Serpent of the Abyss by S.J. Sanders
Chapter 45
It took Slengral time before he felt comfortable allowing his mate more than a tail’s length away from him. It was only with considerable reluctance, and after many spans, that he had even been able to bring himself to setting her down on her two feet again. And only after it was verified to his satisfaction that the enemy was gone.
Well, most of the enemy. There were still over a hundred offworlders remaining, most of them eyeing the Seshanamitesh fearfully. Thankfully, the male that his mate introduced to him, Eddie, seemed accomplished at calming his people as he spoke to them individually in a large room that was apparently made for such purposes. He found the latter odd, but convenient, and therefore he approved of the method of the manner of getting the message out to everyone.
The Seshanamitesh were not going anywhere. Indeed, the males who invaded the dome were already at work, selecting the places where they wished to reside with their mates. There was some grumbling among the people in the colony as entire floors and buildings were cleared out, but others seemed to greet it as a new opportunity to expand on what space was readily available.
Slengral had decided to create his own nest for his family. There were plenty of building supplies, and with the construction team it took him little time to put up the basic frame, and even less time for the humans to connect water and electricity while he snuck back to his old nest to strip out the galthie and return with it to his new abode. By the time he had returned, the humans had left, and he had everything he needed to create the perfect nest for his mate. It had taken him little time to fill the artificial bathing pool that was constructed and plant the galthie in select places to give cozy lighting. Like his mate, he preferred it to the harsh electric lights utilized throughout the colony.
Despite his preferences, he still marveled at the technology in the colony. He had not seen anything of its like outside of faint memories he had of being a nestling in the shinara. Knowing that his own nestling would be reared with such comforts and safely away from the hierarchal system of the shinara brought him a certain peace that he had not expected to ever experience. In his mind that made the fact that he had fainted at learning the news perfectly acceptable. He had simply been overwhelmed by everything. And even more the dread that had come that breeding his mate could have harmed their offspring.
Thankfully, his mate had put that concern to rest as soon as he woke.
He grinned, his eyes following the movement of his mate as she walked on the sand, the fading light of the sunset touching her hair. Lori loved this time of the day, and so he made it a point to bring her out every sunset. Although the light was still a bit strong for him to be comfortable, he endured it because it made her so happy. Even now her face was tilted back in enjoyment of the cooling air, Hashal dozing cradled in her arms. The night blooms were also already scenting the air, despite their distance. He wondered if she could smell them. He hoped so, but he would make a point to transplant some soon near the colony for his mate. She deserved everything he had to give her.
Her and his unborn nestling. And Hashal. As far as he was concerned, the small male was becoming more his as every waking cycle passed.
There was only one thing missing. He had been having difficulty defining it, but he had been certain that his mate was also feeling it because she often got a pensive look on her face as if she was searching for something. He just recently realized what that something was, and it only took seeing two males, his friends, watching his mate despairingly from a distance, each of them solo despite some flirtations that had been offered to them that all went ignored.
Maybe Ehsash had been right after all. As had been Daskh and Kehtal in their insistence. Even in the colony where they had protections all around them, it was inescapable. Perhaps that was why he had tracked down the males and asked them to meet him there.
He instinctively stiffened as wings sounded from above him, announcing the approach of two Seshanamitesh. His wariness disappeared however, when Daskh and Kehtal descended on either side of him, their eyes tracking Lori with longing. Despite that desperate need, something seemed to relax in them at their proximity to her. They breathed her in and hummed softly, singing to the female who was currently unaware of their presence.
“Did you invite us here to torture us?” Kehtal asked, not one to hold back his thoughts. “We have heard that she is gravid with your first nestling. Yours will be the first born here.”
“No, my purpose is not to torture you. I am glad that you have received word of our nestling. It is an important fact to know.”
“Important to who?” Daskh rumbled irritably.
Slengral drew in a deep breath, the scent of his mate and the night flowers blending into a provocative and pleasing perfume.
