Star snorted as she looked away, already becoming used to seeing the two in all manners of what would be considered to the humans she grew up with, compromising positions.
But the love and regard between the two was obvious to anyone and it made observing their intimate acts a special joy whose memory she would always cherish.
And to think that soon she would be way more involved than just watching caused a low ache begin deep in her stomach. Grunting, she looked down at her own flesh, resisting the urge to curse at the reminder that she was still in heat. In heat and growing fertile, she amended as her mind went back to the conversation she had with Zol about reproduction.
Was there really a spine deep inside her? Why didn’t she feel it now?
She shifted Zen’s hand far enough to press her own palms against her lower stomach.
What was going on in there?
When she observed the women of the village in their gravid states, waddling around, and happily pressing fingers against their distended stomachs, she had always felt a pang of jealousy.
There were no prospects for a happy future with the Elder’s son chasing her about, but still she yearned to have children, to have a family of her own that no one could take away.
But now…now maybe things would be different. Maybe now her stomach would swell with new life and in a few months, she would give birth to a….
“I’m gonna lay an egg,” she muttered, the smile that was growing on her face sliding into a mouth of discontent. She was going to lay an egg, if what Zol had told her was the truth. How did one lay an egg anyway? How did it come out? And more importantly, what was she going to do with it when it was here? Her life was growing more difficult than she could have ever conceived.
“Egg, yes,” was muttered at her hip and her eyes were drawn from her own form to that of her mate’s.
Zen looked well rested and calm, something that she was suddenly envious of.
Some small demon in the back of her mind urged her to wake him. How dare he sleep when she was so disturbed? But she curtailed that selfish notion. It had to be the heat she was experiencing that was making her think in strange ways.
Yes, she was still in heat. The aching gnawing in her belly was different than it was before, less acute while by no means becoming less urgent.
She licked her lips and pressed her palm against her stomach again. Her life was about to change in strange and unusual ways and all she wanted to do was to scream for her mommy.
“If I had one,” she sighed, moving away from Zen, just a bit, trying to control these new depressing thoughts.
But her movement, no matter how slight, managed to awaken Zen. With one eye opened he yawned widely, exposing his sharp fangs that gleamed whitely against his black gums.
“Something troubles you, my Star?” he breathed; his voice soft enough not to disturb the sleeping pair across the room.
“No,” she answered just as softly, running a hand across her face.
“Do you hunger or thirst? I can retrieve something if you wish? How about a nice fruit?”
“I don’t want food, Zen.” She turned to stare out of the bare window, her unspoken words leaving a broad hint for him to easily decipher.
“Then, my heart, what is it that you desire?”
“Would,” her shoulders slumped a little, “would it be wrong of me to wish for my parents?”
“Star…”
“I know at this late date it hardly matters if they are here or not, but lately…I don’t know, Zen. Lately I have been longing—longing just to see them, I guess.”
She turned to look at him. “Does that make any sense?”
“There are changes in your life, my mate, and they are happening at an alarming rate. Of course it is normal to long for unconditional parental love and guidance.”
“But I never had before,” she mused. “I always took care of myself.”
“But now you are surrounded by family.”
“I was surrounded by family before, Zen, and that never assisted me at all.”
Zen sat up and pulled an unresisting Star into his lap. “Those humans were never your family, Star. They were your caretakers and your overlords, but they were never your family.”
“They took care of me, like the Quad—”
“They never loved you, Star. They never tried to give you what you needed most, what anyone needs to grew up happy and healthy. I am amazed that you are sane. Dragonish live for our family bonds.”
“And I never had that.” “No, and for that, My Mate, am truly sorry.”
“It’s not your fault, Zen.” She forced a smile to her lips. “You give me so much. You saved me and you brought me here and gifted me with this wonderful family…”
As she trailed off, her fingers idly ran along one of the muscular arms that held her.
“What brought this on, Star,” he gently questioned. “What has your thoughts drifting to families? Is it the prospect of laying and brooding?”
“No, it’s…I met a Dragonish at the baths, Zen. He claimed that my scent smelled familiar.”
“Indeed,” Zen held her tighter. “Tell me more, please.”
“His name was Zaz,” she paid no attention to his quick inhalation of breath. “He and his female were entering the bathing rooms when Zol and I were soaking. We greeted each other and he said that my scent smelled familiar.”
“Zaz, Star? Are you sure?”
“Yes, I am not stupid nor hard of hearing,” she snapped a bit, before getting control of herself. “Sorry. This…this heat thing is costing me my temper. But yes, his name is Zaz.”
“Zaz is the prince, Star, and first successor to the throne.”
“Zol informed me.”
“The Prince scented you as familiar?” This seemed to cause some excitement in Zen. “Why?”
“Yes, he said we were practically family.” She shrugged. “He said he would think on the scent and then get back to me after he figured it out.”
“This is…this is interesting.”
