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In this sizzling tale, billionaire Alex must confront a catastrophic leak in the ocean that threatens his salt mining operation, his livelihood and the delicate ecosystem of the ocean. Desperate for a solution, he turns to Lila, a brilliant and nerdy scientist who might just hold the key to saving his business and the ocean. But as they work together, they discover a chemistry that that the ocean can't cool. They must navigate the dangerous waters of love, lust and betrayal while still trying to save the ocean and Alex's business.

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Chapter 1: Oceanastrophe

Alex sat in his office, staring out the window at the ocean that comprised his backyard and his office view. His office was a large, open space with floor-to-ceiling windows that gave him a panoramic view of the water. The walls were painted a light blue, and the Darkwood floor was covered with a thick, white carpet. Alex was expressly impressed with his Darkwood floor. The tree was incredibly hard to find. It only grew in one Federally protected forest that was ominously named The Darklands National Nature Preserve.

While the entire name sounded like it might be a place of natural beauty and peaceful ambiance, it was anything but. In fact, the natives in the area only referred to it as The Darklands, and entering it usually meant an extremely painful death. Almost everything in it that could be classified as alive was lethal. The grass could cause painful skin welts. The dragonflies were as big as two-human hands and had the bite of a cougar. The houseflies were as big as peaches, and they liked to lay their eggs in the back of human necks. Even the butterflies had a bite that could bring the world’s heavyweight champion to tears. To say it was dangerous to step more than 12 inches inside that place was an understatement.

Still, Alex wanted his wood, and he’d paid for it. Almost half a million dollars to get a team of ten to go in through the back of the property and harvest enough trees to make the floors in his house, and that cost didn’t include processing the trees and creating and installing the flooring. The end result, however, was marvelous. His floors were the envy of all who saw them. Of course, due to the dubious way he’d acquired the wood, Alex never told anyone where he’d gotten them, and every crew that had worked on them signed contracts that explicitly stated that if they wanted to keep the money that Alex had paid them, they’d keep their mouths shut.

He stood and stretched. His office was also the envy of all who saw it. It was a masterpiece of style and productivity. There were several large desks in the office, as well as a conference table and a few chairs. In the center of the office was a large, black leather chair that Alex liked to sit in on occasion. That spot had the best view of the ocean.

The ocean was his favorite place in the world. He loved the sound of the waves crashing on the shore, and he loved the smell of the salt air. He loved to swim in the ocean, and he loved to surf. However, he was less than pleased today. Today, he had gotten a letter from the Oceanic Guardians, a new organization created by the Federal Government to oversee the ocean and look for pollutants, and they, so far, could not be bribed. It dismayed Alex. He offered the world the best salt in the universe. It was mined from a very specific spot in the ocean over the Great Trench.

Twenty years ago, they started selling parcels of ocean like they do land, and Alex had snatched up two miles of that precious water for a premium price. In fact, it’d been so expensive, he’d been forced to take out loans to finance part of the water and underwater land purchase and the machinery, fences and security he needed to build to keep people out of it. Luckily, his ocean salt mining operation had proven to be an excellent investment, and his loans were now paid off.

Of course, he’d had to take shortcuts. Been a little lax on his oceanic preservation and anti-pollution measures. If the news were to be believed, his oceanic salt mining operation was the single worst polluter of the ocean. Worse than plastic bags, fishing nets and water bottles. Alex had a hard time believing that. The plastic bag, fishing net and water bottle island was so large now that they were thinking of turning it into its own floating country. Alex supposed they would have done it by now if they could find a buyer for that pile of crap.

Thankfully, the pile of plastic shit was not Alex’s concern. The potential Federal lawsuit was, and so was the last set of scientific data he’d received from his own team of research and data nerds. Not only was the water around his salt mining platform toxic to every type of living thing on the planet, the water itself was wrong.

Alex had to ask how they’d found that out, and the scientists had simply said that they removed all the pollutants then tested what would normally be a raw sample, and it was wrong. He’d asked for clarification or a theory. They didn’t have any clarification beyond the fact that it was wrong, but they theorized that there was a leak in the Great Trench somewhere near the mining platform.

Alex told them that was impossible. The ocean could not develop a leak. Where the hell was the water going to go? Leaking into what, exactly? It made no sense to him, but his scientists were resolute in their theory. The ocean had a leak.

Alex had ordered more testing and hired a boat and a submarine so that his nerds could take a closer look at this ocean leak theory. Their departure, and Alex would be on that boat, was tomorrow morning. He only had one problem. He needed a lead nerd. Alex had his best people on the task of finding a lead nerd before tomorrow at five in the morning, but he still had his doubts that they could do it. If they couldn’t do it, it would be crotchety old Harold Scallop. The man had two clumps of crazy gray hair, glasses thick enough to make a bullt proof shield and a perpetual frown. When Alex had hired him, his birth date made him 85 years old. He was now 106 and even more onry and disagreeable. Alex didn’t want him anywhere near his boat, much less on it because he was certain to make it an absolutely miserable experience.

