Diltan thought about opening another bottle of bohut. “She’s so bawdy and unreserved.”
And she hates me.
Wal’s grin was as devilish as Rolat’s. “Which we like. You know, I think courting Cissy would be a valid form of punishment for what Diltan did to Matara Lindsey. My Nobek, you are without a doubt one of the most intelligent men I’ve ever known.”
“Thank you, Wal. Though I think courting Cissy will be only a start for Diltan’s punishment. I’ll have to think on further repercussions for the serious wrong he’s done.” Rolat skewered Diltan with his demanding stare. “No just going through the motions on this either, Diltan. I want to see you chase after Cissy with all the fervor of a man in love.”
“If she’ll even see us,” the Dramok pointed out. “If you recall, she didn’t seem so keen on us this morning.”
Wal’s smile faded, replaced by his stern ‘judge look’, as Diltan thought of it. “You will fix it so she changes her mind,” he commanded.
Diltan scowled. Yet he remembered how warm it had made him feel on the inside when he’d woken to Cissy’s face first thing this morning. It had been the only moment of happiness he’d felt all day. Sinking into her warmth last night after weeks of thinking about her had been an unparalleled joy.
Who was he kidding? After dealing out hard truths all day, he had to face his own uncomfortable slice of reality. He was every bit as intrigued by Cissy as his clanmates. She irritated him, but she excited him as well.
Perhaps the only reason I find her infuriating is because she’s someone I don’t think I should want, and yet she still stirs me so damned much.
It was an interesting notion. However, Diltan was not willing to own up to the thrill of pursuing the rebellious little Earther to his clanmates. They might decide on some other awful form of punishment for his attempted indiscretions with Matara Lindsey.
Rolat stood. “You look presentable enough. Since you’ve had three glasses of bohut, I’ll pilot the shuttle.”
Diltan started. “What, you want to go talk to her now?”
“Absolutely. Move or I’ll carry you.”
Diltan’s heart rate sped up at the thought of seeing Cissy. However, for Rolat and Wal’s benefit, he put on a long-suffering expression and said, “Won’t this awful day ever end?”
* * * *
Cissy was poking around in her cooling unit for something to snack on when Tasha burst into her apartment. “Cissy, you have to come over to my place now.”
Cissy stared at her flushed twin. “Why? What’s going on?”
“No time. Come on!”
With no further explanation, Tasha rushed through the door that led to her quarters. Wondering what all the excitement was about, Cissy hurried after her.
She stopped short to see Clan Diltan assembled in Tasha’s greeting room. As one, the men bowed to her. When they straightened, Wal and Rolat looked to Diltan, who stood between them. He scowled at them in turn before giving Cissy his attention.
With a stiff smile on his stupidly handsome face, Diltan said, “Good evening, Matara Cissy. I am glad to see you again.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Sure you are. We parted on such lovely terms this morning. What is this all about?”
Beaming Tasha tugged her down to one of the seating cushions surrounding the low table where they’d had coffee this morning. Tasha waved the men to the other cushions. “Please sit down, gentlemen.” She said to Cissy, “I told them you confessed to what happened last night and that I’m all right with it.”
Cissy snorted. “Did you also tell them you plotted for what happened last night to happen?”
As they settled down to sit cross-legged across from the sisters, Rolat and Wal looked amused. Diltan was obviously startled and banged his knee against the table.
“Careful!” Tasha called.
Cissy silently thanked the table.
Wal’s devastating smile made her heart thump, but it was aimed at her sister. “So you wanted us to end up with Cissy. Is that why we were treated to so many stories about your sister, Matara Tasha?”
Tasha blushed. “Sorry. I know I wasn’t subtle. However, I could tell we weren’t working out so well and she obviously had a thing for you.”
Diltan’s brow rose at that tidbit. Cissy hated the smirk that tried to turn the corners of his mouth up. “Is that so?”
Cissy gave him her most unimpressed look. “Tasha overstates the issue. I like Rolat and Wal. You, on the other hand—”
Tasha pinched her and told Diltan, “She never shuts up about you, even though much of her incessant ramblings have to do with what an awful person she says you are.”
Rolat winked at Cissy. “My Dramok does have his moments.”
Diltan rolled his eyes.
