Mama and the Alien Warrior (Treasured By The Alien #1) - Honey Phillips Page 0,75

whole time, just as he always was whenever she needed him. She gave his tall, broad figure an appreciative look, her heart still beating a little faster in his presence.

“Come on, girls. Let your mama put your brother to bed so she can come watch with us.”

“Yes, Papa,” they chorused.

Both of them stopped to plant a kiss on Leo’s cheek before they followed Hrebec. Big, dark eyes, so much like his father’s, blinked up at them, his mouth forming a sleepy grin. He was almost the spitting image of Hrebec, only the pale gold of his skin indicating his human heritage.

When they had decided to try for a baby, she hadn’t really expected to get pregnant, but she had been thrilled when it happened. Hrebec was just as excited. Once Leo was born, they had debated telling the High Council, but in the end decided against it. Ciresia was still fixated on producing “pure” Cire children. At least their suggestions had helped and the survival rate was significantly higher.

Sitting back in the rocking chair, she hummed and rocked until Leo’s eyes closed again, then placed him in the wooden crib handed down from Tiana. It had been one of Hrebec’s first projects and the sides were not completely even, but she loved it and had firmly refused his offer to make a new one. She turned on the communication bracelet she still used as a baby monitor and went to join her family.

They were all gathered on the front veranda, Lucie and Tiana on either side of Hrebec on the wide wooden bench. Abby scooped up Tiana so that she could sit next to Hrebec. Her daughter snuggled down in her arms, turning her head to breathe in Abby’s scent as she wrapped her tail around Abby’s wrist.

“Will everyone be here tomorrow, Mama?” Lucie asked.

“Yes, sweetie. They’re all coming to celebrate the new baby.”

Although the presence of the Cire colony had tipped the decision to stay on Trevelor, not everyone had actually moved to the village. TeShawna and Mekoi had decided to remain in Wiang so TeShawna could study medicine while he worked at the medical facility. Cassie had also decided to stay and, with Inzen’s encouragement, had opened a small dress shop that was doing remarkably well. The four of them shared the house over the shop, and Inzen had happily taken on a large part of the childcare for all three babies.

Elaina and Jedan, of course, had been happy to move to the village and purchase the farm they had dreamed about. Molly and Ribel had lived with them for the first year, at which point Molly had come to Abby and told her quite firmly that they were not going to wait any longer before becoming mates in every sense. Abby couldn’t argue. The young couple had shown their devotion to each other and their daughter.

Amber and her daughter had spent the first six months living with Abby and Hrebec in the room that was now Leo’s. Part of her time had been spent helping out in the village school and she had ended up falling in love with one of the teachers, a tall Trevelorian male with an impressive jade green crest. They had just given birth to their first child and both the fireworks tonight and the celebration tomorrow were in honor of the birth.

There was a trail of light down by the river, then a brilliant burst of color exploded overhead. Unlike Earth fireworks, there was no following boom, just a distant flutter.

“Ooh, aah,” Abby said.

“What’s that, Mama?” Lucie asked.

“It’s what you say when you see fireworks.”

Another one burst overhead, forming into a brightly colored flower before dissipating.

“Ooh, aah,” the girls said in unison and she laughed.

The girls fell asleep before the fireworks were over, but Abby was in no hurry to move. Hrebec’s tail wrapped around her as she leaned against him.

“What are you thinking, my mate?” she whispered.

“I was wondering if you missed Earth.”

“Why would you even think that? I have everything I need right here.” She paused. “Well, there is one thing I need…”

“Anything.”

She gave his tail a long seductive stroke, dragging her fingernails lightly across the sensitive surface. “I need some time alone with my mate.”

He shuddered and his scent deepened. “I’ll put the girls to bed.”

Hrebec stepped into their bedroom to find that Abigail had not taken advantage of the time while he put the girls to bed to prepare for him. Instead, she was perched at the desk by the window, his father’s desk, going over a series of spreadsheets on her computer screens.