Alex turned his head when there was a knock on his office door. “Come in.”

“We found her,” a man in a black suit said.

“Found who?” Alex asked.

“Your lead scientist,” he said.

“Who is she?” Alex asked.

“Lila Buttercup.”

Alex laughed. “What?”

“Her name is Lila Buttercup.”

“Good god. All right. Where is she?” Alex asked, even though he was pretty certain he wasn’t going to be able to take that name seriously. He’d have to find another one for her. Maybe, Lady B. Otherwise, he’d spend too much time laughing and making stupid puns.

“Working on a manure farm just outside the city. Here’s her contact information.” He handed Alex a stack of paperwork in a pale yellow file folder.

Alex glanced through it. “Thank you. I’ll call her myself.”

He sat down and picked up his landline cell phone. While almost no one had an actual hardwired phone these days, Alex’s was secure and encrypted. He dialed Lila’s work phone number. He felt she might be more willing to answer an unknown call on that one rather than her personal digital number.

Populate the Moon II (Naughty Reads)

John and Misty made it to the mining station on the dark side of the moon just in time. During their transport from Dark Side 1, an entire mining level in Light Side 1 collapsed. While John and Misty are grateful, they wonder if this station will be any better, and if they'll be able to fulfill their duties and return to Earth at the end of their contracts.

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Chapter 1 - Exploring the Dark Side Mining Station

Misty Arva drank two glasses of wine before deciding to take a walk through her and John’s new living habitat.

She stood from the couch and looked around. It was spacious, and she thought there were a lot more features in this living space versus the one she had on the other station. Of course, this station was built after the one on the light side of the moon, so she expected some things to be better, and one of them better be the safety. She was pretty sure she’d lose her shit if this one also fell into a crater in the moon.

As she walked through the space, the first thing she noticed was the large, panoramic window. Jack wasn’t lying. It overlooked the vast lunar landscape. The glass was thick and tinted. She wasn’t sure why it was tinted though. There was no sun on this side, but there had to be a reason. Still, the stars were not obscured by the glass. If anything, they looked enhanced, shining bright in the pitch-black sky.

The rest of the room was just as impressive, with sleek, modern furnishings and high-tech gadgets. The walls were covered in a smooth, metallic material that seemed to glow under the ceiling lights. This room was definitely meant to be an observatory.

Next, Misty decided to check out the bedroom. It was large, and the bed, which was situated along the far wall was twice the size of the one in her other room. She was unsurprised that the bedding was silver. The company that designed these spaces did well, but it appeared that they took some of their cues from the science fiction movies of over two-hundred years ago.

On the opposite side of the bedroom, Misty spotted a sleek, black desk with a built-in computer. She stepped closer. The screen was large and curved, and the screensaver was that of a high-resolution image of the lunar surface. A holographic keyboard hovered in front of the screen as if it were waiting for her to type something.

Misty took a step back. The keyboard disappeared. When she stepped closer, it reappeared. She laughed. There had to be a motion detector built into the screen.

Next, Misty decided to take a look at the bathroom. It was just as impressive as the observatory and bedroom. There was an all-glass shower with a large nozzle near the ceiling. It looked like the moon’s version of a waterfall or rainfall showerhead.

Next to the shower was a bar that held the towels. Surprisingly, those were fluffy and white and not at all like the thermal-blanket-like towels at the other mining station.

Next, Misty decided to explore the galley. When she stepped into the room, she realized it was more like a kitchen she’d find on Earth. A drawer contained a ton of hard-to-find teas and coffees. The refrigerator was full of snacks, meats and vegetables. There was also an oven and a pantry filled with spices and baking needs.

“Just a touch of home,” Misty said to herself.

Of course, the kitchen also contained an automatic food maker, an automatic drink machine and a fridge full of alcoholic beverages.

Lastly, Misty decided to step into the medical room. This one was just as brightly lit as the rest of the apartment, and it resembled the medical suite on Light Side One. She could see white walls and a glossy, metallic floor. A large medical bed dominated the center of the room, complete with all manner of high-tech monitoring equipment and life support systems.

There was also the medical robot, which was now walking toward her. Except, this didn’t look like the robot at the other station. It was very human in its appearance. It had arms, legs, a torso and a head. The only thing that clued her into its robotic nature were its eyes. They were much larger than a human’s and were obviously made of glass.

“Good evening,” the doctor bot said.

“Good evening,” Misty said. “Do you have a name?”

“Doctor B, or just doctor,” he said.

Misty grinned. “No bonus points for creativity.”

“No, ma’am,” he said. “You can rename me if you wish.”

