Page 54 of Mated By Twilight

The chirping ring ended as the combot projected a holographic screen into the air. On it were three people, looking out at them. Two males and a female.

The two males had bright, pale blue scales. Their white hair was long, one keeping it up on top of his head and the other loose and free. Their eyes were as white as their hair, blinking curiously as they cocked their heads in a way that was incredibly familiar.

The female who sat between them really identified who these people must be. She had the same lavender purple scales as Sollit and Tillos. Her hair, just as white as the others, was wavy and cut in a short bob just under her ears. Golden eyes gleamed in an elegant face.

But there was something… different about her.

Leah had seen a female avanava. She knew, generally, what they looked like thanks to that one fangirl – which was mostly just smaller than the males. And that was certainly true of this female, but there was something noticeably different about her. Her eyes were half closed like she was drunk. Her hair seemed more like liquid, flowing down so smooth and beautiful. Her scales shined in the light, like they’d been recently polished. She was wearing a loose, but beautifully patterned, orange and yellow dress. Her head was leaning against the male with the loose hair, while the male who had his hair up was gently massaging one of her hands with the casual ease of someone who didn’t realize he was doing it.

Was she high? Was she drugged? Did female avanava just look like that sometimes?

“Mother. Fathers,” Sollit and Tillos greeted together.

“My sons,” the loose-haired male started, though he was very clearly staring at Leah. “By the gods, you weren’t kidding. I thought it was a joke.”

“Why would we joke about our mate?” Sollit asked, putting an arm around her. “Leah, let us introduce you. These are our fathers and our mother. That’s Sorten, Ariell, and Netros.” He pointed to them, from left to right, starting with the loose haired male and ending with the one with his hair up. “And this lovely creature is our mate – Leah. Isn’t she beautiful?”

“She truly is,” Netros agreed easily. “It is lovely to meet you, Leah. And may we say, we’re quite pleased that you’ve accepted our sons’ courtship.”

Sorten was nodding along eagerly. Ariell, between them, didn’t even seem to realize what was happening. Was she alright?

“It’s nice to meet you both,” Leah said politely, old training kicking in. She didn’t dare be rude or question the parents of the males she was with. Even if she was only half with them.

“Have you two been courting her properly?” Sorten asked, looking between her males with a critical eye as if trying to catch them lying.

“Of course, we have, father,” Tillos responded evenly. “We’re not children.”

“We can handle this,” Sollit agreed. “She already responds to our purr and everything.”

“Really?” Netros looked surprised. “You’ve mated this soon? Are yousureyou’re courting her properly? Rushing into this will be bad for your mate, you know.”

“Father, please,” Tillos huffed.

“We’re not rushing into anything. We’ve only just begun the feeding process.”

What were they even talking about?

Leah didn’t dare to ask. This felt far too much like the men talking at church, and she was too well trained to break the habit of staying silent while that happened. Especially when most of her focus was on Ariell.

The female still hadn’t said a word. Though she looked content, she also looked slightly comatose – like she was barely awake, and a good dream was trying to draw her back into sleep. She didn’t even move when Netros finished massaging one hand and set it down to start on the other. She was a rag doll between them – a beautiful one, to be sure, but she seemed oblivious to everything around her. And neither male was even purring to explain it.

As Leah was staring, Ariell blinked and focused on her. It wasn’t really focused though, she just kind of looked at her face. She still seemed completely out of it, her eyes foggy and dreamy. She offered Leah a smile – but it was such a soft upturning of her lips, it was almost like it wasn’t even there.

Leah was trying to ask, with her eyes, if she was okay. But Ariell either couldn’t understand her, or she was too far gone to respond.

She was so focused on the other female, she didn’t hear the rest of the conversation going on. The males didn’t seem to need her input, however. They were perfectly happy to speak around her and Ariell both.

Was that… a bad thing? The ladies at the shelter had told her what it was like being in an abusive relationship. Being ignoredlike this, like she was secondary to the men, was one of the things they had warned her about. Should she be concerned? Why wasn’t she moving?

The comm ended, surprising her. She hadn’t realized they were saying goodbye. The blue males even said goodbye to her, clueing her back into the conversation just in time for the hologram to disappear. She still wasn’t convinced that their mother wasn’t drugged.

Tillos and Sollit turned back to her. Grinning. Expecting. Leah quickly fixed a smile in place.

“Your parents seem nice,” she said.

“They really liked you,” Sollit chuckled, pushing a bowl of some kind of custard ice cream towards her to enjoy.

“You think?” She picked up her long, big spoon and poked at the offering. “So, erm, your mother was pretty quiet…”

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