Page 48 of All You Need is Alien Love (Tentacular Tales #4)

He smirks at me. “Heh. We totally had a shotgun wedding and didn’t even know it.”

I laugh. “You’re incorrigible.”

“You know it, babycakes.”

Once everyone calms down somewhat, I can finally start asking more specific questions that have been growing in my mind. “Mom, three embryos is unusual, right? Has that ever happened before?”

She shakes her head slowly. “Not that I know of. Even twins are incredibly rare among our kind.”

Grandma moves closer, her eyes sparkling. “The number of documented cases in our species’ history are few and far between. You’re a medical marvel, my grandson.”

River squeezes my hand tightly. “Is it physically safe for Kai to gestate three embryos?” He gulps, a new hint of worry in his eyes.

“The Alliance will provide top-tier medical care for Kai throughout the gestation period,” Mom assures him.

“Just by virtue of being the first Iyaran male to experience Tentaculum Gestarium in centuries, Kai’s going to be treated as a high-risk case and will be closely monitored to be extra cautious. ”

Driego, who has also rejoined us, points to the bio scanner.

“All of the readings I’m getting so far suggest that the embryos appear to be in excellent shape and, based on what I looked up while you both were talking, are aligned with the very early stages of Tentaculum Gestarium.

” He flushes a little. “I’m not an expert, but I’d say you’re only about a month along if we go by the scientific literature. ”

River’s mouth suddenly blooms into a bright grin. “Wow. I still can’t believe we made triplets. Does that mean I have superpowered sperm or what?”

I choke and can’t hold back a laugh.

Grandma rolls her eyes. “While that’s marginally possible, I think it’s far more likely that whatever experimentation Adeline was doing on Kai somehow increased his overall fertility.”

Dark matter and damn it, but I suspect she might be right.

River’s eyes widen. “OMG, kind of like how fertility treatments in humans can sometimes result in multiple-birth pregnancies.”

Grandma nods. “It’s merely a hypothesis of mine for the moment, but we’ll have to do some further testing to verify it.”

I just hope whatever Adeline was doing doesn’t put the embryos in danger.

Having children had been a long-term possibility in the back of my mind. Before I met River, I doubt I would have ever even entertained the thought of being a dad by myself or with anyone else. Work had always been more important to me than anything.

That is, until River Sullivan came into my life and turned my world upside down in ways I never knew I needed.

Together, we somehow defied the biological and scientific odds.

While the prospect of what lies ahead does scare me a little, more than anything, I find myself eager and excited to share this new journey with River.

I turn to my mom again. “If everything goes well with the gestational cycle, then our children will be born part Iyaran, part Quintharian, and part human—right?”

River gasps. “Oh my freaking gods, you’re right. I hadn’t really thought about what all that might mean. Are certain genetics likely to be more dominant?”

Melody, who’s been quiet so far, takes a hesitant step forward and raises her hand almost guiltily. “Um, maybe I could shed some light on that?”

River’s head whips toward his mother. “What?”

She gives a weak smile. “Well, you see, Quintharians are a rare species in that we’re highly fertile.

When it comes to cross-species procreation, there’s something in our genetic makeup that makes us able to reproduce with a wide range of species.

” She turns to my parents. “My guess is that any offspring River and Kai have will possess a stronger share of the Quintharian and Iyaran genetic data rather than the human.” She gives Chris an apologetic look. “Sorry, hon.”

He shrugs. “It’s all good. There are plenty of humans on this planet alone. The universe really doesn’t need a whole lot more of us.”

My mind starts to wander off into imaginary visions of what our children might look like.

“Galactic gods, I hope our kids have your gorgeous curly hair,” I tell River before I can stop myself.

He gapes at me. “Oh my freaking gods. Just when I think you can’t get more adorable and precious, you totally manage to!”

I pull him closer for a long, tender kiss. Right now, my hearts are full to bursting with love.

When we come up for air, I search his eyes and find nothing but unwavering affection and determination. My precious mate.

“I can’t wait for us to meet our children and create a safe, loving home for them.”

River’s eyes well with tears. “Right in the motherfucking feels, boo.” He starts to tremble. “Whoa, okay. It’s really hitting me now. Holy crap, we have so much to do. And I’m barely twenty-two. Fuck. I hope I have enough time to prepare.”

Chris steps forward and pats River’s back.

“I don’t know if anyone is ever fully ready to be a parent.

No matter how much you prepare, the reality is always more than you can ever anticipate.

But your mother and I have every confidence that you and Kai will be outstanding parents to any children you have. ”

Grandma throws her head back and laughs heartily. “Fear not, River. You won’t have to don your parenting hat all that soon.”

He squints at her in confusion and I groan. This is something I haven’t really taken the time to talk to River about just yet. Not that we’ve had an opportunity let alone a reason to until now.

I clutch his hand. “Remember how I told you that the Iyaran version of pregnancy tends to last a lot longer than the human kind?”

He cocks his head to the side. “Oh, yeah. I kind of remember that. So what are we talking about here? Twelve months?”

I try not to grimace. “Uh… not quite.”

Grandma puts her hands on her hips. “Just spit it out, Kai. River, hon, you’ve got about five years to get ready.”

I shake my head. Smooth, Grandma. Real smooth.

“ Five freaking years?” River whispers, looking like he might pass out again.

“Don’t worry, River,” my mom offers, trying to comfort him. “Like we’ve said, Iyaran reproduction is just… different. The gestational period takes a lot longer. Our DNA composition is complex, and the transition from embryo to fetus takes years.”

River is practically hyperventilating now.

“Don’t worry, babe,” I tell him, my tentacle petting him gently. “It won’t be like a human pregnancy, so there won’t be a lot of signs that I’m going through Tentaculum Gestarium until closer to the end.”

