Page 47 of All You Need is Alien Love (Tentacular Tales #4)

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

“Is this really necessary, my darling?” Vardox asked from where he lay strapped down on Starblade’s bed. “While I do enjoy bondage during our sensual times together, it’s far less fun when I’m lying here with nothing to do.”

Starblade crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes while standing over him. “This is the only way to make certain you stay in bed and get the rest you need while you recover.”

Vardox pouted, allowing his injured tentacle to flop on the bed pathetically. “All I need is your tender loving care to get better. After all, I risked life and—quite literally—limb for you, my love.”

A guilty look flashed across Starblade’s face and he instantly relented, coming to sit in the chair he’d placed next to the bed.

Vardox sighed dramatically and then shivered. “I’m cold, dearest. Won’t you come and cuddle me?”

Starblade spluttered. “Why you?—”

Vardox flapped his bandaged tentacle weakly again.

And that’s all it took. Just as he suspected.

Grumbling, Starblade climbed into bed with him, pressing his body close.

Vardox smirked with satisfaction. “Now if you could remove these restraints?—”

“Not on your life,” Starblade said firmly. “Close your eyes and get some rest. I’ll be right here with you.”

Vardox hadn’t been that seriously injured in the battle, so he was surprised to find himself getting rather sleepy. Perhaps the stress of everything that happened and his worry for his sweet captain had finally caught up with him?

Just as he was drifting off to sleep, he could have sworn he heard Starblade whisper, “I think I might love you too, you devious bastard.”

— The Tentacular Tales of Captain Starblade , Ch. 162

Kai

While my tentacles cradle an unconscious River, I stare at the three prenatal chambers that have descended to the base of my fifth tentacle. Even after I blink several times, the screen image doesn’t change.

“Three?” I breathe.

How is that even possible? My mind is spinning worse than that time River took me on the Big Shot at the Stratosphere Amusement Park.

My mom helps River into a chair as he comes to, and he scoots it closer so he can clutch my hand again, almost desperately.

“We’re gonna be dads?”

I swallow hard. “If we decide to go through with the gestation, then yes.”

His eyes widen, and his grip on my hand tightens.

“River, I’m sorry,” I hasten to add. “You’re probably not ready for kids yet. I honestly didn’t think this would happen. We were so careful and the likelihood of interspecies progeny is so slim to begin with. I didn’t imagine such a remote possibility becoming a reality.”

River winces and admits sheepishly, “Well, we weren’t all that careful at first since we didn’t entirely realize the magnitude of the situation. In our defense, no Iyaran men have experienced Tentaculum Calefaction in hundreds of years, so how were we to know anything early on?”

My mom comes to stand beside me on the other side of the exam table and lays a warm, comforting hand on my shoulder. “It’s gonna be okay, boys. Deep breaths. This isn’t something to freak out over. Trust me.”

I didn’t realize my respiration had become so rapid, and I take several moments to calm my racing hearts and regulate my breathing.

“Remember,” Mom says softly, “if you don’t want to complete Tentaculum Gestarium, you can opt to end things before they progress any further. You’re well within the safety window for that.”

A hush falls over the room.

“Uh… this has kind of become a super personal medical matter,” River says, getting to shaky feet. “Could we have some privacy?”

I nod to him gratefully, and the med tech as well as our family members exit the room.

When it’s finally just River and me, I move to one of the chairs and pull him into my arms, letting out two more of my tentacles so they can wrap around him too.

Intuitively knowing what I need, he strokes my tentacles and clutches me tight. By degrees, my body starts to relax, releasing the tension I’ve been holding.

“Better?” he asks.

I nuzzle his neck, closing my eyes. “Thank you.”

“Good. So… uh… this Tentaculum Gestarium is the Iyaran equivalent of a pregnancy?”

I sigh. “In simple terms, yes. But reproduction is quite different among my species. Our biology is radically divergent. We prefer to think of this process as one of gestation rather than pregnancy. Our birthing process is completely distinct as well.”

River squeezes my hand. “Cool. I can use the preferred language, babe. It’s totally your body, your gestational choice. I’ll support you one hundred percent.”

I search his guileless green eyes.

“And if I decide I want to go through with this gestation, how would you feel about that?”

