Page 22

S arel took Leska s hand and showed her where the bathing room was, where the lavatory was, and where the enormous slab that passed for his bed was.

After she had washed her hands, she walked with Sarel out to the deck, where Vinul scrambled to his feet.

Wow, Leska, you look lovely. He looked at her with wonder in his feline expression.

Thank you, Vinul. I have something to discuss, and I am going to need to eat while doing it. She sat carefully with the chains on her back slithering over her skin.

Sarel lifted his hand, and the cushions were tossed to him so she would be surrounded on both sides. Leska used small tongs and put a series of small bites on her plate. Once that was done, she nibbled on an olive.

Sarel said, I am supposed to eat first.

You were taking too long, and I am hungry now. She closed her eyes as she realized how true that was about to be.

What is your concern? Sarel just ate from the platters. Vinul did the same.

She got a piece of meat and ate it. Um, you know how my heat is due in three weeks?

Sarel nodded. Yes, I am looking forward to it.

Vinul nodded.

Yes, well, it s going to be a little sooner. She rushed. Khytten helped me heal scars, and I didn t think about it, but there was some acceleration of my body, and now I have about six hours before I am sobbing and writhing. I am so sorry.

Sarel rubbed her back. It s fine. We will get your measurements for some clothing, and the seamstress will get on that while we are soothing you. Food will be brought, and we will keep you fed and hydrated as best we can. I know it can be difficult.

She looked at him and kept eating.

I have never had a proper heat. Mine are always slow and mild.

She snorted and said, This isn t that. I can feel things starting.

Vinul stared at her. You are starting tonight?

Yeah.

Shit. He bolted and walked off with long strides.

Leska looked to Sarel in confusion. What? I thought he would be keen.

Sarel chuckled. He went off to trim his claws. He doesn t want to hurt you.

Leska kept eating. The blush that crept up her cheeks was intense.

Sarel kept rubbing her back with light fingers. We honestly want to make sure you don t come to harm. He would be delighted if you got pregnant.

You wouldn t?

It won t be mine.

Why not?

I am sterile.

Well, I know you can t get pregnant yourself, but what are your sperm doing?

He opened and closed his mouth with a snap. I have never had it tested.

Well, we will figure this out. Consider me a test subject.

I will consider you my omega. My precious and beloved omega. He rubbed her cheek with his knuckles.

Hardly beloved. I have known you for six hours.

As your friend Cadence has said, we resonate. It feels natural to be with you.

She actually said we were in harmony. She ate a slice of fruit.

She did. Poor Vinul thinks he has to trim all of his claws.

I didn t notice claws. His hands looked very humanish if a little furry.

He smiled, lifted her hand, and demonstrated. Vinul has nails and under his nails; he has a muscular system that lets him use claws. He will be trimming both sets so he doesn t scratch you.

Your fingers are fine?

I am an unageing omega. My fingers are pristine. He grinned and kissed the back of her knuckles.

How do you deal with that?

I imagine as I get into my later years, two or three hundred of them, I will begin to consider ending my life. I can die; I just don t age.

She nodded. So, if you have kids, do you hope they inherit the trait?

He pressed his head to hers. It won t happen, so it isn t an issue.

If you say so. She kissed him quickly. But we wouldn t be in harmonic alignment if you were shooting blanks.

He looked stunned as Vinul returned with a manicure kit and a concerned expression.

Leska reached for the kit and his hands, working on his nails and then the claws until she could press her skin against either without fear of being punctured.

Vinul smiled and said, You are really good at that.

I helped an active in the group home. He had fast-growing claws and always needed maintenance.

How old was he? Vinul smiled.

He was fourteen when I was seventeen.

He was flirting with you.

I know. The sweating and erection gave it away, but he was a teen, and I had a plan that didn t involve a felony. She smiled.

What kind of active was he?

She paused. He also had feline characteristics. Spots. A leopard mark, I think?

Vinul smiled. I could take him.

She chuckled. You could.

Leska asked, Are you right- or left-handed?

Ambidextrous.

Which index and middle finger are getting filed back?

He looked at his hands and smiled. Both?

Fine, but do you know how to sharpen your claws quickly?

He nodded. I do.

Sarel nodded. He does. We have a rock in the corner for any clawed visitors.

Okay. Just making sure. She shrugged.

