“What are you doing?” she demanded, her face flaming hot with embarrassment. What if someone saw him like that?
“You will ride me back to the compound.”
Without another word, he stepped back a few paces and contorted, growling. His body broke apart and reformed into a giant, gold dragon. Octavia nearly swallowed her tongue and choked to death. Sputtering and blinking, she tried to regain her ability to breathe. The dragon turned his face toward her, and his lips curled back, showing rows of sharp white teeth.
Tentatively, she stepped forward. He motioned towards his bent knee as if to tell her that’s where she should climb up. She stepped up on his leg and hoisted herself onto his back.
She had expected the scales to be cold and slimy, but they were smooth and warm to the touch. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she let him know she was ready.
He leapt into the air, his wings pumping with indefinably strong muscles. She could feel his body shift under her seat. She let out a terrified shriek and hid her face in his scales. The air blew over her as he gained speed. She finally attempted a glance around her and realized that it was a mistake. They were high above the park, and she instantly felt vertigo threaten to make her puke.
Unlike the walk to the refugee camp, the flight back only took a few minutes. Joss landed gracefully in front of the compound, and she carefully slid from his back. Taking several steps away, she watched as he shifted back into a man and flicked the spot at the base of his neck that made his uniform retract over his naked flesh.
“That was freaking terrifying,” she said.
“As terrifying as having the Mulgor bomb your city?” he asked pointedly.
“Well, no. Of course not.” Why did he have to be such a know-it-all?
“Come. I’ve arranged for you to meet the other brides. They are eager to speak with you.”
“This ought to be interesting.”
She followed Joss into the small front entrance of the compound, where a group of young human women were waiting for them. Two of the girls had babies and the third was heavily pregnant. A fourth girl, who wasn’t visibly pregnant, walked down the hallway and joined the rest of the group.
“Brides, this is Octavia Reynolds. She is my mate. The one I told you about.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” one of the girls said. She had a little baby in a stroller who looked as if she was four or five months old. The baby was a little cherub, and Octavia instantly felt herself enchanted by the small creature. “You told us already, Joss.”
“You humans are so inappropriately disrespectful and informal,” Joss said.
“We have a similar opinion of you, Joss,” the pregnant girl said.
“I leave you now.”
Joss turned on his heel and stormed away towards the elevators. All of the girls started to giggle uncontrollably behind his back. The girl with the baby in the stroller reached out to take Octavia’s hand as the rest of the girls huddled around her.
“I’m Lexi Garcia,” the young mother said, shaking Octavia’s hand. “This is Loretta Franklin.” She indicated the girl with the baby in a sling across her chest.
“I’m Tabby Wilson,” said the pregnant girl. “And this is our new friend, Indigo Robertson.”
“You guys are all mated with Draconians?” Octavia asked.
“Yes, but our guys are nothing like yours,” Tabby said.
“Don’t make her feel any worse than she probably already does,” Loretta said.
“So, I got the one asshole in the bunch, huh?” Octavia asked.
“I wouldn’t say that. Not all Draconians are universally Prince Charming types. But they usually come around,” Loretta said.
“Come on, let’s go shopping!” Tabby said. “You really need some new clothes, girl.”
Chapter 10
The girls all went out to a launch pad behind the compound and climbed into a small spacecraft. A big, strapping Draconian helped them get the babies and car seats strapped into the vessel. The girls all took their seats, and the Draconian who was helping them sat in the pilot’s chair. The outer door slid closed, and the transport vessel rumbled to life.
“Are we going to space?” Octavia asked. She had not been expecting to go into space.
“Of course,” Lexi said.
“That’s where all the good stuff is,” Tabby said.
“A lot of us came down to live on Earth, but… our accommodations are not what we expected,” said Loretta.
“It’s way better on the mating armada,” Indigo said. “The guys on the military fleet are even redesigning most of the apartments as soon as they get brides.”
The transport vessel burst into the air and Octavia watched the view out the front window as they thrust through the atmosphere. She’d never expected to go into space. Joining the mating lottery had just been an attempt to get her voice heard. But here she was, riding in a spaceship with a bunch of human girls and two babies.
“Is this okay for the babies?” Octavia asked.
“It’s perfectly fine,” Lexi said.
“So, you guys don’t like the design of the compound either?” Octavia asked.
“No, it’s horrible,” Tabby said. “Absolutely no style. I know Joss is supposed to be some kind of grand architect, but his design has really fallen flat with most of the girls.”
“A lot of girls won’t even stay there…especially after living on the mating armada with the brides’ district where we can go shopping and have nice lunches. Why isn’t he designing it like that?” Loretta asked.
“Apparently, this is the standard architecture for Draconian colonies,” Octavia explained.
“Like their mining colonies?” Indigo asked.
“I have no idea. But Joss mentioned that this was the standard.”
“Those places are designed for workers, when there’s no other construction on the planet or moon whatsoever,” Lexi said.
“Joss thinks it’s what is appropriate for Earth,” Octavia said, sighing.