“Important for all of us,” he replied with a calm that he never imagined he would be able to feel at such a moment.
What he was about to do should have been triggering all of his protective and possessive instincts. Instead, he felt at ease and happy. He wanted to share this with the two males who had been important to him through much of his adult life over all the season cycles that they had nested near each other. It was right somehow, and Slengral no longer felt inclined to argue over it. He had a hard time sharing, and it would not simply disappear. It was hard to fight one’s nature, but he would for his family.
Instead of answering them, he barked at his mate, drawing her attention to them as her head snapped around, eyes wide as if expecting danger. Her expression immediately softened, when her eyes fell on the two males at her side. Sand kicking up around her feet, she hurried over with a smile. Kehtal and Daskh both offered him questioning looks but at the dip of his head, his crests flicking, they raced forward to meet her.
Lori’s laughter rang out as the two larger bodies of the males dwarfed her, their arms surrounding her as they both tried to embrace her at once. Hashal was startled awake by all of the commotion, but was quickly drawn into the excitement as he climbed into the arms of one male and the next. The nestling had also missed them, it seemed. Slengral pushed aside the guilt that immediately crept through him at having kept everyone separated.
He was correcting that now. There was no room for regret.
He hummed with pleasure as his mate looked over at him at that moment, her eyes shining with happiness and curiosity. The sound drew the attention of his friends—no, his nest brothers—and they fell into a silent regard as if uncertain to his intentions.
“Ashlava, I have asked Kehtal and Daskh to join us out here that we might discuss something important.” He drew a breath and continued, uncomfortably aware of all three pairs of eyes trained on him. “Both males have shown not only great caring for you and protectiveness, but also affection and devotion. They are bonded to you, and it was wrong for me to discourage that bond from growing naturally as it did between us. If you agree, and they still want to do so, I would like to welcome them into our family… as your mates,” he added, his voice trembling on the last two words as he forced himself to let go of what he had thought he wanted from a mating before Lori.
Her brows flew upward, and she turned a startled look upon the males who were humming happily at either side of her. They had started up the moment Slengral had finished speaking, and their joyous songs brought him peace and satisfaction with his decision.
“Mates. The three of you,” she murmured, a note of awe in her voice.
“Only if you desire it,” Daskh replied quietly, his large hand brushing her hair back from her face.
“We would not trap you in something you do not want,” Kehtal agreed. His smile widened. “But I would be happy to convince you.”
Slengral huffed a growl at the male’s playful antics before turning to his mate. “The decision is yours.”
Her brow puckered slightly. “Are you sure about this? You’re not really the sharing type.”
“I will learn to be,” he countered with his own smile. “I have missed them, I think as much as you have.” His smile dropped, and he sighed as he admitted, “It feels strange not having all of us in one nest. I do not like it. It feels as if something is missing.”
Lori nodded, her lips pressing together with emotion as she pushed forward to reach him, her arms circling around him tightly. He enfolded her in his embrace. He recognized that look. It was one that she got when she was feeling too many things at once and couldn’t decide how she wanted to respond to it all. He hummed and nuzzled her, enjoying the sweet taste of her happiness.
Pulling away from him just enough to turn in his arms, Lori gave the other two males a watery smile. “What do you say? Do you want to be my mates?”
Her voice wobbled with uncertainty, but her worries were entirely unnecessary. She had not seen them pining for her. She did not understand the nature of the bond with Seshanamitesh.
Kehtal and Daskh crowded in close, reaching for her, touching her lovingly as they offered their songs. They hummed, singing to her of all the things words could not express. When Daskh gathered Lori into his arms, Slengral did not feel more than the slightest pinch of apprehension watching the male lift off into the sky with her, Kehtal close behind. That was natural and would fade with time. Slengral grinned as he took off after them, not at all surprised that they knew exactly where their nest was.
First they would have to make a stop to see Ehsash. They were going to be occupied for some time, and Hashal would need tending to.