“I thought you weren’t going to work tonight?”

She jumped guiltily. “I wasn’t going to, but Leo was so fussy today I didn’t get much done.”

Not long after they had first moved to the colony, she had raised a financial question at one of the community meetings that revealed the extent of her fiscal background. After that, she had been flooded with requests for assistance and it had evolved into a full-time job.

“You know you don’t need to work.”

“But I want to. And I think it’s important that the girls see that women have choices.”

“Yes, my mate,” he agreed solemnly.

She laughed. “I know—I’ve said that a thousand times before, haven’t I?”

“You may have mentioned it. As I may have mentioned before that you are a very desirable female. I believe you said you needed me...”

The scent of her arousal perfumed the air and she closed her screens. “I do.”

As she rose and walked towards him, he allowed himself to appreciate the lush curves of her body, even riper since the birth of their son. His shaft stiffened, as it did so frequently in her presence. She paused when she reached him, her fingers tracing the line of his erection through his pants.

“I find you a very desirable male,” she whispered.

“Then that works out well,” he said, his breath catching as she teased his sensitive head.

“I think I’m in the mood for something forbidden tonight,” she said, sinking to her knees and freeing his erection.

Later that night, he heard Leo cry out on the monitor.

“He’s hungry,” Abigail said sleepily. “He hasn’t been eating well because of the teething.”

“I’ll bring him to you.”

He walked into the nursery to find his son pulling himself up on the crib rail and shook his head. The boy was growing so quickly. He lifted him into his arms and Leo buried his head in Hrebec’s neck the same way Tiana had done at that age. His little tail circled Hrebec’s arm.

When he returned to the bedroom, a soft light was glowing by the bed. Abigail was sitting up, her beautiful breasts already exposed. While Leo nursed hungrily, Hrebec watched her, admiring the sight, and more than a little tempted by the sight of her distended nipple when she moved Leo to the other side.

Outside, the rain began to fall, but the bedroom was warm and cozy in the soft lamplight. Leo’s hungry suckling gradually slowed.

“He’s asleep,” Abigail whispered.

“I’ll take him back to bed. Leave the light on. I have plans for when I return and I want to be able to see all of you.”

“Mm, that sounds—”

Lightning flashed outside the window. Unlike the earlier fireworks show, this was not silent, and a crack of thunder immediately followed. His eyes met Abigail’s, hers alive with laughter.

“You know what that means,” she said.

Sure enough, two heads were already peeking around the door frame.

“Tiana was scared,” Lucie said.

“Was not.” Tiana scowled at her sister.

There was another crack of thunder and the girls leaped for the bed.

“Perhaps both of you were a little scared,” he said. “Even though you’re big girls.”

“Maybe,” Lucie agreed. “Can we sleep with you?”

Abigail’s shoulders were shaking with silent laughter, but he couldn’t resist the two pleading faces. His plans for Abigail’s delicious body would have to wait.

“Do you want me to put Leo back in his crib?” he asked her.

“No,” Lucie said. “He might get scared too.”

Since Leo was sound asleep at Abigail’s breast, he didn’t think that likely, but if the girls were staying, Leo might as well stay too. Abigail turned off the light and eventually, everyone settled down.

Long after his family fell asleep, Hrebec stayed awake, relishing the moment. He was lying on his back, with his son on his chest and Lucie tucked under his arm. Abigail was snuggled against his other side with Tiana curled between them. Lucie shifted in her sleep and kicked his thigh and he smiled. Some things never changed.

Outside, the thunder had died down and all that was left was the sound of the rain. The clean smell drifted into the room, mingling with the scents of his family, and he was filled with a boundless contentment. He had been so sure that the only thing waiting for him was lonely years filled with regret. Instead, he had hopes for his race, and more importantly, dreams for his own future. He smiled into the dark room and closed his eyes.