5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Iris

After Damascus offered to stay, Iris decided to ignore him until she settled on how she was going to interact with the tempting but irritating male.

On one hand, she was annoyed that she hadn't seen him before now. Any time she wasn't with Merrick or Mia, she'd put on her nicest wraps, styled her hair, and walked the ship, hoping to accidentally run into him. Interacting with him would help her figure out exactly how she felt about Damascus.

There was no doubt she was attracted to him, but was he safe enough for a quick affair? Horny lady parts needed to know!

The crew assured her he never left Progress, but she couldn't find him in any of the communal spaces and wasn't going to lower herself to actually knocking on his door. By the third day, she'd started feeling rejected. All his flirting back at the Nimon restaurant on Bathma station must've been nothing but a manipulation tactic.

She'd started to think he really was as cold and calculating as some of the crew claimed.

Then he'd run the length of the ship, desperate to save Mia. Not only that, but he'd stayed when the little girl asked, even after he found out she would be fine. It was enough to make a woman question her earlier annoyance!

It was obvious what happened. Mia snuck out to play with the training bot. Because Damascus was there, Mia hadn't accidentally started a program that might've caused her serious injury. Iris had witnessed both Utharium and Palathum working with the training bots and they could be brutal.

"I didn't get to plays with Beepers," Mia said, with a sniff. "She misses me."

Iris huffed out a laugh. "I think it's the other way around."

"She's my only friend," Mia pointed out, her sad demeanor moving toward anger. "You took all the other ones away!"

Guilt hit Iris, making her wince. About six months ago, she'd been forced to make a hard choice: remain with all the other humans from Omanal and go to Talarian, or stay with Palathum and know she and Mia would always be safe. She didn't question her decision, she and Mia were two humans protected by twenty crew members and Palathum. All her friends who'd gone to Talarian had far fewer Talins to guard and protect them.

She'd never risk going to the Talin homeworld where being kidnapped was possible. No, they were far safer with Palathum, even if a little unhappier.

"I'm sorry Luli and Royal aren't here to play with you," Iris relented. "When we're done here, we can visit Beepers for as long as you want, okay?"

Mia immediately cheered up. "Yaaay! And Da plays with us too!"

Iris looked over her shoulder at the large warrior. "If he wants to."

Damascus didn't answer right away, but he did start up a purring rumble. He seemed to be debating with himself before finally speaking. "It would be an honor to help you engage with, uh, Beepers."

Mia made another happy shout.

"As we suspected, Mia is perfectly fine," Raltinum announced, stepping away and looking at Iris. "Are we sure about the no sweets rule?"

Every damn Talin on the ship was determined to spoil Mia rotten. "Fine, she can have one ."

Raltinum slipped Iris two sweets before stepping away and busying herself at a display. Shaking her head, Iris lifted Mia off the table and set her on the floor.

"Let's go!" Mia said as she rushed up to Damascus. Jumping up, she grabbed hold of a finger. Iris watched, trying hard not to smile while Mia led the large Talin out of the room. Damascus was so tall he had to hunch over a little so Mia could keep hold of his finger as she skipped down the corridor.

"Thank you for your gift of time and skill," she said to Raltinum as she followed them out.

Mia chattered to Damascus the entire walk. In a serious tone, she explained how she was a farmer and her job had been making sure all the Beepers on Omanal were lit up. Iris was pretty sure Mia was referring to the seed pod processing machines they used to get their harvest ready for shipment. Now Iris understood why Mia was so entranced with the training bot. It reminded her of their old home.

"Mom and Dad were really good farmers," Mia continued. "I don't remembers, but Iris says they were the bestest people."

"The most bestest," Iris agreed from behind them, but her voice was drowned out by Damascus's surprised rattle.

"Iris isn't your dam?" he asked, making Mia giggle.

"What's a dam?" Mia asked.

Iris caught up to take the little girl's free hand and slow her down. "That's what Talin's call mothers." Then she looked up at Damascus. "Mia and I aren't related by blood, but she is mine. Do you understand?"

