"You should hear many more of them, my lady," said the Prince of Stone. “Now, I'm sure that you need to rest. Hanish told me of your daring escape earlier today. If you will come with me, Zephyr, I will show you to your room. Zephyr's presence will not be a secret to the men, if that is all right with you, my lady. We could use his help in the distribution of particle bombs.”
"Of course. I would not keep him from his work.”
"You are a brave and bright soul, and a blessing to our race, Maia." Prince Mortar took her hands, and they smiled at each other for a moment before he and Zephyr turned to leave. Zephyr looked back at her with one final glance. The expression on his face was so vulnerable and expectant, it nearly broke her heart with longing. She hoped that the mating analysis would be quick and that they could be together soon. She had already come so far since that morning. She had escaped her prison, had been reunited with her son Tor, met the man she believed to be her mate, and would soon see her son. It was a beautiful, bright today for Maia; a day she would remember for the rest of her life.
She placed her sleeping child in the crib and went to the control panel that opened the door into the adjoining nursery. She made sure the room was empty, so no one would be surprised to find the Dragoness Prime aboard their ship. When she found the room empty, she opened the door and entered. A sleeping baby lay in the crib, warm and secure under his blankets. Maia's heart burst with love and longing at the sight of the child. She covered her face with her hands and began to weep. She wanted more than anything to reach out and take the child in her arms. But she would not dare wake a sleeping baby. Instead, she stood and watched him sleep, her heart bursting with joy. Slowly, she leaned down and kissed the baby’s head, drinking in the scent of his skin.
"My beloved child. It is so good to see you again.”
Maia straightened and turned, not wanting to linger too long in the nursery and be discovered by the crew. With one final look at her child, she slipped through the door and closed it. Her son was sleeping in the crib, and Maia felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her. She was so tired. So very tired. But the Storms and the Stones had given her shelter and now she could finally rest after her travails.
She lay down on the bed provided for her, slipped off her shoes, and closed her eyes. Fatigue washed over her like a warm tide. She was wrapped in the arms of sweet surrender in just moments, drifting into the pleasure of dreams.
When she awoke, Maia was ravenous, and Waverley stirred in her crib.
Maia’s mental link chip had been removed, but Hanish had given her a new wrist device after disposing of her previous one. She used it to send a private message to Prince Mortar, letting him know that she was hungry. A moment later, there was a beep at her door. She checked the intercom and found that a service bot was sitting outside her room. She quickly opened the door and retrieved the tray. She took it to the table and put her daughter in the high chair. She gave Waverley the bottle of dragonkin formula to drink and Maia ate her meal. She had full access to the databases of the House of Storms and all the research they had acquired since arriving on Earth. Maia was intensely curious about humans. She wanted to learn everything she could about these creatures she had helped create.
She put some highly prized human entertainment on the holographic screen in her room and watched with delight as the film played out before her. The humans had a great talent for drama and story, and it was a pleasure to partake in their creativity.
As she watched film after film, while enjoying the delicacies that Mortar had sent on the service bot, she played with Waverley and felt she was coming back to her old self for the first time since the cataclysm.
Before she had been captured by her own Prince and held prisoner aboard his ship, Maia had always felt the deep sense of duty to her people. Her playful and happy nature had been squashed during her captivity. As she watched the comedy movies and adventure films play across her screen, she felt her old sense of humor coming back to her. It was so sudden and so welcome that it rose like ecstatic excitement in her heart. She wished that Zephyr could be there to share it with her. She wondered what he was doing at that moment. She quickly typed a message to Zephyr, asking him if he would join her in her chamber. A few moments later, he replied, saying he would love to.
There was a beep at her door and she checked to see who it was. She looked through the intercom and found Zephyr standing on the other side of her door, looking anxious and handsome. She slid open the door for him, reveling in the scent of his body. Her inner dragoness purred with pleasure and his presence. Maia stepped out of the way and invited him inside.
"I am so glad you could join me. I haven't had much company in so long. I’d rather not be alone.”
"And I am glad to join you,” he said. “I see you are partaking in the human entertainment known as the film.”
"Yes. I find it quite enjoyable.”
They sat together in the comfortable chairs facing the screen while Waverley played with toys on the floor. She glanced at Zephyr. His hand was so close, and she had a deep impulse to reach out and take it. But she hesitated. The mating analysis was not complete, and they did not know for sure if they were truly fated. Her inner dragon roared at the very thought that Zephyr was not hers. The reaction of her beast was almost painful inside her mind. She grimaced at the growling and snapping of her dragoness, willing away the pain. She turned to Zephyr and smiled.
“Have you gotten the results of the mating analysis yet?" she asked tentatively.
"I have not. I would have assumed Azure would be finish by now, but she says the results are more challenging than anticipated.”
"I wonder why that is?"
"My ship's AI informs me it is because you have borne the children of other males. It’s making the analysis trickier than most.”
