Mated by Twilight (True Match)

Chapter 5

Tillos

What stood before them now was probably the most beautiful creature he’d ever had the chance to behold. Sollit was near bursting with excitement. A feeling that was clashing and mixing with Tillos’ awed admiration of this little creature.

He was prepared for a sensual human, but he wasn’t ready for just how darling she actually was. The top of her head barely reached the base of their necks, but what she lacked in height, she more than made up for in curves.

Humans, he knew from their research, had permanent, presenting breasts that were used for feeding their young. Avanava also gave live birth, but their females did not feed their young in such a way, and so didn’t have breasts at all. Tillos and Sollit had never particularly cared about such things before, considering them a pleasant but largely uninteresting curve on those females that did have them. Even now, he wasn’t sure he truly appreciated them the way males of a species that did develop breasts at some point did, but he was very curious to explore those abundant, weighty globes that she couldn’t quite hide in her baggy, white sweater.

Nor could she hide her large rear, which was also rather pleasant. Avanava females did, in fact, possess lovely hips and butts, but they were more slender, more subtle, in their curves. His human mate certainly outclassed them in that regard. He wished she hadn’t chosen such baggy clothes so that he could appreciate her form properly, but it made her look somehow more lush and huggable.

Her hair, cut to her shoulders, was pale blonde and wavy, with cute little bangs swept apart down the middle, framing her lovely, round face. Bright, stunning blue irises were set in a pair of wide eyes, rimmed with more bright hairs – tiny and delicate though, unlike the long ones on her head. Her mouth was small, but her lips were plump, parted in surprised as she stared at him and his brother with emotions that were… less than welcoming.

She seemed stunned, but not in a good way like Sollit and himself. She looked like someone had just thrown something at the back of her head and she was in that brief moment between being hit and actually feeling the hit.

Then, she said why.

“I just… wasn’t expecting… two…” Her voice trailed off, getting softer with each word. Her shoulders hunching in on themselves as though expecting to be struck for admitting as much.

And that was alarming as well, though not as immediately concerning as the fact that, apparently, she had not been prepared for the two of them to appear.

And it also appeared that she was not taking the news well. Her pretty eyes were wide and darting, like she was getting ready to bolt. Fear, apprehension, unease all fought together on her face, making her twist her hands together as she shifted nervously on her feet.

That was wrong. Their female shouldn’t be so afraid, and he knew immediately that their plans for her tonight would have to change.

The moment he had that thought, he felt a similar determination settle in Sollit. This wasn’t what they had planned for, but what was a show without a little improvisation?

“Were you not informed, Miss Williams?” The domini female asked, appearing concerned. As she should be. If True Match was keeping such things quiet, there was a problem.

“No, I was.” Leah hastened to say, smiling nervously. “I mean, they wrote both their names, but I just kind of figured that it was like a misprint or maybe their names were written weird or something. I-It’s my fault, really. I was being dumb and not seeing what was right in front of me.”

“Do you…” the female domini started slowly, “… need to return?”

“Huh?” Leah blinked, as though surprised at the suggestion. Which was a relief. Tillos and Sollit’s immediate anxiety at the question ebbed just as fast as it arrived. Especially when she continued calmly, “No, it’s okay. Erm… Right? It’s okay?”

“Of course, it is,” Tillos reassured her quickly. But the frantic look in her eyes didn’t fade and he cast his mind around for a way to ease her apprehensions. “Perhaps, we can start slowly. It is an exciting day, but there’s no reason for us to rush our relationship.”

“Exactly,” Sollit agreed cheerfully, catching onto his plan like he had read it from his mind. “We’re just happy to meet you, Miss Williams.”

She blinked, as though startled, then started giggling. It was a sweet sound. Full and breathy, and it eased his and Sollit’s tension a bit more as her own shoulders relaxed.

“So… are we okay here?” The domini asked, looking between them.

Tillos and Sollit looked at their female, waiting for her decision. Tillos’ mind was already racing with thoughts and plans and ideas of what they could do if she decided to leave.

The little female didn’t answer immediately, her pretty eyes darting back and forth as she bit her lower lip, debating internally with herself. He and Sollit could only wait as she came to a decision and finally lifted her head, smiling at the other female.

“Yes, I’m okay,” she assured her.

The domini made a sound deep in her throat before glaring at them, like they might have done something wrong. “Very well. I’ll leave you here then. You have Ambassador Tzomei’s contact information. If you get a combot, make sure to send him your comm patch signature. We’ll be checking in every tenday, don’t forget.”

The last was said quite deliberately at Tillos and Sollit. Interesting. According to their research, the mated human females were settling in nice and safe. Though, maybe that wasn’t true. Or, if it was, there was more to the story.

Regardless, the domini female handed over control of the luggage cart to Sollit before bidding their mate a final farewell. Leah thanked her before waving her off, long sleeve falling down revealing her cute little hand. She had claws, but they were so thin as to be translucent and were kept short and clean. There wasn’t a single dangerous thing about her.

She was positively adorable.

“Shall we go eat?” Sollit asked, beaming between the two of them. “We found a lovely diner near our hotel room that we think you’ll enjoy.”

And where they would have a chance to talk to her. A chance to get her acquainted with them. Tillos had been afraid of this. She was from a largely monogamous species, suddenly being confronted with two mates, and by the nervous way her eyes darted between them, despite the smile on her face, he thought she maybe wasn’t quite comfortable with it.

Well, that was fine.

If there was one thing a pair of avanava males excelled at, it was caring for their mate.