Chase by Viola Grace Read Free Book Online

twice as many people." Drioth's logic was unassailable.
    "Couldn't you have started small and left room for expansion? I get the feeling folks will be expecting me to have triplets or something." She bit her lower lip and looked to the crowd of workers who were staring at them as they spoke.
    "Ignore them. We want to start so that you are completely comfortable and have everything that you need right from the beginning."
    She smiled and went up on her toes, kissing Hexar softly on the lips before turning to Drioth to do the same. "I already have everything I need to start a life here. Now, can we discuss the grade of the foundation?"
    She was sandwiched in a hug that covered her ship suit with sweat. Oddly enough, it ranked in her top-ten favourite hugs in her lifetime.

    Chapter Nine
    Jikya walked in front of her, Hista slightly behind her daughter while Ahzar held Nenita's arm and approached the grooms waiting at the end of the pathway. She kissed each of her suitors on the cheek and knelt with one on either side to wait for the official to begin the ceremony.
    Nenita hummed happily to herself as she waited for the wedding to get underway. Their house was ready and she only had to sneak into the raw construction phase twice to change the positions of the bearing walls.
    The ladies of the colony had embroidered her dress and Hexar's and Drioth's shirts while they watched the house go up.
    The official tried to combine as many Terran traditions as she could and what ended up happening was that they had hours of silent meditation with an occasional exchange of vows and declarations.
    Nenita was in a happy cloud as the celebration began. The colony loved a good party and with the co-operation they had already received in building, their union was attended by everyone just to confirm their efforts were worth it.
    Games began, shifting contests that worked out fastest time and best mimicry.
    "How are you enjoying the games, Nenita?"
    "We are married now, Drioth, call me Nene."
    He inclined his head. "Nene then. How are you enjoying the competitions?"
    "I have had the pleasure of seeing two multi-shifters up close, so this is a pale imitation."
    Hexar grinned. "It is practice and a method for the younger members of the community to strut their stuff."
    "Why are there no women competing?"
    They both blushed. "While female Oefric can and do shift at will, they don't disrobe in public. It is a peculiarity of our society."
    She laughed at the shy note in Hexar's tone. "Hista used to give you hell for that, didn't she?"
    "And my other two sisters. They hated not being able to compete. They were highly competitive and always ran shifting trials at home. As soon as they became grown women, they had to stop and resented the hell out of it."
    "I can see why. It would kill me to stop using my talent. It is as much a part of me as my hands and feet." She smiled at the colony elder who stopped by to give them a gift and his well wishes.
    "We understand that, but having a female near oestrus shifting into an animal in front of a crowd tests our control beyond bearing." Drioth's dry observation had her lips quirking.
    "Okay, that is a fair point. It isn't really something for public consumption."
    "Hence the rules against it. It is something that is merely recommended to the females, not enforced." Hexar perked up as music started at the far end of the square.
    Drioth kissed the back of her hand. "Hexar wants to dance. He's a dancing fool."
    Her other husband grinned. "He's right. Shall we?"
    "I haven't danced in years. Are you prepared?"
    "I will deal with it." He hauled her to her feet and out from behind the head table onto the dance floor.
    She was swung against him with a thud that got the collection of Oefric laughing and Hexar's foolish grin made all the silliness worthwhile. The dance was a cross between a waltz and the tango and Hexar was a wonderful instructor.
    Nenita found herself laughing as she was whirled and spun around the dance