Page 29 of Healing the Leonid Doctor's Heart
Four rounds of “practice” had exhausted her. She had no idea of the time and didn’t really care. I have no job to go to, no shuttle to rush for, no...
Guilt ate away at her happy mood.No way of contributing, especially now that Marcus and I want our attempt at building a family to be “off the record.” That’s probably wise. If we fail, it’ll look bad to the higher-ups at Bastet Mercy.
Her stomach let out a sudden growl of protest, one so loud that she had to laugh as she sat up and reached for her personal computer, sliding it onto her wrist as she did every morning.
“Almost lunch! I’m a lazy thing, aren’t I?” she exclaimed, throwing back the covers and discovering that her body disliked the whole idea of sudden movements.
Aside from the time, she noticed that she had a message—from Marcus.
Seeking Contract for Employment Offer.
“What?” Her heart sank in confusion. “Does that mean... What does that mean? Did he decide we need something in writing? Did he have some change of heart?” she whispered, dreading opening it.
She forced herself to sit up and open the message, telling herself that maybe it was just a layer of protection, maybe Marcus knew something she didn’t. “We can always discuss it before I accept. If I accept. Who am I kidding? I’m going to accept,” she mumbled and hobbled to her feet, thighs on fire from the equivalent of doing hundreds of squats the night before, pistoning herself like a slut on a stick, impaled on her lover’s tail while wishing it was his cock.
“Not slut. Queen. Do Queens get contracts for marriages? I doubt it.” Abigail sealed her lips. Years of living alone had made talking aloud a habit, but the tremor in her voice was worse than silence.
With a swipe, the official-looking document opened.
Employment Offer: Assistant Surrogate Search and Support Coordinator.
“What?” Abigail exclaimed, eyes narrowing. Her finger raced along the edge of the screen as she read the document and the job description, her heart lightening with each sentence and practically stopping in shock when she got to the compensation line.
If you accept this offer of 60,000 Leonid Credits per annum, including benefits, sick leave, family leave (if required), one cycle of paid leave per annum, and room and board on the current temporary clinic space, the Comet Stalker, you will assist the head doctor of the recently created trial department of Hybrid Reproductive and Chromosomal Medicine in searching for the first pool of one hundred surrogates from Sapien-Three.
This will include meticulous and detail-oriented note-taking pursuant to applicant health records, personality screenings, location, willingness to travel, and other relevant details. You will work with the head doctor and his team to create surrogate match profiles as well as weed out unsuitable candidates. Training will be provided through distance learning and on-site training by the doctor and his team.
“Abi?”
Abigail gasped and clutched her night gown where it was sagging off her shoulders. “Kay! Just a second!”
“I just wanted to make sure you were alive, Big Sis! Also... I got a weird offer on my contract this morning—and I didn’t evenhave it up for offers yet. It’s from Marcus, but it mentions your name!”
Abigail rushed toward the door, cursing softly as her bits complained.
“Hi, Kay. I got one, too! Assistant to the head of the—” Abigail opened the sliding door to her quarters, personal computer held out, and Kay rushed in, her own device outstretched.
“Research assistant to the Assistant Head of the Surrogate Search and Support Office, under the Department of Hybrid Reproductive Medicine, operating out of the temporary clinic based on theComet Stalker.”
The women stared at each other, Abi’s eyes wide, and Kay’s eyes narrowed. “We need to see Marcus,” they said as one.
MARCUS WAS BUSY ADMIRINGbaby Chandra, nuzzling her tiny paws and gasping in delight as her tail wrapped around his wrist. “My heavens. By Durga and Bastet, she’s perfect. How is she doing with nursing, Wendy?”
Wendy beamed and took the cub back. “She’s draining me dry six times a day. Is that normal?”
“Even more frequently is normal. Little ones usually eat every few hours, but if she’s sleeping well, eating well, and seems content, let’s not worry.”
“She sleeps three hours, then eats, three hours of sleep, then eats,” Talos reported with a proud smile. “My whole village is celebrating the birth of this little Queen. My mother likes Wendy better than me, now.”
“That’s not true. I’m just blessed with sweet in-laws,” Wendy said, patting her husband’s massive paw. “Besides, Chandra wouldn’t be here without the contributions of her handsome daddy,” Wendy crooned. “Or you, Marcus.”
Marcus smiled. “Let’s check your incision, and then you can head off to get some rest. I want you to try to sleep when Chandra sleeps, Wendy. Talos, I want you to stay out of your office for the rest of this cycle. Your priority needs to be Queen and cub. I know you need to work on Security measures,” he continued over the Tigerite’s anxious expression, “but you can work on that in your quarters. And you can always check in at the office during times when Wendy wants to hang out in the nursery with Layla and her little ones.” Marcus coughed and helped Wendy settle back, feeling a little guilty because he knew Talos soon would be inundated with additional work—checking out candidates from Sapien-Three and whatever Felid Knights or Kings that applied from across the Felix Orbus Galaxy.
But he wouldn’t tell him now. He wanted to let Talos and Wendy enjoy their brand new little one without worrying about what might happen next.
At that moment, Dax’s cheerful, puzzled voice came in through the intercom from the med bay’s waiting area. “Hey, Abigail and Kaylie are out here. They’re saying something about a temporary clinic being set up here, and they’re going to be on staff? Doc, amIon staff? Is this the surrogate fertility stuff that you were talking about last night? They want to meet with you, but I said you had Wendy in there right now. Should I tell them to come back?”
Marcus locked eyes with Talos, who was glaring.
