by Celeste Raye
“One of the researchers says we should aim west. That's the one we destroy,” I offered, stepping back and watching as Tredorphen looked through a laser gauge as he began aiming the human contraption.
“That someone being Diana?” Tredorphen asked. I nodded, and he gave a surprised laugh: a knowing smile. “Last I knew she was... with... my father.”
I shrugged. “Then nothing's changed.”
With a sigh, the rose dragon shook his head and set his hand on the machine. “My poor mother.”
I stared at the shifter with a large grin and couldn’t help but think of his poor mother’s assassination plan. “She's got a handle on it, that's for certain,” I laughed.
Tredorphen raised a brow, blowing air through his mouth until his lips formed a perfect O. “So, what's going on?”
My nerves ran cold. “With what?” I asked all too quickly. I should have just stamped a ‘GUILTY’ across my face.
“Aurlauc,” he said quietly, his eyes slowly following his cousin around the field. “He's not saying something.”
“I don’t know,” I shrugged. “We aren't close.”
Tredorphen nodded, and Marina seemed to hover around us as we finished with the machine. Handheld rifles weren’t going to cut it, he’d explained to me earlier, making the massive cannon a great asset to us. He signaled for me to get in front of the sight to help aim.
“So… Did you really go to Earth?” I asked, closing one eye and looking through the sight.
“We really did,” he said slowly.
“And?”
“And…” The rose dragon began to laugh, staring down at his fingers. “It's like nothing I've ever seen before. Green. The most immense collection of food you've ever seen. There are strange customs there.” He pat me on the arm and showed me his finger, a silver band latched around his scaled finger. “They 'marry.' Like claiming, but forever.”
My eyes went wide, and with a daunting affirmation, I repeated, “Forever…”
Tredorphen shrugged. “It's better than you could ever imagine. Obviously, you can't shift there.”
“So you're human now, huh?” came the playful laughter of Aurlauc, who swooped up behind his cousin and began shoving at him from all sides, using his wings as a quick getaway.
Tredorphen grinned, a slight amusement crawling up the left side of his mouth, but he didn’t play back. Instead, he looked over at Marina and said, “Worth it.”
“Then why come back?” Aurlauc said suddenly, stomping back onto the flat ground below and snapping his wings with annoyance.
“For her,” he gestured to his wife in the distance. “To make things right. Then we're out of here.”
Marina saw him watching her and came up to our little ground, looping a respectful arm through his and leaning up to caress his face. Aurlauc watched the pair with an unsure gaze and said, “You know your father…”
Tredorphen’s brows furrowed into a deep frown. “What does that mean?”
“It means we'll be damned if we're leaving without a fight,” Marina said, brushing her hair back once more before pulling it up into a large bun, sweat dripping down her neck.
Aurlauc shrugged. “Pretty much, yeah.”
“How do you know that, and I don't?” Tredorphen asked the blonde.
“Because I pay attention to subtext,” she said playfully and patted him hard on the shoulder. It reminded me of Diana, and suddenly I had the urge to be near her.
“Alright,” I breathed. “Let's get this over with.”
I took my seat in the gunner’s chair and looked up at the crisp sun above: the light nearly blinding as I struggled to get the proper coordinates. I pulled a level back and could feel the whole machine rumbling beneath me.
Within just a minute, an immense beam of laser came careening out of the machine, causing me to grip it for dear life as the blue beam shot up into the sky and made contact with the edge of the sun. We watched in horror as the laser just clipped the edge of the sun.
I missed.
“It’s a start,” a yellow shifter said victoriously from behind me, and several shifters could be heard cheering in the background.
“That should grant us some reprieve anyway, right?” Aurlauc said, slapping my shoulder as though it were all a great victory.
I looked up at the sun and felt like it was anything but. The joyous unity we had just shared suddenly came apart as chunks of molten star came hurtling down to the ground like a rockslide. The rocks crashed down toward the ground and Tredorphen quickly released his wings and grasped Marina, grabbing her waist and dodging the falling stars in haste.
