I Dated a Secret Weapon, page 6
Her donor smiled. “In all my years of dreaming, I never imagined you.”
“I am a one-off. The researchers said that I was what they were working toward. Nandy’s research saw the potential in your genetics.”
Aluhara blinked. “You have a grandmother?”
Kyda frowned. “What?”
“Nandy means grandmother.”
“Oh.” She looked at Ados. “You didn’t think that was weird?”
He grinned. “No. I told her what you were to me, so she thought to lay in the right form of address immediately.”
“You... oh.” She coloured brightly.
Aluhara chuckled and stroked her cheek. “I should have introduced my mate. Kyda, this is Hedoreth. He has been my mate for the last forty years.”
Kyda looked at her. “Ma’am, how old are you?”
Aluhara grinned. “Ninety-six. Our researchers have determined that my cells don’t age. My relationship with time is different.”
“Well, that explains my brother. He got really big, really fast.” She paused. “Pleased to meet you, Hedoreth.”
He grinned. “I never thought her daughter would be so tall.”
She nodded and looked at Aluhara. “I am sorry that you did not meet me as a child. I was not very pleasant.”
Aluhara cupped her jaw and smiled. “I don’t believe that.”
“I killed three of my researchers before I was six.”
Her donor beamed. “Good girl. How old are you?”
“Twenty-four.”
Aluhara cupped her cheek. “Beautiful. So, your fiancé has been taking good care of you?”
She blinked and said, “My what? No. I don’t have a—” A large, warm hand pressed to the middle of her back.
She slowly turned to look at Ados. “What the actual hell?”
He smiled slowly. “I was meaning to mention that.”
Hedoreth grinned. “You are not promised? If not, I have quite the list of cousins, and Riithan has a list of military males who would like to get in line.”
“Whoa. That’s not... what the hell? I am not even safe for most males.” She frowned.
Aluhara frowned. “What do you mean?”
Kyda exhaled. “I think we need to sit down for this.”
They sat around the tiny table, and Aluhara kept Kyda’s hand in hers as Kyda explained her origins and the effect of her activation. Aluhara kept her hand on Kyda’s the whole time; she didn’t flinch.
“I might want to call on that when Hedoreth dies. I don’t know if I want to continue without him.”
Aluhara’s mate gasped and pulled her away from Kyda.
Kyda blinked as fury filled her donor’s gaze, and she growled at her mate. It wasn’t a cute growl. Kyda sat stunned as Aluhara told her partner exactly what she was going to do if he ever got between her and any of her children again.
Kyda looked at Ados. “I am her child?”
“Genetically, but I think, if she could, she would hatch you all over again.” Ados was smiling.
She frowned. “That’s an image.” She thought about the woman and Kyda and Kynor, and then a blinding pain struck her brain. She clutched her head and heard Ados yelling. Images filled her mind, and she clutched her head harder. There was lightning, and then Nandy was yelling.
Chapter Six
Kyda woke up in Nandy’s lab, and her head was pounding. “Ow.”
Nandy and Ados were next to her a moment later, and she tried to sit up. “What the hell hit my brain?”
Kynor’s voice sounded from near her. “According to Ados’s grandmother, you did a blood call. That’s why I am here.”
She tried to turn her head, but her brain hurt. “What happened?”
“You made pathways. New pathways. You can now track your blood links.” Nandy smiled. “Your brain hurts because there are new connections now, and it was a little inflamed. You are recovering now. A little caffeine and a salad should fix you right up.”
Kynor helped her sit up. “Nice dress.”
“Thanks. I wore it to meet our donor. She’s lovely and looks younger than me and has for a lot of decades.” She smiled and winced in pain.
Ados crouched and looked at her eye to eye. “Don’t do that again.”
“You are not the boss of me.” She looked at him with narrowed eyes. “I am not omega classed; therefore, the Sethir have no claim on me.”
“Aside from your only identifiable parent being Sethir?” Ados raised his brows.
She grimaced. “Well, yeah. That.”
