Jace studied Devon’s actions with interest. “You’re more comfortable with Beau, aren’t you?”
Devon thought about it. She owed Jace an honest answer. “We feel like equals. I’m not as intimidated.”
Jace sat back. “Do I intimidate you?”
“Maybe a little.” She bit her lip when she saw a touch of hurt creep into Jace’s expression. “I guess I’m used to thinking of you as a somewhat unattainable person. You outrank me at work, and I never felt comfortable enough to walk up to you and ask when we were going to see each other again. I just hung back and waited. I suppose part of me recognized you were in charge and didn’t even question it.”
“It was never my intention to make you feel that way.” Jace’s expression softened. “As the alpha Marduko I have responsibilities. I had to maintain a certain distance until I was certain you were truly interested in both Beau and me. I know I have a big personality, and I didn’t want to come on too strong and scare you away.”
“I know about that firsthand.” Beau nodded in agreement. “Once Jace spots you, he comes at you like a tracer bullet. If he hadn’t restrained himself, you would have felt overpowered.”
“It was difficult.” Jace slid a bit closer to Devon. “Once I saw how much chemistry we shared, I wanted to be around you all the time, and that wouldn’t have been fair to you. My desires, my needs might have overridden yours. I had to repeatedly let you go, and pray you’d come back.”
“I understand.” Devon studied the earnest expression in Jace’s dark eyes and thought her heart might implode. This amazing man was afraid he was too strange to be loved and that she wouldn’t want him. The idea was ridiculous. “You did the right thing, going slow with me. In the past, I’ve pushed relationships away, but now I think I’m in danger of getting hooked.” She climbed onto Jace’s lap, facing him.
Jace smoothed Devon’s silky hair from her face, and wrapped an arm around her waist. “It’s a lot to accept.” He glanced toward Beau. “We come as a pair, and we’re partly an alien species.”
Yet they were both so human. “I already care deeply for you both.” Devon kissed Jace’s lips. “I’ll try to be accepting and learn the ropes as I go.”
“You’ll also have to keep our secret—secret.” Jace kissed her mouth.
“I can do that.” Devon pressed her lips against Jace’s and allowed the kiss to deepen; it sent another shuddering wave of pheromones coursing through her. Hijacked by purely sexual sensations, she pressed her thighs tightly against his. “Is this going to happen every time we kiss?” she asked breathlessly.
“Yep.” Jace slid his hand to Devon’s nape and drew her deeper into his kiss.
She surrendered to his exciting touch and taste, pressed against his chest, swaying as every inch of her skin became highly sensitized. She wanted him again, but how much time did they have before the effects of the damn tea struck? Jace had risen between her thighs, and she was tempted to glide down on him for a sweet, easy fuck. “Your dragon kisses bring me to a fast boil.” She guided him between her thighs knowing the added friction of being underwater would make the first stroke harsh.
“We’d better wait.” Jace gently halted Devon’s hand. “The tea hits hard.” He swept his tongue against hers, tenderly exploring her. “But I’ll send you off with a kiss.”
Devon closed her eyes as beautiful sensations overwhelmed her. More than anything, she wanted to stretch out beneath Jace and tangle her limbs around him, but a moment later, the geometric shapes appeared and danced slowly behind her closed eyelids. The sheer beauty of the vision made her sigh. “Oh....” The chrysanthemum-like fractal formed in her mind’s eye and rotated. The image was so compelling she couldn’t speak or look away and she grew dizzy as she locked her hands onto Jace’s shoulders for support.
“It’s all right,” Jace whispered. “I’ve got you. Follow it.”
AN INTENSE IMAGE OF a dimly lit but grand hall opened before her eyes. The hall felt like a giant pyramid made of golden glass. Her mind struggled to grasp what she was looking at because there was no true structure here, only an illusion of solidity. This exalted space was literally space. Somehow she knew with certainty that this insubstantial yet elegant place was the hall of the Hathors.
Devon found her consciousness walking unnoticed beside Jacesar and Beaudeen as they reverently approached a massive altar at the front of the hall. She sensed this was a restricted area, yet was certain both men had been here many times before. The two sword-bearing dragon men were the most substantial things in the etheric place. Their heavy boots and clanking armor echoed against the shimmering golden floor.
