“She wonders if she’s going to want to eat me after mating during receptivity.”
Terus laughed silently and curled against her backside. He whispered, “One way or another.”
She didn’t move, but he knew she had heard him. He could feel it through their link.
In the pre-dawn light, Rache woke up and wiggled a little. “I want to go and help Haravin with the delivery.”
Terus was warming her spine and thighs. “No, you feel good.”
She laughed. “I will feel good after I see if a friend needs anything.”
He sighed and kissed her shoulder before he moved away. “Good luck with Xeti. He doesn’t wake up easy.”
“How did you two partner?”
“Ah, his partner, Jorin, was stabbed in the first attacks. He was buying time for us to escape, as giant spiders usually make folks hesitate. That stunned Xeti, and he was dumped into holding with the rest of us.”
Xeti’s voice spoke softly, “And Terus helped me heal and got my mind back together. His relentless cheer was hard to ignore. I did try.”
Terus snorted and rolled out of bed. “He did. Our beasts are all basically loners, so finding a match was tricky. Not to mention finding a mate. You walked right up to me, and I didn’t see you because I wasn’t looking.” He trailed his fingertips down her spine.
She snorted and looked at Xeti. “Okay, you are awake, let go.”
He groaned and pulled her closer. “But you feel so good.” His hands were on her shoulders, arms, middle of her back... too many arms.
She glanced down and snorted as three sets of biceps on his right side were visible and felt on the left. “Funny.”
“This form showed up last night. I am wondering what else will show up once we are properly mated.”
“I am thinking there will be little proper about it.”
He opened his eyes and grinned. “You want to get up?”
“And dress. If Hara is in labour and Eden has been there all night, they might need a hand or even comic relief.”
He smiled. “A kiss and then I let you go.”
She kissed him, and he slid one of his hands into her hair, then another, and another and— “Oh, knock it off.”
He started laughing, and she webbed his eyes and mouth. She rolled out of bed and went to grab her clothes. They were clammy but wearable.
She looked back at the bed and smiled. Xeti had pried the webbing off, and she laughed. “Okay, so it has shock value but not lasting impact.”
Xeti laughed. “You have no idea how relieved I am that it is the case. I don’t particularly like restraints.”
She shrugged. “Well, I am going to take my damp and pasty ass over to the palace, see if I can weasel some coffee out of someone, and then head over to find Hara and Eden.”
Xeti nodded. “We will meet you there.”
Rache nodded, kissed Terus quickly, and then headed downstairs, where a covered treat buffet was taking place. Deno was there and handed her coffee. “Late night?”
“Early morning. Just need to bolt down some coffee before I go to the palace.”
“Take a bag of pastries.”
“Thanks. I don’t suppose you have any fruit smoothies.”
He grinned and opened a fridge. “How many do you need?”
