Page 49 of The Marriage Bargain

We are married, I comforted myself. We bear the marks. Clearly, she is my mate. There is nothing he can do about that.

* * *

The following morning, Delle awakened early, as did I. She sat up with almost a start, swiping hair out of her face, turning to me in surprise and perhaps embarrassment.

“Did I sleep all night on your lap?” she asked.

I rolled my neck to relieve any stiffness.

“You did.”

“Oh…oh, gosh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to trap you like that, sitting up all night.”

“Think nothing of it,” I assured her. “In fact, it was pleasant, having you close.”

She smiled almost shyly. “It was nice for me too. I’m not used to having someone near me when I sleep,” she admitted.

“I am not either, but I think I could happily become accustomed to it.”

The smile breaking across her mouth was such that I could not help leaning forward to press a gentle kiss against it.

“Good morning,” I smiled, drawing back.

I was surprised and pleased to see her blush a little. “Good morning,” she whispered. Then she ducked her head, backing away. “Sorry, I probably have terrible morning breath.”

I hadn’t noticed. “There is nothing about you that is off-putting to me,” I assured her.

She chuckled. “You’re brave. I’m going to start the coffee.”

She rose to walk into the kitchen, and my eyes flitted as they always did to that ass of hers and the way it shifted when she walked.

Damn it. I am all for being an uncle and helping my wife’s family, but…when can we be alone again?

As if Delle had heard my thoughts, I heard her say from the kitchen, “Have you heard from Zyn? Wondering if the baby came. I don’t want to wake up Tarra if she’s resting.”

The conversation was a springboard to re-direct my thoughts.

“I did,” I answered, rising to follow her into the adjoining room. “He phoned after you fell asleep last night. The baby is here safely. You sister came though it well. Both mother and daughter are fine.”

A large smile broke across her face. “Great! So happy to hear that. Man, another girl. Poor Zyn. He’s outnumbered now, for sure.”

Somehow, I didn’t think my foreman minded, although he probably would not have minded a son to help balance the numbers, either.

“Wow, four girls,” Delle mused aloud, now stirring cream into her coffee. “If Tarra wasn’t already married, she’d be on a breeder’s list somewhere.”

The words struck me like a blow with a notion I had never considered.

Four daughters. Our nieces. If this custom did not change in ten years, fifteen years, twenty years, what sort of future could Zyn and Tarra’s daughters have? Perhaps they would have the chance to grow up, fall in love, and marry whom they chose, but likely not. If these damned breeder’s lists still existed, would they be doomed? Their heritage would be considered: a mother who had birthed four daughters. If the world did not change by the time of their adulthood, potential mates would consider that a very high reason to select these young women. What might they have to do in order to escape such a future?

I studied Delle as she went about the business of starting breakfast. She wished to be an architect. Would her nieces one day have such opportunities or would they be like her, doomed to an unwanted marriage with an Asterion Overlord to circumvent a worse fate? No woman deserved that, I thought, feeling my blood heat. No female, human, Asterion, or otherwise, deserved to have her future chosen for her because of her ability to reproduce.

Silently, watching my human bride, I pledged to do what I could to prevent our nieces from such a fate. Both them and my wife, as well. Her dreams were valid. She deserved to obtain them. I did not know how I would help or what I could do, but I pledged within myself to do my utmost not only for her but future generations of human females here on the rebuilt Planet Earth.

CHAPTER 28

CAIDE

The following two days passed in a blur of activity. I was not used to children, and was ignorant of how much work they required. I quickly discovered being able to leave Zyn and Tarra’s house and labor at the Citadel was a welcome respite compared to the hive of activity that surrounded the little house when all three girls were awake. I did not know how Delle bore it. Her job at the eatery on the outskirts of town had allowed her a few days off to care for the girls while her sister recuperated in the hospital, so that was not an issue. However, I felt almost guilty leaving her there, wondering if she, too might like to come to work and have a respite from the commotion that were her nieces.

---