His crew coordinated the move from Mars to Earth, bringing the many ships in the two armadas into alignment. Vlosh had taken command of the mating armada as the ranking officer. Final authority rested with him for all location, defensive, and offensive maneuvers for all Draconian ships in the solar system.
However, Commander Or would still retain all control and management of the day to day running of his own vessels. He would also continue to manage all mating activities as he had for the last five years.
Those were duties Vlosh had no interest in taking. He lacked any expertise in the matter and was far too occupied with a full on war with the Mulgor to concern himself with the mating lottery.
But there was one aspect of the mating lottery that did concern him very much, and that was his own mate. She had been broken by what she’d witnessed. He was sensitive enough to other beings to determine that much.
What he did not know was what to do about it. If not for the constant gnashing of his inner dragon against the walls of his mind, he would not have thought twice about it.
He had a war to win. The death of Indigo’s parents was a casualty of war. An unfortunate one, but a common one nonetheless. He had two entire races of people to defend. One woman’s misery should not have distracted him so much.
The armada began its journey across the divide between Earth and Mars. The ships moved as one in a perfect synchronized promenade through the silence of space.
He watched the screen across the front wall of the bridge and glanced from time to time at the computers in front of him.
Technicians continuously gave updates and he advised course corrections along the way. Moving this many ships as one through space did not lack complexity.
Soon, they entered the Earth’s orbit and all the ships were accounted for and fell into their designated space in the alignment.
“We continue hourly assault on the remaining Mulgor ships orbiting Venus,” he stated to his crew.
“Time to launch in fifteen minutes, sir,” his first officer said.
“Has there been a change in position or behavior since they last moved?” he asked. The Mulgor had moved to Venus and put up their shields the day before.
“No change, sir; they seem to be locking down.”
“Continue as scheduled,” Vlosh said, standing from his captain’s chair.
He moved to his private offices off the bridge and closed the door behind him. Frustration coursed through his body and mind. He couldn’t quiet the scratching and screaming inside his brain. He had to put a stop to the distraction or he would be lost.
He ran his fingertips down the inside of his wrist and sent a communication hail to Commander Or. He and Commander Or had been friends for quite some time and had even gone to the military academy together way back when they had both been young men.
He, of all people, would have some advice as to what to do with a human woman.
“Yes, sir. You hailed?” Commander Nash Or said.
“I initiate this message as a friend,” Vlosh said. “Nash. I need your help.”
“How are things going with your bride? Have you begun the mating process yet?”
“No. That is what I hailed you about. Her parents were killed by the Mulgor just yesterday. She found their bodies and showed up here with blood stains on her knees and fingers.”
“That’s horrible, Vlosh. Is the poor little human all right?”
“She seems resilient, but she is traumatized. I waited too long to bring her here. My mating impulse is too far gone. I fear the worst.”
“I’m sure something can be done. You cannot give up hope.”
“What can I do?”
“You must find a way to make her at ease. Show her you care. Ease her into the knowledge of the pleasure you can give her.”
“How do I do that?”
“Did you and your men go over any of the human female training materials on the way over from Draconia?”
“We used that time to cover military strategy and tactics.”
“This was a disservice to all of you.”
“We are at war, Nash. It had to take priority.”
“What could be more important than the continuation of our species?”
Vlosh sighed. “Of course, you’re right. I’m trying to learn now. What can I do?”
“Have you provided her with the comfort and luxuries we provide our brides on the mating armada?” Nash asked.
“She just arrived yesterday.”
“Is she living in your military quarters?” Nash asked, appalled.
“I haven’t had time to prepare anything else,” Vlosh said.
“Vlosh, you and I are old friends. You may be my superior officer, but I believe I can speak freely on these matters, correct?”
Vlosh didn’t know if he really wanted to hear it. He had already made so many mistakes with his mate and his own mating impulse. He had put everyone in danger. Most of all himself.
“Please,” Vlosh said.
“You need to start prioritizing your mate. Perhaps even above your duties as the general of this navy.”
Vlosh wanted to object, but he silenced himself and continued to listen to his old friend. He knew Nash was an expert in these matters.
“If you cannot win her, your inner dragon will destroy you. Then where will the rest of us be? If your position as our leader is your priority, you must make your mate your priority.”
“How am I supposed to do that?”
“Have your quarters redesigned in a manner that will impress your bride. Send her over to the mating armada for a trip to our brides’ district. It is a place where the human females can shop for the best clothing, eat the best foods, and socialize among themselves. It reminds them of their home on Earth, and I have heard from the majority of the human brides that this is a place that is very pleasant for them. The women have been quite vocal in their praise of the brides’ district.”
“You believe my mate would enjoy this brides’ district?” Vlosh asked.
“Absolutely. The rest of the women adore it. Even my mate, Lexi, who happens to be a scientist, enjoys shopping and socializing in the brides’ district. It is one of her favorite things aside from our daughter and her work on the science vessel.”