“Maybe later,” Misty said. “I was just taking a look around.”

“Oh, so you don’t want your entrance physical?”

“Not right this second,” Misty said.

“No problem, but you will need it before you leave this apartment,” Doc B said.

“All right. In a few minutes then,” Misty said.

“Please, take a look around. I think you’ll find this medical facility much better than the one on the light side of the moon.”

Misty nodded and turned her attention to a large cabinet. It was filled with an array of medical supplies and equipment, including everything from manual surgical tools to high-tech diagnostic scanners. A small desk with a computer and holographic interface was located nearby, allowing for easy access to patient records and medical data.

On the other side of the room, Misty saw a state-of-the-art medical imaging machine.

“What’s that for?” she asked.

“That is a diagnostic tool. If you break a bone or have a deep injury, I can look at it first there before rendering treatment.”

“They didn’t have that on the other side,” Misty said.

“It’s a new piece of technology,” Doctor B said. “The medical bed in the center is where I would do any procedures. Major procedures.”

“Would I also perform my duties there?” Misty asked.

“Duties.” He paused while he cross-referenced Misty’s job. “Oh, no. This way.”

The docbot led her over to a padded chair. “This is where the births take place.”

“Okay. I’m familiar with that. There’s a drop-through in the floor?”

“A tube. It will raise and take it automatically,” Doctor B said.

Misty nodded. “In that case, I’m ready for my physical.”

The docbot led her over to a chair that was neither the birthing chair nor the medical bed. “This is the physical chair.”

Misty sat down in the chair.

“The first part is completed with sensors. Just sit still,” he said.

Misty waited, sitting as still as possible while the docbot's sensors measured her heart rate, blood pressure, and who knew how many other health indicators. Medical technology had really gotten advanced over the last couple generations.

Next, Doctor B directed Misty to stand on a set of scales built into the floor. As she stood on the platform, the bot measured her weight and body mass index, providing a detailed analysis of her body composition and overall health.

“You’re height and weight are perfect, but do not lose any more weight,” Doc B said.

“Is that it?” Misty asked.

“It is. You’re as healthy as a horse, as they say,” docbot said.

“Do I need my injections?” Misty asked.

Docbot paused while he referenced her medical files. “No. They have actually given you too much. Tomorrow will be your first injection here.”

“New dosing?” she asked.

“Yes. I am updated with the latest medical knowledge. Not that the other docbot was wrong, but we’ve since realized that you do not need as much.”

“Then, I’m going to go explore the station,” Misty said. “Do I need a key to get back inside?”

“No, the door will automatically open for you. You were scanned when you entered,” docbot said.

“Thank you.” Misty walked out of the clinic room through the habitat and out the front door into the hall.

She hadn’t paid much attention when they walked through the first time, but the hall looked very similar to the apartments. It appeared to be made with the same type of metal. Though, it didn’t appear to be painted or glossed.

She turned toward her and John’s door. They weren’t quite at the end of the hall. That explained the layout of their living quarters. It seemed to go forward for quite a distance, and she could now see that there was a window at the very end of the hall.

Misty walked over toward it and looked out across the lunar landscape. It was stark and rocky but surprisingly well-lit. There appeared to be exterior lights on the building. However, there was no attempt to make the exterior ground look like Earth. There was no grass or trees or whatever fake material they would have used to create those.

Misty walked down to the other end of the hall with the elevator. She looked at the placard on the wall. It listed the floors and what was on them.

The higher levels were all living areas. Misty didn’t see the market or entertainment areas until she realized they’d put them on level 1. The docking level was above level 1, and it was simply labeled DOCKING.

“Oh, how interesting,” she said to herself. She bet all the restaurants and recreation rooms had great views of any leaving or coming shuttles, and being so high up, they also probably had a great view of the surface of the moon.

Misty pressed the UP button and waited for the elevator. When it opened, she started to step inside.

“You ventured out,” John said as he grabbed her and hugged her.

“I got bored in the apartment,” Misty said. “Aren’t you supposed to be mining?”

“I’m on lunch. It’s an hour over here, so I have time to come up and eat,” John said. “Have you eaten?”

“Not yet. I had some wine, I was about to go up to the recreation level,” Misty said.

“Well, hell. Let’s get some dinner,” John said.

Misty kissed him as he pressed the button for the dining and recreation floor.

“I could get used to this,” John said just as they were interrupted by the door opening.

Misty stepped away from him. “Fast elevator.”

“I’m sure that’s by design.” John stepped off and walked down the corridor with Misty.

“Not enough time to do anything,” Misty said.

John chuckled. “Well, if we eat quick…”

Misty laughed. “Wouldn’t you need a shower first?”

“And after, so it may not be a good idea,” John said. “At least, not right now.”

“When does your shift end?” Misty asked as they walked up to a restaurant?”

