“Have you shared the videos I sent you of the basketball?” Mylash asked.
“I have. Everyone is in agreement. We should hold tournaments in the flight gym. The first one starts later today. Why don’t you get your bride comfortable and then meet us down at the gym.”
Mylash led Loretta down the hall to a sliding door that opened to reveal an apartment that was a copy of the one they had below on Earth. “I thought you’d feel more at home if it looked like our other place. I even had your closet copied.”
“Wow. You’ve been busy,” she said, stepping inside.
“It’s not hard when you have infinite resources. The fact is, the Draconians now have more capital than all the humans put together on Earth. We have massive gold, diamond, and minerals supplies on mining planets. We are the ones supplying all the minerals needed for our technology. Even if the humans disagree with our mission, we can still buy them out of their own game.”
“I had no idea.”
“That is only because until now, Draconians have stayed out of human politics. Our position has changed. We wish to preserve human DNA. Unless we help, the species may not be around the next time we wish to mate.”
“That doesn’t sound very romantic,” Loretta said, walking further into the apartment. A long wall was covered in windows that looked out onto space. She could see her planet slowly spinning below. The sight of it took her breath away. There were no words for the wonder of it. All the photos she’d seen could never have captured the marvel of seeing her own planet from above.
She placed a hand on the glass and felt Mylash encircle her waist. “You must rest, my beloved mate. Why don’t you shower and wash the dust from your hair? You will feel better after.”
“Yes. That’s a good idea.”
Disorientation was becoming the norm for her. She looked up at Mylash and brushed her thumb along his jawline. Somehow, he made it all make sense. She smiled slightly and turned toward the bathroom. She knew she needed to get back to her family. She felt so broken and ragged, she just wanted to calm down before she did anything else.
She took a long, hot soak in the tub, washing her hair and skin with fragrant soap. When she was finally done, she did feel better. Mylash was waiting for her on the bed. He had a bottle of clear oil in his hand.
“What’s that?” she asked.
“This is an analgesic oil that will help your muscles relax. Very powerful. I will massage it into your skin.”
“That sounds wonderful.”
She dropped her robe down around her shoulders, revealing her back, and laid face-first on the pillow. Mylash spread the oil on his hands. It smelled faintly of lemons and hot peppers. As his hands worked into her skin, she began to tingle all over. The oil worked through her pores, sinking into her sore flesh. She let out a long satisfied sigh.
“That feels good.”
He began to peel away her robe, leaving it over her behind and legs. He worked down over her ass and thighs. A moment later, he asked her to turn over. She groaned slightly, coming alive at his touch. It felt so automatic to be turned on by Mylash’s fingers and hands. She looked up at him, her body singing to be touched more deeply.
He ran his oiled palms over her shoulders, over her breasts, stomach and sides. He smoothed the oil into her hips and down her thighs to her knees, legs and feet. He dipped his slick fingers between her thighs, slipping them over her wet slit.
“Mylash,” she whimpered. As crazy as it seemed, all she wanted was him.
His fingers rubbed her hot opening, teasing out the moisture and lubricating her folds with oil.
“This is an aphrodisiac,” he whispered in her ear, leaning down beside her.
“Everything is an aphrodisiac with you,” she said with a low giggle.
He dipped his slick finger inside her and she moaned, throwing her head back. He sucked her nipple and caressed her need. With a gasp, Loretta came. Mylash pumped his tongue into her mouth as he rolled on top of her.
“I want you,” he growled.
“I want you too, Mylash,” she whispered into his ear. She wrapped her legs around him.
“I’m going to claim you now, my mate.” He pressed his cock against her wet pussy.
“Wait. What?”
“I will give you my mating bite and make you mine. Our DNA will mingle. You will gain long life. And all will know we are mated forever.”
“Okay,” she said, breathlessly. He pushed harder against her softness. She groaned when he broke through, sinking deeper into her channel. He stretched her wide as he sank deep into her core.
So deep.
So full.
Loretta couldn’t stop groaning. Climax raged inside her, and she kissed him passionately all over his mouth and face.
“I love you, Mylash,” she said, desperate to tell him. She needed him to know how she felt. She wasn’t just going along with this because she was overpowered or confused. She loved him, adored him. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. And longer. Loretta had never felt this way about another person. She loved her family, but with Mylash it was so different.
Her connection to him seemed timeless, eternal. It felt like something she could never live without and would die for. It was as if all the love she’d ever felt in all her life was condensed into one tiny space. That much concentrated loved was like an atomic bomb or the singularity that created the universe.
She couldn’t explain it, but every fiber of her being wanted him to claim her and bind them together forever.
Mylash pulled back his hips and thrust forward, sending icy shock waves of pleasure through her whole body. She held on to him, panting and moaning with each thrust of his hips. Her arms and legs were wrapped around him and they gazed into each other’s eyes.
“My little mate,” he said in a sexy, deep voice. “You are so sweet and tight.”
“Oh baby. Your cock is. Oh God.”
