Three Square Meals Ch. 110

He leaned down to kiss her, hearing her startled inhalation an instant before she relaxed and kissed him back. Despite this being only their second kiss, there was no awkwardness, only a lovely sense of familiarity. Faye let out a soft moan as she responded to him, pressing herself against his body.

"We'll have to have that second date soon," he said when they separated.

Her luminous eyes sparkled with delight. "Just name the time and place; I'll be there!"

They shared a smile, then he turned and headed for the express grav-tubes. Dana and the twins had already headed that way, so the door was open and he could step inside without pausing. After a stomach dropping ascent up to Deck Four, he walked out into the Armoury, where the redhead was examining Tashana's battered Paragon suit.

"Yeah, the damage is superficial," Dana said, her gaze sweeping over the patchwork of impact burns. Those sky-blue eyes blazed with a golden light and runic script flared over the armour's surface, then faded away in glowing motes. She smiled at John and added, "There... I stripped off the runes. Let me know when you've patched and reshaped the plating, then I'll rune it up again."

"Faye?" John called out, glancing up at a security camera. "Please could you get your boys to bring up some Crystal Alyssium? I need to make a few repairs later."

The camera waggled up and down in a nod, letting him know that the AI had heard his request. He drew the two-handed sword from his back, feeling the slight tug against the magnetic restraints, and placed it carefully on the weapon rack. Then he stepped into an equipping frame and unlocked his armour with a rapid series of clicks as the latching mechanisms released. Activating the robotic arms, they swung down to retrieve the armour plating and released him from his Paragon suit.

"Do you ladies fancy joining me for a shower?" he asked, running his hand through his hair as he stepped away from the frame.

Dana grinned at him, a gleam in her eyes. "Shower and a good talking to?"

He laughed and shook his head. "Just the shower for now. I want to check on Helene to make sure she's alright." Glancing at the twins as they removed their armour, he continued, "She was watching when we assaulted the Kirrix forces around the hive ships..."

All three girls looked uncomfortable, sharing worried glances with each other.

"I wasn't holding back, John," Tashana murmured, her brow furrowing. "You've seen what I can do..."

Dana nodded, her smile fading. "I really unloaded on those bastards... I hope I didn't freak her out!"

John walked into the express grav-tube, pausing for a second up in the bedroom to let the trio of girls catch up. "Faye's been keeping an eye on her. She seems okay."

They quickly stripped off and headed into the bathroom, filing into the huge shower cubicle.

Irillith looked into his eyes and there was no mistaking the concern in that gaze. "Helene's innocence is quite charming, but do you really think you can protect her forever? Considering we're in an almost constant state of escalating warfare, she's going to be exposed to far worse in the future."

He let out a weary sigh. "I honestly don't know, honey. But I feel like I owe it to her to try."

Activating the shower, he closed his eyes and lifted his chin, letting the water sluice down over his face. Fighting the Kirrix and being exposed to so much Terran misery had left him feeling sullied, so he stood there quietly, trying to wash all that pain and anguish away. Reaching out for the girls, he gathered them into his arms, hearing contented sighs from all three. When he opened his eyes again, he saw that Dana and the twins had the same idea, turning their beautiful faces up to the water. When they looked at him again, they seemed more relaxed and at ease, needing that cleansing after the horrors they'd experienced.

"Please don't let the things we do change you," John said quietly, hugging them closer. "I love all three of you exactly as you are. It would kill me to see you getting world-weary and cynical."

"There's no danger of that!" Dana exclaimed, a dazzling smile lighting up her face.

It was obvious that her exuberance was a little forced, but the playful twinkle in her eyes was quite sincere.

"I was cynical already," Irillith noted with a wry smile. "You don't have to worry about the world-weariness though... I've found the last few months to be thrilling to say the least."

Tashana nodded, leaning in to brush her full lips against his in a soft kiss. "Lots of long, hard, deep talks. That's the key to keeping us blissfully happy."

John frowned and looked at all three in turn. "I hope you know that sex is usually the last thing on my mind when we talk through your problems. All I care about is trying to help you, I promise."

Tashana's smile turned loving, her violet eyes softening. "We were only joking earlier, please don't take that to heart. I adore the time we have together, you light up my soul when I'm with you."

