Dozens have gathered at the shield blocking the view of what's going on. Sverre pushes through and they part around him like water. One of the multiple of airlocks is here and on the other side are two Zmaj facing off with each other. Lying a short distance on the far side of them is Amara who is sitting on the side of a dune. Blood is trickling from under her hand that she's pressing to her forehead. The box I'd gone to investigate when all this started is close to her.
The two Zmaj circle each other with their weapons drawn. One of them swings his in a slow, lazy circle, then drives in swinging it down in an overhand maneuver. The other blocks it and sparks fly as their blades meet with a ringing clash. Sverre activates the control panel then opens the door to the airlock. He enters it and I try to follow it but he motions and the door closes locking me out.
"SVERRE!" I yell at him angrily.
"Jolie," he shakes his head side to side. "Please."
Everyone is watching the two of us and it hits me. He's a leader. Unlike Rosalind and Ladon who are warrior's, he's a leader that we can follow. If people believe in him. I can't undermine that and if I act like a petulant child I will. Meaning to or not I will undercut him in front of all these people. If they see him end this violence then we're taking a step to a better future. My thoughts flash through in an instant then I nod my agreement. He smiles and touches the shield. I put my hand up against his and the shield sends a tingle through my body. The door on the opposite side opens and he walks out.
"Brothers," he says without yelling.
The two Zmaj ignore him intent on killing each other.
"She is mine!" one of them yells.
"In death," the other responds, cutting low with his blade.
The first one dodges back and bumps against Sverre. His tail lashes hard and Sverre has to jump up and back to avoid having his legs taken out from under him. He lands in a crouch and winces one hand going to his ribs.
"Enough!" Sverre yells rising up straight.
Something in his voice cuts through the rage of the two Zmaj. They stop, glaring at each other but no longer attacking. The one closes to Sverre hisses and the other shifts his grip on the haft of his weapon.
"She is mine," the one furthest from Sverre hisses. "I saw her first."
"Wrong," the other replies.
"She is neither of yours," Sverre says walking between the two of them. "She belongs only to one she chooses. You are not animals!"
Their attention is now on him. He stands unarmed between the two of them. My stomach ties itself into knots. I couldn't get to him in time to stop them cutting down if I tried. No one can. He's made his play and if they don't listen he's dead.
"Who are you to speak to me in such a manner," the one to the left hisses raising his lochaber.
"I am Sverre, formerly Head Chairman of Tajss. You are in the territory of Ladon of Drakonov. Come as a friend and be welcome. There are plenty of threats to be faced besides one another."
"Sverre," the right one hisses. "I do not recognize your authority."
"Your recognition does nothing to lessen my stance. This female is under my protection."
"Then I will take her from you," the right one responds.
"No, she is mine!" the left one interjects.
Sverre reaches out to them both moving slowly but confidently he places a hand on each man's shoulder.
"Perhaps she will choose one of you," Sverre says. "You are men of honor, Zmaj. Tell me your names. Push past the grip of instinct and remember who and what you are."
His touch changes them. They relax. The tension drains away and both men stand straighter.
"I am Shidan," right hand says.
"I'm Astarot," the left hand man says.
I let out the breath I've been holding since he walked between them. The two Zmaj fall into conversation with Sverre. Shidan is tall, three or four inches taller than Sverre putting him well over seven feet tall. His markings have red tinging his scales and he has emerald eyes that sparkle in the light. Astarot is shorter than Sverre. His scales are tinged with a bright green that edges towards fluorescent while his eyes are darker, rich brown or maybe even black, I can't tell for sure at this distance.
Sverre talks to them as he reaches down to help Amara to her feet. She appears fine having a minor cut on her forehead. Sverre opens the airlock and ushers her in but remains outside with the two Zmaj. Finally he turns to me.
"Can you go and get Ladon? I need him to welcome these two into the city."