This time, Jacesar and Beaudeen did not appear so alien or shocking. Studying their distinct profiles, she noted the subtle differences between them, and even admired the raw masculinity they projected. There were many familiar features present in Jace and Beau, and she could almost see past the scaly sheen of their skin and simply regard them as big, robust men.
A towering being that wasn’t completely physical appeared at the altar. The being was translucent and glowed like a pale yellow candle flame that seemed to flicker in and out of existence in this realm. The entity appeared to be humanoid, except its face was ever-changing and took on many oddly familiar animal forms. One moment it resembled a sharp-beaked bird of prey with the body of a woman, in the next a gentle deerlike creature with large eyes. Every form it took was fleeting and fluidly morphed to another and another.
Jacesar and Beaudeen each dropped to one knee and thumped a gloved fist against their hearts in salute.
“Rise.” The being had a soft, feminine voice. “The Hathors recognize and respect you both. We’ve been expecting your request to emigrate for some time, and we wish to let you know... it will be granted.”
Jacesar bowed his head before rising. “Thank you, Your Eminence.”
Beaudeen rose and stood silent at Jacesar’s side.
The Hathor flickered a brilliant shade of gold. “Certain conditions will apply.”
“We understand and accept that.” Jacesar drew a tense breath. He glanced at Beaudeen.
“The Hathors have chosen a distant planet that is greatly varied in climate. It has a young sun. The middle latitudes are continually hot and bathed in bright sunlight, but you can escape to cooler northern climes should this prove to be disagreeable to you.”
“Continually hot?” Jacesar asked in wonder. “I can’t imagine such a luxury.”
“The Hathors recognize some physical adaptations will have to be made, and many will come gradually over several generations, but you can survive the changes. There are even a few advantages to the new world.”
“Like what?” Jacesar asked cautiously.
“Food is plentiful. You’ll be the largest predator in the sky. Nothing will challenge you. It’s a smaller planet than Draca, with less gravity, so you will find flight far easier. Under specific conditions your usual life span of thirty-five years could be greatly extended.”
Jacesar and Beaudeen exchanged hopeful looks.
“We’ll need a mate.” Jacesar stepped closer to the altar. “Will there be females like us?”
“No.” The Hathor’s glow flared brighter. “This is a new land and fresh start. The race we have chosen is on the rise and shows great promise. They too are in evolution and will benefit from this pairing. In many ways they are ideally compatible with the Marduko. They are warriors too, strong in mind and spirit, but physically far inferior to you.”
A look of growing concern spread across Jacesar’s and Beaudeen’s faces.
“They are smooth-skinned, single-form creatures. They are also flightless, possess no telepathic communication, and are extremely vulnerable to the elements.”
Jacesar raised a hand in protest. “Your Eminence, with respect I ask, how could this possibly work?”
“It is the Hathors’ opinion that human frailties will encourage what was best about the Marduko. You’ll have to curb your warring tenden
cies and learn to be more caring of your mates and offspring. Rape and brutality will not be allowed. You will be expected to take an active part in raising the young. If a chosen mate rejects the trio, you must let her go, no matter the cost to you.”
“This is a fool’s errand,” Beaudeen hissed. “If we are so different, certainly the females of wherever this strange place is will be repelled by us.”
“Not necessarily.” The Hathor’s voice rose. “You’ll be allowed your Marduko swoop spells and early-phase enchantments. You’ll have a chance to win her over, and if you’ll allow us, the Hathors will enhance your humanoid DNA so you will be better suited to the new planet.”
“We would not be fully Marduko?” Jacesar crossed his heavy arms and adopted a defensive stance. “What kind of creatures would we be?”
“Would you like to see?” The Hathor flickered and stretched taller.
“Yes.” Beaudeen appeared leery.
“Very well.” The Hathor’s tone softened. “This is just a preview. No actual changes to your bodies will be made until you agree to travel through the portal.” A shimmering gold light passed over Jacesar and Beaudeen. Two handsome, solidly built men who had refined features similar to Jace and Beau appeared. Their skin was smooth except for a silky dusting of hair where it belonged. Their thick cocks were half-risen between the sweeping muscles of their strong thighs.
