Fugitive (31 page)

   "Yeah, well, that's probably my fault for wearing shorts," Drusilla said, remembering that Manx had been particularly fond of that part of her too. "I probably should have dressed up a little, but you caught me at a bad time."

   "You look just fine to me," one of the boys piped up.

   Drusilla looked over at the dark-haired Zetithian boy who was smiling unabashedly at her. Judging from his expression, he liked her tight shorts and tank top very much, indeed. "They start young, don't they?" she observed.

   Jack rolled her eyes. "You don't know the half of it," she said darkly. "They may only be kids, but they don't miss much—especially when it comes to pretty women. Won't be long before they've got girls crawling all over them." Motioning to the kids, she added, "Guess I should introduce you. The big guys are mine: Larry, Moe, and Curly, and the next batch are Tisana's: Aldrik, Aidan, and Althea. My other babies are asleep."

   Following Jack's gesture, Drusilla noticed three sleeping forms in the shade of a large tree. "What are their names?" she asked.

   Jack's expression went from smiling to disgruntled in the space of a heartbeat. "We haven't named them yet," Jack said, casting a glowering look at Cat.

   Cat threw up his hands in innocence. "I am not the one who has been putting it off."

   "No, you just want to give them horrendous names," Jack grumbled. "Perfectly cute little boys and you want to name them something I can't even pronounce."

   "I have agreed to Kirk, Spock, and Bones," Cat reminded her.

   "Yes, but the Zetithian versions are horrible!" Jack exclaimed. "And I don't
like
the name Bones—it sounds creepy! What's wrong with Groucho, Chico, and Harpo, anyway?"

   "I do not want sons with those names," Cat said, folding his arms in a stubborn manner. "Nor will I agree to Huey, Dewey, and Louie."

   Drusilla was understandably mystified and looked to Tisana for enlightenment.

   "They have to do with characters in ancient Earth culture," Tisana explained.

   "Yes, but I'm from Earth and I've never heard of them," Drusilla declared. "Must be really obscure."

   "Hobby of mine," Jack said with a casual wave of her hand, but her eyes never wavered from Cat's glit tering orbs.

   "You got away with Larry, Moe, and Curly," Cat reminded her. "I was not aware of the origin then, but I am now."

   Drusilla put up a tentative hand. "Um, do they have to be named after someone?"

   "What?" Cat and Jack said in unison.

   "Can't they just be names you like?" Drusilla inquired.

   "There has to be a theme," Jack explained. "Tisana and Leo are going alphabetically, and Cat and I are going with famous trios."

   "Famous?" Drusilla echoed.

   "Well, they were at one time," Jack argued. "I know there are some that are more recent, but—"

   "What about Kang, Kor, and Kolath?" said Drusilla.

   Jack stared at her blankly. "Who?"

   "They're painters," Drusilla replied. "from Dellera. I think their names are really old," she added reflectively. "But I'm not certain of their origin."

   For some reason those names sounded vaguely familiar to Jack, though she was having a hard time placing them. "Hmm, not bad," Jack said, looking to Cat for approval. Then it hit her. "No, wait! I've got it! Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael!"

   "Yes, they're painters too," Drusilla agreed. "Pretty ancient, but—"

"And
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!"

   "Uh, there were four Ninja Turtles," Cat pointed out.

   "Yes, but the fourth was Leonardo, and we've already got a Leo," Jack said. "Why didn't I ever think of them before?"

   "Because there were four of them?" Cat suggested.

   "You aren't going to call Raphael 'Rafe,' are you?" Tisana said with a grimace.

   "Ooo, hadn't thought of that," Jack said. "Rafe was Tisana's ex-boyfriend and Leo's last owner," she told Drusilla. "Bad idea to name a kid that." Jack looked at Cat. "So, did you like those?"

   "Which ones?"

   "Drusilla's."

   "Kang, Kor, and Kolath?"

   "Yeah, not bad, are they?"

   "I like them fine," Cat said.

   "You mean we actually agree?"

   "I believe so," Cat replied.

   Jack looked at Drusilla gratefully. "Now all we have to do is decide which one is which."

   "Birth order?" suggested Drusilla.

   "Well," Jack said slowly, "we do have them numbered."

   "You're kidding me, right?"