It turns out to not be necessary because as soon as I turn to ask the man next to me to run for him I see Ladon striding down the street. He looks angry as he moves with determination towards the airlock.
"What is the meaning of this Sverre?" he asks, not opening the door and crossing his arms while staring at Sverre.
"Ladon," Sverre says. "We have visitors."
"I see this," Ladon hisses.
Rosalind pushes through the growing crowd to stand next to Ladon followed by Calista. The two newcomers have their weapons in hand and ready. Sverre stands between them. People in the crowd behind me are muttering. Calls to keep them out, complaints about more aliens, and a minority who seem ready to welcome them in.
"Open the door," Rosalind says to Ladon.
"No," Ladon says eyes locked with Sverre.
"I'm not asking," Rosalind says and Ladon looks over, anger pulsing from him in palpable waves.
Sverre steps closer to the dome which puts the two newcomers at his back.
"Everyone," he says looking at me. "Jolie can you translate for me?"
"Of course," I agree, my heart swelling as he transforms before me.
"The future lies before us," he says and I translate. "The past, who and what we were, what we've done doesn't matter. The survival of both our races has been intertwined. By fate, by gods, or by sheer luck I do not know. What is clear, abundantly, is we need each other."
The crowd shifts and mutters but they're listening. Ladon drops his arms to his sides as his anger becomes less palpable. Calista puts her arm around him. The two newcomers stare at Sverre then Astarot puts his weapon away.
"It will not be easy. We, each of us, have our personal fears and worries to conquer. What I can tell you is that we face threats from outside enough that there is no need for us to make enemies of each other. The only way I see forward that has any hope for either of our races is together. We must form a new tribe, a single tribe, integrating our two races and cultures together to create a new and brighter future for our children."
"Finally!" someone in the crowd shouts.
"That new alien makes sense," someone else says but I can't see who.
"It's a damn trap, aliens are going to kill us all and eat us," someone mutters but another person yells for them to shut up.
Rosalind is watching the crowd, her lips pursed, then she nods.
"He's right," she says, adding her voice and the weight of her leadership to him. "If we're going to survive, we need each other."
"Ladon?" Sverre asks.
Calista rises onto her toes and whispers into Ladon's ear. As she settles back to her feet they kiss then he looks at Sverre. He doesn't speak as he goes to the control panel for the airlock and opens the door. The crowd behind us cheers though a few of them hiss and boo. The majority seem to get it and I guess that's the best we can hope for.
Sverre comes in first followed by the two newcomers. A new day is dawning for our races. It's not going to be easy I'm sure but we're moving in the right direction. Rosalind takes Amara whisking her off for first aid and I throw myself into Sverre's arms.
"You're amazing," I say before kissing him.
"No," he says simply. "I'm practical. We need all the help we can get. It's the sensible solution."
"Well, be that as it may, I think you're amazing and I love you."
"And I you," he says softly returning my kiss anew.
"It is time for change. Will you join me?"
21 JOLIE
I don't know. I guess the time for not being ready would have been before it happened. Now, well now it is what it is. And I'm happy about it. Nervous, sure, but happy. It's been almost two weeks since the other Zmaj arrived. Integration is progressing slowly. Some of the humans don't want the aliens and there's a growing faction centered around Gershom.
There have been isolated reports from scouts about traces of what might be the Zzlo but no further sightings, which is good. Life is still a day to day struggle for something more than just surviving even if we're making headway. Food is a major concern. Our supplies are getting lower and while Rosalind and Sverre are organizing hunting parties for bivo meat, that won't meet all our nutritional needs. Calista and I have to find some way that we can grow plants.
"Is the answer in that wall?" Calista asks and I jump.
"Huh?"
Calista smiles. "You've been staring at that wall for the past twenty minutes."
"Oh, crap, sorry, yeah I…"
I haven't told her yet. I haven't told anyone, not even Sverre. I don't know what I'm waiting for, maybe for it to all sink in? To make sure it's real?
"Got it, so what's up?" she asks, cutting through any excuses.
