Page 3 of Interstellar Love Song (Villains in Space #3)

MICAH

Tomorrow came, and brought with it a hangover that made me wish for death.

Note to self: Bad bishes need to drink more water in between space shots.

Blessedly, the twins hadn’t convinced me to wear heels with my skimpy minidress. Gabe’s femme vibes only went so far, so shit-kicker black boots had blessedly carried all of us through the night.

Small mercies.

Now we were all seated around the condo’s normally-too-big kitchen table, so the Earthlings could refuel after the fuzzy events of last night.

We’ll leave that debauchery for the deleted scene.

I seemed to be the only one visibly struggling—probably because of my human limitations with metabolizing alcohol—but I still managed to crack a smile while watching what seemed to be a daily breakfast ritual .

Gabe was wearing a satin sleep bonnet and one of Theo’s tropical print kimonos while perched on his stellar collision’s lap.

Dre was seated nearby, shirtless in terry cloth shorts and his ever-present boots, sipping his coffee—black, of course.

Both twins were dutifully listening to art world gossip reported directly from the drama himself.

“This is utterly disgraceful!” Theo exclaimed, scrolling angrily on his phone while Gabe munched on Stellaria’s version of a churro. “Harrington received an entire feature in Avant-Garde in the Bay for his bullshit footage of Maude’s Flying Coitus.”

I’m already lost.

Luckily—or, unluckily, if you asked Zig—it was apparently Dre’s job to egg Theo on.

“Why is it bullshit, brat?” He calmly asked, as flawlessly fresh as a daisy while I no doubt looked like I’d crawled out of a grave.

“He’s a video artist, first of all,” Theo sputtered, as if that alone explained the offense. “But to be lauded for simply recording someone else’s art? If you call flinging paint while flying through the air wearing nothing but a harness art…”

Okay, but why does that sound like something Theo would do?

Gabe ran his fingers through his stellar collision’s hair, as if he were petting a space cat. “I know you’ll think of something even more provocative, old man… No cap.”

Theo made a disgruntled sound before pulling a small sketchbook out of lord knew where and furiously scribbling away,

Plotting the demise of Flying Coitus .

Dre took another sip of his coffee, probably so he could hide his secretly adoring smile behind the rim. Meanwhile, Gabe quietly watched the older man work, providing encouragement whenever Theo paused to show him progress but otherwise, sitting still and looking pretty.

Like the perfect muse.

The thing was, the twins were artists themselves.

Most supes had at-home tutors before attending supe universities, but these two had gone to art school— with real-life normies— for industrial design.

I wasn’t sure why they picked that major in particular, but I knew Gabe also enjoyed drawing and painting while Dre hammered random pieces of trash together into what he called “assemblage.”

It’s probably more stress relief than anything.

Or kink-related.

Knowing that Stellarians existed to inspire, I couldn’t help wondering…

“Have you ever combined your essence with Gabe and Dre’s to make art together?” I blurted out—for science.

And nosiness.

Ziggy froze. The twins froze. I didn’t so much freeze as resign myself to whatever thinly veiled innuendo Theo was about to word vomit.

He can match my word vomit.

To my surprise, Theo set aside his notebook and pen, looking oddly uncomfortable.

“Every vessel I’ve inhabited on Earth originally belonged to someone in a creative field.

This skinsuit was an unknown Chilean artist—a painter— and one of the most talented creatures I’ve ever had the pleasure of stalking and killing.

If I’d known then what you discovered about stellar collisions, perhaps I would have attempted to inspire them instead—to coexist together as one. ”

I was captivated by this thoughtful display from someone who notoriously barrelled through life with no regrets, but Gabe’s growl snapped me out of it. “No,” he snarled, making Dre’s smile turn into a villainous smirk. “We are the only ones for you.”

Jesus, possessive Gabe is hot.

Theo grinned smugly and pulled his angry angel down for a surprisingly chaste kiss before licking the churro sugar off his lips.

“It’s true, unfortunately,” he sighed dramatically.

“You and that twin of yours are the two best- worst things to ever happen to me. I had originally thought I’d found my next victims the day you showed up for your so-called internship, but then you had to go and…

resonate.” He spoke the word with disdain.

