Page 120 of Galaxy Circus Act One

He doesn’t wait for me to answer before picking up a medical bag and walking out of the clinic, and I have to hurry to catch up. Before I can bring up what he just said, he presses a couple buttons on the wall outside the clinic in the reception area. “Okay, Saxon should be safe while we’re away. I’ve got everything I need to take Lila’s blood. Let’s go have a late supper with our girl. I doubt she’ll sleep much tonight with her friend arriving tomorrow.”

Again, Link doesn’t wait for me to respond before he heads out of the reception area and in the direction of the transport room. By the time I’ve recovered from his shocking announcement, I have to run to catch up with him. When I do, I leave the conversation alone for now. I need to discuss all of this with Lila first. I stay a step behind him once I catch up, because I have no shame staring at his ass while I wait.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Lila

The boys and I had a late supper from room service, because I didn’t want them to have to wear their glamours in public, and then we spent the evening just hanging out and watching movies. It was nice to just relax and have a bit of quiet. Once Link took a pint of my blood and stuck it in the fridge, they turned on the TV and quickly became completely enthralled with theTiger Kingseries. I went to bed alone, leaving them to binge watch it with beer and junk food. They barely even looked up from it as I kissed them all goodnight.

I can’t say I didn’t giggle about that for about ten minutes when I finally climbed into bed after brushing my teeth and washing my face. It’s nice to see their amazement at new things for a change. I would have liked to stay up and watch with them, but Susie messaged and said she would be here by lunchtime, and I want to get some shopping done first thing in the morning.

John slipped a black Mastercard into my pocket before I left the show, and when I argued, he just held up his hand. “It was your parents’ money and is your inheritance. The lawyer yousaw arranged everything to be transferred into your name. I overheard you telling Caspian the other day that you wanted to shop because we are leaving Earth for a little while and you need supplies. Buy what you need and have them deliver it to the front gate. The guards at the front gate will take the packages for you.”

“Thank you.” I wrapped my arms around him in a hug and his came up to embrace me too. The hug was comforting and something I hadn’t realized I needed at that moment.

“I’m just sorry they are not here to see what an amazing woman you’ve grown into. They would be proud of you, Lila.” He sounded choked up and quickly pulled away and took off, leaving Eric and William behind.

“Be patient with him. He has dramatic mood swings occasionally. At the moment, he’s on a downward spiral,” Eric said softly, the most serious I’d seen him since he yelled at me when he found out about my and Cas’s mating.

“Is there anything I can do?” I asked, but William just shook his head gently, sympathy shining in his eyes.

“No, but he’ll be alright. And Lila, that card is spelled. It will change to the right card for the right planet we are on and access the funds from the galaxy wide bank account you have. It takes money from a different one on Earth.”

So tomorrow I have some major shopping to do. I need more clothes, including pretty things for date nights with my guys, practical everyday things, workout wear, and underwear. I also need all the snacks that I’m not going to be able to get when I’m in space—Twizzlers, Snickers, Reese’s Pieces, and Jolly Ranchers. I’m going to need craft stuff and boardgames as well, because I can’t go that long without any of my things. Not to mention tampons and coffee. I don’t know if alien species get periods, but I damn well do, and there’s no way I’m going to get caught on a different planet when Aunt Flow arrives unexpectedly. I wonder if I will get my period now that I’mcarrying Cas’s eggs. I mean, technically they are not my fertilized eggs, so will I still need to shed my uterine lining monthly, or is that on hold because three little invaders have made a cozy nest out of it and have settled in for winter hibernation? It’s something to ask Caspian or Link in the morning.

The last thing I want to do on my outing is go shopping for books. When I checked the account balance of the card John gave me, I choked on my drink and liquid flew out of my nose, hitting the laptop screen. There’s no shortage of money in the account. In fact, it’s safe to say I’m a fairly wealthy woman now, so I plan on buying a kindle and loading it up with thousands of books—monster porn, dark and dirty, reverse harem, alien abduction and breeding kinks, and anything that takes my interest.

Smiling, I close my eyes and pull my covers up, snuggling down. Maybe I can convince the guys to read with me. I know Link probably will. I wonder if I can persuade him to play out some of the scenes. I must remember to get some cyborg stories too.

The guys are still watching television when I wake up the next morning. They have moved on from Joe Exotic and are now watching something else with a lot of shouting in it.

“Hey.” I slide into Xavier’s lap. His eyes are heavy, and I can see him struggling to stay awake. “You know you can stop this and it will be here when you wake up, right?” I tell the three of them.

“Yes, we know, but I had no idea humans were so…” Link trails off.

“Depraved?” Xavier says dryly.

“Stupid?” Caspian adds, rubbing his hand over his face and yawning.

“No,entertaining.” Link snorts, throwing a kernel of popcorn up into the air and catching it in his mouth. He points at the screen, getting sucked into the drama again. “This woman didn’t know who the father of her child was, so they went on TV so that everyone in the world could find out that this dude here isnotthe baby daddy.”

I frown and look closer at what they are watching. Oh, for fuck’s sake. Maury Povich. That’s it. I stand up and search through the pile of wrappers and mountain of food containers until I find the remote. I aim it at the screen and turn it off.

“Right, off to bed,” I tell Caspian and Xavier, who agree and stumble toward my room, even though the suite has two more bedrooms. I put my hands on my hips and look at Link who is wearing a fairly impressive pout. “Why aren’t you as tired as the others?”

“My cyborg nanobot DNA allows me to regenerate. I don’t need to sleep as often as someone with a fully organic body,” he explains, putting down the bag of popcorn and dragging me into his lap. “Which means I can go on and on and on,” he tells me, nipping at my neck and nuzzling his nose against my cheek.

Giggling, I push away from him and the pout comes back. “Sorry, Energizer Bunny, you’re going to have to keep it in your pants for now. I have a mission. Care to join me?”

He jumps to his feet and sweeps me into his arms. “I am but your humble servant.” He bends me backward and kisses me soundly before dragging me upright again and towing me out of the room. “But first, let me buy you breakfast.”

“Whoa there,” I say, digging in my feet. “You can’t go out there looking like that.”

He looks down at himself and back to me with a frown. “What’s wrong with the way I look?”

“Nothing at all, you are most definitely smoking hot, but you shimmer like you’re from the movieTwilight, and humans don’t do that.”

“Oh, okay.” I watch in amazement as his skin changes color, starting at his forehead and washing down his body. Soon he looks just like a human, albeit a bit of a punk with his silver eyes and hair, but that’s nothing that isn’t explainable. “Is this okay now? What about what I’m wearing?”