“Rommich?”

“Yes, Eloril?” I looked up from the article I was reading.

“Here.” He thrust a jar full of a milky fluid at me.

“Is this…?”

“Yes,” he blushed.

“Okay, I’ll be able to implant you next week.”

“Um, yes.” He fled the room.

I made the necessary preparations and set a date and time for the implantation. I left Eloril a note to that effect.

—

I smiled as Eloril came into the medical lab. “I wasn’t sure if you were going to show up. Please strip and lie down on the table.”

“Strip?” he squeaked.

“Yes. I can’t implant you through your clothing. It won’t take long.” He still looked uncertain. “I’ve already seen you nude, Eloril. What’s the problem?” I said a trifle impatiently.

“Nothing.” His cheeks were red as he slowly undressed. I turned away to finish my final preparations. His face was turned to the wall. I shook my head in amusement at his embarrassment. I picked up the antiseptic solution and poured some onto a cloth. I tried to ignore his reaction as I touched him.

“No,” he whispered as I prepared to inject a local anesthetic.

“Eloril? What’s wrong?” I paused. I wasn’t going to force him to do this if he truly didn’t want to. He rolled over and sat up with his back to me.

“I can’t do this.”

“Why not?”

“It feels wrong to create a child this way.”

“You agreed…”

“I know. I know it was my idea to repay you for my life this way, but I cannot do this.” He rose and left the medical lab. I cursed softly under my breath. I had just wasted six months on him when I could have been looking for another genetic donor. I took the embryos and put them into stasis. Maybe he would change his mind. I tossed his discarded clothing into the hamper with more force than was strictly necessary. Maybe I should have drugged him. It would be simple enough to adapt the ‘love potion’ I’d discovered to work on someone other than Liam.

I turned on my computer and began perusing the personal ads for my next mate. I really didn’t think I’d ever see Eloril ever again.

“Decorating for the humans’ winter holiday?” Eloril inquired as I hung mistletoe.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

I shrugged and leapt down from the chair. “Why not? Nothing it in contradicts my people’s beliefs. The children expect some sort of celebration after they learn of it in school.”

“And the plant?” he looked up.

“You’ve never heard of mistletoe?”

“Oh, um,” he blushed and stepped back. “I thought you weren’t going to pursue me.”

I shrugged with a smile on my face. “I’m not chasing you. This is more of a leisurely amble than a pursuit.”

He shook his head with a smile of his own. “Isn’t that splitting the hairs a little too fine?”

“Maybe, but it’s not like I’ve actually forced myself on you.”

“No, you haven’t.”

“You’re still standing under the mistletoe,” I pointed out.

“Is this how you lure your prospective partners, by drugging them?”

I flushed, “I haven’t drugged you. You’re free to walk away.”

“So I am.”

“You’re not moving.”

“No, I’m not.”

I moved closer to him. “I want to kiss you.” I looked steadily into his eyes as our faces moved closer. He tilted his head to one side so our mouths more easily met. My lips parted slightly at the contact. I could feel the heat from his body, but I made not move to press against him.

He broke the kiss. “Rommich…,” he said hoarsely. “I cannot.”

I licked my lips but nodded. He had to come willingly to my bed or not at all. At least he hadn’t pushed me away. The procedure was scheduled for the new year. I still wasn’t sure if he would go through with it. He hadn’t given me a genetic sample yet.

“I thought I might find you here,” I said to Eloril.

He glanced up at me and smiled. “Sit,” he invited, patting the sand. “It is a nice place to go, especially since the weather has gotten colder.”

“Mmm, it is nice to get away from them at time.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Sitting on the beach?”

“No, the children thing…”

“Oh, it’s my mission. My people sent me out to explore the galaxy.”

“And breed with it.”

I laughed, “Yeah, I suppose so. I’m finding I don’t mind that aspect of it as much as I used to. I love my children and their other parents…I’m friends or at least on speaking terms with most of them.”

“Mmm, my ada would be upset about my doing this.”

“Ada?”

“Father.”

“Why?”

He laughed, “He was less than pleased with my sister…”

“I’ve noticed that fathers tend to be more over-protective regarding their daughters and their daughters’ choice of mates.”

He sighed. “I was thinking about what to tell them about this…”

“The truth?”

“Actually I have a friend, a very close friend, back home.”

“Female?”

“Yes,” he admitted. “I was hoping to become ‘something more’ but I’m not sure how she’ll react when she finds out about this.”

“I understand. I have a close friend who, under other circumstances, could have been ‘something more’.”

