canada where she still resides today. She really likes it there.

She has no pets and can barely keep sea monkeys alive for a reasonable amount of time. Her line of day job tends to be analytical which leaves her mind hopping to weave stories. No co-worker is safe from her character analysis.

In keeping with busy hands are happy hands, her hobbies have included cross-stitch, needlepoint, quilting, costuming, cake decorating, baking, cooking, metal work, beading, sculpting, painting, doll making, henna tattoos, chain mail, and a few others that have been forgotten. It is quite often that these hobbies make their way into her tales.

Viola's fetishes include boots and corsetry, and her greatest weakness is her uncontrollable blush.

Her writing actively pursues the Happily Ever After that so rarely occurs in nature. It is an admirable thing and something that we should all strive for. To find one that we truly like, as well as love.

Viola can be reached at this email:

viola@violagrace.com

Viola's website is located at:

http://www.violagrace.com