offer you tokens of affection?”
“Sure. I’d like that. Nothing too spectacular. I’m not mating you for your magnificent horde, you know.”
“My horde is indeed magnificent. But you are right. Humans do not have the same emotional attachment to prized possessions as my kind.”
“I really like you, Borak. You’re handsome in your own way and the sweetest man I know.”
Bending over, I look deeply into her eyes. “I was not bred to be attractive or sweet. I am meant to be large and terrifying enough to strike fear into the hearts of our enemies upon sight.”
“Well, they messed some things up then, because I’m very attracted to you physically and emotionally.”
My heart is fit to explode and I have no words worthy of such a nice compliment. Finally, my brain turns back on after a few microns. “I am pleased that you find value in one such as me. I vow that if you select me as your mate, I will be a fierce protector, spawn you many young and ensure you are loved and well cared for all your remaining days.”
Her hands fly to her cover her mouth, and her eyes fill with tears. Just when I am certain I have offended her greatly, she speaks. “I forgot that Draconians spawn for their mates. If I remember correctly, you always have males that look very similar to their fathers, right?”
I freeze, because this does not seem like a very good selling point for accepting me as a mate. I respond slowly, choosing my words carefully. “Queens decide if and when their males spawn. We have suppressors that will ensure I do not spawn, if that is what you wish.”
She tilts her head sideways. “It’s acceptable for us to become physical in order to test our compatibility, correct?”
Locking my jaw, I ground out a one word answer. “Yes.”
“I think we should have you take the suppressor for now so we can get to know each other better. All that hugging and kissing will definitely have me releasing pheromones. I don’t know if it would be enough to trigger your reproductive system, but why chance it?”
“You do not wish to breed with me, correct?”
“I never said that. Having more children would be a blessing. I’ve always wanted boys of my own.”
My frozen heart starts beating again. “You would wish me to spawn for you?”
Her face hazes with confusion. “It would be spawning for us, right? Not just me.”
I grab my queen, lift her into the air and swing her around in a circle. Unable to hold back my happiness, laughter spills from my mouth. “You are the queen of my heart. Your willingness to make young with me is a joy beyond my ability to describe.”
As I lower her to my chest, her lips make some more human style kisses with mine. I decide this is the best day of my long life, and though I do not wish it to end, it must for my queen has told me she is fatigued.
I think this queen holds herself back from me because males have hurt her in the past. She will soon realize that I am nothing like the males she has known. When that happens, she will select me. I am certain of it.
Sonarian Queen
Juliet
Borak and I are strolling through the corridors of the battleship a few days later when we’re summoned to the loading bay to see an incoming guest. My best guess is the new visitor must be someone close to Borak or his clade, because I literally don’t know anyone except the warriors who travel with us already.
Curiosity gets the better of me, so I interrogate Borak. “Do you have any idea who we’re meeting? Maybe it’s someone who missed lift off and just now caught up to us.”
Borak stiffens slightly. “Perhaps this is nothing to worry about. In order to be safe, I wish you to remain behind me until I am certain.”
That throttles back my excitement. I grow more concerned when Korak and Eltran step out of a lift and flank us, walking about five paces behind. I’m smart enough about Draconian protocols to know that ten steps behind is the normal following distance of an official escort. Anything closer means there is danger near. I suddenly feel ignorant for no longer wearing my laser pistols.
My anxiety clicks down a notch when we hit the loading bay, because it’s filled with the Sonadraid. They all appear clean and quite a bit healthier. They’re all rushing around,