I’m cozy against his landmass of a body, drugged from all the food and sex. He kisses my forehead. “Don’t worry about what Gem said. We’ll have starlets when we want to. Okay?”
“How many do you want?” I ask. “Wait, how many did you and Earth Guy have?”
He sighs. “Eighteen.”
“Eighteen? That’s crazy.” Even my parents don’t have eighteen children. Yet.
“It was a bad time in that universe. Too many children needed homes and not enough of anything to go around.”
“How did you support all those children?”
“Moonshine.”
“You ran an illegal moonshine business?” This is amusing.
“It wasn’t my idea, but unfortunately, yeah, it was the only thing that could pay for that many children.”
“I think I like your Earth Man. He was a bad influence on you.”
“It was an enlightening experience. Now, to sleep with you.”
I breathe a sigh, scrunching my cold toes into the soft quilts. Huh, cold toes. Gives me an idea.
“Gah!” Zhang bleats like a goat. “Those are like ice.” His hand cracks against my bare ass.
“Ow!”
“Serves you right.”
I shove my toes deeper between his thighs. “You’re supposed to keep them warm,” I insist.
“I’ll keep you warm, alright.”
He means his palm is itching to warm my backside, but I ignore him, pressing my body against his. “Night, babe.”
Zhang grunts, but he knows he’s lost this battle. It’s about time. His lips press against my crown, and I close my eyes.
* * *
A not-so-gentle pecking at my head disturbs my sleep in the middle of the night. Standing on my chest is a black-eyed raven, its expectant stare filled with all the menace he intends. I glance at my sleeping husband. Do I love him yet?
I know I don’t want to get out of bed and move away from him. I’m used to doing things with him. It’s like … like we were pulled together a little each time. We’ve been inseparable for days. I knew it would end, but I didn’t think about it ending.
The raven hops onto the floor and then to the windowsill, expecting to be followed. If I’m caught, I’m going to be in so much trouble for this, but I have to go. Maybe I can sort this out and then we can move on, and people can stop worrying about me.
With Zhang, I could have a semi-normal life in the Nebuli.
Zhang stirs despite my super stealthy ways. “Where you goin’?” he mumbles.
“To take a piss. Be back.”
He rolls over and under the light of three moons, I watch a sleepy smile spread on his face just for me.
Thump-thump! My heart … fuck, I swear to the Gods it changes rhythm. A new feeling spreads like warm summer mead—that I’m no longer allowed to drink—through every cell in my body.
There’s a flash too, like a memory, of us holding hands. It’s weird because our rings are different. Simpler. My eyes fill with tears for no reason.
“Babe?”