"No one doubts your motives," Irillith murmured, planting gentle kisses on his cheek. "I can feel how much you care every time we're together."

Dana gave him a knowing smile and reached for his hands, guiding them to the Maliri girls' blue stomachs. "You'll talk through their problems, help make them feel much better, then pump a huge load into their bellies... Just think about the adoring way they'll look at you afterwards; I know exactly what that's like, because I always feel the same way too."

John's breath caught as he caressed the twins, feeling them trembling with excitement as he brushed his fingers over their svelte figures. He savoured the gentle curves, the firm definition of their muscles and the softness of their deliciously smooth skin. When he looked up at their faces, there was no mistaking the primal hunger burning in those matching sets of violet eyes.

"You know me too well," he said with a rueful grin, pulling back his hands with real reluctance. "Let me take care of Helene, then we'll have some fun later."

"Are you going to 'talk' with her as well?" Dana asked waggling her eyebrows suggestively.

He laughed and grabbed the redhead, tickling her for her impish behaviour. Her raucous giggles broke the sexual tension in the shower and he was able to get cleaned up without any further attempts at seduction. After drying himself off in the auto-driers, he left the steamy bathroom and found the rest of the girls lounging on the bed. They got up when he appeared, pulling off their clothes and heading for a shower themselves.

"You should have joined us," John said, smiling at each girl as they kissed him in passing.

"We haven't been waiting long," Alyssa explained, bringing up the rear. "I wanted to let the four of you finish your talk without the rest of us interrupting."

He put his arms around her, enjoying the feel of her luscious body. "You know you're always welcome."

The kiss she gave him was tender and loving, her fingers gently tousling his hair. When they parted, her cerulean eyes watched him with a curious mix of sympathy and worry. *Why are you second guessing yourself about the way you interact with the girls? You've always been incredibly caring and attentive with them; you have absolutely nothing to feel guilty about.*

John hesitated for a moment, then met her concerned gaze. *I guess being worried about Helene has dredged up a few things. I've been trying to keep her away from combat, while the rest of the girls were involved in a brutal battle; it just reminded me about how much the Change has affected all of you. You know I'm sensitive about the impact I've had on your lives.*

She cupped his face and smiled. *As tyrannical Progenitors go, you've always been a real sweetheart. You should never feel bad about the way you love the girls and try to help them fix every little problem in their lives. It's one of the things I love about you the most.*

He hugged her tight before letting go, then watched as the blonde sauntered away, the seductive sway of her hips entirely for his viewing pleasure. Alyssa threw him a flirtatious grin over her shoulder, before finally disappearing into the bathroom. Alone at last, John entered the walk-in-wardrobe and threw on some comfortable joggers and a t-shirt. After fighting a battle in a tight-fitting bodysuit and Paragon armour, it felt nice to relax in some baggy clothing.

Descending in the grav-tube to Deck Two, he found himself wondering how Helene was dealing with seeing them in action. He grimaced as he imagined a worse-case scenario; the aquatic girl horror-struck and terrified by the slaughter she'd witnessed, and wanting nothing more to do with any of them. Fortunately, Faye's description of Helene's recent behaviour seemed to indicate quiet introspection, rather than that kind of extreme reaction.

Taking a deep breath outside the door to the Lagoon, he pressed the button and entered the tropical paradise, the sound of splashing and girlish laughter echoing around the room.

"It's your turn, Neysa!" Betrixa crowed in triumph. "This one got you!"

Walking into the room, he saw the Nymphs cavorting around in the shallows, Helene watching their antics with amusement. Neysa waded over to the beach and counted to ten, then whirled around and plunged into the water, chasing after her sisters. Marika yelped in panic, the tabby-striped Nymph frantically paddling away from her pursuer.

"Longer strokes, Marika!" Helene urged her. "You'll swim much faster!"

Marika darted a desperate glance back over her shoulder at Neysa, who was rapidly closing the distance. Her emerald eyes widened and she extended her stroke, quickly pulling away much to the jaguar-spotted girl's frustration. Marika's face was a picture of delight as she cut through the water, moving fluidly in a front crawl.

"Yes! That's it!" Helene gushed, overjoyed to see her pupil's look of elation. "Marika, that was amazing!"

