Drasus

My cock is fully emerged from my pouch, the water turning cloudy from my pre-cum. But my sweet treat is so incredibly tight, I do not believe even my taste will make her wide enough to take me.

I lap at the pretty jewel which sits at the hilt of her apex, the one which seems to elicit the most perfect noises from her lips, while I attempt to work in a finger.

I slide my hand over her abdomen, flattening out my palm as I work on her harder.

"Are you untried, my sweet?" I murmur.

Coral's head lifts, her eyes wild, unfocussed, heavy with pleasure, as they should be. "What?" she asks.

"Have you been with a male?"

I feel her breath stuttering through her body and it freezes up, sucking at my digit.

"N-no," she says. "Not completely. But I've never…"

"So, you will be my ripe little bloom to pluck?" I ask, my voice hoarse with the need to claim her. "My sweet perfection to fill for the first time?"

At my words, her body relaxes for an instant, and my hand is flooded with her moisture, meaning I can slide a little deeper inside, where I curl up my finger in order to reach the spot all females love.

The one place, the one thing a male can do in order to avoid being bitten. The greatest spot ever and Coral does not disappoint in her reaction. Her body spasms, her hot channel sucking greedily at my finger, her lips crying out my name.

"Drasus!"

"Breathe, little flame." I kiss over her mound, luxuriating in the soft hair she has covering it. So unlike the smooth scales of a Sarkarnii female, this hair is filled with her scent and it is intoxicating. "Breathe for me."

"I can't…"

"I think you did…"

"I mean…" She gasps, trying to push herself onto her elbows and failing.

"You want more?" I lick over her sensitive little nub, and she shudders.

"I…I…" She wipes her tousled hair from her eyes, eyes which contain the same fear she had earlier when she spoke of the water.

I lap at her sweet nectar.

"You seem determined not to take pleasure, little flame, when it is here for you."

I extend my hands over her thighs, wondering if it will even be possible to mate her unless she has orgasmed multiple times and I have stretched her thoroughly.

"This is not something I'm used to," she says finally.

"I should hope not because you belong to me, mate," I growl at her.

Anger simmers. I am injured, I am fair game for any male who might wish to take her from me. The rut fills my veins with mating mix, and I want to take on the universe for the right to this female.

My cock fountains pre-cum once again. Neither it, nor my rut understand how bad all of this is. I heave myself out of the water and lie on the side of the aquium. My tail wraps itself around her leg as if it will never let go as I stare into her eyes.

"Pleasure is one of the greatest gifts of the ancestors, my Coral. It is entirely free and entirely yours."

"I understand." She doesn't look at me, instead, annoyingly, she covers her beautiful breasts with an arm. "But I've spent a long time on my own. I've spent a long time concentrating on working and not having a relationship. Probably too long and it's probably too late for me."

If I was a stronger warrior, I'd be able to prove to her the words she speaks are untrue. That fate comes for us all in the end. But I am not strong, and I'm not sure I believe it or the evidence of my rut.

I get to my feet, slowly, as my head spins from the unaccustomed exercise and the heady scent of Coral. And maybe the rush of blood to certain areas. I take hold of a wall to hold myself upright. It's hard and my vision is dimming. If I don't return to my bed, I will prove to her what a waste of time and effort I am.

So, I stumble back, and she doesn't follow. Making it to the small room which has become my entire world, I hit the bed with some force.

"An injured, cornered warrior with a female to protect and rut in full flow."

I snarl, levering myself upright to face Drega, who dares to come into my den when I have a…

"You will leave," I say, not keeping any of the danger from my voice. "This is my den now."

Drega looks me up and down, as well he might. I'm hardly able to keep myself on my feet.

"I will leave my healing station when I'm good and ready, warrior. Being in rut doesn't excuse insubordination."

Like Drega and his brothers were ever bothered about insubordination.

"So punch me in the head."

"I can do worse," Drega replies, his mouth quirked at the corner.

Right now, nothing seems worse than a punch in the head, which is most likely to drop me and there I will stay, but I glare at him nonetheless.

"Daeos wants to visit."

"Nev! No!" My tail thrashes behind me.

The big scarlet warrior might have saved my life, but I'm pretty sure he'll be the death of me in other ways. Despite the fact he is mated, my scales want to crawl off my hide with the thought of another Sarkarnii here in my den.

"Then you'll be up for a mission instead," Drega says, the nevving irritating smile not leaving his lips.

If we're thinking about punches in the head, he is a nevver who deserves one, right now.

"Drasus is absolutely not ready for any such thing," Coral says from the entrance to the aquium.

She is dressed, more's the pity, and looks…angry.

Coral looks angry…at me.

"As his healer, you should be able to see he is unfit," she adds.

I release a growl which could wake the dead. "I am not unfit." I lash my tail again. "I am shifting."

"It's not your abilities as a warrior I'm looking for, Drasus," Drega says, the nevving smile he's sporting getting larger. "It is your rut, and more specifically, your rut for Coral."

"What?" I exclaim.

"What?" Coral says at the same time. "Rut? What's this all about?" She has her hands on her hips, but she isn't glaring at Drega.

She's glaring at me, like she wants to envenomate me. Which absolutely should not be exciting me, but my cock is already pushing at my pouch again.

"We are still searching for the mated pair who can unlock the star map. As Drasus has gone into rut for you, little Coral, you are our next candidates."

She turns her death stare on Drega. "Next candidates for what?"

"To enter into the central control room and set us free."