Page 32 of The Monster's Mate

I bite back my laughter. Bronan scowls that she asked for others, and she looks relieved that she does not have to have another male in her bed. But the fool doesn’t see her relief.

I fling a vegetable at him, hitting him in the chest. When he turns his glowering brow on me, I motion with my eyes back to Bel, trying to get him to see that she doesn’t really want anyone but him.

Why is it not obvious to those two how much they want each other?

“Besides,” Bronan says, backing up Maman’s lie, “you are already glowing with my child.”

“Do you think so, Bronan?” She sounds hopeful, looking up at him with her cheeks pink.

“I do, sweet. You are beautiful.”

Idiots stare at each other like no one else is present. But then the awkwardness goes on too long; under the table, the Tiiblets start to giggle and I actually feel sorry for the cluelessbrinyiak.

I clear my throat loudly. It has the desired effect, tearing Bronan from staring obsessively at Isabel like a crazed stalker.

“Tell me about your trip,” he says. At last. We can have a discussion about something other than fake trials and candidates for breeding his mate’s fertile loins.

And said mate suddenly leans forward, as if appalled with herself that she hasn’t remembered to ask about her friend.

“Lucy seems well,” I nod at Isabel to ease her mind. Poor thing should not feel guilty that the thought of Lucy never crossed her mind while she is so enthralled with my brother. She’s too sweet. “Some might have suspected she had visitors, but no one suspects that she isn’t you, Bel. Her job at the church is still safe. Or at least, it was when I left.”

“Oh, good,” Isabel says. “I was worried about her. I wonder if Mikhail would check on her from time to time? It’s not like I can go sneaking back there. If someone notices me, there would be two of us and we were so careful to wear the same clothing and only go out separately…”

“I will follow up on it,” I say, laying out the groundwork for another trip there. Hopefully Mejak and Kalrian have smoothed things over between Lucy and me. No one knows they’re there.

Tiran and Bronan both turn their ugly heads to get a good look at me. I smirk and Maman knowingly winks.

“That would be wonderful. I worry about her, all alone there. Perhaps Isabel can give you her key so you can slip in while she’s at work? Maybe drop some gifts for Lucy around the place so she knows they’re from us? And check her food. Her cupboards were so bare. I hardly had time to make sure she went and purchased the jiggle-o I wanted.”

Isabel laughs. “I think that might be a dead giveaway. All the towns where the Earth mates come from are running low on that staple now.”

“With as many kish as my queen wants, I shall be very busy,” Wrombley says from under the table, where the Tiiblets hold their own conversation. “I cannot keep teaching you two the art of dating. I have to study human kish and how to raise them properly.”

“But wait! We want to know how to care for human kish too,” Morky argues.

“I think I have some time. The love of my life prefers to focus on herself and that is how I like it,” Villi says.

He pops his head up from underneath the table to kiss River and she drops one on his wrinkly forehead, then takes a napkin and tenderly wipes his lips. The rest of us grimace as he smacks his greasy lips.

The Tiiblets have also been convinced that Isabel may be with child. That makes Bronan and Isabel go right into their lovey-dovey act, clasping hands and winking at each other. Isabel leans in to whisper something into Bronan’s ear canal, something that makes her blush.

I ignore them, continuing to eat my meal, but eventually they catch my attention as Isabel grows excited and animated, touching Bronan unnecessarily.

And then I catch his words.

“Oh, sweet, just keep planning as if you are,” he rumbles, making her blush brighter. “Because if it didn’t take last night, it will take tonight. Or tomorrow. In the meantime, we must gather kish clothes and toys. A cradle. Decorate the nursery. I think that closet in the hallway can be easily converted to a nursery by adding a door on both ends. As that kish gets older, we can pop him into the bedroom right beyond it and there is room for the next.”

Great Goddess Metanya, the fool is promising her more of his cock, right here at the dinner table.

And Bronan manages to pull out another feat—

“I love planning this out with you,” Isabel confesses. “We’re always on the same page.”

I give a derisive snort. Same page? She’s planning out having a ton of kish while that fool still hasn’t told her they’re already mated. While he pretends that she is with child now because he knows that’s what she wants to hear.

“Our daughters will probably love to learn to dance,” he says, giving her more to ponder. “Perhaps their early lessons can be taught by the Tiiblets—”

“We are excellent dancers!” Villi pops up from under the table. “Villi more so than the others,” he whispers, and gestures with his eyeballs to Morky, who’s popped out from behind him.

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