John leaned against the doorframe, a fond smile on his face as he watched the girls having fun together. He could hardly remember the time when his every action didn't seem to have galaxy-wide implications and he envied them the simplicity of their existence.

*Ignorance is bliss?* Edraele asked him quietly. *Certainly a more pleasant idiom than 'Knowledge is terrifying'...*

*Are we talking about Helene, or the upcoming battle with my Progenitor nemesis?* he asked, watching Neysa give up on chasing Marika and switching to pusue Leylira.

*There's no way of unlearning what we know of Larn'kelnar, so let's assume that I was reflecting on your conundrum regarding the Abandoned girl. You still have the option of trying to keep her in a state of blissful ignorance,* Edraele mused. *But is that doing her a disservice?*

*You disagree with me trying to shelter her from the things we have to do?* he asked in surprise.

The Maliri queen paused for a moment to consider her reply. *Keeping her from combat is a kindness, I don't disagree with you there...*

*But you think she should be fully involved in everything else? Like our strategic planning?* John asked, watching Marika fling her arms around her swimming coach, Helene warmly hugging her back. *Faye's been teaching her about the galaxy, but we haven't touched on the Abandoned or what the Brimorians did to them. Learning about her people's history might be very distressing...*

*I haven't had the pleasure of meeting Helene yet, but from what I know of her, it sounds like she's a very resilient young woman,* his second matriarch said with surprising conviction. *Despite suffering heartbreak and loss at a tender age, then being ostracised by her people, she seems to have retained a charming purity of spirit. I know you admire her kindness and compassion, and it's a stoic individual who can hold onto those traits in the face of such hardships.*

*You're right,* he said thoughtfully, *We've pulled Helene completely out of her comfort zone, but she's taken it all in her stride. Perhaps I was being overprotective...* After pondering it for a moment, he continued, *Helene seems to be enjoying the lessons with Faye, so we'll definitely continue with those. When we do finally deal with the Brimorians and the Abandoned, Helene will hopefully be educated enough to help us decide what to do.*

*It's not a decision you have to make immediately, but it is something to consider,* Edraele agreed. *Helene's in a unique position to be able to understand the needs of her people as well as the galactic implications of any choices you make regarding the Abandoned situation.*

John was quiet for a moment, then said earnestly, *Thank you for your help in the battle today, you were there when I needed you... not that I ever expected otherwise.*

*It's always a pleasure to be of assistance,* she said, pleased and grateful for his praise. However, Edraele was unable to hide her anxiety as she added, *But the confrontation with the Hive Queen was horrendous! I had my heart in my mouth throughout that entire fight!*

*Sorry about that, we made a few mistakes there,* he admitted with a frown. *And I'm really sorry about what happened to Tashana. I should have anticipated her reacting that way to the hive ship prisoners. She just seemed to be coping so well, I didn't expect it.*

*You can't anticipate all eventualities and Tashana seems to have recovered quickly. Like Helene, she's another very strong young woman.* She let out a mournful sigh. *I just wish that my predecessor's actions hadn't put my daughter's character to the test... and such a horrific test it was too.*

John thought back to the broken girl they'd met in the Unclaimed Wastes. *She's so much better already, Edraele.*

*I know, I saw how much of a difference you'd made when we met at the rendezvous. You've gently nurtured her body and mind, restoring both and rejuvenating her spirit. It's been wonderful to see her blooming again under your tender care,* the Maliri Queen said, in an outpouring of gratitude. *I love you so much, John. I'll never be able to repay you for what you've done for me and my daughters.*

*Yes you will,* John replied with a loving smile.

He imaged them sitting together, watching a sunrise on Valaden, the golden light warming their skin. His hands followed the curves of her heavily pregnant belly, caressing her as she leaned back against him, the beautiful Maliri sighing with contentment in his protective embrace.

*I see you intend to pile the debt higher, my Lord,* Edraele murmured, her voice full of longing. *If you'll excuse me, I urgently require Luna's assistance...*

The flurry of images she sent him outlining her plans for her lover made him flush with arousal. *She's a very lucky girl... have fun.*

*We will,* she replied, her telepathic voice a lusty purr.

Pushing off from the door frame, John strode down the ramp towards the beach, making it ten paces before one of the sharp-eyed Nymphs spotted him.