Mylash’s words and thick cock, pumping in and out of her tender flesh, made her rumble with release. He leaned down and pressed his sharp teeth to her neck. She gasped, feeling them break through the skin. He bit down, hard. The strength of his bite frightened her. Her body buzzed with orgasm. Mylash continued to thump into her in slow, stroking waves.
She could feel her hot blood trickle down her neck and Mylash’s tongue lapping it up. Her pussy gushed moisture around his cock and he pummeled into her, pushing against her pelvis in a hard thrust. He stayed there as his come shot inside her. Her nipples blazed as the streams of come started off another chain reaction of pleasure deep within.
She could feel herself already more connected and attached to Mylash than ever before. She almost wanted to weep as he pulled his teeth away. They lay together, entangled in each other’s bodies, sweaty and satisfied. A few drops of her blood discolored the white pillowcase.
Loretta cuddled into Mylash’s chest, and he wrapped his arm around her.
“Now we are mated. My inner dragon is satisfied.”
“Are you satisfied?” she asked, looking up at him.
“Even more than my dragon. He doesn’t get to make love to you like I do.”
She gasped as sharp laugh. “No, he doesn’t!”
Mylash threw his head back and let out a hearty laugh. Then he turned serious. “My love, it is good to be with you like this.” He cupped her chin in his hand. “We will have many babies. I hope they look just like you.”
“You say the sweetest things, babe.” To hear the hottest man she’d ever seen say he wanted their kids to look like her made her feel truly desired.
“You are everything to me, my little mate,” he said, kissing her again. He pulled away, put his uniform back on, and looked at his wrist. “But it’s time for basketball!”
Chapter 15
Loretta followed Mylash into the gym and stood in amazement as she watched dragons fly around overhead. The space was huge, like several football fields laid out and stacked up on top of each other. The transparent dome all
owed a view of the outside. Brilliant stars and galaxies shone above the flying dragons.
Mylash picked up a basketball from a rack near the wall. “Let’s get this party started,” he yelled.
A group of men gathered around Mylash as she crept back to the bleachers that were full of female humans. She sat down next to a curvy, dark-skinned girl with a pregnant belly under her designer jacket.
“Those are the commandos from Draconia,” the girl said. Loretta smiled over at her, then looked back at the men surrounding Mylash. “You’re mate is a bad ass, supposedly.”
“He is,” Loretta agreed.
“I’m Lexi Garcia. You’re Loretta Franklin, right?”
“Yes.” They shook hands and Loretta felt instantly at ease with the pretty, young woman.
“When are you due?” Loretta asked.
“In the spring. It’s a human gestation period. There are already dozens of babies on board the armada. You should come hang out in the nursery some time or in the brides’ quarters. It’s away from the unmated males. We can have coffee and shop for new clothes.”
“Can’t you just get that in your apartments?”
“Yes, but the rest of the girls aren’t there.” She nodded back up the bleachers at all the women sitting there. Many of them were heavily pregnant or holding small children. Loretta bit her lip, thinking that she would be like them soon. “The brides’ quarters are like a cute little shopping district in some city on Earth. The guys made it for us so we would feel more at home.”
“That sounds really nice.”
“Look. The game is starting!” Lexi said, cheering for the guys. “That one’s mine.” She pointed at the Commander.
“What’s it like being mated to the Commander of the armada?”
“Probably a lot like being mated to the leader of the most bad ass commandos in the Draconian military.”
Both women giggled and settled in to watch the game. Draconian basketball had similar rules to human basketball, but Draconian rules included shifting and flying. They did seem to be required to dribble and shoot in human form. Between shifts, they didn’t bother putting their uniforms back on.
Mylash and Commander Or were on the same team, playing against half the commandos. Mylash’s team had the advantage. He caught the ball as Nash dropped it, flying overhead in dragon form. Mylash shot the ball from far across the court. It sang over the heads of the other males. Someone jumped to catch it but missed.
The ball flew to the end of the gym and sunk effortlessly into the basket. Loretta stood and cheered like a high school girl at homecoming. Lexi cheered beside her, still sitting on the bleacher.
Mylash’s team won the game. He flew and landed in front of her, shifting out of dragon form with a sly smile on his face.
“That was an illegal throw,” one of the commandos said.
“It was perfectly legal,” Mylash countered.
“How do you guys even keep track of the rules?” Lexi asked, pushing herself up from the bench. Nash was there to help her to her feet and hold her gently in his arms. He kissed the top of her head. Loretta took comfort in seeing the love between the other couple.
“Did you see that shot, little mate?” Mylash asked her, taking her in his arms.
“That was awesome,” she giggled. She’d seen him burst through walls and turn solid rock to molten lava. But the throw was super impressive too.
Loretta spent the next few days relaxing on the ship. She hung out with Lexi in the brides’ quarters and got to know a lot of the other girls there. There was a lot of talk about the commandos. Most of the men in the armada had normal civilian jobs. It wasn’t a military operation. The commandos on the other hand, were special forces military. The baddest of the bad back on Draconia. The women were curious to see who those men would be mated with.