“In about five hours,” John said. “These aren’t the marathon shifts like they were at the other station, but that reminds me, I need to get you a copy of my schedule.”

“I need that. I don’t think you’d appreciate coming home to my working,” Misty said.

“I don’t think I would, but I understand that you have to work,” John said.

“Should we talk about that now?” Misty asked.

John contemplated. “I guess we should, but I didn’t mean for this to be a serious dinner.”

“Let’s discuss it now. That way we can relax when you get back after your shift,” Misty said.

“I like your thinking,” John said just as a man approached them.

“Two to be seated?” he asked.

“Yes, we’d like a table out of the way, if that’s possible,” John said.

“Of course. This way,” the waiter said.

Misty followed the waiter with John.

“Are you guys new?” the waiter asked as he showed them to a table at the back of the restaurant. “This has the best view.”

“We just got here earlier today,” John said as he sat down. “I’m already on my first shift, but they give some generous meal breaks.”

“They do. Every miner gets an hour,” the waiter said. “I’ll let the kitchen know you’re on lunch so they’ll rush your order.”

“Appreciate it,” John said.

“What can I get you to drink?” he asked.

“What’s available?” John asked.

“Just about anything you want,” the waiter said. “We’re well stocked.”

“Then, I’ll have a cherry soda,” John said.

“And for you, ma’am?”

“Same,” Misty said. “Oh, but with a splash of vanilla.”

“We can do that. I’ll be right back with your drinks.”

“So, you’re going to give me your schedule,” Misty said.

“Yes,” John said. “I think that would be good so that your clients and I don’t accidentally cross paths.”

“Of course. I completely agree,” Misty said. “And all the rooms are there. Mostly. I saw three bedrooms, the flexroom, office and two bathrooms.”

“We might be missing a few rooms,” John said. “Was there a view?”

“Oh, it has an observation room. It’s amazing,” Misty said.

“That’s probably where the other rooms went. Not every habitat has windows,” John said. “But here’s a question for you…”

“What?” Misty asked.

“They pay you on… uh… output, right?”

“Right,” Misty said.

“Were there any rules about DNA diversity?” John asked.

Misty laughed. “That’s one way to put it. No. They’re just concerned about output.”

“Do you have a quota?” John asked.

“Not exactly,” Misty said. “But they expect at least one a month.”

John contemplated. “So, what if they were all mine?”

“I hadn’t considered that,” Misty said. “I guess they could be, but what would I do? I mean… In my spare time.

“Do you have any hobbies?” John asked.

“Not really,” Misty said. “I guess I could look into some. I mean, I’m not opposed to your idea.”

“Well, think about it,” John said. “If there’s no rule against it…”

“I will,” Misty said. “You bring up a good point.”

“Got your drinks,” the waiter said as he walked up to the table and set them in front of John and Misty. “Do you know what you’d like to eat?”

“I’ll take a hamburger and fries,” John said. “Jalapeno burger, cheese, loaded fries.”

The waiter wrote it down. “And for you?”

“Hamburger and fries with cheese. I’ll skip the peppers,” Misty said.

“I’ll get that to the kitchen and right out,” the waiter said.

“Thank you,” John said then turned to Misty. “Do you like jalapenos?”

“I do, but they can do some scary things to my butt,” Misty said.

John laughed. “I’m sure my coworkers will love me for my lunch choice, but it should be done talking by the time I get home.”

“Well, that’s good. It could be a turn-off if it’s still talking when you get home,” Misty said.

“That it could,” John said with a grin. “I wouldn’t want to get started and then blow up the bedroom.”

Misty laughed and shook her head. “Speaking of things blowing up. Have you heard anything about the other station?”

“It’s a mess,” John said. “They were talking about it down on the levels.”

“Are you mining yet?”

“No. We’re still getting the equipment checked and ready. It’ll be a week before they start the actual mining. That much was true about the information I read.”

“Okay. What about the collapse?” Misty asked.

“Well, we missed the big one while we were transporting over,” John said. “I think they said level thirteen pretty much fell in on itself. It’s so bad, they’ve requested extra supplies from Earth, and everyone has been moved to temporary pods.”

“What? What are temporary pods?” Misty asked.

“For each mining station, they have to have enough exterior pods to house fifty-percent of the crew,” John said. “It’s in case of this exact thing.”

“Shouldn’t it be 100 percent?” Misty asked.

“No, they do some funny math for it. They figure 25 percent will transfer to another station. Twenty-five will stay on site to do repairs and half the crew will go back to Earth,” John said. “If that doesn’t happen, people get to double-up, or they have to get creative.”

“Ew,” Misty said.

“Right,” John said. “We got out just in time because as of right now, they are still transferring people to pods, and the first ship to Earth has left.”

“What happened to Zane?” Misty asked.

