Page 19 of Kailirex (Brides of the Mylos #6)
CHAPTER 19
KAILIREX
As I felt the siblings stiffen between me and took note of the stiff posture and fire in the woman’s eyes, I stepped forward, seeing my skills called for. I placed my fist over my heart, giving the traditional half bow as I then extended my arm back out, opening my hand.
“Greetings.” I straightened to my full height and the female’s eyes widened.
“Well, aren’t you a big fella? And green to boot!” she said. “You see this, hun?” she turned to her mate to ask.
He stared at the group of us. “I see it. Two of them big aliens, and damned if you aren’t right. He’s as green as all get out. And what is that on your necks?’ he demanded of his young.
I took a deep breath. “If I may?”
“Oh, this I got to hear. Go on, let him speak. Probably be more entertaining listening to it come from a green guy, anyway,” their father said, looking at their mother.
She gave a sniff and sat down. “Well, get the rest of the way in here and close that door. We don’t need anyone else hearing about our private business.”
I took a few more steps into the room in order to allow space for us to spread out and close the door.
“I’m sorry, Mom,” Stella began.
“Zip it!” her mother replied sharply, making a motion across the length of her lips as if pulling a zipper. “We said we’d listen to Greenie here speak, so let him.”
I winced. Greenie?
Stella bristled. “His names not-”
I placed my hand on her forearm to cut her off while also urging her to be calm. “My name is Kailirex,” I replied, “And I’m the Public Relations Officer for the Bride Fleet. My colleague here,” gestured to Piloris, “is in charge of Housing and Accommodations and his name is Piloris.”
“Well, that’s fine and dandy and all, but what’s that got to do with why both of our kids have those marks on their necks?” she narrowed her eyes menacingly. She was a tiny thing, even shorter than my bride, but I had no doubt she was formidable in her own right.
The man in the bed chuckled. “Looks like they go snacked on by vampires, if you ask me.”
Their mother looked at him sharply. “Good thing nobody asked you!”
“Where’s Pop? Did anyone tell him about Dad?”
“No, not yet. I didn’t see the sense in upsetting him before we knew what was going on.” She turned her full attention back to me. “Thank you for having the good manners to introduce yourself and your friend. I’m their mother, Dora leBon, and that silly fool in the bed is my husband and their father, Harvey. Though perhaps you two should just call us Mom and Dad since, unless I am not reading the situation right, you’ve alien married our children and are now our sons.” She held up a finger, waggling it between myself and Piloris as if chastising us, “and don’t you try to pull no ‘in-law’ crap with me! We don’t do in-laws. Family is family.”
”Aboard ship, we usually say ‘ohana’,” I informed them.
Her eyes widened. “Oh, that’s right. You all went all in on the Hawaiian stuff, after the deal you made with the native Hawaiians and the state.”
My smile grew wider. “I suppose you could say we have been working hard to truly embrace the spirit of aloha, yes. And you are correct. We have been blessed by the stars themselves with Stella as my mate and Eric as Piloris’s.”
Mom turned to glare at Stella. “So why did the two of you come up with that great big porky pie about moving in together and Door Dashing ?”
“We did move in together, Mom,” Eric replied placatingly. “And we actually did DoorDash to keep money coming in until our appointment.”
“But I don’t understand why you felt you couldn’t tell us you were applying, “ Mom said, wiping at the corner of her eyes. “It’s not been a secret that Stella’s always had a fascination for the Mylos.” She sniffed. “Was the bit about NYU even true?”
“That is very true,” Eric replied. “And as for why we didn’t, well, we wanted to see first if we simply got the scholarships or if we ended up matched. Then the kid’s TV show came up, and Stella applied to work on that instead.”
“You should have told us so we’d at last had a bit of warning,” Mom said.
“Sorry,” our mates said at the same time, looking forlorn.
“Well, did you get the job?” Dad asked.
“My team is still taking applications. There are several positions and I’m pretty certain Stella will be offered one of them after we review everything.”
“Really?” Stella squealed from beside me.
I smiled down at her. “Most likely. I can’t promise anything yet, as my team each gets to weigh in on the decision.”
“Understood, but, you’re like, how much of a percent sure?”
I bent down to kiss the top of her nose. “Nearly a hundred.”
“Yes!” She bounced up and down on her toes in her exuberance.
“We still expect to see a wedding, for both of you,” Mom said firmly.
“There’s time to make plans for that after we hear what the doctor says,” I pointed out.
“You’re right. Alright, why don’t you pull that chair over so you’re not looming over me like a buzzard and you can tell me how come you’re green. None of the Mylos on the posters or on TV are.”
I chuckled, and did as she asked, explaining about how the Mylos have had and currently do have, Bride contracts with other worlds. She and her husband listened raptly, drinking in every word.
“That’s got to be one of the most fascinating things I ever heard,” Mom said when I finished.
“Sure is. Kind of mind boggling, thinking about all those planets and other people out there. I bet not all of them are good, either.”
“No, they aren’t. It’s why we are a military fleet and not just a scientific and cultural one,” I admitted.
“Thought so,” he said, settling back deeper into his pillows. “Heard you were all warriors and looking at those muscles, I believe it.”
The door opening saved me from having to make any further comments.