“You’re our first commando bride,” Lexi explained to her as they sat under the artificial sunlight that glowed over the little sidewalk cafe where they liked to have brunch.
The trees that lined the street ruffled gently in the manufactured breeze. In almost every way, the street felt like they were back on Earth. Of course, the roof overhead was transparent and showed space beyond. Loretta had heard the brides liked it that way. She did too. It didn’t help to pretend they weren’t actually on a spaceship just because they wanted some of the comforts of home.
“I hadn’t thought of it that way,” Loretta said.
“Your husband is leading the force to bring prosperity to Earth. It’s pretty amazing.”
“I think so too.”
Lexi picked up a shopping bag from the bouquet they’d been shopping at and rose out of her chair. “I’ve got to get going. I’ve got work over on the lab ship. We cracked the cure for cancer yesterday.”
Lexi leaned down and gave Loretta a kiss on the cheek before waddling off to a transport elevator. She sat there for a moment and looked out at the cute little neighborhood. It was a relaxing atmosphere, and she liked it. Loretta wished she had a job of her own. She’d never heard back after her interview.
She picked at her cheesecake and noticed a shadow cast over her table. She looked up and found Mylash standing above her.
“Hi,” she said brightly. “Did you come for pastries?”
“Sure. I love your human sweets.” A waiter brought him a plate with cheesecake and a cup of cappuccino. “But I came down here to ask you something else.”
“What is it?”
“You were a financial analyst. You know the human financial system first hand.”
“I was a junior analyst. Yes.”
“Still. You have more experience than anyone else on the armada with the human financial system.”
“Really?”
“You do. And that is what I wanted to discuss with you. The armada is worth, in human terms, over six hundred trillion dollars. We need help investing that money into the human stock market. We want to slowly take over every human corporation on the planet and buy up all the natural resources. We’ve run the simulations and see this is the most effective way to get to our end goal.”
“Are you kidding me? You want me to be responsible for six hundred trill… Oh my god. I think I’m going to faint.”
“What is it?”
“I don’t feel so good.”
Without a word, Mylash scooped her up in his arms and carried her out of the brides’ quarters, through a transport elevator, and into the sick bay.
“Medic! My bride is ill,” he said, sitting her down on a slick white table. A medic approached and scanned her with a hand held wand.
“She isn’t sick, General. She’s just pregnant.”
“What? Why would I feel sick so soon?”
“The gestation will be normal for a human, but this side effect is common for human/Draconian pregnancies. You’ll have some dizziness for a few days, and then it will subside.”
The medic walked away, and Mylash grasped her hand, looking down at her with the happiest look she’d ever seen from him. “A baby,” he said.
A tear slid down her cheek. She hadn’t spoken to her grandma in days and a rush of guilt and panic hit her all at once. “I can’t believe this is happening,” she whimpered.
“Aren’t you happy?” He looked crestfallen.
“I am. I want our baby. I need to see my granny, Mylash. Can you take me home?”
“Of course, my beloved little mate. I will take you now if you are well.”
Chapter 16
It only took a few minutes to make it back to Earth in the transport vessel. When she saw Alabama coming into view outside the window, her heart jumped.
So much had happened since she’d left for her job interview just a few days ago. She knew her grandma would be worried sick. Loretta hadn’t checked in since the first day in the city. The whole time she’d been on the ship, all she’d wanted to do was forget about all her worries and relax with Mylash.
Now, the guilt of avoiding her responsibilities hit her with a ha
rd crash. They landed at the consulate in Montgomery and took a hover car out to her grandmas’ house out in the country. It didn’t take them more than a few hours to get from the ship to her grandmother’s front drive.
It was an old neighborhood and a lot of the houses were in disrepair. Loretta noticed a new car in the driveway and assumed that it was someone from the bank here about foreclosing the house. She took a sharp breath as she climbed out of the car. Mylash was there beside her, holding her hand as she walked to the front door.
It burst open and her younger brother and sister ran out into the front walk. They crashed into her, giving her hugs of greeting. “We didn’t know what happened to you,” her sister said. The twins were eleven years younger than Loretta, only fifteen. Her grandmother threw her arms around Loretta. The woman had two young teens to care for, and Loretta had left her without word for days.
“Hush now, children, give your sister some room.” Her siblings pulled away, and her grandma gave her another hug.
Loretta finally managed to introduce Mylash to the family, but her grandmother stopped her. “We already know him. He brought us the money we needed a few days ago.”
“You did?” Loretta asked, putting her hand to her mouth.
“I knew that you were exhausted. I wanted to take care of anything that might worry you so you could recuperate. I know how much your family means to you.”
She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. “Oh Mylash, I couldn’t ask for a better mate.”
“I heard you two went and got married and didn’t invite your old granny,” her grandmother chided.
“I’m so sorry…”
Her grandmother just laughed and slapped her with a kitchen towel. “I’m playing with you, child. I know it’s complicated. But we’re going to set up a gathering at the church for the two of you today. You can wear your mama’s wedding dress.”