Page 64 of The Monster's Mate

Stratek leans down and pokes his belly. “Then why are you scowling, little mama?”

His lip trembles. “Because surely we’ll lose two of our Tiiblets this day. Our peoples will be so enamored with these beautiful princesses that they’ll attach themselves for the trip to become… Bronian.” Sadly, he holds out his hands for Stratek’s son, who goes with him. Hand in hand, they head toward the castle.

Skiden shrugs and says, “I never know what they mean.”

Stratek gets a huge grin. “I guess we’re about to find out.”

By the time we get inside, formal introductions are made all the way around. Stratek’s twin sister, Shana, holds twin girls that Skiden mentions belong to Lilaina and Juris. The toddlers’ tentacles are wrapped around her waist. Stratek’s son is playing with another older little boy that is Lilaina and Juris’s first son. Turns out, the huge Adroki that was next to Stratek is her mate, Maleek.

Next to the scowling Driki is another little Tiiblet with two little ones straddling his tail, which he sweeps back and forth.

Driki wriggles his butt, sidling his own tail next to the other’s, and one of the children—bablets—bounces onto his tail from the other to ride.

“Mikhail temporarily set up the new shuttle system for us to try. Instead of stopping at the tunnels, it’s a smaller version for the humans to try. You see, with less weight inside, the shuttle should be able to drive through the water tunnels.”

“We’re excited to try it,” Tiran rumbles.

When we get into the castle, there are more Tiiblets lurking behind furniture, trying to sneak a peek at the new humans, I guess. One gets brave and scuttles out, darts between Tiran’s tentacles, and races out of the room screeching.

“We have no idea what’s going on,” Stratek says.

He’s dropped off the bag of gold and the high heeled shoes somewhere, probably so his mate won’t notice them.

“We’re going to take you home,” Tessa says. “Since Brashear showed us how to operate the shuttle. We’ll take it to where the water tunnels start and all the swimmers will get out and make their way through first, then with the lighter shuttle, we’ll be able to drive it through to the other side.”

One little Tiiblet comes by dragging a giant suitcase across Mejak’s path.

“Here, would you like me to get that for you?” he asks.

“Yes, please. How thoughtful. I choose you.”

Mejak tilts his head to the side. “For what?”

“To live with, I think. Your human is quite pretty.”

“Thank you?” Samantha says. “What’s your name, cutie? I like your leather skirt.”

The creature, who’s wearing lipstick, scowls. “Roxian. And it’s a great skirt until I turn around. And then, see?” the Tiiblet turns, waggles its butt and tail and the entire skirts lifts in the back. “I guess I could tuck my tail between my legs, but then it just looks like I have an extremely large dick lifting the front.”

Samantha’s jaw drops and Skiden snickers until I elbow him. But Sam recovers nicely. “We can fix that. Make a slit where your tail can come out of the skirt in back.”

The Tiiblet brightens. “Let’s try that when we get home.” Then tail-thumps Mejak. “Don’t drag my suitcase. It’s new.”

It’s rather beat-up.

Sam mouths to me, “Home?”

Oh. I guess the little person is coming with us.

Tessa smiles. “Um, Roxian here is friends with Bronan’s Tiiblet. Wrombley.”

“We fuck,” Roxian says. “For being all proper, Wrombley’s a beast in bed.”

“Much like Bronan,” Skiden says proudly.

“How do you know?” Tiran snickers.

“Bel’s mentioned it a few times.”

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