I swallow hard. I can't not tell her. Calista waits patiently while I pull my thoughts together. She's getting bigger, definitely showing. Staring at her growing stomach I blurt it out.
"I'm pregnant."
"Oh that's great!" she exclaims taking me into a tight embrace.
"Yeah," I say, holding tight to her as nerves create intense butterflies in my stomach.
"What does Sverre think?" she asks.
"I haven't told him," I reply. "I'm going to tonight."
"He'll be over the moon," she says.
"Yeah, he wants kids, we've talked about it."
"And we'll only be a couple months apart! Our kids will grow up together and we'll have parties, it's going to be great."
"It will be!"
"You should probably know something else," she says.
"What?"
"Well, I was telling Ladon when I expected our baby would be born and he was surprised. I guess a Zmaj pregnancy usually lasts well over a year."
"You've got to be kidding me! Holy crap we're going to be pregnant for a year? I'm gonna be a whale," I laugh and rub my still flat stomach.
"It's going to be great," she repeats.
We settle in to work and the day passes. Sverre is in meetings all day today organizing and building support for our two races becoming a single tribe. It's a visionary idea but also the only way we're going to survive.
Calista and I make some headway towards solving our food issue when at last the day is done. We hug goodbye for the day and I go to the room Sverre and I call home. He's waiting for me.
"Hello," he says. He wraps his arms around me from behind pulling my hips tight to him and I can feel his enormous erection pressing against me.
"Miss me?" I tease.
"More than words," he says.
"I can tell," I laugh, moving side to side and teasing him more.
"Mmm," he moans pulling my hair aside and kissing along my neck down to my shoulder.
"Sverre," I whisper.
"Mmm?" He continues kissing his way up my neck.
My thoughts scatter under the gentle ministrations of his tongue and lips. Turning my head into him our lips meet and we kiss. My passion rises to meet his and all other considerations are gone. Pressing my tongue past his lips I lick his teeth searching for his.
His hands grip my hips keeping me tight against him. His cock pressing into my ass pulses. Grinding against him I push his erection harder into my backside. His hands move between my legs and as they move across my mound I groan.
"Jolie," he growls as we press into each other.
His hand slides into my pants and cups me, placing pressure directly over my throbbing clit. He moves his hand up and down building desire. I throw my arms over my head and clasp them around his neck holding him close. He kisses my neck and collar while his hand moves in a circle. One finger slides through my delicate silken folds to find my clitoris. He circles around it driving me wild. My hips buck in response involuntarily and I groan.
I turn in his arms so that I'm facing him. Rising up on my toes I press my lips into his stealing a long, passionate kiss. He squeezes my ass then his hands are roaming down my legs and up my back.
"Sverre," I gasp, breaking the kiss. "I have something to tell you."
"Yes my love," he says between kisses along my cheek and neck.
He keeps kissing so I take his face in my hands and pull until we're looking into each others eyes.
"We're going to have a baby," I say.
His eyes widen, his mouth drops open, then I'm twirling in a circle. Gripping his shoulders as dizziness takes hold of me his laughter surrounds me along with his strong arms.
"You're certain?" he asks, putting me back on my feet at last.
"Yes!" I exclaim.
"Oh my love," he says, pulling me tight against him and kissing me with a fiery passion. "A child…"
"Ours," I reply.
"There is so much to do," he says stepping back. "The city must be prepared. The new tribe must be stabilized. The city defenses have to be strengthened and food supplies, those will have to be the priority but we'll need crews cleaning and repairing as well."
"Sverre." I interrupt his stream of thought and his eyes return to me. "There's time."
"Yes, you're right," he smiles, wrapping me in his arms once more.
His rigid cock crushes between us driving into my abdomen. As we kiss I reach down and stroke his length then slide my hand inside his pants and tease it with my fingers.