He pressed his forehead to hers and smiled. “The Sethir-Nin claim their own.”
“Greedy.” She whispered it nearly against his lips.
Kynor cleared his throat. “Should you be getting that close, buddy?”
Nandy spoke softly, “Her susceptibility to infect someone via blood has been reduced. Let’s go get her that coffee. I am so happy you arrived.”
Kyda sighed and looped her arms around Ados’s neck for support. “So, have you spoken to Aluhara?”
“Yes. She’s here. They are waiting for us in the guesthouse. Hedoreth is admiring your handiwork.”
“I am pretty good at construction.”
He smiled and brushed his lips against hers. The dry kiss was sweet and surprisingly fun. She had gone through simulators for obvious reasons, but having a person to kiss was different. Good different.
When he lifted his head, he pressed his forehead to hers. “By my traditions and those of your genetic parent, we are engaged to be formally bound.”
“You could have asked.”
“I will. Once you sign your agreement.”
“How does that work?”
“Sethir use a lot of family arrangements. It will protect you until we formalize things.”
“Protect me from what?”
“Other males of the stronghold. Aluhara’s daughter is highly desirable.” He smiled. “Everyone knows the power she has and wishes it for their descendants.”
“I don’t think it works that way. I don’t have physical stasis.”
He frowned. “What?”
“Physical stasis. Her body got to adulthood and froze. It is why it was so difficult to get an ovarian donation from her and why it would have been impossible for her to bring her own children to full term. She could probably get pregnant but never bring her child to term.” She pressed her forehead to his. “How do I know that?”
“What is going through your mind?”
“Someone else.” Her eyes went wide. “There is someone else, and she is heading for the stronghold.”
He looked at her. “One of your blood?”
“Oh, yeah. I think we need to beat her there. She’s moving fast.”
He picked her up and headed to the yard where the others were waiting.
Kyda sighed. “Sorry for the fuss, but we need to get back to the stronghold.”
Kynor frowned. “Why?”
“They are coming.”
Nandy frowned. “Who is coming?”
Kyda looked at Aluhara. “Her daughters and granddaughters, and they are moving fast.”
Kynor grimaced. “No boys?”
Kyda reached out and patted his cheek. “You get to be an only son. And a young brother to...” She closed her eyes and counted the minds touching hers. “Six sisters and currently two nieces. We are the youngest siblings.”
Aluhara was stunned. “Five more? Grandchildren?”
Kyda winced and rubbed her temples. “Yes. And they are heading for the stronghold because that is where my signal broadcasted from. They are coming to meet me, so I should really be there.”
“They? They are all coming?” Aluhara gripped her mate’s arm.
Kyda nodded. “They are coming.”
Her parent’s eyes were eager. “When?”
Kyda exhaled slowly. “One hour. We should really mention it to the royal family. These ladies aren’t going to arrive quietly.”
Kynor scowled. “How do you know about the royal family of the Sethir?”
She snorted. “The BDC escorts talk and compare notes. The mention of the tail at the wedding was a big giveaway.”
Ados snorted, Nandy grinned, and everyone but the scientist gathered around Ados.
He turned into swirling chaos, and a moment later, they were at the stronghold. Hedoreth began speaking into his com unit, and a set of guards emerged from the stronghold a moment later. They were escorted into the building, taking a different path than they had before.
Kyda could still feel the other minds, but now, they were closer and quieter. Anticipation burned in their minds. The pain was gone now, but they were a drumbeat in her thoughts.
She leaned her head against Ados and murmured, “I am still dressed, right?”
“Yes.” He was amused.
“Good. I am growing a family all in one day. Maybe two.”
He chuckled. “You are handling it well.”
“The pain helps my concentration.”
“It still hurts?”
“You have five shocked strangers yelling in your head, and tell me how calm you would be.”
“I can see how that would be uncomfortable.”
“Yeah, but Aluhara looks excited as hell. It’s worth a little pain.” She noted more guarded doors. “Where are we going?”
