Lacey's Luhpynes(9)

"I've wanted you since we met, Lacey," he said, brushing his lips to her  cheek. "When we were first put together as partners all I wanted to do  was shred your clothing and take you. Had you even seemed the slightest  bit receptive, I might have. I wasn't particularly caring of where we  were."

She grinned and shook her head. "Oh I wanted you," she said simply. "I  have wanted you from the moment I met you. Both of you. I have wanted  and needed you both from the very first second I met you. Why do you  think that nearly every time that you saw me I had wet hair? It was all  of the cold showers I was taking."

"I didn't even notice," he chuckled, giving her a squeeze. "I was much  more concerned with not attacking you where all could see. I didn't  think it would bode well for relations between our people if we mated  you in the midst of the station. Especially without gaining your  permission before we did so."

"Yeah that might just give them something to be pissed off about," Lacey  said with a small laugh. "So what happens now? How does a Luhpyne claim  their mate? How does it work when there are more than two people in the  fated pair, trio as our case is?"

"If you accept our claim on you we begin the mating dance. As I  mentioned, it is the wooing and courting phase. Then, when the moon is  new, if you choose us, we mate with you. You will have a choice to make,  who will be the father of potential children. The decision needs to be  taken seriously because only one of us, me or Ansell can be the father.  We don't know why but it's how it is in such situations. Whoever claims  you from the front, in your pussy when we mark you as ours forevermore  will be the only Luhpyne that can father children with you. Unless he is  killed and then the magic would shift and allow the other to father  children."

"I, wow, that is something that I didn't know," she murmured softly.  "And if I chose you? Would you want that? Would you take me? I very,  very much want that. I adore Ansell, very much so, as I do you as well.  It's a choice that I honestly don't know how to make. How does a person  chose one man she loves over another?"

"I don't know," he told her honestly. "That's why we don't mate until  you've made the choice. If you chose me I'd be honored and pray each day  to the Gods that I could live up to your view of me. If you chose  Ansell I would be happy as well, I'm still getting a mate if you do  decide to be with us fully, Lacey. So either way it will be a win. I  would talk to Ansell though before you get too far into your thoughts.  Spend some time with him and get his feelings on all of this. You know  where I stand but I can only tell you what I think he is feeling about  it all. I can't swear to the validity of my words."                       
       
           



       

She nodded thoughtfully and bit her lower lip. "All right. I think that  talking to you both will be a very good thing, trying to figure out just  how we will all fit together would be best. Right?" she asked with a  smile. "For now." She laid her head on his shoulder. "For now I just  want to bask in this moment, enjoy the comfort of having the two of you  close and that will be good for now."

Wrapping her fully in his arms, he rested his cheek on her hair. For  long moments he said nothing, just held her and, occasionally, stroked a  finger over her arm. Pressing a kiss to her hair, he straightened.  "Let's finish breakfast and then we have work to do. As much as I'd  prefer staying locked in the house with you all day, the bad guys don't  take days off."

"Yeah, wish that they did because there are days I feel as if there  isn't enough coffee in the world for us," she admitted. "All right. That  means I need to move doesn't it?" she asked with a frown and gave him  one last squeeze. "You know this is the first time that I've ever sat in  your lap? First time that I've ever actually been really held by you,  period. I like it, a lot. I really think that this is something that I  could get used to."

"You don't need to move but you will need to drag your plate over," he  pointed out. "Or if you're more comfortable going back to your seat,  feel free. I do have a question though." He looked into her eyes. "Why  aren't you bombarding me with questions? The races aren't exactly open  about ourselves and I know you're fairly curious naturally. I suppose  I'm just a little surprised by how you're not pelting us with  questions."

"Honestly?" she asked and then chewed her lower lip. "The truth is that,  well, remember us busting the ring of Luyphines about a year back? They  couldn't wait to tell me everything and anything just to get me to back  the hell off of them."

"Really?" He frowned and shook his head. "Assholes," he muttered. "Well  that explains why you're not unloading on me." He shook his head.  Picking up his fork, he went to eat but offered her the bite instead.

"You seem to forget what a big bitch I can be, Zhu," she told him  honestly. "I mean don't get me wrong, I'm happy that you forgot it but,  yeah. They didn't give me a hell of a lot but enough to know that Fated  Mates are something to be revered instead of hunted. Pretty much told me  if there is a fated trio or quad they are summarily worth more than  single men and women are. It doesn't make sense to me because every  single life matters but the way that they made it sound it's not so. Why  is that?"

Giving her another bite to chew on, he seemed to be gathering his words,  thinking. "It's old myth. Our old myth I mean. In days of old,  centuries past, millennia ago really there were one male and one female  fated to be mates. But then there was a disease that ran rampant through  the realms, never touching Earth. We assume because the Veil protected  you from me but we can't say. Things began to change then. After the  disease ran its course the number of females born was lower than males,  nearly a three-to-one average."

He lifted a piece of bacon and offered it to her. "That's when the  matings began to become between threes or fours. I've only ever heard of  a handful of matings that were more than that as the norm is three, two  males and one female. There are still a few single male and single  female pairings, but it's very rare. Most are assumed to be a herald  that the disease is coming back, yet it never has. Some of our people  are very superstitious, others less so. I suppose we all have a level of  superstition to our beliefs, even I do on some things I guess."

"So that is why they try not to do anything to mated couples or fated  mates because they mean too much to your people." Interesting, she  didn't know that. "Is it the same with the other races from your realm?"  she asked as she took a bite of the bacon that he offered her. "I pray  that you are right, that the disease isn't coming back because sadly the  humans that are a part of this world are very, well, honestly." She  shrugged. "Horrible. Don't get me wrong, there are persons that are  truly amazing people, that would do anything for another soul no matter  the cost to them but sadly people as a group are very, well, weird. They  will do anything that it takes in order to get rid of what they feel is  a threat to their own personal well-being, you know?"

"Why do you think the Council and Regents so carefully keep an eye on  you little hotheads? Because honestly, pulling out the nuclear devices  is just beyond childish. Plus, as your people learned, the races don't  fight fair, we fight to win." Pressing a kiss to her cheek, he rubbed  his nose to her temple, "No offence meant to you in particular, Lacey.  But yes, among the Luhpynes the fated mates are to be protected,  especially if they haven't yet entered the mating dance. Though they  will also tease and tempt the female in the hope they can pull her from  her fated mates and into their beds knowing no Luhpyne would willingly  take the … " He paused and cleared his throat. "They wouldn't want to have  her after that even though their souls cry for her. We're complicated  beasts, Lacey, there are layers upon layers of small things that make up  who we are and our beliefs, if that makes any sense. It may not, I'm  likely babbling given I didn't sleep well last night."                       
       
           



       

"So, since I'm not a virgin you don't want me?" she asked with a frown.  "Because I'm not. Granted I've not had a lover since I met you and  Ansell but the truth is that I have had lovers before, just as I'm  positive that the two of you have as well so, yeah. What happens now?"  she asked with a frown.