Chapter 32

32

Drak

One Week Later

My An-nana is spending this morning with her hu-nim friends at Marrec's home. I would have insisted on going with her had Terum not picked her up with the other females. I trust him to keep her safe.

"Drak, can you do me a favor?" Cay-leb inquires, and my ears twitch.

"What is it, brother?" I ask curiously. As my mate's family, he is naturally extended many courtesies from me, but he has yet to ask for anything. Until now.

I am excited to see what it is that he wishes for.

"Tell me how to get all of the Aprixian men to stop glaring at me like I'm here to snatch up the remainder of their eligible women," he says seriously. Despite his desperate tone, I am unable to hide my amused laugh.

"I'm serious," he pouts.

Gathering my composure, I nod in understanding. Still, a smile remains on my face. "Do you not wish to tell them that you mate with males?"

He looks surprised at this inquiry, pursing his lips. "Just what? Announce I'm gay, and they'll stop?"

I shrug. "They do not truly dislike you, just the potential that you are competition for them. Explain that hu-nims do not have soul seeds. No fate will bind you to an Aprixian or hu-nim female, so they should not feel threatened by your presence."

He thinks about it for a minute and shakes his head. "Something tells me they aren't up for taking my word for it. You don't think they'll try to kill me in my sleep or some shit, do you?"

I bristle at this. "No male would be foolish enough to challenge me, and if they attempted to harm you in my home, this is what they would be doing."

Cay-leb's lips twitch at this. "Because you're Drak The Deadly ?"

Chuckling, I click my tongue. "You have been speaking with others about me, have you?"

"I've heard some things," he teases, shrugging innocently.

"Then you should know how safe you are in this home," I reply easily. "I would not spare the life of those who attempt to harm my family."

I do not wish for An-nana nor her brother to find me frightening, but I do hope that they know I will be terrifying to any who wish them hurt.

"Good to hear," Cay-leb replies, pleased rather than uncomfortable with my words.

"Come, brother," I encourage, getting to my feet. "There is someone I wish for you to meet."

He eyes me curiously but stands. "To help me or because you're bored here without Anna?"

Grinning, I answer, "Both."

A short while later, I am guiding a freshly showered and dressed Cay-leb through a familiar building. He insisted on wearing a shirt even though I am not. I do not understand hu-nim modesty in males, but I do not mind either way. He can dress as he wishes. He seems to favor T-shirt tops that ride up on his stomach, exposing just a small bit of skin, and tight jeans that mold to his thighs but not the bottom of his legs.

Like my An-nana, he wears boots. But his are lighter in color and match the cowboy hat he wears on his head often. Today he left the hat at home, letting his sandy hair flow freely. The length touches his shoulders, longer like Aprixians tend to keep their hair. I am told, though, that many hu-nim males keep their hair shorter.

His appearance does not mean much to me, outside of the eyes he shares with my mate. But I do wonder what my friend will make of him. Not that he will tell me, but perhaps I will be able to tell by watching him.

"Whoa," Cay-leb mutters, looking around as I walk him through the space, heading for the stairs.

I chuckle, watching him take it all in. This building is one of the most technological. It is full of machinery and advanced devices, much more than any of the places he has been to thus far.

"Are you so easily impressed?" I ask, cocking a brow at him.

"This place is fucking futuristic, you know that?"

Absorbing his words, I lead him up the steps and grunt. "It is quite advanced here, yes. I am going to introduce you to one of the reasons why."

Cay-leb does not reply, only continues to oggle everything that we pass. Until eventually, I guide him into our destination.

"Lovan," I call out joyfully, letting myself and Cay-leb into his space without a proper invitation. The Aprixian male is constantly working, so he leaves his door ajar for guests to pester him. If he were to schedule appointments with friends, he would never make them. "Why am I not surprised to see you hard at work?"

"Hello, Drak," he says but does not look up from his tools.

