All we needed was a way in…
18
Jaz
Xandros and I sat by the fire as the wind howled.
The big Drake had wrapped himself around me—I sat between his knees, and his powerful arms held my torso against his.
My mind drifted as I sat there, engulfed in his warmth. I’m not sure when it occurred to me that he was no longer shaking.
No sooner had I noticed that, then he said, “We have to get back.”
His head was resting against mine, and the words spoken into my hair. So I asked, “Are you strong enough to brave the wind?”
“Strong enough for wind? Yes.” he replied. “The entire Nirzk army? Also, yes.”
“Okay.” I smiled. “But can you fly through this wind to get us back to theStardriftercarrying me and two big hunks of metal?”
He laughed, a wonderful, deep rumbling sound. “You ask nonsensical questions.” But his strong arms did not loosen.
“You have to let go of me, or we’ll be sitting here forever,” I said.
Instead of loosening, his embrace tightened. “I do not want to let go.”
“Well, we can’t stay joined at the hip,” I protested.
“Was not thinking of joining at the hip,” he rumbled and offered the tiniest thrust of his hips.
My breath caught. “We can’t spend every moment together.” Then I managed to squeak, “For one thing, I prefer privacy in the loo.”
“What is a loo?”
“The bathroom.”
He huffed a laugh, but still, his arms didn’t move.
I sensed—something. I wasn’t sure just what. “What’s wrong?”
A pause. And then he said, “What—what if you change your mind about us?”
I swallowed. I’d hurt Zyair deeply. I knew that now. My heart constricted, because I’d be lucky if I ever got the opportunity to make it up to him. And now, Xandros was afraid I’d turn on him, too.
Taking a deep breath, I confessed the thing that I would have once faced with dread. “You three are my mates,” I said. “I won’t change my mind.”
It should have been a difficult thing to confess, but as soon as I said it, my heart soared. My hands tightened on his arms. “You are mine,” I whispered. “All three of you.”
As he rose, his powerful arms lifted me to my feet. Releasing me, he bent to retrieve my clothes.
I took them from him. He watched me get dressed with such an odd expression on his face.
“What?” I finally asked.
“You are so exquisite. You are now my true mate. Most of my generation will never have one, or have little ones.”
I’d just given my leggings a final tug, and now, I froze.Little ones.“Am I—did we—” I stammered to a halt.
“The serum—it is still modifying you. You should not be ready to yet conceive.” He sounded very matter of fact, as though we were discussing what we were having for dinner.
