Epilogue

Today was my thirtieth birthday, and if anyone had ever told me I'd be spending the day on a spaceship orbiting Earth with a fire-breathing dragon who loved the hell out of me, I'd have laughed in their face. And yet here I was doing just that. It was times like these that I couldn't quite believe this was my life now.

The surrealness of this moment also included elongated balloons made from something that had come out of engineering and were filled with helium literally siphoned from the engines themselves. The "streamers" were fat or thin wires of various colors that I really hoped were extras and not responsible for the current power outage on Deck 112. My three-tiered, red, white, and blue cake, well, that was a gift from The Marine Corps who'd given me another honorable discharge so that I could become a reservist with Ram's security detail.

Mostly, I'd been on hand to give a human perspective, much like the other humans living on the ship with their Norlish mates. At first, I'd thought I would want to be in the action, but it turned out what I really wanted was retirement. I'd resented having nothing to do on Earth, but up here I had so much to learn. Learning a new language to speak, read, and write took up a lot of my time and with that came learning about Norlish culture. I was fascinated all the time. Even when Ram or one of his soldiers sought me out for one reason or another, it was great helping them understand humans.

They couldn't sing, though. As they intoned the most solemn version of the birthday song that I'd ever heard in my life, I tried not to cringe at the sound of them. Ram was practically croaking beside me. Logan was clinging to his mate's arm and laughing up a lung, while the prince stared at him and kept singing like we were all at a funeral. I'd never considered what a mournful sounding song it was before now.

When they finally finished, I hastily blew out all thirty candles with three huge breaths that left me feeling a bit lightheaded. Hopefully, they knew it was only one song per birthday.

"What did you wish for?" Ram said as he came up behind me and bent to kiss my cheek.

A gooey feeling hit me center mass, and I just had to say, "Nothing. I have everything I want right here."

I felt him grin before he stood straight again and beckoned someone over. Curious, I turned to see Doctor Revazi and the giant white rabbit that was Commander Heremod, an officer and engineering genius I'd only met a few times before. "What's this?" I asked when I realized they held a long box between them.

Heremod opened the box just as Ram hissed and said, "He's supposed to open it."

With a grunt, Heremod put the lid back on the box. "How am I supposed to know that? I don't have a human."

I accepted the box, amazed that it was lighter than it should've been for its size. "Thanks?" I said, not having realized there would be gifts.

"Technically," Revazi said, "this is from your mate. He asked that Seiwa and I help in creating it."

They'd made something for me? Ram moved to the side so I could see him and was grinning like he was excited for this. Even more curious than before, I balanced the box on my lap and lifted the lid. Something thin like tissue paper but opaque hid what was inside until I pushed it away.

It was a prosthetic leg unlike anything I'd ever seen before. Well, no, it actually resembled any number of sci-fi movie robot legs, but it was real and in my hands. It had sleek and silver panels that were arranged over the moving parts to look like muscle groups. The foot had individual toes. I let the box drop to the floor as I manipulated the leg, astonished that it weighed so little. The knee and the ankle could flex like nothing I'd ever known.

"You can get it wet and it will float," Ram said quietly, "so you can leave it on to bathe or swim. It will distribute your weight better, providing more comfort over longer periods. With its integrated computer systems, it will also learn to anticipate your movements, allowing for faster responses just like your natural leg. And, if you want, it can be painted to match your skin tone."

I was going to cry. Holding this amazing piece of technology designed by an engineer and a doctor just for me at the request of my mate to make my life easier… I sniffed and looked up at him, making the tears fall. As Ram dropped to his knees in front of me, I tried to speak but couldn't say anything at all.

"You love it already," he said as he wiped my tears away. The protective glove covering his new fingers scraped a little, but I didn't mind. "Don't you?"

I swallowed hard and nodded. "It's amazing," I whispered.

Ram kissed my forehead, and then took the leg from me, kind of aiming it at where it should be. "Come then. Take off the old one and try this one on."

It was Norlish fashion for everyone to wear tunics with skintight pants underneath—and no underwear. He couldn't possibly mean for me to drop trou right here and now. "Uh, how about letting me change somewhere more private?"

Ram grinned as he took the prosthesis and stood, letting me get up, too. I knew what that grin meant and, sure enough, he followed me to the nearest single-occupancy restroom and locked the door behind us.

