Celestial Beauty (18 page)

Loc sat on the other side taking her hand, smiling his
reassurance. She sighed, not sure what to make of all this silence and
posturing of her men.

“
I’ll all be over soon, don’t worry.”

She sighed trustingly and rested her head against
Kue’s arm, yawned and closed her eyes.

Chapter Fifteen

Her quarantine lasted two long days. Watching her men
turn and walk away had almost brought tears to her eyes, but they had all
kissed her soundly and reassured her they’d be reunited soon.

Celeste’s legs swung from the examination table. She
hadn’t been able to even talk to her men, kind of like quarantine. Her medic,
Pat, smiled. “Congratulations, everything is clear, and there is no sign of
drugs or duress.”

She folded her arms. It was hard to be angry at the
quads who were so sweet. “Told you, the only duress I’ve suffered since being
rescued by my quads is being separated from them and forced to endure all these
tests.”

“
We are sorry, Celeste, but we did explain why.”

Yes, they had. Apparently some poor human woman had
been drugged and almost forced to marry a set of quads she didn’t want. She was
rescued in time by the quads she had chosen. It was good they’d put these
safeguards in place. Celeste also learned there were up to twenty human women
living on Galafrax, one even being with the High Lords, kind of like kings of
the planet.

Celeste didn’t really care. As long as she had her men
she was happy.

“
One other thing, the test results brought up something
you should be aware of. I’ll be advising your quads when I see them, to take
very special care of you.”

Her swinging legs halted as she stared at him. “Why?”

“
As you are carrying the next generation of Demos.”

It took a moment for her to understand what he meant,
before it hit. “I’m pregnant?” Her voice pitched high with sudden shock.

The medic tensed, and reached out to take her hands
into his, staring into her eyes. “You don’t welcome this news? Are you sure
they did not force you into mating with them? Do not fear telling me the truth,
Celeste. It is a high crime to impregnate an unwilling female. As it is, it is
a rare thing to do, because until mated all sets of quads have anti-fertility
shots. So no female can get pregnant without a bonding. Your quads are
different in having been previously bonded.”

She frowned slightly. Loc had mentioned something
about that a few days ago, but there were other more important matters to deal
with.

“
No, no, I wasn’t unwilling. Everything we did I
wanted. I’m just surprised. I mean I kind of knew this could happen, and did
want to have children with them, just not this soon. Are you sure? I mean it’s
only been a week since we started.” Her cheeks reddened.

“
I don’t know much of human medical advances, but on
Galafrax we can tell within a matter of days.” He released her hands and moved
to tap on his screen. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

“
Oh yes, I’m better than good, great actually. I can’t
wait to break the news to my quads. When can I see them again?”

“
Everything is clear. Your guards will escort you home
right now if you wish.”

Excitement bubbled within her as she nodded
enthusiastically. “Yes.” She jumped from the exam table all too eager to be
back with her men. She missed them with every beat of her heart. They had so
much to talk about and so much to plan.

Her set of guards met her at the door. She hadn’t
learnt their names, as she was too eager to get back with her men.

“
She’s all clear. Take her to her quads.” Medic Pat
nodded at the guards, who nodded in response.

Lost in her own thoughts and excitement she didn’t pay
much attention to where they were taking her, through corridors and down a long
set of stairs into one of their transport vehicles. She stared out the window,
loving how Second City reminded her of a modern version of ancient Egypt, from
those she’d seen in picture books as a child. The Demos people lived and worked
in pyramid type structures. The homes were called domiciles, and the official
buildings Qui. The huge one in the centre of the city was the grand palace
where the High Councillors lived and worked. Apparently they were the
equivalent to a Prime Minister. The High Councillors also answered to the High
Lords of Galafrax, the kings. Still, it seemed every society had its problems,
and the Demos peoples were little different from humans, apart from the social
structure of having one wife to four brothers. It worked for them, and her, so
who was she to question it.

“
The Nova domicile.” She glanced up to see they’d
stopped in front of a rather large pyramid domicile. “Nova?”

“
Your quads, Miss Celeste, your new home.”

She grinned. “Thanks, fellas!” Scrambling out of the
vehicle, not looking back, she hurried up the steps. The door slid open, and
she walked in, standing inside a large entrance way. Why was no one there to
meet her? Where were her men? She began to wonder if the medical facility had
informed them of her return. Or if they’d dropped her off at the right place.
In fact she didn’t even remember them telling her they owned a domicile.

The faint rumbling of voices drew her down the hall.
Despite them being quads, their voices held slight differences, and she recognized
Zeb’s deep rumble.

“
It was all a big mistake, all of it. One that will
never happen again!”

Celeste froze at Zeb’s loud declaration.

“
I know, and that’s why I’m here. We’ve all made many
mistakes, but there’s no need to fret over it, Zeb my darling. Let’s just put
the past behind us.”

Ice suddenly slid through Celeste’s veins at the sound
of a female’s voice. She leaned forward to see a tall, muscular, and very thin
Demos woman, her thick black hair bobbed around her shoulders, wrapping one arm
her arms around Zeb’s neck, her other hand snaking down to and rubbing against
his crotch.

“
Nazzara, there is—” Raz stepped up behind her.

“
Raz, we can all be together, as we have and as we
should be.” She turned to glance seductively at Raz as she clung on to Zeb.
“Now you’ve come back to Galafrax and heroes and so rich, it made me so hot for
you. No one can match my quads’ prowess in pleasuring. You were always the
best. I demand you pleasure me again, here and now.”

It only took a moment for her to realize this was the
ex-
sheraz
Loc had mentioned briefly.
The ex-wife, and it seemed she wasn’t so ex after all.