The ground below erupted into flames as the sun’s pieces hit it with force, causing a lava flow to rapidly gather in the areas it hit.
Swearing into the air, I hopped off the machine and began to kick the ground beneath me, letting out a massive bellow that thundered through the field.
I could hear Tredorphen approach, but I brushed him off, letting my wings free and flying away from him.
I headed back toward the quarters set up in the middle of T’nemtar, some privacy and much-needed shade for all who were working with the humans. My quarters were a single, a strange metal structure designed with Diana’s creation. And like a master come to view their art, there she was some distance away from my tent, waiting under the Reduah trees. Their large red leaves being practically the only flora that benefitted from the incessant sun.
“You stalking me?” I said, nearly forgetting about my poor mood as I made my way into the Reduah fields.
“Just looking for something,” she said lowly, her eyes grazing down my body and stopping on my center. I let out a pleased laugh and turned briefly, a put-on double take as if to say ‘Me?’
“I’m busy,” I said tersely and turned away from her to make my way back to the camps.
“And hostile,” she added with a self-satisfied tone. “I can see that.”
I grit my teeth in spite of myself and dug my heels into the dirt below, turning unwillingly to look her up and down. Her jutting curves sent fire through my body as though I were conjuring it up to spit flame from my mouth. It was the exact same sensation.
She wore Weredragon hide armor, tight pants clinging to her thick thighs and a protective armored overcoat that hugged her waist. I bit my lip and smiled begrudgingly.
“You didn’t come here for that, surely?” I laughed.
She cocked a thin brow as though my sentence was a dare. She walked up to me with long, purposeful strides and reached down to cup my length, running her hand up and down it slowly. “You don’t think I could get it?”
“I didn’t say that.” I grabbed her hair and pulled it back, eliciting a gasp and a crooked smile from the brunette. “I just can’t believe you lowered yourself to come be with a peasant like me.”
She grinned wickedly at me and offered a playful wink as she whispered, “I like ‘em low class.”
I let a long exhale escape me and then grabbed her chin and pulled her lips to mine.
Her tongue lapped against mine, creating a rhythmic connection with our mouths before she pushed away from me and pulled me further into the shaded forest.
As I followed we approached a sturdy tree root and Diana marched toward me tore her gloves off like she had something to prove, slowly ripping her armored jacket away to reveal her naked breasts beneath. I pushed her against the Reduah tree's thick base and pulled her armor down from her legs.
Kneeling before her, I removed the rest of her clothes and held her leg in my hand and lifted them up.
She grabbed the back of my head and opened her heat up to my mouth. With a sultry laugh she said, “For future reference, girls will like this,” and buried my face in her most private of places.
“For future reference,” I said, licking my lips and looking back up at her. “I only plan on doing such things with you.”
“Is that so?” Diana craned her neck and rested against the tree behind her, her whole body trembl
ing. I kissed the length of her thigh and used my tongue against her until her skin turned wet: until I knew she was ready for me.
I moved up to touch her mouth and feel the hills and valleys of her body before I pushed myself inside of her, thrusting forcefully as her body hit the back of the tree.
We moved to the moist ground floor, and I could see her body dripping in sweat; I watched as the sun’s harsh gaze flooded both of our bodies with moisture. She mounted me quickly and started grinding against me, her large breasts moving with the effort. I reached up to steady her and could feel her body tightening around mine as her moans intensified. I grabbed her hips and bucked into her until we both climaxed.
She looked down at me, laughing, and slapped my face gently with the palm of her hand. I grabbed her hand and kissed her fingers until she rolled off of me.
We lay there in a heap of sweat and soot, heaving our breaths of satisfaction. I turned my head, listening to the harsh ground below my movement echo in my ear. I looked at her, her eyes fixed on the wash of sun that streamed through even the darkened sky, pieces of it crumbling endlessly to the ground below.
