Coral

The enormous atrium which takes up the center of the ship, large enough to take the shifted forms of the Sarkarnii, should they so choose, is filled on every floor as I look up. Drums beat and they all sway to it.

Every single one.

These are Sarkarnii who have what they need, the map to guide them to the rest of their species, to mates, to family, to a future, which all began in the heart of a prison maze.

Today, Drasus dances for me. My big grumpy, slightly feral, and now endlessly happy mate will do his dance and claims me in the eyes of all his fellow warriors. All the Sarkarnii who owe him a debt, and all those who he has shown time and again by his bravery what it is to be a Sarkarnii, even when you don't quite know you are one.

I haven't been this on edge since my final exams. I am an absolute ball of nerves, and Ruby keeps pushing goblets of ale-wine into my hand.

Ale-wine I'm terrified of spilling over my dress. It's an ivory creation Jade insisted on having made for me. It looks like a wedding dress, but none of my other friends who had their Sarkarnii mates dance for them wore a wedding dress.

"Are you sure he'll like it?" I ask for the thousandth time.

"Coral, you look so gorgeous," Opal says, her eyes shining with tears. "He's going to go feral for you."

"And she should know." Amber jerks her thumb at Opal. "She knows all about feral."

Everyone nods and Opal beams. Her baby bump is just beginning to show, and I'm stunned Daeos has left us alone for this length of time with her.

Either someone else is keeping him away or Opal has threatened to withdraw certain relations. I suspect the former not the latter.

As for my mate, I think I know a thing or two regarding feral mated males. Drasus has become free. Still the male he was when we first met, honorable and willing to do what is needed, but he has been able to throw caution away. I liked him before. I love him now.

"It's time," Jem calls out far sooner than I was expecting. She beckons me, and with jelly legs, I step up to the chair placed at one end of the atrium.

The beats grow louder, the Sarkarnii sway faster, and I worry it might tip the Golden Orion off its axis.

Flame burns over the starlit ceiling, rolling and boiling away into nothingness as a massive purple dragon bursts from somewhere and spins, flips, dives down the atrium until Drasus lands, resolving into himself at the far end.

He waits, not looking anywhere but at me. My entire body is shaking. But not from fear, from the need, the desire to be with him, in his arms, to have my head buried against his scales. I want him. I want all of him.

I want to claim him as he claims me.

The beat slows, and with a flick of his hips, Drasus dances towards me. It's hypnotic, his movements lithe, sinuous, easy, and with such purpose, I can be sure they are for no one else.

As he reaches me, I rise, and he takes me by the hand, spinning me into him. It is perfection, as I expected, his smoky spicy scent curling around me.

"Coral, let me claim you for fate to see," he murmurs. "Let our future be written across the stars and in our hearts."

"You know you don't have to ask," I whisper back, unable to trust my full voice as I feel the tears track down my face. "Yes," I breathe. "Claim me."

He swipes a thumb carefully across my cheek and places it in his mouth. "Sweet, just like you, but never sorrow."

"Never sorrow, not while I have you," I reply.

"Then I am yours," Drasus murmurs, his lips hitting mine, his forked tongue sweeping around my mouth as if I belong to him.

As he belongs to me.

"Drasus has claimed his mate!" Draxx booms out as the spell around us is broken and the entire atrium erupts in cheering.

I hide my face against Drasus' chest. Draco steps forward.

"Warrior, you have done everything asked of you and more." He looks around the atrium, golden scales glistening in the light. "All of you have done more. You came with me to the Kirakos, and you believed in me that we would eventually leave with the prize we sought." He looks over at Amber standing behind us. "Some of us leave with more than we expected. And very soon, we will find the other Sarkarnii. We will be a nation once more."

The cheering grows louder.

"Unless…" He holds up a clawed finger. "Unless you would like a final mission, one which will bring us all the riches we will ever need?"

If, in the moment, I expected silence or dissent, I was wrong.

Instead the atrium rings to even greater cheers, including those of my mate. Drasus dips his head and presses his forehead to mine, his great hands cupping my face.

"You would not object," he asks, "to a bunch of lost Sarkarnii refilling their hoards?"

"If there's one thing I've learned, one thing I know, it's Sarkarnii will be Sarkarnii, no matter what." I put my hand on his chest. "You claimed me, Drasus, and I claimed you. There is nowhere you go I will not follow. My heart is in your hands, no matter what."

"Then my hands will hold it, keep it safe, keep you with me. And I will get you all the hoard you will ever need," he says.

I gaze into his eyes. "You are all the hoard I will ever need. You showed me what it is to love, and there is no greater gift."

Once again, my lips are consumed by his and his kiss dominates every sense I have, until I'm released, panting and needing more.

"I flame for you, heartsfire. I hold you within me. You keep me alight. You are all the brightest stars in the universe, and you will always be mine."