Page 29 of Kailirex

I kissed her once more, gently this time, and she gazed back at me, still lost in a post orgasmic haze.

My cock began to stiffen and we might have gone for round two, but Xeranos’s voice shattered the moment.

“I’m not peeking,” he said, “but Eric and Piloris are on their way back to the shuttle bay where Tillin is already waiting.”

Sudden clarity came over her and I pulled out, moving so she could sit up.

“Why?” she demanded. “What’s happened?”

“Your mother called his cell. Your father collapsed while walking the dog and some passersby called an ambulance. She said they took him to Jamaica.”

She jumped up, looking for her clothes.

“A quick shower first,” I told her.”

She shook her head. “There’s no time for that. You heard him- Eric and Piloris are already on their way to the shuttle!” “And they can wait five minutes so we don’t reek of sex,” I told her firmly.

“Fine - just a quick jump in, rinse off, then right back out! Two minutes, tops!”

It would have to do. I knew there was no use pointing out that it was an hour back to the surface and that five or even ten minutes would make no difference. I understood her urgency, but knew that if we came smelling strongly of sweat and each other, it would add another element of unexpected and possibly distressing news to an already fraught moment of their lives.

“It’s through there,” I said, pointing to the bathroom door.

“Okay. Wait a minute before coming in, will ya? I need to pee first.”

I used those few moments to open her suitcase and take out a fresh set of clothing for her, laying them out on the bed. Then I heard her call out, “How do I use this?” And Polya, my bathroom and general health AI replied, “Do you wish for a water shower or a sonic one?’

“Sonic,” I answered for her, entering the small space. I glanced at my now thoroughly claimed mate. “It’s faster. Get in, close the glass door, and turn slowly, lifting each leg in turn onto the small footrest there in the corner so your nether regions are reached properly.”

Her mouth fell open. “Okay. Thanks.”

I nodded, leaving her to it while I picked up my clothes from earlier, giving them a sniff. I wrinkled my nose, smelling our combined pheromones on them, unsure if her family would be able to scent it. It would be best to not risk it, I decided, going to my closet to fetch out a fresh set.

She came out moments later, making a beeline for the bed and her change of clothes.

“Thank you so much for getting these out for me!”

“No problem. I’ll just be a minute.”

I emptied my bladder, then jumped into the shower. I emerged to find her fully dressed, on her cell phone with her brother. “I’m just waiting for him to come out of the bathroom,” she was saying. “Oh, he’s here now. We’ll be there in a jiff.” She pulled the phone away from her mouth and tapped to end her call.

I was already pulling on my pants. “How long is a jiff?” I asked, unfamiliar with that particular measurement of time.

“Oh, um, that’s short for a jiffy, which means, well, that we will hurry and not be long at all.”

“Ah,” I said, slipping on a boot before fastening it up. “So not a specific measurement of time, like a minute or a second.”

“No,” she giggled, then looked guilty for having a light moment while her father was ill.

“He will be alright,” I promised her, putting on my other boot.

“And how do you know that?” she demanded, her eyes welling up with tears.

“Because if he’s not, we’ll evac him in a stasis pod to our sickbay, and then he will be.”

“You’d do that?”

I nodded. “Of course.”

“And it would be allowed?”

I looked at her in surprise as I fastened up my other boot, then stood, slid my vest over my arms, and grabbed a brush from my bedside table, using it to tidy my hair as we walked out.

Her ponytail was in a wild disarray, but I said nothing, simply bringing the brush along with us. I’d fix her hair for her once we were aboard the shuttle.

“I asked, would it be allowed?’ she repeated as we walked out the front door and over to the elevator.

“Yes. I would not even have to make a special request as he is your male parent, and thus by extension, Mylos, as you are now Mylos.”

Tears welled in her eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered as the elevator doors swished open.

I gazed at her. “It is only what any decent being would do for another,” I told her gravely. Then the doors slid shut. “Xeranos, please return us to the shuttle bay.”

The elevator began to move and I tucked her against my side, wishing I could shield her from all the pain the universe could inflict.