“They didn’t specifically say. I’m guessing he’s either put in a transfer, or he’s on the cleanup crew,” John said. He stopped talking when the waiter brought their food.

“Talking about the collapse at Light Side?” the waiter asked as he sat their large plates in front of them.

“We are. I guess level 13 gave up,” John said.

“That’s what they’re saying,” the waiter said. “They said three people died.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if it was more,” John said. “That place was shaking and rattling like a dump truck.”

“This one is built on thicker soil,” the waiter said.

“With better beams,” John said.

“Anyway, I know you’re on a time crunch. I’ll let you eat,” the waiter said.

Misty and John ate their food.

John asked for the bill once they were finished.

“Do you want me to just put this on your account? It’ll be subtracted out of your next check,” the waiter said.

“That would be fine.” John pulled out his badge so the waiter could scan it.

“Actually, it’s tied to your table. Just pass your badge over this silver coin-looking thing,” the waiter said.

“Oh. Great.” John swiped his badge over the spot.

“All taken care of. Have a nice evening,” the waiter said.

Misty and John walked out of the restaurant. “How much time do you have left?”

John looked at his watch. “Enough time to get back to the level. I’ll see you tonight.”

“Can I see it?” Misty asked.

“I’ll have to ask and get you a pass as a visitor. They’re open to that. They want the family to see and understand what we do. I’ll try and get one for tomorrow. If not, the next day,” John said.

“All right. I’ll see you when you get home,” Misty said.

She stepped out of the elevator when they got to their habitat level while John continued to ride it down to the mining levels.

The Tiny Vampire From Outer Space That’s Bitey XIII: The Uprising (Shadow Conn Tiny Vampire Book 13)

Earth's sky is now purple, and the humans have noticed. It's not a rare sun effect or a trick on the eyes, and rioters demanding answers have appeared on the streets of Beach City. Marcus is less than thrilled and has vowed not to put up with that behavior on another planet.

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Chapter 1 The Sky Is Still Purple

Marcus walked downstairs in a pair of sweatpants. He turned on the TV in the back parlor to listen to it while he tried to figure out what he wanted to eat and what he wanted to feed Shadow.

Nothing looked good. Marcus would have preferred to hunt tonight.

“Sire!”

Marcus closed the refrigerator and turned his head toward the doorway. “Shari, did you bring food?”

“I have two Umbra Ones,” Shari said as she held the containers up. “Is little sire up?”

“She is not,” Marcus said. He took the Umbra One from Shari when she handed it to him. “Is this a special Umbra One?”

“It’s cherry,” Shari said.

Marcus tasted it. “It’s pretty good. Is that what Shadow’s is?”

“It is,” Shari said.

“You can take that to Shadow,” Marcus said.

“Does she need help?” Shari asked.

Marcus looked at her. “Who told you she needs help?”

“Um, no one,” Shari said.

“You’re observant. I guess that’s a good thing,” Marcus said. “I think she needs a shower. If you want to start the water for her.” He started to drain his Umbra One. “Just the water, please. Don’t embarrass her.”

“I won’t.” Shari hopped out of the kitchen.

Marcus drained his Umbra One on the way into the back parlor. He wanted to watch the news for a minute.

He frowned when he saw the images and immediately called Lucia.

“Marcus. I guess you’ve heard,” Lucia said.

“Come here,” Marcus said. “Those protests look serious.”

“They’re all up in arms over the purple sky, demanding the government give them answers and stop trying to tell them it’s an effect of the sun,” Lucia said.

“Are they out front of the apartment building?” Marcus asked.

“No, but the images on the TV make it look that way. They’re closer to the beach than they are here,” Lucia said.

“Is it continent wide?” Marcus asked.

“It’s all over this planet,” Lucia said. “Cities and towns mostly.”

“Well, come out here. It’ll be safer,” Marcus said.

“I’ll pack some bags and get the childer ready. We’ll be out there in a couple hours,” Lucia said. “What do you want to do about the shelter?”

“Are they burning and looting?” Marcus asked.

“Doesn’t seem like it,” Lucia said.

“I may head over there as soon as I get dressed,” Marcus said.

“You’re not dressed yet?”

“I came downstairs to get Shadow some food and watch the news. Shari beat me to the food, so she’s feeding Shadow and helping her. I’m making phone calls.”

“Shari’s a good little helper,” Lucia said. “But what does Shadow need help with?”

“The question is more like what she doesn’t need help with,” Marcus said. “You know how Umbra had everything automated?”

“I do,” Lucia said. “I didn’t have any of that stuff though.”

“Well, Shadow had all of it,” Marcus said.

“Oh crap,” Lucia said. “So, she can’t wash.”

“Can’t wash. She can barely choose her clothes,” Marcus said. “And if it’s got a zipper or hooks or anything like that, she can’t fasten it. Once she’s dressed, she’s good.”

