Page 94 of Stolen Slave

“Bruised it the first time you forced it down, didn’t you?”

I grinned. “She wouldn’t have liked it if I hadn’t. A little pain for her pleasure is worth it.”

My founder nodded and stood.

“I never thought I’d live to see one of my clones bonded with a female.”

The ache in my chest returned. “By the Oebri’s own words, the bond isn’t complete.”

“She returned with you to the ship despite meeting with an Oebri in person, did she not?”

“She did,” I said.

“Then there’s a chance. I saw the terra you have in the grow bay and checked with some contacts about obtaining clean veg. There’s a void station a few jumps from here that you should consider.”

“She was forcibly removed from her planet and still wishes to return.”

“Of course she does. But I believe she will find it difficult to leave you. Making the ship more habitable will encourage her to stay.”

“Perhaps,” I said, his words giving me hope. “But not with plants she’s unfamiliar with. Those from her planet would be better.”

My founder nodded and moved to leave the nav center. “I’ll leave it to you. Do you mind if I claim a sleep bay near yours?”

“Take whichever one you wish.”

I watched him leave and thought of how he and the clones before me had worked to acquire a ship of this size, large enough to support a female and several younglings. My founder had dreamed of his line continuing, and now he hoped to see it happen through me with Vya. Would she agree, though?

After checking the comm logs and the plants he recommended, I went to the grow bay and looked at the beds and the veg I’d acquired. I’d read that Vya’s planet was rich with clean terra and veg. If I’d been born in such a place, I would yearn to return too.

Perhaps my founder was right. Vya had spent arcs lying under the warming lights but hadn’t paid much attention to the plants after my initial explanation. So if I wanted her to stay, I needed the grow bay to seem more Earth-like.

“Command Khorahn. What veg is available on the Senwar trade station?”

“No data found. Sending a comm to inquire.”

I left the grow bay and went to check on Vya. She woke at the sound of the door opening and smiled sleepily at me.

“Any chance you want to carry me to the shower? I know what will happen when I stand.”

I picked her up and held her close, nuzzling the top of her head and breathing in the scent of her contentment.

“How many days will it take to reach Earth?” she asked as we entered the cleansing bay.

“Seven flares. We could reduce the length of time, but it would require another stop at a void station.”

“And you don’t want to stop at a void station?” she asked.

The void station didn’t worry me. Going there to speed up our journey did.

“If you’re hesitating, then we shouldn’t stop.” She stretched up to press her lips to mine and grinned when I set her down. The feel of her fingers wrapping around my breeding shaft almost brought me to my knees.

“Give me a minute, and we’ll see if we can do something about this.”

She backed up to the extraction unit but held onto me as it suctioned to her. The way her lips parted and her breath quickened told me we would not be leaving the cleansing bay for a while.

We washed, and we mated, and we washed again once my knot eased and she roused.

“I keep leaking,” she said when she stood from my lap. “Considering how many times you come, I’m not surprised. I really miss underwear though. Anything to catch this so I’m not leaving a trail would be good.”

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