Blue solace complete ser.., p.54
Blue Solace: Complete Series Boxset, page 54
“Nothing is ever certain, beautiful,” Alois said, struggling to shake off the feeling that Sebastian was right. “One thing we can be certain of is no matter what comes, we’ll face it together.” Alois sank down beside him and focused on loving his mate.
He licked a path down Sebastian’s body, pushing his mate’s robe open as he went. When he reached his dick, Alois stroked him, then kissed the tip. “May I, beautiful?”
“You may,” Sebastian said, smiling and panting.
Alois hummed in appreciation and swallowed Sebastian’s dick.
“Oh, fuck.”
Alois bobbed his head, working Sebastian’s cock and watching his mate’s face closely. There was no fear, only lust and love. Sebastian held his head as he came, groaning deeply.
“Dear god, that was so good,” he said, stroking Alois’s hair. Warmth filled his eyes, and he gave Alois a small, secret smile. “My turn.”
Chapter 3
Sebastian watched as Alois fed Nina the next morning. “Am I ever going to hold my daughter again?”
“No,” Alois said. “She’s my girl.” He burped her and laid her back in her bed.
“You’ll have to go back to work one day,” Sebastian said, thoughtfully. “I’ll get her then.” His comm chimed, and he looked at it. Blah! Then again. He rejected the call, then looked back at Alois.
“Nope. I’m taking her everywhere with me. If Hack can have a baby on his lap during a space battle, so can I.”
Sebastian laughed. “We’ll see what Dru says about that.” Mustachio flew into the nursery, sitting on the edge of Nina’s bed. He sang a low, soft song.
“He wants to eat Nina,” Alois said, frowning at the bird.
“No, he doesn’t,” Sebastian said, exasperated. “Mustachio is singing her a lullaby.”
“We’ll see,” Alois said, eyes narrowed. “I’m not leaving the room.”
“I’m going to Leti’s house to work for a bit.” He pointed between Mustachio and Alois. “You two behave.”
“Yes, dear,” Alois said, eyes trained on the bird. Sebastian rolled his eyes and left his idiot mate to it.
Sebastian left the house and followed the little pebble-covered trail from his front door to Leti’s. Juniper had planted pink deutzia bushes along the trail, and they were in full bloom. Leti waited at the door. His belly looked even bigger than yesterday, and the poor man looked miserable. Sami peeked around his leg, flashing baby fangs when he smiled at Sebastian and waved. Another year and the little boy would be heading to school.
“This baby needs to come out,” Leti said, close to tears. “Right now.”
“Are you in labor?” Sebastian pulled up his comm, ready to call for Nettle and Lilah. “You still have another week.”
“No,” Leti wailed. “The baby won’t come out, and I want him out right fucking now.”
Sebastian breathed a sigh of relief. “One more week, Leti. He’ll come soon enough. Have you picked a name yet?” He picked up Sami and turned Leti toward the house, pushing him a bit to get him moving.
“No,” Leti said, grumpiness in his voice. “Will and I can’t agree on a name. I don’t want to call him Willard Jr.”
Sebastian laughed as he set Sami back down. The little boy ran to his Betonize hunting cat, Pax, and squatted in front of him, petting his ears and nose.
“There’s nothing wrong with Willard Jr.,” Moses said. The man stood in the kitchen doorway, Pepper balanced on his hip. “Come on, sweet Sami. Do you want to go to the park?”
“Park!” Sami yelled and shimmied, dancing in place. “Pax come with.”
“Okay,” Moses agreed. “Go find his leash.” The little boy ran to the living room, and Moses kissed the top of Leti’s head. “You relax some today, alright? That boy will come soon enough.”
Leti groaned. “Why do you have to be so sweet and logical? Why?” Sami came back into the room with a leash. “Pick him up, Sebastian. Please? I want to kiss him goodbye.” Sebastian tried not to laugh as he grabbed Sami again. Leti leaned over and gave Pepper and Moses both a big smooch, then tickled Sami’s belly and kissed him too. “You all have fun. I’m going to nap while Uncle Sebastian does all the work.”