Lucia laughed. “Marcus, it would take you half a night to teach her all that.”

“If I had half a night,” Marcus said.

“Well, maybe I’ll do it,” Lucia said. “Depending on how long I’m there.”

“Usually, I do it,” Marcus said. “We’ve had some conversations about it.”

“And you told her it doesn't matter,” Lucia said.

“I like doing it,” Marcus said.

“There’s no way you have time to wash her and dress her every night,” Lucia said. “You need to teach her or you need to let me teach her. Hell, even Shari could teach her. It’s got to be fixed, Marcus.”

Marcus sighed. “I’ll think about it.”

“I’ll be there in a little more than an hour,” Lucia said.

“I’ll see you when you get here.” Marcus ended the call just as Shadow and Shari hopped into the back parlor. “You two look good… And smell good.”

“I found scented soap,” Shari said.

“Are you all zipped?” Marcus turned Shadow around. “Oh, this is the dress with hooks.”

“One of them. She has several, but I thought this would be nice because it’s thicker and longer,” Shari said. “We got the straps on too for the long socks.”

“Thank you, Shari. I appreciate it,” Marcus said. “Your grandsire will be here in about an hour.”

“Oh great. We can play cards. Is she bringing Octavious and Ortho?”

“She is,” Marcus said.

“Ok. I better hurry then. I still have to do my classes,” Shari said.

“You better hurry,” Marcus said then grinned. He looked at Shadow after Shari left. “Did she embarrass you?”

“No,” Shadow said. “She actually showed me how to wash, so I can do it next time.”

Marcus ran his hands down his face. “I’m sorry, Shadow. I guess I should have shown you. My sire was a little miffed I hadn’t shown you either.”

“I told you you should have taught me,” Shadow said.

“I guess she showed you the zippers and straps too.”

“She did, but she said I’ll never be able to do the hooks,” Shadow said.

“No one would be able to fasten the hooks by themselves,” Marcus said.

“You’re disappointed,” Shadow said.

“I’m disappointed that I didn’t do it when you asked the other night, and one of my childer beat me to it,” Marcus said.

“Well, you can still do it, but you’re getting busier,” Shadow said.

“I know,” Marcus said. “It’s fine.”

“You’re not dressed,” Shadow said. She slid her hands down his chest.

“I’m heading upstairs to shower and dress now.” Marcus leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “I’ll meet you over at the cabin. If they’re doing reading, I want you doing it.”

Shadow huffed.

“Huff all you want, but go do it,” Marcus said.

Shadow grumbled as she walked out of the parlor and out the front door of the stone house. Marcus was in a terrible mood tonight.

She spotted Jacob on her walk to the cabin. “Jacob.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He walked over.

“Can I have a bite?” Shadow asked.

“Big bite or little bite?”

“Little bite,” Shadow said. “It’s a horrible night, and I don’t even know why.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” He held out his arm. “Right there.”

Shadow sank her fangs into his forearm and drank deeply for a few seconds.

“Better?” he asked.

“Yeah. Thanks,” Shadow said.

She continued on to the cabin and entered through the back door.

“Shadow, are you hungry?” Alera asked.

“I just ate,” Shadow said. “I found Jacob.”

“Jacob?”

“One of the jungle foods,” Shadow said.

“Oh, you named him,” Alera said.

“I thought it’d be easier than yelling, hey, food,” Shadow said.

Alera laughed. “Where’s Marcus?”

“Showering and dressing. He wants me to read,” Shadow said.

“Ok, I think Shari and Marc are working with Sabina on reading. Let me check.” Alera walked out of the kitchen and into the back parlor. “Are you guys reading?”

“We’re teaching Sabina,” Marc said.

“Can Shadow join?”

“Of course,” Marc and Shari both said.

“Shadow, you can come in,” Alera said.

Shadow walked into the room.

“Here.” Marc handed her a writing book and a pencil.

Shadow sat down on the floor and put her book and pencil on the coffee table.

“Is she a childe?” Sabina asked.

“No,” Shari said. “This is our female sire, but she’s older and only knows Latin.”

“Oh,” Sabina said. “I can’t write either one.”

“We’re going to fix that,” Shari said.

Shadow opened her book. “What’s mother?”

“Mater,” Marc said. “The words are ‘Mater accedit ad copia’, but the English is ‘The mother goes to the store’.”

“Oh, that is a lot of words,” Shadow said.

“English is long,” Marc said. “They spell out every single word.”

“But it’ll show you a picture, and you can write the words and sentences,” Shari said.

“Okay.” Shadow practiced writing the words. She laughed.

“What’s funny?” Sabina asked.

“Mater scribit,” Shadow said. “Or, I guess in English, the mother writes.”

“Looks accurate to me,” Marc said then laughed.

“Is every childe here yours?” Sabina asked.

“Yes,” Shadow said. “Why?”

