"You're right," Gavril pinched the space between eyebrows. He had all of Reah's rings inside her jewelry box at the palace in Campiaa City. "And she needs clothing and shoes and anything else she wants. We should take her to one of those places that sell cooking knives and utensils. That woman on Kifirin took those, too."
"She won't go out in public. Not after that fucking nurse screwed her. Twice. I can't believe it's the same woman who cut her hair and then sold that recording to a reality show. That one should have been locked away long ago."
"Norian is going back through her employment records, to see if any other incidents happened around her. We'll get to the bottom of this," Lendill said. "What do you think of this?" He held up an emerald necklace. It looked like delicate filigree, with an emerald drop.
"Perfect for her eyes," Gavril said. "Are there earrings to match?" He and Ry went to look.
"I don't believe this." Gavril stood, stunned at the sight of Reah sleeping peacefully against Astralan on the hammock. Astralan grinned cheekily at Gavril before placing a kiss against Reah's forehead, waking her.
"Huh?" I looked up at Astralan, who gave me a gentle smile.
"Time to wake, I imagine, your mates are here."
"Oh." I turned to blink at Teeg, Lendill, Ry, Lok, Tory, Aurelius, Farzi and Nenzi.
"Have a nice nap?" I shrank away from Teeg; he didn't look happy.
"Baby, don't." Teeg held out a hand. "I should have seen it coming a long time ago. Astralan, don't make me shorten your name by mistreating Reah."
"As if I would. And you'll have other competition, too, I think. Edward Pendley asked her to marry him this afternoon. I think she's settled for a date first."
"What were you doing with Edward Pendley?"
"Working on my future, I hope," I said.
"Gishi fruit ice cream," Astralan grinned and then employed power to get both of us out of the hammock. "She's going back in two days to look at what he's done with a temporary building and make some samples to take to vendors. They'll buy, no matter how much it costs. That's the best thing I've ever eaten."
"Reah, come here, sweetheart," Teeg pulled one of my hands to his lips and placed a gentle kiss there. "We picked up a few things while we were out. You need to come see."
The kitchen island was covered in jewelry. I stood, shocked, staring at all of it.
"This for you, love of our hearts," Farzi smiled.
"Farzi," I sniffled, wrapping my arms around his neck.
"What are you doing?" Karzac stood in the doorway to the bedroom Kevis kept at the villa.
"Righting a wrong, I hope," Kevis replied, tossing a few things into a bag. "I'll be back tomorrow if everything goes well."
"You're not getting into trouble, are you?" Karzac lifted an eyebrow.
"Trouble? Me?" Kevis folded away.
"These cartons are nice," I held one up. The container was gold on the outside, with black and silver lettering. The cartons would have to be nice to convince a customer to spend at least one hundred seventy-five credits on it.
"I have an office in Adrixx, complete with an advertising account," Edward said. "Apparently when I say jump, they don't even bother asking how high. They just jump as high as they can and see if that's good enough." We were ready to fill the cartons with ice cream to take to Edward's vendors. It was a gift of sorts; an attempt to get them to buy.
"The inspectors are coming in three days," Edward added. "When are we going on our date?"
"Edward, we need to have a talk," I said. "You see how I'm crazy and all, according to my mates and the doctor. And a nurse in the Reth Alliance sold some sensitive vid to that stupid reality show, Temporary Insanity. The whole Reth Alliance and at least half the Campiaan Alliance thinks I'm crazy. Some think I'm dangerous, too. You should have seen those mothers pulling their babies away from me when I went out in public."
"Those people are fools," Edward huffed. "Reah, if you think we can't go out somewhere on a date, then we'll stay in. I have a pool and a game room and a vid room and a lot of other rooms I probably don't realize I have."
"Then we can stay in, as long as I get to cook."
"You don't have to do that."
"But I want to. You can help if you want."
"Sweetheart, I can scramble eggs. That's about it."
"I like an honest man," I smiled up at him.
"You have something for me?" Dandril Wond asked. Dandril was Edward's gishi fruit distributor throughout the Campiaan Alliance. Edward set a tink carton of gishi fruit ice cream in front of Dandril and offered him a wrapped plastic spoon.
"A new product that's about to go into production," Edward smiled. "I wanted to give you first crack at it."
