Page 8 of K'Vella

I decide I don't mind that he's missing an eye and a whole pair of arms. He's a handsome male in his own way, and I think I could enjoy his physical companionship.

His throat works as he takes a deep gulp. He opens his fist, the silver pendant lying in the center. I've seen them before and know all the pleasure crew rules. I wanted to become one before I learned they had rules about birth control.

I hold my hand out and wait for Holoth to set the pendant in my hand. He's slow about it like he's unsure what to do with it or what I plan on doing with it.

"Have you ever had a pleasure crew?" I ask, looking up at him with all three of my eyes.

When his cheeks flush a soft pink color, I take that as his embarrassed flush. How unfortunate that it appears on his face instead of his chest, like mine. At least I can hide when I've flushed.

I guess it wouldn't help him since he isn't wearing a shirt right now. The reminder of that fact has my eyes lowering to take in more of his physique. He's a well-built male. I wouldn't be surprised if he's housed many females.

"No, no pleasure crew." He clears his throat, and it has me lifting my eyes back up to his face.

I should be a bit more embarrassed that I'm so blatantly lusting after his body, but it's one of the less embarrassing things I've done today. He already knows I'm here with the intent of having him impregnate me. It'd be unfortunate if I didn't find him attractive.

"None?" I ask, more surprised than I have a right to be.

He's a fine specimen by Varon standards. His muscles are well formed, he holds himself proudly, and he was eager to protect me when another male was near. I don't know about his species, but I can't see him being undesirable.

"Hard to find one compatible."

He clears his throat again, and it becomes clear he's uncomfortable with the conversation. Either because he's embarrassed or he doesn't enjoy discussing past relationships. I don't push for anymore, but he continues even though he seems as though he doesn't want to.

"There's a tradition amongst my kind. The first time we lay with a female, we're meant to be in our rut." He swallows hard, refusing to look directly at me. "It's hard to find someone willing to be with a male when he's like that. Especially someone not used to our customs or how our dynamics shift during heats and ruts."

I've researched enough about how Rytharians can act during ruts since it's the time I'm most likely to conceive. Nothing about it is off-putting to me.

I nod along to everything he's saying, knowing it must be important for him if he's forcing himself to tell me everything. It isn't until my third nod during his silence that realization finally hits me.

"Holoth, am I the first female you'll be with?" I ask in my softest voice, not trying to scare the male, who now looks less intimidating.

Not that I was very intimidated. He's around my height, and he's missing two arms. Depending on his genetic makeup, there might be a chance I could take him in a fight. I do have two extra appendages, and that counts for a lot.

Holoth opens his mouth to speak, but instead of answering my question, he changes the topic. "I can show you where you'll be sleeping. You arrived during our scheduled night. I don't know what time it was on your planet, but the rest of the crew will be asleep for the next few hours."

"I could sleep."

I swing my legs from the small medical bed and touch the coolness of the ship's metal flooring. Someone must've taken off my shoes when I passed out, but besides that, I'm still fully clothed. I stand, and my hand lingers on the fur, wanting to take it with me since it smells so good and is warm and soft.

"Take the fur," Holoth says, his eyes simmering with something I can't exactly place, but it tells me I should do what he says.

As soon as I fist the fur and hold it tight to my chest, Holoth purrs his appreciation. I wonder if there's anything I won't do if he asks when he looks like that and offers promises of sweet purrs if I do as he commands.

"Have you been with a Rytharian?"

Holoth places a hand on my lower back and guides me through the ship's halls. The warmth of his hand seeps through the thin fabric of my dress, and I smile at how nice it feels.

"No, you'll be my first," I say, flushing when I realize he might feel called out by the statement.

Instead, he seems almost proud, his chest swelling slightly, and he stands taller. I admire him out of the corner of my eyes and don't miss that he's doing the same to me.

"You should know my kind can be very demanding of our females," he says with no hint of cockiness or a faux sense of aiming to seem like a dominant lover. A couple of the males I was housed with before said the same things, but it was clear they didn't feel as confident in themselves as they let on. "You should acquaint yourself with a Rytharian male in a rut so you're not surprised when I finally come to you."

"How should I go about becoming acquainted with it?" I ask.

I try not to let my mind wander to the silly answer of the various sites I could find on my comm tablet that could show me in great quality how a Rytharian male acts in his rut. Holoth must be thinking of something that isn't quite so crass when he tells me to look for it.

Instead, he rubs the back of his neck, and his face flushes a brighter shade of pink. So he means for me to look for it on my comm. I should let him be. I shouldn't push anymore, but I've never been a female ashamed of the normal needs we all have. It might embarrass Holoth, but he'll learn that there's not much he needs to be embarrassed about around me.

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