Dante
This is mayhem the likes of which I didn’t think possible to unleash. Three tiny sarkarnlings flash past me, screeching at the top of their lungs as Dart chases after them, calling out something about aquium time.
There are at least five halfway up the walls of the atrium in the leaves, only two of which have any ability to shift at all. The other three are crying out to be rescued.
As for the sounds coming from the dining hall, I can only surmise it is a food fight…again.
I don’t think my crew has ever been happier.
“Will someone get the sarkarnlings down from there?” I point above me. “And get them some snacks.”
At the mention of snacks, I’m suddenly surrounded by a multitude of little ones as I spot Rosalie. She has the little female in her arms, the one who wouldn’t leave her alone when she met her initially. The young female is toying with her hair, and there is a smile on her face wider than a nebula.
It makes my stomach dip because Rosalie is smiling too.
“Go to the dining hall,” I tell the oldest one. “Tell the crew in the kitchens I sent you.”
They immediately take off, the smaller ones squealing in delight as I stride over to where my little flame is standing, placing my hand on the wall above her.
“This sarkarnling needs snacks,” I say.
“Do you need snacks?” Rosalie asks the little female, wriggling her fingers on her chest and making her giggle with delight. “I think you need snacks.”
“I needs snacks,” the small one says.
“Then you need to go with the others.”
The bottom lip sticks out. “Wanna go with Rosie.”
“I need to talk to Dante, Della.” Rosalie smiles at her. “And you said you need snacks. We can play later, okay?”
With some reluctance, the little female, Della, slides down Rosalie’s body and onto the floor.
“Promise?” she calls out.
“I promise.” Rosalie waves.
Della skips over to the warriors and takes the hand of one, who, with five more in tow, leads them away in the direction of the dining hall.
“I think they like being with your crew,” Rosalie says with a quirk of her lips.
“They are chaos.”
I look over my shoulder to see the three in the foliage being brought down, the older two following my warriors who carefully place the younger ones on the ground, provide reassurance, a promise to teach them how to climb up…and down, next time. They too are taken for snack time.
“And we are all about the chaos.” I smile at her, probably with too much fang, but I can’t help myself. “On behalf of myself and my warriors, I thank you for your suggestion.”
“I was worried.” Rosalie folds her arms in a manner I now know means she is comfortable and not the one which means I am in trouble. “I knew they needed to meet your crew, but I wasn’t sure how everyone would mix.”
We both watch a warrior walk past with two sarkarnlings, one on each shoulder, both giggling with delight.
“But it seems you were entirely correct.” I gaze down at her.
Not only is Rosalie my fated mate, but she has brought a calm to my warriors I wasn’t sure was possible.
The use of narcotics to control our descent into complete ferality has decreased with no side effects to date, and the scout ship which returned a week ago with news of the eletviz needed to hopefully synthesize a complete cure has confirmed we can trade for it.
I probably shouldn’t have bitten her, but then perhaps something else within me knew what I needed far more than I ever did.
“Sometimes”—she lifts her gaze to me—“I am.”
I snort out a smoke ring.
“Someone has to be around here.”
“Well, it’s hardly going to be you, is it?” She laughs.
“I arranged the…” I search for the word she used. “Sked-duals.”
“Is anyone actually paying any attention to them?” Rosalie quirks up an eyebrow.
Of course, I accompany her everywhere, including to eat if she does not wish to eat in her quarters. It is entirely possible my crew is avoiding us, however, because I have chanced upon the occasional food fight which was entirely un-sked-dualed.
“They might be?” I suggest.
“And they might not.”
I give her the full force of my fangs, and in return, Rosalie also smiles, little creases appearing in her pink skin. I absolutely love to see them, and unable to help myself, I trace my thumb over her cheek.
Sadly, the creases disappear as her face changes. Since the day of the kizz, we have been together but there has been nothing further, no additional kizzes, just her and me.
I do not know what to do. My cock is permanently attempting to push from my pouch. The mating mix pumps through my veins, bringing on an early shed which itches like a nevver. I’d even accept being envenomated by her if it meant I got to be close to her skin once again.
“Bite me,” I say.
“What?”
I shove my hand at the back of my neck where my scales are beginning to peel and scratch at it.
Rosalie cocks her head on one side and studies me. “What’s going on, Dante?”
“I itch,” I grumble.
“Let me look.”
She puts her hand on my shoulder and pulls me down to her height, which also means I get to put my head into her gorgeous silky hair…and inhale.
“What is this?” Her little fingers trip over the papery scales.
“I need to shed.”
“Your skin?”
“My scales,” I rasp because her touch is making me want to rub myself against a bulkhead, and not where my shed itches.
“It looks uncomfortable.”
“It is.”
“Can’t you do anything to, I don’t know, help it along?”
“I usually go in the aquium, but I’ve been busy,” I say, muffled in her hair.
Rosalie pushes me back upright.
“If by busy you mean testing new weapons in the neutral zone…”
I can’t help but laugh. The new weapons have been a hit in more ways than one.
“They’re good.”
Rosalie folds her lips up in a way which makes me want to mate her mouth but also sends a spear of terror through me.
“They’re not good?”
“I know how much you enjoy exploding things,” she says.
“You like it too.”
“Where did you get that idea?”
“When I first took you to the neutral sector. You threw yourself at the controls.” It’s my turn to study her face, to try to work out what my mate wants.
“I threw myself at the controls?” Rosalie looks puzzled. “I remember throwing myself on the ground as I thought I was about be blown to smithereens.” She stares at me for a heartbeat. “You thought I wanted to have a go?”
“You didn’t?”
Rosalie throws her head back and laughs. It is a delicious sound, coming from deep within her.
“It doesn’t matter,” she says, her eyes filled with water. “All that matters is you thought I liked it.”
“It does?”
“It does.” She wipes the back of her hand over her eyes and looks at me carefully. “And now we need to get you to an aquium to deal with your scales.”
My mate absolutely does not need to ask me twice.