“Now look at me! Essentially entrapped in the closest thing to a stellar collision bond as we can have.”

There was a lot to unpack in that villain monologue, but one thing caught my attention above all else.

“You don’t think what you have is a stellar collision bond?” I asked, noticing Ziggy cock his head, as if equally curious.

Theo chuckled. “Not in the true sense of the word, no—because I don’t exist inside them. Well…” he leaned forward to leer at Dre, “not outside of the bedroom, that is.”

“You wish, brat,” the true top in the throuple huffed, although I noticed his gaze briefly flickered to Ziggy.

You mean you wish, Dre.

We all do…

It took all my self-control, but I refocused on our separate relationships. “So you wouldn’t consider embedding a permanent piece of yourself inside the twins?”

Now the twins were laser-focused on their man, but their expressions gave nothing away.

Theo glanced at my chest before clearing his throat. “It’s actually considered… impolite to infiltrate a skinsuit with a Stellarian already inside.”

My mind was blown, not just because the idea of Theo caring about what was “polite” sounded like fake news, but now I was envisioning Stellarians awkwardly apologizing to each other for accidentally trespassing on claimed turf.

Never mind the time Ziggy violently fought and removed a fellow Stellarian from inside a pair of unsuspecting Kaalas…

“I’ve not only embedded a piece of my core within Micah,” Ziggy smugly piped in. “We’ve connected our consciousness as well.”

Now everyone’s attention was on us, and it was my turn to squirm.

“No shit?” Gabe murmured appreciatively before turning to his twin. “Do you think that’s why we’re connected, dude?”

“What about me?!” Theo exclaimed grumpily when Dre shrugged. “Why did I not know this was something Stellarians could do?”

Someone’s feeling left out .

“Perhaps because you didn’t have an older Stellarian around to guide you?” Ziggy coolly replied and we all sharply inhaled.

Dang.

Going right for the jugular.

Theo was uncharacteristically lost for words, and I felt myself getting protective on his behalf.

What in the multiverse?

“I’m sorry,” Ziggy bowed his head to his maker. “That was unnecessary.”

WHAT IN THE MULTIVERSE?!

I blasted my Stellarian with pure, unadulterated pride, and was rewarded with a blush beneath his murder freckles and the hint of a smile.

This then set off everyone’s resonance—and I busted out my Trumpet of the Swan harp for the occasion—until we were all glowing like the happy little glo worms we were.

“Disgraceful,” Theo muttered as he slid Gabe off his lap and stood, rubbing his chest as if that could stop this love train from rolling. “All these emotions are… Ugh. I need some air.”

Dr. Micah should offer family sessions.

Theo headed for the balcony, but paused beside my man and hesitantly placed a hand on his shoulder. “It’s all right, Ziggy. I deserve far worse for what I did.”

“No you don’t,” my stellar collision softly replied. “You were simply following your true nature. Our true nature.” He frowned. “Although, unlike you, I’m not particularly creative.”

Theo chuckled. “Creativity comes in many forms. I would bet your little inventor here believes what he does is utilitarian, not creative. Meanwhile, he’s not only constantly inspired by you—by all this,” he gestured toward Stellaria’s yassified skyline and peachy pink sky, “but he inspires you in return. And you’re not the only one.

Apparently, Micah is the entire reason my twins pursued a degree in industrial design… ”

Excuse me?

Gabe dropped his head back with a groan as Theo sashayed away. “Why, old man… Why do us dirty like that?”

Dre rolled his eyes. “Speak for yourself, loverboy. You went into industrial design because of the amazing Exo-Tech. I followed to keep you out of trouble.”

My Spidey-Sense says nope.

“What’s wrong with admitting how cool I am, Shock?” I teased, using Dre’s supe name for emphasis. “It’s okay to wish you had these magic hands…”

I knew I was playing with fire, riling up a villain who could literally melt my brain, but if anyone needed to open himself up to this family bond—besides Zig—it was Andre Suarez.

Because we’re stuck together now.