There was no hesitation in his answer. "More than you can know."

"I'm yours and you're mine," Mia sang. "That's what we say, rights, Iris?"

"That's it exactly," Iris agreed.

When they got to the exercise room, Mia tugged her hand free from Iris to pull Damascus to a training bot standing idle in the middle of the room. "Beepers! Looks, we cames back. Da and me cames back."

They couldn't have real pets on the ship but maybe Palathum could find a companion bot specifically designed for children. As much as Iris didn't want to admit it, she might not be enough for Mia. Iris was an authority figure, and sometimes children wanted their playmates to be strictly friends.

"Do I have permission to turn on the training bot again?" Damascus asked her even as Mia made an aggravated sound. Iris focused on the two of them and realized the Talin had stopped and wouldn't let Mia pull him any closer to Beepers.

"Put it on the level one coordination program," Iris explained. "They play catch with each other."

Damascus sounded an affirmative rumble and let Mia finish pulling him to the machine. A few taps later, and Mia was laughing as she and Beepers tossed a light, brightly colored ball back and forth. Mia did more fetching than catching, but the training bot wasn't programmed for impatience.

"What happened to the cub's dam and sire?" Damascus asked in a voice quiet enough that Mia wouldn't hear.

Iris's answer was succinct. "Died."

"Were you in the same clan? Is that why you took over Mia's care?"

"I guess you could say that," Iris agreed. "Sometimes you're not born into a family, you find it."

He sounded another affirmative rumble, which could mean he agreed with her words or was simply being polite.

"Do you find Merrick handsome?" Damascus asked.

His question confused her. "Handsome? What does that have to do with anything?"

Damascus didn't sound a rattle or rumble as he spoke. "He could be a found sire for Mia. Then you would have a more complete found family."

Iris scoffed. "The man almost died and hasn't woken up yet. It's going to take time before he's healed, and I don't even want to guess what kind of trauma he's got going on in his mind. Going on a date with me is going to be the last thing on his mind for a long time."

She thought that would be the end of the conversation, but Damascus continued to press. "When he is healed, he could be a mate for you."

Tilting her head to the side and rolling her eyes up at Damascus, Iris scowled. "Merrick would need to have more going for him than being the only human around before I decided to date him. When he gets well, and if he decides he's interested in me, we'll talk. But who knows? He might want to go to Talarian and join all the humans there."

"Would his leaving cause you distress?" Damascus asked.

"That's it," Iris said, deciding to give up on Damascus as a potential lover. He asked too many questions she didn't like. "I don't know what you're hinting at or trying to figure out, but Mia doesn't need a sire and I don't need a mate. If I'm feeling horny, I'll sleep with someone here or find a quickie at one of the stations. The thing you need to understand is that none of this is your business!"

Her loud words distracted Mia, who missed catching a ball, but instead of chasing it down, she turned to Iris and Damascus with a worried expression.

"Why angry voice? What's wrong?"

Iris forced a smile. "I'm not angry, I was only talking loud because sometimes Da's hearing isn't very good. It's because his head is so thick the sound has a hard time getting to his brain."

Mia nodded her head sagely. "Do you want to plays with me Da?" she asked loudly, careful to enunciate each word.

Iris laughed and stepped closer to Mia. "We'll both play."

Maybe this would keep Damascus engaged and stop the intrusive questions. One thing was for sure, she wasn't going to be dressing up and wandering around the halls hoping to run into him anymore.

****

About a mark later, Mia was working herself into a too-tired tantrum. Clutching the ball, face red and breathing hard, she glared at Iris.

"No, you throw wrong. You hafta throws it right!"

Mia had played catch nonstop and was exhausted but didn't want play time to be over. Iris could see the signs and was quick to disrupt Mia's tirade before it could really get started.

"I'm worn out," Iris declared with an exaggerated slump of her shoulders. "Can we rest for a little while, Mia? I think Beepers might be tired too."