Leaning my hips out I undo his pants and let them drop to the floor so that I have full access to him. He grabs my shirt and pulls it over my head as I lower myself to my knees before him. His beautiful, ribbed cock points at me quivering with his need.
"Remember when I said I'd show you what kinky meant?"
"Mmhmmm," he moans.
"Well here's lesson one."
I trace the side of his cock from its beautiful swollen head down to the base. His fingers twine in my hair and he moans loudly. I trace my tongue underneath it then back up the opposite side, trailing my tongue just below the ribbed ridges that line the top of his shaft.
"Jolie," he groans as I reach the head and trace the lines with my tongue flicking it over the tip of the head to tease him to even greater heights of passion.
His hips rock back and forth as I repeat my actions. He's too big for me to take fully in my mouth but I slide the head in and close my lips tight around it sucking while teasing it with my tongue. He groans and drops of his seed covers my tongue. Looking up at him his eyes are rolled back in his head, his grip in my hair tightens, and he groans softly as he struggles to maintain control. I don't ease up, I want him out of control.
Sucking harder I move his cock in and out of my mouth driving down to the first of the ridges along the top while lavishing the underside with my tongue. Sucking in and out as I move up and down he groans louder. His legs tighten and he pulls his hips back.
"Jolie, slow," he cries out but I work faster.
His cock engorges further in my mouth and still he maintains control so I grab the base of his shaft with my hand and stroke, squeezing the unprotected delicate underside. He's beyond words, moaning and making sounds that increase in volume and frequency as I work.
Impossibly his cock grows bigger still then jumps in my mouth. I slide down as far as I can then his seed explodes into me. His cock pulses and quivers as I slide off then stand up. Before I can get fully to my feet he grabs me, lifts me to his lips, and we kiss with a fiery passion. As we do I feel his first, now soft cock, retreat and his second one rise to the occasion. Advantages of being in love with an alien dragon man.
He rips my shirt off, passion blinding him to the delicate buttons. He lif
ts me up until my breasts are level with his mouth and he takes my nipple into his mouth lavishing it with his tongue. Shifting his grip as he works me into diamond hard points he hooks his arm under my ass pushing my pussy against his hard chest.
The strength he has is incredible. He holds me up like I'm nothing in his arms. Running my hands over his head, down across the bulging muscles of his shoulders, wetness streams out of me as desire floods my body. We move across our apartment and into our bedroom where he gently lies me down onto our bed. His muscles move under my hands making me hotter still.
On the bed he moves over me kissing everywhere, his hands and fingers move and it's like he has four arms. He's touching and exploring everywhere at once. The smell of him, so exotic, so spicy combine with the musky smell of sex as my pants are ripped from me leaving me fully exposed.
He stops, looking me over, drinking me in with his eyes. With any other man I'd feel self-conscious but the way he looks at me I feel loved, wanted, appreciated. He lowers himself over me then holding himself up on his elbows, kissing between my breasts and down across my stomach. He stops just above my bellybutton and kisses a slow, soft circle.
"Our child," he whispers. "I will make the world a better place for you."
My heart swells until I think I'm going to burst. Love fills me for him and for our child like a glowing golden light. A tear falls down my cheek as the emotions I'm feeling become too strong to process. I've never been so happy in all my life.
He kisses across my belly button and down to the top of my opening. Probing with his tongue he parts my folds with slow, deliberate strokes of his tongue until he finds my clit. He traces circles around my throbbing nub. I grab his head and pull, clawing to bring him in closer, drive him deeper.
"Sverre, please," I cry my need out to him.
He drives his tongue tight against my clit and then he slides a finger inside. My walls tighten on that finger as my orgasm explodes. My toes curl tight and my back arches and I cry out a wordless scream. Slowly it passes and he pulls back his tongue and finger then climbs up across me. Reaching my lips we kiss. His tongue drives into me as his finger just did, finding my tongue and dancing.
Dragon's Mate: A Scifi Alien Romance (Red Planet Dragons of Tajss Book 2) Page 15