by Lili Zander
He does. The prospect of humiliating Liorax is too much to resist. “That is acceptable,” he says. “Do not worry, Olivia,” he adds, his voice dripping with condescension. “This contest is not your fault. You will not shame yourself when you fail.”
When I fail? My blood boils, and resolve stiffens my spine. I am going to show Herrix.
Dariux isn’t done bossing us around. “We’ll do ten ends of three arrows,” he announces. “Any objections?”
I shake my head. Herrix doesn’t have any objections either. We flip one of Zunix’s syn coins to see who will go first—a human custom that we’ve taught the Draekons—and it comes up heads. That’s me.
“Wish me luck,” I say softly to Liorax.
He smiles confidently. “You don’t need luck, Olivia. Trust me, you are more than capable of winning this wager.”
Definitely getting a blowjob.
My three arrows find the second ring of the target. Herrix goes next, and he’s better than me, but not by much.
Liorax is right. I can do this.
My next three shots hit the center of the target, and Dariux whistles admiringly. “Well, well,” he says. “Herrix, I think she might indeed be better than you.”
Herrix doesn’t react well to the taunt. He flushes with rage and rapidly fires off three arrows. Neither of them hit the center of the target.
I’m not going to fool myself. On a normal day, I’m not better than Herrix, but today’s not a normal day. Today, I’m absolutely determined to beat him, and I’m at my best.
And Herrix is at his worst. He walked into this contest, expecting it to be a cakewalk. He isn’t prepared for me to be competitive, and it’s messing with his head. Dariux’s open amusement doesn’t help either.
Less than an hour later, it’s over, and I’ve won. I turn to Herrix to shake his hand, but he spins away from me. His face red with rage, he raises his bow. Out of the corner of my eye, I see his target, a familiar orange shape. Fluffy.
I don’t think. I act on instinct, barreling into him just as his arrow leaves his bow. It misses Fluffy and bounces harmlessly against a tree. “You jerk,” I scream at him. “You were going to kill Bryce’s pet.”
Liorax steps in front of me just as Herrix raises his hand. “Go ahead,” he says, his voice icy. “Try it. See what happens.”
Dariux looks furious as well. Bryce is easily his favorite person in camp, and she would have been broken-hearted if something happened to her karvil. “Get out of my sight,” he snaps. “I don’t want to see you in camp for the next week.”
Herrix glares at Liorax, then at me, his hands clenched into fists. Then he turns around and walks away, Belfox on his heels.
I won. I should be jumping up and down with glee. But as I watch the men walk away, I can tell that I haven’t heard the last of this matter. Things aren’t over between us.
15
Zunix:
I hadn’t expected Dariux to loan me his skimmer, but he was happy to trade for access to my ThoughtVault.
He’s searching for something. Under normal circumstances, I’d be curious to know what he’s looking for, but these aren’t normal circumstances. Right now, my instincts tell me that it’s far more important to find out what Herrix and Belfox are hiding.
Unfortunately, my search is fruitless. I ride up and down the eastern edge of Lake Tuli for an hour, looking for anything that seems out of place, but I find nothing. Frustrated, I make my way back to camp, only to run into Liorax and Olivia by the lake near my house.
She’s wearing a happy smile on her face. “Guess what?” she calls out. “I beat Herrix in an archery contest.”
“Should I be surprised? I’m not.” I brush a kiss against her soft cheek. “Did Herrix wander away in a sulk? Is that why we have the pleasure of your company today?”
Her expression darkens. “Herrix tried to kill Fluffy,” she bites out. “It’s a good thing he wandered away because otherwise, I would have throat-punched him.”
Liorax gives her an affectionate look. “I’m happy to punch him for you anytime you want, little human,” he says. “Herrix wagered that Olivia wouldn’t be able to beat him,” he explains to me. “If he lost, he agreed to give up a month of her company.”
“That was a brilliant wager.” Her eyes shine with appreciation as she looks at Liorax. “I owe you a favor.” She winks at me. “And you owe me one,” she says. “Are you going to tell me why I supposed to keep Herrix and Belfox away from Lake Tuli?”