"Oh," she said, disappointed.
She had hoped they would know by the end of the day. But, if Maia had learned anything in her imprisonment, it was patience. She shot down her impulse to take Zephyr's hand. They sat side by side, watching romantic comedies and adventure stories while sharing the human delicacy known as popcorn. It was all quite enjoyable. But after several hours of being together, Waverley needed to go to sleep and Maia herself was feeling quite tired. Even with the nap, she felt exhausted from her eventful day.
She walked Zephyr to the door, and they stood there together for a moment, gazing into each other's eyes. A spark of hope radiated from inside her, and she wished that he would reach out and kiss her. Instead, he nodded and smiled.
“I will see you in the morning. After we distribute our first round of bombs, we are passing over a chain of pleasant, tropical islands. Prince Mortar suggested we take a brief vacation there. It should give you a chance to enjoy some of the beauty of this planet.”
"That sounds like exactly what I need.”
"Good night then,” Zephyr said, opening the door and stepping through.
“Good night,” she said as the door slid shut.
She felt the loss of his presence immediately and wanted him to return. She took a deep breath and let it out, reminding how herself how far she'd come already. She was so close to everything that she had ever wanted. So close to achieving all the things that she had believed possible, even while being held captive. All she had to do was wait a little bit longer, just until Zephyr's AI had the results of their analysis. It would be better for everyone if they waited for confirmation. It was the way of their people. After her time in captivity, she wanted to maintain their traditions, their customs, and their honor, more than anything in the galaxy.
Chapter 9
Maia stepped on the sand of the human beach, holding her child in in a sling provided by JoJo. People walked in the distance along the shore; her first true observation of humans. Zephyr stood beside her, his strong and silent presence giving her a sense of safety and protection that she desperately needed. Since she had awakened weeks ago, she’d been confined to a ship. During that time, all she
had wanted was to get out. Now that she was free, she felt a growing sense of apprehension about living in this totally new world. Waverley stirred as the warm breeze carried the scent of tropical flowers. Maia took a deep breath and sighed, trying to relax.
"We have rooms booked for the next several days. The crew will be dispensing particle bombs all around this area.”
"It is very kind of you to pause your mission to escort me here."
"It is not an act of kindness so much as an act of selfishness," Zephyr said.
She glanced over at him, observing the slight smile on his lips and the sparkle in his eyes. She blushed, understanding his meaning.
"I do enjoy our time together,” he said.
"As do I."
"I thought while we were here you might like to go shopping for new clothes that would better suit your personal taste.”
"You don't like what JoJo provided for me?" she asked, looking down at herself as they walked along the sand.
“I thought you would like to pick something for yourself. They say clothing is an expression of the individual.”
“You have a point,” she said.
"This resort is supposed to have some excellent dining and shopping opportunities. Not to mention the chance to swim in the warm sea.”
Maia looked out at the turquoise waters and smiled. "It is beautiful here. My inner dragoness longs to be enveloped in the waves. It’s been too long. Waverley has never been swimming in her life.”
"We'll have to remedy that."
They made their way along the beach and checked into the hotel. Maia was at a loss the entire time, letting Zephyr lead the way. She had no understanding of the ways of humans. But she did hope to learn.
After the porter carried their bags up the stairs, they walked into their large, luxurious suite. There were common rooms at the center and private bedrooms on either side. Zephyr tipped the porter and he left the bags near the door.
“I’ll take the room with the crib. It has a lovely view of the ocean. I’d love to go out now, but I think my Waverley needs a nap. This has all been a bit trying for her. All she’s ever known was the nursery aboard our ship.”
“She will soon experience the whole wide world and all it has to offer. But for now, if you want to put her down for a nap, I can order us room service and we can continue your education on humanity.”
"What is room service?”
“That means they bring us food to our room.”
"That sounds perfect. I don't want to stay cooped up here forever, but I would prefer to just relax for now.”
"I am here for you.”
"Thank you for everything, Zephyr. You have been so kind and accommodating.”
"There is nothing I would rather do than to help you settle into your new life on Earth. And I also get to spend time with the woman who my dragon believes is my mate. I must admit, I never imagined it would be the Dragoness Prime.”
“Who did you imagine your mate to be?”
“I never could have imagined a woman as beautiful and magnificent as you, being mine."
Maia blushed at his words. She wanted to throw herself in his arms and profess her undying love. Forget the past, forget her duty, forget everything, even the mating analysis. She was so close to saying it aloud. They had both agreed waiting was the best course of action, and she knew that in the long run, it would be best to resist her impulses, but that it didn't make it any easier.
"Have you had any updates on the mating analysis?"
"It is taking quite some time," Zephyr said, his voice taut with anxiety as he picked up the phone.
