Drasus

Drega, the blue one, and Draxx, the massive green one, are lounging against some large crates near where I first encountered them.

"Drasus." Draxx grins at me. "Come for a rematch or has mating mellowed you?"

He gets a snarl for his trouble.

"This is a warrior who needs to re-learn his discipline," Drega says with no malice in his voice. "And who his superiors are."

"Please tell me it's not the red one," I say in a rush.

They both look at each other, then back at me.

"Daeos is Kiralii, so technically, he is your superior," Draxx says with a grin which could light up the darkest cavern.

"And you're the one who noticed his rut and Keralii glow," Drega says, studying me carefully.

I narrow my eyes. The last thing I want is this male grabbing me again, but he doesn't make any move, and I think about Daeos.

Something stirs at the back of my mind. The image of him, within a very different setting, his scales on fire.

"I did," I reply. "I did see the glow, somewhere with a metal floor."

"Told you he'd remember," Draxx says to Drega. "You owe me five jewels."

"You'll get them when you start wearing pants," Drega retorts. "And anyway, you owe me five jewels because I told you Draco would want to launch today."

Draxx folds his arms over his chest. "Draco doesn't want to launch today."

"He does now Drasus is back," Drega says with a smug smile. "Let's see if we can jog your memory with a visit to the Golden Orion." He raises his eyebrows.

"I will not leave my mate," I reply. "She is…packing."

"First time I've heard it called that," Draxx says, raising his eyebrows.

Drega punches him in the arm.

"You will not be leaving her. The ship is a short flight from here. It might help you recall…everything, and we can get started on the star map up and running before we get your mate."

I start to growl, then stop. Something about what he's saying makes sense, and it makes me want to comply. I look around. There are males everywhere, but I no longer feel as threatened as I did.

"His rut is strange," Draxx says, nostrils flaring.

Drega is gazing at me with interest. "It might be linked to his injuries. The rut has restorative properties for a male. I'd heard it could happen, but until Daeos regained his flame during his rut, I hadn't been entirely convinced it was possible." He tips his head to one side. "But you are a bigger and better male than the one who left here, even if you don't remember us. So, this is going to be interesting."

"I am not a science experiment, healer," I spit out. "Nor is my mate."

Draxx laughs loudly. "He remembers you, brother."

He gives Drega a shove, and the male loses his balance, falling to one side off the cases.

And just like that, my heart takes a little more kindly to Draxx.

"Get some of your warriors to transport the last of the weapons to the ship, general." Drega brushes himself off. "Take this one with you." He points at me.

Draxx grins. "You want me to take him to Daeos?"

Drega runs his hand over his face. "He's the only other nevver with the skills to manage the star map. I have to speak to Draco about our course."

He takes a few paces, shifts,, and is in the air, rowing high above the rock walls which surround us.

Draxx motions to a couple of warriors nearby and gives them short orders to transport the boxes to the ship. They stand smartly while he addresses them and nod curtly when he has finished. Big and gruff, he may be, but these Sarkarnii respect him.

"Come with me, warrior." Draxx uses a huge claw to beckon me forward.

I look over in the direction my mate took. More than half of me wishes to stay here, to be close to her until she has finished her packing and we can journey together to the ship.

"A word about mates," Draxx rasps conspiratorially. "They like time with each other, and it often involves food and shrieking. I recommend letting it happen."

I must have looked startled as he claps a huge green hand on my shoulder and laughs, smoke pouring from his mouth. "My mate saved me, as did yours. You will not lose her by giving her time with the others."

I have an image of peering down into a huge, dark cavern, diving into it in order to locate Draxx. His green scales covered in ancestors knows what, his eyes wild. His spirit broken.

And this is not the male he is now. He is a general in every aspect.

"Come, there is much to do if we are to leave as Draco wishes, today."

He shifts into dragon form, but before he can take off, three Sarkarnii come screaming out of the sky, led by the red one.

I assume my fighting position as Daeos lands and races over to us.

"General, there has been an unauthorized launch," he says, all of his madness gone and in its place a laser-focussed warrior. "There was nothing we could do to prevent it."

"Unauthorized launch?" Draxx growls. "Belek?"

"No, not Belek…Bogarok, according to the ship's records."

"Nev," I swear.

"You remember our old foes?" Draxx queries.

"How could I forget. One of them nearly cost me a wing," I growl.

The agony, the sudden rush of color as the memory of the battle returns, nearly floors me.

"Then you know their presence here is not a coincidence."

"It is not," Draco intones, walking briskly towards our group. "And confirms our need to leave here today. While we are on the Kirakos and in possession of the star map, this place becomes a target. We can better defend ourselves in open space on the Golden Orion."

"Then it is time to leave."

"There's something else," Daeos says. "The map showed there was human DNA on board the ship."

"Our females," Draxx growls.

"Three of them are on the Golden Orion already, including my mate," Daeos says.

"Amber is in my quarters, with our sarkarnling," Draco adds.

I hardly hear the words spoken because I'm already running to where I last saw my mate.

I have to get to Coral. If I have been derelict in my duty as her protector, I am no mate at all.