“I can kind of see where he’s coming from,” Lexi said. “Humanity is in desperate need of housing and sanitation. But for long-term? It’s never going work. Humans can’t live in those conditions. And from what I understand, even the miners on the colonies end up building new construction that’s more conducive to the Draconian way of life.”
“So this is how Draconians live?” Octavia asked.
“Not at all. Draconia is full of arts and culture and luxury. It’s a highly technologically advanced society where everyone is employed in a way that suits their natural ability and tastes.”
“But Joss is the grand architect,” Octavia said, sarcastically.
“I think he’s misinformed,” Loretta said. “If Earth were truly a Draconian colony, with no previous society, it might be appropriate.”
“Did you know that he intends to build his monstrosity over Central Park?” Octavia asked.
“You’ve got to be kidding,” Tabby said. “I’m definitely staying onboard the mating armada.”
“Sounds like I want to live on the mating armada, too,” Octavia said. “But the whole reason I joined the mating lottery in the first place was to prevent Joss’s designs from being built. By some sick twist of fate, he ended up being the one I was mated with.”
They burst through the outer atmosphere and into the black void of space. Octavia gasped as she watched the stars and planets tilt in front of her. She’d been so caught up in the conversation, that she’d momentarily forgotten where she was.
The Draconians had arrived on Earth six years ago, and the Mulgor had attacked two months ago. The human psyche had adapted to the idea that there were extraterrestrials. But that had not prepared her for the sight of space. She didn’t think anything could have prepared her for that.
“It’s pretty amazing the first time you see it, isn’t it?” Lexi said as Octavia stared dumbly out the window.
They moved toward a massive spaceship that reminded Octavia of the Starship E
nterprise from Star Trek. An open hole in the side of the ship swallowed the tiny vessel and they landed in the docking bay. The pilot stood and opened the door, helping the girls and babies down out of their seats. Lexi put her baby into a stroller, and Loretta tucked hers back into her sling.
The pilot walked with them through the docking bay and then the girls continued down the brightly lit hallway to an elevator. They took the elevator up to the very top floor of the ship where they came out into paradise.
Paradise in a manner of speaking, anyway. Especially for Octavia, since her entire world had been destroyed. It looked like the cutest little shopping district in a city where you’d want to go on vacation.
There were upscale shops and cafés with sidewalk patios. The artificial light seemed like sunlight and it was as warm as a mild summer day. There were hanging baskets along the street that smelled of gardenias. She could even hear the sound of birds chirping, although she was pretty sure that was recorded.
“No wonder you guys love this place so much,” Octavia said.
“Pretty nice, huh?” Tabby said. “Let’s go shopping!”
“I don’t have any money,” Octavia said. All of the other girls giggled. Loretta patted her on the back.
“Honey, you don’t need any money here.”
“Even if you did, Loretta is worth a hundred trillion dollars.”
“Hey, it wasn’t my money. I just invested it.”
They walked down the street and ducked into the first clothing store. Tabby started pulling things from the rack and thrusting them into Octavia’s arms. They were all designer labels. The kind of thing that even in her life before the Mulgor invasion she never would have paid for.
“They’ll never let me back into the refugee camp dressed like this. Can I have some practical things?”
“Fine. Here’s some jeans,” Tabby said, pulling a few pairs of designer jeans off the rack.
“Go try the stuff on,” Tabby demanded.
The rest of the girls were looking at things on the shelves and cooing over the babies.
“So, tell me the story behind the hundred trillion dollars,” Octavia said from inside the dressing room. She knew there was an interesting story there.
“Before the Mulgor invasion, the idea was to buy out all of the human corporations so Draconians would be in control of the Earth’s resources.”
“How did you get put in charge of that?”
“Her mate Mylash put her in charge,” Tabby said.
“So, your mate not only listens to you, but trusted you with one hundred trillion dollars?” Octavia said, peeling out of her dirty, disgusting clothes that made her look like a homeless person.
“I can’t believe your mate is such a jerk,” Tabby said.
“He just has to get to know her,” Indigo said. “I’m sure his dragon is going crazy right now. These guys aren’t always princes right away. But the mating process changes them. I can’t tell you how many stories I’ve heard about girls who have had similar experiences. My mate kind of ignored me at first. But then…you’re not going believe what he had me do.”
“Indigo saved the planet from the Mulgor,” Tabby said, throwing more clothes over the dressing room door.
“You saved the planet from the Mulgor?” Octavia said with genuine surprise.
“Anyone could have done it. And I was using a drone. I also had a lot of help.”
“Still, it sounds like he had a lot of faith in you,” Octavia said. “Joss keeps telling me everything I say is irrelevant.”
“Just give it some time,” Indigo said. “I’m sure he’ll come around.”
“I hope you’re right because I honestly don’t know if I can do this.”
“I’m going to speak with my mate about your mate’s terrible designs,” Lexi said from behind the door.
“Do you think it will help?”
“I hope so. Nash understands humans far better than Joss does. He studied human culture extensively after arriving here six years ago. The men who have been arriving lately have not being reading his training materials, including your mate, unfortunately.”
