instantaneous and unbreakable connection that could never be denied.
They’d discuss it later.
“Okay.” She stroked his arm as it lay in her lap. “Ideally, we distribute that press release, and then we go to ground for a while. Let it pass and maybe discuss a public joining ceremony of some type. Do a few interviews to make us more likable and ‘normal’ like everyone else.” There were nods all around, and even Tave grudgingly agreed. “The question is: where can we go that the vultures outside won’t get to us? Ideas?”
Everyone looked elsewhere, eyes trained on the floor or ceiling, refusing to meet her gaze. Obviously, this was something they’d discussed without her and no one wanted to broach the subject.
Rina turned her head. “Tave?” Even he looked elsewhere. “ Tave .”
He sighed. “The one and only place humans cannot go without permission and special equipment—”
“Tau.” She finished for him. Not the UST, but the underwater city of Tau. And it did require permission to enter. The Ujal protected their water borders religiously and any hint of breach had immediate and deadly consequences. They also required Ujal designed equipment to visit, but even that only allowed a mere thirty minutes within the city limits before it failed. “And how do you expect me to live down there? Humans aren’t built to—”
“ Humans aren’t.” Tave agreed, but something in his tone made her focus intently on him.
“But?”
“But Ujal mates have been known to acquire some traits which allow them to live within the waters. Not a tail,” he was quick to rush out, “but it is our deepest belief that they acquire the ability to breathe the waters and survive against the sea’s pressure.”
Rina tried to process all that. She really did. Except… “How deep is your belief? On a scale of one to ten, how likely am I to die from taking a deep dive?”
“I would never, never , risk losing you. You are my one, pyabi .”
“Okay.” She licked her lips and knew she needed to trust him. Trust in his connection to her. “How do we do this, then?”
He grimaced. “We mate fully. We exchange biological material and any changes will be fast. It may hurt,” he warned, “but it should take no more than thirty minutes for the changes to solidify.”
“And by mate, you mean…”
“Sex.”
Sex. Of course.
“But if you are not comfortable, we will come up with another solution. I do not wish to rush you. I don’t want you to look upon this time with anger or regret in your heart. It would destroy me if you were…”
Apologies continued to drip from his mouth, and she gently pressed her fingertips to his lips. “It’s fine. I want to mate you, Tave. I want to be yours and I want you to be mine. I hate that we’re being forced to do this by the behavior of others, but I could never regret mating you.”
“But we just met, and human females—” he said, as her fingertips remained in place.
“This human female is drawn to you like no other. I admit that I’ll still have some human hang-ups about men, but I don’t doubt the rightness of this, Tave. At all.” She lifted her hand and brushed a kiss across his mouth. “Please believe me.”
Chapter Two
“I do.” He could do nothing but believe his mate. Her feelings were seen in her eyes and her tone was steady. She wanted him, and no one could doubt his desire for her. Keeping his gaze locked with hers, he spoke to the room at large. “Leave.”
He didn’t have to be patient or nice. Over thirty Earth years, and he was finally going to claim a female as his. He didn’t need an audience. The clamoring crowd outside the walls was enough.
“Tave.” Rina laughed and shook her head.
He was struck anew by her beauty. “Fine,” he grumbled. “ Please leave.”
“But… I… It’s not…” Kelara argued quietly with someone—his own dam ?—but eventually all voices faded and he sensed they were
They’d discuss it later.
“Okay.” She stroked his arm as it lay in her lap. “Ideally, we distribute that press release, and then we go to ground for a while. Let it pass and maybe discuss a public joining ceremony of some type. Do a few interviews to make us more likable and ‘normal’ like everyone else.” There were nods all around, and even Tave grudgingly agreed. “The question is: where can we go that the vultures outside won’t get to us? Ideas?”
Everyone looked elsewhere, eyes trained on the floor or ceiling, refusing to meet her gaze. Obviously, this was something they’d discussed without her and no one wanted to broach the subject.
Rina turned her head. “Tave?” Even he looked elsewhere. “ Tave .”
He sighed. “The one and only place humans cannot go without permission and special equipment—”
“Tau.” She finished for him. Not the UST, but the underwater city of Tau. And it did require permission to enter. The Ujal protected their water borders religiously and any hint of breach had immediate and deadly consequences. They also required Ujal designed equipment to visit, but even that only allowed a mere thirty minutes within the city limits before it failed. “And how do you expect me to live down there? Humans aren’t built to—”
“ Humans aren’t.” Tave agreed, but something in his tone made her focus intently on him.
“But?”
“But Ujal mates have been known to acquire some traits which allow them to live within the waters. Not a tail,” he was quick to rush out, “but it is our deepest belief that they acquire the ability to breathe the waters and survive against the sea’s pressure.”
Rina tried to process all that. She really did. Except… “How deep is your belief? On a scale of one to ten, how likely am I to die from taking a deep dive?”
“I would never, never , risk losing you. You are my one, pyabi .”
“Okay.” She licked her lips and knew she needed to trust him. Trust in his connection to her. “How do we do this, then?”
He grimaced. “We mate fully. We exchange biological material and any changes will be fast. It may hurt,” he warned, “but it should take no more than thirty minutes for the changes to solidify.”
“And by mate, you mean…”
“Sex.”
Sex. Of course.
“But if you are not comfortable, we will come up with another solution. I do not wish to rush you. I don’t want you to look upon this time with anger or regret in your heart. It would destroy me if you were…”
Apologies continued to drip from his mouth, and she gently pressed her fingertips to his lips. “It’s fine. I want to mate you, Tave. I want to be yours and I want you to be mine. I hate that we’re being forced to do this by the behavior of others, but I could never regret mating you.”
“But we just met, and human females—” he said, as her fingertips remained in place.
“This human female is drawn to you like no other. I admit that I’ll still have some human hang-ups about men, but I don’t doubt the rightness of this, Tave. At all.” She lifted her hand and brushed a kiss across his mouth. “Please believe me.”
Chapter Two
“I do.” He could do nothing but believe his mate. Her feelings were seen in her eyes and her tone was steady. She wanted him, and no one could doubt his desire for her. Keeping his gaze locked with hers, he spoke to the room at large. “Leave.”
He didn’t have to be patient or nice. Over thirty Earth years, and he was finally going to claim a female as his. He didn’t need an audience. The clamoring crowd outside the walls was enough.
“Tave.” Rina laughed and shook her head.
He was struck anew by her beauty. “Fine,” he grumbled. “ Please leave.”
“But… I… It’s not…” Kelara argued quietly with someone—his own dam ?—but eventually all voices faded and he sensed they were
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