the scans and prints that she had to give to get into what would be her apartment.
It was a whirlwind of events, but she was finally home, and her Familiar was with her every step of the way.
Epilogue
She watched her father in the recording and leaned against Helbri while her father explained why he hadn’t wanted her to leave.
“Your mother and I met one night, and it was only one night. She dropped you off when you were days old and Mel had just miscarried. It wasn’t a great situation, but Mel said that it was meant to be. She would have my baby, and there was no doubt that it was mine.” He cleared his throat. “That you were mine.”
He shifted in his chair. “I didn’t know that those DNA reports were still around, but when you mentioned the Volunteer Project, I knew that they would do more tests and dredge it back up.”
He leaned forward. “Mel is your mother. Never doubt that, but that other woman, Emily, she just gave birth to you and abandoned you. You owed Mel. You owed us for staying with you, for raising you.”
Cleo sighed and waved at the screen. It shut off.
“Don’t you want to see the rest?”
She rubbed her forehead. “No. I wanted to know. I know. I am sure that the Alliance is stalking my birth mother in an effort to find another Lrrko offspring to bargain with.”
“Probably. Why don’t you want to see it?”
“A child owes nothing to the parents. They are the only part of the equation that has no say. My little shadows will be mine. I will visit them as often as I can and do what I can for their education. Of course, that means I need to slow down on the fooling around with you.” She winked.
“Thank you for not saying stop.”
She laughed and turned to him, crawling up his chest and kissing him. “Never stop.”
He kissed her and rolled her to her back. “That seems like something to have emblazoned on your skin. I love to hear you whisper it to me while I am inside you.”
She stroked his cheek. “That is why I say it.”
She lost her smile as she kissed him. She had been brought to the world and given to those who could raise her. She would do the same for any of the little half-Terrans growing in the lab. She knew who to trust on Lrrko, and it was definitely the Brides, Familiars and the new little crosses growing in the tanks.
The little shadows that were growing all took after their father, and she couldn’t be happier. She would be a mother a hundred times over and love them all just because they existed, not because she was owed anything. Helbri had demonstrated to her that giving out of duty could turn into something else, and she was anticipating being able to pay it forward.
Author’s Note
Whew. Well, with Prohibit completed, there is just one set of five books left for the Terran Times Second Wave.
I am not shutting the door on the series, but I definitely need a break. The series began ten years ago with Arena Station (Champions of Terra) (which needs a facelift but that is up to me), and it will run its course with Quit.
Thanks for reading,
Viola Grace
About the Author
Viola Grace (aka Zenina Masters) is a Canadian sci-fi/paranormal romance writer with ambitions to keep writing for the rest of her life. She specializes in short stories because the thrill of discovery, of all those firsts, is what keeps her writing.
An artist who enjoys a story that catches you up, whirls you around and sets you down with a smile on your face is all she endeavours to be. She prefers to leave the drama to those who are better suited to it, she always goes for the cheap laugh.
It was a whirlwind of events, but she was finally home, and her Familiar was with her every step of the way.
Epilogue
She watched her father in the recording and leaned against Helbri while her father explained why he hadn’t wanted her to leave.
“Your mother and I met one night, and it was only one night. She dropped you off when you were days old and Mel had just miscarried. It wasn’t a great situation, but Mel said that it was meant to be. She would have my baby, and there was no doubt that it was mine.” He cleared his throat. “That you were mine.”
He shifted in his chair. “I didn’t know that those DNA reports were still around, but when you mentioned the Volunteer Project, I knew that they would do more tests and dredge it back up.”
He leaned forward. “Mel is your mother. Never doubt that, but that other woman, Emily, she just gave birth to you and abandoned you. You owed Mel. You owed us for staying with you, for raising you.”
Cleo sighed and waved at the screen. It shut off.
“Don’t you want to see the rest?”
She rubbed her forehead. “No. I wanted to know. I know. I am sure that the Alliance is stalking my birth mother in an effort to find another Lrrko offspring to bargain with.”
“Probably. Why don’t you want to see it?”
“A child owes nothing to the parents. They are the only part of the equation that has no say. My little shadows will be mine. I will visit them as often as I can and do what I can for their education. Of course, that means I need to slow down on the fooling around with you.” She winked.
“Thank you for not saying stop.”
She laughed and turned to him, crawling up his chest and kissing him. “Never stop.”
He kissed her and rolled her to her back. “That seems like something to have emblazoned on your skin. I love to hear you whisper it to me while I am inside you.”
She stroked his cheek. “That is why I say it.”
She lost her smile as she kissed him. She had been brought to the world and given to those who could raise her. She would do the same for any of the little half-Terrans growing in the lab. She knew who to trust on Lrrko, and it was definitely the Brides, Familiars and the new little crosses growing in the tanks.
The little shadows that were growing all took after their father, and she couldn’t be happier. She would be a mother a hundred times over and love them all just because they existed, not because she was owed anything. Helbri had demonstrated to her that giving out of duty could turn into something else, and she was anticipating being able to pay it forward.
Author’s Note
Whew. Well, with Prohibit completed, there is just one set of five books left for the Terran Times Second Wave.
I am not shutting the door on the series, but I definitely need a break. The series began ten years ago with Arena Station (Champions of Terra) (which needs a facelift but that is up to me), and it will run its course with Quit.
Thanks for reading,
Viola Grace
About the Author
Viola Grace (aka Zenina Masters) is a Canadian sci-fi/paranormal romance writer with ambitions to keep writing for the rest of her life. She specializes in short stories because the thrill of discovery, of all those firsts, is what keeps her writing.
An artist who enjoys a story that catches you up, whirls you around and sets you down with a smile on your face is all she endeavours to be. She prefers to leave the drama to those who are better suited to it, she always goes for the cheap laugh.
Similar Books