“The main audience chamber. It is easy to secure if necessary.”
“Ah. Are we there yet?”
He smiled. “Yes.”
They walked through a set of doors, and guards blocked the entrance behind them.
Aluhara walked up to Kyda. “Are you in pain, child?”
“Little bit. My elders are loud.”
“They are all coming?” Her eyes were gleaming.
“They are all coming by land, sea, and air.” She smiled. “Air is arriving first.” She looked at Ados. “You can set me down now, but let me lean on you.”
“Nope. I can manage your weight.” He smiled.
Kynor groaned. “See? This is what I was talking about. This is weird.”
Kyda stared at her brother and then looked at Ados. “You talked about me?”
“No. Kynor knew that you were my date before I did.”
Kynor snorted. “Thankfully, you guys kept everything light. The last thing I wanted was to hear that kind of thing about my sister.”
Kyda was going to speak, but she remained silent. She had already told Ados that they talked about the patrons. He was entitled, she supposed, to discuss the escorts.
Kyda asked again, “Will you please set me on my feet? She’s nearly here.”
“Fine, but hang onto me. You look pale.”
She nodded, and he carefully set her on her feet. She held his hand and wrapped her other hand around his forearm.
She had just settled when Riithan and Ylara entered the room. Kyda nodded and smiled at Ylara.
The couple walked over to them, and Ylara frowned. “You look pale.” The seer touched Kyda’s cheek and blinked, looking between her and Ados. “Oh. Got it.”
“What did you see?”
Ylara smiled. “You two make a cute couple. So, what is happening now?”
“One of my sisters is landing as we speak. Aluhara’s wait is done. Her children are coming to her.”
Ylara grinned. “Oh, that is why Riithan is here to represent.”
Ados answered her, “Yes.”
The window opened, and a figure entered the room. There was shouting outside, and the guards at the door turned to face inward as the woman with sparkling blue eyes and midnight hair slowly descended. There was a tiny girl in her arms, and the serious woman asked, “Who the hell called me?”
Kyda walked toward her, and Ados helped. “I did. It wasn’t my intention, but it was the result. Hello, I am Kyda.”
The woman looked at her in astonishment. “What kind of joke is this?”
“No joke. Blood called to blood, and here you are. I am Kyda, grown in a lab and used for my activation. Who is this little miss?”
The girl with black hair and blue eyes smiled. “It’s true, Mama. She’s telling the truth. She’s your baby sister.”
Aluhara was standing, and tears were tracking down her cheeks.
“I am Reynu, scout of Ahul.” She hefted her little girl. “This is Okka.”
Okka waved with a smile. “Hello.”
Kyda swept her hand toward Aluhara. “This is our originator, Aluhara.”
Okka blinked and smiled. “Grandma!” She wiggled and kicked, and Reynu set her down.
The little girl sprinted over and patted Aluhara. “We are here. You can be happy now.”
Hedoreth scowled. “She was happy.”
The toddler grinned at him. “Hopeful then.”
Ylara looked at Reynu. “She’s a seer?”
The other woman in the armoured suit nodded. “Oh, yes. She has a hard time seeing her bedtime though. Weird blindspot.”
Kyda grinned, and their presence eased the pressure in her head. “The next one is here.”
The next sibling walked in with a rich blue bodysuit and a sash around her hips. She simply walked through the door and walked right up to Kyda. “Well, hell. I didn’t expect that.”
Kyda nodded. “Pleased to meet you. I am Kyda, and this is our originator, Aluhara. She has been eager to meet you.”
Sidell came striding across the ground, forty feet tall and shrank to five foot four as she jumped into the stronghold. She was another one who was obviously on duty for her adopted country.
Riithan’s parents had entered the room, not used to being ignored, but the obvious connection between the women was hard to miss.
Kyda took a deep breath and said, “Last ones are arriving.”
She grinned as a family came through the door. Wife, husband, and daughter. The teen gasped and ran into the room while her parents came in cautiously. Kyda greeted her and introduced her to the others.
