Laser by Viola Grace

to provide brides to the royal family.”
    “What generation are they on now?”
    “She is the third bride provided.”
    Lee twisted her lips. “Is she going willingly?”
    “You will have to ask her when we pick her up.”
    She sighed and turned to face him. “I think I will. So, breakfast?”
    He moved so fast that she was startled into laughter. He turned and was out of bed in a second, the sheets fluttering down to land on the warm spot he had occupied. It seemed breakfast was on.
    Grinning, she followed him, stopping in her room to get her hair under control. Feeling a little more in control of her appearance, she joined him in the galley.
    He had breakfast for twelve laid out, or that is how it appeared to Lee.
    “Wow. This is quite the spread.”
    He grinned, “My father always said that if you help a woman start her day, she will help you finish yours.”
    Lee laughed. “Not a bad theory. Let’s see how this turns out.”
    Lukar winked. “At the very least, you will need a nap. That benefits me as well.”
    When she sat down, he placed a variety of plates around her along with a pot of tea. The gauntlet had been thrown.
    Lee worked her way through the crepes and the variety of spreads and crunchy bits on offer. Some were sweet, some savoury, but all were familiar flavours. Halfway through, she paused. “Did Icky help you with this?”
    “He might have programmed in your species tolerances and your own preferences. I tasted a few of the spreads. They aren’t that different from my own foods.”
    Lee looked over to his breakfast of high protein and her gaze fell on his chest. “Ouch. Did I do that?”
    He lifted a hand and ran some fingers over the gouges. “I believe you did. I didn’t realise that your fingers could do that.”
    Lee felt herself blush. “I can tear through the hull of this ship if I have to.”
    He raised his eyebrows. “I am glad that I didn’t ask about that before I put my body at your disposal.”
    “My first day with the new arms was spent carrying delicate objects until I could hold a damp sponge and not squeeze out the water. I would have clawed you with my Terran hands as well. You weren’t coming out of sex with me unscathed.”
    He narrowed his gaze. “How resilient is your natural body to scratches and bites?”
    “Very.”
    “In that case, I look forward to eventually returning the favour, not that I mind.”
    She was a little surprised at his reference to her natural body. It would not be making an appearance for quite a while. He seemed to have latched into the long term.
    Lee continued eating until her belly called a halt. She was amazed at how much had actually made a home inside her, but she didn’t feel uncomfortable.
    When she was done, she stacked the plates, but before she get up, he was up and had swept them away. “Wow. You are quick.”
    “Years of training. To our women is given the first half of the day because we take for the rest of it. Most in our caste follow this tenet.”
    Lee cocked her head. “What would your family think of you and an alien cyborg?”
    “I will ask them when I next have the opportunity. I know that Kilon is already in favour of it or he would not have cashed in every favour he was owed to get you assigned to Stinger .”
    She inclined her head. “I suppose he is. It does make the sex toys he gave me a little creepier.”
    “What is wrong with them?” He leaned against the counter and sipped his caf with his eyes twinkling.
    “Oh, I don’t know, they just seemed a little specifically not standardized for my species. Interesting but not designed for one of my kind. I am guessing that I need to check my medical records for some alterations.”
    That seemed to concern Lukar. “You don’t think he…”
    She nodded. “I am pretty sure he did. It was in my agreement. Any alterations to my body to make my life in the Nyal Imperium useful and give me a future. Dr. Icky was very concerned about my future. I am just hoping