Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 85108 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 340(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85108 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 340(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
“Thrax?” she asked for the third time. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
He shook his head, his eyes never leaving the chair.
“Straps,” he managed to get out at last. “Don’t like to be restrained.”
“Really?” This was something Andi hadn’t known about the big Hybrid. But then she remembered his strange question during their briefing with Commander Sylvan when he’d demanded to know if he had to wear a pain collar or be tied up in any way. It must be some kind of phobia he’d never disclosed to her.
“My Queen, will you be much longer? I have other guests which I must assist.” The servant sounded impatient.
“You go ahead,” Andi told him, still looking at her partner. “I can manage on my own, thanks.”
“Fine.” The servant flounced off, his frilly apron shaking but Andi barely noticed. She was still focused on Thrax.
The big Hybrid still looked close to panic and she wanted to reassure him—though he certainly had never needed reassurance before. She’d seen him face down a three-headed Trollox without an ounce of fear but he was still staring at the straps on their dining chair like someone had shown him the gateway to Hell. And under her hand, his heart was still galloping in his chest.
“Hey, Thrax, look at me,” she murmured. “Look down here—come on, big guy.”
Her soft tone seemed to get through to him somehow and he dragged his eyes away from the chair and finally met her gaze.
“Hey, it’s okay,” Andi told him. “If you don’t want to be strapped down, I won’t let them strap you down. We can just pretend, okay?”
“Well…” He cleared his throat and suddenly the look of fear on his face was replaced by a look of shame, quickly followed by his usual scowl. “Right. Fine,” he growled. “Sorry, I just…don’t fucking like restraints.”
“I got that.” Andi nodded. “And it’s not a problem, believe me.” She took her hand off his chest and entwined her fingers with his instead. Tugging gently, she nodded at the table. “Come on, let’s sit down before someone grabs our seat.”
She said this because she could see another couple talking to one of the other servants and pointing at the chair beside Shanna. Clearly this was the desirable end of the table—probably because Pantyitch Tieradaughter and her male-wife were getting seated at the head of the table which was only two chairs down. The head of the Ruling Collective was settling herself in her spouse’s lap with regal disregard for everyone around her, pretending not to notice that most of the people around her were looking at her.
Andi could see the servant was nodding—they were about to lose their seat! She tugged again and this time Thrax came with her, which was a good thing. He was so big she never could have moved him if he didn’t want to go.
“Sorry, this seat is taken,” she said, brushing past the couple and the servant. Pointing to the chair she said, “Sit,” to Thrax, just as Shanna had told her male-wife.
Still scowling, Thrax sat. Then he raised his eyebrows as if to say, “Well?”
Andi played her part and sat in her partner’s lap, though it felt strange to do so. Of course, she and Thrax were affectionate with each other—she often sat on the arm of his chair and she wasn’t shy about asking for a boost when she was getting into the long-range shuttle, which was high off the ground—but this was the first time she’d sat in his lap. It was a little awkward—especially considering that he’d just been sucking her nipples a few minutes ago.
No, don’t think about that! Andi told herself quickly. Think about the mission. Who in this room might know where Commander Kier is?
“Oh, there you are.” Shanna said, breaking into Andi’s desperate train of thought. “I was wondering where you’d gotten to. Why did it take you so long to sit down? You almost lost your seat to Queen Thingybottom and her awful male-wife Lisp!”
“Queen Thingybottom?” Andi had to abruptly keep herself from laughing.
“Yes, she’s awful. All she ever wants to talk about is how rich she is. I just can’t stand women who flaunt their wealth!” Shanna made a face. “Last time I had to sit by her, she went on and on about how she was going to visit a special Conception Center where they have all kinds of ‘designer seed’ so she could work with a Conception Specialist to choose just the right DNA for her baby.”
Andi’s ears perked up at once.
“Designer seed?” she asked. “But…if she’s going to get pregnant, why doesn’t she just, uh, have sex with her husband? I mean, her male-wife?”
“Let her male-wife get her pregnant?” Shanna’s eyes widened in disbelief. “My dear Andi—you have a lot to learn. No one on Salacious Delta gets pregnant by their male-wife! That’s unheard of! Besides, Queen Thingybottom has Lisp locked in permanent chastity. She says she finds him easier to control that way.”