“The Draconians have this crazy respect for expertise and authority,” Tabby said.
“That’s one of the reasons we’ve been given such good jobs,” Loretta explained.
“Then why doesn’t Joss respect my expertise?” Octavia asked.
“Probably because he still thinks of humans as inferiors. He’ll soon change,” Lexi said. “Mark my words.”
Chapter 11
Octavia finished her day of shopping, feeling slightly guilty that she now had big bags of clothing while her friends back at the refugee camp were starving.
The other girls were still living on the ships, so Octavia made her way back to Earth alone. When her transport vessel landed behind the Draconian compound, she felt her heart jump up into her chest. This was not where she wanted to be right now. She wanted to be back with her friends in the camp or on the mating armada with the other brides.
Joss had disappointed her one too many times and no matter how much she knew she was supposed to feel for him, it just wasn’t happening. She hated how stubborn he was and how disrespectful he was of her as a human. The transport ship stopped and the door slid open, allowing her to step out into the cold afternoon air.
She’d have to just suck it up and deal with him. The pilot helped her carry her bags up to her apartment and set them inside the front door.
She was dying for a shower and remembered that she still had Joss’s jizz all over her body. Yuck. Joss was nowhere to be found in the apartment, so she went to the bathroom to fill the big bathtub with water. She was also exhausted; it was already dark outside. The trip to the ship had made her forget the time.
She climbed into the warm water and rinsed her body, enjoying the soothing feeling of the warm embrace. The oil that Joss had claimed was an aphrodisiac was the only thing she had to use as soap. The idea of getting randy with Joss around disturbed her, but she didn’t think it was going to make a difference. There was no way she would let him touch her tonight.
When Octavia grew tired of the bath, she climbed out and dried herself with the forced air dryer. It blew warm air so hard over her body that it brushed away all the water in just a few seconds.
She stepped away and pulled a silky nightgown out of the bags of clothes she’d brought from the ship. Being clean and dry in comfortable clothes made her feel like a whole new woman. It was the most comfortable she’d been in a long time.
With a sigh, she went to the bedroom and climbed into the bed. A few moments later, she drifted off to sleep with the covers tucked under her chin. Her dreams were fitful, but her sleep held her deep under its spell.
She woke to the feeling of a hand caressing up her leg, dipping under the hem of her nightgown. Octavia groaned involuntary as the feeling of Joss’s hand sent a tingle through her body.
“Don’t touch me,” she muttered, still angry from his unkind words earlier that day.
“I thought we were past that,” he grumbled, coming closer to breathe in her ear.
“Why would we be?”
“Did you not enjoy your trip to the mating armada?”
“Those men understand what their brides need. Unlike you,” Octavia said, her eyes still closed.
“I know what you need,” he whispered. His hot breath blew over her neck.
“I don’t,” she said, but his hand dipped between her thighs and she knew it was a lie. The musky scent of his skin and the smooth tips of his fingers on her body made her core grip with need.
“You do. I can smell your arousal.” His voice was a low growl. His fingers slid up her slit and dipped through, feeling her slick wetness. “You are wet for me.”
“I’m not. It’s just. The soap,” she whispered. She was still barely awake, but her resistance was futile. She did want him. Even if he was a big prick… with a big prick. Her body betrayed her, spilling its juices over his fingertips.
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“You are my mate. You will open to me. Your body now knows mine. It longs for me.”
She knew he was right. Each moment they spent together she felt more connected to him. Even though he repelled her intellectually, her body and soul wanted to reach out and touch his. She moaned, leaning her face toward his, parting her lips in the darkness. His lips caught hers and pressed hard against them. She sucked in a breath and whimpered as his tongue slid deep into her mouth.
Octavia reciprocated his kiss, her tongue dancing with his. Her pussy grew wetter as he pushed further inside her. His thumb pressed her clit and his fingers plumbed her channel.
“Why are you doing this to me?” she asked. She meant it. She didn’t want to mate with him. He was a jerk. But at the same time, she couldn’t help it.
“I am only mating with my bride. It is what is correct and good.”
“But you’re mean to me,” she whimpered.
He thrust his fingers deep into her pussy and she arched her back, gasping.
“Was that mean?” he asked.
She didn’t respond with words. Opening her legs further, she tilted her hips forward to take him deeper. He pulled back and thrust again, moving in and out of her in long, slow movements.
“No. That’s good,” she moaned. “So good.”
The pleasure coursed through her core, and she felt herself growing more excited with each caress. He was going to make her come any second, and she hadn’t made her point yet. Bringing her mind back from the haze of desire, she turned her face to whisper in his ear. If she was going to receive this pleasure from him, he had to hear her.
“You don’t listen to me,” she said with panting breaths.
His fingers filled her, touching her g-spot as he pressed his thumb over her clit in a tight little circle.
“I listen to your body,” he growled. “You will climax soon. I am listening to what you need.”
She clenched her teeth and pressed her eyes closed. Damn him. She was going to come any second, and he still hadn’t heard her out about a damn thing. She couldn’t let him win. But stopping herself from coming went against every instinct in her body.
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