Tasha kept talking as if no one else had spoken. “As Shakespeare said, ‘The lady doth protest too much, methinks.’”
Cissy rubbed her thigh where Tasha had pinched her. “As some other wiser person said, what I wouldn’t give to be an only child.”
Tasha ignored her. “I like your clan, Dramok Diltan. I think you are wonderful men with much to offer the right woman. However, I don’t think I’m the one you should be offering it to. That particular honor, if you can stand her, belongs to Cissy.”
The three men bowed their heads to Tasha. Diltan said, “Matara, it was indeed a privilege to be considered by you, and we thank you for the honor. However, my clanmates have agreed that they too are not convinced we would make good clanmates for you.”
Rolat made a low sound in his throat.
Diltan sighed. “I also agree. We hereby rescind our interest in you for our Matara.”
He turned purple eyes to regard Cissy. That hint of a knowing smirk returned, and she bristled.
Oh, so you think I’m a sure thing, do you? Well, you just go ahead and ask if you can date me. If you dare, I’m going to turn you down flat, you pompous ass. You are not the Dramok for me. You piss me off, and no number of amazing kisses or great nights in bed are going to make up for that.
Wal nudged Diltan. The Dramok shot him a glare before drawing himself up. “Matara Cecilia, as tempestuous as our meetings have been thus far, they have also been ... interesting.”
Cissy made an ugly sound.
Diltan didn’t react. “Will you consider my clan’s offer to explore compatibility for possible clanship?”
Cissy opened her mouth.
Hell no, not in a million years, not if you were the last man on Kalquor.
“Thank you, Dramok Diltan. I accept.” Her teeth snapped shut, making a loud clicking sound. She moaned, “Oh crap, what did I just do?”
Wal snickered. “Funny. I once said that myself when I gave in to joining his clan.”
“Not quite,” Rolat grinned. “You used more colorful language.” He turned and bowed his head to Cissy. “Don’t worry, Matara. Wal and I will do all we can to make up for our Dramok.”
Tasha’s smile was blinding. “Yep, these are the men for you, sister of mine.” She giggled.
Cissy clapped her hands to her face and squeezed her eyes shut. “I am an idiot.”
“You are so wonderful for my ego, Matara,” Diltan sighed.
* * * *
Tasha excused herself to get ready for another date. Wal was amused to hear himself say, “I hope you have a lovely time.” He was more amused to realize he meant it. Tasha was definitely not the Matara for him.
When his clan first applied for the lottery, Wal had vowed that he would do whatever it took to claim the first Matara who showed the least bit of interest in their clan. The chance to attract a lifebringer and eventually become a father had felt like the holy grail of his existence.
Yet like so many things the Imdiko had believed he wanted throughout his life, this wish had turned out not to be so important after all ... at least not where attracting just any woman was concerned. No, now he knew it had to be the right woman.
You’d think after all these years, after all the mistakes I’ve made, I’d figure out I don’t have half the answers I thought I did. By now, I should realize that I don’t know what I want until it hits me over the head.
Wal’s gaze settled on Cissy. Maybe it was this woman he wanted, just as it had been Diltan and Rolat he wanted instead of that awful Dramok from his boyhood. He knew one thing for sure. If Cissy rose from her seat right now and excused herself to get ready to meet another clan ... other men ... jealousy would tear his gut apart.
If we could get her and Diltan to stop fighting long enough to explore the possibilities, this might be a good match. Better than good.
Cissy glared at Wal’s Dramok even now. Why was she angry again? She’d agreed to see them as potential mates. Maybe it had something to do with the satisfied look on Diltan’s face. Wal thought about kicking him to make the expression go away.
As he contemplated the amusing notion, Cissy sighed and stood up. She motioned to the door that connected her rooms to Tasha’s. “I guess we should talk about this. Come on, I’ll fix us all some drinks.”
Having seen the woman crumble before passion before, Wal believed he had a better idea. It certainly beat giving Diltan and Cissy another opportunity to snipe at each other. Before his clanmates could make a move towards the door, he said, “Talking is so overrated.”
Rolat and Diltan turned to him, their gazes questioning. Cissy gave him a surprised look. That delighted Wal. She’d startled him so many times, it was good to return the favor for once.
The delectable Earther recovered and smirked at him. “You should know. You do so little of it.”