Moses, Pax, and the kids left, and Sebastian followed Leti to his office. The little space was just like Leti – chaotic, warm, and comforting. Druffle ran through the tunnels lining the wall. They were especially active today, he noted. Sebastian walked past a dozing Princess Buttercup and settled at his desk in one corner. It was piled high with books and data cubes and had two small vid-screens. Sebastian settled in his seat.
“If you don’t mind, I really am going to take a nap,” Leti said. He yawned and rubbed his eyes.
“You need the rest,” Sebastian said, smiling. “Princess needs a snuggle buddy too.” The ten-foot dragon opened his eyes and a puff of smoke curled from his nostrils. Sebastian shivered. Princess was a bit intimidating.
“I’ll get you a cup of tea and some snacks first,” Leti said, already half-way out the door.
“You don’t have to… and he’s gone,” Sebastian said. He shrugged and looked through the stack of books left to translate. “Hmm. Here’s another book of mythology, Princess.” His head spun back to Princess. He noticed the tiny white and blue Frost Veil Dragon curled up on Princess’s back. “Aww, Stardust. Are you visiting with Daddy Princess today? Fuck. That’s a weird title.”
He turned his attention back to the book and flipped through the first few pages. “Wait. This is really old.” It looked like it was from before the last two of the Queen’s cycles. “Let’s start here.” He started with the title page, then moved to the table of contents and prologue.
“Here you go,” Leti said, startling him. His friend set a platter of veggies and little sandwiches on the corner of his desk. A steaming cup of black tea with honey perched in the middle. “Princess, Stardust, and I will be upstairs in bed. Come get me if you need me.” He patted Sebastian’s shoulder and left him to his book.
Hours later, Sebastian’s platter of snacks was gone, and he was on his third cup of tea. The book wasn’t a book of myths. It was a history book focused on the details of the Queen’s original life. It cited sources they would never have access to, but it didn’t sugarcoat the Queen or her elements’ lives. At the time of this author, his leaders were debating trying to resurrect her. The author didn’t seem to be in favor of it.
He sighed. Death told them all about her beginnings, so this wasn’t really new information. He looked at the faded, inked picture of the Queen standing in a beautiful flower garden. She held the hand of a man, and they looked at one another with such love. He recognized Earth’s markings.
Sebastian brought up a far more recent picture of the Queen on the vid-screen. She stood on a battlefield looking around her with joy. Earth stood behind her, directly to her left, head bowed in subservience. Life stood to her right, head raised and expression smug. Sebastian wiped his eyes. The Queen really had been someone completely different when she first lived. Poor Earth shared her love in his first life, then was forced to watch her take Life as a lover each time they were brought back. He wouldn’t be able to handle that if it was Alois and him.
He flipped back a few pages, reading the account of Water’s rebellion. According to the primary sources from that time, the element had grown bored. He ran away, as far as he could, and started drinking people. The Queen and the others found him and stopped him, but thousands had died. There was a picture of him bowing in front of the Queen, her face full of disgust and anger. The account went on to say that Water’s rebellion inspired one from Air. The element created horrendous storms that killed thousands. Again, the Queen chased him down and stopped him, angered by his disregard for living beings.
“Life was still the worst,” he whispered aloud. That particular element hadn’t needed to run away to do damage. He had wreaked havoc in the Queen’s tribe. One account of his cruelty stood out from the others. One of the Queen’s favorite warriors found his life-mate, a young peasant woman. Life took advantage of her self-doubt as a new member of a wealthy tribe and took control of her. He made her have sex with every person that was willing, essentially raping her.
Her unexplained actions broke her mate’s heart. The man hadn’t known she wasn’t in control of her body until the Queen figured it out and explained it to him. Life was punished, but the damage was done. The warrior took his mate and left the Queen’s tribe, heart full of hatred. Another war began. The Queen won, but barely.
Sebastian nibbled his lip. The Queen fought for peace, either through negotiation or battle. He looked again at the picture on the screen. What kind of screwed-up spell could taint the soul so much it turned a decent person into a monster?
“Are you still working?” Leti moved slowly and sat in the window seat. “Grandpa Moses and the kids got back hours ago. Will is going to be home in just a few minutes, and Ma came over to cook dinner.”