“But?”

I shrugged. “My mission. It was hardly fair to make her wait or watch while I bedded other people. Are you having second thoughts about doing this?”

“Yes. My sister is engaged in a similar task. Several males have expressed…doubt…that she would ever find a husband when she is finished.”

“Doubt?” I snorted. “Is that what they’re calling it?”

“Rommich!”

I snorted again. “I have a few ideas about just what they called her.”

“What if they’re right?”

I stared up at the stars. “What if they are? Why did your sister do this in the first place?”

“The Goddess asked it of her.”

I rolled my eyes at that. “Is your Goddess loving?”

“Yes.”

“Then perhaps when your sister’s task is done, your Goddess has a very special mate waiting for her. One who will not care about how many men she’s been with.”

“You really think so?”

I shrugged. “Anything is possible. I would not want a mate who objected to the number of people I’d been with. Especially since it was a task set by one in authority.”

He smiled and touched my hand. A thrill of desire went through me. I envied his lady friend. I hoped she knew just what kind of man he had. I sighed silently. This meant I would have to cease my subtle attempts to lure Eloril into my bed. I idly wondered if his sister enjoyed sex. He probably didn’t want me near his sister for that reason. Not that I would have objected if she was half as attractive as Eloril. I did need more varied genetics, so no more relatives having children with me. I covertly studied the male elf’s profile. Why did I find him so desirable? It wasn’t simply hormones. I rested my head on his shoulder, content for the moment to simply be.

Author’s Note: Sorry about the lighting in the pictures, I hate not being able to advance the clock at will like in Sims 2…

I sat on the sand while my children played in the surf. Eloril sat beside me with his legs tucked up under him.

“You know,” I commented, “you’re the most covered up male on the beach.”

“So? Doesn’t it bother you to have your daughters dress like that?”

I laughed, “On my homeworld, no one wears anything when swimming.”

“Oh, um, I see. You are wearing a suit,” he pointed out.

I shrugged. “It is what is expected to do here so it is what I do.” I relaxed enjoying the sun on my shoulders. It was dimmer and cooler than my native sun. “Are you familiar with the fish known as piranhas?”

“Yes.”

“We have something similar, but they have a much larger range and they prefer shallow water…so we don’t swim in our oceans much. Put some sunscreen on my back?”

“Um…”

“I promise not to do anything.”

He was tentative at first as he spread it over my skin. I closed my eyes so I could more fully concentrate on the feeling of his fingers on my flesh.

“Hey, cool! Do me next, El,” my son flopped down next to us. I mentally sighed in frustration. Brachium had lousy timing. The only bright side was that he was very enthusiastically interested in the opposite sex.

“Very well,” the elf replied. I covertly glanced at him. Was he interested in Brachium? I couldn’t tell from this angle. My son was too young for him.

The teens took their younger siblings home leaving Eloril and me alone on the beach to watch the sunset. I shivered a bit as the air cooled. Warm arms closed around me. I leaned against him. “Thanks.”

“Don’t tell me you forgot a coat?” his breath was hot on my neck.

“No, it’s in the car,” I snuggled closer, “this is so much better.”

“Mmm,” he replied. “Are you trying to entice me?”

“Seduce? No, I’m not trying.”

“Ah. I do believe I’ve seen this ploy in the television shows.”

“I’m willing, but I won’t force the issue if you’re not.” I could tell he was or at least his body was voting ‘yes’ to the idea.

“Mmm, Which one is yours?” he asked as the stars began appearing.

“None of them. My star is too dim to see from here with the naked eye.” I pointed, “It’s in that direction.”

“Do you miss it?”

I had to think about that for a minute. “No, not really,” I said softly into the still night. “I have children here. I’ll probably spend most of my life here having more. A human author said ‘you can’t go home again’. I have changed too much to ever be able to fit in again. Even if they don’t condemn me for having sex.”

“Would they?”

“It’s illegal on my homeworld.”

“So why do you want to…”

I laughed softly, “Spoken like a virgin.”

“Rommich…”

I ran my hand over his thigh. “It’s hard to explain to someone who’s never had sex. When it’s good…it’s the most wonderful feeling in the world.”

“And when it’s bad?”

“Well, I learned it’s much better if you like your partner. If there’s an emotional connection before you get into bed.”

“I see. I think that is why my people insist on marriage before…”

“Probably.”

“Stop that,” his hand covered mine, stilling its movement.

“Sorry.”

“Liar.”

“Yes.”

Eventually we got too cold and returned home.