“My mate is a scientist of exercise,” Vlosh said, still not sure exactly what that meant.
“That means that your mate appreciates physical activity and sports, just as the Draconians. She may enjoy watching or even participating in a game of Draconian basketball aboard the mating armada. If you are not engaged in other important activities aboard the command ship, I would suggest that you move her to the mating armada. It is far more pleasant for a human female aboard our ships.”
“Impossible, I cannot leave my command.” Vlosh was growing irritated with the conversation. The longer he spent away from the bridge, the more he felt the Mulgor were gaining ground on him.
“That does not mean that your bride cannot enjoy the benefits that we have created specifically for the human females.”
“You are correct. I will discuss it with her at the next possible opportunity.”
Chapter 10
Indigo woke to find Vlosh gone. Although the entire situation was strange and intimidating, and she didn’t know the man at all, she was slightly disappointed at his absence. If she was going to be married to this guy, she wanted to know who he was as a person.
She stepped out of the bedroom, still wearing the strange Draconian uniform. It had conformed to her body, showing off every curve and imperfection. It was an embarrassing piece of clothing to wear, but it was better than continuing to wear the blood-drenched clothing she had arrived in the day before.
She went into the living room and found the table already up from inside the floor. She flicked the computer screen on the tabletop and tried to figure out how to get something to eat. Even though she understood the general concept of how the table worked, the instructions and menu were in Draconian.
/> Great. I’m going to starve to death.
In all the years that she’d heard about the mating lottery, she had been under the impression that the women would live a life of luxury aboard the Draconian vessels. She understood that this was a new set of ships, here to fight the Mulgor, but she at least wanted some breakfast.
She sat down at the bench and put her head in her hands, distraught. Her stomach clenched and twisted. She hadn’t eaten anything for two days and felt nauseous with hunger. She laid her head down on the table and moaned, feeling completely pathetic.
When she had helped Molly escape from their dorm, she had felt like a hero. Maybe it was a little bit egotistical, but she had been in control back then. Now, she was a worthless loser who couldn’t do anything right.
Being mated to the highest ranking officer in the Draconian military didn’t seem to matter much when she couldn’t even get an egg sandwich in the morning.
Her dark thoughts rolled in her mind and she tried to tell herself to cheer up. Indigo had never been the kind of person who focused on the negative. She’d never seen herself as a victim and had never let tough situations get her down.
Growing up in a poor neighborhood in the middle of the worst economic recession since the Great Depression, Indigo had used her fighting spirit to see her through.
Now, even that seemed to have abandoned her. She didn’t know who she was anymore. The sound of the door swooshed behind her.
She sat up and turned to see Vlosh entering the apartment. He had a grimace on his face as if he were in pain. She pursed her lips and sat up straight.
“Are you all right?” she asked him.
“It is a testament to your character that you would be concerned for my well-being at this juncture.”
“Well, thanks,” she said. Maybe he was less clueless than she had originally believed. He still hadn’t told her what was wrong. Just because she was more vulnerable here didn’t mean that she cared any less than he did. “What’s the matter?” she asked again.
“It is the roar of the dragon inside my mind. I can already feel my sanity slipping from my grasp like a handful of sand, running between my fingers.”
“That’s gotta suck,” she muttered.
She felt really crappy about it. Maybe if she had some food in her belly she could start the whole mating process with him now. She was still distraught, but some of her strength was coming back to her. She’d come aboard the spaceship for one purpose and one purpose alone. It was to be his bride. There was no sense in trying to skate around the matter now.
“My dragon does not suck,” he said, his voice intense and serious.
She giggled, smiling at his ignorance of human slang. “Saying something sucks is just slang for saying it’s difficult or bad. I’m trying to empathize with you.”
“I have been advised to send you to the mating armada so that you might shop for appropriate clothing for a human female. I am told they have many fine things available aboard the command ship in a place called the brides’ district. I can arrange for your transfer if you would be interested,” he said, still standing beside the door.
“That sounds nice. To be honest, wearing this uniform is a bit…embarrassing. It shows off absolutely every curve of my body.”
“Why would your body curves be embarrassing to you?”
“I don’t know what it’s like for Draconian women, but human women have these silly standards we’re supposed to live up to. I know it’s kind of dumb. I’d still like to wear normal human clothing if possible.”
“I quite like the sight of your curves,” he said matter-of-factly.
Indigo could feel herself blushing and she looked away from the bulge stiffening his own skintight uniform.
“I’d like to go over to the mating armada, but I’m starving. Is there any way I could get a breakfast sandwich or something? The table instructions are in Draconian.”
“Of course,” he said, drawing a deep breath as if he were embarrassed that she was unable to feed herself already. “It is unacceptable that you should go hungry.”
He strode toward the table and flipped through the holographic menu. “What is a breakfast sandwich exactly? I will find the Draconian equivalent for you.”
“It’s an egg and bacon or ham inside a biscuit.”
