then she teases the base of my tail, making me gasp in response. "Next time you go on a long hunt like that…" R'ven whispers, "Take me with you?"
"You wish to hunt?"
"I wish to be with you," she corrects, smiling. "Nothing else matters."
Epilogue
Two Weeks Later
RAVEN
"So…have you danced for your mate?" Daisy looks at me with interest as I shovel breakfast into my mouth. It's not Callie's spicy oatmeal today. Elly and Gail made a thick porridge seasoned with a bit of hraku to give it an edge of sweetness. It's comforting in its own way, and I scrape my bowl before getting a second helping.
"Couple of times," I tell her when I get my bowl back from Elly. "He likes it, but then, he likes everything I do." I don't point out that dancing for U'dron usually ends up very differently than it did when I was back in the club. Back then, if I stuck my ass in someone's face, I'd get mad if they did anything other than shove a few bills into my G-string. Now, when I put my ass in U'dron's face, he grabs my hips and goes down on me.
I like that reaction so much that my dancing never seems to last for long.
Daisy's not deterred by my brief conversation or the fact that I'm eating at record speed. I'm going out hunting with U'dron today. It's my first hunt, and he wants to show me how to set traps and what to look for when I go out. I'm a little nervous, because I've never killed anything with my own two hands, but I also know that survival is important, and being squeamish only hinders me. Nadine and Penny both hunt regularly. Lauren and a few of the others go out from time to time, and for most of the women, hunting is a choice. It's assumed that if you don't help out with the hunting, you help with gathering food or working skins or making meals. I'm going to see if I like hunting…but mostly I just want to spend my time with U'dron.
I'm that clingy woman who can't leave her man's side for a minute, it seems. I just…really like being with him. He makes me smile. He makes me laugh. We have great conversations. He likes my weird versions of dirty songs. Why wouldn't I want to spend all day with the man?
Daisy sidles a little closer, watching me eat. "You're very hungry today."
"Going out," I tell her between mouthfuls and wave my spoon at my mate, who's down near our hut talking to A'tam and O'jek. "Hunting."
"You're hunting?" Daisy looks fascinated. "I thought you didn't do that."
I shrug. "I'll give it a try. Besides, I'm going to have the hottest teacher on the beach."
Daisy's eyes widen. "You are? Who?"
I blink at her. "My mate?"
She blushes, and even that is charmingly beautiful. "Oh, goodness. Of course." She bites her lip and leans in, as if sharing a secret. "Do you…feel any different?"
I take another bite of food, and as I do, I notice Lauren's shooting me a sympathetic look over her cup of tea. I guess Daisy questioned her earlier, and now I get to take my turn. "I've only been pregnant for like, two weeks."
"I meant with resonance," Daisy continues. "I want to know what it's like. Do you tingle when you get near your mate? Does the singing of the khui feel odd? Can you tell a difference from before and after you resonated?" She scoots a little closer to me. "I want to know everything."
I'm grateful for the food I'm shoving into my mouth, because it saves me from an awkward conversation. I don't think Daisy wants to know everything. Does she really want me to tell her that we made love non-stop for three days, only pausing to hydrate and sleep? That when we finally stopped resonating, I felt as if I'd walk bow-legged for the rest of my days? That I'm a little scared of being a mom but I still wouldn't change a thing? That I'm happier than I've ever been and secure knowing that U'dron is mine and mine alone?
I don't say any of these things, of course. Around a mouthful of food, I say, "Guess so."
"Guess so what?"
I swallow down my cup of shrimp tea, looking for my mate. Still talking to O'jek, which is a feat in itself, since I don't think that guy has said more than three words in the