Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 106646 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 533(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106646 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 533(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
"I'm in love," Gail tells me. "Please say you can make more."
"I can try," I say, feeling shy. "We're still working on smoothing out some of the kinks in the process, but we're getting there."
Shy, quiet Elly touches my knee. "Will you teach me?" I nod, and she beams at me with pure joy. "I'd love to learn."
"I can't believe you taught yourself this," Veronica looks fascinated. "How did you even know where to begin?"
I don't know how to answer that without bragging, and my throat closes up. A'tam squeezes my knee. "Br'chit is clever, is she not? She can do anything she puts her mind to."
God, I love that man. I lean forward and wrap my arms around his neck in a loose hug as I try to answer the flurry of excited questions. With him at my side, I feel like we can accomplish anything. Together.
And really, that's what a mating is all about, isn't it? It's more than just making a baby. My parents made a baby and look where it got them. But a mating is about partnership. Friendship. Trust. Love.
Listening to one another. Hearing what the other needs and providing it.
I have all that with A'tam.
It wasn’t easy – it’ll probably never be easy – but it’s absolutely worth it. I wouldn’t trade my impulsive, arrogant, foolish, wonderful, attentive, handsome mate for all the pottery in the world. He’s flawed, but his flaws match mine and together?
Together, we’re perfect.
People of Icehome Beach
The ‘Castaways’
Angie – Adult female at the beach camp. Pregnant with mystery baby when awoken. Gives birth to Glory (a clone female). Resonates to Vordis. Now pregnant again.
Vordis (Vohr-DISS rhymes with Floor-Miss) – One of the red “twins,” ex-gladiators of a race called a’ani. Longtime friends/brothers with Thrand, another clone. The really devoted one. Hot sauce. Resonates to Angie.
Glory - A qura’aki clone baby, implanted in Angie. Newborn and cute as hell.
Willa – Adult female with a southern twang. Lo’s friend. Gren’s most ardent defender. Resonates to Gren. Pregnant.
Gren (rhymes with HEN) – Beastly, feral ex-gladiator male. Attacks on sight. Resonates to Willa. Soft and fuzzy, according to Aayla.
Veronica – Newest healer on the planet. Resonated to Ashtar upon arrival. Bit of a klutz. Needs to work on her bedside manner. Has enlisted Hannah to be her assistant. New mom to baby Katamneas (Kata for short).
Ashtar (Ash-TARR) – Flirty golden ex-gladiator and former slave. Drakoni male who can shapeshift to a “battle form” as a dragon and has the ability to communicate telepathically. Resonates immediately to Veronica. Stud. New dad to Katamneas (Kata for short).
Katamneas (Ka-TAHM-nee-us) or (KAT-uh) - newly born half-drakoni son to Veronica and Ashtar.
Thrand (rhymes with ‘Bland’ - no one tell him this) – One of the red “twins,” ex-gladiators of a race called a’ani. Longtime friends/brothers with Vordis. The hotheaded, competitive one. Ketchup. Resonates to Nadine.
Nadine – One of the adult females at the beach camp. Huntress and go-getter. Resonates to Thrand.
Tia – Teenager at the beach camp. Flirting with Sessah…and probably everyone else. Treats all the unmated men like they’re her personal harem. Transferred to Croatoan for the time being.
Steph – One of the adult females at the beach camp. Former psychology student. Neolithic therapist.
Flordeliza – Adult female at beach camp. Once a nurse. Kind of a clown. Oldest of the ‘new’ group at 32. Filipina. Talented with a needle.
Samantha – One of the adult females at the beach camp. Quiet. Beautiful. Former barista back on Earth. Really fucking loves being on the ice planet, which no one else can figure out.
Daisy - Newcomer! Dropped on the ice planet by Mardok’s old friend Niri. Former slave for over ten years. Very beautiful. Utterly thrilled and ready to mate and have babies, which means everyone unmated hates her. Loves to stick her nose into everyone’s business.
From the Old Tribe (Croatoan)
Raahosh (Ruh-HOSH) – Hunter of the Croatoan tribe. Messed up horns. Mated to Liz and has 3 daughters, Raashel, Aayla, and now Ahsoka. Generally unpleasant to be around (except to his mate).
Liz – Snarky human mate to Raahosh. Mother to Raashel, Aayla, and newborn Ahsoka. Star Wars nerd. Salty.
Raashel (Ruh-SHELL) - Liz and Raahosh’s oldest daughter. A bit of a tattletale.
Aayla (Ay-LAH) - Liz and Raahosh’s middle child. Fascinated by Gren.
Ahsoka (Uh-soh-kuh) - Liz and Raahosh’s newborn daughter.
Sessah (SESS-uh) – Unmated, lanky, teen sa-khui from Croatoan. Currently dazzled by all the single ladies in Icehome. Upset over Tia’s constant flirting with all unhitched penises. Shy.
Rukh (ROOKH) – Hunter of the Croatoan tribe and ex-outcast. His mate is Harlow. Brother to Raahosh, father to Rukhar and now Daya.
Harlow – Mate to Rukh, mother to Rukhar and newborn Daya. She assists Mardok with technology stolen/looted from the broken ships.
Rukhar (ROOKH-arr) – Harlow and Rukh’s young son.
Daya (DIE—uh) Harlow and Rukh’s newborn daughter.
Farli (FAR-lee) – One of the few sa-khui females. Mated to Mardok and has a pet dvisti named Chompy. Pregnant.