She blinked slowly as her breath regained composure, her breasts still heaving every time she inhaled.
"Boradrith has another mistress,” she said with resignation. "You were right."
I set my jaw and looked away from her, following her sightline to the sky above. "I'm sorry," I said quietly.
But I wasn’t sure if I really was. Sensing this, Diana looked at me with a wry grin and said, "You're not. But it's fine."
She stayed deafeningly silent for some time before looking over at me with a laugh. "It's fine," she repeated and waved me off.
"What was this then?" I paused and swallowed. "Revenge?"
"No, it was love,” she said scornfully, and then the silence found its way back between us. “I don’t think… that I minded so much.”
“That he has a mistress?”
“Let’s be honest,” she said, rolling onto her side and letting her breast fall. “He probably has hundreds.” She shrugged. “Dozens, anyway. And yes. I don’t like feeling stupid, and I don’t like being lied to… It was my ideas.”
“What about them?”
“He didn’t want to listen to them anymore,” she said slowly. “That bothered me the most.”
I frowned. What she meant was that she was losing the prospect of ruling over Dobromia. “Ah,” was all I said. “Men.”
She laughed. "So let's consider this little rendezvous... a celebration."
"Of?"
She stared at me for a moment longer and then pointed up to the sky. "What you've done."
I scoffed and looked up at the sparks that fell like crumbling stars, the heat that seemed intensified by my actions. I looked over at the beautiful girl next to me and saw her dark hair dampen to her skin. I figured mine must have been doing the same. My whole body was disgustingly wet.
“You mean nothing?” I snorted.
“I think it's something,” she said quietly.
“Of what?”
She blinked. “Your rise,” she said with a calculated tone. “You deserve to rise.”
Chapter 9:
Diana
It had been two weeks since my last tryst with Kavryiss and my thoughts were endlessly wrapped up in him. I wondered if he was thinking of me; if he believed in me like he said he did or if he was just placating me.
I stood in the Vorteous wing with the D’Sharr and Athena, who had brought my son to visit by order of the D’Karr. His little treat for me since he hadn’t been able to see me for some time. Too busy with other women.
My son sat before me and played with the Zallu I had brought home. The little golden shifter’s wings popped in and out of his back chasms, little ones being less in control of their abilities. He chased the pink ball of fluff around the room with vigor, laughing through chubby cheeks as the creature continually evaded him.
For its part, the Zallu buzzed and vibrated and seemed equally as amused by my son.
I looked up and watched as the D’Sharr stared out her front window and craned her neck to the sky far, far above the pit.
The human crew had come back to destroy the sun. While we were confined to our quarters, we had heard the mission didn’t go very well.
The sun was damaged by the laser, and now pieces of it fell to Dobromia, making it hotter than ever, with flames bursting to the surface below and creating great pools of lava.
“Where’s Kavryiss?” the D’Sharr asked, looking down at me as I sat cross-legged on her floor. “He hasn’t been by to guard us for some time now. Perhaps he’s off with another conquest. Leaving his post for some fruitless chase, as men seem to do.”
I narrowed my eyes but never made eye-contact with her, trying to stay as respectful as I could. “Perhaps he's just busy with the sun, and all.”
“Do I detect a hint of jealousy?” the D’Sharr burst forth with laughter that was so great it caused the other girls to turn and look at me.
Athena, who had brought my son to me, watched from across the room, sewing slowly and darting her eyes up between myself and Sillevia.
“I have no need to be jealous,” I said confidently. “I am very well taken care of by my love,” I seethed. “And what Kavryiss does with his own time is his business.”
I said it to bother her, of course, I did. The truth was, I wanted to know where Kavryiss was, and if he was with someone else, I thought my heart might break all over again.
The D’Sharr looked at me with a growing fire behind her eyes, her pupils growing small and looking at me with absolute hatred.