Rationally, I know this has got to be shocking to him. He’s so much younger than me, and his own childhood might make him reluctant to dive into the role of a parent so early in our marriage. Yet I hope he can look beyond all that and see the beautiful gift the universe has given us.

His answering smiles is brighter than a supernova, and I realize I never should have been worried for an instant.

“Kai Genaro, I just completed that damn Sanctioning Ceremony with you not too long ago. No matter what happens, you’re stuck with me for the long haul.

I’ll support you and your choice. If you want us to be parents, then I’m ready to step up and put my dad hat on.

Granted, I don’t exactly know how to be a dad but I’m sure we can figure it out. Together.”

My hearts flutter and my tentacles coil happily around his waist. His words mean so much more to me than I can begin to express right now.

“Are you really willing to be a parent?” I ask, wanting to be absolutely certain.

“It’s a lifelong commitment. I know it’s something we talked about as a possibility in the future, like maybe adopting, but this is a whole other story.

If the timing isn’t right, I don’t want to force you into something you could resent me for. ”

Even if I already know that I want to go through with this gestation.

How could I not? The very idea of children that would be part of both me and River fills my hearts with joy and eager yearning to meet them.

What happened could very possibly be a onetime occurrence and I don’t want to lose this chance to have offspring we created together.

But what if River isn’t ready for that?

Not long ago, he said he might be prepared to be a parent someday, but neither of us thought that someday might happen so soon.

Galactic gods, we’ve only known each other a few months.

We just got married and haven’t even had our honeymoon yet.

But now we have a huge, life-altering choice in front of us.

River continues to pet my tentacles, his eyes warm as he studies me.

“Kai, I can handle whatever the Time Lords, or galactic gods, or any other all-powerful beings of the universe may decide to throw at us. I was prepared for that when I agreed to marry you.” A nervous laugh escapes him.

“And if they decide to launch triplets at us like terrifying but awesome asteroids of fate, then by golly, we will rise to the challenge.” He huffs loudly, a determined gleam in his eyes.

“In fact, we will be the most epic dads in the entire universe!”

My hearts ache with so much adoration and deep appreciation for this remarkable man. River always finds the bright side to any situation, no matter how challenging or terrifying. And he’s ready to stand unwavering by my side, no matter what comes our way.

There’s no one else I’d rather co-parent children with.

“By the galactic gods, I love you. I would cross all the galaxies in existence just to be with you.”

“And I would walk five hundred miles for you,” he says, waggling his eyebrows.

I arch an eyebrow. “Seems less impressive.”

He rolls his eyes. “It’s a song reference, boo. I’ll explain it all another time. Suffice to say, I’m down to be a dad if it’s being a co-dad with you.” He reaches up a hand and cups my cheek. “And trust me, there’s no way in hell I would ever resent you or the totally epic kids we make together.”

My whole body warms with happiness. “Epic, huh?”

He sniffs haughtily. “Of freaking course. How could our children not be the most amazing ever? As if you even had to ask.”

“Naturally. How foolish of me to question that.”

“And triplets. Just think of all the name possibilities! If we have three girls, you may not have a choice. They’ll have to be Britney, Cher, and Madonna.”

I wince a little. “Let’s hold off on names for now.”

He snuggles in closer and sighs happily. “I can tell you’re worried. But I’m not. Sometimes the unexpected happens, and you roll with it. In my experience, that can lead you to some of the most wonderful surprises.”

Something unclenches and settles deep inside me. In my hearts of hearts, I think I knew all along what his answer would be, but I’m still overwhelmed by it. My mate is truly one of a kind—and I’m so damn lucky to call him mine.

River tilts his head back and puckers his lips.

I can’t fight back a grin as I give him what he wants. When I finally pull back, he smiles up to me.

“So we’re really going to do this?”

I take a steadying breath. “Yes.”

There’s no way I could ever not want the children River and I have made together. I knew it from the moment I saw the prenatal chambers on the screen. All that’s been holding me back is fear. But as he so often does, River has managed to wipe that away almost effortlessly.

“Can you call everyone back in?” I ask him.

He grins. “On it!”

He bounds out of the room and moments later, everyone crowds back in, eager looks on their faces.

I clear my throat. “Get ready to be grandparents.” I wink at Grandma Iris. “And great-grandparents.”

As expected, things get very loud for a few minutes. Fortunately, River sits in my lap, acting as my “emotional support teddy bear” as he likes to call it.