Page 33 of Breaking Ties

Vress looked at her. “I was woefully unprepared, so I thought it only fair to give them some warning.”

She covered her mouth and smiled. “Wise. We are like untrained puppies. Everything is new and interesting. That will make for some interesting hybrids with some of the ladies and the guys for that matter.”

“Will we have little hybrids?”

“If we do, they won’t stay little for long.” She smirked.

“Have you seen children?”

She looked at him and smiled. “All over the place. Your population is very active.”

“Our children.”

She leaned toward him. “Ask me when we are alone.”

The bulk of the warship loomed, and the humans got quiet. This was when shit got real. Spaceships, new species, and no Earth to hide on. Even broken and dead, the Earth was the devil they knew. Now, they were in for a whole new range of devils, and they had to learn fast.

Inside the ship, the walls were lined with crew. For the first time, Aubrey looked at the species with pewter skin and black hair on average. There were other races in the mix, like Alyssa’s likely bondmate.

Alyssa was looking intently, and she paused and blushed when she saw him. His eyes were glowing as he looked at her, and Aubrey smiled. “Vress, is there someone who can take the ladies to a fabricator?”

The crew gasped at her informality.

She put her hand on the back of Vress’s wrist. “My lord.”

He snorted. “I am going to have to address your etiquette, Aubrey.”

“That is Lady Oracle to even you.”

He stared and snorted. “Just so.”

“Sounds like you need remedial lessons.” She kept her head high and her smile polite.

He laughed. “We will take the courses together.”

They began to walk toward the crew, and everyone snapped to attention. They paused near the captain. Vress said, “We need a few crewmen to take the ladies to the fabricators and get them wardrobes, and then they need quarters close together.”

Alyssa’s male said, “I volunteer.”

Aubrey whispered. “Wow. Shocker.”

Four other males volunteered, and one of them was the captain. Aubrey smiled in greeting. “Captain Asu-ra, it is delightful to meet you. I have been hearing about you for minutes.”

The man grinned. “You speak frankly, my lady.”

“I try to. Lying is too much trouble.”

“Will you join me at the captain’s table tonight, Lady Aubrey?”

“Yes, and I will bring my accessory.” She leaned her head against Vress’s shoulder.

The Hmrain looked at her in astonishment. She fluttered her lashes.

He wrapped an arm around her waist. “We are going to discuss deportment. We will see you in five hours. He lifted her and walked through the ship halls with long strides. “Set course for Aten.”

“Yes, Lord Vress.”

Aubrey kept track of the pathway to Vress’s quarters, which were now going to be her quarters. She was a little nervous. Seeing him over, next to, and inside her was different than feeling it firsthand. The visions were annoying in their detail, with no sound or subtitles. She was assuming she and Vress were lovers. He could just have repeatedly been tripping and falling on her naked.