“We showed her the other childer,” Shari said.

“And then said don’t bother them,” Sabina said.

“They’re still sleeping and growing,” Shadow said.

“Someone said he plans to number the rest,” Marc said.

“Um...” Shadow contemplated. “Well, I don’t know. I guess, to be more specific, we don’t know.”

“What don’t you know?” Marcus asked as he stepped into the doorway of the parlor dressed in a pair of black slacks and a black long-sleeved, button shirt.

“They asked how we were naming the rest of the childer,” Shadow said. “And why we might just give them numbers.”

“Oh. We don’t know,” Marcus said. “It’s an ongoing debate.”

“Why would they not be named?” Shari asked.

“Because these are childer ten through forty,” Marcus said. “They’re not firstborns.”

“Oh,” Shari said. “I didn’t know there was a difference.”

“Neither did Shadow. That’s why we’re still discussing it,” Marcus said.

“Shadow?” Sabina asked.

Marcus motioned. “My Bonded. Please, don’t confuse her for another of your siblings, even though, she needs to learn the same things you do.”

“Why doesn't she know?” Sabina asked.

“Because she was borne on Umbra and didn't have a need to learn new cultures or languages, like I did,” Marcus said.

“Wasn’t the trip here six months?” Sabina asked.

“Sabina,” Marc said. “It’s really not appropriate to keep questioning our sires like this.”

Sabina frowned and looked around.

“It’s fine. Sabina is extremely young. She didn’t hatch with half the knowledge you have, Marc, so we’ll show some leniency in this instance,” Marcus said. “Shadow was working on other skills during that time. Skills I will eventually teach you.”

“Oh, no. I’m behind too!” Sabina said.

“You won’t be for long,” Marcus said. “You’re new siblings will see to that.”

“Speaking of our new siblings,” Marc said. “We can help name them if that’s the problem.”

“It’s part of the problem,” Marcus said.

“Well, we can name them,” Shari said. “Or help you name them.”

Marcus contemplated. “What do you think, Shadow?”

“I think that’s fine,” Shadow said, even though the names were only part of the problem.

“All right. You can name the next one,” Marcus said. He grinned when all the childer ‘yay’d’. “Shadow, are you done with your lesson?”

“Uh, almost,” Shadow said. “I don’t know what this thing is.”

“Let me look.” Marcus walked around the table. He leaned down and looked at the image. “The word is bat, looks like a carved wooden stick to me.”

“Oh yeah,” Marc said. “That one is really hard. We had to look it up.” He picked up his tablet and typed words into the search bar. “Here. Sire. This explains that bat.”

Marcus took the tablet from Marc and read. “Oh. Shadow, it’s for a game. You hit a ball with that bat and then run around a square. The game is called baseball.” Marcus showed her the image of the field.

“Oh. Good grief. How is anyone supposed to know that?” Shadow wrote the word and then wrote a sentence.

Marcus read her sentence and laughed.

“What’d she write?” Marc asked.

“The bat is hitting a ball,” Marcus said. “And she drew a ball next to the bat.”

“That’s not bad,” Marc said. “How’s her spelling?”

“She spelled is with a Z, and there’s only one T and L,” Marcus said. “But this is better than it was.”

“What’s it supposed to be?” Shadow asked.

“Like this.” Marcus took her pencil and wrote the sentence above hers.

“Oh. This is so confusing,” Shadow said.

“You’ll get better at it,” Marcus said. “Let’s try this next one. What’s the picture?”

“Another ball,” Shadow said.

“Okay. Spell ball here.” He motioned then watched. “Now, write a sentence with ball.” Marcus watched and laughed.

“What’d she put?” Sabina asked.

“Ball is hard to spell,” Marcus said.

The childer laughed.

“All right. Shadow and I have things to do,” Marcus said.

“I’ll save the book,” Shari said.

“Thank you. She’ll be back to work some more in it later,” Marcus picked Shadow up and carried her out of the parlor. [That was a more intense conversation than I wanted this early in the evening.]

[They were pretty intense tonight,] Shadow said to Marcus.

Marcus carried her out the back door. “A little privacy might do us some good.”

“Treehouse?”

“Good idea.” Marcus carried her to the treehouse and up the stairs before setting her on her feet.

“What do we need to talk about?” Shadow sprawled across the bed.

“The riots,” Marcus said as he watched her. “Did Shari put boots on you?”

“She did,” Shadow said.

“Did she show you how to fasten them?” Marcus asked as he walked over to the fireplace and lit it.

“She did,” Shadow said.

Marcus turned around once the fireplace was flaming. “Do you know how to take them off?”

Shadow laughed. “Yes.” She sat up and pulled on her boots.

“Don’t get in a hurry. Those won’t slide off like your sandals.” Marcus walked over and unlaced them. “You’ll break your foot.” He tossed the boots on the floor.