Wal grinned his own challenge. “I listen to lawyers nitpick codes and laws and precedent all day. If we’re going to court you, I prefer we dive right into the matter.”
Her amazing blue-green eyes narrowed. “In what way?”
“Let us take you home and introduce you to our playroom.”
A low growl, perhaps too low for Cissy to hear, issued from Rolat. Diltan’s eyes widened, and he snickered.
Meanwhile, Cissy stared at him with confused amusement. “A
playroom
? I’m younger than you by a bit, but I’m not a child. What are three adult men doing with a playroom anyway? Do you have kids you haven’t told me about?”
Wal spoke with the deadly quiet voice he used in court. It was the tone that got a lot of attention from troublesome prosecutors and defendants alike because of the threat in its undercurrent. “Oh, it’s definitely not a room meant for little ones. This room, with all its toys, is one for grownups only.”
Cissy’s eyes grew large. Good. She’d heard the intimate menace he’d wanted her to hear. After last night, she had an inkling as to how demanding sex with his clan was. It tickled Wal to see the way she swallowed hard. He didn’t want her afraid of him, but the Imdiko enjoyed seeing her nervous. Diltan seemed to relish her hesitation as much as Wal. He grinned from ear to ear. “Where is the adventurous Matara we’ve gotten used to? My Imdiko, I do believe you’ve made her uneasy.”
The challenge from the Dramok made Cissy ready to fight back. She folded her arms over her voluptuous chest. Her suspicious gaze met Wal’s. “It’s just that I’m not sure what you’re up to. As we’ve discussed before, it’s the quiet ones a girl should look out for.”
Rolat confirmed, “In Wal’s case, you would be right. There is a lot of evil behind that sweet face.”
Diltan dismissed Cissy with a wave of his hand. “She won’t go for it. Last night was her limit. This little Matara is brash up to a point ... then when you call her bluff, she runs.”
“I’m not running from anything.” Her jaw jutted out.
Cissy played right into their eager hands by getting pissed off enough to become reckless. This time drinking too much was not required, and that pleased Wal. He ached to have her beneath him again, with no excuses to hide behind. Her rashness might be ill-advised, but in this case, the Imdiko was all for it.
His hopes were confirmed as she marched to the door that led out to the corridor rather than the one to her rooms. She gave them an impatient look over her shoulder. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go.”
Wal was at her side in an instant and offered Cissy his arm. She took it with bravado, though he caught a glimpse of uncertainty in her eyes. He made sure his smile offered approval.
“As you wish, Matara. I am glad to see your spirit of adventure.”
Sharing a grin with his clanmates, Wal walked her to the in-house transport, which would take them out of the complex.
How he looked forward to getting her into the playroom at home. There, they would find out just how adventurous little Cissy was.
* * * *
With Rolat and Diltan walking with them, Wal escorted Cissy to the cliff where the clan lived. It was a two-mile jaunt, giving the group time to talk. During their short journey, Cissy learned Diltan had been born into money (no surprise), that he’d felt uneasy about it (surprise), and he’d gone out of his way to make his own way rather than rely on his parents’ generosity (bigger surprise).
She also discovered Rolat had not set out to be a prison administrator but a Global Security officer. He said he’d been devastated when he hadn’t been accepted by the organization as a youth.
“It’s not an easy task to be accepted in their programs,” he told her. “You not only have to pass a lengthy testing process—”
“Which he did,” Wal pointed out.
“—but a lot has to do with who you know. People without connections face an uphill battle.”
Diltan was quick to add, “They invited Rolat to apply again five years after his initial attempt.”
The Nobek shrugged. “By then I was already making substantial gains in the Department of Penal Colonies. I had been awarded commendations, promoted twice, and discovered that while not as glamorous as Global Security, I enjoyed the work. I turned Global Security down.”
During the walk, Cissy also found out that Imdikos typically didn’t pursue work as lawyers and judges. Wal laughed, “My parents continually asked me if it was really what I wanted to do the entire time I studied law. We even argued about it. When it comes to the court system, my breed usually gravitates to advocacy for victims and defendants, along with support work. However, my Dramok father was a lawyer and it always fascinated me. I used to watch him argue cases. I knew that was what I wanted to do.”