“She is still naked,” Zann says, stalking closer.
“We’re going to be late,” I protest again.
“Then we will be late,” he replies. Zann picks me up effortlessly and I wrap my legs around him instinctively. “Turn on the water,” he calls to Krish who has also squeezed into the bathroom with us. “We will get dirty and clean at the same time.”
“Stars, you are insatiable,” I mumble as Zann grinds his hips against me. I can already feel his sheath parting, releasing his hard cock. I reach between us and stroke a finger down the length of him. His moan of pleasure goes straight to my core, and a moment later he is lowering me onto his silken length.
“Zann,” I sigh as I feel him bury himself completely inside me. “You feel so good.” Anything else I might say is lost as Krish captures my mouth in a thorough kiss. Zann backs me against a wall and fucks me hard and fast until I am screaming against Krish’s lips. Zann bucks into me one last time and then I feel him filling me. He is shaking slightly as he presses a kiss to the side of my head and then lowers me until my feet touch the floor. Then Krish is there, turning me around, bending me over, and sliding into me. I feel Davix’s hands on my head, and I open my mouth to welcome his cock between my lips.
The rhythm they set is no less exquisite for its familiarity. They move almost as one, Krish burying his cock inside me as Davix withdraws so I can catch my breath and then Davix thrusting into my mouth as Krish pulls back. I give myself up completely to them and to the pleasure they offer. With Krish’s hands on my hips and Davix’s hands on my head and my body trapped between them, I feel somehow both helpless and utterly protected. I let my tongue slide along the sensitive ridges of Davix’s cock and feel his hips jerk in response. Behind me, Krish’s hands lift my hips slightly and I feel him push even deeper. I moan as I feel Davix’s cock start to swell in my mouth, and then he is holding my head and pouring down my throat. At the same time, Krish slams his hips into me and I feel his hotrelease fill me. The sensations trigger my own orgasm, and my whole body shakes as my vision goes white for a moment. I am trembling as Davix pulls away, his fingers lingering gently along my jaw. A moment later Krish withdraws and pulls me up to lean against his muscular body as he moves us both under the spray of water.
They help wash me, which is helpful since my legs are still shaking slightly. Davix is waiting with a towel when I step out of the shower. He still has the same unrepentant smirk on his face. “Insatiable,” I tell him tartly.
“You too,” he signs, and I can’t help but laugh. It’s true. I had thought I had reached a point in my life where my sex drive was slowing down, but that was before I had three amazing and energetic haleens in my life.
We are, in fact, late to our appointment with the magistrate to sign our marriage contract.
Curran gives me a knowing look as we hurry into the building, and I feel my cheeks heat slightly. “Nice of you to join us,” he drawls.
“Sorry we’re late,” I say, sheepishly.
“It’s no trouble,” the magistrate replies cheerfully. “You’re my last appointment of the day. And truthfully, I was running late myself so I’ve hardly been waiting at all.”
Zann gives Curran a smug, victorious smile. Curran manages to hide his smile, but his eyes twinkle in a way that tells me he’s laughing on the inside.
The magistrate goes through the terms of the contract, but I am hardly paying attention. It’s a fairly standard contract anyway, and I’m too busy staring at the three males who have changed my life so much. I never could have imagined what was in store for me when I first saw them standing there covered in blood, but now I cannot imagine my life without them. They are my lovers and best friends, my confidantes and protectors. And now, they are my husbands as well.
We walk back to base together – Krish beside me with Zann behind and Davix in front. Krish is somewhat distracted by staring at the woven band of metal around his wrist – the symbol of our contract. After extensive discussion, and some choice words with Curran about the whole ‘ball and chain’ comment, the haleens decided that they would all wear wrist bands engraved with my name in addition to wedding rings. “Now everyone will know that we belong to each other,” he says to no one in particular, as he strokes his fingers across the metal .
“That we do,” I reply softly.
It is a strange contrast to think about the first time I saw them with bands around their wrists - the heavy manacles that hung on their emaciated frames. And now, my haleens are strong, free, and healthy - and each wearing a metal band as a sign of our bond.
“What are you thinking about?” Zann asks, sliding his long fingers through mine.
“Just about how different things are now,” I tell him. “I never could have imagined that we’d end up like this - any of us - when I first saw you on Lianov’s ship.”
Zann nods thoughtfully. “We could not have imagined it either. For such pain to have lead to such joy - it is a strange thing. But you are happy?”
“I am very happy.”
Epilogue: Corrina
I nod to Wilkes as I pass through the line for dinner. Even though he placed the unraveler that slowed down the Fixer team, I went with my gut and gave him another chance. My reasoning was that it was done under extreme duress, and at some level I feel like IPC failed him if he didn’t feel like there was anyone he could ask for help. Of course, that doesn’t mean I haven’t been keeping an eye on him ever since.
For eight months, Wilkes got assigned every boring, menial, insultingly basic tech job we could find. And for eight months, Wilkes did every single task with the single-minded kind of focus and care as if each one was critically important to the station’s continued function. More importantly, he did them with genuine gratitude and appreciation for the opportunity. After that, I started having more sensitive and complex tasks assigned, and his work never disappointed. It’s now been almost three years since he returned to full security and clearance.
Watching Wilkes sit down with his little brother, who still has no idea that the man who claimed to be his uncle was a threat, I know I made the right call. Sometimes people just need a second chance, and a place they know they belong. Both Wilkes and his brother are safe and happy in base housing, and Wilkes now knows that he’s got people to turn to if something happens.
Ironically, Jameel is one of those people. Wilkes ended up asking who found out about the unraveler and thanking her for findingit. I don’t think he had any idea how he was going to get out of the trouble he was in, but Jameel’s discovery set things in motion to get both Wilkes and his brother out of an impossible situation safely. They’ve grown close in the years since that incident, and together they are two of my best Fixers. And an admitted cute couple, even if they are both still dancing around their mutual attraction that everyone around them pretends not to notice.
I slide my tray onto the table and sit down across from Curran. “How are the newest arrivals doing?” I ask conversationally.
“Fantastic,” he replies with a grin. “Nothing motivates current personnel like getting shown up in physical competition with a bunch of newly-minted soldiers, regardless of species.” Kapoor Base recently accepted several non-human recruits from one of IPC’s most species-diverse classes yet. There are still some stations and commanders who aren’t comfortable with non-human soldiers, but we’re not one of them. On the contrary, we’ve been identified as a model station for the integration of non-humans into service. I’ve been advocating for more non-human recruitment forever, but the fact that I’m happily married to three haleens has definitely driven the acceptance of non-humans here on base. Of course, not everyone was happy with it and I gladly arranged for transfers for anyone who wanted to leave. But for the most part, it’s been a positive change for the base and the service. And I couldn’t be happier.
As if they can sense that I’m thinking about them, Davix, Krish, and Zann stroll into the mess hall. As always, their eyes find meimmediately, and I’m rewarded with three toothy grins. I can’t help grinning back at them.
“Unreal,” Curran grunts, and I turn to face him.