“And he confirmed that my parents would have had to be dead in order for the humans to have me. He said that no Quad would ever abandon their child.”
“This is true, Star. This is something that you should know.”
“I knew.” She slumped, burrowing into his arms grateful for the heat he emanated. She needed it to counter the bit of cold and uncertainty that remained in her heart. “You know, I always wondered if you had made a mistake about me, Zen.”
“A mistake?”
“Yes that I was really not your mate and that one day you would realize that this all had been one big mistake. And then I would lose everything I have always dreamed of having.”
“Never, my heart. How could you think such a thing?”
“I don’t know.” She threw her hand up in the air, exasperated. “It’s just that everything that I always had, everything that I treasure, always seems to be lost with me. And the Prince’s words, Zaz’s words… I don’t know, Zen. They made me feel like I had worth.”
“You are more than worthy, my heart.” He bent to nuzzle her neck. “You are the one who completes me, who sees past my faults and shortcomings. You accept this ugly face and form when many others turn away in disgust.”
“You are not ugly!” she hissed, reaching out and pinching his arms, ignoring his flinch of pain. “Never criticize yourself to me, Zen! You are beautiful and perfect, no matter what some stupid legend says.”
“You…you have learned a lot in a day,” Zen’s lips quirked up into a wry smile.
“Well, I had to do something. You and Father abandoned me to Zol all day. That male loves to gossip!”
“Father and I decided that you needed some time to get to know your second, Star. WE would never abandon you.”
“I know that,” she stroked the abused skin. “I did not mean that the way it sounded.”
“Good.” Zen gave her a hug. “I know the heat still rides you, my Star. Soon it will
be time for the joining, and I need you to be as comfortable around Zol as possible. You both have a lot of private moments to share.”
“And you don’t want me to spike him.”
“You learned of that, too?”
“Yes.” She pinched sharply at his arms again. “You could have told me!”
“I didn’t want to scare you!” he defended.
“It was not scary learning this by seeing a man who looked like he could lift you in dragon form cower from a female shorter than I. Oh, that just took all my fears away.”
“Oh,” Zen grunted, looking sheepish as he lowered his head.
“Do not be too hard on him, Star,” an amused voice interjected, and Star looked up and saw Father standing beside their pile of pillows.
“Did we awake you, Father?” Zen asked respectfully.
“I could feel Star’s distress.” Father blinked his red eyes before taking a seat beside the couple. “It worried me. Are you both well?”
“Just talking about…things.”
“Things?” Father arched one white eyebrow. “Share these thoughts with me.”
It was a request that Star felt comfortable following. Father’s presence always made her feel better.
“I met the prince who scented me as familiar.” She turned on her Zen chair to get a better view of the dark man called Father. “And I learned I will have to spike Zol to get him pregnant.”
At that, Father chuckled. “Then, indeed, you have had quite a day.”
She nodded and settled back into her mate’s arms.
“Well, if Prince Zaz has said that he scented you familiar, then your family no doubt has some connection with the royal family. Zaz rarely leaves the palace and then usually it is to take in the bath house gossip or to check on his aerie designs.”
“The prince designs aeries?”
“Yes,” Father nodded. “He tries to come up with improvements every year.”
“So even the royals work.”
“You want to work?” Zen asked, cocking his head to the side as he examined her closely.
“I need to feel useful.”
“And preparing for eggs is not useful?” he asked, as Father rolled his eyes. “We need to assess your skills, Star, and then we can find you a job that will make you feel helpful.”
“Something that doesn’t have to do with spiking or egg laying,” she insisted. “I worry about that enough as is.”
“Ah, you met the combat instructor,” Father shook his head sadly. “Maybe one day he can return to speaking of eggs, touching females…or walking upright again. But I believe it will take some time…”
“See?” Star explained, narrowing her eyes at Father. “This is what I am talking about! You all take this strange stuff and treat it as normal everyday things! Whoever heard of a female spiking a male?”
“That may be because it is all normal things to us, Star,” Father chided lightly. “These things are taught to us from our hatching. I understand that you have not had this training, and we will stumble as we endeavor to explain it all to you, Star. However, remember this situation is new to us, as well. We are all learning to cope.”
“And we will explain as needed,” Zen added hurriedly. “But if we are skinning out or you don’t understand something, please let us know. We can’t help you unless you tell us when you are lost or confused.”
Star nodded, yawning lightly.
“You understand copulation?” Father asked.
“Yes, I believe Zol explained it to me.”
“And you are content to know that knowledge of your family and their strange disappearance?”
“Yes, Father.” She yawned again, wrapping Zen’s arms tighter around her.
“And you understand that we all love you, and will do whatever it is in our power to see you happy?” Zen placed a small kiss on her forehead as he finished speaking.
“Yes, Zen,” she answered her mate.
“Then off to sleep.” Father gracefully rose to his feet. “The sunrise is not far off and we have things that must be done on the morrow.”