"They're going to know if we do anything in here," I cautioned him as I opened my tunic's buttons down the front. It would be easier to deal with getting the prostheses on and off if I didn't have to keep tucking my tunic out of my way.

Ram hummed agreement, set the leg down, and took my tunic off of me completely. I chuckled, shaking my head, and took my boots off before going for my pants. I guessed no one would mind if we came back smelling like sex since others had before us at plenty of our get-togethers. I was learning that Norlons did not shy away from publicly expressing their desires. I was still on the fence about whether I wanted a mating ceremony with Ram since orgies were common afterward.

Naked now, I felt a weird sort of nervousness as I took off my prosthetic leg. It had taken so long to get the damn thing, been such a source of freedom once I had it, and I might've just taken it off for the last time.

Ram hovered, clearly wanting to help but not having anything to do. I realized there was no separate gel sleeve to put on first, so I eased my stump into the upper part.

"It's too big," I said with crushing disappointment.

"Give it a moment."

"What?" And as I said that, the prosthesis adjusted itself to fit snuggly all around my thigh. "Holy shit!"

What surrounded my skin felt kind of gooey, but not cold or wet. It was almost like I was suspended inside there, no pressure anywhere. I was standing flat on both feet, maybe leaning a little now, but I felt nothing. Both legs felt the exact same.

I swallowed down a burst of emotion, right back on the edge of crying again, as I paced the length of the small restroom a few times. I could tell I wanted to walk and turn like I did with my old leg, but I didn't need to compensate for a mechanical knee or swing my leg out to go forward. I just…walked. Swear to god, it was like I'd never lost my leg.

I jumped into Ram's arms, wrapping mine around his shoulders and tucking my face into his neck. I hadn't asked for a new leg—hadn't considered that I could—but he'd wanted to give me this comfort and ease, knowing his people could improve on what I'd had. "I love you," I croaked at him. "Thank you."

Ram chuckled and patted my back. "Of course, my mate."

I pulled away but only so I could kiss him, and his hands slid down to cup my ass. I whimpered in joy when I raised my legs to wrap around his waist and the new one was right there and doing it perfectly. I realized then that I could feel the texture of his clothes on my leg. I could feel.

I popped off his mouth and stared at him in amazement. "Ram. Ram, I can feel your clothes on my leg."

He smiled and ran his hand down over the prosthesis's thigh to its knee. "As you should."

"Oh, my god! Seriously?" I stared at where he touched the leg, knowing his hand was on metal and plastic but feeling it like skin and muscle. "How?"

"I don't know how, but I asked for them to attempt it and am very pleased they could achieve it."

He smoothed his hand up to my thigh again, some fingers on me and some on the prosthesis. It felt the same! It felt exactly the same. And it wasn't even a sexy feeling but, holy fuck, it got me revved up so fast my head spun. I gripped Ram tighter and rubbed against him.

I could feel him fishing around below me and moaned into his mouth when I realized he was freeing his cock. "Fuck me like this," I asked as I came up for air. "Just like this."

He nodded, and then there was the wet kiss of his cockhead against my hole. A moment later and it was working itself into me one thrust after another. I rocked with it, moans falling from my lips, as his hands roamed over every part of me that he could reach. The only difference in sensations on my legs was from the glove he wore.

"You feel so good," I said, unable to keep still. "So good."

I gasped when he pressed me against the cool wall and grabbed me behind the knees. Ram's cock plunged deeper into me, filling me up and making me holler in sharp, beautiful pleasure. I could feel the pressure of his hold, the stretch of muscles, and it only added to how incendiary our fucking felt. Oh, god, I was going to come!

With his cock punching into me and him holding my thighs wide apart, I arched against the wall and came with a ragged yell of blissful release. My cock spat all over my abs, come dribbling down and making me shiver even more. I managed to peel my eyes open in time to see Ram throw his head back as his cock shoved deep, something damn close to to a roar working its way from his throat. My sexy dragon claiming me…

He seemed reluctant to withdraw and help me back onto my feet. Understandable since we were big cuddlers after sex, but this time we had a party to get back to.

"Think you might be able to worship my new leg later?" I asked as I cleaned up.

Ram grunted, grinning at me in the mirror. "I will do whatever you wish to any and every part of your body."

I bit my bottom lip in anticipation and started getting dressed.

The second we came through the door back into the party, Owen Devin, the ship captain's mate, hollered, "You're not going to believe this!" He pointed at a monitor on the wall that everyone was watching.