I am not surprised to find him wearing a tight shirt, either. His muscles are constricted under the material, but he does not seem to mind. He prefers to be covered while working though many Aprixian males would find his attire to be extremely uncomfortable—myself included.

Shirts only serve to hide my glorious form from my mate.

Lovan is a large male despite the fact that he is in no need of his size, he has never been a fighter nor a warrior of any kind. He is a male of science.

Cay-leb blinks at Lovan from his place standing by my side, taking in the room—well, mostly taking in Lovan. With vibrant yellow skin contrasting against his long black hair, he is a unique sight. Cay-leb has not met many Aprixians outside of our small group, but none of us have pitch-black eyes to match our dark hair.

Aprixians all share similar features but have unique qualities as well. I wonder what qualities Cay-leb finds appealing—if any at all.

"I have brought you a creature to study," I muse, watching as Lovan's head immediately snaps up. "This is my mate's hu-nim brother, Cay-leb."

"Excuse me," Cay-leb balks. "You did not say you were bringing me here to be studied!"

I chuckle at his outrage. "I am only joking. Lovan is curious about hu-nims, that is all. He makes the health bracelets that your sister refuses to wear."

An-nana can not be talked into being monitored until she is with child. She does not like feeling watched by such an unfamiliar technology.

Cay-leb seems to settle with my words and blows out a breath. "You know, on Earth, they'd actually study you guys for showing up on the planet. Forgive me for not wanting to be cut open in the name of Aprixian science."

"I do not study hu-nims," Lovan blurts out, seemingly flustered. "I am… I do technology."

Cay-leb seems to brighten at this. "You made this place, right?"

Lovan's throat bobs with a swallow, and he nods. "Most of it, yes."

"I have brought Cay-leb here to meet you," I chime in. "Because you will find him interesting without cutting him open. But also because he could use a male friend."

They both blink at me, so I continue.

"Many of our fellow Aprixian males are nervous that Cay-leb being male means he could steal away a potential female mate from them. But you are not in search of a female, right, Lovan?"

He gulps again. "Right."

Oh, this is glorious. I am a genius.

My hands clap together. "Neither is Cay-leb. And so, you should be friends!"

Cay-leb's face flushes red. "I'm sorry, did you just set us up on a playdate ?"

"No need to be sorry," I say primly. "It is my pleasure."

"Drak," Cay-leb groans in exacerbation. "You can't just throw me at people and expect them to be pleased to see me." Turning to Lovan, he winces. "I'm sorry about him, we'll just go?—"

"Do not—" Lovan interrupts, seeming to surprise himself with the outburst. Clearing his throat, he collects himself. "You should stay."

"You see," I boast, nudging Cay-leb with my elbow. "He is pleased with our company. Come, let us sit. I wish for him to ask prying questions so that I may know the answers."

Cay-leb doesn't protest as I pull him into a chair across from Lovan's. He does grumble at me, though. "You know you don't need a third party to ask me questions, you're the one who calls me your brother."

"Ah, so I may ask about your cock then?"

Cay-leb sputters at my bold inquiry. Lovan looks as if he's swallowed his tongue.

"Jesus, Drak," my hu-nim brother exclaims. "Why do you want to know about my dick?"

"Well, I am very well versed in hu-nim female anatomy?—"

"Ew! That's my sister you're talking about," he interrupts, punching me in the arm. It does not hurt.

"—but I know very little about male hu-nim anatomy," I finish. "An-nana was surprised to learn about Aprixian cocks and their vibrating feature, so I know that your cock does not do that."

Cay-leb flinches with surprise. "Your junk vibrates ?"

"For mating," Lovan answers for me. "It assists in breeding."

"You're trying to breed my sister?" he exclaims, disgusted. "Dude, not cool. I do not want to know these things."

"Do you not wish to be an uncle?" I challenge, tilting my head at him.

"That is not the point."

"Hu-nims are very confusing creatures," I inform Lovan. "Some wish to speak of mating, others recoil at the topic."