Sebastian sat back, stretching his arms above his head. “Is it bad that I feel sorry for the Queen?”
Leti looked thoughtful. “What did you find?”
“Confirmation on what Death told us,” Sebastian said. “It’s one thing to hear a quick summary, but another to read tons of detailed accounts about her life.” He gave Leti an agonized look. “I think she and Earth were somehow life-mates, just like you and Hack. Like Alois and me. Can you imagine the pain Earth must be in?”
“He still serves her,” Leti said softly. “I see what you mean though. If Will was forcibly changed into a monster, it would kill me. It’s not a simple situation.”
Sebastian sighed. “Maybe we should just focus on how the Queen is now. It will make it easier to kill her, and I guess that should be our focus.”
Leti watched him, considering. “Keep digging, Sebastian. Every bit of knowledge we find will lead us to the answer.”
“Will do,” he said. “I may just take a break from this book and start another one too. It’ll clear my mind.”
“I’ll call your man and tell him to get over here. I did mention that Ma’s cooking, right?”
Sebastian laughed. “You did and my belly says, thank the gods.”
Leti left, and Sebastian grabbed a book from his pack, looking at the familiar cover guiltily. He traced his finger over the odd symbol on the front. It was a compilation of the symbols of all the elements. He should turn it and the translation over to Leti, but he didn’t want to part with it. Not yet.
He heard a whoosh of wind, and Mustachio landed on the windowsill. He preened, trilling hello. “Mustachio,” Sebastian said. “Why are you outside? You’re an indoor birdie. Did Alois dump you outside? Hmm, did you eat Alois?”
“Oh, what is that?” Leti eyed Mustachio in appreciation.
“He’s mine,” Sebastian said. “He’s a companion bird. Isn’t he beautiful?”
“He’s gorgeous. I’ve never had a bird before, you know,” Leti said.
“No.” Hack lounged in the doorway and watched Leti and Sebastian stroke Mustachio’s feathers. “No more pets.”
“This one is mine,” Sebastian said.
“I make no promises.” Leti waddled to his mate and kissed him. “I’ve never had a bird, Will.”
Hack groaned. “Ma said dinner was ready.” He looked at Sebastian. “Alois is here, and he said your damn bird flew out the window while he was feeding Wobble some apples. I guess we know where he went.”
They filed toward the kitchen, and Mustachio flew above them, landing on the open windowsill in Leti’s kitchen. Sebastian noted Alois’s breath of relief and tried not to laugh. “Did you try to get my bird to run away?”
“No, beautiful,” Alois said, looking stricken. “I know you love that damn bird.”
“I’m just kidding, Alois,” Sebastian said with a laugh. He kissed him softly, then stroked Nina’s head. Alois held their daughter as usual. “I think he’ll follow us right home.”
“He’s so lovely,” Ma said and fed Mustachio a bit of broccoli. “I haven’t seen a Radollia since the last time we visited Grellweir. They’re good companions, Sebastian, and utterly loyal. I don’t think you’ll have to worry about him running away.”
“He eats too well to leave you, beautiful,” Alois said, eating a bite of his own meal.
Ma’s belly laugh filled the room. “That’s what my honey bear says about himself.” She sat beside her husband, shooting him an amused look.
Pops looked sheepish but smiled wide. “It’s true. You cook too well for me to want to leave.” The large man took her smaller, yellow hand in his. “Who am I kidding? You could cook as bad as Leti and I’d still never leave you.”
“Pops,” Leti said, looking devastated. “I’m the lowest standard of comparison now?”
“When cooking’s the topic, sweet pea,” Pops said, taking a bite of his potatoes. “You have many talents, but cooking isn’t one of them.”
“I can’t believe you said that,” Leti said. He looked around the table. “It’s not true, right?” Sebastian stared at his plate and shoveled food in his mouth. Maybe if he didn’t make eye contact. “Sebastian?”
He peeked at Leti. “I love you, Leti. You, Shae, and Wyatt are my best friends, and I believe in you. One day, you’ll be a great cook.”
Leti sat up straight. “One day.” He looked around. “You’ll all see.”
