Of Blood and Angels (The Two Moons of Rehnor, Book 3) by J. Naomi Ay Page A

late and I need
another shower and you need to shave."  I ran my hand along his rough
cheek.  Reluctantly, he pulled away and lumbered to his feet.
    "I will grow a beard," he said,
heading to the bath.
    "Not today, please."  I watched
him pad away and when he was in the adjacent bathroom, I propped my feet up on
a pillow.  "Go go go!" I thought quietly, willing his sperm to make a
miracle happen.  Surely we could overcome the odds of a billion to one against
a Human and a Rozarian conceiving.  He wasn’t just a Rozarian though.  He was
Rehnorian and on top of that a man whose blood could create life in dirt.  He ought
to be able to create a life inside of me.  I lay still until he came back out. 
What was that, ten minutes?  Was that long enough?  He didn’t say anything but
of course he knew what I was doing.
    "I haven't finished my report,"
he muttered as he picked his suit up off the floor and started to get dressed. 
"I will have to do it when we return." 
    I got up as well and pulled my clean and
pressed uniform out of the Insta-clean.  As I slipped it on again, refastening
my epaulettes, I caught a glimpse of him in the mirror, tying his tie.  I
imagined him with a beard, clean looking, close cropped.  Unbidden, an image of
him in his uniform with the gold braid, medals, fancy chains and cloth of gold
entered my mind.  He looked incredibly beautiful decked out in all that.  A
beard would be appropriate; he would look like a king.
    "Do you have a crown?"
    He pulled his hair back and tied it with a
ribbon.
    "Will you?"
    He didn't answer.
    "Come on tell me.  Will you wear
one?" I persisted.
    "Why do you ask of me questions when
you know you do not wish to hear the answers?"
    "So you will."
    He put on his glasses and walked out the
door.  "They give me headaches.  Let's go.  I have work to do
tonight."
     
    We shuttled down to Andorus, to what
appeared to be the government seat.  Although the plane was full of crew on
shore leave, Senya and I were dropped off first at the main gate.  Senya stood
there pensively, almost reluctant to go in even though we were met by our
Andorian host.
    “Your Royal Highness, please, please join
us,” the Andorian said, opening the gates and bowing graciously.
    Senya didn’t move.  My heart skipped a
beat.  This was Andorus III, a member of the Alliance.  How could this man know
and recognize a prince from Rehnor?
    “I have been here before,” Senya replied,
still frozen in place but answering my unasked question.
    “This building?”
    “This planet.  I do not like this planet.”
    I was starting not to like it either.
    “Sir?” our Andorian host prodded.  “Our
Prime Minister Mfure is very anxious to meet you.”
    Sir?  Meet him?  I thought I was the
honored guest.  If they got down on their knees and kissed his feet, I was
totally out of here.  Maybe we should leave anyway, I considered as I was
starting to get a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. 
    The silver light panned down on the
Andorian's face.  The Andorian looked confused.
    “I will meet Mfure,” Senya decided.  “Then
you will make your speech and we will depart.”  He didn’t seem very happy about
this and frankly neither was I.  Suddenly, my two minute ‘We are all one happy
Alliance’ speech seemed like it was going to be a bust.
    “Okay,” I agreed, following the Andorian
across the red carpet. 
    We were ushered into a large hall with
lots of Andorians standing around with drinks in their hands.  A buffet was set
up on one end and the smells coming from it were rather nasty.  Our Andorian
host took us right up to a receiving line and introduced Prime Minister Mrufe,
a nice short, slightly blue tinged elderly man with fluffy white whiskers and
goatee.  He pushed his way past me and headed straight for Senya.
    “Your Royal Highness!” he exclaimed,
holding out his arms as if he wanted a hug.
    Senya lurched backward, nearly pulling me
over in the process.
    “I