Star Side

Chapter 73

I was nursing the last baby, drowsy and thirsty because nursing makes you stupid drowsy and thirsty, when I heard the whoosh, pat, and click of Gilrack's arrival.

I readied a smile, ready to soften the quick warning to be quiet, as our daughters had already had their fill and were asleep, when it died on my tongue.

The one who pulled back the curtain had a bronze arm and chest connected to his purple hand. Curled ram's horns followed.

And he had wings. Great, purple wings that spread out the moment they were in the nest, as though to show off.

My mind waves must have spiked with alarm, for my little son popped off from his meal and started to cry. The girls scrunched up their little faces and begun to stir.

Green eyes snapped down to the noise. I rushed to cover my bare breast. I rushed to pull up my mind game to shut down my mind waves and bared my teeth.

"Get out," I hissed, with all the venom I could.

His tail curled, glittering with black spines through the purple tuff.

"I am of royal blood," he clicked, softly.

As he took a step forward, I put down my mewling son.

"Get out!" I snarled. A part of me more human the rest balked at my rudeness. He had done nothing yet other than visit and he was, technically, my brother-in-law. The more stronger part of me which had lived in this alien world for three months doing my best to learn everything I could screamed that he could be here for nothing good. I knew all of Gilrack's and his parent's fears concerning Rikek and his ambitions for the throne. An even more fearful, paranoid part of me remembered that instincts are so strong after babies are freshly hatched because rival males could come in and kill the young if they desired the female.

I didn't know if Rikek was that kind of male, but he very well could be.

He stopped, eyes darting all over me, then back down to the crying baby boy. The little girls were starting to cry in protest as well.

Rikek crooned, that low, musical sound Gilrack and his mother couldn't make. Something warm and soothing washed across me, throwing a blanket over my thoughts—which kicked and screamed at it.

"Waterfall breath," he murmured. "Breathed up the waterfall, breathe down. Blocking thoughts, but can still see through."

"That won't work on me," I growled.

"Waterfall breath," he just said again, his crooning wavering like the voice of a singer. "I won't hurt your young."

He lowered himself to the floor, his eyes never leaving mine, hourglass shaped pupils steady. Slowly, singing in that low hum all the time, he rolled on his back and bared his neck.

"I won't hurt young or you," he continued to croon. "Your mindwaves are frightening your young. Waterfall breath. Breathe up. Down. You are safe."

More warmth flowed over my mind. It was hypnotizing, in the way, in familiar. How many times had I felt Gilrack do the same? Though his were more like an ocean which smothered me in the endless depth and breadth of his affection. Rikek's came on me layer after layer, steadily growing the longer he lay and looked at me.

Despite myself, I felt my muscles, which were readying to launch myself into attacks I'd been practicing for weeks, relax. The hairs on the back of my neck still stood tall, though, and I'd begun to sweat.

At length, the babies began to quiet. The girls, after staring at me long and hard, as though making sure I was still there, let their eyes flutter close. My son took a bit longer and settled for snuffling against my chest for comfort, rooting for food. I didn't feel safe taking out my breast while Rikek was here, though.