"What is it?" Dandril lifted the top off the carton and gazed at the contents.
"Gishi fruit ice cream," Edward's smile widened. "Go ahead, try it." Dandril dipped the spoon in and lifted ice cream to his lips. And then lifted another, larger spoonful. "I want everything you produce," Dandril declared, dipping out more ice cream.
"I was hoping you'd say that," Edward laughed. "Dandril, this is going to make us three times as wealthy as we are. Production starts in an eight-day, and we have an ad campaign to plan."
Kevis had been gone for three days and my healers came out of bedrooms every morning with wide smiles. In fact, two of Franklin's mates, Shane and Tomas, had come, met with Celestan and Galaxsan and that was that—they were hooked. We went up the mountain with them one afternoon and watched—Astralan and I, while they snowboarded down. "Reah, I don't think I've ever been this happy," Astralan sighed, leaning over to give me a kiss.
"Hon, don't say that yet. I don't know when I'll feel like sex again."
"You will. Kevis will get you back to us. Besides, I've waited this long. I can wait a while longer. Tell me you care for me, Reah, that's all I need."
"I do," I said. "I can't say how much right now, because I'm still numb from Cloudsong. You're going to need that patience, honey."
"Teeg just hunches his shoulders around me, now. He doesn't know how this will fit into our working relationship," Astralan said. "I don't mind, as long as it doesn't interfere with us. Come over here. You look tired. How's that baby?" Astralan rubbed my belly soothingly as I watched Franklin fly down the slope, just ahead of Galaxsan. We'd gotten a private room with a balcony so I wouldn't be subjected to the scrutiny of the other guests. Ceerah had ruined the possibility of my going out in public and remaining anonymous. She'd likely gotten me shot by whoever had a vendetta against me.
"You have good hands," I said, tracing the veins on the back of the hand that wasn't rubbing my belly.
"Those hands want to touch a lot of things," Astralan breathed against my ear. "Don't tempt me, Reah. I'm patient if you don't dangle that in front of me."
"I can't touch you?" I turned to look up at him.
"Reah, you set my blood on fire. You have to be careful, my heart."
"All right. Go back to the belly rub," I sighed.
"Reah is coming to make dessert for Mom's birthday," Franklin grinned at his father. Merrill, the former King Vampire, was now a member of the Saa Thalarr's elite corps of Enforcers.
"I hear you're going to introduce a couple of new mates as well," Merrill smiled. He had a very dry sense of humor, when he employed it.
"Reah is responsible for that," Frank was still grinning. "They fit right in, Dad. Joey, Norton and Bearcat aren't the only ones who have a warlock mate. We have two."
"I didn't realize it was a contest."
"Dad, I love you," Franklin gave Merrill a hug.
"I love you, too, son. Always have. Do you know what Reah is making for us?"
"I don't want to spoil it, but word has it that it's the most expensive dessert you'll ever eat."
"Then I'll look forward to it. How is Reah, by the way?"
"I think she has three people panting after her, and only knows about two of them," Franklin's dimple appeared.
"Besides what she already has?"
"Well, yeah. That Edward Pendley guy asked her to marry him already."
"He's at least half Elemaiya. Was born on Earth, did you know that?" Merrill smiled.
"And now he grows gishi fruit."
"And now he does. Perhaps you should invite all of Reah's mates and prospective mates to the party. I wouldn't mind talking to Mr. Pendley, son."
"Reah, can you make twice as much ice cream as we originally thought?" Frank moved the hair off my neck and fanned it gently—it was hot out by the pool. "Those are claiming marks?" He examined the four punctures on my neck.
"Yes, those are claiming marks," I said. "And I can make three times the original amount, if you want it."
"Let's do that, then," Frank grinned before hugging me. "I think I love you as much as any gay man can love a woman."
"Hey, now," I turned to poke him in the ribs. "Those eyes are way too tempting. You should watch out," I hugged him back.
"Got those from my dad," he laughed.
"On your birthday, right?"
"First one."
"I'll bet your dad is something," I said.
"He is. Mom is, too. She says she's not freaked out or scarred for life, she was just shocked that a naked nymph was drawing designs on her belly."
"No designs, I promise," I said. "I know nothing about the naked nymph thing."