“They’re up to something,” I reply. “I’m trying to figure out what.” My voice lowers to a growl. “Take off your clothes, and I will be happy to repay my debts.”
Her breathing catches. Then, holding our gazes, she lifts her shirt over her head. “I like the sound of that,” she whispers.
Olivia:
No regrets.
I probably shouldn’t go all the way with them today, not unless I’m prepared to risk splitting the camp up into factions. And I’m not. It’s almost time for us to set out to find the other women, and we don’t need anything distracting us from that. For Viola, Harper, Ryanna, and Sofia’s sake, I’ve got to stay strong.
But that doesn’t mean I can’t fool around with the two of them. Liorax is definitely getting a blowjob. He went down on me, and I still haven’t reciprocated.
I’m a big believer in equality.
Zunix opens his front door and tugs me inside. The moment the door shuts behind the three of us, Liorax pulls me into his arms, and his lips meet mine. “You taste so good,” he breathes in between kisses.
“You too,” I tell him, running my fingers down his chest, tracing each of his tightly corded muscles. “But I want more.” I kneel before him and tug impatiently at his pants.
He inhales sharply, and his eyes glaze with need. “This shouldn’t be about repaying a favor, little human.”
“It isn’t.” The favor is just a convenient excuse to do something I’ve been dying to do.
“You’re sure of this, Olivia?” he asks once again.
As sure as I’ve ever been about anything in my life. “Are you going to make me beg for your cock?” I retort, holding his blue eyes in mine. “I want this. I want you.”
A smile curls the corner of his mouth. “Good.” He strips out of his pants, and his cock bobs in front of my face, already hard and with a drop of pre-cum at the tip. I cup his balls, massaging them as I flick my tongue over his head.
Zunix kneels behind me. “You are wearing too many clothes.” I lift my head off Liorax long enough to let Zunix tug my rest of my clothes free. His big hands come around me to massage my breasts, and I moan around Liorax’s cock.
“Do that again,” the dark-haired Draekon orders, and I oblige, humming as I take him deeper. His scent is subtle and smoky, his pre-cum almost sweet. I run my tongue under his shaft, finding the spots that make him gasp. He strokes my hair as I devour him, cupping his taut bottom as I pull him into my mouth. His muscles tighten as he grows closer.
Zunix runs his fingers down my spine, content to watch as I suck the other man. My pussy spasms at the thought of his green-gold eyes on us, watching as I take more of Liorax’s cock in my mouth. God, I wouldn’t have thought I was an exhibitionist, but the idea sends a thrill of pleasure through me.
Liorax’s fingers tighten in my hair. “Olivia,” he gasps my name. I bob my head faster, keeping up the pace until his hips jerk. I fight to take him to the root as he spills in my mouth.
Draekon cum is sweet. Who’d have guessed?
Liorax staggers back, his expression dazed. “You’re going to be the death of me, little human.”
I grin at him and lick my lips in satisfaction. “My turn,” Zunix growls. He helps me lie back and positions himself between my legs. “I want to taste you.”
Liorax is lightning and passion, but Zunix is all about the slow burn. He nibbles my inner thighs, nuzzles and kisses my pussy. By the time he lays his mouth on my clit, I’m dripping and wild. My han
ds brush his short-cropped hair, and he grasps my wrists, pinning them on either side of my hips. The dominant move is too much. Digging my heels into the floor, I press up into his mouth, demanding all he has to give.
He chuckles. “Are all humans so impatient?” he teases me, his voice muffled against my pussy. His tongue darts out and circles my clit, and I whimper and grind into him.
“Please.” I’m not too proud to beg for my orgasm.
I don’t need to ask again. He gives me all I want and more. His hands grip my bottom, and he lifts me, positioning me so I straddle him. “Ride me,” he orders. “Take your pleasure.”
For a moment, I’m tempted to slide down his giant body and drive myself onto his cock. I’m supposed to choose between two pairs, but who am I kidding? Zunix and Liorax are the only two Draekons in the world for me.