Jacesar glanced down at himself in alarm. “By the gods of the Holy Grotto—we’re hideous! What female would want this?” He flexed a rounded, scale-less bicep and sneered. “My family’s house has served the Hathors for generations with loyalty and respect, and this is our reward? Is this a cruel joke?”
“Are you questioning the Hathors’ judgment in this matter?”
“Yes, I am,” Jacesar blurted. “This will be a disaster. We are sure to perish!”
The Hathor morphed into a shimmering, white crocodile woman. “We are the masters of life in this galaxy. Our kind was fully evolved long before the first seeds of the Marduko race were formed, and you dare to question our judgment? We’ve paired far stranger couples with great success. You’re looking at exteriors and missing the point. What you do not understand is that the human heart and the Marduko soul are so alike. You both have strengths the other lacks. You would be good for each other, but if this bargain is not for you, say no. You are free to reject this pairing. Nothing will be forced upon you.” The Hathor dismissed them. “We’re finished here. You’re welcome to stay on Draca and die with the rest. We will not force compliance.”
“Wait.” Beaudeen raised his palm. He turned to face Jacesar. “It would be so easy to stay and die. Perhaps it takes more courage to accept the challenge and change.”
Jacesar sounded incredulous. “Did you see the bodies the Hathors were offering? We’d be naked, defenseless, without so much as a protective hide to deflect a sharp blade. We are warriors! Such a life would be madness. Do you really want to try this? Think carefully. Our chances are poor.”
“Our chances on Draca don’t exist at all,” Beaudeen said. “This world will slowly perish and consume itself as it dies. The worst in our race will surface. I don’t want to be part of it.”
Jacesar looked saddened. “As your alpha, I’m pledged to protect you, not lead you into a death trap. Don’t make a decision out of fear. Do you honestly believe we can adapt to new bodies and new ways and survive? If you follow me, our lives may not end in glorious battle, but failure or injury.”
“What our cousins are facing is worse. They will turn on each other until the last man dies alone.” Beaudeen bowed his head. “I pledged to follow you, Commander, wherever you choose to go, and I will face whatever I have to while standing beside you.”
Jacesar placed a broad hand with thick claws on Beaudeen’s shoulder. “You continually surprise me. Are you game for a strange world, a new form, and an entirely different life?”
“Yes.” Beaudeen thumped his fist to his chest.
“Be certain of your decision.” The Hathor’s form wavered like a silk scarf in the breeze. “The portal opens one way. Genetic changes are permanent. There is no going back.”
Jacesar saw the determination in Beaudeen’s eyes. Beaudeen wanted to live. The choice was simple. “We’re ready.” He grasped Beaudeen’s hand. “Open the portal for us.”
“Wise decision,” the Hathor whispered. “By the way, we wouldn’t allow just any Marduko to cross. This portal was always intended for the two of you. If this works, we might allow more Marduko to emigrate at a later date.”
A spiraling whir of energy spun near the altar. For a moment the golden, glassy surface appeared to melt and swirl. A tunnel opened before them that led toward a starry void.
“You take only what’s in your hands.” The Hathor motioned for Jacesar and Beaudeen to step inside.
Jacesar clutched tightly to Beaudeen’s hand and stepped past the boundary of the spinning portal. The moment their boots breached its edge, it crackled with energy.
“Don’t bite your tongues,” the Hathor warned.
“What?” Jacesar was poised to take the next step but was seized by the titanic force of the portal and violently flung into the void instead. Devon’s consciousness followed, witnessing the event through Jacesar’s eyes.
Jacesar flew through space at tremendous speed. Racing streaks of light surrounded him and Beaudeen and vibrated them so harshly their teeth rattled. The portal spat them out as swiftly as it had grabbed them. They were flung into a pool of bubbling warm water, and rose to the surface gasping.
“By the gods, that was rough!” Jacesar floundered in the pool as he struggled to stand on a jagged little ledge. He squinted around the dark cave. The Hathors had sent a single faint glowing orb to light the way. “I can barely see. We’ve been tricked! This planet is even darker than Draca. Where in the underworld are we?” He stilled. “There is no young sun burning bright in the sky. It is warmer, but this place looks no different from Draca. I think the Hathors have made a mistake.”