My mom hurries to explain further. “Kai’s right, we don’t have the same kinds of biological responses of humans.

There are no intense hormonal fluctuations while gestating.

That only happens during Tentaculum Calefaction, when implantation can occur.

” She shrugs. “After that, it’s pretty smooth sailing.

” She laughs. “Hell, when I was gestating Kai, I kind of forgot about it for a while because it takes so damn long! By the time things started to change demonstrably, well, the rest is history.”

River gapes at me, wide-eyed. “Oh, my god. You have to explain a lot more of this for me. Right freaking now!”

I recall one of our much earlier conversations, and I hasten to reassure him again. “I promise you, no ass babies. No ass babies at all.”

He slumps in his chair in relief. “Thank the galactic gods for that.” He stares at my lower abdomen. “So tell me how this is going to work.”

My grandma chimes in again. “Like we’ve said, we’re going to have to go back and consult some records about men who underwent Tentaculum Gestarium in the past, but my vague recollections of the history books are that it’s exactly the same as what happens with women of our species.

Female Iyarans do not have vaginal births like human women do.

Because we possess a pouch that contains our tentacles, not unlike a marsupial pouch among certain species on this Earth, the prenatal chambers gestate the embryos as they remain attached to the fifth tentacle, which is the one positioned furthest inside our bodies.

The other tentacles act as protective shields while the embryos are gestating.

This takes several years. Noticeable changes to the body only occur in the final year of gestation, the fifth one.

At that point, when the embryos transition from their embryonic state to a fetal one, the fifth tentacle eventually emerges from the body to ensure there is sufficient space for the prenatal chamber to expand.

It gradually evolves into a larger, fluid-filled natal sac to grow outside of the body.

This is the most vulnerable period in the gestation.

Eventually, when the gestation is fully complete, the natal sacs rupture and the baby emerges. ”

River stares at her, unblinking, through this whole explanation, and I feel my cheeks flush. I’m oddly embarrassed about all of this, and I don’t quite know why, but my mom grins at River.

“But you see, the thing is, Iyarans generally go back to the waters of our home world when it is time for the external period of gestation to end and the baby to be born. Iyaran children are born with tentacles, and it is most natural for them to first emerge from the sac into water.”

River’s eyes are as wide as the flying saucers he loves. “Holy space balls, Batman. We’re going to get to travel in outer space and go to your home planet?”

I nod. “As long as this gestation goes to term successfully.”

My father adds, “You’ll need to leave early in the final year when the fifth tentacle descends from the body. Kai will be vulnerable at that time and won’t be safe on Earth with that showing.”

River’s eyes sparkle and he is so excited that he looks like he might explode out of his seat any moment now. “This is so freaking amazing. We’re gonna get to go to outer space and travel to your home world, and we’re going to have cute little Iyaran babies with adorable little tentacles!”

He’s gushing now, and I feel an overwhelming sense of relief and gratitude.

I should have known River would be able to handle something like this. I know he’s young, but he is wise beyond his years, and so adept at adapting to whatever life throws at him. Also, his serious love for all things sci-fi is a daily blessing in our union.

He’s going to make an amazing father to our kids.

River beams at me. “Okay, boo. I’m feeling much more chill about all of this.

We have five years to prepare and read as many parenting books as we can get our hands—and tentacles—on.

I mean, I’m going to be so much more ready at twenty-seven than twenty-two.

” He winks at me. “We’ve totally got this, babe. ”

“And we’ll be here to help the whole way,” my mom says.

“Us too,” Melody and Chris add.

“And me!” Grandma Iris declares. “I’m not leaving Earth until it’s time for my great-grandchildren to be born. Your grandpa will just have to deal with it or come and join me here. Who cares about work when there are great-grandbabies on the way!”

Our families are clearly over the moon about all of this.

My mom’s always wanted grandchildren but thankfully never put any pressure on me or Mal. My grandmother, however, is rubbing her hands together with glee at the prospect of three great-grandchildren right out the gate.

From the ecstatic look on her face right now, I have a feeling I might, not so secretly, become her favorite grandchild for a while, just because I’m gestating her great-grandchildren.

But that’s fine with me. River and I are going to need every bit of help she and the rest of our family are prepared to offer.

Besides, my grandmother is nuts about kids and always has been.

She was only able to gestate my father, even though she’d wanted more children.

Unfortunately, there had been complications with her gestation, and she was never able to have any additional offspring afterward.

I’m pleased to know that she’ll be able to enjoy watching her great-grandchildren grow up, and I fully intend to make use of her services as a babysitter when River and I need a break—or just a nap.

Despite the challenges ahead, I’m relieved to know that I have so much of my family here to support me.

Melody and Chris also seem ready to step up to the plate, which is going to mean so much to River.

They couldn’t be there for him when he was growing up, but I think they can go a long way toward making that up to him with their grandkids.

With someone else, I would worry, but I know my sweet River won’t be jealous.

If anything, I think his parents being grandparents to his kids might be just the kind of healing experience he, and they, need.

Already, I can envision Family Bonding Nights in onesies with River, his parents, me, and our three little munchkins.

I’m a little surprised to find I can hardly wait.

Holding River close, I take it all in. So much has happened and so fast, but right now there’s a sense of optimism and hope in the air that’s energizing.

Our children will be the first of their kind in the universe—that we’re aware of, anyway.

We will have to take a lot of extra precautions to keep them safe.

It’s all incredibly overwhelming thinking about the future, but I find I’m calmer about it than I maybe ought to be.

Like with so many things, as long as River is by my side, I know we can do whatever needs to be done, and we’ll be just fine.

One of the tentacles still in my pouch wraps protectively around the prenatal chambers, and I smile. We’re going to be phenomenal parents. The universe better look out!