“Quite the compliment coming from someone who’s been alive for hundred of years.” I giggled.
We got out of the shower and dressed fairly quickly. I finished putting on my clothes while Kroven went to the kitchen to replenish on blood. There was still a little twinge in the back of my head that wanted him to bite me, but every time it appeared like a lost light in the night, I brushed it aside. I knew that Kroven had real trauma associated with biting humans and I would never force him into that precarious spacewhere he could relapse from his abstinence. But the way he’d described it…the chemical reactions that gave both human and sangamar a rip of unwavering pleasure. I wanted to experience that. I wanted to experience that with Kroven.
Perhaps in a few years when he knew he was safe with me there’d be a way to explore that. Twenty years was a long time and I’d only want to do it if Kroven felt comfortable. The past lingered in his eyes and I wouldn’t do anything to disrupt that, especially with us meeting with Exo and Wallace soon.
As if on cue, there was a knock on the door as I came into the living room. Kroven had just downed his serving of blood and eyed me with a smile at my styled hair.
He walked over and answered the door, greeted by the bearded smile belonging to Wallace Watson. He gave a nervous wave to Kroven as my favorite sangamar moved aside to let him in. Exo followed, giving Kroven a knowing nod as they both entered the house. Walking over to the living area to greet them, I smiled and gave a lopsided grin that was equal parts nerves and confidence.
“Thanks for meeting us early,” Wallace nodded to Kroven. They’d texted right before our shower, one of the many reasons I’d wanted my non-human boyfriend to fuck me with haste earlier. “I wanted to deliver this good news in person.”
Kroven held out his hand for me to grab, and he pulled me close to his side as we stood in anticipation. “Don’t bogart the good news. What is it?”
Wallace’s grin grew, giving Exo a nod as the jacked sangamar handed him a piece of paper that was already perfectly laminated. The biggest words legible without reading over the entire thing was the acronym ORBIT.
“By order of the Speaker of the House, ORBIT is official!” Wallace gave a little laugh. “I’ve been promoted to Director of Orb Affairs.”
I snorted with glee, shaking Kroven’s arm. “This is great news!”
“After hearing about the blood centers, it was quickly signed into office.” Wallace explained. “They don’t want to take the risk of the Orbs banding together like those idiotic protestors did. Their first act was making it illegal for anyone to attack Orb related establishments and labeled it as a class two hate crime.”
“Serves the bastards right.” I stated, only wishing that the ones that had upended my blood center were charged for what they’d done.
“But what does it mean exactly?”
Exo rolled his eyes at Kroven’s even and calm gone. “Ever the cynic, aren’t you?”
“I prefer the term cautiously optimistic.”
Wallace cut in between the sangamar stand off. Clearly neither had worked through their last interaction all the way. “I’ve been given the go ahead to cultivate a board of Orbs to represent the vast species of creatures that share the world with humans. We’ll be stationed in D.C. with our own dedicated office and everything. I’ll be working with this board to address issues plaguing the Orb community and taking action to make life better for everyone through human and Orb unity.”
“That sounds wonderful,” Kroven nodded, finally breaking the thin line of his lips to issue a smile. “I’m assuming you need help assembling this board.”
Wallace nodded. “You and Exo are the only Orbs I’ve met, so I’d need to know which species have the highest populations.” He tilted his head inquisitively. “How many creature species are there?”
“I’d love to know the answer to that, out of pure curiosity.” I added.
“Let’s sit, shall we?”
Kroven and I took a seat on the love seat while Exo and Wallacesat in the mirrored chairs on either side. The chair instantly brought up the memory of Kroven and I’s first sexual encounter, but I sure as shit wasn’t going to tell Wallace that as he sat down.
Ever the best host, Kroven offered to get them something to drink, but both of them politely declined.
“I told Wallace that the lycanthe and sangamar were objectively the largest species population wise.” Exo mused.
“Absolutely agree,” Kroven nodded. “Although I’m not sure it’s wise to limit this board based on population. For example, the virces have probably the lowest numbers by far as creatures go, but why should they not get a seat at the table simply because it’s actively harder for them to procreate?”
My mind went to Qwill, the only virces I’d met since I’d been with Kroven. Thoughts of cute and scaly virces babies ran through my head, making me smile but it fizzled as Kroven’s words rang in my head. What made the virces so hard to reproduce?
“Hey, I’m open to suggestions, of course. My bosses only mentioned that they thought population was the best course of action.” Wallace cleared his throat. “I am more than willing to combat that notion if you think it’s best.”
“I do.” Kroven solidified. “I think both the virces and the olatsma deserve to be represented, being the lowest numbers of the creature community. You’d want as much representation as possible.”
Wallace pulled out his phone and started writing things down in his notes app.
I chimed in, suddenly curious. “How many Orbs are you allowed to have as a part of ORBIT?”
“As many as fifteen is what I was told, including me as the human representative.”