"Master!" Marika gushed in delight, leading her sisters in the rush to greet him.

They met him on the beach and he was soon surrounded by fawning Nymphs. "You're all wet!" he protested with a laugh as they rubbed their dripping bodies against him.

"You have no idea, Master..." Leylira whispered, her eyes hooded with lust.

He pulled her closer for a very passionate kiss, which prompted pleading entreaties from her sisters for similar attention. When they'd each had a turn showing how much they desired his lips, John turned to look at Helene. She stood apart, watching the Nymphs nuzzling their master, her fondness for them quite apparent in her baby-blue eyes.

"Hello, Helene," John said, greeting her with a tentative smile. "I was hoping we could talk, if that's alright with you?"

A flurry of emotions flickered across her face, leaving John wishing he had telepathy so that he could hear the thoughts behind them.

She seemed more distant than usual and struggled to make eye contact with him. "Yes, of course."

John glanced up at the doors on the other side of the bridge arcing over the Lagoon. "Shall we go to the Observatory for some privacy?"

After a moment's hesitation, Helene's eyes darted towards one of the sofas on the patio area behind the beach. "Would there be okay?"

His heart sank as he realised she was now afraid of being alone with him. "Sure, that's fine."

Helene sat on one end of the sofa, leaving an inordinate amount of room for him to sit down. John's anxiety deepened as it appeared she didn't want to sit too close to him either. He sat a respectful distance away to not appear too threatening.

She frowned as he took his seat. "Why are you sitting all the way over there?" she asked in confusion, beckoning him closer and patting the cushion in the middle.

When he sat where she had requested, Helene turned and beckoned over the Nymphs who had remained on the beach, their eyes tracking John's every move. They all looked to him for confirmation and when he nodded in bemusement, the four verdant girls gleefully bounded over to join them. He was immediately flanked by Leylira and Neysa, who sat beside him and burrowed under his arms, their hands running over his chest. Betrixa and Marika sat on the floor, curling up as close as they could get against his legs, each resting her head on his thighs.

"They've been really missing you," Helene said, smiling affectionately at the Nymphs who had all started to purr, blissful expressions on their lovely faces. "I would have felt mean taking you away from them after you only just arrived."

"So you aren't scared of me?" John asked, feeling a flood of relief.

Her eyes widened in shock and she quickly shook her head. "No! Of course not! You're my soulmate, why would I be scared of you?!"

He sagged back on the sofa and chuckled as the tension eased from his shoulders. "I'm sorry... I know you saw us fighting the Kirrix and I was worried that you might feel differently now."

Helene slid over on the sofa, cuddling up behind Neysa and stroking his arm soothingly. "Awed? Yes... Frightened? Never..."

"That's great to hear," John said, awkwardly shifting his arm around the snuggling Nymph, so he could clasp Helene's teal-skinned hand. "So watching us fight didn't change the way you felt about me or the girls at all?"

The aquatic girl hesitated and gave him a reluctant nod. "Now I finally understand why you want to keep me from fighting at your side." She sighed and admitted, "It was a shock to see all of you at war with those strange alien creatures... and the fighting was... horrible. It was like nothing I'd ever imagined in my worst nightmares."

"I have a confession to make," John admitted, with a pained look in his eyes. "I hoped that when you saw us fight like that, it would discourage you from wanting to be turned into a soldier like the other girls. That's why I didn't ask Calara to escort you from the Combat Bridge and let you watch instead... but I didn't want to scare you so badly that I gave you nightmares."

Helene shook her head. "I wasn't scared... why would I be? I'm protected by ten people who are as powerful as the gods from the old stories... and I know that you love me, I can feel it in my heart." She gently squeezed his hand, her eyes tearing up as she continued, "But I feel so sorry for all of you."

"Sorry for us? Why?" John asked, listening in fascination.

"Because you had to do such terrible things to save those poor people," she whispered, her thumb stroking the back of his hand. "You've all been so kind and loving with me, so it must have been awful for you to have to fight those monsters like that! They must be worse than trolls and goblins to make all of you so angry!"

He nodded solemnly. "You're right, they're very bad monsters. They did a lot of terrible things to innocent people and we were trying to stop them hurting anyone else."