“I believe I am familiar with those words.” He continued flicking through the hologram and settled on something. A moment later, what looked like an Egg McMuffin rose from the space in front of her on the table. Her eyes grew wide as she stared at the food. It might be technology, but it seemed more like magic to her. The Draconians had given humans advanced technologies like hover jets and advanced telecommunications abilities. They hadn’t given humanity anything like this.
She sniffed the air, and the sandwich smelled exactly like an Egg McMuffin. She lifted the biscuit and it was warm to the touch. After taking a small bite to test the flavor, she started to chew. It was so delicious. The flavors were familiar but foreign, making it the best breakfast sandwich she’d ever eaten.
Indigo finished her food without another word. She licked the last bit from her fingertips and let out a long sigh.
“That was so good,” she said, feeling satiated for the first time in days.
He still had that grimace on his face that concerned her. She wished he would be more forthcoming about what he needed.
“I will arrange your transport to the mating armada now.” He turned to go, but she stopped him.
“Wait. I know your dragon is giving you trouble. I want to help. Please, let me help you.”
“I cannot claim you until you have opened to me. Otherwise, it would wound your body and possibly your mind.”
“Well, why don’t we do that thing you mentioned yesterday?” She stood from the bench and approached him where he stood by the door. He looked at her as if she were a dangerous animal who was stalking him.
She looked up into his eyes and ran her hands over his hard chest. She needed warmth. She needed to feel as if she could connect with him and eventually love him. Everything that had happened to her in the last few days had destroyed her. If she was ever going to get past it, she needed to find a way to connect with someone else.
Vlosh was meant to be her husband, and he was in pain. She didn’t want to see him hurting, and she certainly didn’t want to be the source of his misery.
“Do not say such things unless you mean it,” he said, leaning away as if he couldn’t get far enough from her. She felt the sting of rejection for a split second and stepped away from him, looking down at the ground. Out of the corner of her eyes she could see that he was fully erect just from the slight brushing of her hands over his uniform.
“But I do mean it,” she said.
Vlosh let out at an angry growl. Indigo looked up into his eyes. They were shining like obsidian orbs, staring directly into her soul. She met his intense gaze and flicked the spot at the base of her neck that would make her uniform contract. She stood naked before him, facing him with her own strength.
He roared and flicked the spot at his own neck that made his uniform contract. He was naked in an instant. He crossed the space between them in the blink of an eye and lifted her up off her feet. She gasped at the suddenness of it.
Vlosh carried her through the living room and into the bedroom, where he deposited her on the huge bed.
“I hope I can control my needs,” he said, his voice a low growl that sent a shiver through her body.
She lay on the bed, trembling with excitement. She blocked out everything else and watched him looking down at her. His naked body was magnificent, like chiseled marble in a museum somewhere. It made her mouth water, and she wanted to run her tongue over every bulge and crevice. But she didn’t move. She simply lay there as the goosebumps rose on her skin.
He moved towards her and pressed his full lips gently against hers. She could feel the power he was holding back in the intensity of his kiss. Slowly, he moved his kisses down her
body, licking and lapping at her sensitive parts.
As he lowered himself between her legs, he growled angrily and dove into her sex, licking her pussy with furious need.
Indigo’s eyes shot wide with surprise at the sudden shock of pleasure as his slick tongue swept over her slit. A strangled moan ripped from her throat, and she ran her hands through his thick, dark hair.
“Oh my God, Vlosh,” she called out.
Her mind sparked and exploded with fireworks as bright as the fire raging through her core. His tongue circled on her clit, rubbing her swelling need in just the right way. She gasped in panting breaths, her chest heaving up and down as she moaned.
Vlosh ran his hands up and down her body. His fingers squeezed her tight nipples as he lapped at the juices running freely from within her.
She’d never had a man do this before. Indigo’s last boyfriend had been in high school. The boy she’d lost her virginity to had been a fellow athlete, and they’d made love one night at the end of senior year.
It had been nice, but nothing like this. Hot desire coursed through her veins, and she didn’t know if she was coming or going. It suddenly all made sense. This was why people spent so much time trying to find love.
She never expected to feel this kind of pleasure. It ripped through her, heady and moist. The itching of coming contractions began in her thighs and ran up to her sex. Vlosh pushed his fingers into her wet core and pumped in and out.
The building pressure released with a flood of pleasure so electric, her entire body contracted. Indigo screamed and arched forward, looking down at Vlosh as he licked her.
“Fuck,” she growled. He continued to pump his fingers in and out of her, pushing her orgasm further as her pussy clenched around his fingers.
His eye met hers and they locked. He continued to lick her and fuck her with his fingers. The sight of it was so damn hot she felt another orgasm rush forward and crest anew inside her.
She threw her head back on the pillow and moaned. Her whole body felt so sensitive to the touch. She pushed him away, groaning for him to stop.
“Don’t you like this?” he said between licks. “You seem to enjoy it.”