I reached forward and grabbed his tentacle. “It’s okay. Just next time, listen to Xylo if he thinks I won’t like something.”
“Noted,” he sighed. “I just wanted you to try something I enjoyed. I didn’t think you would have this reaction.”
“I enjoyed the phnrawes, at least. I would take that as a win.” I stepped back and shrugged, looking at my clan. “Now that I have recovered, I am ready to see what there is to do other than shopping. Who is with me?”
After a chorus of agreement, we discarded the sticks and strings and made our way toward the entertainment establishments. The males made a perimeter around me, boxing me in with a tentacle or vine wrapped around my wrists or hands. I didn’t know if it was for my safety or their way to battle jealousy.
I hoped there weren’t any jealous undertones brewing behind the scenes, beneath the casual touches and comments. Even though I had accepted the princes, I thought I was doing a good job trying to get to know and welcome them into the clan. I followed their traditions—and biological needs—of sleeping near their nestqueen and hadn’t pushed Xylo and Odelm away.
“Live dancers! New gaming tables! Come enjoy yourselves at Zero G-Spot!” shouted a crimson-haired, bi-pedal male with five tails. His tails reminded me of Aunya’s, and I wondered if that was the species she was spliced with. He had a leaner and much shorter build than the Aldawi, but his ears were taller and had cream tips that matched his belly.
The shouting male had a rough voice that carried, yet no one seemed to pay much attention to him or what he offered. The doors he stood in front of weren’t grubby—at least not compared to the other entrances we recently passed on the space station.
“What about that? Watching a dance show might be interesting… seeing another species’ culture.” I paused and pointed at the entryway, a short distance from us, with the promoter a few arm’s lengths away.
Z’fir hesitated slightly and glanced at Xylo, looking confused. “Is that what you want to do?”
“Yeah. Is there something I should know?” I asked, squinting my eyes at my clan.
V’dim placed a hand on Z’fir’s back and smiled at me. “No, Selena, if that is what you want, we will do it.”
I studied my nestmates. They were hiding something from me.
“Then let’s go,” I shouted and turned around to make my way to the establishment, not wanting to waste any more time.
A vine wrapped around my wrist, pulled me back, and halted me.
“Hold up, Selena,” Z’fir said, walking in front me. “Let us do the talking… As a female you may attract attention.”
“Is it safe?” I asked, stepping into him.
He wrapped an arm around my waist as his vine pulled my hood farther over my head.
“Just let us do the talking, and you should be fine,” he advised, glancing at the thin crowd around us. “It is still early.”
“Okay,” I breathed, unsure if I was making a good decision anymore. “Lead the way.”
I trailed after Z’fir with my head down. I could sense the other three were following us. The yelling from the announcer was drowned out by the sound of music blaring.
The lighting dimmed as we entered the walkway. I was glad Z’fir was holding onto me as he led the way. A light caress rippled against my mental shields from Z’fir for the first time since becoming court bonded. I accepted, knowing he had the power to force down my shields as Xylo once did, and he wouldn’t ask for access without reason.
“I need to release my hold on you,” he explained as he unwrapped his arm and vine from me. “Even though I would love to continue touching you, I am afraid it would give you away.”
I nodded. “I understand.”
He hesitated a moment before he led us deeper down the hall.
“It is nice to have you as a nestqueen. Thank you,” he whispered gently before pulling away, outside my shields.
He sounded like he wanted to say more, but now was not the time. I wondered, if we weren’t about to watch a show and we were alone, would he have said it? Perhaps another time.
Double doors opened up, revealing a large, dark, square room. I studied the place in awe as I followed Z’fir to a booth like the ones in my favorite cafe on Destiny.
There were two large cylinders on opposite ends, one filled with water and the other looked… empty? A stage with stools lined up against it surrounded both cylinders, connecting them in the middle, and led to the back of the room where curtains hung. Near the wall with the water cylinder was a bar and a large food counter, where you could watch the food being prepared with their gadgets, fire, and whatever else they used.
There was a theme in the place, but I couldn’t put a finger on it.
There were multiple booths, with brightly colored light-up games in the center, scattered throughout the room. Only a few had customers occupying them. In fact, the place seemed empty, especially for its size.
Sitting in the center of the booth, between Z’fir and Xylo, I studied my group and was surprised by the sheepish expressions on all of their faces.
Grabbing all of their bond threads, I asked, “What do you guys know that I don’t? What is this place?”
“How may I help you fine gentlemen?” a female purred.
I glanced up at the newcomer.
She was a Quaww—colored in whites, teals, and pinks—carrying a tablet, looking at Odelm like she could eat him up.
A flash of jealousy coursed through me, but as soon as it came, it left as I rationalized there was nothing to worry about. He was mine, forever connected to me—biologically—and couldn’t perform unless I triggered both his need and manhood.
“We would never,” Xylo confirmed.
Odelm nodded his head slightly and sent me waves of comfort from Xylo’s other side. He had obviously picked up on my