"What?" I hurried over with Ram, worried something awful had happened.

"Svalnorland's queen just declared the island a haven for Norlons."

"A haven? What does that mean?"

"She's welcoming any and all Norlons who'd like to make a home on Earth to live in Svalnorland."

"Seriously?" I could hardly believe it. Not that the Norlons didn't deserve it, but the fact that anywhere was so accepting made me instantly suspicious. I didn't like that about myself, but there it was.

"Wait," Logan said, peering at the screen. "Where is Svalnorland?"

Squire Landry, who'd recently returned with his mate from Nor, pointed at a tiny map on the screen. "It's between Greenland and Iceland there," he said with his cute Louisiana accent. "Totally Nordic. I think they used to be big with fishing but the international laws did something that made the industry die out."

And there went my suspicions. "Are they trying to make a comeback by being the alien hub on Earth? Like for tourism?"

"Ew," Squire said with a wincing expression, "I hope not. But…maybe?"

Prince Ye Lena came over and said, "I must go learn more about this development, but I do wish you the happiest of birthdays, Quincy."

"Oh, yeah, thank you." I shook his hand when he offered it. "Do you need to go, too?" I asked Ram.

Ram looked to the prince, who shook his head. "I've heard nothing about this, so let me make contact with Svalnorland's queen before we call in anyone else."

The prince stopped on his way toward the door to kiss Logan before he was gone.

"That's weird," I said, "that the queen didn't reach out to our prince first, right? She went to the news instead? Or I guess had a press conference…" I gestured at the monitor where a recording of the queen addressing reporters was playing now.

Administrator Rijal, a muscular Khess who was Squire's mate, said, "It is possible she had no way of reaching us except this. I can't recall anyone from Svalnorland being on any of the calls I've had."

Squire grinned at his mate. "That could be because prostitution is legal in Svalnorland."

"I like them already," Rijal said with a chuckle.

I had a feeling a whole lot of Norlons were going to like a whole lot of Svalnorlanders in the very near future.

Logan went to get another slice of cake. "Well, if this all works out, I'm going to need to buy a parka."

Owen was still watching the news coverage as he asked, "Isn't Greenland the one covered in ice and Iceland is the one that's green?"

"I think so," Squire said, "but Iceland is still cold and so is Svalnorland."

"Well, all the furry Norlons should be fine," Logan said, "but how do Ceros fair in the ice and snow?"

"We can regulate our temperatures," Ram said from near the monitor. "I'll consume more to compensate for the effort, but I won't be cold."

Which meant I wouldn't be either if he was going to turn into a furnace in the bedroom.

Revazi and Heremod came over to me, and I smiled happily at both of them.

"How does the leg fit?" Revazi asked.

Heremod said, "We can adjust most everything, if needed."

"It's amazing." I ran my finger along the barely-there seam across my thigh. "I can't hardly tell I'm wearing anything. Thank you both so much."

Revazi smiled so big his eyes disappeared in his round face. "You're very welcome."

"You're sure there's nothing I can adjust?" Heremod tapped his short claws against each other, making a clicking sound. "Not just the fit, but also?—"

"Hush," Revazi said. "It's perfect. Let it go."

I chuckled at the way Heremod's nose twitched as he squinted at Revazi. "Honestly, it's so great that I wonder if you wouldn't consider making more for others. There are a lot of us who could use a truly comfortable prosthesis with this kind of functionality. I don't know what that would take, but I'll make it my mission to get all?—"

Heremod waved a hand dismissively. "It's already in the works. Yours was basically the prototype. As soon as the factory on Earth is finished, we'll begin production."

Holy shit. I got choked up all over again. I knew two other guys from my unit who'd lost limbs and to know they could soon feel like this… Ram came close and put his arm around me, tucking me into his side. "That's really fantastic," I managed to whisper.

The Revazi and Heremod patted me before going over to watch more of the news coverage on Svalnorland. I knew I should be excited about what was happening with that island, but knowing people would soon be able to feel like I did while wearing a prosthesis was a way better thing in my opinion. Between the fact that anyone with a new injury or disease who lost a limb could regrow one thanks to the nanobots, and the incredible advances of the technology that let me feel like I had my leg back, I felt so much love for the Norlons right then.

"Alright?" Ram gave me a little squeeze.

I nodded and looped an arm around him. "God, yeah. I just love you so much."

He bent and kissed me, his new fingers cradling my chin. "I love you, too, Quincy."