Marcus sat on the edge of the bed. “I think half the time it’s not that you don’t know, it’s that you’re lazy. Watch.” He leaned down and unlaced his shoes before removing them. “If I toe these off like you do your sandals, I’d scuff them. Probably pull off the heels too.”

“I thought we were going to talk about the riots,” Shadow said as she slid into his lap.

“We are.” Marcus slid his hands up her sides before kissing her. “But I also have other things on my mind… Which you can’t hear because I dimmed everything the other night because you were getting stressed by it. Do you feel better now?”

“Yes,” Shadow said.

Marcus kissed her again as he opened the Bond to its previous level. He should have done that last night. Their hot tub adventure might have been more pleasurable, not that he could complain.

Shadow laughed at his thoughts. You didn’t like the hot tub?”

“It could have been better,” Marcus said between kisses.

“Marcus, do you have the news on up there?” Oliver yelled from the ground.

Marcus turned his head. “Not yet.”

“You may want to turn that on. Are you still decent?” Oliver asked.

“Unfortunately.” Marcus slid Shadow out of his lap before standing and grabbing the remote for the TV. He turned it on to the news.

Oliver walked through the door of the treehouse. “It’s not my goal to interrupt, but it’s getting worse in town.”

“I see that,” Marcus said. “Lucia and the childer should be here any time.”

“That’s probably a good thing because they’re burning buildings,” Oliver said.

Shadow rolled her eyes. “Oh yeah. Burning the buildings will get the sky to turn back to blue and the government to tell them why it turned purple.”

“Too bad we can’t drink them. It’d be a good opportunity to take the childer hunting. The older ones anyway,” Marcus said as he watched the screen. “That’s too close to the shelter and apartment building. I have to go into town.”

Shadow huffed.

“You could still do a culling,” Oliver said. “You don’t have to drain them to kill them.”

“That is true.” He looked at Shadow as he grabbed his shoes. “Put your shoes on.”

Shadow put her boots on.

Oliver leaned down to make sure they were tied. “Good job.”

“Shari showed her earlier,” Marcus said as he put his shoes on.

“Do you want the other childer?”

“Marc and Shari,” Marcus said as he picked Shadow up.

“I’ll tell Alera to get them ready,” Oliver said. “Are you driving?”

“No,” Marcus said. “We’ll portal in.”

Oliver held the back door open for Shadow and Marcus once they got to the cabin.

“Are they ready?” Marcus asked.

“Almost. I had them change into their jeans,” Alera said.

“Shadow, do you want to change?” Marcus asked.

Shadow looked down at her dress.

“You’ll stand out in that.” Alera walked over to the replicator and programmed a new set of clothes. She handed them to Shadow.

Shadow took the clothes and walked into the hall bath to change.

“You won’t stand out. You’re going to blend into every shadow on the street,” Alera said to Marcus.

“I didn’t plan it that way, but I like these clothes.” Marcus turned his head when Julian walked into the kitchen. “Julian.”

“Sire, I was wondering if I could go,” Julian said.

Marcus looked at Julian. He was wearing black jeans, a long-sleeved black turtleneck and his boots. “Did you change?”

“I did, sire. I was hoping,” Julian said.

“He was in the TV room when I told Shari and Marc,” Alera said.

“Okay. You can come. Was Arrian interested? Or Camille?” Marcus asked.

“I don’t think so,” Julian said. “They were watching bugs bunny.”

Marcus nodded. “You can join. I can handle one more.”

“One more what?” Lucia asked as she walked down the hall into the kitchen.

“Childe on a hunting trip,” Marcus said.

“Are you going into Beach City?” Lucia asked.

“They’re getting too close to the apartment building and shelters,” Marcus said.

“You can’t eat them,” Lucia said.

“That doesn’t stop us from killing them,” Marcus said.

“I guess I’ll go. Help you keep track of the kids,” Lucia said.

“Are you sure? Where’s Ortho and Octavious?” Marcus asked.

“Watching bugs bunny with the girls and enjoying some snacks.” Lucia motioned down the hall.

“All right,” Marcus said. He wasn’t going to argue with his sire. Plus, with three childer and Shadow, he was going to need another set of eyes.

“Sorry that took me so long,” Shari said. “I couldn’t find my black jeans.”

“It’s fine. Your grandsire and Julian are coming too,” Marcus said.

“Great. This’ll be fun!” Shari hopped.

“You can’t drain them, or you’ll get sick,” Lucia said.

“I know,” Shari said.

“The goal is to keep them away from the apartment building and the shelter,” Marcus said. “If they approach our block, they die. It is that simple. I am not going to tolerate this behavior on another planet.”

“Okay,” Marc said.

“I understand,” Shari said.

Marcus opened a portal. “To my office at the shelter. We’ll talk more there.”