Factor by Viola Grace Read Free Book Online

betrothed. They will remain at home, and if they don’t follow through on their betrothals, they will have to leave our world and travel abroad in the hopes of finding a mate.”
    “So, this is a cultural thing?”
    “We believe that unmated males and females are nothing but trouble. Our home world is for families.” Cowl shrugged as he worked his way through his meal.
    “That is kind of harsh.” She sipped at her wine.
    He shrugged. “It is the way we are. Our males and females get highly competitive when they can’t get laid.”
    Jianne sprayed the wine out over her fingers. She blotted her dress with a napkin, and she could hear Cowl laughing, Flare snickering and Roil coughed alarmingly from the kitchen.
    “Sorry about that.” She tidied up and smiled brightly. “I have never heard it stated so baldly.”
    “How are your people in competitive situations?”
    She wrinkled her nose. “Fidelity is not the strong suit of many of my people. I sometimes think that the only reason we were picked as Volunteers was because we had a strong sense of home and family. We tend to make it up as we go along.”
    Cowl placed his elbows on the table after Flare removed his empty plate. “That sounds both encouraging and discouraging. You don’t think you would be faithful to your mate?”
    She sat back and scowled at him. “Of course I would! What kind of woman do you think I am?”
    He shrugged. “I don’t know. I am trying to find out.”
    Jianne crossed her arms and rocked her chair back on two legs. “Ask a direct question and I will give you a direct answer.”
    He cocked his head. “Are you sure? We are not alone here.”
    She shrugged. “When you live with a Guardian team, the fewer secrets you have the better. Ask away.”
    “When did you last have a lover? I am assuming that you have had sex before.”
    Jianne blushed and reached for her wine but was forthright. “Three years. One year before I was arrested.”
    “Nothing while you were in Janial?”
    “Nope. Despite my riveting good looks, when it comes to my own sex, I was able to defend my honour against the few persistent admirers who tried to press their interest.” She snorted and sipped at her water glass.
    “How is it that you are still sane?”
    “My sanity is debatable. Now, one question for you, why is the timing a concern if virginity isn’t?”
    “Well, I am going to be hitting my sexual prime very shortly, and it will be a matter of biological urgency that I have a female who can keep up.”
    Flare disappeared and Roil set their desserts in front of them before he left them alone.
    “What will I need to keep up with?”
    “Mah-Duh-Sai are cyclical breeders. Every five years after the age of thirty-five, we couple at every opportunity, hoping for a child. I do not expect you to bear an heir, if that is a concern.” He casually rubbed the stem of his wineglass.
    “Well, it is now. Why not? My people are the Swiss army knives of the reproductive arena.” She couldn’t believe that she was defending what she and several other Terrans considered an embarrassment. The ability to blend genes with many other species was a little awkward when it came to dealing with species that only bred once in a lifetime.
    He chuckled and flicked his hood back. “What is a Swiss army knife?”
    She blushed and focussed on the layers of pastry and cream dotted with fruit. “It is a utility knife with a number of blades and attachments in a confined unit.”
    “I see. How many species have your kind successfully cross bred with?” He raised one dark eyebrow.
    She twisted her lips and did a quick count. “Over fifty at last count. A few required slight gene therapy or alteration due to size issues, but there are a lot of little half-Terrans running around the Alliance.”
    “That is both impressive and intriguing. What do you think our child would look like?” He drew in the air with his eating prong.
    She blushed. “I wasn’t…I didn’t…I