But caution stays me. Dariux said I had to date my four suitors for six months before I could choose. I can’t risk the fragile peace in the camp. There’s too much at stake—my life as well as the other women’s.
Zunix tugs my hips over his mouth, and he swipes at my pussy. Fuck yes. Desire courses through my body, threatening to overtake my common sense.
No one said you had to wait six months before getting to third base, Liv.
With a sigh of pleasure, I lower myself onto Zunix’s face. My hips rock of their own volition, my breasts bouncing. Zunix’s tongue stabs into me, thick and hot. I glance behind me. His cock is pressing against his pants, and when I see his erection, I can’t help myself.
Before he can stop me, I switch positions, turning around so I’m straddling him facing the other way. As soon as I push down his pants, his giant erection springs free. I attack, swallowing as much of him as I can take, using my hands and eager tongue when my jaws can’t stretch wide enough.
Liorax is sitting on the couch opposite me, totally naked. “You are so beautiful, Olivia,” he breathes. He’s hard again, and he fists himself as I suck Zunix’s cock. I’m so turned on. This feels so carnal, so wicked.
Zunix eats me out with gusto, and I groan and part my legs wider, rocking my hips into his mouth. When he thrusts two fingers into my pussy, my eyes roll back, and I almost explode. Liorax is pumping faster, his blue eyes never leaving my face.
Then Zunix pushes a finger into my tightly puckered anus, and my already-fragile control unravels. I climax, shuddering through aftershocks while I work his thick, beautiful cock. As I bob up and down his hard shaft, he groans into my pussy, setting me off again. His cock jumps in my hands, and I just manage to put my lips over his broad head before he erupts, filling my mouth with sweet cum.
We’re lying on the bed afterward, lazy and sated. “Tell me something,” I ask, my voice sleepy. “If you could go back home, would you?”
“We can’t go back,” Liorax replies practically. “We are Draekon. To the citizens of the High Empire, we will always be something to be afraid of.”
“Okay, what if you could leave the prison planet?” I persist. “Would you go somewhere else?”
“I would,” Zunix replies instantly. “I miss civilization. People. There is food and water on this planet, but there isn’t much else.”
“Admit it,” I tease him, running my hand over his six-pack abs. “You miss women.”
His gaze rakes over me, heavy with lust. “Not anymore,” he murmurs.
My nipples pebble and my insides twist with desire. “Want to get to third base again?”
Both of them look puzzled. Laughing at their confused expressions, I explain the concept of baseball to them. Then we get to first, second, and third base all over again.
16
Olivia:
It’s almost dusk, and I get up to leave before the detsena show up. “Tell me again why you have to go.” Liorax sounds super grouchy, poor guy. Zunix doesn’t look much happier either.
“I have to,” I mutter reluctantly. “You heard Dariux earlier. He wouldn’t let Belfox and Herrix wager away their claim to me. How’s he going to react if I spend the night here?”
“I don’t care what Dariux thinks,” Liorax snaps.
“I don’t either, but...”
“But you have to consider the other women,” Zunix finishes. “If Dariux is in a snit, he might use his influence to delay or even cancel the plan to look for the missing human women.”
“Exactly.”
Liorax pulls me against his chest. “I want you, Olivia,” he says quietly. My heart starts to beat faster at his tone, which is serious and intent. “My dragon knew right from the start, but I was too damaged by my past to recognize the truth, even though it was in front of me all along. I fought against it, and I tried to resist, and I was stupid.”
His presses his lips on the curve of my shoulder. “I was afraid of repeating the past,” he says. “But I have nothing to be afraid of. Kat’vi was selfish and cared only about herself. You are nothing like her.”
I can hear his heart in his chest, steady and strong. “Claim us,” he says. “Allow us to claim you. We don’t need Dariux’s skimmer to look for the other women. When we complete the mating bond, we can fly to the Lowlands.”
I have to force out the words through the tightness in my throat. The three of us got off on the wrong foot, but not anymore. When I got to camp, I didn’t know who I could trust. Now, there’s no doubt in my mind. I trust Liorax and Zunix. And when the time is right, I want to do exactly what Liorax is asking me to do. I want to claim them as mine.