Ullada smiled. “Wow. This is... wow.”
Kyda nodded. “There is one more. She is nearly here.”
It took five minutes, but a woman came in, carried by someone wearing a defender uniform. He set her down and said, “I will be here when you need to go home.” He glanced over. “Oh, hey, Ados.”
“Syrn. I thought you were with Misker and Alejandro and their mate.”
Syrn chuckled. “I am, but Laksiana is a family friend. She needed a ride.”
Laksiana walked to Kyda. “Hello. You called?”
Kyda looked at the woman who looked to be very close to Kyda in age, but her eyes had seen her world burn, and she had survived it. “I am your sister Kyda. These other women are also your siblings except for the woman with the constant happy tears. She is where we came from.”
“Mother?”
“Donor. We were her one chance to have a child, and we were stolen from her.”
Laksiana looked surprised. “Oh. Well, that explains why me and my sister didn’t match. She’s tall and blonde.”
“You aren’t upset about it?”
Laksiana smiled. “No, it is a relief actually. I guess I should introduce myself to Mom.”
“I think she would like that. Oh, and that is our brother, Kynor. He’s a little overwhelmed.”
“I will be gentle with him. Thanks for the lift, Syrn.”
“No problem, Laksi. Just let me know when you want to head home.”
The woman smiled and nodded. “Will do.”
The woman was in a standard dress and walked slowly to their parent. The crowd parted as she approached.
Laksi stood face to face with Aluhara, and the woman cupped her cheeks and then started bawling like an out-of-control child. Laksi held her and whispered in her ear.
Whatever she said made Aluhara smile. She stood straight and cupped Laksi’s face. She bumped her head to Laksi’s, and Kyda saw the pained wince. Laksi was injured in some way.
Syrn and Ados were chatting, and then Kyda saw something astonishing. Laksi walked to Hedoreth and took his hand. “Thanks for keeping her alive and happy when she felt hope taken for her. Now, would you prefer Uncle or Papa?”
Hedoreth paused, tears formed in his eyes, and then he chuckled. “Papa would suit me. Graddy for the younglings.”
Laksi hugged him, and he hugged back hard. Kyda blinked. Aluhara smiled a watery smile. Her mother murmured, “He has held my hand the whole way. He wished for success during extraction and held me when I cried when the eggs were gone. Every year we didn’t have children, he held me tighter and said I was enough.”
“And she saw it at a glance.” Kyda looked at her sibling’s calm demeanour and the pain in her expression.
Aluhara nodded, and they waited until she was released from the hug. The ladies and girls converged on Hedoreth and hugged him. He burst into loud, raucous sobs, and Laksi slowly eased out of the huddle. Kyda met her, and they walked a few feet away.
“Laksiana, what happened?”
“Oh, my sister tried to kill me. It blew up most of my right side, but I survived it and was brought to Kritz for reconstruction. I punched my way out of my restoration tube, so folks will be pissed when I get back.” She chuckled. “If they let me come back.”
Kyda blinked. “You are still hurt?”
“Really sensitive. I don’t know how recovered I am. My skull, jaw, and ribs are back though. So, hooray.”
Kyda stared. “I was recently shattered while being thrown through the window.”
“You are doing well.”
She chuckled. “Kritz put me back together. Our brother convinced me to let the healing work.”
Kynor looked up and grinned.
“He’s only sixteen. Don’t let the appearance fool you.”
“Oh. Wow. Well, thanks for pulling us together. I am an auntie, and that is rather nice.”
Kyda blinked. “Right. Nieces.”
She walked over to Riithan and his parents. “Thank you for allowing us our space to introduce ourselves.”
Ylara introduced her to the king and queen and said, “Kyda is a BDC companion rating. Not escort.”
Kyda sighed and curtsied. “I am also known as the blood witch of Uradda, though I don’t think that will work anymore.”
Ylara gasped, and Riithan asked, “Why not?”
“There is more in my blood now. I don’t know that it would try to undo anyone anymore.”