“
Nazzara,” growled Zeb, gripping Nazzara’s arms and
pushing her back into Raz.

“
One mistake was enough, Nazzara. We will not make
another one. Our choice has been made.”

Nazzara just smiled, reaching behind her to pull the
string of her top. It made the whole skimpy red garment fall down her slim,
lithe body. “Remember you chose me first, Zeb, and all this is yours again, and
you are mine.”

Celeste snapped up straight. She slapped her hand over
her mouth to hold in the gasp, slowly backing up, out of earshot of the rest of
the conversation. Could it be? Was what she had just heard true. They didn’t
really want her?

An ice cold chill ran through her veins and she could
feel her heart shrivelling in her chest at their betrayal. Her stomach churned,
and bile rose up in her throat as she turned and walked back down the hall, out
the front door, past the gates and onto the street. There she paused, glancing
back. Maybe she should go back and talk to them, see if this was really the
case. But she couldn’t seem to make herself turn and head back into the house.

All her life she’d been a nothing, a no one. Now,
she’d just proved what a loser she really was, allowing herself not only to
trust but to let herself love. Her heart shattered into a million little
pieces.
Keep moving forward
. It was
how she coped in times like this.

She walked down the darkening streets, wondering how
the best day of her life had turned into the worst in a matter of moments.
Discovering she was pregnant and being reunited with her men, to realizing she
was nothing but a mistake. Why would they want a stupid human girl over their
species? A lone tear fell down her cheek, before she stubbornly swiped it away.

Never again, never
again, never again
.

She’d survived her mother’s abandonment, survived
through all those foster care homes, survived her abusive ex, survived being
abducted by Jorvals, survived the crash and living on a harsh alien planet. Her
heart and mind balanced on the brink of utter collapse.

No!
She sucked in a deep breath.
I will survive this, too.

She had no idea where she was going or what she was
going to do. She stopped to take some bearings her gaze drawn to the tall,
brightly lit Qui-palace. If humans were protected by the Demos maybe these High
Councillors would help protect her and her unborn child. It wasn’t much of a
plan, but it was all she had. Passing Demos men on the street, some in pairs
some more, paused to stare at her. One bold Demos male in uniform stepped up to
her.

“
It is not safe for a human female to be wandering the
streets. Can I be of assistance, pretty human?”

She looked up at him, forcing a weak smile.

Never again, never
again, never again
. “Could you
escort me to the Palace please? I wish to speak to the High Councillors.”

He offered his arms, and his other brother moved in on
her other side. They nodded at each other, and she recognized the twinkle of
hope in their eyes. She’d never let anyone near her heart again. “I am Ben, and
this is my brother Pep. It will be an honour to escort you to the palace.”

****

Zeb growled in frustration. If his brothers would have
allowed it he’d take the spoiled selfish Demos female over his knee and teach
her some humility.

Nazzara always had a talent of sniffing out quads with
wealth. Their newfound wealth and minor mention of them bringing in a Jorval
war ship, and the technology half the galaxy have been after for many
Galafraxian years had been in the news feeds. Since their debrief and knowing
Celeste would be in seclusion for two days, they had gone to work, searching
for and buying a new home for their Celestial beauty. They worked around the
clock, to make it ready for when she was released. Being on a Jorval ship had great
benefits. Many of the Jorvals who’d ejected from the ship they’d taken over had
left open files and many financial records. All Loc needed to do access those
files and transfer all the credits across to their own account. It was fair
compensation for them blowing up their source of income. After all, they had a
new wife and eventually a family to look after.

Nazzara had turned up at the door, striding in when it
was opened as if she owned their newly purchased domicile, trying to push her
way back into their lives, with lies and seduction. None of them were having
it.

“
Nazzara, the only thing you do to me is fill me with
disgust.” Zeb shoved her into Raz, who swiftly bent and pulled up her dress,
tying it in a knot so it couldn’t be easily undone again.

“
You would say no to me! The most beautiful of all
Demos females? All males want me!” Outrage filled her golden eyes. Loc moved in
swiftly gripping her wrist before she could slap Zeb.

“
Yes, I say no to you. We don’t want you. We haven’t
wanted you for a long time, so get out of our home, before our real
sheraz
arrives. She will always be far
better than the lying, cheating, greedy creature you are. So get out!”

She gasped in shock. It was clear no one had ever
talked to her like that. It was time more Demos took a stand against how they
indulged and spoiled their females to excess. It turned them into creatures
like Nazzara.

“
Speaking of which, I was informed moments before
this…” he sneered at the female, “…turned up, medical called and said our real
wife was cleared to leave and was being escorted to our new estate. She will be
arriving very soon.” Raz glanced up from his time keeper. This meant they
couldn’t afford to have their ex still on the premises.

“
Kue, could you and Loc take out this trash, then make
sure she can’t re-enter.” He waved his hand dismissively at Nazzara, feeling
nothing for her and realizing he never really had.

“
How dare you dismiss
me!
I’ve
never been treated with such … such … disrespect in all my life.” At her words
she screamed and tried to launch herself at Zeb. Loc and Kue easily intercepted
holding her firmly between them. “You’ll be sorry for this!” she spat with
venom.

“
Nazzara, we already are,” Raz said dryly as Loc and
Kue dragged her out. She fought and tried to break free, but it was of little
use.

How the lithe, thin form of the Demos female had ever
appealed to him, he would never know. Now he knew better. All he and his
brothers could think about was their beautiful, soft, round Celeste.

At last the sound faded, he and Raz strode to the
front door. They glanced at each other. “Did you leave the door open?”