The bot's display indicated it could easily go several more marks, but thankfully Mia couldn't read a recharge indicator.

"Beepers is tired?" Mia asked, her temper dissipating. She stumbled up to the training bot and patted its side.

"I sorry, Beepers. You rest." Then she rushed to Iris's side. "You rests too."

Instead of taking her out of the room, Mia led her to a spot of floor near a wall and pressed her to sit down. After Iris slid down the wall and let her legs stretch out in front of her, Mia crawled into her lap and snuggled against her body. The child's body was a familiar, comforting weight.

"You rest here," Mia explained. "After you and Beepers nap, we can play some more."

"Sure thing, Mi-tie," Iris agreed, making Mia giggle.

"May I rest here also?" Damascus asked as he approached.

"Yes, right there," Mia said and pointed imperiously to the spot next to Iris. Damascus sank to the floor in a cross-legged position and rested his forearms on his legs.

"Why blue?" Mia asked him, and Iris tensed. She didn't know if asking that kind of question was insulting.

Damascus sounded the large-wheel-bumping-over-cobblestone rumble of curiosity. "Are you asking about my coloring?"

"Yeah," Mia agreed while fighting a yawn. "Why's you blue?"

"It's an uncommon color," he admitted. "There's an abnormally high percentage of us on Rora colony. I think the families there might request selection for the blue gene, but no one would admit to it. Maybe there's an environmental factor at play on that planet. Whatever the reason, there were four others in my same year at the cresh that were this color, including my sibling."

"It's a nice color," Iris said while Mia gave up stifling her yawns.

"I'm pleased to know you find my color attractive." The tone and cadence of his voice didn't change, but Iris shivered.

Why was she suddenly very aware of the heat radiating off his body?

"I don't wanna sleep," Mia said, struggling to keep her eyes open. "But I think Da wants a nap. He could come home with us. He can share my nest."

Damascus sounded a few notes of a surprised rattle before he stopped himself. "It's very kind of you to offer, but I have a bed of my own."

"Nests are better," Mia mumbled. The silence stretched between them as they watched Mia fall asleep.

"Does she slumber?" Damascus whispered.

Iris nodded. "She'll be out for at least a mark, maybe two. That was a lot of activity."

"I beg your forgiveness for my earlier inquiries," he said, surprising Iris. "I was rude. I've been too long among those with no tact or etiquette. I've forgotten how to interact in a polite way. My questions were intrusive and unnecessarily aggressive."

Iris had one simple question. "Why?"

Damascus dropped his head and rubbed the back of his neck, the tips of his retracted claws playing over the overlapping spine plates. It sounded almost musical.

"I wanted to know if you're interested in Merrick." He pulled in a deep breath and lifted his head, eyes boring into her. "I needed to know if I had any hope of attracting your notice."

"N-n-notice?" Iris repeated, stumbling over the word. A hot flush spread across her body, and she was suddenly very aware of his knee only a finger's width from hers. "You know I'm a pet, right? I belong to Palathum. You can't do anything to me I don't want."

He sounded an amused rumble. "I'm aware that you are wearing the guise of a pet. I'd also never force anyone to do anything. My pursuit with you is mutual pleasure."

Iris didn't know how to respond. One side of her wanted to furiously nod her head and demand he kiss her. The other wanted to pull back because there was something dark lurking there.

She had dated and/or slept with a few guys in the past, both human and non-human. They'd all been fun but nothing she'd gotten upset about when they ended the arrangement. Damascus was different from those guys. She felt more drawn to him than anyone else. He had the potential to be the first one to break her heart.

Thankfully he spoke so she wasn't forced to corral her wild thoughts.

"Think about letting me use my mouth on you," he said, his voice dropping to a sensual, quiet tone.

Her INT must have mistranslated. "What?"

"I want to put my mouth on you," he said, his purring dropping down to a slower, deeper sound. "I want to taste what smells so sweet."

His words went from her ears to her pussy. She felt her panties get wet as she went perfectly still, unable to look away from those silver eyes.