Maia immediately felt sorry for bringing it up again. If they just didn't talk about it, they could pretend that they already had confirmation that they were mates. At the depths of her soul, she knew that Zephyr was hers. She had waited for so long, yearning for the moment when she found the match for her soul. It felt nearly impossible to wait any longer to be with him. She would try her best to be satisfied with his company and with becoming better friends.
"What would you like to eat?" he asked, changing the subject.
“I’d like to try everything.”
He laughed. “We should. Let's try everything on the menu."
Maia laughed as he ordered. When he was done, they settled onto the couch and waited for the delivery.
Their order required two porters to cart it up to their room. Their large dining room table was covered with multitudes of various dishes. Maia laughed with delight at the abundance of colors, scents, and flavors.
"Now you have to explain to me what all of this is."
Zephyr went on to explain to her what each dish was and how it was made as she sampled and tasted each one. The sensual experience of sampling each dish filled her with pleasure. By the time she had tasted everything on the table, she was stuffed to the gills and feeling happy and tired in the most satisfying way.
She and Zephyr sat together and scrolled through the media options on the television. They settled on a romantic science-fiction movie about visitors from outer space. The storyline echoed their own lives so much that she almost felt as if it was a sign. The lovers struggled mightily to be together during the film. At one point, toward the end, she thought that they might never be together. But then, finally, the power of their love overcame all odds and they triumphed against adversity.
She was filled with inspiration and joy when the couple came together at the end. It was so satisfying that tears streamed down her face as the credits rolled. Zephyr glanced over at her with a questioning expression in his eyes.
"Are you all right?"
"I am.” She wiped the tear away.
“But you are crying.”
"I am touched by the film.” She sniffled. “I'm just so happy that they made it through.”
“This is a typical human storyline. But I'm afraid that things don't always work out that way in real life.”
Her heart dropped. She hadn’t expected Zephyr to say something so pessimistic and cynical. Maia needed to believe that everything would work out in the end for them. Fear whirled in her chest at the notion that he might not feel the same.
"But mates always find each other,” she whispered.
"Perhaps for dragons. But it doesn't always work out that way for humans."
"Oh?" Relief pulsed through her. “Why not?"
"Because humans do not have fated mates the way we do."
He looked at her longingly, his eyes ablaze with desire and need that ignited an even greater longing inside her. Her inner dragoness screamed for fulfillment, and Maia could hold back no longer. She slipped her fingertips over the back of Zephyr’s hand, just barely brushing his skin. A surge of electricity ran through her from her fingertips, through her hand, up her arms, and then all the way down her spine and into her core. She felt on fire with it, to the point where it was almost too much to bear.
Zephyr shuddered at her touch and she drew away. He cleared his throat and stood. Waverley cried from the bedroom, and Maia hurried to attend to her child. Her mind was ablaze, and her body throbbed with awareness. The only other time she’d felt anything even close to this much pleasure was the first time she and Zephyr had touched. Every other moment of her life paled in comparison.
She had been filled with adoration for her dragonkin when they hatched, in those brief moments she was able to hold them and give them her love. She had always known she would have to give them up — it was the agreement that the dragonkin would go with the Prince of each house. And part of her had held back from allowing her love to flow. But when she’d touched Zephyr, something had changed in her.
She was ignited, and she wanted to fan the flames higher and stronger until it burned away all the despair and sadness of her past. But his reaction had not matched hers. He had seemed confused and perhaps even repulsed by her.
Maia picked up Waverley and cradled her in her arms. She rocked her and smelled the child's head. Being with her baby had always giv
en her a sense of contentment. She realized just then that she’d been missing the love of a mate that should have been a complement to the love of her child. Prince Current had never been a substitute for the love of a fated one, no matter how much he insisted he should.
But now that she was with Zephyr, she had an inkling of what it should feel like to be a mother and a woman. Her love for her child felt magnified a thousandfold by this brief time with Zephyr. She carried Waverley into the main room and fixed a bottle of dragonkin formula for the baby.
Zephyr was nowhere to be seen. Maia wondered if she had somehow offended him by touching him in such an intimate way. Zephyr had seemed as taken with her as she was with him, but maybe that had changed as he’d gotten to know her. She hated to think that his desire for her was growing less instead of more. After all the months she'd spent with the Prince of Tides, she had become disillusioned with the possibility of her own happiness. Zephyr entered the room a moment later. His face was etched with a deep frown.
"What's wrong?" Maia asked.
"I've just received the news from Azure."
"What news?"
"The mating analysis is complete."
Chapter 10
"Inconclusive?" Maia asked.
"What does that mean?”
"It means that she can't determine if we are mates or not.”
"What should we do?" Maia rocked Waverley in her arms.
Zephyr's disappointment rang through his body like a tolling bell. He couldn't bear the look at her face. He felt as if he had failed her, failed them both, in every way. And there was nothing he could do to change it.
"We can run the analysis again. I don’t know what else to do.”
Maia turned away, her despair and disappointment palpable in the room. "That is what you should do,” she whispered.
“I will start right away.”
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