by 1
She widened her eyes. “First?”
“First kiss with you facing me and me still inside you. First kiss after I have bitten you. There are many firsts and I plan to discover every possible permutation.”
The heat in his eyes was banked for now, but she knew it wasn’t too far beneath the surface.
She chuckled. “This means another bath or shower before we go to bed. Solo, I think. I really need some rest.”
He laughed and hugged her, rocking her against him. “Fine. A good night’s sleep it is. In the morning, you can tell me if you like the house.”
Maud’s smile faltered as she stood on unsteady legs and took a few awkward steps. She held up her hand when Tridell attempted to help her. “I have to get my legs moving or you will be carrying me everywhere we go and that will get old really fast.”
“I wouldn’t mind. I like holding you.”
“And yet, I have perfectly good legs that usually work fairly well.” Her old-man walk was easing up as she continued to pace across the room.
The shower was the same black glass with a white tile floor as the rest of the building and she stepped eagerly under the hot spray and rinsed the sweat, cum and blood from her body.
Tridell waited for her with a towel, his quick dip into the tepid bathing pool was obvious in his slicked-back hair. He dried her carefully, not missing an inch. “The bed is turned down. Which side do you like to sleep on?”
“Um, I normally sleep on the right, but since this is the beginning of a new set of habits and you need more room for your wings, what side do you sleep on?”
He grinned and towelled her hair dry. “I will take the right. I sleep on my side or stomach, so it will be easier for me to cover you with my wing if you are on the left.”
She escaped from his relentless towelling and went to the dressing table, running a brush through her tangled hair. When it was smooth and unknotted, Maud smiled at his reflection in the mirror and headed for the left side of the bed.
Tridell waited until she had tucked herself in and then slid in next to her. As he curled himself around her under the covers, she smiled and stared through the quartz panes of the balcony doors while silent bots slid around the room picking up discarded clothing and remnants of food.
It was a good first day, but I think I will need something else to do. I need to keep busy and waiting until I get pregnant will be quite boring unless I can keep myself occupied.
His hand brushed her hair from her face and then rested on her abdomen. There is an office for you off the main entry hall. I was just too busy today to give you the complete tour.
Too distracted, you mean.
Whatever you wish to call it, my dear. I had another focus today. He settled her comfortably against him and pressed a kiss to her temple.
She smiled, watching the moons come out one at a time. By the time the second moon was peeking out from behind the horizon, she was deep in the embrace of sleep and her dragon.
Her dreams were filled with flying.
Chapter Ten
Her office was wonderful, complete with a com unit that was sleeker than any she had seen before. “You got this for me?”
“I did. You are not the kind of woman who can hang around and do nothing with her mind. You are able to engage in your work as an analyst for the Alliance or there is a consultant position open with the Sector Guard. They have an interest in population analysis for some of the outlying worlds.”
“I used to analyze work that I witnessed firsthand so that I could act as a living backup for the data. This is a little beyond me.” She felt a little frustrated at the change in status that would come with life with her dragon.
“No, it is not beyond you. I have been in your mind. This is right up your alley. Contact Relay, give it a try and see what you can come up with. Call me if you need me.” He patted her shoulder and left her alone in the huge, fully stocked office.
Bemused and completely taken aback, she lifted her hands and started to type in communication codes on the unit. It took her three calls, but she managed to get the code for the Sector Guard base Morganti.
“Hello, I am looking for Relay.” She blinked at the face of the com officer and then smiled brightly.
“Just a moment, please.”
The screen shifted and she was looking into the face of a Terran woman with a face-framing headpiece.
“Hello, Maud. I am Relay. Or Allie. How are you doing?”
Bemused, she inclined her head at the introduction. “I am doing well. I am recently in the company of a Drai and he mentioned that you might have some analyst work that you need done.”
“Did you come out of the collision with the Raiders in one piece?” Relay leaned back in her chair and quirked one eyebrow.
“I did. How are Vasu and Livin?” Apparently, it was time for polite chitchat.
“They are well. Still working to return those captured to their homes. Unfortunately, some of the planets don’t want the captured beings back. They consider them contaminated.”
Tridell, can we have the extra fighters and women here on Gencarra 3?
Maud, what are you talking about?
Several of the folk are no longer acceptable by their worlds’ standards. They need a place to live and you have created a home with plenty of room.
Will you agree to remain with me here? Do you approve of my home?
She sighed and gave in. It made it easier that he was not in the room. Yes, I love your home, you have provided well for me and I will enjoy my life here. Now, can we have the folk here?
Yes. Yes we can. I will create a clearing for them and if they can be sent with emergency shelters, they can be accepted here as settlers.
Maud blinked and grinned. “If you can get them outfitted as settlers, they can come here to Gencarra 3.”
Relay did a double take and leaned forward. “What?”
“I just had a talk with Tridell and he agreed to allow settlers on his world. It’s a big deal, Drai don’t like to share.” She smiled, pleased with herself.