“Look at us!” Beaudeen shrieked in horror as he studied his forearms. “Where are my scales? There are golden strands growing on my arms! It’s horrible.” He traced his fingertips along the ridge of Jacesar’s elegant human profile with a look of trepidation. “The adaptations are far greater than I was expecting. It was one thing to glimpse it, and entirely another to be it. How can we survive in this form? Are you sure there’s no going back?”
“Damn the Hathors. I thought they were trustworthy, but in a crisis, they’ve turned on us.” Jacesar pulled himself from the pool. His leather armor cascaded torrents of water to the ground, and his boots squished loudly. “I’m not amused by this deception. This is not the act of noble beings. I thought them better than this.” He offered his hand to Beaudeen. “Let’s find out exactly where we are. I refuse to lie down and die in a dank cave for the Hathors’ entertainment.”
Beaudeen hauled himself from the pool, and his armor sheeted water. His hand felt for the leather pouch on his hip. “We still have the dragon eggs.”
“Little good they will do us.” Jacesar took a few sloshing steps forward. “Come with me. I feel the slight movement of air above.”
The glowing orb floated in front of them, leading the way to an ascending path. They climbed the twisting subterranean trail until they reached a domed chamber with a baffled entrance that partially protected them from the outside world. A bit of light leaked past the cave’s entrance. The orb flickered out and disappeared.
Jacesar covered his eyes with his hands. “By the gods, it’s bright in here.”
Beaudeen gazed toward the light with startled awe. “What do you think is out there?”
Jacesar crept toward the cave’s entrance and peered outward. “Holy Hathors! Come and look at this!”
Beaudeen joined him, squinting against the sun. “It’s too bright!” He covered his eyes. “I can’t look at it without being blinded. Where are we?”
Jacesar stepped onto the ca
ve’s narrow outer ledge. The beating sun had warmed the stone. He scanned the vast horizon of golden-green grass alive with roaming herds of animals. The sight was both shocking and awe-inspiring. “There’s so much here!”
“What is all this?” Beaudeen asked cautiously.
“Our new home.”
Chapter 10
Devon woke in the pool with a jolt and bumped hard against Jace’s chest.
Jace immediately wrapped his arms around her. “It’s all right.” He smoothed her hair. “We’re with you.”
She fully opened her eyes and looked around the cavern. “That was amazing!” Her voice cracked at the sheer wonder of what she’d seen. “Is it really true there are beings like the Hathors sending others all over the universe?”
“It’s true.” Jace kissed the top of her head.
“Will the Hathors ever open a portal for humans to cross?”
Jace laughed. “I’m sure that’s already happened.”
“How long was I out?”
“Just a few minutes.” Jace reached for Devon’s hand. “See? Your fingers aren’t even pruny.”
“That’s good.” She chuckled. “It felt like I was so far away.”
“It was far away and long ago.” He paused. “What did you think of the first earthly Marduko?”
She looked directly into Jace’s eyes. “I think they were handsome devils.”
Beau opened his eyes and smiled at Devon. “You’re back.” He leaned forward and kissed her lips. “Sit with me.” He reached for Devon and drew her onto his lap, facing him. “It’s my turn to hold you.” He brushed a few wet strands of hair from her neck and kissed the side of her throat.
Devon tipped her head back. Beau’s kisses felt extra sweet, and she loved the feel of his hands gliding across her shoulders.
Beau drew her close and turned away from Jace. The action was subtle but unmistakably acquisitive. Sensing how much Beau needed her complete attention, if only for a moment, she kissed his lips with loving abandon and allowed him to hold her as the secondary effects of the tea kicked in. A highly sensitized, fully alert feeling crept over her. She pressed against Beau as a red-hot buzz of sensation built between her thighs. “Can you tell what I’m thinking? I’m not going to be polite and wait to be asked.” Summoning her courage, she glanced toward Jace. “Can I have you both at once?”
The Lady Prefers Dragons Page 17