Page 321 of Night's Fall
“They’re close to opening one of the bays onThoth.Agood deal of my day will be going over those details to make certain we can make the announcement and stick to the date.Andthen the director ofRandDatRootsInnovationwill be demonstrating the new features of aPalmwe hope to release in the coming year.He’spromised the bugs have been dealt with, but that remains to be seen.”
He had another appointment late that afternoon, but he hadn’t decided if he was going to tell her about that one yet.
“Oo…a newPalm,” she cooed before she glanced at her own, yelped, took one last hurried sip of coffee then sprang out of her chair, rounding the table, saying, “Gods,Ilost track of the time.Fannonis waiting at the craft.Ihave to go.”
She gave him a peck on the lips, another one, then she gave up on that and just kissed him.
Deeply.
He chuckled at the end of it and whispered, “Go, darling.I’llsee you this evening.”
She gave him one more peck before she bid, “Havea great day, honey.”
“You as well.”
She dashed off.
His creature throbbed at her departure.
Hers pulsed in return.
Aleksei watched her go.
No, he’d never known a female like her.
She loved him.Sheliked him.Shewas interested in him.Shewas attracted to him.Hewas her mate, her life, her future.Shewas the same in all to him.
But she was stillLaura, with her friends, and her job that was her passion, and her determination to perform her duty as his princess, no matter how it cut across the grain.
He was not a satellite in her life, he was the center star, as she was to him.
But she had a universe to illuminate, and she did that.
It wasn’t the first time he had this thought, but he still thought it…
TheNightGodcertainly knew what he was doing.
* * *
Aleksei landed theJetPantherin the space on the street that had been cleared for him outside the narrow, two-storyPre-Unificationbrownstone.
He turned his eyes right, and with interest in what he’d see, but none in what he was about to do, he took in the home whereLauragrew up.
Considering the beings who had inhabited it for the last twenty-five years, he would have expected it to appear neglected.Therefore, he was surprised to see the two wide-bowled, squat urns on either side of the front door filled with healthy autumn flowers and the impeccable cast of the shiny barn-red paint on the door.
WhenSetwas standing outside his craft,Alekseiordered the door to open and climbed out.
Set at his back, other members of his detail in place,Alekseiwalked across the pavement, up the steps, and before he could engage the announcement unit, the door opened.
A male humanoid bot stood there.
“Your highness,” it said on a short bow.
“He’s expecting me.”
“Of course.Comein.”
The bot stepped back, allowingAlekseientry.Setcame with him.