My mates. My Draekons. Mine.
But not yet. “I can’t. There’s only nine of us on this planet. If we complete the bond now, you know people are going to take sides.” I glance at them in appeal. “You said it yourselves. There were twenty-four Draekons on your ship, and now there’s only fourteen of you in camp. I don’t want that to happen to us.”
Zunix sighs. “I don’t like it, but you’re right.” His green-gold eyes rest on me. “We’ve kept secrets from each other from the day we met. You’re not who you pretend to be, and you know already that I’m more than my blood status would indicate.”
My lips twitch. “You’re finally going to tell me everything?”
There’s a familiar amused glint in his eyes, but also something else, something softer. “Olivia, I trust you. I’ll tell you whatever you want to know, whenever you ask.” He takes a deep breath. “I thought my dragon had chosen poorly, but I should have given the beast some credit. You’ve always been a worthy adversary to pit my wits against, sweet human, but you are so much more than that.”
The sun’s setting rays fill the room. Damn it. The detsena are going to be swarming over the ground soon, and I need to get back before that happens. “I’m going to hold you to that offer,” I warn Zunix, brushing a kiss over his lips. “But if I don’t want to be eaten alive by mutant crabs…”
“We’ll walk you back.” Zunix gets to his feet and pulls his pants on, tying them in place. “I want what you want,” he says to me. “Nothing would make me happier than making your wish come true. Seeing the humans reunited. But,” he fixes me with a warning look, “it might not be that simple. People’s loyalties are divided already.”
He’s right. Of course he is. I only have to examine my heart to know that he speaks the truth. If it came down to a choice, I’m going to choose Zunix and Liorax over the other women.
Three of the women in camp have mated with Draekons. May, Felicity, and Paige have conflicting loyalties now. And what about the others? If any of the missing four women have found their mates, then my hope of reuniting all of us might have to remain unfulfilled.
“Don’t get ahead of your problems,” Liorax says as we walk back to the mansion, which is what I’ve taken to calling the treehouse I share with Bryce. “You’re not alone. We’re with you.”
I squeeze his hand. They’re both such good guys.
When I enter the mansion, I find, to my surprise, that Bryce isn’t alone. Felicity is with her, her eyes red and her face blotchy.
“Is everything okay?”
“Of course not,” Felicity snarls, as charming as ever. “Would I be here if it were?”
Bryce rolls her eyes in my direction, and I bite back my grin. “Let me make you a cup of tea,” she says soothingly. “We’re here to talk if you want.”
It’s not really tea, of course, but I’ve acquired quite a taste for the faintly lemon-mint taste of the purple-leaved plant. Steeped in hot water—the kettle a gift from Zunix’s syn—it almost feels like the real thing.
I’m still floating in a happy, well-sexed haze, but something tells me I’m going to want something stronger than tea to deal with Felicity. The Draekons distill the creamy white berries into a sort of brandy, and Zunix and Liorax have made sure I’m well stocked. I pour myself a shot and curl up in an overstuffed chair—once again courtesy Zunix’s syn—prepared to listen to Felicity’s tale of woe.
I don’t have to wait long. “They don’t pay attention to me anymore,” Felicity complains as soon as she takes a sip of the tea. “At the start, they would bring me presents every single day. Now, I don’t even think they know I exist.”
“Luddux and Xanthox?” Bryce asks skeptically. “But Felicity, I’ve seen them around you. They think the sun and moons rise and set on you.”
“Really? Then why have I barely seen them this last week?” Her voice is bitter. “Every morning, they head out somewhere, and when they come back, they’re too tired to do anything fun.” Her forehead furrows. “We used to do it twice, three times a day. Nowadays, it’s once a week. At best.”
I look up. Zunix thinks that Herrix and Belfox are up to something. Now, Felicity is complaining that her two guys don’t have time for her. Coincidence? I’m not so sure. “They head out somewhere?”
“That’s what I said.” She scowls at me. “Maybe if you drank less, you’d be able to listen better.”
Maybe if you weren’t so bitchy, I’d drink less.