“Can you also do the data analysis that we need? I get all of the data stream through my mind, but sometimes I miss the small connections that would give us a clue as to an outbreak of talents on any given world. The sudden appearance of talents can be shocking for a developing society and we are trying to create a branch that would stealthily guide the population to acceptance before panic ensues.”
Maud whistled. “That is quite the project. How much data will I be sifting through?”
“One planet every six months or so. It should be enough to keep you occupied for the rest of your enhanced lifespan.” Relay grinned.
Maud thought about it while Tridell came in to stand behind her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and she smiled at Relay. “Great, when do I start?”
“Vasu and Livin will deliver a secure data pack and terminal to you in a week. The settlers will be ready in a month. You had better be prepared, Maud. Your life is about to get busy.”
Maud grinned and laughed at Relay, “I look forward to it. Do you have any idea where I can send the information that I coded for my last assignment? My normal contacts seem to have dried up and blown away.”
“Send it to me and I will have the data directed to the proper source in minutes.”
“Okay, it will take me a few days to get them out of my mind and into a transferable format.” She grinned. “Great, so, talk to you soon?”
“Call me if you need anything at all. I am always available unless my husband wants some alone time.” Relay giggled and blew her a kiss. “Talk to you later, Maud.”
“Bye, Allie.” Maud waved goodbye and disconnected the call.
“So, our private retreat is now going to be a small colony?”
“Well, how many men were in the fight quarters? There were only two dozen women in the women’s quarters.”
“Close to a hundred males from a variety of species. Some were recovering from their wounds and s
o could not come out to the daily fights.” He shrugged and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
She got out of her chair and wrapped her arms around his neck, laughing when he supported her weight and lifted her higher. “I believe that we need to celebrate my acceptance of your home. Shall we adjourn to the kitchen?”
He was surprised. “Not the bedroom?”
“That is for later. For now, I have some exploring of my new habitat to do and it will be more easily accessible if you are sitting on the kitchen counter.” She grinned and lazily kicked her legs. She leaned forward and laved her tongue across his lips, parting the seam before slipping inside.
They both groaned in unison as they fenced and their bodies began to sing on a chemical level.
When he put her on the floor, she grabbed his hand and hauled him through the halls to the kitchen. Her hands jerked at his trousers and he quickly took over, removing his clothing rapidly and taking a seat on the counter.
This put his chest, shoulders and groin all within easy reach and Maud didn’t hesitate to take him up on the invitation.
The textures of his skin were explored with her hands first and her mouth slowly followed. She used her tongue on the bulging muscles of his chest, tasting the scent imbued in his flesh that was his alone. Her teeth grazed his nipples and the noise of his palms slamming onto the counter to hang on for dear life made her jump for an instant before she returned to her explorations.
The ridges of his abdomen flexed and twisted as she pursued their distinct flavour. Her hands enjoyed caressing the expanse on the way to their more-detailed examination of his cock.
The head was wide, flaring and had a set of scales that slid over the tip to cover the sensitive tissue. Her hand barely managed to circle around his shaft, so she added a second one. Working the scales against the skin to arouse him further.
A bead of moisture welled from the head and she leaned forward to taste it. She blinked in surprise. It tasted of cinnamon. It was far nicer than anything she had encountered back on Earth and she returned for another taste.
He groaned and she heard the scraping of his nails on the edge of the counter. With her hands together and her mouth occupied, she quickly worked on him until his whole body shook. Maud took in his fixed muscles and intense concentration and swiftly grabbed a chair to boost herself onto the counter. With a few fumbles, she managed to straddle him. Her attentions to his cock had worked better on her than they had on him.
She was hot, wet and she groaned in relief as she sank onto him in a slow, repetitive motion. Over and over, she rose and fell on him, each stroke inside her driving her lust higher and causing an echo in Tridell. Maud’s release hit her suddenly, freezing her in place, her forehead leaning against his chest.
Tridell grabbed her hips and stroked her up and down on his cock until he blew apart with short, powerful jerks of his hands.
They clung together, panting for air. He ran his hands through her hair and combed it into an even cloak down her spine.
She dragged in a deep breath of their combined scent and looked up at him. “Yes, I accept your proposal, yes, I will stay with you, yes, I like your home, our home and yes, I do want, need and love you.”
He got a stunned smile that ran across his features. “You love me?”
She reached up to touch his face. “How could I not, I dreamed of you.”
The kiss that he gave her was intensely passionate and his hands slowly lifted and dropped her again as he regained his aroused state with alarming suddenness.
Maud grinned as Tridell kissed her neck. She had seen the tear in his eye as he looked down at her. When he bit her this time, she knew that it was going to have some kind of reaction. She had never felt anything like the connection she felt through her dragon and that was the one thing that she would cling to no matter what happened in the future. She had dreamed of him and he had come to save her. He would always be there for her and she had no doubts that they would always circle back to that one admission.
She had dreamed of him and he was real and he was hers.
