Contagion (Gennekt, #2)

by Amanda Milo

sniff and notch back my antennae. “I’ve never been so female-handled in all my life,” I inform her primly.

“Oh.” I rub my arm—not that it hurts. It’s just a reaction, I suppose. Until I was taken captive, no one’s ever taken to striking me as their personal hobby. I daresay it may be Aurora’s hobby. She’s flicked me, pinched my nares, and now this.

“Whew, you’re really more like a neurotic tomcat than a lion, but,” she pats my wrist, “you’ve got it going on for fierce, Simmi. You’ll be fine.” “Flattery will not change my stance about this!”

gasp when she only turns away from me and keeps going. “BAD HUMAN! BAD!”

“Here! Catch!” Having no coordination and absolutely no practice—sports were never one of my pursuits and I avoided them with aggressive averseness—I’m stunned when I do indeed fumble but catch the fruit that Aurora has risked her life to throw at me.

Most unexpectedly, she coughs all this lung-clogging water she’s holding… right into my mouth. That’s not all that happens. She vomits. In. My. Mouth. “GALGGGAAH!” I shout, lunging back from her, jaws agape, her vomit-water and my saliva trailing down my chin as I reject the option for it to enter my throat. DISGUSTING! “People are disgusting!” I curse furiously,

“Come on, princess, we’re doing this. We don’t have any other options.” With painful dignity, I mutter, “If my translation device is right, and referring to me as princess means you think I’m a self-important, temperamental person with superior tastes and a peculiar difficulty to be pleased; then you’re correct, and I take no offense.”

The man’s mouth curves up. “We’ve got you covered, sir. And ma’am, we happen to have an unmated Rakhii on staff here. Would you like a complimentary vial of his saliva for your, ah…” He gestures to his throat, then glances uncomfortably to Aurora’s throat marks and dark-spotted wrists.

OMFG SAME UNIVERSE BUT YEARS AND YEARS LATER!!! Omg I had no idea this was all webbed together…I love this!

I’m gritting my teeth, committed to follow her lead, which is what’s worked for us the entirety of our journey thus far. I’m not fool enough to muck it up now.

spread my other hand over her back, my thumb over her ribs, my smallest finger spanned to her other side.

Jesus fuck nuts he's HUGE

“You were my knight without his blazing hazmat armor.”

Everything smells so fresh and clean, and sometimes spicy, and sweet, and occasionally like a variety of herbs. The heavenly aroma of the daycycle depends entirely on what batch of soap Aurora is making. That’s right. Aurora makes soaps. CLEAN, SWEET-SMELLING, DISINFECTING, *CLEAN* SOAPS! Is this not the most perfect female for me in all of Creation?