“Yeah. He is.”
I looked into Zyair’s eyes, and said, “Shift. NOW.” I waited for his nod before Xandros, Rhodes, and I moved to the doorway.
Zyair was too weak for the shift to be a pretty process. But within a reasonable amount of time, the aft storage bay was filled with one reddish-golden dragon.
He was beyond beautiful, and I told him so.
“Like he does not already have a grossly swollen head,” Xandros complained.
“It’s not quite as swollen as it was a few minutes ago,” I pointed out.
Rhodes made a choking sound, and Xandros bellowed a laugh, adding. “Bet that can change on a moment’s notice.”
“He needs to rest,” Rhodes insisted.
Zyair’s dragon only fit by curling up tightly within the bay. But his head tilted as he regarded me, and he created a cradle with his arms.
He still pulsed with pain, but also with an emotion that joined with what coursed from his brothers to me. Pooling within me, it bridged, forging us together.
It proved that we were one.
Rhodes and Xandros helped me into the spot he’d created for my body. Xandros poked his brother in the ribs.
“I am not hugging you two,” Zyair complained.
“That would be correct,” Rhodes agreed.
“Yes, you are,” I commanded Zyair. I moved my gaze to Rhodes. “And so are you.”
Zyair breathed dragon steam all over me, but sighed before hemoved his huge arms. Xandros stepped into them, and tucked me against him.
Rhodes stared at us.
I pointed to the spot on the other side of me. “Here. Now.”
He heaved a sigh. “Just so long as no one takes images.”
As I had no idea where Sookie was, all I could offer was, “No guarantees.”
His lip lifted off a long canine, but when I gestured again, he lowered himself into the space. Wrapping his tail around my thigh, he sank his nose into my hair.
I basked in a warmth that I’d never before known. It was a soul-deep thing, this. A merging. We were one, these three Drakes and I.
Beneath and around us, theStardrifter’sengines rumbled as she took us to Nipslep.
I dozed in my warm circle of Drake arms. I’d never felt so—sowhole.
A chime sounded, and Yani’s voice came over the comm.
“We’re coming up on Nipslep.”
I stirred reluctantly. By now, the Nirzks would have sent word of our escape to both of the nearest slipstream ports. There was sure to be trouble waiting for us.
Our little trip to paradise might be all we’d ever have.
Rhodes had rolled upright the moment the chime sounded, and now Xandros joined him.
“You two take the guns,” Zyair rumbled. He gently encouraged me to my feet.