Epilogue
One year later
Gencarra 3 had a thriving colony that was working in the field of experimental botany and animal husbandry.
Maud looked off her balcony and smiled at the rising sun. When Tridell came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, she smiled and leaned back as she had hundreds of times before.
This time was different. A slight snuffling came from her breast and her son looked up at her with her silver eyes under his father’s serious brows. She lifted him to her shoulder and burped him while Tridell made faces at his offspring.
“Dryok is looking very alert today, isn’t he, Maud?” The pride in her husband’s voice as he crooned to their newborn was obvious.
“He really is. He latched on tightly enough to turn my boob inside out. He’s a strong one.” Dryok let out a belch and she lifted him high. His soft wings flapped frantically the moment that they were exposed to air. He sucked his fist, but his expression gave her the inkling that he was focussing on his wings.
“I can hardly wait until he can fly.” Tridell pressed soft kisses to the mating scars on her neck.
“Well, I have some administration to do at the colony, so will you take him until he needs lunch?” She grinned. It had been an agreement that she would get time off to work with those who were now living in the lush valley near the coastline.
Her belly was still not in her pre-pregnancy shape, but after a week, it was a lot to ask for.
Tridell took his son and held him on his belly so that the baby’s wings flapped free. “Vasu and Livin are coming for a visit today as well. There was a message on the com.”
Every spare minute that the Guardsmen had was spent with Tridell and his mate. It had taken some doing, but she had discovered that they had been acquaintances before they became sleepers. The closest thing to brothers in a race that could no longer shift, the males enjoyed flying high above the fields and mountains in a close formation.
Today, they would no doubt worship at the tiny temple that was becoming Dryok’s room even though he slept in a cradle next to her all night. His room was a collection of toys and gifts that not even Tridell could figure out.
Leaving the little one with his father, Maud finished her breakfast and kissed both of her men farewell for the moment. Tridell promised to bring the child if he got hungry, but all other responsibilities were his.
If this worked out well, Maud had indicated that she would be willing to get pregnant again and Tridell’s eyes had lit with hope. The very idea of a houseful of children was one she saw very frequently in his mind.
Little girls with no wings and little boys trying to gain airtime filled his thoughts the moment that her pregnancy was confirmed.
The Sector Guard had provided her with a skimmer to assist in the travel time between castle and colony and she loved it. It gave her a freedom that she had been missing. Tridell was always willing to drop what he was doing and bring her where she wanted to go, but sometimes, she wanted to go alone.
The colony was a peculiar mix of captured fighters and females, some of whom had paired up and others who enjoyed life without social pressures.
“Dihar! Shegha! How are things this morning?”
The tusked male was standing next to his female, the Selna with the bad attitude. Life in a simple colony had caused her to blossom and now Shegha was enjoying a far-more productive life than what had been possible before.
Shegha groaned and rubbed her belly. She was not due for months, but Dihar was looking at her as if she would explode.
“The grain pods are due for harvest today. And Shegha has some questions for you.” Dihar edged around his mate. “Where is the baby?”
“With Tridell. He promised me that if I had a child right away, he would engage in most of the primary childcare. Dryok is in good hands.” She grinned and accompanied Dihar to the administration building. “Come along,
Shegha. You can ask me on the way.”
“It is rather personal.”
“Well, it is you, me and your mate. You can simply tell both of us or do you not want Dihar to know?”
Dihar took the matter out of their hands. “I will meet you in the building, Maud. Take as much time as you need.”
Shegha sidled up to her and bent her head. They were close to the same size, so it let her whisper fall right Maud’s ear. “How long until I can have sex again?”
Maud blinked. “What?”
“Amongst Dihar’s people, they don’t have sex during the pregnancy, but I am going out of my mind.” The Selna’s tone was familiar. It was a desperate woman talking to her.
“I will talk to him. This is a serious thing.”
Shegha grabbed her and planted a swift kiss on her cheek. “I will let you know how the chat works.”
Sighing deeply and shaking her head, Maud entered the administration building to have the talk with an alien who looked more like living armour than flesh.
“So, Dihar, we need to talk.”
She grabbed his hand and hauled him into her office. She closed the door and crossed her arms. She thought about what she wanted to say and ordered him to sit with the flick of her fingers.
Dihar was puzzled. “Is something wrong?”
Maud nodded and started pacing as she spoke. “When a woman gets pregnant, there are a number of factors and complicated transformations that take place. One is the increased blood flow that increases her body temperature. Another is an increased sex drive.”
“We don’t mate now that she is pregnant. It isn’t good for the baby.”
“Um. You are wrong there. The hormones released when she has an orgasm are beneficial for the baby. As she is stressed due to a restricted ability to release her own sexual tension, the baby comes under stress. My people used to have a similar taboo, but I can tell you, it is complete bullshit. If a doctor says it’s safe, it’s safe.”
A darkening of the scaled skin showed his embarrassment. “When did you and Tridell stop having sex during your pregnancy?”