She stood before me, and her lip twitched suddenly. “You wanton slut,” she said and lifted her white tail up and slapped it across my face, causing a great crack to sound out and my ears to buzz and echo.
I could feel the burning sting hit my face like salt on a wound and the sheer force of it knocked the wind out of me and sent me flying backward.
The Zallu came rushing forward to the D’Sharr, growling and vibrating as it bared is teeth to her. She let out a thundering roar to the pink creature and whacked it with her tail, sending it tumbling across the floor.
I looked up at her in shock, my head spinning and stars overtaking my vision.
With that, the D’Sharr and her ladies took their leave of us. I watched the white queen leave the room with a misplaced elegance and grace. As soon as the door shut, I crumpled to the ground and raced for the Zallu, picking him up and brushing him lightly with my fingers. His black eyes looked up at me with confusion, and I set him back on the ground where he nuzzled against my leg.
“You need to work on your people skills,” Athena said with a smug smirk as she dropped to her knees and grabbed my shoulders. She tilted my head back and inspected the smack. I could already feel the golf ball sized lump forming on the side of my cheek.
“Coming from you, I must be pretty bad,” I said with a defeated laugh.
The tan soldier looked at me with serious eyes, as she usually did, and pursed her lips for a moment before running to grab a cold cloth. She set the freezing fabric on my cheek and held it there.
“Sorry, I’m not a nurse,” She sucked her lips into her mouth and then gave a shrug. “But I do work with little kids, and they notoriously like to get hurt all the time, so…” She began to laugh. “Besides Plovoeus, of course!”
“Of course,” I mocked and felt a tear spill down the side of my face. I took the cloth from her and pressed it hard into the bruise. “Thank you. I know it doesn't put you in the best position to do that, but it will one day.”
Athena gave a sigh so big that her body seemed to crumple inward from the effort. She looked up at me and shook her head.
“You know, for someone who just did something nice, you aren't a very sweet girl,” I mocked.
“You need to learn to keep your mouth shut!” she said with widened eyes. “Even if you end up being the queen, or whatever, it doesn't help
for you to shout it all around, especially not to Sillevia.”
I raised my brows and shrugged her off. “Have you seen your sister yet?”
“No,” she said forcefully.
“I hear they have some grand plan to destroy the sun. One of them anyway,” I offered, and she looked absolutely floored. “Oh, come on, you probably heard from Vaikrand or someone?”
“No...” She let the silence overtake her; eyes elsewhere. “Nobody told me.”
“Why won't you see her? You really feel like she betrayed you or...?”
She breathed and looked at the ground; twisting a dry cloth and wrapping it around her fingers so hard that they turned blue. “I waited and waited...”
I swallowed. “In the tower?”
She nodded. “The truth is, I don't know if I don't want to see her because I don't know who she is anymore, or if I don't know who I am. Happy?”
“Yeah,” I coughed and motioned toward my swollen face. “Can’t you see me doing my happy dance?”
Athena breathed a laugh through her nose, and the silence filled the room like a cold sting. Finally, I piped up, “Or you don't want her to see who you've become now?”
The girl raised her brows as though she were considering my answer and then twirled her hand as if to say, ‘There you have it.’
“This place does things to you,” I said solemnly. I looked down at Plovoeus and patted his bum, sending him off to play with the rest of the children. “I never wanted to be this person. Believe it or not.”
“Not,” she laughed. “You seem to have sunk into the role pretty happily.”
“I don’t like to go kicking and screaming, unlike some,” I mocked. “And now that I’m here, I want to do something with it: with any power I get here.”
Athena stared off into the distance, completely lost in thought. “Then maybe you will,” she said absent-mindedly. “It isn't enough to get by here. They need... help.”
“We need an alliance. We need a terra-formation project, spearheaded by Earth.”
Athena blew air from her lips and nodded slowly. “I'd back it. As long as... they don't come back to Earth. We have to bring the project to Dobromia.”