Chapter 13 #2
“Look, Lila, there is a reason there aren’t many mimics around.
It’s because they were deemed too powerful and hunted.
Oshan warned you to be careful and to make it known that you have little power and can only assume one or two forms. We have to do the rest in secret, which means me mesmerizing our victims.” Xavier’s tone is firm but kind.
He understands my moral dilemma, but that kind of thing just doesn’t bother him, and he has a point.
I guess I do need to keep my abilities on the down low.
“Will we have time? How long until the spring equinox? I’m not sure my grandpa will survive until the next one.”
“It will be a quick stop. A couple of hours at the most. We are making good time and should arrive on Rilu with time to spare. Zala is greasing a few wheels for us to make the process quicker,” Xavier assures me.
I heave out a reluctant sigh. “Fine, let’s do it.
Having a dragon or a naga would have been awesome, but I am happy to try to find other beings.
I don’t want to force my friends to help me if they don’t want to.
” I’m referring to Silac, because Tirrian and I are most definitely not friends. Maybe frenemies at best.
Silac turns back to the control console and pushes a few buttons. “I’ve set a course for Station X69. We should be there in a few hours.” He won’t meet my eyes anymore, and I think maybe our comfortable silence is a thing of the past.
“Hey, it’s fine. I totally get it, and I’m not upset,” I assure him.
“In fact, I really appreciate your honesty. I wouldn’t want to trap another male into a mating that wasn’t of their choice.
I’ve overfilled my quota of those.” It’s my turn to feel guilty.
All but Link weren’t given a choice to be with me.
Xavier squats down in front of me and gives me a little shake.
“Hey, don’t be like that. We all love you, and I love that you’re my intimate.
Remember that mating bonds don’t ever give the person an option.
It was something we were expecting anyway.
All of us are thrilled that we love the person we are bonded with. ”
His reassurance goes a long way to easing my guilty heart, and I stand up.
I feel awkward as fuck now that both of these two have asked me not to mimic them.
It’s like the minute they said it, my mimic powers rose, and now I feel this energy running through my body, pushing me to mimic them despite my assurance to Xavier that I had it under control.
Thankfully both are in human form, so the mimic powers can’t take over and force a replication like it did when the powers first activated.
I don’t need the bracelet anymore, but it makes my skin itch.
Even the grumpy dragon hasn’t pushed the limits this trip.
“Right, I’m going to get some rest before we get to the station then.” I don’t wait for anyone’s reply, I just hurry out of the room, the itchy feeling easing the farther I get away from the two shifters.
“It’s fine with strangers, but if our friends say no, they mean no.
” I try to convince the mimic side of me that forcing it is not the answer, but I’m not sure it totally gets it.
There’s this weird sensation, like it’s rolling its eyes at me, but it settles down again, the itchy feeling dissipating completely.
I breathe out a sigh of relief, and the tension I was holding in my shoulders drains away.
Once I get to the room that Xavier and I are sharing, and the door closes behind me, the rest of the anxiety I had been carrying slips away.
I don’t know what it is about those two, but I don’t feel comfortable around them, and it’s probably going to be worse now that I know they don’t want to share their forms. I mean, logically I get it, but personally, I feel a little hurt.
Logical Lila understands Silac’s point of view.
His snake could take over like Cas’s kraken did and force a bond, an imprint, I think Tirrian called it.
That would be a disaster if he has an arranged marriage, which in itself seems unfair, but who am I to judge what other species do?
His poor fiancée would always have the ghost of me in the marriage, and there wouldn’t be an option for his snake to imprint on her.
I wonder if she’s a naga like him. I got the impression that cross matings between species is still slightly frowned upon despite Cas’s family being so open and welcoming.
I wonder if they have the same coloring or, if like krakens, the coloring ranges from person to person. I kind of secretly hope she’s pink, which will clash horribly with his beautiful green, orange, and black.
And Tirrian! What is that asshole’s problem?
I mean, I don’t want to shift into a beautiful, black, oil slick dragon with gorgeous pink wings anyway.
I don’t want to risk ending up with his dragon going all googly-eyed for me, not that I think there’s any chance of that.
He has been hostile since the moment we met.
Fuck him and his misplaced loyalty to his cousin.
Sure, I can be a little sympathetic if his internal beast is causing problems, God knows mine does, but it doesn’t make me a raging cunt, so he should just chill the fuck out.
I cross the room and drop down onto the bed, lying back on the super comfortable mattress, but there’s no point in closing my eyes and trying to sleep.
My mind is racing, so I pick up my tablet and flick to the information about Fluxx shifters.
I’ve read everything about krakens, but my curiosity about my two travel companions is piqued, so I scroll to the page about nagas and settle down to learn everything snaky.
Dragons will be next. Just for research purposes of course.
If I find one of each on the station to mimic, well, I’m going to need all the information I can find regarding their species, and it would be super cool to be able to fly.
My Vilaxian flying hasn’t gotten very far or been very successful, so having a beast that can do it may be an option.