Page 48 of Avery

"Fine," I grumble, taking the clothes from him. He kisses me quick and fast before hopping off the bed. He stretches out, making sure to keep his back to me. I'm sure his cocks are out, but if I see them, I'm going to need his come again, and he already came in my mouth twice last night. I can wait until we talk to Skia before asking him if I can drink from him again.

When we leave the bedroom, Phial's wearing a pair of shorts, and I'm wearing leggings and an oversized shirt. It's the most casual I've dressed in a long time, and it feels good.

Skia's waiting for us in the chair he was in last night. His shadows or smoke or whatever the black, foggy tendrils that pour from his body are flowing up and down his legs until we sit on the couch, and then they fall to the ground, pooling like a puddle under his feet.

"The prosecution has asked for your testimony to be given tomorrow," Skia's direct with what we need to talk about.

"There's a good chance my heat starts tomorrow," I say as my hands start to shake.

Phial covers them with his own, which offers me some reassurance. He's not hissing or biting his teeth at Skia either, which is helping me to keep my calm. I'm sure he wants to. He doesn't like when things are hard for me.

"I understand, but the defense team is causing issues. You can testify tomorrow for the trial here on Earth or not at all. There's still the Intergalactic trial that's going to happen due to the nature of the crimes. That could happen in a couple of years, and you'd need to get your case added to it." Skia's words come out neutral, and his face remains impassive. He's not talking to us like someone who's always in our thoughts. My face heats, butI force any thoughts of what Phial and I did last night out of my head.

"Tomorrow then." I nod, hoping to sound more determined than I feel. I want to stand up and return to the room, but Skia's tilting his head to the side, cracking his neck before looking back at me.

"I'll be there the whole time," his eyes flicker over to Phial as his hand tightens on mine. "So will your mate."

"Is there anything else you need from us?" Phial asks.

He's working hard not to be upset. I can feel it radiating off of him, and I appreciate it. It's taking a lot for me not to freak out, so I need him to be calm and collected. If he loses it, I lose it, and then there won't be very much productivity happening.

Skia shakes his head and then grabs a book off the table next to him. He flips through to where his bookmark is before looking back up at us with a 'Why are you still here?' stare.

"Come, I will keep you distracted," Phial says.

I think at first he's being seductive, and my heart does a little swoop. Then he leads me into the bathroom that's attached to the room we're staying. He starts filling up the bathtub with water. He pulls out something from his baggage and sprinkles it into the water. A soft shimmering sheen that smells like a mix of eucalyptus and lavender sits on top of the water. I stand, waiting for him to tell me what to do. It isn't until the tub is filled that he brings in the comm with our show on it.

"Well, get naked," he says, a smile on his lips.

His forked tongue flicks out, wetting his lips as he watches me start to shimmy out of my clothes. His eyes darken, his cocks strain in his pants, and the chirping starts up in his throat. He doesn't lunge for me or start groping me, though. No, he waits until I'm completely naked before tearing his clothes off, too, and hopping in the bath.

"Come sit. We can watch our show, and I can hold you."

"Just hold me?" I ask, quirking one of my brows.

"Well, maybe I will touch you some, but mostly, yes, we are watching. I can't get my mate too worked up. Not when her heat is so near. We need to keep you from falling into it too soon." Phial's teasing with his words, but I can hear the uncertainty underneath them.

Instead of picking at it and having it confirm my own worries, I take his hand and let him guide me between his legs in the tub. We fit snugly together, and he holds the comm up so we can cuddle and watch until the water grows cold.

"I think we have everything we need," Phial says as he hoists a backpack over his shoulder and wraps his other arm around me. "Furs, water, a change of clothes, and I have this for you." Phial holds out a liquid's canister, and I shake it, hearing something slosh inside.

"What is it?" I ask, unsure if I'm even allowed to take anything besides water with me.

Skia huffs out an annoyed sound before turning and busying himself with something else. If I paid more attention to him, I'd see he's not actually doing anything. He wants to give Phial and me the illusion of privacy.

Phial looks at me with a smile on his lips before taking the canister from me and clipping it to a hook on the backpack. "A meal replacement."

Skia clears his throat. Something that almost sounds like a laugh is muffled by the sound. I realize much too late what Phial means, and horror takes over all my facial features.

"Calm." Phial presses his lips to my temple. "I mixed it in with some ice and fruits. If anyone asks, it's just a smoothie."

I go to grab the canister to take off the pack and leave it at the house. I don't need anyone at the court thinking I'm drinking come at the hearing. I already feel like I'm a joke with how I've been altered. There's a good chance I start my heat during my testimony, and if that happens, I'm going to grit my teeth, ignore the mess I make on the stand, and get through this.

"Take the drink," Skia's voice cuts through my fighting with Phial. Both of our heads snap over to the male talking. He doesn't do it often. I don't think he enjoys talking to us. Or maybe just in general. Either way, when he talks, we listen. "It'll help keep you calm. There's no telling when you'll be able to access your mate until the end of the day."

I sigh and release my hold on the backpack. Phial gives me a smug little smile before wrapping his arm around me again. He leans in close and presses a kiss to my temple. I relax in his hold, and we follow Skia to the small garage before hopping in the transport.

Skia slides in the driver's seat while Phial and I get situated in the back. He clips me in first before shrugging the pack off and setting it on the floor. I eye the canister, feeling a needy warmth starting to spread up in my body. I should've asked Phial to feed me while we were getting dressed because I can't just drink down my backup so soon.

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