Page 90 of Dark Space
I pulled off him as my body tightened and the wave broke, sending pleasure crashing all the way down to my toes. Alcide’s scales rippled faster and faster until there was no break, just a continual swell inside me; I cried out wordlessly as I felt his heat through the condom, digging my fingers into Vesper’s hips. Vesper swore again, and I lowered my mouth and sucked; a few moments later, my mouth was flooded with his smoky taste, the heat spreading over my tongue and down my throat as I swallowed.
‘Dread gods –Vesper,’ Callan snarled, his hands tightening on mine as he came, and for a few minutes, the only sound was panting as we all caught our breath. Alcide pulled me upright, holding me tight against his chest, his cock still hard inside me, his scales rippling lazily.
I licked the taste of Vesper off my lips. Callan and Vesper watched me do it through hooded eyes; Vesper languidly ran his fingers through Callan’s hair.
‘What the fuck is that?’ Callan said eventually.
‘Did you make sure the lid was on the lubricant, starling?’ Alcide said; as one, we watched a blob of shining liquid float through the air.
I tipped my head back on Alcide’s shoulder and laughed. ‘This is the messiest thing I’ve ever done.’
‘Yes,’ Vesper said happily. ‘Isn’t it wonderful?’
Epilogue
‘And this is mychamber,’ Tessa announced, waving her hand in front of some kind of sensor. The veil of flowing water before us ceased, revealing a doorway large enough to accommodate a being as tall and broad as Morgan. ‘Not that it’s really justmine. The others sleep here too, even though Morgan has a literalquarterof the palace. They thought I’d share with Morgan, but most of his rooms are underwater, and there’s a seal colony that likes popping up unannounced in the parts that aren’t. The last time I went in there, a seal cow had puppedon his bed. I’m all for nature, but notthat, and not where I’m sleeping.’
‘Is that where you will … pup?’ Maeve said absently, staring around Tessa’s massive room with interest.
Tessa moved across the room to perch on the edge of an oversized bed. ‘I’m not going topup, Maeve.’
Elswyth eyed Tessa warily; the apricot-coloured flower behind her ear budded tight. ‘You won’t lay an egg, will you?’
‘I fucking hope not,’ Tessa said cheerfully. ‘Cy assured me that the larvae seems to be living in a human amniotic sac. No shell in sight.’
Maeve grimaced. ‘Are youverysure that’s what you want?’ she said to Elswyth. ‘It sounds … gross.’ She waved a hand at Tessa’s belly. ‘And then there’s this business.’
‘Fuck off,’ Tessa said, grinning as she rubbed her stomach. ‘I’m a goddess. Or so Morgan likes to tell me.’
‘See?’ Elswyth said, arching a silver brow at Maeve. ‘It’s magical, not gross.’
Maeve lifted Elswyth’s knuckles to her mouth and brushed her lips across the Tirian woman’s skin. Elswyth blushed a deep green, her hair glowing with a faint light. ‘You’re already magic,’ Maeve purred.
‘Now who’s gross,’ Tessa said, but she was smiling. She patted the bed next to her. ‘Anna. I’mdyingto hear about Vesper.’ Her smile widened. ‘And the other two, actually.’
I perched next to her. ‘How much longer do you think the Council will be?’
‘Hours, probably,’ Maeve answered. ‘The Captain was pretty riled up. She doesn’t like diplomacy. Prefers giving orders.’
The corners of Elswyth’s lips tugged up; she caught my gaze and gave the slightest shrug, as if to saythat sounds familiar.
I smiled. ‘Vesper was in chains when I met him,’ I began.
Tessa blinked.
‘What kind of chains?’ Maeve said interestedly.
Elswyth swatted her leg.
‘Thehe-was-in-a-cellkind. He’d raided Alcide’s on-board treasury – twice – but Cide and Cal caught him on the third tryand cuffed him with a dark matter chain. He hadn’t moved for months when I arrived. I think … I think he was starting to go mad. But he was kind to me. And when the ship’s doctor bit me, he –’
‘The ship’s doctorbityou?’ Maeve interrupted, her face settling into a familiarMaeve-on-the-warpathscowl. ‘You were unsafe?’
‘That’s why I was in the cell with Vesper,’ I explained. ‘It was the only place on the ship that Cide could fully restrict access to; he and Cal were trying to keep me away from the crew. But my adenomyosis pain flared up, and Vesper panicked, and they sent me to the doctor. The doctor tried to sedate me to send me to the old Roth King, and when I struggled, he …’ I trailed off. ‘But Alcide killed him, so you don’t need to worry.’
‘Oh, Anna,’ Tessa said, aghast. She rubbed her belly, as if trying to comfort herself. ‘Here I was thinking you had an adventure like Maeve and I did, but you were in actualdanger.’ She studied me. ‘Do you need to see someone? Another doctor? A counsellor?’
I shook my head and smiled at Maeve and Elswyth. ‘Willow helped me. He treated the infected wound and broke my fever. We talked a bit, when I was conscious again. He’s an amazing doctor.’