Sarel asked, Why were you registered with the Blind Date Corporation?

So that Zera would have the legal right to recall me. While active-on-active relationships might not be accepted worldwide, Zera and her legal team have fought to get her escorts acknowledged as independent contractors.

So, she is allowed to bring all of the BDC in to assist if one of you gets lost.

Yes, and on any give day, that is a lot of angry, horny actives if their favourite gets pinched.

Sarel chuckled. That is pretty smart.

She knows how to work the system. I think there are a few patrons who are judges and politicians. She put the nail files back into their case and handed it to him.

Sarel was examining his hands. Toss that here. I think I missed a spot.

Vinul grinned and flipped the pack over to him.

Leska washed her fingers in the bowl and continued snacking.

She wasn t going to get much food during her heat, so she needed to make sure that she had something in her system.

She wouldn t need a restroom during the event until well after things were over.

It was one of the more unappealing side effects of the heat.

Her body wanted cum, and it wasn t fussy about where it came from or ended up.

She couldn t get pregnant the way a male omega did, but with her more traditional configuration, it could be confused for any standard pregnancy.

There would normally be a ten percent chance for an alpha to get her pregnant, but if Cadence were accurate, it was more likely than not. She had no idea what the omega s percentages would be.

Leska. Sarel touched her hand. She looked down and was gnawing on her nail, but it was her dragon claw.

Oh. Sorry. I was just doing math.

Math?

Odds. She flicked her fingers between them.

He smiled. Don t worry about that. We will deal with it later, if at all.

She exhaled slowly. Deal with. Not a great phrasing.

Sarel sat next to her and stroked her hair. One worry at a time. First, we have dinner, then we sleep, and when you wake us, we will be there.

Vinul smiled. We will be there.

She snorted. Just don t invite friends.

Sarel pulled her against him. Never. While Vinul is my only household guard, he is pretty good at splitting focus if needed.

Leska sighed and wrinkled her nose. And if he is balls-deep in me at the time?

Vinul tensed. You hold on, and I will still be able to defend.

Leska blinked. That is a mental image I don t even want to entertain.

Sarel laughed. I think Salat would find it very entertaining.

She winced. I don t want to be on a shirt or in a comic.

It is probably too late for that. Salat was taking notes while you were on the pole.

She groaned. Of course he was, mind you, he does have the right athleticism for the aerial pole or the silks. She chuckled. And they did put the rig on his property.

And we have to deliver you there at least once a week. Probably to teach Salat.

Not really. I am pretty sure Esme can manage it. She taught me, after all.

He chuckled and looked at Vinul. Did you want to learn?

Vinul smiled. I am not very good at things resembling dance. Sarel, you would be better at it.

Sarel grinned. Yes, I would.

They talked about the acrobatics and physics involved in the dance until the chef announced that dinner was ready.

Leska looked at the destroyed snacks and was going to get up when a bunch of servants arrived and cleaned up the first table, added a second table, and covered them with dishes.

Her stomach growled, and she went up on her knees as she looked over the selection.

She made fists on her thighs and looked to Sarel, who was perusing the last of the items.

She waited, and Sarel idly selected some kind of fruit cooked in honey. He turned and fed it to Leska. She took it from him and caught his fingertips with her lips. She licked off the syrup, and Sarel s eyes grew intent.

She mumbled, That was lovely. What was it?

Roasted fig in honey.

That was nice. She smiled and then realized that all of the staff were staring. Did I goof?

No. I just normally don t act as the king in these situations.

Oh, is that what you are doing right now?

He picked something else and presented it to her. I am.

Vinul sat back and waited with a smile on his face.

The slow feeding continued for half an hour until every dish had been offered to her, and she had licked his hand slowly each time.

He smiled. Well done, Leska.

The household witnesses bowed and backed away.

What was that?

Sarel raised his eyebrows. What?

Why did they stay to watch and look stunned when we went through them all?

He kissed her forehead. Never mind. Eat your fill, and we will go to bed and cuddle so that you are more accepting of us when your heat fires up. There are traces of it in the air already.

Ah. I did wonder why Vinul suddenly went non-verbal. She leaned up and started to take some of her favourites from the sampling.

The tiger in question was eating slowly from the dishes and paused to grin at her. His teeth were shining. The canines were gleaming.

Oh, right. I forgot about that.

He reached over and stroked her cheek.