   "No, take a look."

   Drusilla walked over to where the babies lay sleeping. Each one of them had a bracelet on with a number. "Okay, one is Kang, two is Kor, and three is Kolath."

   Tisana looked up at the sky and murmured something Drusilla didn't catch.

   "Thanking the gods, aren't you?" Jack teased.

   "And anyone else responsible, especially Drusilla," Tisana replied, reaching out to give her a hug. "You have no idea what it's been like referring to those boys by number!"

   "Glad I could help," Drusilla said as Tisana squeezed her so hard she could barely speak. "Now, if you'll just help me find Manx…"

   "Oh, no problem," Tisana said promptly. "One love potion coming right up—although, strictly speaking, it's an aphrodisiac, not a love potion. You might want to stay away from Cat and Leo, though," she cautioned. "Not sure they'll be able to resist your scent once you've had a taste of it."

   "I have a pulse pistol," Drusilla said helpfully. "Lester gave it to me. I could stun them if necessary."

   Cat and Leo looked at one another and shook their heads, but Jack's eyes began to glow with excitement. "Oh, that's right!" she exclaimed. "Where is it?" Jack didn't wait for a reply, but smacked her forehead as though she'd just remembered something else. "I'll be right back. Gotta go send out a deep space hail."

   Drusilla took a deep breath as Jack took off running toward the ship. "Is she always like that?"

   "Most of the time," Tisana replied. "But don't worry. You'll get used to her."

   "No you won't," Larry said. "No one ever does."

   The baby whose name was now Kolath began to cry and Curly went over and picked him up. "Mine is named what?" he asked.

   "Kolath," Larry said. "And mine is Kang. Moe's is Kor."

   Drusilla was astonished. "You each have one to take care of?"

   "They are old enough to care for babies," said Cat. "This is the way it was done on Zetith. Can you think of a better method?"

   Drusilla was forced to admit that she couldn't. It was taking care of that first litter that had her worried. Of course, that would be a moot point unless she found Manx again. Then there was always the possibility that he didn't want to be found. Drusilla didn't want to think about that.

Chapter 17

IT MIGHT HAVE TAKEN DAYS OF DAREFUL PREPARATION, BUT Drusilla had never partaken of what was surely toxic waste before, and she saw no reason to start now. "I have to
drink
this?" she asked Tisana.

   "Yes, and don't you dare tell Jack what it looks, tastes, or smells like or she'll be trying to brew it up herself."

   "Can't think why she'd need it," said Drusilla. "She seems to have no problems in that department."

   "Oh, it wouldn't be for her, it would be for some other poor, unsuspecting soul, and that goes against every rule in the book." Tisana shook her head as a weary sigh escaped her. "I've kept the recipe for that potion in my head for as long as I've known her. I tore the page out of my potions book and burned it not long after we came aboard. Didn't trust her."

   "You could have just called it something else," suggested Drusilla, still eyeing the evil-smelling potion with distaste. "All you'd have to do is list it under 'Things no one in their right mind would ever touch' or 'Rodent Repellent' and I'm sure it would be safe. You could even write it on a blank page in one of your books that way."

   "Yes, I suppose I could do that," Tisana admitted, "but I still wouldn't trust her not to go looking for it—especially now that she knows it exists."

   "I see your point," Drusilla said. Then another

possibility occurred to her. "You're sure you remember how to make this correctly?"

   "Yes, I'm sure," Tisana said gloomily. "It was one of those forbidden potions my mother warned me about, which was why I was so interested in it as a child. Can't think why she didn't rip the page out herself," she added reflectively.

   "Or substitute the ingredients for a really good laxa tive," Drusilla suggested with a giggle.

   Tisana appeared momentarily struck by this idea, but her arrested expression made Drusilla even more nervous.

   "You, um,
have
made this before, haven't you?" Drusilla asked. "You're sure it works?"

   "What?" Tisana said absently. "Oh—the potion? Yes, it works. I was just thinking."

   "Don't do it," Drusilla warned.

   "Do what?" Tisana asked innocently.

   "I've seen that look before," Drusilla said knowingly. "I may paint mostly birds, but I watch people too. You're not really going to—"

   "If Jack was going to use the potion on herself I might consider it, but since other unsuspecting people would be her targets, I have no intention of making them suffer unnecessarily." Tisana motioned for her to drink up. "It won't hurt you, even if it doesn't affect you."

