Confused, the group shuffled off in the direction Tara shooed them.
“Grayson, can you grab the other side of the table?” she asked. Together the Omegas moved the heavy thing toward the kitchen island, leaving a wide, open space behind.
“Okay.” Tara straightened up and blew a short strand of hair from her eyes. “We’re getting every blanket I own and turning the living room into a giant bed. Omegas, with me. Alphas, plate up some snacks and get drinks.”
The Mer hastened to obey the tiny blonde while the Omegas disappeared into the bedroom at the end of the hall.
“Definitely Zasia,” Eksal muttered in Loaish. “They’d be unstoppable together.”
“Should I text her?” Malukti asked.
“Who’s Zasia?” Eiru whispered.
“Female Alpha we all know very well,” Keld said, casting a glance down the hallway. “She usually goes for males, though, doesn’t she?”
Malukti huffed a laugh. “She likes playing with males. But her longest relationships have always been with females.”
“Can’t blame her,” Eiru said. “Itisfun to play with males.”
Keld and Eksal nodded dutifully.
“But won’t it scare her if some random Mer shows up at her door?” Keld pointed out.
Malukti’s fins sank. “That’s a fair point.”
All four Alphas eyed one another.
“Fuck it, I’m sending her Tara’s number.” Malukti pulled her phone from the pocket of her loose dress just as the Omegas emerged, weighed down by a mountain of blankets.
“Hey!” Tara yelled. “I don’t see a single plate!”
Aureli heaved a dramatic sigh as he dropped his armload of bedding. “Alphas are helpless without us.”
“I am not helpless! We were simply talking,” Malukti protested.
“Sure, sure.” Aureli squeezed past her and started piling snacks onto a paper plate. “Do me a favor darlin’ and get me a hard seltzer.”
“You know I cannot understand you when you speak with that accent.”
The other four humans spread blanket after blanket on the ground, until the living room looked fit for an orgy.
The old Keld would have loved that,Keld reflected. But as the couples settled in, arms around each other and scales to skin, all Keld wanted to do was hold his Omega close.
Tara flicked through a seemingly endless list of titles before selecting something called “Nightmares of Blood.” A flood of redcorn syrup washed over the screen and a waterphone trilled its spine-tingling melody.
“This one is terrible,” Tara announced. She sat back against the couch, phone in hand. Keld’s attention darted to Malukti, who was surreptitiously watching the single Omega frown at her screen.
Tara whipped her head around and stabbed an accusatory finger at the orange-scaled Mer. “You gave my number to some random Alpha? Without asking?”
“No! She is my friend, not a random Alpha.” Malukti’s fins wavered uncertainly. “You are the only one here without an Alpha. I believe you and Zasia would be a good match. Keld and Eksal know her well, too.”
Tara fell back against the couch and grinned. “Thanks.” She returned to her phone, thumbs flying across the screen.
Grayson craned his neck to look up at Keld from his position in the Mer’s lap. “Was that what you were all whispering about?”
“Maybe.” Keld kissed his forehead. “Now let’s watch this terrible movie.”
Chapter 31