Before my opponent could hit me with more shade, I conjured up a sleek leather paddle—in black, of course—decorated in sharp gold studs that spelled out the word “brat” in reverse and held it out to him .

Dre’s blue eyes lit up like a kid at Christmas, but when he reached for his prize, I magicked it away.

“Uh-uhhhh,” I sang, making Ziggy snort. “Not until you admit I’m cool.”

Gabe grinned at his twin. “C’mon, demon. It’s not that big of a deal to fess up to our mutual admiration.”

Now who’s blowing up whose spot?

“Brats, all of you,” Dre grumbled, as if it wasn’t his most favorite thing on Earth and all the galaxies. “Fine. Both Gabe and I have always been impressed with your powers, Micah.” When I continued to stare at him expectantly, he sighed. “Because you are super cool.”

He just wants his treat.

“Thanks, Dre!” I produced the paddle again and handed it to him. “You’re cute when you’re sweet.”

“Careful, Exo-Tech,” he replied as he gracefully uncoiled himself from the chair and tapped the paddle on the table’s stone surface. “You may have magic hands, but I know how to leave a mark that even supe healing can’t fix.”

I tensed, but then he was gone, and the next thing I heard was a resounding thwack on the balcony, followed by Theo’s howl of pain.

And now everybody’s happy.

“He actually does think you’re cool,” Gabe whispered across the table with a grin. “We used to spend hours trying to figure out how your powers even worked. ”

I huffed and rubbed the back of my neck until Ziggy batted my hand away and replaced it with his own—grounding me.

“To be honest, I’m still mastering my powers myself…” I glanced at my stellar collision. “We’re going to try and stop on Ekistron for more space wizard training with Leeloo during our next mission.”

As if on cue, Ziggy’s Celestial Cube lit up with incoming directives from Astrum Force HQ.

Duty calls!

Gabe nibbled on his bottom lip as he watched Ziggy read the message. “I guess we should probably head back to Earth… Are you sure you’re gonna be safe out there? Didn’t you say something is making planets disappear ? —”

Ziggy sharply inhaled but then tried to bury it beneath a cough, and I didn’t need psychic powers to realize something had set him off.

“You good, Zig?” I carefully asked.

Because, feelings.

In the past, my squirrely alien might have gotten salty or shut down completely, but he took a deep breath and met my gaze.

“I’m fine.” He smiled tightly. “That disturbing dream I had the other night is simply lingering.”

“Dream?” Gabe’s brow furrowed. “Theo says he never dreams. His exact words were, ‘Stellarians don’t dream.’”

Theo reappeared, eager for more gossip. “I did say that.”

The plot thickens .

“Huh…” I murmured as Ziggy focused all his attention on his cube. “I wonder if it’s just a remnant you picked up, Zig… like a leftover memory from your Earthling skinsuit?—”

“No,” Ziggy snapped before softening his tone. “What I saw wasn’t happening on Earth.”

What does he mean, “what he saw?”

Gabe gestured at my man’s head. “I could try poking around in there if that would?—”

“NO!” Ziggy barked, but when I turned to scold him, it wasn’t anger on his handsome face.

It was fear.

What did he see?!

Unfortunately, before I could convince Zig to let Gabe in and drag his dream to the surface, Theo redirected. “Ready to go, angel? That demon twin of yours wants to hurry home and see if he can make me bleed and keep me bleeding.”

Fun.

Said no one.

Gabe stood and smiled warmly at us. “Thanks for including us in your surprise, Ziggy. It was a very creative proposal.”

“Creative…?” my stellar collision mused, adorably confused by the concept.

“Indeed.” Theo nodded as Dre sauntered into the room with their overnight bags, before leaning down to speak directly into his offspring's ear. “Except I don’t believe you actually proposed to your mate. ”

Oh, shit.

“What do you—” Ziggy began, but our Earth-based family had already followed up that chaos grenade by star hopping away.

“It was the perfect proposal, Zig.” I leaned over and delivered a kiss, knowing he would spiral otherwise. “Now give me all the intel for our next great mission.”

Because ya boy is ready to get back in the saddle—aboard the Lodger 79!