"Now
she tells me," Drusilla murmured. "As bad as it smells, it
better
work."

   It smelled like something on fire that should
never
be burned, tasted even worse, and went down like lava. It occurred to Drusilla that Tisana might be attempting to murder her, but then the fire seemed to spread, reaching throughout her body to stimulate every erogenous zone she possessed. Her nipples tingled as they and her clitoris became engorged to the point of being uncom fortable and then an ache began between her thighs that rapidly became unbearable. All Drusilla could think of was getting someone—or something—inside her to ease the feeling of complete and utter emptiness.

   "Is there an antidote to this?" Drusilla gasped.

   "Unfortunately, no," Tisana said, with sympathetic smile. "At least, not unless Manx shows up." Reaching for a pair of scissors, she went on, "We should take some of your hair too, I think. Just a little will do." Snipping off a small portion, she dropped it into a jar.

   Drusilla didn't even notice what Tisana was doing. She was too focused on the clamoring of her body as all the moisture in her mouth seemed to dry up and head south. "Can I have something else to drink?"

   "Oh, yes, I suppose you would like something to wash that down with. Nothing completely cuts the effect, but wine helps the burn."

   "Great, now I'll be horny
and
drunk," Drusilla grumbled. "I feel terrible."

   "Wouldn't feel a bit bad if Manx was around," Tisana said reassuringly. "In the state you're in, a good hard cock is the only thing you need."

   Drusilla knew she was right, but, as Tisana had so helpfully pointed out, Manx was nowhere near. "I sure hope we can find him!" she gasped. "I was anxious to find him before, but now I really
need
him!"

   "You'll be all right—eventually. Drink this down and then get me a sample of every body fluid you can think of," she said, handing Drusilla a small glass of wine and doing her best to sound firm. Pointing toward a doorway, she added. "Then you can go lie down until it wears off."

   "How long does it take?"

   "Not long," Tisana replied. "About three or four hours at the most."

   "Not long?" Drusilla squeaked. "Not long? If you felt like this you'd—"

   "I'd go find Leo and hope he could keep up with me," Tisana said equably. "Don't worry, Drusilla. With any luck, Manx will be here soon."

   "But he's been gone for days and days," Drusilla lamented. "It could take him even longer to return."

   "Let's hope not," Tisana said. "He's probably already getting a whiff of the original signal brew and is on his way back as we speak. This is just to make him hurry."

   "I hope it puts wings on his feet," Drusilla declared. "I already felt bad enough, but now I feel like I'll die without him." Drusilla hated to admit this, even to herself, but just then, any man would have done. "Or somebody," she added lamely.

   "That's the reason I don't like to use this potion," Tisana said. "It's not very specific."

   "Yeah," Drusilla agreed. "It just makes you want to fuck so bad you'll do it with anyone."

   "My point exactly," Tisana said. "But Jack will never listen to reason."

   Drusilla supplied Tisana with the samples she required and then shut the door.

   Once the door was closed, Drusilla stripped off her clothing and reached between her legs to stroke her engorged clit. She hadn't felt this wild even when she had been watching Manx out on the beach that first night. Her entire pelvic region ached, and she couldn't keep her legs together. Her clitoris climaxed from the stimulation she gave it, but it wasn't enough; in fact, she suspected that even a whole army of men couldn't have satisfied her. She wondered briefly what this potion would do to a male and decided that if Manx had drunk any of it, she wouldn't have needed an army; he would have been able to fuck for hours.

   Not that he couldn't do that anyway. Aside from being the most inherently likable and lovable man she'd ever met, he could probably outperform just about any other man in existence. This thought and the added effects from the potion made her consider dashing out into the jungle in search of him, but she retained enough rational thought to realize that she had absolutely no idea where to look.

   Sighing, she lay back on the bed. It was going to be a very long four hours.

***

Tisana considered throwing out the remainder of the aphrodisian brew, but on the outside chance that it might be needed again, she poured it into a glass vial and set it up on the shelf along with her store of medicinal herbs. Then, on second thought, she tucked it behind several other containers. No point in leaving it out in plain sight where anyone could find it—especially Jack.