Cay-leb groans, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't recoil at the topic of sex, I just don't need to hear about my sister in that way, man."

"Understandable," Lovan grunts.

I suppose if I had a sister I would wish for the same, so I simply shrug.

My hu-nim brother sighs. "What do you want to know about my dick?"

I brighten, grinning at the offering of information.

What shall I ask first…

"Is it proportional to you?"

Cay-leb rolls his eyes at me. " Jesus , going right in with size questions? Are you sure you're straight?"

"What is straight?" Lovan asks, eyebrows drawn in. This male does not like being without information.

"It means he only likes women—er, females. Can I call Aprixian ladies women? Woman implies human, but I don't know how it translates for you."

"It works," I tell him easily. "We understand both ways."

"Good," Cay-leb replies with a breath. "Anyway, straight is just what humans say for the most common sexuality. Men liking women, women liking men."

"Ah," Lovan hums thoughtfully.

"And I feel nothing when I look at males," I chime, grinning. "So, yes, I am sure. I am only curious because we are different. You do not have to answer."

"Well, if you're curious about human cock, you've pretty much got an expert," he jokes, shaking his head. "Most guys are proportionate. Some are smaller, some are bigger. None of them are as big as any of you, I imagine. A boner would probably make them pass out with your size."

"Bo-ner?"

"Boner just means erection. Like, when you get hard?"

"Ah." Another silly hu-nim word.

"Why do you say you are an expert?" Lovan wonders aloud. "Do you study male anatomy on your planet?"

Cay-leb finds this hilarious and shows it by laughing loudly.

"I mean, no, but yes?" He chuckles some more. "For one thing, I have my own. I also had a brother, so there's that. But I'm gay, and that's where most of my expertise comes in."

"Gay means he wishes to mate with males," I exclaim, boasting my knowledge happily.

Lovan looks struck by this information. Like the breath has been kicked from his lungs, and he does not know how to react. "You do?"

Cay-leb seems to stiffen. "Yeah? Got a problem with that?"

"N-no," Lovan sputters in his response. "I… it is nice."

The mood softens, and my smile grows. I do not know if Lovan covets males as Cay-leb does, but I believe that he may. I am very glad I thought of this. If Cay-leb finds love here, it will make my An-nana even happier than she already is.

And that is what I strive for.

"I am sorry that you have lost a brother," Lovan tells him sincerely. "Are you in grief?" Like he has realized the question might be too personal, his big black eyes widen. When he opens his mouth to apologize, Cay-leb interrupts.

"I'm not," he admits. "Maybe I should be, but he's been gone for months. Honestly, I'd already come to terms with the idea of dying alone without ever seeing my family again. My dad and brother died right in front of me, you know? It was tough at the time, and I was properly fucked up for weeks over it."

Cay-leb sighs, shaking my head. "It's complicated, I guess. None of my siblings have any love lost for our father. He's been slowly losing all of us over the years, but Landon—our brother—didn't deserve to die. He was… good. I miss him, sure, but I'm just happy to have Anna back and to be off that godforsaken planet."

"Mourning is difficult," I reply simply, patting his shoulder with a firm hand. "An-nana did not want to believe you were all gone, but part of her had prepared her heart for the possibility. I think this is why she has not become broken since learning Lan-don is gone. Plus, she is so thrilled to have found you."

Cay-leb smirks. "Yeah, I've always been her favorite."

The three of us share a chuckle, keeping the mood from becoming gloomy.

"Now, tell me, how do hu-nim males mate with hu-nim males?"

Cay-leb looks mortified until he senses my teasing. I do not truly wish for him to explain such personal things in the presence of such a new friend.

"I'm going to start telling the Aprixian kids that ‘dork' is English for ‘Deadly' so they run around calling you Drak The Dork. "

I throw my head back and laugh, Cay-leb is funny.

Lovan chuckles, too, his eyes lighting up like stars in the deep skies.

Perhaps they should call me Drak The Matchmaker.