He pulled a deep breath in through his nose slits. "Yes, that smell," he growled. "Let me lick, suck, and stroke on your flesh until you're nothing but a creature of need."

"I don't think that's a good idea," her logical brain made her say even as the other side silently begged him to talk her into it.

"Undoubtedly," he drawled. "But when have good ideas ever been any fun? It's the naughty ideas that leave us with the best memories."

She'd never heard a Talin talk like this. "You're very different."

"Thank you for the compliment," he said. "Unlike most Talins, I have more experience than a few quick fucks in a bunk between training drills. I've spent entire rotations giving and receiving all types of pleasure with many different species. I've never been with a human, but I'm a quick study."

He brought his face closer to her, his voice deepening. "Let me learn how you like to be fucked, little human."

Iris was suddenly aware of the strong scent of chocolate coming from Damascus. Why did he smell so good, and why hadn't she noticed before? It made her want to run her tongue over his face.

Why didn't she? He was right there, all she had to do was to lean over and she'd be able to put her face against his.

His thrummed purr pressed against her skin, raising goosebumps and making her want to squirm. Licking her lips, she leaned closer, eyes on a shiny spot on his cheek. The scent of chocolate was powerful, filling her nose as his rumble filled her ears.

She was so close now she was almost touching him. Should she kiss him? Talins didn't have kissing in their culture, but Damascus already proved he knew more than the average member of his species.

The ice blue skin of his lips parted, and he whispered one word. "Yes."

"Iris?" a familiar voice called out, making Iris jerk back. Damascus's rumbling went silent and he straightened up, but he didn't take his eyes off her.

Palathum entered the gym with Utharium at her side and several other crew members following behind. The moment Palathum saw Mia sleeping, she waved everyone else out then moved close and whispered.

"Merrick is awake and talking," she said. "We're leaving to visit with him now."

Trying to shake off the sexual daze Damascus had put her in, she looked up at Palathum. "I should be there. Seeing another human might make him feel safer."

"Certainly. I'm sure you're correct," she agreed and gestured to the hall. "Danakium is here and can take Mia back to your cabin."

Danakium was a member of the crew that often cared for Mia when Iris and Palathum were visiting a station or planet. The Talin was gifted with children, and Iris trusted her as much as she trusted Palathum.

"Don't worry about rushing back," Danakium said as she knelt next to Iris to pick up the sleeping Mia. "After she sleeps, we can work on her learning lessons."

"That would be great, thanks, Danakium," Iris said. Mia didn't even twitch as Danakium cradled her. The kid was out cold. "Don't let her bully you into giving her sweets. She's getting too much from the crew already."

"Of course," Danakium said, but Iris knew she'd give in as soon as Mia asked. Mia had the entire crew wrapped around her little finger.

Danakium carried Mia out, and Palathum helped Iris to her feet. As she stood, she was very aware of the wetness between her legs. She forced herself not to look at Damascus as she spoke. "Let me change my clothes, and I'll meet you at the hatch."

"Certainly," Palathum agreed. "I should gather a few soft things for Merrick as well. The beds at the medical suite are harsh for a human."

Iris didn't point out that Merrick was probably on so many drugs he couldn't feel much. A few soft blankets or fluffy pillows would at least brighten up his medical bed.

"I'm going with you," Damascus said as they were all turning to leave.

Palathum sounded a harsh, negative rattle. Normally the negative or no rattle sounded like a hand slapping a thigh, but Palathum's was so harsh it sounded more like someone punching a wall.

"There is no reason for you to go with us," she said. "This doesn't concern you."

Iris thought Damascus wanted to be supportive. She should tell Palathum she didn't mind if he came. His next words dashed that idea.

"He's still my property," Damascus reminded Palathum, his tone cold and stern. "That makes him my concern until you get me to Balforge and I transfer his ownership to you."

All her earlier desire vanished. His words were a bucket of ice water tossed in her face.

Without another word, or even looking at him, she left the exercise room. He could follow or not, she didn't care. She had more important things to do.