Both Zen and Star nodded obediently and immediately positioned themselves comfortably on their pillows once again.
Father pulled their furs up, comfortably covering them before turning and joining his own mate.
And Star, well Star smiled. Her Quad cared. Their actions, rising up to comfort her in the middle of the night, spoke more to her than any words could have.
She was still unsure of herself and struggling to find her way, but inside her, the knowledge that her Quad would do anything to see her safe and happy, no matter how large or small, left a warm glowing place in her heart.
Chapter Eight
“I don’t think I feel too good.”
Star’s comment brought an immediate response from the males in the aerie. Almost at once, Zen swept her in his arms and before she could blink, she was deposited onto their pile of pillows. Then Father stood over her, running his hands over her body, making her stomach ache all the more.
There was something about Father…. Sure, Zen was her Alpha, but Father with his commanding presence and his demanding ways…. He was almost like a concentrated Zen!
That thought brought a moan to her hips and a knowing look to Father’s red eyes before he backed off. Immediately, Zol was there, and he was all-maternal as he gripped her hand and shouted questions at her. “Where does it hurt? DO you need a drink? How about some fruit? Would some fruit help? DO you need a healer? I can go and get a healer!”
“Good may not have been the right word…”
“Well, Ghods,” Zol snorted, tossing her arm aside as if it suddenly offended him. So much for maternal. “I thought something was wrong with you. Do all females whine about noting? If they do, then I thank the Ghods that I was born a breeding male.”
“Are you sure?” Zen questioned, his eyes still anxious as they examined her.
“I think I just have a bad…feeling?” she questioned, trying to sit up.
“But it could be something more serious,” Zen insisted, but Father shook his head and backed away further.
“Females, sometimes,” he began, “Sometimes, the females are renowned for what they can feel.”
“Feel?” Zen asked. “Explain.”
“Intuition,” Father explained. “Our females are often prized for what they can feel about what has yet to come.”
“Really?” Zol asked, moving closer as if suddenly intrigued. “Do tell.”
“Well,” Father moved closer, sitting at the pile of pillows at Star’s feet, one hand reaching out to caress her leg. “In past times, our females were always consulted before we moved in battle. It is one of the reasons our females were so highly prized. It was also a sad point in the legend of the Earth Dragonish, that the wronged princess did not see that her mate did hot have her best interest at heart.”
“Why was she expected to know?” Star asked, moving closer to the caresses of Father.
“She was expected to know because our females have always known the heart condition of their males. Why do you think, little one, that you adapted to our Quad so quickly?”
“I…” She really didn’t have an answer for that question.
“It is because the heart knows.” He moved closer to her as well, saying nothing as Zen gave way and allowed the intimacy. “The heart sees what the mind has yet to conceive.”
“Could it be that her mind was just clouded by what her heart desires?”
“It could be.” Father ran his hands further up her legs, caressing her thighs, watching as her legs spread just a little, welcoming the caress. “Just as right now, your heart is telling you something that your mind has yet to comprehend.”
Star blinked, trying to garner Father’s meanings while Zol snickered in the background.
Finally, it seemed to be too much for the tall thin Dragonish. He exploded in laughter, pointing at Star and gasping, “You don’t even realize that you are begging to have s
ex with father!”
Star closed her eyes, resting her head against Father’s chest, her body totally relaxed and her heart at ease. When she suddenly jerked upright, her eyes flashing in fury, the others in the warm pile of bodies looked around in alarm.
“Star?” Zen asked hesitantly, reaching out to caress her back. “What is it?”
“Someone’s here,” she breathed, her nose wrinkling as she scented the air.
Father and Zol were instantly alert, rising to their feet and moving to one of the larger windows of the aerie.
“Who…?”
“Someone who does not belong,” she hissed, rising to her knees, for once not concerned about her nudity. “They were there…watching.”
This time, Zen had rose to his feet and went to Zol, urging the dark haired man back to their nest of pillows.
“Stay with her,” he commanded, and for once Zol didn’t argue. He moved back to Star’s side, his eyes narrowed in anger.
“How dare they?” she hissed, looking more Dragonish by the second with her sparkling eyes and the snarl on her lips.
“They know nothing,” Zol snared in answer. “They have no idea who they are playing with.”
Before she could respond, Father was pointing to the rear window and with a small flash, where Zen once stood hovered a huge dragon, scales gleaming in the glowing moonlight, smoke rolling up from his nose. And in an even shorter time than his transformation, he was gone, out of the window and roaring in anger.
The next second, Father’s bright red eyes were focused on the pair in their bedding. “You will remain,” he commanded and both Zol and Star nodded before a huge red dragon took the place of Kyotyte. Then he, too, was gone, flying off in a different direction than Zen, his eyes set on a goal that only he could see.
“So,” Star began after a few moments of silence. “What do we do now?”
“We wait.” He rolled his eyes as he settled back amongst the pillows.
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