Chapter 4
Alois took pictures through the window. Silas and Rune were snuggling on the hammock again. This time, Abbot was with them. Mo’s big jackrabbit sat atop their stomachs, settled in to rest. Sebastian sat at the kitchen table, books and his tablet spread out in front of him. A steaming cup of tea sat on a saucer nearby, and he watched Alois.
“Are you spying on Silas and Rune again?”
“Maybe,” Alois said. “They’re just so damn cute.”
Sebastian just laughed and went back to the book he was translating. He’d been fascinated by it all week. Alois smiled at his mate, then sent the pictures to his friends. “Nina and I will be back by lunch,” he said. “Unless we decide to go shopping.”
“I can’t believe you’re taking her to a mandatory meeting,” Sebastian said, rolling his eyes. “You could part with her for one morning.”
“No,” Alois said. “She’s my girl.”
“So, I’ve heard,” Sebastian said. He leaned up and pulled Alois down to give him a kiss. “You two have fun after the meeting and feel free to call me if she gets to be too much.”
Alois kissed him again. He would never get enough of Sebastian’s taste. “Enjoy your books,” he said finally, licking the taste of his mate from his lips.
Sebastian looked a bit dazed. Mustachio flew into the room and landed gracefully on the perch in the corner. He started to hum. Alois shook his hand and grabbed Nina’s bag while Sebastian cooed to their little girl. She was strapped securely in her stroller, dressed in a white pantsuit covered with colorful baby bunnies – a gift from Leti. Sebastian tucked a soft, purple knitted blanket around her, then walked them to the door.
Alois kissed his mate one more time, then headed to the tram. Dru told everyone last night that the Lord Admiral wanted to meet briefly this morning for an update on the station. It didn’t take long to get to the admiral’s district, and Nina and he strolled into the conference room, right on time. Dru rolled her eyes when she saw Nina but couldn’t resist giving her a kiss and unstrapping her from the stroller. Alois sat between her and Cordelia, setting Nina’s bag at his feet.
Lord Admiral Fasi Juren paced at the front of the room, face stern but a little worried. His wife, Renee, the security chief for the station, stood calmly at the front of the large table.
Hack plopped into the seat next to Dru and leaned around her to smile at Alois. “Nice picture of Silas and Rune. They barely leave Silas’s room. Rune says it’s because Silas needs help healing.”
Alois laughed. “I’m sure that’s it.”
“Alright,” Fasi said, coming to stand next to Renee. “I think everyone’s here. Renee and I are meeting with each sector today to personally update you on what is happening in regard to the Concords and the elements. I want to hear your ideas, so please speak up.”
“The first concern we wanted to discuss is the two elements that are in our possession,” Renee said. Fortunately, Alois’s friends had been able to kill both Water and Life, and their essences retreated to the artifacts that housed them. Now they sat in a lab, protected by Charybdis Station’s best.
“What are your thoughts?” Fasi looked around at the crowd of the Blue Fleet’s officers and Hack’s personal crew of the Blue Solace. “Please keep in mind that our enforcers have already stopped two attempted thefts of the artifacts.”
Alois thought about Sebastian’s stories last night. Water, Air, and Life were bad from the start. Sebastian thought it had something to do with their original creation, but that was all supposition. There was no doubt they were dangerous and lacked any compassion.
“Can we use them?” Draif leaned forward, face thoughtful. Leti’s best friend was now a captain of his own ship and crew. His insight and skills had impressed the whole station. “They’re both very powerful and could be useful.”
Fasi looked conflicted. “That was one suggestion the Council made. Both elements have interesting powers that no species has ever seen before. Damn it, but the idea makes me sick.”
“Sebastian has been translating a new book that tells the historic accounts of their original lives,” Alois said, hesitant to speak but knowing they needed the information. “Death told us Air, Water, and Life were cruel from the start, and he was right. If their Queen had trouble controlling them, how would we manage it? I suggest we let Wyatt and his father figure out a way to permanently destroy them.”
“They’ve already caused so much damage, and they’ve only been active for a little over a year,” Draif said thoughtfully. “That might be the best choice.”
