Captive - Cheryl Brooks Page 0,65

of Pelarus?”

Temfilk frowned, tapping his chin with a sucker-tipped finger. “Not sure he’s ever even seen Pelarus.”

“No problem,” Nexbit said. With that, the Sympaticon slowly transformed into a tall man with graying ginger hair, a rather weak chin, and the requisite Vessonian forehead ridges and slanted ears. “How’s this?”

Moe thought he looked a bit like an overgrown turtle, whereas Velkma actually shuddered. “Quite disturbing, but an excellent likeness, nonetheless.”

Lis made short work of yet another portrait, and Moe supplied him with a fourth poster.

Lis sat with the pencil poised above the poster for a moment, then chattered to Bik and Jal. The two Racks hopped down from their chairs and pulled Moe and Nexbit to the middle of the room, then faced each other and mimed putting up their fists. When Moe and Nexbit struck a similar pose, Lis squealed “Yah, boss!” and began drawing furiously.

A few minutes later, Temfilk peered over Lis’s shoulder. “That is totally awesome!”

“No shit,” Moe said as he viewed the result. “You could advertise a galaxy-wide championship match with that. All we have to do is add in some text, and we’re good to go.”

Nexbit wandered over, his rendition of the Vessonian slowly sliding back to the Sympaticon’s resting state. “Might want to add a picture of Klara as the prize. If the kid can’t draw her from memory, I think I might be able to come up with a fair imitation.”

Moe’s eyes widened. “Why the devil didn’t we think of that sooner? You could be a decoy!”

Nexbit scratched his chin. “Not sure she’d like that.”

“Yes, but with her laid up for a while, this might be the perfect time to do something drastic without endangering her.”

“Endangering who?”

Startled, Moe glanced toward the bedroom door where Klara stood, looking like every dream he’d ever had. He swallowed hard, cutting off a purr loud enough to qualify as a growl. “You shouldn’t be out of bed.”

“I’m okay now.” As if to prove this, she walked toward Moe with a perfectly steady gait. “There must’ve been a few viable sperm cells floating around in my system.” With a roll of her eyes, she added, “So much for abstinence. Apparently it was already too late for that.”

“Congratulations, boss,” Nexbit said, albeit with limited enthusiasm. “That is, if you’re sure.”

“Oh, I’m sure,” she replied. “I’ve never felt like this in my life.”

One whiff of her scent told Moe she was correct. He’d never inhaled the fragrance of a pregnant mate before, but the change in her aroma stimulated him on a primal level. Even if she hadn’t seen fit to share her news, he would’ve known. “Mother of the gods! You smell absolutely fabulous!”

Heat rushed to his groin in an erection so swift and powerful, he nearly fell on his ass.

Great. Now I’m the one who can’t stand up.

The I’m going to be a father reaction had yet to hit him. Perhaps it never would—at least, not in an adverse manner. A smile, impossible to suppress, stretched his lips and stayed there. For a long moment, the dismal world of Haedus Nine seemed brighter somehow.

“Timing is everything,” Temfilk said cheerfully. “This will probably be the first revolution led by a pregnant woman.” He glanced toward Velkma. “On this planet, anyway.”

Velkma clasped her hands together, her expression joyful—at least, as joyful as a Haedusian could look. “You are with child?”

“I’m afraid so,” Klara replied. “And probably more than one child. I sensed three strange little pings and then began feeling better almost immediately.” She heaved a sigh. “I think I could eat something now.”

Temfilk hurried around the table and pulled out a chair, ushering her into it with a gallant sweep of his hand. “Yes, you should. You’re eating for four now.” Raising a brow, he added, “Which means there’ll be no more of that eating nothing so the rest of us don’t go hungry crap.”

Klara stiffened, then flipped her hair over her shoulder in a defiant manner as she sat down. “I have never done that.”

Temfilk clucked his tongue. “You are such a terrible liar.”

She took this criticism without comment, her gaze fixed on the drawings scattered about the table. “What’s all this?”

With far less enthusiasm than he’d displayed earlier, Nexbit shuffled backward as though attempting to distance himself from Lis’s artwork. “Moe’s idea. Not sure you’re gonna like it.”

“I dunno… I kinda like this one.” She tapped the fight scene. “I would dearly love to see you smash Pelarus’s big ugly nose.”

“Um… That’s the plan, actually.” Moe waited a